Discovery of seed germinating fungi (Mycetinis scorodonius) from Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. chow in Changbai Mountain and examination of their germination ability.

Multi-generational asexual reproduction of Gastrodia elata Bl. will cause seedling species degeneration. Sexual reproduction of Gastrodia elata Bl. seed is an effective method to solve the problem of degeneration. The development of Gastrodia elata Bl. seeds cannot be separated from the germination fungus. However, there are few strains of germination fungus in production, and there is also the problem of species degradation in application for many years. It is very important for the sexual reproduction of Gastrodia elata Bl. to isolate more new strains of excellent germination fungus from the origin. This study used the Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. chow seeds germination vegetative propagation corms capture method to isolate its symbiotic germination fungus, and comprehensively identified the species of germination fungus by colony morphology, ITS, sporocarps regeneration and germination function, and compared the growth characteristics and germination ability with other germination fungus (Mycena purpureofusca, Mycena dendrobii and Mycena osmundicola). The germination fungus was isolated from the vegetative propagation corms of Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. chow seeds and named GYGL-1. After comprehensive identification, GYGL-1 was Mycetinis scorodonius. Compared with other germination fungus, GYGL-1 has fast germination speed, vigorous growth, and high germination ability for Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. chow seeds. Innovated the isolation method of Gastrodia elata Bl. seeds germination fungus, obtained the regenerated sporocarps of the germination fungus, and discovered that Mycetinis scorodonius has a new function of germinating Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. chow seeds, enriching the resource library of Gastrodia elata Bl. germination fungus.

Pd-Decorated Cu2O-Ag Catalyst Promoting CO2 Electroreduction to C2H4 by Optimizing CO Intermediate Adsorption and Hydrogenation.

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to high value-added products, such as ethylene (C2H4), offers a promising approach to achieve carbon neutrality. Although recent studies have reported that a tandem catalyst (for example, Cu-Ag systems) exhibits advantage in C2H4 production, its practical application is largely inhibited by the following: (1) a traditional tandem catalyst cannot effectively stabilize the *CO intermediate, resulting in sluggish C-C coupling, and (2) inadequate H2O activation ability hinders the hydrogenation of intermediates. To break through the above bottleneck, herein, palladium (Pd) was introduced into Cu2O-Ag, a typical conventional tandem catalyst, to construct a Cu2O-Pd-Ag ternary catalyst. Extensive experiment and density functional theory calculation prove that Pd can efficiently stabilize the *CO intermediate and promote the H2O activation, which contributes to the C-C coupling and intermediate hydrogenation, the key steps in the conversion of CO2 to C2H4. Beneficial to the efficient synergy of Cu2O, Pd, and Ag, the optimal Cu2O-Pd-Ag ternary catalyst achieves CO2RR toward C2H4 with a faradaic efficiency of 63.2% at -1.2 VRHE, which is higher than that achieved by Cu2O-Ag and most of other reported catalysts. This work is a fruitful exploration of a rare ternary catalyst, providing a new route for constructing an efficient CO2RR electrocatalyst.

Decrease in beneficial bacteria and increase in harmful bacteria in Gastrodia seedlings and their surrounding soil are mainly responsible for degradation of Gastrodia asexual propagation.

