Effects of supplemental medusa (Rhopilema esculentum) on intestinal microbiota and metabolites in silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus).

Pampus argenteus demonstrates a preference for Rhopilema esculentum as prey, yet the ramifications of consuming supplemental medusa on fish microbiota and metabolism remain elusive. To elucidate these effects, 300 juvenile fish were divided into two groups: control group (C, given commercial food only) and supplemental medusa (SM) group (given supplemental medusa + commercial feed). After 15 days, fish in the SM group exhibited a significant increase in fatness, the amylase activity in the intestine significantly increased, and the intestinal microvilli were arranged more neatly. The comprehensive approach involving 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and metabolomics was employed, leading to the identification of five genera within the SM group, namely Lactococcus, Cohaesibacter, Maritalea, Sulfitobacter, and Carnobacterium. Functional prediction analysis of the microbiota indicated that the consumption of supplemental medusa facilitated processes such as glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and amino acid absorption. Metabolomics analysis revealed significant enrichment of 85 differential metabolites, most of them belonging to fatty acids and conjugates. These differential metabolites primarily participated in processes such as amino acid metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, and disease. Notably, the consumption of medusa resulted in a significant reduction in nine lysophospholipids associated with cardiovascular disease and inflammation. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis revealed associations between specific microorganisms and metabolites, indicating that Cobetia, Weissella, and Macrococcus exhibited an increased abundance in the SM group, positively correlating with apocynin, 12-Hete, and delta 9-THC-d3. The indicator bacteria Psychrobacter reduced in the SM group, exhibiting a negative correlation with cystathionine (a compound involved in glutathione synthesis). Overall, the supplementation of medusa may confer a beneficial effect on the immunity of the fish. This study contributes to the theoretical framework for fish feed development.

Reduced Fertilization and Magnesium Supplementation: Modulating Fruit Quality in Honey Pomelo (Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.).

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers in the Guanxi honey pomelo production area has led to severe soil acidification and magnesium (Mg) deficiency, adversely affecting pomelo fruit quality. To address this issue, an integrated nutrient optimization model crucial for ensuring the sustainable and environmentally friendly development of the Guanxi honey pomelo industry has been explored. In a three-year experiment, two fertilizer treatments were implemented: a farmer fertilizer practice (FP) and an NPK reduction plus foliar Mg fertilizer (OPT + fMg). We investigated the impact of this integrated optimized fertilization measure on pomelo fruit quality from three aspects: flavor (sugars and organic acids), nutrition (vitamin C and mineral elements), and antioxidant properties (phenolics, flavonoids, and phytic acid). The results revealed that the OPT + fMg treatment improved fruit flavor by reducing acidity (titratable acid, citric acid, and quinine), while having a minimal impact on sugar components (sucrose, fructose, and glucose). Additionally, the OPT + fMg treatment increased the total phenolics, total flavonoids, and phytic acid in the fruit peel, enhancing its potential antioxidant quality. However, the OPT + fMg treatment reduced the mineral nutrient quality (excluding calcium) in the fruit. As for the fruit developmental period, the OPT + fMg treatment significantly increased the total flavonoid concentration in the peel from the mid-expansion fruit stage, followed by notable increases in phytic acid in the peel during the mid-to-late expansion fruit stage. The total phenolic concentration in the peel significantly rose only during the late fruit development stage. The most pronounced effect was observed on phytic acid in both peel and pulp. The influence of the OPT + fMg treatment on the mineral nutrients (excluding calcium) primarily occurred during the mid-to-late expansion fruit stage. Overall, the OPT + fMg treatment significantly improved the comprehensive nutritional quality of pomelo fruit, providing valuable insights for scientifically reducing fertilizer application while enhancing fruit quality.

Constructing Bionic Perovskite Smart Photovoltaic Windows with Switchable Colors and High Cycling Stability.

