Laccase immobilization and its degradation of emerging pollutants: A comprehensive review.

The chronic lack of effective disposal of pollutants has resulted in the detection of a wide variety of EPs in the environment, with concentrations high enough to affect ecological health. Laccase, as a versatile oxidase capable of catalyzing a wide range of substrates and without producing toxic by-products, is a potential candidate for the biodegradation of pollutants. Immobilization can provide favorable protection for free laccase, improve the stability of laccase in complex environments, and greatly enhance the reusability of laccase, which is significant in reducing the cost of industrial applications. This study introduces the properties of laccase and subsequently elaborate on the different support materials for laccase immobilization. The research advances in the degradation of EDs, PPCPs, and PAHs by immobilized laccase are then reviewed. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of laccase immobilization, as well as the advantages of various support materials, facilitating the development of more economical and efficient immobilization systems that can be put into practice to achieve the green degradation of EPs.

Jian-Pi-Yin decoction attenuates lactose-induced chronic diarrhea in rats by regulating GLP-1 and reducing NHE3 ubiquitination and phosphorylation.

Objectives: Jian-Pi-Yin decoction (JPY), a prescription derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San, has shown good clinical efficacy in the treatment of diarrhea caused by lactose intolerance. However, the mechanism of action of JPY in the treatment of diarrhea is not fully understood. Design: In this study, a rat diarrhea model was induced by high lactose feeding combined with standing on a small platform to investigate the ameliorating effect of JPY on hyper lactose-induced diarrhea in rats and its possible mechanism. Methods: The rat model of hyper lactose diarrhea was given high, medium, and low doses of JPY and the positive control drug Smida by gavage for 1 week. At the same time, NA+-H+ exchanger 3 (NHE3) inhibitor Tenapanor was administered orally for 3 weeks. Body weight, food intake, water intake, grip strength, and severity of diarrhea symptoms were measured in rats throughout the study. The serum, colon, and jejunum tissues of the model and drug-treated rats were collected for histopathological examination and analysis of relevant indicators. Results: JPY significantly alleviated the symptoms of fatigue, diet reduction and diarrhea in the model group. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) expression were also down-regulated after JPY treatment. JPY can significantly promote NHE3 in intestinal tissues of rats with diarrhea, and the mechanism is related to the decrease of GLP-1, inhibition of cAMP/PKA pathway activation, an increase of ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) and USP10 expression, and decrease of NHE3 ubiquitination and phosphorylation. Conclusion: JPY can reduce the expression of GLP-1, reduce the ubiquitination and phosphorylation of NHE3, regulate the expression of NHE3, at least partly improve ion transport in the intestinal epithelium, and improve the imbalance of electrolyte absorption, thus significantly reducing the diarrhea symptoms of rats with high lactose combined with small platform standing. Innovation: In this study, we explored the mechanism of intestinal GLP-1 activation of cAMP/PKA signaling pathway from multiple dimensions, and increased its expression by reducing phosphorylation and ubiquitination of NHE3, thereby treating chronic diarrhea associated with lactose intolerance.

Identifying Bioactive Ingredients and Antioxidant Activities of Wild Sanghuangporus Species of Medicinal Fungi.

Sanghuangporus refers to a group of rare medicinal fungi with remarkable therapeutic properties. However, current knowledge on the bioactive ingredients and antioxidant activities of different species of this genus is limited. In this study, a total of 15 wild strains from 8 species of Sanghuangporus were selected as the experimental materials for identification of the bioactive components (polysaccharide, polyphenol, flavonoid, triterpenoid, and ascorbic acid) and antioxidant activities (scavenging activities against hydroxyl, superoxide, DPPH, and ABTS radicals; superoxide dismutase activity; and ferric reducing ability of plasma). Notably, individual strains contained different levels of various indicators, among which Sanghuangporus baumii Cui 3573, S. sanghuang Cui 14419 and Cui 14441, S. vaninii Dai 9061, and S. zonatus Dai 10841 displayed the strongest activities. The correlation analysis of bioactive ingredients and antioxidant activities revealed that the antioxidant capacity of Sanghuangporus is mainly associated with the contents of flavonoid and ascorbic acid, followed by polyphenol and triterpenoid, and finally, polysaccharide. Together, the results obtained from the comprehensive and systematic comparative analyses contribute further potential resources and critical guidance for the separation, purification, and further development and utilization of bioactive agents from wild Sanghuangporus species, as well as the optimization of their artificial cultivation conditions.

Whole genome sequencing and annotation of Daedaleopsis sinensis, a wood-decaying fungus significantly degrading lignocellulose.