Introduction: Asexual reproduction of Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. chow (GeB) produces degeneration with increasing number of GeB. Therefore, we analyzed the microorganisms of GeB seedlings and surrounding soil by Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing technology. Methods: In this study, Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to analyze the types and quantities of GeB seedlings and surrounding soil microorganisms in the first to third generations of asexual reproduction, isolated and identified the dominant strains of GeB in the first to third generations and screened the antagonistic bacteria of its pathogenic fungi, and evaluated the effects of beneficial bacteria on the production performance of seedlings planted with GeB. Results: With an increase in the number of asexual reproductive generations, the number of pathogenic fungi and bacteria in GeB seedlings and the surrounding soil increased, and the number of beneficial fungi and bacteria decreased. Pseudomonas sp., Agrobacterium rhizomes, and Herbaspirillum hiltneri were isolated and identified in the first generation, and Trichoderma harzianum, Penicillium viridiatum, Fusarium oxysporum, and Novosphingobium sp. Were isolated and identified in the third generation. Antagonistic strains of the three pathogenic bacterial strains were screened. In conclusion, beneficial bacteria significantly improved the production performance of asexual reproductive seedlings planted with GeB. Discussion: In conclusion, our findings suggested that the microorganisms of GeB seedlings and the surrounding soil change as the number of generations of GeB reproduction increases, disrupts the microecological balance of surrounding soil and endophytic microbiomes.This study provides a theoretical basis for the degradation of asexual reproduction in GeB.

Revealing the Lattice Carbonate Mediated Mechanism in Cu2(OH)2CO3 for Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to C2H4.

Understanding the CO2 transformation mechanism on materials is essential for the design of efficient electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction. In aconventional adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM), the catalysts encounter multiple high-energy barrier steps, especially CO2 activation, limiting the activity and selectivity. Here, lattice carbonate from Cu2(OH)2CO3 is revealed to be a mediator between CO2 molecules and catalyst during CO2 electroreduction by a 13C isotope labeling method, which can bypass the high energy barrier of CO2 activation and strongly enhance the performance. With the lattice carbonate mediated mechanism (LCMM), the Cu2(OH)2CO3 electrode exhibited ten-fold faradaic efficiency and 15-fold current density for ethylene production than the Cu2O electrode with AEM at a low overpotential. Theoretical calculations and in situ Raman spectroscopy results show that symmetric vibration of carbonate is precisely enhanced on the catalyst surface with LCMM, leading to faster electron transfer, and lower energy barriers of CO2 activation and carbon-carbon coupling. This work provides a route to develop efficient electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction based on lattice-mediated mechanism.

An exploration of mechanism of high quality and yield of Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca by the isolation, identification, and evaluation of Mycena.

Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca is an important traditional Chinese medicinal plant. The yield and quality of Gastrodia elata Bl. have significantly decreased due to multigenerational asexual reproduction. Therefore, it is necessary to have sexual reproduction of Gastrodia elata Bl. to supplement the market supply. Seeds of G. elata Bl. have no endosperm, and their sexual reproduction depends on the nutrients provided by the embryo cells infected by Mycena fungi to complete seed germination. However, Mycena fungi are small and have many species, and not all Mycena fungi can promote the germination of G. elata Bl. seeds. Therefore, it is of great significance to isolate and identify suitable germination fungi and explore the mechanism for improving the production performance and yield, and quality of G. elata Bl. Six closely related Mycena isolates, JFGL-01, JFGL-02, JFGL-03, JFGL-04, JFGL-05, and JFGL-06, were isolated from the leaves and protocorms of G. elata Bl. f. glauca and were identified as Mycena purpureofusca. The mycelial state and number of germinating protocorms were used as indicators to preferentially select Mycena fungi, and it was concluded that JFGL-06 had the best mycelial state and ability to germinate G. elata Bl. seeds. Finally, a mechanism to increase the yield of G. elata Bl. was explored by comparing the changes in nutrient elements and microbial diversity in the soil around G. elata Bl. with different strains. JFGL-06 proved to be an excellent Mycena fungal strain suitable for G. elata Bl. f. glauca. Compared with the commercial strain, JFGL-06 significantly increased the C, N, Na, Mg, S, Cl, K, Ca, and Fe contents of the soil surrounding the protocorms of G. elata Bl. f. glauca. JFGL-06 improved the composition, diversity, and metabolic function of the surrounding soil microbial community of G. elata Bl. f. glauca protocorms at the phylum, class, and genus levels, significantly increased the relative abundance of bacteria such as Acidobacteria and fungi such as Trichoderma among the dominant groups, and increased the abundance of functional genes in metabolic pathways such as nucleotide metabolism and energy metabolism. There was a significant reduction in the relative abundance of bacteria, such as Actinomycetes, and fungi, such as Fusarium, in the dominant flora, and a reduced abundance of functional genes, such as amino acid metabolism and xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism. This is the main reason why the JFGL-06 strain promoted high-quality and high-yield G. elata Bl. f. glauca in Changbai Mountain.