Smart photovoltaic windows (SPWs) provide a high-efficiency and energy-saving strategy owing to the dual capabilities of electricity generation and sunlight modulation achieved by tunable colors and transmittances. Due to the deterioration of chromic process on photovoltaic layers, SPWs usually suffer from poor cycling stability. Moreover, thermochromic SPWs with a multilayer structure usually change transmittance without reversible color transitions. To address these issues, inspired by chameleon skin, bionic SPWs are designed and constructed by integrating hydrogel, CsPbBr3 semitransparent perovskite solar cells (ST-PSCs), and transparent polymer film. The SPWs realize reversible transitions between transparent green (25 °C) and opaque yellow (45 °C) states in a short duration (2 min) under natural conditions. By optimizing perovskite film and ultrathin-metal electrodes, CsPbBr3 ST-PSCs achieve a good trade-off between transmittance and efficiency, delivering the highest photovoltaic efficiency (8.35%) and a record light utilization efficiency (4.43). Ultimately, the multilayer SPWs maintain stable optical properties and more than 88% initial conversion efficiency after 100 transition cycles, presenting excellent cycling stability. This study proposes a novel approach and device structure for SPWs with high cycling stability, switchable colors, and switchable transmittances. It also paves the way for smart photovoltaic deployment in buildings and many other fields.

Two high quality chromosome-scale genome assemblies of female and male silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus).

Pampus argenteus is a highly commercial marine fish whose population is declining sharply. Here, we generated a female P. argenteus genome, spanning 536.33 Mb with contig N50 of 1.79 Mb; 24070 genes (99.50% of 24,182) were functionally annotated. To improve quality of it, we assembled a 553.79 Mb genome of male fish with contig N50 of 24.75 Mb through HiFi and ultra-long ONT sequence technologies; 550.82 Mb were anchored onto 24 gap-free chromosomes; 22,892 genes (98.1% of 23,346) were functionally annotated; the QV value was 51.55 with 98.9% of BUSCO and 99.39% coverage of Illumina reads. Finally, we compared this genome with previous published one, revealing 37,301 SVs. 52.82 Mb and 18.05 Mb SDs were characterized in our and published assemblies, respectively, and 48.96 Mb PURs were constructed. Thus, this genome assembly exhibits excellent completeness, continuity and accuracy comparing to the published one, which can be current preferred reference genome. Overall, these works help aquaculture and wild resources recovery of P. argenteus and provide a valuable genetic resource for study.

Trans-cinnamic acid alleviates high-fat diet-induced renal injury via JNK/ERK/P38 MAPK pathway.

Obesity-related chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses a significant risk to individuals' health and wellbeing, but the pathological mechanisms and treatment strategies are currently limited. Trans-cinnamic acid (CA) is a key active monomer found in cinnamon bark and is known for its diverse pharmacological activities. However, its effect on obesity-related renal injury remains unknown. In the current study, the in vitro and in vivo experiments were combined to investigate the beneficial effect of CA on renal injury induced by HFD or PA. We found that CA significantly reduced the obesity of zebrafish body and the accumulation of fat in kidney tissues. The histopathological changes and dysfunction induced by HFD were effectively mitigated by CA administration, as evidenced by the detection of Hematoxylin-Eosin straining, NAG activity, creatinine level, and expression of functional-related genes, respectively. Additionally, the in vitro and in vivo findings demonstrated that CA dramatically reduced the oxidative stress, inflammatory, and apoptosis in HFD-induced kidney tissues or PA-treated HEK293T and HK-2 cells. Finally, the results regarding ERK, JNK, and P38 proteins phosphorylation confirmed that CA may alleviate HFD-induced renal injury by inhibiting the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and P38 MAPK proteins. This theory was further supported by the results of co-treatment with anisomycin (a JNK activator) or lipopolysaccharide and CA in HEK293T cells. This study proves that CA alleviates the obesity-related CKD probably through inhibition of MAPK signaling pathway.

The hidden acceleration pump uncovers the role of shellfish in oceanic carbon sequestration.

