Feedstock variability impacts the bioconversion of sugar and lignin streams derived from corn stover by Clostridium tyrobutyricum and engineered Pseudomonas putida.

Feedstock variability represents a challenge in lignocellulosic biorefineries, as it can influence both lignocellulose deconstruction and microbial conversion processes for biofuels and biochemicals production. The impact of feedstock variability on microbial performance remains underexplored, and predictive tools for microbial behaviour are needed to mitigate risks in biorefinery scale-up. Here, twelve batches of corn stover were deconstructed via deacetylation, mechanical refining, and enzymatic hydrolysis to generate lignin-rich and sugar streams. These batches and their derived streams were characterised to identify their chemical components, and the streams were used as substrates for producing muconate and butyrate by engineered Pseudomonas putida and wildtype Clostridium tyrobutyricum, respectively. Bacterial performance (growth, product titers, yields, and productivities) differed among the batches, but no strong correlations were identified between feedstock composition and performance. To provide metabolic insights into the origin of these differences, we evaluated the effect of twenty-three isolated chemical components on these microbes, including three components in relevant bioprocess settings in bioreactors, and we found that growth-inhibitory concentrations were outside the ranges observed in the streams. Overall, this study generates a foundational dataset on P. putida and C. tyrobutyricum performance to enable future predictive models and underscores their resilience in effectively converting fluctuating lignocellulose-derived streams into bioproducts.

Enhancement of Apple Stress Resistance via Proline Elevation by Sugar Substitutes.

Plants encounter numerous adversities during growth, necessitating the identification of common stress activators to bolster their resistance. However, the current understanding of these activators' mechanisms remains limited. This study identified three anti-stress activators applicable to apple trees, all of which elevate plant proline content to enhance resistance against various adversities. The results showed that the application of these sugar substitutes increased apple proline content by two to three times compared to the untreated group. Even at a lower concentration, these activators triggered plant stress resistance without compromising apple fruit quality. Therefore, these three sugar substitutes can be exogenously sprayed on apple trees to augment proline content and fortify stress resistance. Given their effectiveness and low production cost, these activators possess significant application value. Since they have been widely used in the food industry, they hold potential for broader application in plants, fostering apple industry development.

Sugar signaling modulates SHOOT MERISTEMLESS expression and meristem function in Arabidopsis.

In plants, development of all above-ground tissues relies on the shoot apical meristem (SAM) which balances cell proliferation and differentiation to allow life-long growth. To maximize fitness and survival, meristem activity is adjusted to the prevailing conditions through a poorly understood integration of developmental signals with environmental and nutritional information. Here, we show that sugar signals influence SAM function by altering the protein levels of SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM), a key regulator of meristem maintenance. STM is less abundant in inflorescence meristems with lower sugar content, resulting from plants being grown or treated under limiting light conditions. Additionally, sucrose but not light is sufficient to sustain STM accumulation in excised inflorescences. Plants overexpressing the α1-subunit of SUCROSE-NON-FERMENTING1-RELATED KINASE 1 (SnRK1) accumulate less STM protein under optimal light conditions, despite higher sugar accumulation in the meristem. Furthermore, SnRK1α1 interacts physically with STM and inhibits its activity in reporter assays, suggesting that SnRK1 represses STM protein function. Contrasting the absence of growth defects in SnRK1α1 overexpressors, silencing SnRK1α in the SAM leads to meristem dysfunction and severe developmental phenotypes. This is accompanied by reduced STM transcript levels, suggesting indirect effects on STM. Altogether, we demonstrate that sugars promote STM accumulation and that the SnRK1 sugar sensor plays a dual role in the SAM, limiting STM function under unfavorable conditions but being required for overall meristem organization and integrity under favorable conditions. This highlights the importance of sugars and SnRK1 signaling for the proper coordination of meristem activities.

Biophysical insights into sugar-dependent medium acidification promoting YfaL protein-mediated Escherichia coli self-aggregation, biofilm formation and acid stress resistance.

