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Scientific Reports Jun 2024Feeding behavior, the most fundamental physiological activity, is controlled by two opposing groups of factors, orexigenic and anorexigenic factors. The sulfakinin...
Feeding behavior, the most fundamental physiological activity, is controlled by two opposing groups of factors, orexigenic and anorexigenic factors. The sulfakinin family, an insect analogue of the mammalian satiety factor cholecystokinin (CCK), has been shown to suppress food intake in various insects. Nevertheless, the mechanisms through which sulfakinin regulates feeding behavior remain a biological question. This study aimed to elucidate the signaling pathway mediated by the anorexigenic peptide sulfakinin in Bombyx mori. We identified the Bombyx mori neuropeptide G protein-coupled receptor A9 (BNGR-A9) as the receptor for sulfakinin through functional assays. Stimulation with sulfakinin triggered a swift increase in intracellular IP3, Ca, and a notable enhancement of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, in a manner sensitive to a Gα-specific inhibitor. Treatment with synthetic sulfakinin resulted in decreased food consumption and average body weight. Additionally, administering synthetic sulfakinin to silkworms significantly elevated hemolymph trehalose levels, an effect markedly reduced by pre-treatment with BNGR-A9 dsRNA. Consequently, our findings establish the sulfakinin/BNGR-A9 signaling pathway as a critical regulator of feeding behavior and hemolymph trehalose homeostasis in Bombyx mori, highlighting its roles in the negative control of food intake and the positive regulation of energy balance.
Topics: Animals; Bombyx; Trehalose; Hemolymph; Feeding Behavior; Homeostasis; Insect Proteins; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Neuropeptides; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 38902334
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65177-z -
PLoS Genetics Jun 2024Lager yeasts are limited to a few strains worldwide, imposing restrictions on flavour and aroma diversity and hindering our understanding of the complex evolutionary...
Lager yeasts are limited to a few strains worldwide, imposing restrictions on flavour and aroma diversity and hindering our understanding of the complex evolutionary mechanisms during yeast domestication. The recent finding of diverse S. eubayanus lineages from Patagonia offers potential for generating new lager yeasts with different flavour profiles. Here, we leverage the natural genetic diversity of S. eubayanus and expand the lager yeast repertoire by including three distinct Patagonian S. eubayanus lineages. We used experimental evolution and selection on desirable traits to enhance the fermentation profiles of novel S. cerevisiae x S. eubayanus hybrids. Our analyses reveal an intricate interplay of pre-existing diversity, selection on species-specific mitochondria, de-novo mutations, and gene copy variations in sugar metabolism genes, resulting in high ethanol production and unique aroma profiles. Hybrids with S. eubayanus mitochondria exhibited greater evolutionary potential and superior fitness post-evolution, analogous to commercial lager hybrids. Using genome-wide screens of the parental subgenomes, we identified genetic changes in IRA2, IMA1, and MALX genes that influence maltose metabolism, and increase glycolytic flux and sugar consumption in the evolved hybrids. Functional validation and transcriptome analyses confirmed increased maltose-related gene expression, influencing greater maltotriose consumption in evolved hybrids. This study demonstrates the potential for generating industrially viable lager yeast hybrids from wild Patagonian strains. Our hybridization, evolution, and mitochondrial selection approach produced hybrids with high fermentation capacity and expands lager beer brewing options.
Topics: Beer; Fermentation; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Hybridization, Genetic; Saccharomyces; Ethanol; Mitochondria; Genome, Fungal; Evolution, Molecular; Genetic Variation; Maltose; Mutation
PubMed: 38900713
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011154 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024This study reports on the physicochemical and sensory attributes, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of 36 honey samples produced by two different...
This study reports on the physicochemical and sensory attributes, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of 36 honey samples produced by two different stingless bee species ( and ) from Australia. The findings reveal moisture content across all samples ranges from 24.9% to 30.8% (/), electrical conductivity from 1.02 to 2.15 mS/cm, pH levels between 3.57 and 6.54, soluble solids from 69.2 to 75.1 °Brix, trehalulose concentrations from 6.20 to 38.2 g/100 g, fructose levels from 7.79 to 33.4 g/100 g, and glucose content from 3.36 to 26.8 g/100 g. Sucrose was undetectable in all investigated samples. In a sensory analysis involving 30 participants, Australian stingless bee honey was perceived as having a more pronounced sourness compared with New Zealand Manuka honey. The study reveals considerable variability in the composition of Australian stingless bee honey, influenced by factors such as floral availability, geographical origin, and time of harvest. It also demonstrates the presence of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in stingless bee honey, underlining their potential as a natural source of antioxidants. All investigated samples contain trehalulose, which supports the findings of other recent studies that propose this unusual disaccharide as a marker compound of stingless bee honey.