Boosting the Electrochemical 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Oxidation by Balancing the Competitive Adsorption of Organic and OH- over Controllable Reconstructed Ni3 S2 /NiOx.

The electrocatalytic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a promising method for the efficient production of biomass-derived high-value-added chemicals. However, its practical application is limited by: 1) the low activity and selectivity caused by the competitive adsorption of HMF and OH- and 2) the low operational stability caused by the uncontrollable reconstruction of the catalyst. To overcome these limitations, a series of Ni3 S2 /NiOx -n catalysts with controllable compositions and well-defined structures are synthesized using a novel in situ controlled surface reconstruction strategy. The adsorption behavior of HMF and OH- can be continuously adjusted by varying the ratio of NiOx to Ni3 S2 on the catalysts surface, as indicated by in situ characterizations, contact angle analysis, and theoretical simulations. Owing to the balanced competitive adsorption of HMF and OH- , the optimized Ni3 S2 /NiOx -15 catalyst exhibited remarkable HMF electrocatalytic oxidation performance, with the current density reaching 366 mA cm-2 at 1.5 VRHE and the Faradaic efficiency of the product, 2,5-furanedicarboxylic acid, reaching 98%. Moreover, Ni3 S2 /NiOx -15 exhibits excellent durability, with its activity and structure remaining stable for over 100 h of operation. This study provides a new route for the design and construction of catalysts for value-added biomass conversion and offers new insights into enhancing catalytic performance by balancing competitive adsorption.

An exploration of mechanism of high quality and yield of Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca by the isolation, identification and evaluation of Armillaria.

BACKGROUND: Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca, a perennial herb of G.elata Bl. in Orchidaceae, is one of the most valuable traditional Chinese medicines. G. elata Bl. is a chlorophyll-free myco-heterotrophic plant, which must rely on the symbiotic growth of Armillaria, but not all Armillaria strains can play the symbiotic role. Additionally, Armillaria is easy to degenerate after multiple generations, and the compatibility between the strains from other areas and G. elata Bl. f. glauca in Changbai Mountain is unstable. Therefore, it is incredibly significant to isolate, identify and screen the symbiotic Armillaria suitable for the growth of G. elata Bl. f. glauca in Changbai Mountain, and to explore the mechanism by which Armillaria improves the production performance of G. elata Bl. f. glauca. RESULTS: Firstly, G. elata Bl. f. glauca tubers, and rhizomorphs and fruiting bodies of Armillaria were used for the isolation and identification of Armillaria. Five Armillaria isolates were obtained in our laboratory and named: JMG, JMA, JMB, JMC and JMD. Secondly, Armillaria was selected based on the yield and the effective component content of G. elata Bl. f. glauca. It was concluded that the yield and quality of G. elata Bl. f. glauca co-planted with JMG is the highest. Finally, the mechanism of its high quality and yield was explored by investigating the effects of different Armillaria strains on the soil, its nutrition element contents and the soil microbial diversity around G. elata Bl. f. glauca in Changbai Mountain. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with commercial strains, JMG significantly increased the content of Na, Al, Si, Mn, Fe, Zn, Rb and the absorption of C, Na, Mg, Ca, Cr, Cu, Zn and Rb in G. elata Bl. f. glauca; it improved the composition, diversity and metabolic functions of soil microbial communities around G. elata Bl. f. glauca at phylum, class and genus levels; it markedly increased the relative abundance of bacteria such as Chthoniobacter and Armillaria in the dominant populations, and enhanced such functions as Cell motility, amino acid metabolism and Lipid metabolism; it dramatically decreased the relative abundance of Bryobacter and other fungi in the dominant populations, and reduced such functions as microbial energy metabolism, translation and carbohydrate metabolism. This is the main reason why excellent Armillaria strains promote the high quality and yield of G. elata Bl. f. glauca in Changbai Mountain.