The ability of bacteria to interact with their environment is crucial to form aggregates and biofilms, and develop a collective stress resistance behavior. Despite its environmental and medical importance, bacterial aggregation is poorly understood and mediated by few known adhesion structures. Here, we identified a new role for a surface-exposed Escherichia coli protein, YfaL, which can self-recognize and induce bacterial autoaggregation. This process occurs only under acidic conditions generated during E. coli growth in the presence of fermentable sugars. These findings were supported by electrokinetic and atomic force spectroscopy measurements, which revealed changes in the electrostatic, hydrophobic, and structural properties of YfaL-decorated cell surface upon sugar consumption. Furthermore, YfaL-mediated autoaggregation promotes biofilm formation and enhances E. coli resistance to acid stress. The prevalence and conservation of YfaL in environmental and clinical E. coli suggest strong evolutionary selection for its function inside or outside the host. Overall, our results emphasize the importance of environmental parameters such as low pH as physicochemical cues influencing bacterial adhesion and aggregation, affecting E. coli and potentially other bacteria's resistance to environmental stress.

Effect of different exogenous sugars on the growth and nutrient uptake of Malus baccata Borkh. under sub-low root zone temperature.

In northern China, soil temperature slowly rises in spring, often subjecting apple roots to sub-low-temperature stress. Sugar acts as both a nutrient and signaling molecule in roots in response to low-temperature stress. To explore the effects of exogenous sugars on the growth and nutrient absorption of Malus baccata Borkh., we analyzed growth parameters, photosynthetic characteristics of leaves, and mineral element content in different tissues of M. baccata seedlings under five treatments, including control (CK), sub-low root zone temperature (L), sub-low root zone temperature + sucrose (LS), sub-low root zone temperature + fructose (LF), and sub-low root zone temperature + glucose (LG). The results showed that compared to CK, plant height, root growth parameters, aboveground biomass, leaf photosynthesis, fluorescence parameters, chlorophyll content, and the contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in M. baccata seedlings were significantly decreased under the L treatment, and the content of Ca in roots was significantly increased. Compared to the L treatment without exogenous sugar, photosynthesis, functional parameters, chlorophyll content, and growth parameters increased to different degrees after exogenous sucrose, fructose, and glucose application. The N and P contents in roots were significantly increased. The N, P, and K contents significantly increased in stems while only the Ca content significantly increased in stems treated with sucrose. Leaf N, P, K, Ca, and Mg contents significantly increased after being treated with the three exogenous sugars. In conclusion, exogenous sugars can improve photosynthetic efficiency, promote mineral element absorption, and alleviate the inhibition of growth and development of M. baccata at sub-low root zone temperatures, and the effect of sucrose treatment was better than that of fructose and glucose treatments.

Unraveling genotypic interactions in sugar beet for enhanced yield stability and trait associations.

The interaction between genotype and environment (GEI) significantly influences plant performance, crucial for breeding programs and ultimately boosting crop productivity. Alongside GEI, breeders encounter another hurdle in their quest for yield improvement, notably adverse and negative correlations among pivotal traits. This study delved into the stability of white sugar yield (WSY), root yield (RY), sugar content (SC), extraction coefficient of sugar (ECS), and the interplay among essential traits including RY, SC, alpha amino nitrogen (N), sodium (Na+), and potassium (K+) across 15 sugar beet hybrids and three control varieties. The investigation spanned two locations over two consecutive years (2022-2023), employing a randomized complete block design with four replications to comprehensively analyze these factors. The analysis of variance highlighted the significant effects of environment, genotype, and GEI at the 1% probability level. Notably, the AMMI analysis of GEI revealed the significance of the first component for WSY, RY, and SC, with the first two components proving significant for ECS. Within the linear mixed model (LMM), WSY, RY, SC, and ECS demonstrated significant effects from both genotype and GEI. In the WAASB biplot, genotypes 10, 8, 17, 6, 13, 14, 15, 7, 12, and 16 exhibited stability in WSY, while genotypes 9, 10, 6, 14, 7, 8, 13, 12, 18, and 15 displayed stability in RY. Additionally, genotypes 10, 15, 12, 13, 16, 17, 6, and 14 were stable for SC, and genotypes 8, 10, 7, 6, 13, 12, 16, 17, 15, 14, and 18 showcased stability in ECS, boasting above-average yield values. In the genotype by yield × trait (GYT) biplot, genotypes 15, 18, and 16 emerged as top performers when combining RY with SC, Na+, N, and K+, suggesting their potential for inclusion in breeding programs.

Fruit sugar hub: gene regulatory network associated with soluble solids content (SSC) in Prunus persica.

