Probiogenomics of Leuconostoc Mesenteroides Strains F-21 and F-22 Isolated from Human Breast Milk Reveal Beneficial Properties

Bacteria of the Leuconostoc genus are Gram-positive bacteria that are commonly found in raw milk and persist in fermented dairy products and plant food. Studies have already explored the probiotic potential of L. mesenteroides, but not from a probiogenomic perspective, which aims to explore the molecular features responsible for their phenotypes. In the present work, probiogenomic approaches were applied in strains F-21 and F-22 of L. mesenteroides isolated from human milk to assess their biosafety at the molecular level and to correlate molecular features with their potential probiotic characteristics. The complete genome of strain F-22 is 1.99 Mb and presents one plasmid, while the draft genome of strain F-21 is 1.89 Mb and presents four plasmids. A high percentage of average nucleotide identity among other genomes of L. mesenteroides (≥ 96%) corroborated the previous taxonomic classification of these isolates. Genomic regions that influence the probiotic properties were identified and annotated. Both strains exhibited wide genome plasticity, cell adhesion ability, proteolytic activity, proinflammatory and immunomodulation capacity through interaction with TLR-NF-κB and TLR-MAPK pathway components, and no antimicrobial resistance, denoting their potential to be candidate probiotics. Further, the strains showed bacteriocin production potential and the presence of acid, thermal, osmotic, and bile salt resistance genes, indicating their ability to survive under gastrointestinal stress. Taken together, our results suggest that L. mesenteroides F-21 and F-22 are promising candidates for probiotics in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Advancements in Biotechnology and Stem Cell Therapies for Breast Cancer Patients

This comprehensive review article examines the integration of biotechnology and stem cell therapy in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. It discusses the use of biotechnological tools such as liquid biopsies, genomic profiling, and imaging technologies for accurate diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response. Stem cell-based approaches, their role in modeling breast cancer progression, and their potential for breast reconstruction post-mastectomy are explored. The review highlights the importance of personalized treatment strategies that combine biotechnological tools and stem cell therapies. Ethical considerations, challenges in clinical translation, and regulatory frameworks are also addressed. The article concludes by emphasizing the potential of integrating biotechnology and stem cell therapy to improve breast cancer outcomes, highlighting the need for continued research and collaboration in this field.

Studying Intermolecular Interactions in an Antibody-Drug Conjugate Through Chemical Screening and Computational Modeling

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combine the selectivity of antibodies with the cytotoxicity of drug payloads to yield highly targeted and potent therapeutics. Owing to the need to chemically modify residues for attachment of the payload and their more complex structure compared to either component alone, ADCs can present additional challenges related to stability of the final drug product. Here, we report for the first time the use of high-throughput experimental screens and computational techniques to tune the conformational and colloidal behavior of a monomethyl auristatin F-based ADC. The ADC, which exhibits high opalescence with strongly attractive protein-protein interactions, is transformed into a more stable structure by experimentally traversing a library of more than ∼100 formulations. A significant reduction in turbidity and increase in diffusion interaction parameter is observed by varying properties such as pH and ionic strength. Computational modeling rationalized these changes and pointed to the presence of attractive electrostatic interactions between ADC molecules facilitated by the drug payload and histidine residues. Taken together, the experimental and computational work presented provides a general roadmap of studies to perform during ADC development to find stable formulations, while the mechanistic learnings can be applied towards the design and stabilization of other IgG1-based ADCs.

Effects of Larrea nitida nanodispersions on the growth inhibition of phytopathogens

Larrea nitida Cav. (Zygophyllaceae) is a plant endemic to Argentina and Chile, and its extract has been studied over the last years due to the presence of antimicrobial agents that can be used to control the growth of some pathogens in agriculture. However, the extract is highly hydrophobic, which strongly affects its fungicidal activity in aqueous media. In this sense, the solid dispersion technique was used to produce L. nitida extract nanodispersions with polyethylene glycol (PLE) and with polyethylene glycol and zinc acetate (PZLE). In order to further evaluate the activity of the extract in PLE and PZLE, blank nanodispersions containing only polyethylene glycol (PEG) and zinc acetate (PZ) without the addition of the extract were also produced. The fungicidal activity of the water-soluble nanoparticles was evaluated at different concentrations (0.037-0.110 g.mL-1). In general, the nanoparticles were successfully produced on a nanometric size and presented a significant inhibitory activity on the growth of the pathogens Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium verticillioides in aqueous media. Compared to PLE, PZLE presented increased fungistatic activity, possibly due to their increased solubility in water. Even though their application in agriculture should be further investigated, the nanodispersions present great potential to be applied as a green biotechnological tool.

