Convolutional MLP orthogonal fusion of multiscale features for visual place recognition.

Visual place recognition (VPR) involves obtaining robust image descriptors to cope with differences in camera viewpoints and drastic external environment changes. Utilizing multiscale features improves the robustness of image descriptors; however, existing methods neither exploit the multiscale features generated during feature extraction nor consider the feature redundancy problem when fusing multiscale information when image descriptors are enhanced. We propose a novel encoding strategy-convolutional multilayer perceptron orthogonal fusion of multiscale features (ConvMLP-OFMS)-for VPR. A ConvMLP is used to obtain robust and generalized global image descriptors and the multiscale features generated during feature extraction are used to enhance the global descriptors to cope with changes in the environment and viewpoints. Additionally, an attention mechanism is used to eliminate noise and redundant information. Compared to traditional methods that use tensor splicing for feature fusion, we introduced matrix orthogonal decomposition to eliminate redundant information. Experiments demonstrated that the proposed architecture outperformed NetVLAD, CosPlace, ConvAP, and other methods. On the Pittsburgh and MSLS datasets, which contained significant viewpoint and illumination variations, our method achieved 92.5% and 86.5% Recall@1, respectively. We also achieved good performances-80.6% and 43.2%-on the SPED and NordLand datasets, respectively, which have more extreme illumination and appearance variations.

Cynarin alleviates acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury through the activation of Keap1/Nrf2-mediated lipid peroxidation defense via the AMPK/SIRT3 signaling pathway.

Overdose of Acetaminophen (APAP) is a major contributor to acute liver injury (ALI), a complex pathological process with limited effective treatments. Emerging evidence links lipid peroxidation to APAP-induced ALI. Cynarin (Cyn), a hydroxycinnamic acid derivative, exhibits liver protective effects, but whether it mitigates APAP-induced ALI is unclear. Our aim was to verify the protective impact of Cyn on APAP-induced ALI and elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing this process. Herein, the regulation of the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) interaction was determined to be a novel mechanism underlying this protective impact of Cyn against APAP-induced ALI. Nrf2 deficiency increased the severity of APAP-induced ALI and lipid peroxidation and counteracted the protective effect of Cyn against this pathology. Additionally, Cyn promoted the dissociation of Nrf2 from Keap1, enhancing the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and the transcription of downstream antioxidant proteins, thereby inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Molecular docking demonstrated that Cyn bound competitively to Keap1, and overexpression of Keap1 reversed Nrf2-activated anti-lipid peroxidation. Additionally, Cyn activated the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/sirtuin (SIRT)3 signaling pathway, which exhibits a protective effect on APAP-induced ALI. These findings propose that Cyn alleviates APAP-induced ALI by enhancing the Keap1/Nrf2-mediated lipid peroxidation defense via activation of the AMPK/SIRT3 signaling pathway.

A Novel Bifunctional Alginate Lyase and Antioxidant Activity of the Enzymatic Hydrolysates.

Alginate lyase Aly448, a potential new member of the polysaccharide lyase (PL) 7 family, which was cloned and identified from the macroalgae-associated bacterial metagenomic library, showed bifunctionality. The molecular docking results revealed that Aly448 has two completely different binding sites for alginate (polyMG), poly-α-l-guluronic acid (polyG), and poly-ß-d-mannuronic acid (polyM) substrates, respectively, which might be the molecular basis for the enzyme's bifunctionality. Truncational results confirmed that predicted key residues affected the bifunctionality of Aly448, but did not wholly explain. Besides, Aly448 presented excellent biochemical characteristics, such as higher thermal stability and pH tolerance. Degradation of polyMG, polyM, and polyG substrates by Aly448 produced tetrasaccharide (DP4), disaccharide (DP2), and galactose (DP1), which exhibited excellent antioxidant activity. These findings provide novel insights into the substrate recognition mechanism of bifunctional alginate lyases and pave a new path for the exploitation of natural antioxidant agents.

Characterization of bifunctional alginate lyase Aly644 and antimicrobial activity of enzymatic hydrolysates.