Chilean peach growers have achieved worldwide recognition for their high-quality fruit products. Among the main factors influencing peach fruit quality, sweetness is pivotal for maintaining the market's competitiveness. Numerous studies have been conducted in different peach-segregating populations to unravel SSC regulation. However, different cultivars may also have distinct genetic conformation, and other factors, such as environmental conditions, can significantly impact SSC. Using a transcriptomic approach with a gene co-expression network analysis, we aimed to identify the regulatory mechanism that controls the sugar accumulation process in an 'O × N' peach population. This population was previously studied through genomic analysis, associating LG5 with the genetic control of the SSC trait. The results obtained in this study allowed us to identify 91 differentially expressed genes located on chromosome 5 of the peach genome as putative new regulators of sugar accumulation in peach, together with a regulatory network that involves genes directly associated with sugar transport (PpSWEET15), cellulose biosynthesis (PpCSLG2), flavonoid biosynthesis (PpPAL1), pectin modifications (PpPG, PpPL and PpPMEi), expansins (PpEXPA1 and PpEXPA8) and several transcription factors (PpC3H67, PpHB7, PpRVE1 and PpCBF4) involved with the SSC phenotype. These results contribute to a better understanding of the genetic control of the SSC trait for future breeding programs in peaches.

Pretreatment method for oxygen stable isotope ratio analysis of the sugar-rich fraction in fruit juice via isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: The oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ18O) of the sugar-rich fraction of fruit juice is important as a tracer of the geographical origin of raw material. This study sought to minimize the inter-day variation of δ18O attributable to the influence of water to accurately monitor geographical origin labeling. METHODS: Two drying devices (freeze dryer and vacuum oven) were compared. Then, two humidity levels (normal and low humidity) at which the samples were placed after drying were compared. The low-humidity environment was constructed using a glove bag and pure argon gas. δ18O was measured using thermal conversion elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Improvements were made to the measurement method based on aforementioned analyses results, and the performance of the initial and improved methods was compared. RESULTS: δ18O of juice dried in a vacuum oven was 3.30‰ lower than that of juice dried in a freeze dryer. Moreover, δ18O of juice samples exposed to normal humidity was 3.74‰ lower than that of samples exposed to low humidity. The combined inter-day and intra-day standard deviation was reduced from 1.20‰ in the initial method to 0.42‰ in the improved method. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes a pretreatment method for δ18O measurement in the sugar-rich fraction of fruit juice with less inter-day variation, and it will be useful for monitoring geographical origin labeling.

Combined pretreatment of malic acid and kraft pulping for the production of fermentable sugars and highly active lignin.

The separation and utilization of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in lignocellulosic biorefineries present significant challenges. This study proposes a pretreatment method for biomass refining by combining acid and kraft pulping. Firstly, the biomass was pretreated by malic acid, resulting in the isolation of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) with a yield of 86.26 % with optimized conditions of 180 °C, 1 wt% concentration, 40 min. Secondly, a mixture of 12.98 wt% NaOH and 1.043 wt% Na2S is employed to achieve lignin removal efficiency up to 63.42 %. Physical refinement techniques are then applied to enhance the enzyme digestion efficiency of cellulose, resulting in an increase from 55.03 % to 91.4 % for efficient cellulose conversion. The reacted samples exhibit a lignin composition rich in ß-O-4 ether bonds, facilitating their high-value utilization. The results indicated that the combined pretreatment approach demonstrates high efficiency in separating cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin while obtaining XOS, highly active lignin, and enzyme-digested substrates.

Deep convolutional neural network-based 3D fluorescence sensor array for sugar identification in serum based on the oxidase-mimicking property of CuO nanoparticles.

Developing sensor arrays capturing comprehensive fluorescence (FL) spectra from a single probe is crucial for understanding sugar structures with very high similarity in biofluids. Therefore, the analysis of highly similar sugar' structures in biofluids based on the entire FL of a single nanozyme probe needs more concern, which makes the development of novel alternative approaches highly wanted for biomedical and other applications. Herein, a well-designed deep learning model with intrinsic information of 3D FL of CuO nanoparticles (NPs)' oxidase-like activity was developed to classify and predict the concentration of a group of sugars with very similar chemical structures in different media. The findings presented that the overall accuracy of the developed model in classifying the nine selected sugars was (99-100 %), which prompted us to transfer the developed model to predict the concentration of the selected sugars at a concentration range of (1-100 µM). The transferred model also gave excellent results (R2 = 97-100 %). Therefore, the model was extended to other more complex applications, namely the identification of mixtures of sugars in serum and the detection of polysaccharides in different media such as serum and lake water. Notably, LOD for fructose was determined at 4.23 nM, marking a 120-fold decrease compared to previous studies. Our developed model was also compared with other deep learning-based models, and the results have demonstrated remarkable progress. Moreover, the identification of other possible coexisting interference substances in lake water samples was considered. This work marks a significant advancement, opening avenues for the widespread application of sensor arrays integrating nanozymes and deep learning techniques in biomedical and other diverse fields.