Whether shellfish mariculture should be included in the blue carbon profile as a strategy to combat climate change has been controversial. It is highly demanding not only to provide calibration quantitation, but also to provide an ecosystem-based mechanism. In this study, we chose mussel farms as a case study to evaluate their contributions to carbon sinks and their responses to sedimentary carbon fixation and sequestration. First, we quantified the air-sea CO2 flux in the mussel aquacultural zone and observed a weak carbon sink (-0.15 ± 0.07 mmol·m-2·d-1) during spring. Next, by analyzing the carbon composition in the sediment, we recorded a noticeable and unexpected increase in the sedimentary recalcitrant carbon (RC) content in the mussel farming case. To address this surprising sedimentary phenomenon, a long-term indoor experimental test was conducted to distinguish the consequences of mussel engagement with sedimentary RC. Our observational data support the idea that mussel engagement promotes accumulation of RC in sediments by 2.5-fold. Furthermore, the relative intensity of carboxylic-rich alicyclic molecule (CRAM)-like compounds (recalcitrant dissolved organic matter (RDOM)) increased by 451.4 % in the mussel-engaged sedimentary dissolved organic matter (DOM) in comparison to the initial state. Mussel engagement had a significantly positive effect on the abundance of sedimentary carbon-fixing genes. Therefore, we definitively conclude that mussel farming is blue carbon positive and propose a new alternative theory that mussel farming areas may have high carbon sequestration potential via an ecologically integrated "3 M" (microalgae-mussel-microbiota) consortium. The "mussel pump" accelerates carbon sequestration and enhances climate-related ecosystem services.

Ginsenoside compound K alleviates D-galactose-induced mild cognitive impairment by modulating gut microbiota-mediated short-chain fatty acid metabolism.

The occurrence and progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are closely related to dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Ginsenoside compound K (CK), a bioactive component of ginseng, has been shown to alleviate gut microbiota dysbiosis and neural damage. However, the mechanisms by which CK regulates the gut microbiota to improve MCI remain unexplored. In this study, an MCI mouse model induced by D-galactose was used, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and integrative multi-omics analyses were employed to investigate the potential mechanisms by which CK alleviates MCI through modulation of the gut microbiota. The results demonstrated that CK repaired intestinal barrier dysfunction caused by MCI, improved blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, inhibited activation of microglial cells and astrocytes, and significantly ameliorated MCI. Furthermore, CK enhanced gut microbiota diversity, notably enriched beneficial bacteria such as Akkermansia, and modulated the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly increasing propionate, thereby alleviating gut microbiota dysbiosis caused by MCI. Germ-free experiments confirmed that gut microbiota is a key factor for ginsenoside CK in relieving MCI. Further investigation revealed that CK regulated the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway through modulation of gut microbiota-mediated propionate metabolism, significantly reducing systemic inflammation and alleviating MCI. Our findings provide a new theoretical basis for using CK as a potential means of modulating the gut microbiota for the treatment of MCI.

Effect of phytohormone on proliferation and accumulation of cellular metabolites of microalgae Isochrysis zhanjiangensis.

Phytohormones play a role in regulating microalgae cells tolerance to adversity. This paper examines the effects of different temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C and 35 °C) on the physiological characteristics and endogenous phytohormones of the Isochrysis Zhanjiangensis (IZ) and its mutagenic strain (3005). The results showed that the endogenous phytohormones indole acetic acid (IAA) and jasmonic acid (JA) exhibited significant differences (P<0.05) between the two strains. The addition of 0.5 mg·L-1 exogenous JA inhibitor ibuprofen (IBU) improved cell growth of IZ, and was extremely effective in the accumulation of polysaccharides, which accounted for 33.25 %. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that genes involved in photosynthesis, such as PetC and PsbO, exhibited significantly elevated expression of the strain IZ, while the pathways related to JA synthesis may be the factor affecting microalgae temperature tolerance. This study provides a theoretical foundation for elucidating the underlying mechanisms and potential applications for high temperature tolerance in IZ.