Daedaleopsis sinensis is a fungus that grows on wood and secretes a series of enzymes to degrade cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin and cause wood rot decay. Wood-decaying fungi have ecological, economic, edible, and medicinal functions. Furthermore, the use of microorganisms to biodegrade lignocellulose has high application value. Genome sequencing has allowed microorganisms to be analyzed from the aspects of genome characteristics, genome function annotation, metabolic pathways, and comparative genomics. Subsequently, the relevant information regarding lignocellulosic degradation has been mined by bioinformatics. Here, we sequenced and analyzed the genome of D. sinensis for the first time. A 51.67-Mb genome sequence was assembled to 24 contigs, which led to the prediction of 12,153 protein-coding genes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database analysis of the D. sinensis data revealed that 3,831 genes are involved in almost 120 metabolic pathways. According to the Carbohydrate-Active Enzyme database, 481 enzymes are found in D. sinensis, of which glycoside hydrolases are the most abundant. The genome sequence of D. sinensis provides insights into its lignocellulosic degradation and subsequent applications.

First genome assembly and annotation of Sanghuangporus weigelae uncovers its medicinal functions, metabolic pathways, and evolution.

Sanghuangporus, also known as "Sanghuang" in China, is a well-known genus of traditional Chinese medicinal macrofungi. To make more effective use of Sanghuangporus resources, we completed the first genome assembly and annotation of a monokaryon strain of S. weigelae in the present study. A 33.96-Mb genome sequence was assembled as 13 contigs, leading to prediction of 9377 protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic and average nucleotide identity analyses indicated that the S. weigelae genome is closely related to those of other Sanghuangporus species in evolutionary tree, which clustered in one clade. Collinearity analysis revealed a high level of collinearity of S. weigelae with S. baumii, S. vaninii, and S. sanghuang. Biosynthesis pathways potentially involved in medicinal properties, including terpenoid and polysaccharide synthesis, were identified in S. weigelae, while polysaccharides were identified as the main medicinal metabolites in S. weigelae, with flavonoids more important in Sanghuangporus than other medicinal mushroom groups. Genes encoding 332 carbohydrate-active enzymes were identified in the S. weigelae genome, including major glycoside hydrolases and glycosyltransferases predicted, revealing the robust lignocellulose degradation capacity of S. weigelae. Further, 130 genes, clustered in seven classes were annotated to encode cytochromes P450 in the S. weigelae genome. Overall, our results reveal the remarkably medicinal capacity of S. weigelae and provide new insights that will inform the study of evolution and medicinal application of S. weigelae. The data are a reference resource for the formulation of scientific and rational ecological protection policies for Sanghuangporus species.

Current advances and potential trends of the polysaccharides derived from medicinal mushrooms sanghuang.

For thousands of years, sanghuang is distinctive as a general designation for a group of precious and rare Chinese medicinal mushrooms. Numerous investigations have revealed that polysaccharide is one of the important biological active ingredients of sanghuang with various excellent biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-tumor, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, and anti-microbial functionalities. For the past two decades, preparation, structural characterization, and reliable bioactivities of the polysaccharides from fruiting bodies, cultured mycelia, and fermentation broth of sanghuang have been arousing extensive interest, and particularly, different strains, sources, and isolation protocols might result in obvious discrepancies in structural features and bioactivities. Therefore, this review summarizes the recent reports on preparation strategies, structural features, bioactivities, and structure-activity relationships of sanghuang polysaccharides, which will enrich the knowledge on the values of natural sanghuang polysaccharides and support their further development and utilization as therapeutic agents, vaccines, and functional foods in tonic and clinical treatment.

CD-g-CS nanoparticles for enhanced antibiotic treatment of Staphylococcus xylosus infection.

Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus)-induced cow mastitis is an extremely serious clinical problem. However, antibiotic therapy does not successfully treat S. xylosus infection because these bacteria possess a strong biofilm formation ability, which significantly reduces the efficacy of antibiotic treatments. In this study, we developed ceftiofur-loaded chitosan grafted with ß-cyclodextrins (CD-g-CS) nanoparticles (CT-NPs) using host-guest interaction. These positively charged nanoparticles improved bacterial internalization, thereby significantly improving the effectiveness of antibacterial treatments for planktonic S. xylosus. Moreover, CT-NPs effectively inhibited biofilm formation and eradicated mature biofilms. After mammary injection in a murine model of S. xylosus-induced mastitis, CT-NPs significantly reduced bacterial burden and alleviated inflammation, thereby achieving optimized therapeutic efficiency for S. xylosus infection. In conclusion, this treatment strategy could improve the efficiency of antibiotic therapeutics and shows great potential in the treatment of S. xylosus infections.

The Active Ingredients Identification and Antidiarrheal Mechanism Analysis of Plantago asiatica L. Superfine Powder.