An alginate lyase gene aly644 encoding a member of polysaccharide lyase family 6 was obtained from a metagenome of Antarctic macroalgae-associated microbes. The gene was expressed heterologously in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant protein was purified using a Ni-NTA His Tag Kit. With sodium alginate as the substrate, recombinant Aly644 exhibited an optimum reaction temperature of 50°C and an optimum reaction pH of 7.0. The Vmax and Km values of Aly644 toward sodium alginate were 112.36 mg/mL·min and 16.75 mg/mL, respectively. Substrate specificity analysis showed that Aly644 was a bifunctional alginate lyase that hydrolyzed both polyguluronic acid and polymannuronic acid. The hydrolysis products of Aly644 with sodium alginate as the substrate were detected by thin-layer chromatography, and were mainly di- and trisaccharides. The oligosaccharides produced by degradation of sodium alginate by Aly644 inhibited the mycelial growth of the plant pathogens Phytophthora capsici and Fulvia fulva; the 50% maximal effective concentration (EC50) values were 297.45 and 452.89 mg/L, and the 90% maximal effective concentration (EC90) values were 1341.45 and 2693.83 mg/L, respectively. This highlights that Aly644 is a potential candidate enzyme for the industrial production of alginate oligosaccharides with low degree of polymerization. Enzyme-hydrolyzed alginate oligosaccharides could support the development of green agriculture as natural antimicrobial agents. KEY POINTS: • An alginate lyase was obtained from a metagenome of Antarctic macroalgae-associated microbes. • Aly644 is a bifunctional alginate lyase with excellent thermostability and pH stability. • The enzymatic hydrolysates of Aly644 directly inhibited Phytophthora capsici and Fulvia fulva.

Canagliflozin reduces chemoresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma through PKM2-c-Myc complex-mediated glutamine starvation.

Cisplatin (CPT) is one of the standard treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its use is limits as a monotherapy due to drug resistance, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. To solve this problem, we tried using canagliflozin (CANA), a clinical drug for diabetes, to reduce chemoresistance to CPT, and the result showed that CANA could vigorously inhibit cell proliferation and migration independent of the original target SGLT2. Mechanistically, CANA reduced aerobic glycolysis in HCC by targeting PKM2. The downregulated PKM2 directly bound to the transcription factor c-Myc in the cytoplasm to form a complex, which upregulated the level of phosphorylated c-Myc Thr58 and promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of c-Myc. Decreased c-Myc reduced the expression of GLS1, a key enzyme in glutamine metabolism, leading to impaired glutamine utilization. Finally, intracellular glutamine starvation induced ferroptosis and sensitized HCC to CPT. In conclusion, our study showed that CANA re-sensitized HCC to CPT by inducing ferroptosis through dual effects on glycolysis and glutamine metabolism. This is a novel mechanism to increase chemosensitivity, which may provide compatible chemotherapy drugs for HCC.

TUG1 protects against ferroptosis of hepatic stellate cells by upregulating PDK4-mediated glycolysis.

The induction of ferroptosis in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) has shown promise in reversing liver fibrosis. And ferroptosis has been confirmed to be associated with glycolysis. The objective of this study is to determine whether ferroptosis inhibition in HSCs, induced by elevation of recombinant pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozyme 4 (PDK4)-mediated glycolysis, could mediate the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was induced using CCl4, the level of which was assessed through histochemical staining. Lentivirus was used to modulate the expression of specific genes. And underlying mechanisms were explored using primary HSCs extracted from normal mice. The results confirmed that Taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1) expression was upregulated in liver fibrotic tissues and HSCs, showing a positive correlation with fibrosis. In addition, TUG1 attenuated ferroptosis in HSCs by promoting PDK4-mediated glycolysis, thereby promoting the progression of liver fibrosis. Moreover, TUG1 was observed to impact HSCs activation, exacerbating liver fibrosis to some extent. In conclusion, our study revealed that TUG1 expression was elevated in mouse models of liver fibrosis and activated HSCs, which inhibited ferroptosis in HSCs through PDK4-mediated glycolysis. This finding may open up a new therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis.

