A Blood Drying Process for DNA Amplification.

The presence of numerous inhibitors in blood makes their use in nucleic acid amplification techniques difficult. Current methods for extracting and purifying pathogenic DNA from blood involve removal of inhibitors, resulting in low and inconsistent DNA recovery rates. To address this issue, a biphasic method is developed that simultaneously achieves inhibitor inactivation and DNA amplification without the need for a purification step. Inhibitors are physically trapped in the solid-phase dried blood matrix by blood drying, while amplification reagents can move into the solid nano-porous dried blood and initiate the amplification. It is demonstrated that the biphasic method has significant improvement in detection limits for bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). Several factors, such as drying time, sample volume, and material properties are characterized to increase sensitivity and expand the application of the biphasic assay to blood diagnostics. With further automation, this biphasic technique has the potential to be used as a diagnostic platform for the detection of pathogens eliminating lengthy culture steps.

Enhancing 2-Pyrone Synthase Efficiency by High-Throughput Mass-Spectrometric Quantification and In†Vitro/In†Vivo Catalytic Performance Correlation.

Engineering efficient biocatalysts is essential for metabolic engineering to produce valuable bioproducts from renewable resources. However, due to the complexity of cellular metabolic networks, it is challenging to translate success in vitro into high performance in cells. To meet such a challenge, an accurate and efficient quantification method is necessary to screen a large set of mutants from complex cell culture and a careful correlation between the catalysis parameters in vitro and performance in cells is required. In this study, we employed a mass-spectrometry based high-throughput quantitative method to screen new mutants of 2-pyrone synthase (2PS) for triacetic acid lactone (TAL) biosynthesis through directed evolution in E. coli. From the process, we discovered two mutants with the highest improvement (46 fold) in titer and the fastest kcat (44 fold) over the wild type 2PS, respectively, among those reported in the literature. A careful examination of the correlation between intracellular substrate concentration, Michaelis-Menten parameters and TAL titer for these two mutants reveals that a fast reaction rate under limiting intracellular substrate concentrations is important for in-cell biocatalysis. Such properties can be tuned by protein engineering and synthetic biology to adopt these engineered proteins for the maximum activities in different intracellular environments.

Silymarin modified polysulfone hollow fiber membranes with antioxidant, anti-M1 macrophage polarization and hemocompatibility for blood purification.

Oxidative stress is highly prevalent in maintenance hemodialysis patients and increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Silymarin (SM) is a natural compound extracted from plants, and has been shown to have pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, and anti-nephrotoxicity. SM-modified polysulfone (PSF) hemodialysis membranes were prepared by an immersion-precipitation phase transition method. The experimental results showed that the modified membranes effectively scavenged free radicals, significantly inhibited lipid peroxidation, and had good antioxidant stability (60 days). The PSF/SM antioxidant membranes (H-3) had no pro-inflammatory effect, which was confirmed by the result of anti-M1 macrophage polarization. Furthermore, the hemolysis rate (2%), blood cell deformation (3.7%), and inhibition of erythrocyte and platelet adhesion were improved by the SM-modified PSF membranes. All the results suggest that PSF/SM blended hollow fiber membranes are promising for application in hemodialysis membranes to improve oxidative stress status and reduce inflammation and complications in patients.

Mass Spectrometry-Based High-Throughput Quantification of Bioproducts in Liquid Culture.

To meet the ever-increasing need for high-throughput screening in metabolic engineering, information-rich, fast screening methods are needed. Mass spectrometry (MS) provides an efficient and general approach for metabolite screening and offers the capability of characterizing a broad range of analytes in a label-free manner, but often requires a range of sample clean-up and extraction steps. Liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA) coupled MS is an image-guided MS surface analysis approach that directly samples and introduces metabolites from a surface to MS. Here, we combined the advantages of LESA-MS and an acoustic liquid handler with stable isotope-labeled internal standards. This approach provides absolute quantitation of target chemicals from liquid culture-dried droplets and enables high-throughput quantitative screening for microbial metabolites. In this study, LESA-MS was successfully applied to quantify several different metabolites (itaconic acid, triacetic acid lactone, and palmitic acid) from different yeast strains in different mediums, demonstrating its versatility, accuracy, and efficiency across a range of microbial engineering applications.

Ten undescribed cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids from Eupatorium chinense.

Ten undescribed cadinane-type sesquiterpenes (1-10) were isolated from the whole plant of Eupatorium chinense. Their planar structures were mainly elucidated by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data and DFT NMR calculations. The absolute configurations of 1, 2, and 3 were determined by TDDFT ECD calculations while those of compounds 4-7 and 9 were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. Compounds 2 and 3 are a pair of C-10 epimers, compounds 4 and 5 a pair of C-1 epimers, and compounds 9 and 10 a pair of compounds isomerized at both C-1 and C-10. A possible biosynthetic pathway for these new sesquiterpenes was proposed.