Biocompatible α-Methylenation of Metabolic Butyraldehyde in Living Bacteria

Small molecule organocatalysts are abundant in all living organisms. However, their use as organocatalysts in cells has been underexplored. Herein, we report that organocatalytic aldol chemistry can be interfaced with living Escherichia coli to enable the α-methylenation of cellular aldehydes using biogenic amines such as L-Pro or phosphate. The biocompatible reaction is mild and can be interfaced with butyraldehyde generated from D-glucose via engineered metabolism to enable the production of 2-methylenebutanal (2-MB) and 2-methylbutanal (2-MBA) by anaerobic fermentation, and 2-methylbutanol (2-MBO) by whole-cell catalysis. Overall, this study demonstrates the combination of non-enzymatic organocatalytic and metabolic reactions in vivo for the sustainable synthesis of valuable non-natural chemicals that cannot be accessed using enzymatic chemistry alone.

A flexible physical protection process for lignin extraction

Research on lignin valorization has gained ground, driven by its potential to replace fossil-based phenolics in bio-based applications. Technical lignins are structurally complex and still poorly characterized, prompting the need for novel extraction processes for lignin of high analytical quality. In this context, a two-step cyclic extraction process for lignin was contrasted with a one-step cyclic extraction. The latter was shown to preserve the native structure of the spruce lignin product better and improved the yields of both the extracted lignin and residual fiber fraction. The application of the one-step cyclic extraction process to birchwood resulted in a similar protection of the lignin structure. Overall, a flexible physical protection (FPP) process for extraction of lignin with an abundance of native bonds is presented. The lignin product has a high abundance of ether bonds and hydroxyl functionalities, which are of interest in biochemical, polymer, and material applications.

Maize heat shock proteins-prospection, validation, categorization and in silico analysis of the different ZmHSP families

Among the plant molecular mechanisms capable of effectively mitigating the effects of adverse weather conditions, the heat shock proteins (HSPs), a group of chaperones with multiple functions, stand out. At a time of full progress on the omic sciences, they look very promising in the genetic engineering field, especially in order to conceive superior genotypes, potentially tolerant to abiotic stresses (AbSts). Recently, some works concerning certain families of maize HSPs (ZmHSPs) were published. However, there was still a lack of a study that, with a high degree of criteria, would fully conglomerate them. Using distinct but complementary strategies, we have prospected as many ZmHSPs candidates as possible, gathering more than a thousand accessions. After detailed data mining, we accounted for 182 validated ones, belonging to seven families, which were subcategorized into classes with potential for functional parity. In them, we identified dozens of motifs with some degree of similarity with proteins from different kingdoms, which may help explain some of their still poorly understood means of action. Through in silico and in vitro approaches, we compared their expression levels after controlled exposure to several AbSts' sources, applied at diverse tissues, on varied phenological stages. Based on gene ontology concepts, we still analyzed them from different perspectives of term enrichment. We have also searched, in model plants and close species, for potentially orthologous genes. With all these new insights, which culminated in a plentiful supplementary material, rich in tables, we aim to constitute a fertile consultation source for those maize researchers attracted by these interesting stress proteins.