PubMed: 38890884
DOI: 10.3390/foods13111657 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The adsorption characteristics of β-glucooligosaccharides on activated carbon and the purification were systematically investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity of...
The adsorption characteristics of β-glucooligosaccharides on activated carbon and the purification were systematically investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity of activated carbon reached 0.419 g/g in the optimal conditions. The adsorption behavior was described to be monolayer, spontaneous, and exothermic based on several models' fitting results. Five fractions with different degrees of polymerization (DPs) and structures of β-glucooligosaccharides were obtained by gradient ethanol elution. 10E mainly contained disaccharides with dp2a (G1→6G) and dp2b (G1→3G). 20E possessed trisaccharides with dp3a (G1→6G1→3G) and dp3b (G1→3G1→3G). 30E mainly consisted of dp3a and dp4a (G1→3G1→3(G1→6)G), dp4b (G1→6G1→3G1→3G), and dp4c (G1→3G1→3G1→3G). In addition to tetrasaccharides, 40E and 50E also contained pentasaccharides and hexasaccharides with β-(1→3)-linked or β-(1→6)-linked glucose residues. All fractions could inhibit the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HO-induced Caco-2 cells, and they could improve oxidative stress damage by increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH), which were related to their DPs and structures. 50E with high DPs showed better anti-oxidative stress activity.
PubMed: 38890863
DOI: 10.3390/foods13111634 -
AAPS PharmSciTech Jun 2024Unexpected cross-contamination by foreign components during the manufacturing and quality control of pharmaceutical products poses a serious threat to the stable supply...
Unexpected cross-contamination by foreign components during the manufacturing and quality control of pharmaceutical products poses a serious threat to the stable supply of drugs and the safety of customers. In Japan, in 2020, a mix-up containing a sleeping drug went undetected by liquid chromatography during the final quality test because the test focused only on the main active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and known impurities. In this study, we assessed the ability of a powder rheometer to analyze powder characteristics in detail to determine whether it can detect the influence of foreign APIs on powder flow. Aspirin, which was used as the host API, was combined with the guest APIs (acetaminophen from two manufacturers and albumin tannate) and subsequently subjected to shear and stability tests. The influence of known lubricants (magnesium stearate and leucine) on powder flow was also evaluated for standardized comparison. Using microscopic morphological analysis, the surface of the powder was observed to confirm physical interactions between the host and guest APIs. In most cases, the guest APIs were statistically detected due to characteristics such as their powder diameter, pre-milling, and cohesion properties. Furthermore, we evaluated the flowability of a formulation incorporating guest APIs for direct compression method along with additives such as microcrystalline cellulose, potato starch, and lactose. Even in the presence of several additives, the influence of the added guest APIs was successfully detected. In conclusion, powder rheometry is a promising method for ensuring stable product quality and reducing the risk of unforeseen cross-contamination by foreign APIs.
Topics: Powders; Rheology; Drug Contamination; Excipients; Acetaminophen; Cellulose; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Quality Control; Aspirin; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Lactose; Drug Compounding; Lubricants; Bulk Drugs
PubMed: 38890193
DOI: 10.1208/s12249-024-02856-0 -
Semisynthetic glycoconjugates as potential vaccine candidates against Haemophilus influenzae type a.Chemistry (Weinheim An Der Bergstrasse,... Jun 2024Glycoconjugate vaccines are based on chemical conjugation of pathogen-associated carbohydrates with immunogenic carrier proteins and are considered a very cost-effective...
Glycoconjugate vaccines are based on chemical conjugation of pathogen-associated carbohydrates with immunogenic carrier proteins and are considered a very cost-effective way to prevent infections. Most of the licensed glycoconjugate vaccines are composed of saccharide antigens extracted from bacterial sources. However, synthetic oligosaccharide antigens have become a promising alternative to natural polysaccharides with the advantage of being well-defined structures providing homogeneous conjugates. Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) is responsible for a number of severe diseases. In recent years, an increasing rate of invasive infections caused by Hi serotype a (Hia) raised some concern, because no vaccine targeting Hia is currently available. The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Hia is constituted by phosphodiester-linked 4-β-d-glucose-(1→4)-d-ribitol-5-(PO4→) repeating units and is the antigen for protein-conjugated polysaccharide vaccines. To investigate the antigenic potential of the CPS from Hia, we synthesized related saccharide fragments containing up to five repeating units. Following the synthetic optimization of the needed disaccharide building blocks, they were assembled using the phosphoramidite approach for the installation of the phosphodiester linkages. The resulting CPS-based Hia oligomers were conjugated to CRM197 carrier protein and evaluated in vivo for their immunogenic potential, showing that all glycoconjugates were capable of raising antibodies recognizing Hia synthetic fragments.