Salidroside ameliorates acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury through the inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated ferroptosis by activating the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway.

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose has long been considered a major cause of drug-induced liver injury. Ferroptosis is a type of programmed cell death mediated by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a systemic response triggered by the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER. Ferroptosis and ER stress have been proven to contribute to the progression of APAP-induced acute liver injury (ALI). It was reported that salidroside protects against APAP-induced ALI, but the potential mechanism remain unknown. In this study, male C57BL/6 J mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected APAP (500 mg/kg) to induce an ALI model. Salidroside was i.p. injected at a dose of 100 mg/kg 2 h prior to APAP administration. Mice were sacrificed 12 h after APAP injection and the liver and serum of the mice were obtained for histological and biochemistry analysis. AML12 cells were used in in vitro assays. The results indicated that salidroside mitigated glutathione degradation via inhibiting cation transport regulator homolog 1 (CHAC1) to attenuate ferroptosis, and simultaneously suppressing PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 axis-mediated ER stress, thus alleviating APAP-induced ALI. However, PERK activator CCT020312 and overexpression of ATF4 inhibited the protective function of salidroside on CHAC1-mediated ferroptosis. Besides this, activation of the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway by salidroside was demonstrated to have a protective effect against APAP-induced ALI. Interestingly, selective inhibition of SIRT1 ameliorated the protective effects of salidroside on ER stress and ferroptosis. Overall, salidroside plays a significant part in the mitigation of APAP-induced ALI by activating the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling to inhibit ER stress-mediated ferroptosis in the ATF4-CHAC1 axis.

Metagenomic Insights Reveal the Microbial Diversity and Associated Algal-Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzymes on the Surface of Red Algae among Remote Regions.

Macroalgae and macroalgae-associated bacteria together constitute the most efficient metabolic cycling system in the ocean. Their interactions, especially the responses of macroalgae-associated bacteria communities to algae in different geographical locations, are mostly unknown. In this study, metagenomics was used to analyze the microbial diversity and associated algal-polysaccharide-degrading enzymes on the surface of red algae among three remote regions. There were significant differences in the macroalgae-associated bacteria community composition and diversity among the different regions. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria had a significantly high relative abundance among the regions. From the perspective of species diversity, samples from China had the highest macroalgae-associated bacteria diversity, followed by those from Antarctica and Indonesia. In addition, in the functional prediction of the bacterial community, genes associated with amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, and membrane transport had a high relative abundance. Canonical correspondence analysis and redundancy analysis of environmental factors showed that, without considering algae species and composition, pH and temperature were the main environmental factors affecting bacterial community structure. Furthermore, there were significant differences in algal-polysaccharide-degrading enzymes among the regions. Samples from China and Antarctica had high abundances of algal-polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, while those from Indonesia had extremely low abundances. The environmental differences between these three regions may impose a strong geographic differentiation regarding the biodiversity of algal microbiomes and their expressed enzyme genes. This work expands our knowledge of algal microbial ecology, and contributes to an in-depth study of their metabolic characteristics, ecological functions, and applications.

Phylogeography of cultivated and wild ophiopogon japonicus based on chloroplast DNA: exploration of the origin and sustainable cultivation.