Metabolic and Physiological Changes in the Roots of Two Oat Cultivars in Response to Complex Saline-Alkali Stress.

Saline-alkali stress is a major abiotic stress factor in agricultural productivity. Oat (Avena sativa L.) is a saline-alkali tolerant crop species. However, molecular mechanisms of saline-alkali tolerance in oats remain unclear. To understand the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying seedling saline-alkali tolerance in oats, the phenotypic and metabolic responses of two oat cultivars, Baiyan7 (BY, tolerant cultivar) and Yizhangyan4 (YZY, sensitive cultivar), were characterized under saline-alkali stress conditions. Compared with YZY, BY showed better adaptability to saline-alkali stress. A total of 151 and 96 differential metabolites induced by saline-alkali stress were identified in roots of BY and YZY, respectively. More detailed analyses indicated that enhancements of energy metabolism and accumulations of organic acids were the active strategies of oat roots, in response to complex saline-alkali stress. The BY utilized sugars via sugar consumption more effectively, while amino acids strengthened metabolism and upregulated lignin and might be the positive responses of BY roots to saline-alkali stress, which led to a higher osmotic adjustment of solute concentrations and cell growth. The YZY mainly used soluble sugars and flavonoids combined with sugars to form glycosides, as osmotic regulatory substances or antioxidant substances, to cope with saline-alkali stress. The analyses of different metabolites of roots of tolerant and sensitive cultivars provided an important theoretical basis for understanding the mechanisms of saline-alkali tolerance and increased our knowledge of plant metabolism regulation under stress. Meanwhile, some related metabolites, such as proline, betaine, and p-coumaryl alcohol, can also be used as candidates for screening saline-alkali tolerant oat cultivars.

Promoting Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to C2 H4 Production by Inhibiting C2 H5 OH Desorption from Cu2 O/C Composite.

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR) has great potential in realizing carbon recycling while storing sustainable electricity as hydrocarbon fuels. However, it is still a challenge to enhance the selectivity of the CO2 RR to single multi-carbon (C2+ ) product, such as C2 H4 . Here, an effective method is proposed to improve C2 H4 selectivity by inhibiting the production of the other competitive C2 products, namely C2 H5 OH, from Cu2 O/C composite. Density functional theory indicates that the heterogeneous structure between Cu2 O and carbon is expected to inhibit C2 H5 OH production and promote CC coupling, which facilitates C2 H4 production. To prove this, a composite electrode containing octahedral Cu2 O nanoparticles (NPs) (o-Cu2 O) with {111} facets and carbon NPs is constructed, which experimentally inhibits C2 H5 OH production while strongly enhancing C2 H4 selectivity compared with o-Cu2 O electrode. Furthermore, the surface hydroxylation of carbon can further improve the C2 H4 production of o-Cu2 O/C electrode, exhibiting a high C2 H4 Faradaic efficiency of 67% and a high C2 H4 current density of 45 mA cm-2 at -1.1 V in a near-neutral electrolyte. This work provides a new idea to improve C2+ selectivity by controlling products desorption.

Protective Effects of Ginsenosides (20R)-Rg3 on H2 O2 -Induced Myocardial Cell Injury by Activating Keap-1/Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway.