Optogenetic control of Cdc48 for dynamic metabolic engineering in yeast

Dynamic metabolic engineering is a strategy to switch key metabolic pathways in microbial cell factories from biomass generation to accumulation of target products. Here, we demonstrate that optogenetic intervention in the cell cycle of budding yeast can be used to increase production of valuable chemicals, such as the terpenoid β-carotene or the nucleoside analog cordycepin. We achieved optogenetic cell-cycle arrest in the G2/M phase by controlling activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system hub Cdc48. To analyze the metabolic capacities in the cell cycle arrested yeast strain, we studied their proteomes by timsTOF mass spectrometry. This revealed widespread, but highly distinct abundance changes of metabolic key enzymes. Integration of the proteomics data in protein-constrained metabolic models demonstrated modulation of fluxes directly associated with terpenoid production as well as metabolic subsystems involved in protein biosynthesis, cell wall synthesis, and cofactor biosynthesis. These results demonstrate that optogenetically triggered cell cycle intervention is an option to increase the yields of compounds synthesized in a cellular factory by reallocation of metabolic resources.

Archaea: current and potential biotechnological applications

Archaea are microorganisms with great ability to colonize some of the most inhospitable environments in nature, managing to survive in places with extreme characteristics for most microorganisms. Its proteins and enzymes are stable and can act under extreme conditions in which other proteins and enzymes would degrade. These attributes make them ideal candidates for use in a wide range of biotechnological applications. This review describes the most important applications, both current and potential, that archaea present in Biotechnology, classifying them according to the sector to which the application is directed. It also analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of its use.

More than just an insect killer: The non-insecticidal activities of Bacillus thuringiensis with biotechnological potential

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is known for the biological control of important insect pests, but scientific advances have revealed several interesting characteristics, in addition to this classical function as a bioinsecticide. To investigate the current knowledge about these non-insecticidal activities, a systematic research on primary data in the scientific literature was conducted on alternative functions of Bt with biotechnological potential. Out of a total of 140 articles selected, 15 non-insecticidal Bt activities were found. Publications related to this topic are available since 1971, and different metadata were reported, such as biomolecules and genes involved in Bt performances in non-insecticidal bioactivities. A total of 11 Bt activities with different effect measures (response variables) were identified, with an average of 48 distinct Bt strains evaluated per activity. Approximately 81.2% of all identified experiments/tests deal with the direct effects of Bt on target cells/organisms, with 36.3% of the strains within these studies tested for antibacterial action; of all microbial targets tested, 92.8% are bacteria, which led to 75.2% of the experimental conditions for all direct activities being performed in vitro. Regarding indirect Bt activities, 67.6% of these studies reported tritrophic Bt-plant-pathogen interactions. Bioremediation also appears as a relevant Bt activity being investigated in-depth. Alternative Bt activities offer innovative ways of developing biotechnology for different areas of anthropic interest; hence, we also focus on the possibility of finding multifunctional strains of Bt, as this may be advantageous from a bioeconomic point of view. Our findings are discussed in terms of research trends, aspects, details and depth of the current knowledge on alternative non-insecticidal Bt traits. We also discuss the potential application of this science for useful technological developments, aiming at solving issues related to human health, sustainable agriculture and environmental preservation/restoration.

Communities of culturable freshwater fungi present in Antarctic lakes and detection of their low-temperature-active enzymes

We evaluated the diversity and enzymatic activities of culturable fungi recovered from cotton baits submerged for 2 years in Hennequin Lake, King George Island, and from benthic biofilms in Kroner Lake, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, maritime Antarctica. A total of 154 fungal isolates were obtained, representing in rank abundance the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Mortierellomycota. Thelebolus globosus, Goffeauzyma sp., Pseudogymnoascus verrucosus and Metschnikowia australis were the most abundant taxa. The fungal community obtained from the biofilm was more diverse and richer than that recovered from the cotton baits. However, diversity indices suggested that the lakes may harbour further fungal diversity. The capabilities of all cultured fungi to produce the extracellular enzymes cellulase, protease, lipase, agarase, carrageenase, invertase, amylase, esterase, pectinase, inulinase and gelatinase at low temperature were evaluated. All enzymes were detected, but the most widely produced were protease and pectinase. The best enzymatic indices were obtained from Holtermanniella wattica (for invertase, esterase), Goffeauzyma sp. (amylase), Metschnikowia australis (protease), Mrakia blollopis (cellulase, pectinase), Pseudogymnoascus verrucosus (agarase, carrageenase) and Leucosporidium fragarium (inulinase). The detection of multiple enzymes reinforces the ecological role of fungi in nutrient cycling in Antarctic lakes, making nutrients available to the complex aquatic food web. Furthermore, such low-temperature-active enzymes may find application in different biotechnological processes, such as in the textile, pharmaceutical, food, detergent and paper industries, as well as environmental application in pollutant bioremediation processes.