BACKGROUND: Ophiopogon japonicus, mainly planted in Sichuan (CMD) and Zhejiang (ZMD) province in China, has a lengthy cultivation history. During the long period of domestication, the genetic diversity of cultivated O. japonicus has substantially declined, which will affect the population continuity and evolutionary potential of this species. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the phylogeography of cultivated O. japonicus to establish a theoretical basis for the utilization and conservation of the genetic resources of O. japonicus. RESULT: The genetic diversity and population structure of 266 O. japonicus individual plants from 23 sampling sites were analyzed based on 4 chloroplast DNA sequences (atpB-rbcL, rpl16, psbA-trnH and rpl20-5'rps12) to identify the effects of domestication on genetic diversity of cultivars and determine their geographic origins. The results showed that cultivated O. japonicus and wild O. japonicus had 4 and 15 haplotypes respectively. The genetic diversity of two cultivars (Hd = 0.35700, π = 0.06667) was much lower than that of the wild populations (Hd = 0.76200, π = 0.20378), and the level of genetic diversity in CMD (Hd = 0.01900, π = 0.00125) was lower than that in ZMD (Hd = 0.06900, π = 0.01096). There was significant difference in genetic differentiation between the cultivated and the wild (FST = 0.82044), especially between the two cultivars (FST = 0.98254). This species showed a pronounced phylogeographical structure (NST > GST, P < 0.05). The phylogenetic tree showed that the genetic difference between CMD and ZMD was not enough to distinguish the cultivars between the two producing areas by using O. amblyphyllus Wang et Dai as an outgroup. In addition, both CMD and ZMD have a closer relationship with wild populations in Sichuan than that in Zhejiang. The results of the TCS network and species distribution model suggested that the wild population TQ located in Sichuan province could serve as the ancestor of cultivated O. japonicus, which was supported by RASP analysis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that cultivated O. japonicus has experienced dramatic loss of genetic diversity under anthropogenic influence. The genetic differentiation between CMD and ZMD is likely to be influenced by founder effect and strong artificial selection for plant traits. It appears that wild populations in Sichuan area are involved in the origin of not only CMD but also ZMD. In addition, we also raise some suggestions for planning scientific strategies for resource conservation of O. japonicus based on its genetic diversity and population structure.

Identification and characterization of ι-carrageenase from macroalgae-associated bacterium Microbulbifer sp. YNDZ01.

BACKGROUND: In the present study, the ι-carrageenase gene, Car1293, was obtained from the genome of Microbulbifer sp. YNDZ01, which was isolated from the surface of macroalgae. To date, there are few studies on ι-carrageenase and the anti-inflammatory activity of ι-carrageenan oligosaccharides (CGOS). To enhance our perspective on ι-carrageenase and ι-carrageen oligosaccharides, the sequence, protein structure, enzymatic properties, enzymatic digestion products and anti-inflammatory activity of the gene were investigated. RESULTS: The gene length of Car1293 is 2,589 bp, encoding an enzyme with 862 amino acids, which shares 34% similarity with any previously reported ι-carrageenase. The spatial structure of Car1293 consists of many α-helices with a ß-fold binding module located at its terminus, and eight binding sites were found in the binding module as a result of docking with CGOS-DP4 ligand. The optimum temperature and pH for the activity of recombinant Car1293 toward ι-carrageenan were 50 °C and 6.0, respectively. The hydrolysates of Car1293 are mainly degree of polymerization (DP)8, with minor products showing DP2, DP4, and DP6. The enzymatic hydrolysates CGOS-DP8 showed prominent anti-inflammatory activity, which was greater than that of the positive control l-monomethylarginine in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. It inhibited nitric oxide production, as well as significantly inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 secretion. CONCLUSION: The ι-carrageenase sequence encoded by Car1293 is novel and can hydrolyze carrageenan into CGOS-DP8 that has a significant anti-inflammatory effect. The present study fills a gap in the research on the biological activity of oligosaccharides in ι-carrageenan and provides promising data for the development of natural anti-inflammatory agent. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Jintiange proteins promote osteogenesis and inhibit apoptosis of osteoblasts by enhancing autophagy via PI3K/AKT and ER stress pathways.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Tiger bone, which had long been used in traditional Chinese medicine, had the action of removing wind and alleviating pain, strengthening the sinews and bones, and often used to treat bone impediment, and atrophic debility of bones in TCM clinical practice. As a substitute of natural bone tiger, artificial tiger bone Jintiange (JTG), has been approved by the State Food and Drug Administration of China for relief the symptom of osteoporosis, such as lumbago and back pain, lassitude in loin and legs, flaccidity and weakness legs, and walk with difficulty based on TCM theory. JTG has similar chemical profile to natural tiger bone, and contains mineral substance, peptides and proteins, and has been shown to protect bone loss in ovariectomized mice and exert the regulatory effects on osteoblast and osteoclast activities. But how the peptides and proteins in JTG modulate bone formation remains unclear. AIM: To investigate the stimulating effects of JTG proteins on osteogenesis and explore the possible underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: JTG proteins were prepared from JTG Capsules by extracting calcium, phosphorus and other inorganic elements using SEP-PaktC18 desalting column. MC3T3-E1 cells were treated with JTG proteins to evaluate their effects and explore the underlying mechanisms. Osteoblast proliferation was detected by CCK-8 method. ALP activity was detected using a relevant assay kit, and bone mineralized nodules were stained with alizarin red-Tris-HCl solution. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Autophagy was observed by MDC staining, and autophagosomes were observed by TEM. Nuclear translocations of LC3 and CHOP were detected by immunofluorescence and observed under a laser confocal microscope. The expression of key proteins related to osteogenesis, apoptosis, autophagy and PI3K/AKT and ER stress pathways was analyzed by Western Blot analysis. RESULTS: JTG proteins improved osteogenesis as evidenced by the alteration of proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, inhibited their apoptosis, and enhanced autophagosome formation and autophagy. They also regulated the expression of key proteins of PI3K/AKT and ER stress pathways. In addition, PI3K/AKT and ER stress pathway inhibitors could reverse the regulatory effects of JTG proteins on osteogenesis, apoptosis, autophagy and PI3K/AKT and ER stress pathways. CONCLUSION: JTG proteins increased the osteogenesis and inhibited osteoblast apoptosis by enhancing autophagy via PI3K/AKT and ER stress signaling pathways.