Impact of sugar and sugar alcohol on the pasting and retrogradation properties of starch with distinct molecular structures.

The molecular structures of starch and sugar/sugar alcohol are recognized as critical determinants of starch pasting and retrogradation properties. However, their combined effects on these properties remain elusive. This study for the first time examined the pasting and retrogradation properties of nine starches with diverse molecular structures, both with and without the addition of glucose, sucrose, isomaltose, isomalt, and sorbitol. The presence of sugar/sugar alcohol significantly enhanced starch pasting viscosity. In particular, the variations of the peak viscosity of wheat starch were more pronounced than other starches, possibly due to its distinct molecular structures. The changes in melting temperatures and enthalpy of retrograded starches were complex, varying depending on the type of starch and sugar/sugar alcohol used. For example, the melting peak temperature ranged from 56.45 °C (TS) to 61.9 °C (WMS), and the melting enthalpy ranged from 0.16 J/g (TS) to 5.6 J/g (PES). The micromorphology of retrograded starch revealed agglomeration and needle-like structures, instead of a network structure, after the addition of glucose and sorbitol, respectively. Correlations between starch molecular structure and pasting properties remained largely unchanged, while the relationship between starch molecular structure and retrogradation properties exhibited notable variations after the addition of sugars or sugar alcohols. These findings help a better understanding of the effects of starch molecular structure and the presence of sugar/sugar alcohol on starch pasting and retrogradation properties.

Lipogenesis in Nasonia vitripennis: Influence of sugar chemistry, preferential production of triacylglycerides, and comparison of fatty acid biosynthetic capacity with Drosophilamelanogaster.

Sugar consumption increases the fecundity and longevity in many species of parasitic wasps (parasitoids) but whether these insects use sugars to synthesize significant amounts of fatty acids and storage fat de novo (lipogenesis) is discussed controversially. It has long been assumed that parasitic wasps lost this ability during evolution, mainly because in several species wasps with ad libitum access to sugar did not increase teneral lipid levels. Recent studies demonstrated that many species are nonetheless capable of synthesizing fatty acids de novo from glucose. It is unclear, however, whether also other sugars are used for fatty acid biosynthesis and whether an increase of sugar concentration to levels occurring in natural sugar sources translates into higher fatty acid production. Furthermore, it has been suggested that fatty acid production in parasitoids is negligible compared to species increasing teneral fat reserves such as Drosophila melanogaster. Here we show by stable isotope labeling experiments that females of Nasonia vitripennis convert D-glucose, D-fructose, sucrose, and α,α-trehalose, major sugars consumed by adult parasitoids in nature, equally well to palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid. Lipogenesis from D-galactose occurs as well albeit to a lesser extent. Sugar concentration is crucial for lipogenic activity, and almost 80% of de novo synthesized fatty acids were incorporated into storage fat (triacylglycerides). Comparison of fatty acid biosynthesis within a 48-h feeding period with D. melanogaster revealed that N. vitripennis produced approximately half as many fatty acids per body mass unit. Both species fed equal amounts of the glucose offered. We conclude that lipogenesis is far from negligible in N. vitripennis and plays an important role for the energy balance when teneral lipid reserves deplete.

Evaluating trends in damage to attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) deployed during the second year of a two-year Phase III trial in Western Zambia.

BACKGROUND: Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSBs) are a proposed new vector control tool for malaria that contain sugar and an ingestion toxicant, and are designed to attract and kill sugar-feeding mosquitoes. During a two-arm cluster randomized Phase III trial conducted in Zambia to test the efficacy of ATSB stations on malaria incidence, ATSB stations deployed on eligible household structures within intervention clusters were routinely monitored to ensure their good physical condition and high coverage. This study investigates trends in prevalence and rate of damage to ATSB stations during year 2 of the two-year trial. METHODS: The analysis was conducted using monitoring data collected in year 2, which included types of damage observed, location, and date of removal and/or replacement of ATSB stations. The study evaluated temporal trends in the prevalence of overall damage and different damage types among 68,299 ATSB stations deployed. A profile of all ATSB stations installed on each structure was constructed, and spatial analyses conducted on overall damage and different damage types observed on 18,890 structures. Mixed effects regression analyses were conducted to investigate drivers of damage to ATSB stations on these structures. RESULTS: Prevalence of overall damage and different damage types was temporally and spatially heterogeneous. Among damaged ATSB stations observed during monitoring, tears and mold had the highest prevalences on average, with tears maintaining above 50.0% prevalence through most of the monitoring period, while mold prevalence increased steadily during the first few months, peaking in February. Overall, 45.6% of structures had at least one damaged ATSB station, however this varied spatially across the trial site. Both structure characteristics and environmental factors significantly impacted the odds and rate of damage to ATSB stations on structures, including: ATSB stations' level of protection from rainfall and sunshine; roof and wall material of the structure; night-time temperature; rainfall; enhanced vegetation index, and land cover. CONCLUSION: Damage to ATSB stations in this setting was common and was temporally and spatially heterogeneous. This has implications on operational feasibility, sustainability, and cost of future deployment. Further research is required to understand the mechanisms of damage, and to minimize prevalence and rate of damage to ATSB stations.