Enhancement of Docosahexaenoic Acid and Eicosapentaenoic Acid Biosynthesis in Isochrysis galbana by Bacillus jeotgali.

Isochrysis galbana is valuable in aquaculture due to its production of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, achieving high yields of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) presents challenges, leading to exploration of innovative approaches. This study investigated the influence of Bacillus jeotgali on the growth of I. galbana and its fatty acid composition. Co-culturing I. galbana with B. jeotgali significantly increased chlorophyll a content and cell abundance, particularly at higher bacterial population densities (algae-to-bacteria ratio of 1:10). Physiological and biochemical analyses found elevated soluble protein content in microalgae co-cultured with B. jeotgali, accompanied by decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Fatty acid composition analysis demonstrated a distinctive profile in co-cultured I. galbana, characterized by increased PUFAs, especially EPA and DHA. Gene expression analysis indicated an upregulation of desaturase genes (d4FAD, d5FAD, d6FAD, and d8FAD) associated with PUFA synthesis pathway in I. galbana during co-culturing with B. jeotgali. This study advances our understanding of bacteria-microalgae interactions and presents a promising strategy for enhancing the production of DHA and EPA.

Tissue-engineered mesenchymal stem cell constructs alleviate tendinopathy by suppressing vascularization.

Tendinopathy leads to low-grade tissue inflammation and chronic damage, which progresses due to pathological imbalance in angiogenesis. Reducing early pathological vascularization may be a new approach in helping to regenerate tendon tissue. Conventional stem cell therapy and tissue engineering scaffolds have not been highly effective at treating tendinopathy. In this study, tissue engineered stem cells (TSCs) generated using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were combined with microcarrier scaffolds to limit excessive vascularization in tendinopathy. By preventing VEGF receptor activation through their paracrine function, TSCs reduced in vitro angiogenesis and the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. TSCs also decreased the inflammatory expression of tenocytes while promoting their anabolic and tenogenic characteristics. Furthermore, local injection of TSCs into rats with collagenase-induced tendinopathy substantially reduced early inflammation and vascularization. Mechanistically, transcriptome sequencing revealed that TSCs could reduce the progression of pathological angiogenesis in tendon tissue, attributed to Rap1-mediated vascular inhibition. TSCs may serve as a novel and practical approach for suppressing tendon vascularization, and provide a promising therapeutic agent for early-stage clinical tendinopathy.

[Effects and mechanisms of Gegen Qinlian Decoction in inhibiting M1 polarization of macrophages under inflammatory hypoxia microenvironment].

To explore the effect and mechanism of Gegen Qinlian Decoction(GQD) in inhibiting M1 polarization of macrophages under inflammatory hypoxia by simulating intestinal hypoxia microenvironment in vitro. A tri-gas incubator was used to simulate normal physiological hypoxia of the colon and inflammatory hypoxia microenvironments of ulcerative colitis(UC). RAW264.7 macrophages were divided into 18.5% O_(2 )(normoxia group), 4% O_2(physiological hypoxia group), and 1% O_2(inflammatory hypoxia group), and they were induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS) for 24 h. M1 polarization was detected by flow cytometry. Under the condition of 1% inflammatory hypoxia, they were divided into blank group, model group, and GQD-containing serum low, medium, and high dose groups. Flow cytometry was used to detect M1 polarization marker CD86, and ELISA was used to detect the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß) in cell supernatant. The mRNA expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α), TNF-α, and IL-1ß was detected by qRT-PCR. Western blot was used to detect the expression of HIF-1α/nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB) signaling pathway-related proteins. The nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 was detected by immunofluorescence. The results showed that the positive rate of CD86 in the 1% O_2 group was the highest. Under the condition of 1% inflammatory hypoxia, compared with the blank group, the expression of CD86, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and HIF-1α in the model group increased. Compared with the model group, each group of GQD could reduce the expression of CD86, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and HIF-1α. Compared with the blank group, the protein expression of HIF-1α, NF-κB p65, p-IKKα/ß, and p-IκBα in the model group increased. Compared with the model group, the protein expression of HIF-1α, NF-κB p65, p-IKKα/ß, and p-IκBα in GQD groups was significantly decreased. Compared with the blank group, NF-κB p65 in the model group entered the nucleus significantly. Compared with the model group, the nuclear expression of NF-κB p65 was decreased in each GQD group. Studies have shown that GQD may protect the intestine by down-regulating the HIF-1α/NF-κB signaling pathway to inhibit M1 polarization of macrophages and secretion of related inflammatory factors under 1% inflammatory hypoxia.