Targeting Hepatic Stellate Cell Death to Reverse Hepatic Fibrosis.

To date, the incidence and mortality of chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma due to the continued progression of hepatic fibrosis are increasing annually. Unfortunately, although a large number of studies have exhibited that some drugs have great potential for anti-fibrosis in animal and clinical trials, no specific anti-fibrosis drugs have been developed, and there is no better treatment for advanced cirrhosis than liver transplantation. It is a prevailing viewpoint that hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), as the mainstay of extracellular matrix secretion, are of great concern in the development of hepatic fibrosis. Therefore, targeting HSCs becomes extremely important to confront hepatic fibrosis. As previous studies described, inhibition of HSC activation and proliferation, induction of HSC death, and restoration of HSC quiescence are effective in reversing hepatic fibrosis. This review focuses on the current status of research on the treatment of hepatic fibrosis by inducing HSC death and elucidates the HSC death modes in detail and the crosstalk between them.

3,4-Dimethoxychalcone, a caloric restriction mimetic, enhances TFEB-mediated autophagy and alleviates pyroptosis and necroptosis after spinal cord injury.

Background: Caloric restriction mimetics (CRMs) mimic the favourable effects of caloric restriction (CR) and have been shown to have therapeutic effects in neuroinflammatory disease. However, whether CRMs improve the functional recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI) and the underlying mechanism of action remain unclear. In this study, we used the CRMs 3,4-dimethoxychalcone (3,4-DC) to evaluate the therapeutic value of CRMs for SCI. Methods: HE, Masson and Nissl staining; footprint analysis; and the Basso mouse scale were used to determine the functional recovery from SCI after 3,4-DC treatment. RNA sequencing was used to identify the mechanisms of 3,4-DC in SCI. Western blotting, qPCR and immunofluorescence were used to detect the levels of pyroptosis, necroptosis, autophagy and the AMPK-TRPML1-calcineurin signalling pathway. We employed a dual-luciferase reporter assay in vitro and applied AAV vectors to inhibit TFEB in vivo to explore the mechanism of 3,4-DC. Results: 3,4-DC reduced glial scar area and motor neuron death and improved functional recovery after SCI. RNA-sequencing results indicated that oxidative stress, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and autophagy may be involved in the ability of 3,4-DC to improve functional recovery. Furthermore, 3,4-DC inhibited pyroptosis and necroptosis by enhancing autophagy. We also found that 3,4-DC enhances autophagy by promoting TFEB activity. A decrease in the TFEB level abolished the protective effect of 3,4-DC. In addition, 3,4-DC partially regulated TFEB activity through the AMPK-TRPML1-calcineurin signalling pathway. Conclusions: 3,4-DC promotes functional recovery by upregulating TFEB-mediated autophagy and inhibiting pyroptosis and necroptosis after SCI, which may have potential clinical application value.