Community acceptance of a novel malaria intervention, Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits, in the Zambia phase III trial.

BACKGROUND: Community acceptance is an important criterion to assess in community trials, particularly for new tools that require high coverage and use by a target population. Installed on exterior walls of household structures, the attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) is a new vector control tool designed to attract and kill mosquitoes. ATSBs were evaluated in Western Zambia during a two-year cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of ATSBs in reducing malaria transmission. Community acceptance of ATSBs was critical for successful trial implementation. METHODS: A community engagement strategy outlined activities and key messages to promote acceptance. Annual cross-sectional surveys, conducted during the peak transmission period, assessed households for presence of ATSBs as well as perceived benefits, concerns, and willingness to use ATSBs. Sixteen focus group discussions and 16 in-depth interviews, conducted at the end of each ATSB station deployment period, obtained a range of perceptions and household experiences with ATSB stations, as well as ITN use in the context of ATSB deployment. RESULTS: Methods used during the study to promote acceptance and continued use of ATSBs were effective in achieving greater than 90% coverage, a high (greater than 70%) level of perceived benefits, and fewer than 10% of households reporting safety concerns. Common facilitators of acceptance included the desire for protection against malaria and reduction of mosquitoes, trust in health initiatives, and understanding of the product. Common barriers to acceptance included misconceptions of product impact on mosquitoes, continued cases of malaria, association with satanism, and damage to household structures. DISCUSSION: Future use of the ATSB intervention will likely require activities that foster community acceptance before, during, and after the intervention is introduced. Additional research may be needed to understand the impact of different levels of community engagement on ATSB station coverage, ATSB station perception, and ITN use. CONCLUSION: There was high acceptance of ATSB stations during the trial in Western Zambia. Continuous and intense community engagement efforts contributed to sustained ATSB coverage and trust in the product. Acceptance of ATSBs during programmatic delivery requires further research.

Fire up Biosensor Technology to Assess the Vitality of Trees after Wildfires.

The development of tools to quickly identify the fate of damaged trees after a stress event such as a wildfire is of great importance. In this context, an innovative approach to assess irreversible physiological damage in trees could help to support the planning of management decisions for disturbed sites to restore biodiversity, protect the environment and understand the adaptations of ecosystem functionality. The vitality of trees can be estimated by several physiological indicators, such as cambium activity and the amount of starch and soluble sugars, while the accumulation of ethanol in the cambial cells and phloem is considered an alarm sign of cell death. However, their determination requires time-consuming laboratory protocols, making the approach impractical in the field. Biosensors hold considerable promise for substantially advancing this field. The general objective of this review is to define a system for quantifying the plant vitality in forest areas exposed to fire. This review describes recent electrochemical biosensors that can detect plant molecules, focusing on biosensors for glucose, fructose, and ethanol as indicators of tree vitality.

Sorbitol metabolism plays a key role in the differential accumulation of sugar in two plum cultivars.

Sugar is vital for plant growth and determines fruit quality via its content and composition. This study explores the differential sugar accumulation in two plum varieties, 'Fengtangli (FTL)' and 'Siyueli (SYL)'. The result showed that 'FTL' fruit displayed higher soluble solids and sugar content at various development stages. Metabolomic analysis indicated increased sorbitol in 'FTL', linked to elevated sorbitol-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (S6PDH) activity. Transcriptome analysis identified a key gene for sorbitol synthesis, PsS6PDH4, which was significantly higher expressed in 'FTL' than in 'SYL'. The function of the PsS6PDH4 gene was verified in strawberry, apple, and plum fruits using transient overexpression and virus-induced gene silencing techniques. The results showed that overexpression of the PsS6PDH4 gene in strawberry, apple, and plum fruits promoted the accumulation of soluble solids content and sorbitol, while inhibition of the gene reduced soluble solids content and sorbitol content. Meanwhile, analysis of the relationship between PsS6PDH4 gene expression, sorbitol, and soluble solids content in four different plum varieties revealed a significant correlation between PsS6PDH4 gene expression and soluble solids content as well as sorbitol content. This research discovered PsS6PDH4 as a crucial regulator of sugar metabolism in plum, with potential applications in improving fruit sweetness and nutritional value in various fruit species. Understanding these molecular pathways can lead to innovative approaches for enhancing fruit quality, benefiting sustainable agriculture and consumer preferences in the global fruit industry.