Sunlight-powered sustained flight of an ultralight micro aerial vehicle.

Limited flight duration is a considerable obstacle to the widespread application of micro aerial vehicles (MAVs)1-3, especially for ultralightweight MAVs weighing less than 10 g, which, in general, have a flight endurance of no more than 10 min (refs. 1,4). Sunlight power5-7 is a potential alternative to improve the endurance of ultralight MAVs, but owing to the restricted payload capacity of the vehicle and low lift-to-power efficiency of traditional propulsion systems, previous studies have not achieved untethered sustained flight of MAVs fully powered by natural sunlight8,9. Here, to address these challenges, we introduce the CoulombFly, an electrostatic flyer consisting of an electrostatic-driven propulsion system with a high lift-to-power efficiency of 30.7 g W-1 and an ultralight kilovolt power system with a low power consumption of 0.568 W, to realize solar-powered sustained flight of an MAV under natural sunlight conditions (920 W m-2). The vehicle's total mass is only 4.21 g, within 1/600 of the existing lightest sunlight-powered aerial vehicle6.

Formononetin Derivative for Osteoporosis by Simultaneous Regulating Osteoblast and Osteoclast.

Seven new formononetin derivatives (1-7) were designed and prepared from formononetin (phase II phytoestrogen). The derivatives 9-butyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-9,10-dihydro-4H,8H-chromeno[8,7-e][1,3]oxazin-4-one (2) and 9-(furan-3-ylmethyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-9,10-dihydro-4H,8H-chromeno[8,7-e][1,3]oxazin-4-one (7) promoted significant osteoblast formation by modulating the BMP/Smad pathway. Compound 7 exhibited potent antiosteoclastogenesis activity in RANKL-induced RAW264.7 cells and ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis in mice by regulation of the RANK/RANKL/OPG pathway. Compound 7 regulated osteoblast and osteoclast simultaneously and showed better effect than the well-known drug ipriflavone in vivo, suggesting 7 as a patented antiosteoporosis candidate.

Skeletal muscle feature of different populations in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea): from an epigenetic point of view.

Fish skeletal muscle is composed of well-defined fiber types. In order to identify potential candidate genes affecting muscle growth and development under epigenetic regulation. Bisulfite sequencing was utilized to analyze and compare the muscle DNA methylation profiles of Larimichthys crocea inhabiting different environments. The results revealed that DNA methylation in L. crocea was predominantly CG methylation, with 2,396 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) identified through comparisons among different populations. The largest difference in methylation was observed between the ZhouShan and JinMen wild populations, suggesting that L. crocea may have undergone selection and domestication. Additionally, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of differentially methylated genes (DMGs) revealed 626 enriched GO functional categories, including various muscle-related genes such as myh10, myf5, myf6, ndufv1, klhl31, map3k4, syn2b, sostdc1a, bag4, and hsp90ab. However, significant enrichment in KEGG pathways was observed only in the JinMen and XiangShan populations of L. crocea. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical foundation for a better understanding of the epigenetic regulation of skeletal muscle growth and development in L. crocea under different environmental conditions.