Shrimp laccase degrades polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from an oil spill disaster in Brazil: A tool for marine environmental bioremediation

Our work aims to purify, characterize and evaluate a laccase from by-products of the shrimp farming industry (Litopenaeus vannamei) for the degradation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from 2019 oil spill in Brazilian coast. The enzyme was purified by affinity chromatography and characterized as thermostable, with activity above 90 °C and at alkaline pH. In addition, the laccase was also tolerant to copper, lead, cadmium, zinc, arsenic, hexane and methanol, with significant enzymatic activation in acetone and 10 mM mercury. Concerning PAHs' degradation, the enzyme degraded 42.40 % of the total compounds, degrading >50 % of fluorene, C4-naphthalenes, C3-naphthalenes, C2-naphthalenes, anthracene, acenaphthene, 1-methylnaphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene. Thus, this laccase demonstrated important characteristics for bioremediation of marine environments contaminated by crude oil spills, representing a viable and ecological alternative for these purposes.

Extracellular lipase production by Yarrowia lipolytica under magnetic fields

This study aimed at estimating cultivation conditions to enable Yarrowia lipolytica NNRL Y-1095 to produce extracellular lipase and at evaluating the influence of magnetic fields (MF) on the lipase production and on its catalytic conditions. Culture conditions of carbon sources and surfactant defined to produce extracellular lipase were 10 g L-1 glucose, 15 g L-1 olive oil and 2 g L-1 Triton X-100. The highest lipase activity (34.8 U mL-1) was reached after 144 h when MFs were applied from 72 to 144 h of culture. It corresponds to an increase of 287.5% by comparison with the highest lipase activity in the control culture. MF application from 72 to 144 h did not change the optimal temperature of lipase, which was 37 °C, by comparison with the control. However, the optimal pH of the control was 7.0 while the one of lipase produced with MF was 8.0. Findings highlighted that the presence of MFs led to increase in synthesis of lipase by Y. lipolytica, with changes in the catalytic profile. This is one of the first studies of MF application to Y. lipolytica NRRL Y-1095 cultures to produce lipase.

Transient fluid flow improves photoimmunoconjugate delivery and photoimmunotherapy efficacy

Circulating drugs in the peritoneal cavity is an effective strategy for advanced ovarian cancer treatment. Photoimmunotherapy, an emerging modality with potential for the treatment of ovarian cancer, involves near-infrared light activation of antibody-photosensitizer conjugates (photoimmunoconjugates) to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. Here, a microfluidic cell culture model is used to study how fluid flow-induced shear stress affects photoimmunoconjugate delivery to ovarian cancer cells. Photoimmunoconjugates are composed of the antibody, cetuximab, conjugated to the photosensitizer, and benzoporphyrin derivative. Longitudinal tracking of photoimmunoconjugate treatment under flow conditions reveals enhancements in subcellular photosensitizer accumulation. Compared to static conditions, fluid flow-induced shear stress at 0.5 and 1 dyn/cm2 doubled the cellular delivery of photoimmunoconjugates. Fluid flow-mediated treatment with three different photosensitizer formulations (benzoporphyrin derivative, photoimmunoconjugates, and photoimmunoconjugate-coated liposomes) led to enhanced phototoxicity compared to static conditions. This study confirms the fundamental role of fluid flow-induced shear stress in the anti-cancer effects of photoimmunotherapy.