Ginsenosides (20S)-Rg3 and (20R)-Rg3 are famous rare ginsenosides from red ginseng, and their configurations in C-20 are different. This study aimed to investigate the protective mechanism of ginsenosides (20S)-Rg3 and (20R)-Rg3 on H2 O2 -induced H9C2 cells and compare their activity. The results showed that the ginsenosides (20S)-Rg3 and (20R)-Rg3 could increase the cell activity and the levels of GSH-Px, SOD and CAT, and decrease activities of LDH, MDA and ROS. Further studies showed that ginsenosides (20S)-Rg3 and (20R)-Rg3 could prevent oxidative stress injury of H9C2 cells by H2 O2 through the Keap-1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. But the ML385 counteracts these effects. Interestingly, among these results, ginsenoside (20R)-Rg3 was superior to (20S)-Rg3, indicating that ginsenoside (20R)-Rg3 have a stronger effect of antioxidative stress. This study reflected that ginsenoside (20R)-Rg3 could be used as a potential Nrf2 activator and a safe effective Chinese herbal monomer in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

3,4-seco-lupane triterpene derivatives with cytotoxic activities from the leaves of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus.

A new 3,4-seco-lupane triterpene, named sessiligenin (1), along with four known 3,4-seco-lupane triterpene derivatives (chiisanogenin 2, chiisanoside 3, divaroside 4, and sessiliside-A1 5) were isolated from the ethanol extract of the leaves of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus (Rupr. & Maxim.) S.Y. Hu by silica gel column chromatography, and their structures were determined by spectroscopic data. Furthermore, all these compounds were tested for their cytotoxicities against cancer cell lines HepG2, B16-F10, Lewis and YAC-1, as well as normal cell lines NCTC1469 and HL-7702, and significant cytotoxicities had been found for this new compound (sessiligenin 1) which exhibited much lower cytotoxicities against normal cell lines NCTC1469 and HL-7702. It was deduced that the reduce of glycosyl from the structures of these 3,4-seco-lupane triterpenoids enhanced the cytotoxicities. Furthermore, with the complete removal of glycosyl group and the 11-hydroxyl and 3-carboxyl formed by the opening of the lactone ring, the cytotoxicity increased significantly.

Transcriptome analysis reveals underlying immune response mechanism of fungal (Penicillium oxalicum) disease in Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. chow (Orchidaceae).

BACKGROUND: Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. Chow is a medicinal plant. G. elata f. glauca is unavoidably infected by pathogens in their growth process. In previous work, we have successfully isolated and identified Penicillium oxalicum from fungal diseased tubers of G. elata f. glauca. As a widespread epidemic, this fungal disease seriously affected the yield and quality of G. elata f. glauca. We speculate that the healthy G. elata F. glauca might carry resistance genes, which can resist against fungal disease. In this study, healthy and fungal diseased mature tubers of G. elata f. glauca from Changbai Mountain area were used as experimental materials to help us find potential resistance genes against the fungal disease. RESULTS: A total of 7540 differentially expressed Unigenes (DEGs) were identified (FDR < 0.01, log2FC > 2). The current study screened 10 potential resistance genes. They were attached to transcription factors (TFs) in plant hormone signal transduction pathway and plant pathogen interaction pathway, including WRKY22, GH3, TIFY/JAZ, ERF1, WRKY33, TGA. In addition, four of these genes were closely related to jasmonic acid signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: The immune response mechanism of fungal disease in G. elata f. glauca is a complex biological process, involving plant hormones such as ethylene, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid and disease-resistant transcription factors such as WRKY, TGA.

[Research progress on mechanism of gastrodin and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol on central nervous system].