Plantago asiatica L. is a natural medicinal plant that has been widely used for its various pharmacological effects such as antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing. This study aims to explore the antidiarrheal active ingredients of Plantago asiatica L. that can be used as quality markers to evaluate P. asiatica L. superfine powder (PSP). Molecular docking experiment was performed to identify the effective components of P. asiatica L., which were further evaluated by an established mouse diarrhea model. Na+/K+-ATPase and creatine kinase (CK) activities and the Na+/K+ concentrations were determined. The gene expression of ckb and Atp1b3 was detected. PSP was prepared and evaluated in terms of the tap density and the angle of repose. The structures of PSPs of different sizes were measured by infrared spectra. The active ingredient contents of PSPs were determined by HPLC. The results indicated that the main antidiarrheal components of P. asiatica L. were luteolin and scutellarein that could increase the concentration of Na+ and K+ by upregulating the activity and gene level of CK and Na+/K+-ATPase. In addition, luteolin and scutellarein could also decrease the volume and weight of small intestinal contents to exert antidiarrheal activity. Moreover, as the PSP size decreased from 6.66 to 3.55 µm, the powder tended to be amorphous and homogenized and of good fluidity, the content of active compounds gradually increased, and the main structure of the molecule remained steady. The optimum particle size of PSP with the highest content of active components was 3.55 µm, and the lowest effective dose for antidiarrhea was 2,000 mg/kg. Therefore, the antidiarrheal active ingredients of PSP were identified as luteolin and scutellarein that exert antidiarrheal activity by binding with Na+/K+-ATPase. PSP was successfully prepared and could be used as a new dosage form for the diarrhea treatment.

Analysis of multidrug resistance in Streptococcus suis ATCC 700794 under tylosin stress.

Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen. The massive use of tylosin and other antibiotics in swine production has led to the emergence of resistant phenotypes of S. suis. However, there are no adequate measures available to address the problem of bacterial resistance. This study involved the use of 1/4 MIC (0.125 µg/mL) of tylosin to investigate resistance-related proteins by S. suis ATCC 700794. Our results showed that 171 proteins were differentially expressed in S. suis tested with 1/4 MIC (0.125 µg/mL) of tylosin using iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic methods. TCS, heat shock protein and elongation factors were differentially expressed at 1/4 MIC (0.125 µg/mL) of tylosin compared to non treated, control cells. Using quantitative RT-PCR analysis, we verified the relationship between the differentially expressed proteins in S. suis with different MIC values. The data showed that expression profile for elongation factor G (fusA), elongation factor Ts (tsf), elongation factor Tu (tuf), putative histidine kinase of the competence regulon, ComD (comD), putative competence-damage inducible protein (cinA) and protein GrpE (grpE), observed in tylosin-resistant S. suis, correlated with that of S. suis ATCC 700794 at 1/4 MIC (0.125 µg/mL). The MIC of tylosin-resistant showed high-level resistance in terramycin, chlortetracycline, ofloxacin and enrofloxacin. Our findings demonstrated the importance of elongation factors, TCS and heat shock protein during development of tylosin resistance in S. suis. Thus, our study will provide insight into new drug targets and help reduce bacterial multidrug resistance through development of corresponding inhibitors.

A novel electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer system for simultaneous determination of two acute myocardial infarction markers using versatile gold nanorods as energy acceptors.

A novel electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET) system using versatile gold nanorods as energy acceptors was introduced into the ECL biochemical analysis. A spatial- and potential-resolved platform coupled with the ECL-RET strategy was developed for simultaneous determination of two acute myocardial infarction markers.

Focal atrial tachycardia originating from the left atrial appendage: electrocardiographic and electrophysiologic characterization and long-term outcomes of radiofrequency ablation.

INTRODUCTION: This study sought to investigate electrophysiologic characteristics and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with focal atrial tachycardia (AT) arising from the left atrial appendage (LAA). METHODS: This study included seven patients undergoing RFA with focal AT. Activation mapping was performed during tachycardia to identify an earlier activation in the left atria and the LAA. The atrial appendage angiography was performed to identify the origin in the LAA before and after RFA. RESULTS: AT occurred spontaneously or was induced by isoproterenol infusion rather than programmed extrastimulation and burst atrial pacing in any patient. The tachycardia demonstrated a characteristic P-wave morphology and endocardial activation pattern. The P wave was highly positive in inferior leads in all patients. Lead V1 showed upright or biphasic (+/-) component in all patients. Lead V2-V6 showed an isoelectric component in five patients or an upright component with low amplitude (<0.1 mV) in two patients. Earliest endocardial activity occurred at the distal coronary sinus (CS) ahead of P wave in all seven patients. Mean tachycardia cycle length was 381 +/- 34 msec and the earliest endocardial activation at the successful RFA site occurred 42.3 +/- 9.6 msec before the onset of P wave. RFA was acutely successful in all seven patients. Long-term success was achieved in seven of the seven over a mean follow-up of 24 +/- 5 months. CONCLUSIONS: The LAA is an uncommon site of origin for focal AT (3%). There were consistent P-wave morphology and endocardial activation associated with this type of AT. The LAA focal ablation is safe and effective. Long-term success was achieved with focal ablation in all patients.