Kinetic Resolution as a General Approach to Enantioenrichment in Prebiotic Chemistry.

ConspectusThe origin of the single chirality of the chemical building blocks of life remains an intriguing topic of research, even after decades of experimental and theoretical work proposing processes that may break symmetry and induce chiral amplification, a term that may be defined as the enhancement of enantiomeric excess starting from prochiral substrates or from a racemic mixture or a small imbalance between enantiomers. Studies aimed at understanding prebiotically plausible pathways to these molecules have often neglected the issue of chirality, with a focus on the stereochemical direction of these reactions generally being pursued after reaction discovery. Our work has explored how the stereochemical outcome for the synthesis of amino acids and sugars might be guided to rationalize the origin of biological homochirality. The mechanistic interconnection between enantioenrichment in these two groups of molecules provides insights concerning the handedness extant in modern biology. In five separate examples involving the synthesis of life's building blocks, including sugars, RNA precursors, amino acids, and peptides, kinetic resolution emerges as a key protocol for enantioenrichment from racemic molecules directed by chiral source molecules. Several of these examples involve means not only for chiral amplification but also symmetry breaking and chirality transfer across a range of racemic monomer molecules. Several important implications emerge from these studies: one, kinetic resolution of the primordial chiral sugar, glyceraldehyde, plays a key role in a number of different prebiotically plausible reactions; two, the emergence of homochirality in sugars and amino acids is inherently intertwined, with clear synergy between the biological hand of each molecule class; three, the origin story for the homochirality of enzymes and modern metabolism points toward kinetic resolution of racemic amino acids in networks that later evolved to include sophisticated and complete catalytic and co-catalytic cycles; four, a preference for heterochiral ligation forming product molecules that cannot lead to biologically competent polymers can in fact be a driving force for a route to homochiral polymer chains; and five, enantioenrichment in complex mixtures need not be addressed one compound at a time, because kinetic resolution induces symmetry breaking and chirality transfer that may lead to general protocols rather than specific cases tailored to each individual molecule. Such chirality transfer mechanisms perhaps presage strategies utilized in modern biology.Our latest work extends the study of monomer enantioenrichment to the ligation of these molecules into the extended homochiral chains leading to the complex polymers of modern biology. A central theme in all of these reactions is the key role that kinetic resolution of a racemic mixture of amino acids or sugars plays in enabling enantioenrichment under prebiotically plausible conditions. This work has uncovered important trends in symmetry breaking, chirality transfer, and chiral amplification. Kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures emerges as a general solution for chiral amplification in prebiotic chemistry, leading to the single chirality of complex biological molecules and genetic polymers.

Ubiquitin gets sweet: Sugar-mediated ubiquitination regulates Nrf1 function.

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Yoshida et al.1 report an unconventional sugar-dependent ubiquitination event on Nrf1 that disrupts Nrf1 transcriptional activation.

Evaluation of the Impact of an Enzymatic Preparation Catalyzing the Decomposition of Raffinose from Poor-Quality Beets during the White Sugar Production Process.

The study investigates the efficacy of an enzymatic preparation primarily with α-galactosidase activity for improving the quality of white sugar from poor-quality sugar beets. Focused on overcoming raffinose accumulation challenges in sugar beets, especially those harvested prematurely or stored for extended periods, an innovative exploration of enzymatic application in an industrial setting for the first time was conducted. By integrating theoretical calculations and experimental data, the findings reveal that α-galactosidase preparation notably diminishes raffinose content in beet juice, thus enhancing the sucrose yield and overall sugar quality. A reliable method to process lower-quality beets, promising enhanced efficiency in sugar production, was presented. The study also highlights the economic benefits of incorporating enzyme preparation into the production process, demonstrating a notable return on investment and underscoring the potential of enzymatic treatments to address industry challenges.