PubMed: 38889267
DOI: 10.1002/chem.202401695 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Jun 2024The cytoplasm is a complex, crowded environment that influences myriad cellular processes including protein folding and metabolic reactions. Recent studies have...
The cytoplasm is a complex, crowded environment that influences myriad cellular processes including protein folding and metabolic reactions. Recent studies have suggested that changes in the biophysical properties of the cytoplasm play a key role in cellular homeostasis and adaptation. However, it still remains unclear how cells control their cytoplasmic properties in response to environmental cues. Here, we used fission yeast spores as a model system of dormant cells to elucidate the mechanisms underlying regulation of the cytoplasmic properties. By tracking fluorescent tracer particles, we found that particle mobility decreased in spores compared to vegetative cells and rapidly increased at the onset of dormancy breaking upon glucose addition. This cytoplasmic fluidization depended on glucose-sensing via the cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A pathway. PKA activation led to trehalose degradation through trehalase Ntp1, thereby increasing particle mobility as the amount of trehalose decreased. In contrast, the rapid cytoplasmic fluidization did not require de novo protein synthesis, cytoskeletal dynamics, or cell volume increase. Furthermore, the measurement of diffusion coefficients with tracer particles of different sizes suggests that the spore cytoplasm impedes the movement of larger protein complexes (40 to 150 nm) such as ribosomes, while allowing free diffusion of smaller molecules (~3 nm) such as second messengers and signaling proteins. Our experiments have thus uncovered a series of signaling events that enable cells to quickly fluidize the cytoplasm at the onset of dormancy breaking.
Topics: Spores, Fungal; Schizosaccharomyces; Cytoplasm; Trehalose; Glucose; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 38889144
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405553121 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Sucrose accumulation in sugarcane is affected by several environmental and genetic factors, with plant moisture being of critical importance for its role in the...
BACKGROUND
Sucrose accumulation in sugarcane is affected by several environmental and genetic factors, with plant moisture being of critical importance for its role in the synthesis and transport of sugars within the cane stalks, affecting the sucrose concentration. In general, rainfall and high soil humidity during the ripening stage promote plant growth, increasing the fresh weight and decreasing the sucrose yield in the humid region of Colombia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify markers associated with sucrose accumulation or production in the humid environment of Colombia through a genome-wide association study (GWAS).
RESULTS
Sucrose concentration measurements were taken in 220 genotypes from the Cenicaña's diverse panel at 10 (early maturity) and 13 (normal maturity) months after planting. For early maturity data was collected during plant cane and first ratoon, while at normal maturity it was during plant cane, first, and second ratoon. A total of 137,890 SNPs were selected after sequencing the 220 genotypes through GBS, RADSeq, and whole-genome sequencing. After GWAS analysis, a total of 77 markers were significantly associated with sucrose concentration at both ages, but only 39 were close to candidate genes previously reported for sucrose accumulation and/or production. Among the candidate genes, 18 were highlighted because they were involved in sucrose hydrolysis (SUS6, CIN3, CINV1, CINV2), sugar transport (i.e., MST1, MST2, PLT5, SUT4, ERD6 like), phosphorylation processes (TPS genes), glycolysis (PFP-ALPHA, HXK3, PHI1), and transcription factors (ERF12, ERF112). Similarly, 64 genes were associated with glycosyltransferases, glycosidases, and hormones.
CONCLUSIONS
These results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in sucrose accumulation in sugarcane and contribute with important genomic resources for future research in the humid environments of Colombia. Similarly, the markers identified will be validated for their potential application within Cenicaña's breeding program to assist the development of breeding populations.
Topics: Saccharum; Colombia; Sucrose; Genome-Wide Association Study; Humidity; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Genotype
PubMed: 38886648
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05233-y -
BMC Nephrology Jun 2024Hyperphosphatemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Whereas clinical and observational studies have...