Anti-inflammatory Eudesmane Sesquiterpenoids from Artemisia hedinii.

Fourteen new eudesmane sesquiterpenoids (1, 3-5, 7-16) and seven known analogues were isolated from the whole plant of Artemisia hedinii. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with published NMR data, and their absolute configurations were confirmed by X-ray diffraction experiments and TDDFT ECD calculation. Compounds 1-15 were identified as eudesmane acids, which represent a kind of lactone ring-opening eudesmane-type sesquiterpenes with an acetoxyl or a hydroxy group attached to C-9. Compounds 1 and 2, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8 are three pairs of epimers isomerized at C-3, C-5, and C-11, respectively. Compounds 1-9, 11-13, 15-19, and 21 could influence the proinflammatory phenotype of the M1 macrophage. Among them, compounds 5, 8, 9, 12, 16, and 19 consistently exhibited anti-inflammatory effects, as evidenced by downregulating classic pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-12, IL-6, and IFN-γ in LPS-induced primary bone marrow derived M1 macrophages.

Cytotoxic guaianolides and seco-guaianolides from Artemisia atrovirens.

A phytochemical investigation of a medicinal plant Artemisia atrovirens was carried out, resulting in the characterization of a novel bis-nor seco-guaianolide, seco-atrovirenolide A (1), a new 1,10-seco-guaianolide derivative, seco-atrovirenoic acid A (2), and a new artifact 10-methanoyloxy-seco-atrovirenoic acid A (3), together with eight known guaianolide and seco-guaianolide derivatives (4-11). The structures of new compounds were fully established by extensive analysis of MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations of the isolated compounds were confirmed by TDDFT ECD calculation, Mosher's method, and X-ray crystal diffraction experiment. All the compounds were tested in vitro for their cytotoxicity against HL-60 and A549 cell lines. Some of them showed moderate inhibitory activity against HL-60 cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 5.99 to 11.74 µM.

Effects of Sphagnum Leachate on Competitive Sphagnum Microbiome Depend on Species and Time.

Plant specialized metabolites play an important role in soil carbon (C) and nutrient fluxes. Through anti-microbial effects, they can modulate microbial assemblages and associated microbial-driven processes, such as nutrient cycling, so to positively or negatively cascade on plant fitness. As such, plant specialized metabolites can be used as a tool to supplant competitors. These compounds are little studied in bryophytes. This is especially notable in peatlands where Sphagnum mosses can dominate the vegetation and show strong interspecific competition. Sphagnum mosses form carpets where diverse microbial communities live and play a crucial role in Sphagnum fitness by regulating C and nutrient cycling. Here, by means of a microcosm experiment, we assessed to what extent moss metabolites of two Sphagnum species (S. fallax and S. divinum) modulate the competitive Sphagnum microbiome, with particular focus on microbial respiration. Using a reciprocal leachate experiment, we found that interactions between Sphagnum leachates and microbiome are species-specific. We show that both Sphagnum leachates differed in compound richness and compound relative abundance, especially sphagnum acid derivates, and that they include microbial-related metabolites. The addition of S. divinum leachate on the S. fallax microbiome immediately reduced microbial respiration (-95%). Prolonged exposition of S. fallax microbiome to S. divinum leachate destabilized the food web structure due to a modulation of microbial abundance. In particular, leachate addition decreased the biomass of testate amoebae and rotifers but increased that of ciliates. These changes did not influence microbial CO2 respiration, suggesting that the structural plasticity of the food web leads to its functional resistance through the replacement of species that are functionally redundant. In contrast, S. fallax leachate neither affected S. divinum microbial respiration, nor microbial biomass. We, however, found that S. fallax leachate addition stabilized the food web structure associated to S. divinum by changing trophic interactions among species. The differences in allelopathic effects between both Sphagnum leachates might impact their competitiveness and affect species distribution at local scale. Our study further paves the way to better understand the role of moss and microbial specialized metabolites in peatland C dynamics.

Identification of chemotypes in bitter melon by metabolomics: a plant with potential benefit for management of diabetes in traditional Chinese medicine.