Gastrodin(GAS) and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol(HBA) are extracts of dried tubers of Gastrodia elata, which is the material basis for its efficacy and belongs to phenolic compounds. Modern pharmacology studies have shown that they have significant effects on central nervous system diseases, such as insomnia, convulsions, depression, ischemic stroke, anxiety, and cognitive impairment, and these diseases are closely related to neurotransmitters and cytokines. This paper described various mechanisms of GAS and HBA monomer components on the central nervous system. They alleviate hippocampal neuronal toxicity mainly by regulating a variety of neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, glutamic acid(GLU), γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA), serotonin(5-HT), dopamine(DA), norepinephrine(NE), 5-indoleacetic acid(5-HIAA), high vanillic acid(HVA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid(DOPAC), pro-inflammatory cell growth factors, such as IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α and relevant receptor functions, and exert neuropharmacological effects by effectively increasing mRNA expressions of brain neurotrophic factors, such as BDNF and GDNF, and further inhibiting the apoptosis of damaged neurons. This paper summarized various mechanisms on the central nervous system, which provides a scientific basis for the further research of the neuropharmacological mechanism of GAS and HBA and the development of new drugs and functional food.

Cu2O Nanoparticles with Both {100} and {111} Facets for Enhancing the Selectivity and Activity of CO2 Electroreduction to Ethylene.

Cu2O nanoparticles (NPs) enclosed with different crystal facets, namely, c-Cu2O NPs with {100} facets, o-Cu2O NPs with {111} facets, and t-Cu2O NPs with both {111} and {100} facets, are prepared and their electrocatalytic properties for the reduction of CO2 to C2H4 are evaluated. It is shown that the selectivity and activity of the C2H4 production depend strongly on the crystal facets exposed in Cu2O NPs. The selectivities for the C2H4 production increases in the order, c-Cu2O < o-Cu2O < t-Cu2O, (with FEC2H4 = 38%, 45%, and 59%, respectively). This study suggests that Cu2O NPs are more likely responsible for the selectivity and activity for the C2H4 production than the metallic Cu NPs produced on the surface of Cu2O NPs. This work provides a new route for enhancing the selectivity of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction by crystal facet engineering.

Panaxadiol saponins treatment caused the subtle variations in the global transcriptional state of Asiatic corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis.

BACKGROUND: The lepidopteran Asiatic corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee), has caused huge economic losses throughout the Asian-Western Pacific region. Usually, chemical pesticides are used for the control, but excessive use of pesticides has caused great harm. Therefore, the inartificial ecotypic pesticides to ACB are extremely essential. In our previous study, we found that panaxadiol saponins (PDS) can effectively reduce the harm of ACB by causing antifeedant activity. Therefore, it is necessary to reveal the biological molecular changes in ACB and the functionary mechanism of PDS. METHODS: We analyzed the global transcription of ACB with different PDS concentration treatment (5 mg/mL, 10 mg/mL, and 25 mg/mL) by high-throughput sequencing and de novo transcriptome assembly method. RESULTS: PDS treatment could cause the changes of many gene expressions which regulate its signal pathways. The genes in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway were significantly downregulated, and then, the downstream fatty acid degradation pathway had also been greatly affected. CONCLUSION: Through this experiment, we hypothesized that the occurrence of antifeedant action of ACB is because the PDS brought about the downregulation of FATP and FABP, the key regulators in the PPAR, and the downregulation of FATP and FABP exerts further effects on the expression of SCD-1, ACBP, LPL, SCP-X , and ACO, which leads to the disorder of PPAR signaling pathway and the fatty acid degradation pathway. Not only that, PDS treatment leads to enzyme activity decrease by inhibiting the expression of genes associated with catalytic activity, such as cytochrome P450 and other similar genes.

The antidepressant effect of 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol 2-naphthoate through monoaminergic, GABAergic system and BDNF signaling pathway.

Gastrodigenin, also known as 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA), is one of the main components of Gastrodia elata, which is a perfect lead compound of natural products. In order to get new active compounds, we modified the structure of HBA through esterification with carboxylic acid, and got a series of derivatives in which 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol 2-naphthoate (NHBA) showed stronger antidepressant activity than HBA. In this paper, we firstly evaluated the antidepressant activity of NHBA by tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). Then, we carried out the biochemical assay and western blot to determine its mechanism. The results displayed that NHBA could increase the content of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, γ-aminobutyric acid, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) in mice brain. It suggested that NHBA exhibited an antidepressant-like effect through monoaminergic system, GABAergic system and BDNF/TrkB signaling pathways.