Streamlined assembly of cloning and genome editing vectors for genus Clostridium

Reported herein is a new set of vectors designed to streamline molecular cloning and genome editing by exploiting modern cloning methods. The new vectors build on the existing pMTL8000 vectors that have been a staple of Clostridium research for more than a decade. The introduction of two pairs of type IIS restriction sites flanking an insulated multiple cloning site in both a cloning vector and a CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing vector enables plasmid construction in a "one-pot" reaction, avoiding the more laborious steps of conventional cloning. A synthetic lacZα expression cassette introduced between the cloning sites enables visual detection of background colonies. In addition, distinct selection markers on each vector permit selection of the desired clones according to antibiotic resistance. An example of strain development using the new vectors is demonstrated.

Design of a gradient-rheotaxis microfluidic chip for sorting of high-quality Sperm with progressive motility

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is an important invention for the treatment of human infertility, and the isolation of high-quality sperm with progressive motility is one of the most critical steps that eventually affect the fertilization rate. Conventional sperm separation approaches include the swim-up method and density gradient centrifugation. However, the quality of isolated sperm obtained from both approaches can still be improved by improving sorted sperm motility, minimizing the DNA fragmentation rate, and removing abnormal phenotypes. Here, we report a Progressive Sperm Sorting Chip (PSSC) for high-quality sperm isolation. Based on the rheotaxis behavior of sperm, a gradient flow field is created in the chip for progressive sperm sorting. Clinical experiment results for 10 volunteers showed that greater than 90% of isolated sperm exhibit high motility (> 25 μm/s), high linearity (0.8), and a very low DNA fragmentation rate (< 5%). In addition, the whole process is label and chemical free. These features aid in gentle sperm sorting to obtain healthy sperm. This device uniquely enables the selection of high-quality sperm with progressive motility and might be clinically applied for infertility treatment in the near future.

The genus Anoxybacillus: an emerging and versatile source of valuable biotechnological products

Thermophilic and alkaliphilic microorganisms are unique organisms that possess remarkable survival strategies, enabling them to thrive on a diverse range of substrates. Anoxybacillus, a genus of thermophilic and alkaliphilic bacteria, encompasses 24 species and 2 subspecies. In recent years, extensive research has unveiled the diverse array of thermostable enzymes within this relatively new genus, holding significant potential for industrial and environmental applications. The biomass of Anoxybacillus has demonstrated promising results in bioremediation techniques, while the recently discovered metabolites have exhibited potential in medicinal experiments. This review aims to provide an overview of the key experimental findings related to the biotechnological applications utilizing bacteria from the Anoxybacillus genus.

The occurrence and management of fumonisin contamination across the food production and supply chains

BACKGROUND

Fumonisins (FUMs) are among the most common mycotoxins in plant-derived food products. FUMs contamination has considerably impacted human and animal health, while causing significant economic losses. Hence, management of FUMs contamination in food production and supply chains is needed. The toxicities of FUMs have been widely investigated. FUMs management has been reported and several available strategies have been developed successfully to mitigate FUMs contamination present in foods. However, currently available management of FUMs contamination from different phases of food chains and the mechanisms of some major strategies are not comprehensively summarized.

AIM OF REVIEW

This review comprehensively characterize the occurrence, impacts, and management of FUMs contamination across food production and supply chains. Pre- and post-harvest strategies to prevent FUMs contamination also are reviewed, with an emphasis on the potential applications and the mechanisms of major mitigation strategies. The presence of modified FUMs products and their potential toxic effects are also considered. Importantly, the potential application of biotechnological approaches and emerging technologies are enunciated.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

Currently available pre- and post-harvest management of FUMs contamination primarily involves prevention and decontamination. Prevention strategies are mainly based on limiting fungal growth and FUMs biosynthesis. Decontamination strategies are implemented through alkalization, hydrolysis, thermal or chemical transformation, and enzymatic or chemical degradation of FUMs. Concerns have been raised about toxicities of modified FUMs derivatives, which presents challenges for reducing FUMs contamination in foods with conventional methodologies. Integrated prevention and decontamination protocols are recommended to control FUMs contamination across entire value chains in developed countries. In developing countries, several other approaches, including cultivating, introducing Bt maize, simple sorting/cleaning, and dehulling, are suggested. Future studies should focus on biotechnological approaches, emerging technologies, and metagenomic/genomic identification of new degradation enzymes that could allow better opportunities to manage FUMs contamination in the entire food system.