Management of serum phosphorus over a 1-year follow-up in patients on peritoneal dialysis prescribed sucroferric oxyhydroxide as part of routine care: a retrospective analysis.
BACKGROUND
Hyperphosphatemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Whereas clinical and observational studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of sucroferric oxyhydroxide (SO) in controlling serum phosphorus (sP) in ESKD, data on the real-world impact of switching to SO in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) are limited. In this retrospective database analysis, we examine the impact of SO on sP management over a 1-year period among PD patients prescribed SO as part of routine clinical care.
METHODS
We analyzed de-identified data from adults on PD in Fresenius Kidney Care clinics who were prescribed SO monotherapy between May 2018 and December 2019 as part of routine clinical management. Changes from baseline in sP levels, phosphate binder (PB) pill burden, and laboratory parameters were evaluated during the four consecutive 91-day intervals of SO treatment.
RESULTS
The mean age of the 402 patients who completed 1 year of SO was 55.2 years at baseline, and they had been on PD for an average of 19.9 months. SO was initiated with no baseline PB recorded in 36.1% of patients, whereas the remaining 257 patients were switched to SO from sevelamer (39.7%), calcium acetate (30.4%), lanthanum (1.2%), ferric citrate (14.0%), or more than one PB (14.8%). Mean sP at baseline was 6.26 mg/dL. After being prescribed SO, the percentage of patients achieving sP ≤ 5.5 mg/dL increased from 32.1% (baseline) to 46.5-54.0% during the 1-year follow-up, whereas the mean number of PB pills taken per day decreased from 7.7 at baseline (among patients on a baseline PB) to 4.6 to 5.4. Serum phosphorus and PB pill burden decreased regardless of changes in residual kidney function over the 12-month period. Similar results were observed for the full cohort (976 patients who either completed or discontinued SO during the 1-year follow-up).
CONCLUSIONS
Patients on PD who were prescribed SO as part of routine care for phosphorus management experienced significant reductions in SP and PB pills per day and improvements in sP target achievement, suggesting the effectiveness of SO on SP management with a concurrent reduction in pill burden.
Topics: Humans; Middle Aged; Male; Retrospective Studies; Female; Ferric Compounds; Phosphorus; Peritoneal Dialysis; Hyperphosphatemia; Kidney Failure, Chronic; Follow-Up Studies; Sucrose; Drug Combinations; Aged; Adult
PubMed: 38886636
DOI: 10.1186/s12882-024-03633-8 -
Archives of Microbiology Jun 2024Xylanase is the most important hydrolase in the xylan hydrolase system, the main function of which is β-1,4-endo-xylanase, which randomly cleaves xylans to...
Xylanase is the most important hydrolase in the xylan hydrolase system, the main function of which is β-1,4-endo-xylanase, which randomly cleaves xylans to xylo-oligosaccharides and xylose. Xylanase has wide ranging of applications, but there remains little research on the cold-adapted enzymes required in some low-temperature industries. Glycoside hydrolase family 8 (GH8) xylanases have been reported to have cold-adapted enzyme activity. In this study, the xylanase gene dgeoxyn was excavated from Deinococcus geothermalis through sequence alignment. The recombinant xylanase DgeoXyn encodes 403 amino acids with a theoretical molecular weight of 45.39 kDa. Structural analysis showed that DgeoXyn has a (α/α)6-barrel fold structure typical of GH8 xylanase. At the same time, it has strict substrate specificity, is only active against xylan, and its hydrolysis products include xylobiose, xylotrinose, xytetranose, xylenanose, and a small amount of xylose. DgeoXyn is most active at 70 ℃ and pH 6.0. It is very stable at 10, 20, and 30 ℃, retaining more than 80% of its maximum enzyme activity. The enzyme activity of DgeoXyn increased by 10% after the addition of Mn and decreased by 80% after the addition of Cu. The Km and Vmax of dgeox were 42 mg/ml and 20,000 U/mg, respectively, at a temperature of 70 ℃ and pH of 6.0 using 10 mg/ml beechwood xylan as the substrate. This research on DgeoXyn will provide a theoretical basis for the development and application of low-temperature xylanase.
Topics: Deinococcus; Substrate Specificity; Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases; Xylans; Enzyme Stability; Cold Temperature; Bacterial Proteins; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Glycoside Hydrolases; Amino Acid Sequence; Hydrolysis; Recombinant Proteins; Sequence Alignment; Cloning, Molecular; Kinetics; Molecular Weight; Disaccharides
PubMed: 38884653
DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-04055-8