A pyroptosis-related gene signature provides an alternative for predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant neoplasm with limited treatment options and poor outcomes. Thus, there is an urgent need to find sensitive biomarkers for HCC. METHODS: Gene expression and clinicopathological information were obtained from public databases, based on which a pyroptosis-related gene signature was constructed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. The applicability of the signature was evaluated via Kaplan-Meier curve and time-dependent ROC curve. TIMER, QUANTISEQ, MCPCOUNTER, EPIC, CIBERSORT, ssGSEA, and ESTIMATE were employed to assess the immune status. Comparisons between groups were analyzed with Wilcoxon test. Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were adopted for linear correlation analysis. Genetic knockdown was conducted using siRNA transfection and the mRNA expression levels of interest genes were measured using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Finally, protein levels in 10 paired tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues from HCC patients were measured using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: A pyroptosis-related gene signature was established successfully to calculate independent prognostic risk scores. It was found that survival outcomes varied significantly between different risk groups. In addition, an attenuated antitumor immune response was found in the high-risk group. Meanwhile, multiple immune checkpoints were up-regulated in high-risk score patients. Cell cycle-related genes, angiogenesis-related genes and tumor drug resistance genes were also markedly elevated. Knockdown of prognostic genes in the signature significantly inhibited the expression of immune checkpoint genes and angiogenesis-related genes. Besides, each prognostic gene was expressed at a higher level in HCC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully established a novel pyroptosis-related gene signature which could help predict the overall survival and assess the immune status of HCC patients.

Complete genome sequence of the denitrifying Pseudomonas sp. strain DNDY-54 isolated from deep-sea sediment of ninety east ridge.

Pseudomonas sp. strain DNDY-54, a denitrifying bacterium, was isolated from a deep-sea sediment sample from Ninety East Ridge in the Indian Ocean. Here, we show that the complete genome of DNDY-54 has one circular chromosome of 4,412,895 bp with mean 60.57% GC content. The complete genome contains 4111 predicted protein-coding genes, 59 tRNAs, and 4 rRNA operons as 16S-23S-5S rRNA. On the basis of the annotation results, we identified genes that encode 27 proteins related to nitrogen metabolism, including enzymes that make up a complete denitrifying pathway. This work will improve the understanding of nitrogen cycling in the deep biosphere and provides a new candidate for protection of the environment and applications in waste water disposal.

A literature review of the research on students' evaluation of teaching in higher education.

Students' evaluation of teaching is a teaching quality evaluation method and teacher performance evaluation tool commonly used in Chinese and foreign universities, and it is also a controversial hot issue in the field of teaching evaluation. At present, the research results of students' evaluation of teaching in higher education are relatively rich, mainly focusing on reliability, validity and its influencing factors, construction of index system, problems in practical application and improvement strategies. The purpose of this article is to study the relevant research results of the current Chinese and foreign academic circles, in order to provide useful inspiration for the construction of the index system and practical application of the ideological and political theory course evaluation and teaching of Chinese college students.

Characterization of a novel ß-agarase from Antarctic macroalgae-associated bacteria metagenomic library and anti-inflammatory activity of the enzymatic hydrolysates.