Mediating role of chiro-inositol metabolites on the effects of HLA-DR-expressing CD14 + monocytes in inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic inflammatory condition, is caused by several factors involving aberrant immune responses. Genetic factors are crucial in IBD occurrence. Mendelian randomization (MR) can offer a new perspective in understanding IBD's genetic background. METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were considered instrumental variables (IVs). We analyzed the relationship between 731 immunophenotypes, 1,400 metabolite phenotypes, and IBD. The total effect was decomposed into indirect and direct effects, and the ratio of the indirect effect to the total effect was calculated. RESULTS: We identified the causal effects of HLA-DR-expressing CD14 + monocytes on IBD through MR analysis. The phenotype "HLA-DR expression on CD14 + monocytes" showed the strongest association among the selected 48 immune phenotypes. Chiro-inositol metabolites mediated the effect of CD14 + monocytes expressing HLA-DR on IBD. An increase in Chiro-inositol metabolites was associated with a reduced risk of IBD occurrence, accounting for 4.97%. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed a new pathway by which HLA-DR-expressing CD14 + monocytes indirectly reduced the risk of IBD occurrence by increasing the levels of Chiro-inositol metabolites. The results provided a new perspective on the immunoregulatory mechanisms underlying IBD, laying a theoretical foundation for developing new therapeutic targets in the future.

Marine copepod culture as a potential source of bioplastic-degrading microbiome: The case of poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate).

The poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) is emerging as environmentally sustainable polyester for applications in marine environment. In this work the capacity of microbiome associated with marine plankton culture to degrade PBSA, was tested. A taxonomic and functional characterization of the microbiome associated with the copepod Acartia tonsa, reared in controlled conditions, was analysed by 16S rDNA metabarcoding, in newly-formed adult stages and after 7 d of incubation. A predictive functional metagenomic profile was inferred for hydrolytic activities involved in bioplastic degradation with a particular focus on PBSA. The copepod-microbiome was also characterized in newly-formed carcasses of A. tonsa, and after 7 and 33 d of incubation in the plankton culture medium. Copepod-microbiome showed hydrolytic activities at all developmental stages of the alive copepods and their carcasses, however, the evenness of the hydrolytic bacterial community significantly increased with the time of incubation in carcasses. Microbial genera, never described in association with copepods: Devosia, Kordia, Lentibacter, Methylotenera, Rheinheimera, Marinagarivorans, Paraglaciecola, Pseudophaeobacter, Gaiella, Streptomyces and Kribbella sps., were retrieved. Kribbella sp. showed carboxylesterase activity and Streptomyces sp. showed carboxylesterase, triacylglycerol lipase and cutinase activities, that might be involved in PBSA degradation. A culturomic approach, adopted to isolate bacterial specimen from carcasses, led to the isolation of the bacterial strain, Vibrio sp. 01 tested for the capacity to promote the hydrolysis of the ester bonds. Granules of PBSA, incubated 82 d at 20 °C with Vibrio sp. 01, were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry, showing fractures compared to the control sample, and hydrolysis of ester bonds. These preliminary results are encouraging for further investigation on the ability of the microbiome associated with plankton to biodegrade polyesters, such as PBSA, and increasing knowledge on microorganisms involved in bioplastic degradation in marine environment.

Characterization of a novel antioxidant byssal protein from Mytilus coruscus foot.

Mussel byssal proteins are of biomimetic importance for the development of novel underwater bio-adhesive agents. It is important to maintain a reduced state during the process of byssus adhesion. There are 19 mussel foot proteins (MFPs) have been reported in previous studies, among which only MFP-6 had been confirmed as an antioxidant protein in mussel byssus due to the function of cysteines, and playing an essential role in the redox balance of mussel byssus during adhesion process. Although the other four MFPs (MFP-16 ~ MFP-19) also have abundant cysteines, their function is still unknown. In this study, a novel mussel foot protein, named MFP-20, was identified from Mytilus coruscus foot. The sequential features, expression profile, and function of recombinant MFP-20 were verified. The results showed that MFP-20 has more abundant cysteines than other MFPs, the relative expression of mfp-20 was upregulated in Fe3+ stress and low pH seawater. In addition, different adhesive substrates induced significant changes of expression level of mfp-20. Furthermore, rMFP-20 showed strong antioxidant capacity in the DPPH assay, and the abundant cysteines in its sequence may play vital roles in the antioxidation activity. Our findings revealed the possible function of MFP-20 with a totally different sequence from the reported MFP-6 and provided new clues for exploring the redox balance of mussel byssus during the adhesion process.

