Genome-wide characterization of COMT family and regulatory role of CsCOMT19 in melatonin synthesis in Camellia sinensis.

BACKGROUND: Caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) is a key enzyme that regulates melatonin synthesis and is involved in regulating the growth, development, and response to abiotic stress in plants. Tea plant is a popular beverage consumed worldwide, has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties, including its ability to reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and boost immune function. By analyzing genetic variation within the COMT family, while helping tea plants resist adversity, it is also possible to gain a deeper understanding of how different tea varieties produce and metabolize catechins, then be used to develop new tea cultivars with desired flavor profiles and health benefits. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 25 CsCOMT genes were identified based on the high-quality tea (Camellia sinensis) plant genome database. Phylogenetic tree analysis of CsCOMTs with COMTs from other species showed that COMTs divided into four subfamilies (Class I, II, III, IV), and CsCOMTs was distributed in Class I, Class II, Class III. CsCOMTs not only undergoes large-scale gene recombination in pairs internally in tea plant, but also shares 2 and 7 collinear genes with Arabidopsis thaliana and poplar (Populus trichocarpa), respectively. The promoter region of CsCOMTs was found to be rich in cis-acting elements associated with plant growth and stress response. By analyzing the previously transcriptome data, it was found that some members of CsCOMT family exhibited significant tissue-specific expression and differential expression under different stress treatments. Subsequently, we selected six CsCOMTs to further validated their expression levels in different tissues organ using qRT-PCR. In addition, we silenced the CsCOMT19 through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) method and found that CsCOMT19 positively regulates the synthesis of melatonin in tea plant. CONCLUSION: These results will contribute to the understanding the functions of CsCOMT gene family and provide valuable information for further research on the role of CsCOMT genes in regulating tea plant growth, development, and response to abiotic stress.

A High-Reliability Piezoelectric Tile Transducer for Converting Bridge Vibration to Electrical Energy for Smart Transportation.

Piezoelectric energy transducers offer great potential for converting the vibrations of pedestrian footsteps or cars moving on a bridge or road into electricity. However, existing piezoelectric energy-harvesting transducers are limited by their poor durability. In this paper, to enhance this durability, a piezoelectric energy transducer with a flexible piezoelectric sensor is fabricated in a tile protype with indirect touch points and a protective spring. The electrical output of the proposed transducer is examined as a function of pressure, frequency, displacement, and load resistance. The maximum output voltage and maximum output power obtained were 6.8 V and 4.5 mW, respectively, at a pressure of 70 kPa, a displacement of 2.5 mm, and a load resistance of 15 kΩ. The designed structure limits the risk of destroying the piezoelectric sensor during operation. The harvesting tile transducer can work properly even after 1000 cycles. Furthermore, to demonstrate its practical applications, the tile was placed on the floor of an overpass and a walking tunnel. Consequently, it was observed that the electrical energy harvested from the pedestrian footsteps could power an LED light fixture. The findings suggest that the proposed tile offers promise with respect to harvesting energy produced during transportation.

Genetic landscape and personalized tracking of tumor mutations in Vietnamese women with breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Vietnamese women, but its mutational landscape and actionable alterations for targeted therapies remain unknown. After treatment, a sensitive biomarker to complement conventional imaging to monitor patients is also lacking. In this prospective multi-center study, 134 early-stage breast cancer patients eligible for curative-intent surgery were recruited. Genomic DNA from tumor tissues and paired white blood cells were sequenced to profile all tumor-derived mutations in 95 cancer-associated genes. Our bioinformatic algorithm was then utilized to identify top mutations for individual patients. Serial plasma samples were collected before surgery and at scheduled visits after surgery. Personalized assay tracking the selected mutations were performed to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the plasma. We found that the mutational landscape of the Vietnamese was largely similar to other Asian cohorts, showing higher TP53 mutation frequency than in Caucasians. Alterations in PIK3CA and PI3K signaling were dominant, particularly in our triple-negative subgroup. Using top-ranked mutations, we detected ctDNA in pre-operative plasma in 24.6-43.5% of the hormone-receptor-positive groups and 76.9-80.8% of the hormone-receptor-negative groups. The detection rate was associated with breast cancer subtypes and clinicopathological features that increased the risk of relapse. Interim analysis after a 15-month follow-up revealed post-operative detection of ctDNA in all three patients that had recurrence, with a lead time of 7-13 months ahead of clinical diagnosis. Our personalized assay is streamlined and affordable with promising clinical utility in residual cancer surveillance. We also generated the first somatic variant dataset for Vietnamese breast cancer women that could lay the foundation for precision cancer medicine in Vietnam.