INTRODUCTION: Bitter melon (Momordica charantia, Cucurbitaceae) is a popular edible medicinal plant, which has been used as a botanical dietary supplement for the treatment of diabetes and obesity in Chinese folk medicine. Previously, our team has proved that cucurbitanes triterpenoid were involved in bitter melon's anti-diabetic effects as well as on increasing energy expenditure. The triterpenoids composition can however be influenced by changes of varieties or habitats. OBJECTIVES: To clarify the significance of bioactive metabolites diversity among different bitter melons and to provide a guideline for selection of bitter melon varieties, an exploratory study was carried out using a UHPLC-HRMS based metabolomic study to identify chemotypes. METHODS: Metabolites of 55 seed samples of bitter melon collected in different parts of China were profiled by UHPLC-HRMS. The profiling data were analysed with multivariate (MVA) statistical methods. Principle component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied for sample differentiation. Marker compounds were identified by comparing spectroscopic data with isolated compounds, and additional triterpenes were putatively identified by propagating annotations through a molecular network (MN) generated from UHPLC-HRMS & MS/MS metabolite profiling. RESULTS: PCA and HCA provided a good discrimination between bitter melon samples from various origins in China. This study revealed for the first time the existence of two chemotypes of bitter melon. Marker compounds of those two chemotypes were identified at different MSI levels. The combined results of MN and MVA demonstrated that the two chemotypes mainly differ in their richness in cucurbitane versus oleanane triterpenoid glycosides (CTGs vs. OTGs). CONCLUSION: Our finding revealed a clear chemotype distribution of bioactive components across bitter melon varieties. While bioactivities of individual CTGs and OTGs still need to be investigated in more depth, our results could help in future the selection of bitter melon varieties with optimised metabolites profile for an improved management of diabetes with this popular edible Chinese folk medicine.

The antifungal activity and mechanisms of action of quantified extracts from berries, leaves and roots of Phytolacca tetramera.

BACKGROUND: Phytolacca tetramera is an endemic plant from Argentina that is currently at serious risk because its environment is subjected to a high anthropic impact. A previous study has shown that berry extracts obtained from this plant display antifungal activity against multiple human-pathogenic fungi when tested with a non-standardized method. Further evidences of the antifungal properties of other parts of the plant and studies of mechanism of antifungal action of the antifungal chemically characterized extracts are required. PURPOSE: This study aimed to gain further evidence of the antifungal activity of P. tetramera berry, leaf and root extracts in order to find the most active extract to be developed as an Herbal Medicinal Antifungal Product. The medicinal usefulness of P. tetramera extracts as antifungal agents will serve as an important support to create concience and carry out actions tending to the preservation of this threatened species and its environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chemical analysis of all P. tetramera extracts, including quantitation of selected markers, was performed through UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS and UPLC-ESI-MS techniques according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The antifungal activity of the quantified extracts was tested with the standardized CLSI microbroth dilution method against Candida spp. Antifungal mechanisms of the most active extract were studied by examination of morphological changes by phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopies and both, cellular and enzymatic assays targeting either the fungal membrane or the cell wall. RESULTS: The antifungal activity of twelve P. tetramera extracts was tested against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. The dichloromethane extract from berries (PtDEb) showed the best activity. Phytolaccagenin (PhytG) and phytolaccoside B (PhytB) were selected as the main active markers for the antifungal P. tetramera extracts. The quantitation of these active markers in all extracts showed that PtDEb possessed the highest amount of PhytG and PhytB. Finally, studies on the mechanism of antifungal action showed that the most active PtDEb extract produces morphological changes compatible with a damage of the cell wall and/or the plasma membrane. Cellular and enzymatic assays showed that PtDEb would not damage the fungal cell wall by itself, but would alter the plasma membrane. In agreement, PtDEb was found to bind to ergosterol, the main sterol of the fungal plasma membrane. CONCLUSION: Studies of the anti-Candida activity of P. tetramera extracts led to the selection of PtDEb as the most suitable extract, confirming the antifungal properties of the threatened species P. tetramera. The new data give a valuable reason for the definitive protection of this sp. and its natural environment thus allowing further studies for the future development of an Herbal Medicinal Antifungal Product.

Diterpenoids from the flowers of Rhododendron molle.

A new seco-kalmane-type diterpenoid, seco-rhodomollone (1), five new grayanane-type diterpenoids, rhodomollein XXI (2), 6-O-acetylrhodomollein XXI (3), 6,14-di-O-acetylrhodomollein XXI (4), rhodomollein XXII (5), and 2-O-methylrhodomollein XI (6), and two new kalmane-type diterpenoids, rhodomolleins XXIII (7) and XXIV (8), together with seven known compounds, were isolated from the flowers of Rhododendron molle collected in Guangxi Province, China. The absolute configurations of 1 and 3 were defined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. Compound 1 possesses an unprecedented 1,5-seco-kalmane skeleton presumably derived by cleavage of the C-1-C-5 bond of the kalmane skeleton. Compounds 2-4 represent the first examples from a natural source of grayanane-type diterpenoids with a chlorine substituent.