Detoxification enzymes associated with butene-fipronil resistance in Epacromius coerulipes.

BACKGROUND: Epacromius coerulipes is a widely distributed locust pest species. Chemical control is the main method used to kill locusts; however, this can result in the selection of locusts with resistance to chemical pesticides. Therefore, the study of resistance is of great significance for the sustainable management of locusts. RESULTS: In this study, to investigate the relationship between detoxification enzymes and butene-fipronil resistance in E. coerulipes, resistant strains of the locust were compared with sensitive strains. The synergism of synergistic agents was significantly enhanced, and the activities of multifunctional oxidase, carboxylesterase, and glutathione sulfur transferase were significantly increased. Transcriptome sequencing revealed 226 detoxification enzyme genes and 23 upregulated genes. Neighbor-joining was used to construct a phylogenetic tree of related gene families, which included 59 P450 genes, 52 carboxylesterases (CarE) genes, and 25 glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis results of overexpressed genes in the resistant population combined with a phylogenetic tree showed that four P450 genes belonged to the CYP6, CYP4, CYP18 and CYP302 families, two CarE genes belonged to Clade A families, and one GST gene belonged to the Sigma family. These family members were annotated as detoxification enzyme genes of metabolic insecticide in the transcriptome databases. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that P450, CarE and GST together resulted in moderate resistance to butene-fipronil in locusts. The analysis revealed several overexpressed detoxification enzyme genes that will be the focus of future studies on the mechanism of resistance to butene-fipronil. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

α-Mangostin exhibits antidepressant-like effects mediated by the modification of GABAergic, serotonergic and dopaminergic systems.

The present study explored the antidepressant-like activity of α-mangostin (α-MG) and the possible mechanism in this process in the tail suspension test (TST) in mice. The results revealed that α-MG (5 mg/kg, i.p.) exhibited markedly antidepressant-like activity, which could be reversed by pretreatment with haloperidol (a non-selective D2 receptor antagonist), bicuculline (a competitive GABA antagonist), p-chlorophenylalanine (an inhibitor of 5-HT synthesis). Meanwhile, α-MG also effectively increased the brain DA, 5-HT and GABA levels in mice exposed to TST, indicating that the antidepressant-like effect of α-MG might be mediated by the GABAergic, serotonergic and dopaminergic systems.[Formula: see text].

A new 3,4-seco-lupane triterpenene glycosyl ester from the leaves of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus.

A new minor 3,4-seco-lupane triterpenene glycosyl ester, named sessiloside-A1 (1), along with three known 3,4-seco-lupane triterpenenes were isolated from the which alcohol extract of the leaves of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus (Rupr. & Maxim.) S.Y. Hu by silica gel column chromatography, and their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods (UV, IR, NMR and HRMS). Compound 1 was elucidated to be ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester of chiisanogenin. At the same time, a new efficient two-step enzymatic hydrolysis method was established to transform chiisanoside (2) → divaroside (3) → 1.

Building a Bridge from Papermaking to Solar Fuels.

Black liquor, an industrial waste product of papermaking, is primarily used as a low-grade combustible energy source. Despite its high lignin content, the potential utility of black liquor as a feedstock in products manufacturing, remains to be exploited. Demonstrated here in is the use of black liquor as a primary feed-stock for synthesizing graphene quantum dots that exhibit both up-conversion and photoluminescence when excited using visible/near-infrared radiation, thereby enabling the photosensitization of ultraviolet-absorbing TiO2 nanosheets. In addition, these graphene quantum dots can trap photo-generated electrons to realize the effective separation of electron-hole pairs. Together, these two processes facilitate the solar-powered generation of H2 from H2 O, and CO from H2 O-CO2 , using broadband solar radiation.