Tumor genomic profiling and personalized tracking of circulating tumor DNA in Vietnamese colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fifth most common cancer with rising prevalence in Vietnam. However, there is no data about the mutational landscape and actionable alterations in the Vietnamese patients. During post-operative surveillance, clinical tools are limited to stratify risk of recurrence and detect residual disease. Method: In this prospective multi-center study, 103 CRC patients eligible for curative-intent surgery were recruited. Genomic DNA from tumor tissue and paired white blood cells were sequenced to profile all tumor-derived somatic mutations in 95 cancer-associated genes. Our bioinformatic algorithm identified top mutations unique for individual patient, which were then used to monitor the presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in serial plasma samples. Results: The top mutated genes in our cohort were APC, TP53 and KRAS. 41.7% of the patients harbored KRAS and NRAS mutations predictive of resistance to Cetuximab and Panitumumab respectively; 41.7% had mutations targeted by either approved or experimental drugs. Using a personalized subset of top ranked mutations, we detected ctDNA in 90.5% of the pre-operative plasma samples, whereas carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was elevated in only 41.3% of them. Interim analysis after 16-month follow-up revealed post-operative detection of ctDNA in two patients that had recurrence, with the lead time of 4-10.5 months ahead of clinical diagnosis. CEA failed to predict recurrence in both cases. Conclusion: Our assay showed promising dual clinical utilities in residual cancer surveillance and actionable mutation profiling for targeted therapies in CRC patients. This could lay foundation to empower precision cancer medicine in Vietnam and other developing countries.

Dammarane-type triterpenoids from Gynostemma compressum X. X. Chen & D. R. Liang (Cucurbitaceae) and their AMPK activation effect in 3T3-L1 cells.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the 80% ethanol extract of Gynostemma compressum X. X. Chen & D. R. Liang (Cucurbitaceae) resulted in the isolation and identification of eight undescribed triterpenoids, gycomol VN1, gycomol VN2, and gycomosides VN1-6 from the bioactive n-butanol fraction. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, high-resolution electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry, and chemical methods. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) activation effects on 3T3-L1 cells. Importantly, gycomol VN2, gycomoside VN1, and gycomosides VN3-5 activated the phosphorylation of AMPK and its downstream substrate ACC in 3T3-L1 cells at a dose of 10 µM. These effects imply that the activation of AMPK and ACC by active compounds from G. compressum has considerable potential for the prevention of obesity and its related disorders by activating AMPK signaling pathways.

Characterization of collagenase found in the nonpathogenic bacterium Lysinibacillus sphaericus VN3.

High collagenolytic activity has been detected in pathogenic bacteria. Collagenase plays an essential role in the invasion step in animals and humans. In this study, we characterized collagenase found in the nonpathogenic bacterium Lysinibacillus sphaericus VN3, which was isolated from soil in Vietnam. The collagenase activity of the purified enzyme was strongly inhibited by Cu2+, but it was significantly increased by Zn2+. The purified enzyme with a molecular mass of approximately 110 kDa exhibited collagenolytic, gelatinolytic, and caseinolytic activity. The kinetic studies showed that this enzyme had greater hydrolyzing activity toward collagen and gelatin compared with casein. Based on the ratio V max/K m, collagen is likely to be the best substrate among three proteins. We found that this collagenase could digest small pieces of bovine skin and tendon into a collagen solution. Interestingly, at pH 6.0-8.0, the soluble collagen could form a collagen membrane, which is useful as a wound-healing biomaterial.

Study on the anatomical and morphological features of Acanthopanax gracilistylus W.W. Smith and A.trifoliatus (L.) Merr. collected in Sa Pa district, Lao Cai province and Pho Bang district, Ha Giang province

Study on the anatomical and morphological features of Acanthopanax gracilistylus W.W. Smith and A.trifoliatus (L.) Merr. collected in Sa Pa district, Lao Cai province and Pho Bang district, Ha Giang province. Results: scientific name of 2 collected samples had been identified as Acanthopanax gracilistylus W.W. Smith and Acanthopanax trifoliatus var. setosus Li. The anatomical features of these 2 species were detailed described. The morphological features of leaf, stem and root of A.trifoliatus (L.) Merr. collected in Sa Pa and Pho Bang was detailed described firstly. The morphological characteristics of 2 species were similar