An agarase gene (aga1904) that codes a protein with 640 amino acids was obtained from the metagenomic library of macroalgae-associated bacteria collected from King George Island, Antarctica. Gene aga1904 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and recombinant Aga1904 was purified by His Bind Purification kit. The optimal temperature and pH for the activity of Aga1904 were 50°C and 6.0, respectively. Fe3+ and Cu2+ significantly inhibited the activity of Aga1904. The V max and K m values of recombinant Aga1904 were 108.70 mg/ml min and 6.51 mg/ml, respectively. The degradation products of Aga1904 against agarose substrate were mainly neoagarobiose, neoagarotetraose, and neoagarohexaose analyzed by thin layer chromatography. The cellular immunoassay of enzymatic hydrolysates was subsequently carried out, and the results showed that agaro-oligosaccharides dominated by neoagarobiose significantly inhibited key pro-inflammatory markers including, nitric oxide (NO), interleukins 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). This work provides a promising candidate for development recombinant industrial enzyme to prepare agaro-oligosaccharides, and paved up a new path for the exploitation of natural anti-inflammatory agent in the future.

Application progress of immobilized biomembrane in the discovery of active compounds of natural products.

Natural products (NP) are an important source of bioactive compounds. Considering their complex matrix effects, the development of suitable methodologies for the quick identification and analysis of active substances in NPs played a significant role in controlling their quality and discovering new drugs. In recent years, the technology of immobilized biomembrane has attracted increasing attention, due to its advantages such as multitarget efficiency, accuracy, and/or time-saving compared with traditional activity-guided separation and ligand fishing methods. This article provides a systematic review of the latest advances in screening technologies based on biomembrane in the field of NPs. It includes detailed discussions on these technologies, including cell membrane chromatography, artificial membrane chromatography, cell membrane fishing, living cell fishing methods, and their applications in screening various active molecules from NPs. Their limitations and future development prospects are further discussed.

Biochemical Characterization of a Carrageenase, Car1383, Derived From Associated Bacteria of Antarctic Macroalgae.

A carrageenase gene, car1383, was obtained from the metagenome of Antarctic macroalgae-associated bacteria. The amino acid sequence of its product showed up to 33% similarity with other carrageenases and contained a GH16-family motif. The recombinant Car1383 was heterologously expressed in Eschericia coli and exhibited maximal activity at 50°C and pH 6.0, with a Km of 6.51 mg/ml and a Vmax of 55.77 U/mg. Its activity was enhanced by some cations (Na+, K+, and Fe2+), but inhibited or inactivated by others (Sr2+, Ca2+, Ni2+, Ba2+, Mn2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, and Mg2+). Car1383 degraded carrageenan into neocarrabiose and neocarratetraose. Site-directed mutagenesis indicated that putative active sites, E190 and E195, conserved sites, W183 and G255, play important roles in Car1383 activity. This study provides a new candidate for the industrial preparation of bioactive algal oligosaccharides.

Establishment and Validation of a Peroxisome-related Gene Signature for Prognostic Prediction and Immune Distinction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous disease, which makes the prognostic prediction challenging. Abnormal peroxisomes can promote the development of cancers. This study aimed to construct a prognostic model based on peroxisome-related genes and identify its prognostic prediction and immune distinction abilities in HCC. Methods: The prognostic model was constructed based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC). Kaplan-Meier curve, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve and Cox analysis were used to evaluate the model. The immune status, tumor microenvironment, drug sensitivity and expression levels of the mRNA and protein between HCC and adjacent non-tumorous tissues were analyzed and compared. Results: A prognostic model of 9 peroxisome-related genes was established and validated. Overall survival was markedly higher in the low-risk group relative to the high-risk group. The risk score was an independent prognostic factor. Tumor-related pathways were enriched in the high-risk group and the HCC patients in high-risk group showed depleted immune status. Furthermore, immune checkpoint-related genes, cell cycle-related genes, and multidrug resistance-related genes were overexpressed in the high-risk group. The expression levels of prognostic genes were negatively related to the anti-tumor drugs sensitivity. In addition, the expression level of each prognostic gene in HCC tissues was higher than that in adjacent non-tumorous tissues in an independent sample cohort and the similar results were found in most cancer types. Conclusion: A signature based on the nine peroxisome-related genes is a promising biomarker of HCC and is beneficial to the realization of individualized treatment.