Meeting report of the sixth annual tri-service microbiome consortium symposium

The Tri-Service Microbiome Consortium (TSMC) was founded to enhance collaboration, coordination, and communication of microbiome research among DoD organizations and to facilitate resource, material and information sharing amongst consortium members, which includes collaborators in academia and industry. The 6th Annual TSMC Symposium was a hybrid meeting held in Fairlee, Vermont on 27-28 September 2022 with presentations and discussions centered on microbiome-related topics within seven broad thematic areas: (1) Human Microbiomes: Stress Response; (2) Microbiome Analysis & Surveillance; (3) Human Microbiomes Enablers & Engineering; (4) Human Microbiomes: Countermeasures; (5) Human Microbiomes Discovery - Earth & Space; (6) Environmental Micro & Myco-biome; and (7) Environmental Microbiome Analysis & Engineering. Collectively, the symposium provided an update on the scope of current DoD microbiome research efforts, highlighted innovative research being done in academia and industry that can be leveraged by the DoD, and fostered collaborative opportunities. This report summarizes the activities and outcomes from the 6th annual TSMC symposium.

Cookies and muffins containing biosurfactant: textural, physicochemical and sensory analyses

Interest in products with more natural ingredients increases the potential for application of Biosurfactants in foods. The aim of the present study was to assess the toxicity of biosurfactant produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae URM6670 and the effect of the incorporation of this biosurfactant on the physicochemical and textural characteristics of cookies and muffins, performing unprecedented assessment of the sensorial effects of this application. The toxicity analysis revealed that the biosurfactant is classified as a mild irritant, with irritation indices lower than 4.9. The physical analysis of the incorporation of the biosurfactant in the formulation revealed that the addition of 1% to cookies significantly increased the diameter and spread factor. In muffins, significant changes in these properties were found beginning at 0.25% biosurfactant. The moisture content in cookies was reduced by a maximum of 74%, while in muffins this reduction was approximately 6%. The lipid content increased significantly with the addition of 1% of the biosurfactant (11% in cookies and 25% in muffins). The textural analysis revealed that the biosurfactant at 1% led to a significant increase in firmness as a consequence of the reduction in the moisture content. In muffins, the same concentration increased the firmness and variables related to chewability. The sensory analysis revealed that the muffins with biosurfactant had greater acceptance compared to the cookies. Thus, the biosurfactant demonstrated potential application in bakery products due to low toxicity and positive evaluation in important sensorial parameters for its commercialisation.

Costa Rican consumer perceptions of gene-editing

Costa Rica's rice production, a large determinant of the country's food security, is being negatively impacted by frequently increasing periods of intense drought. Costa Rican scientists have applied CRISPR/Cas9 to develop drought resistant rice varieties they believe the country's rice producers could benefit from. However, would Costa Ricans consume gene edited rice or products derived from this crop? A three-part, 26-question survey administered in-person to 1096 Costa Ricans uncovers their attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions of gene editing technology and crops. Multiple regressions were built where the independent variables were age, gender, education level, and subjective economic situation. No statistically significant relationships were found in the regression coefficients. Moreover, the k-means procedure (cluster analysis) was used to categorize respondents according to their attitudes on the consumption of gene-edited foods: negative, neutral, and positive. Results show that overall, Costa Rican consumers are open to the application of gene editing in agriculture and would consider consuming products derived from the application of the technology. They are also open to gene editing technology being used to address human and animal health issues. However, Costa Rican consumers are not open to gene editing being used to "design" human traits. This study adds evidence to the emerging literature on the acceptance of gene-edited food. It also highlights the importance of informing societies of just how vulnerable agriculture, and therefore food security, is to the increasingly adverse effects of climate change.