A wireless controlled robotic insect with ultrafast untethered running speeds.

Running speed degradation of insect-scale (less than 5 cm) legged microrobots after carrying payloads has become a bottleneck for microrobots to achieve high untethered locomotion performance. In this work, we present a 2-cm legged microrobot (BHMbot, BeiHang Microrobot) with ultrafast untethered running speeds, which is facilitated by the complementary combination of bouncing length and bouncing frequency in the microrobot's running gait. The untethered BHMbot (2-cm-long, 1760 mg) can achieve a running speed of 17.5 BL s-1 and a turning centripetal acceleration of 65.4 BL s-2 at a Cost of Transport of 303.7 and a power consumption of 1.77 W. By controlling its two front legs independently, the BHMbot demonstrates various locomotion trajectories including circles, rectangles, letters and irregular paths across obstacles through a wireless control module. Such advancements enable the BHMbot to carry out application attempts including sound signal detection, locomotion inside a turbofan engine and transportation via a quadrotor.

Comparative Proteome Profiling of Extracellular Vesicles from Three Growth Phases of Haematococcus pluvialis under High Light and Sodium Acetate Stresses.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized particles involved in intercellular communications that intrinsically possess many attributes as a modern drug delivery platform. Haematococcus pluvialis-derived EVs (HpEVs) can be potentially exploited as a high-value-added bioproduct during astaxanthin production. The encapsulation of HpEV cargo is a crucial key for the determination of their biological functions and therapeutic potentials. However, little is known about the composition of HpEVs, limiting insights into their biological properties and application characteristics. This study examined the protein composition of HpEVs from three growth phases of H. pluvialis grown under high light (350 µmol·m-2·s-1) and sodium acetate (45 mM) stresses. A total of 2038 proteins were identified, the majority of which were associated with biological processes including signal transduction, cell proliferation, cell metabolism, and the cell response to stress. Comparative analysis indicated that H. pluvialis cells sort variant proteins into HpEVs at different physiological states. It was revealed that HpEVs from the early growth stage of H. pluvialis contain more proteins associated with cellular functions involved in primary metabolite, cell division, and cellular energy metabolism, while HpEVs from the late growth stage of H. pluvialis were enriched in proteins involved in cell wall synthesis and secondary metabolism. This is the first study to report and compare the protein composition of HpEVs from different growth stages of H. pluvialis, providing important information on the development and production of functional microalgal-derived EVs.

Doxorubicin induces deglycosylation of cancer cell-intrinsic PD-1 by NGLY1.

Tumor cells can express the immune checkpoint protein programmed death-1 (PD-1), but how cancer cell-intrinsic PD-1 is regulated in response to cellular stresses remains largely unknown. Here, we uncover a unique mechanism by which the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (Dox) regulates cancer cell-intrinsic PD-1. Dox upregulates PD-1 mRNA while reducing PD-1 protein levels in tumor cells. Although Dox shortens the PD-1 half-life, it fails to directly induce PD-1 degradation. Instead, we observe that Dox promotes the interaction between peptide-N(4)-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase (NGLY1) and PD-1, facilitating NGLY1-mediated PD-1 deglycosylation and destabilization. The maintenance of PD-1 sensitizes tumor cells to Dox-mediated antiproliferative effects. Our study unveils a regulatory mechanism of PD-1 in response to Dox and highlights a potential role of cancer cell-intrinsic PD-1 in Dox-mediated antitumor effects.