Self-assembly of a multimeric genomic hydrogel via multi-primed chain reaction of dual single-stranded circular plasmids for cell-free protein production

Recent technical advances in cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) offer several advantages over cell-based expression systems, including the application of cellular machinery, such as transcription and translation, in the test tube. Inspired by the advantages of CFPS, we have fabricated a multimeric genomic DNA hydrogel (mGD-gel) via rolling circle chain amplification (RCCA) using dual single-stranded circular plasmids with multiple primers. The mGD-gel exhibited significantly enhanced protein yield. In addition, mGD-gel can be reused at least five times, and the shape of the mGD-gel can be easily manipulated without losing the feasibility of protein expression. The mGD-gel platform based on the self-assembly of multimeric genomic DNA strands (mGD strands) has the potential to be used in CFPS systems for a variety of biotechnological applications.

Probiotics formulation and cancer nanovaccines show synergistic effect in immunotherapy and prevention of colon cancer

Probiotics play essential roles in immune modulation. Combining probiotics with cancer vaccines potentially can achieve a synergistic effect. To maximize the efficacy of probiotics, proper probiotics formulation is necessary. Herein, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium longum are coated with lipid membrane to achieve the goal of losing less activity and bettering colonization in colon. In the subcutaneous transplanted colon cancer mouse model, probiotics formulation showed potent preventive and therapeutic efficacy, and the efficacy could be further improved by combining with cancer nanovaccines. Probiotics formulation can perform as immune adjuvants to enhance the innate immune response or as in-situ cancer vaccines. In the study of preventing chemical-induced orthotopic colon cancer model, probiotics formulation alone efficiently reduced tumor number in colon and the efficacy is improved by combining with cancer nanovaccines. All in all, the studies demonstrated that probiotics formulation can assist to maximize the efficacy of cancer nanovaccines.

The secretome of Agaricus bisporus: Temporal dynamics of plant polysaccharides and lignin degradation

Despite substantial lignocellulose conversion during mycelial growth, previous transcriptome and proteome studies have not yet revealed how secretomes from the edible mushroom Agaricus bisporus develop and whether they modify lignin models in vitro. To clarify these aspects, A. bisporus secretomes collected throughout a 15-day industrial substrate production and from axenic lab-cultures were subjected to proteomics, and tested on polysaccharides and lignin models. Secretomes (day 6-15) comprised A. bisporus endo-acting and substituent-removing glycoside hydrolases, whereas β-xylosidase and glucosidase activities gradually decreased. Laccases appeared from day 6 onwards. From day 10 onwards, many oxidoreductases were found, with numerous multicopper oxidases (MCO), aryl alcohol oxidases (AAO), glyoxal oxidases (GLOX), a manganese peroxidase (MnP), and unspecific peroxygenases (UPO). Secretomes modified dimeric lignin models, thereby catalyzing syringylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (SBG) cleavage, guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GBG) polymerization, and non-phenolic veratrylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (VBG) oxidation. We explored A. bisporus secretomes and insights obtained can help to better understand biomass valorization.

Development of small fluorescent probes for the analysis of autophagy kinetics

Autophagy is a dynamic process that degrades subcellular constituents, and its activity is measured by autophagic flux. The tandem proteins RFP-GFP-LC3 and GFP-LC3-RFP-LC3ΔG, which enable the visualization of autophagic vacuoles of different stages by differences in their fluorescent color, are useful tools to monitor autophagic flux, but they require plasmid transfection. In this study, we hence aimed to develop a new method to monitor autophagic flux using small cell-permeable fluorescent probes. We previously developed two green-fluorescent probes, DALGreen and DAPGreen, which detect autolysosomes and multistep autophagic vacuoles, respectively. We here developed a red-fluorescent autophagic probe, named DAPRed, which recognizes various autophagic vacuoles. By the combinatorial use of these green- and red-fluorescent probes, we were able to readily detect autophagic flux. Furthermore, these probes were useful not only for the visualization of canonical autophagy but also for alternative autophagy. DAPRed was also applicable for the detection of autophagy in living organisms.

Light-responsive microRNA molecules in human retinal organoids are differentially regulated by distinct wavelengths of light

Cells in the human retina must rapidly adapt to constantly changing visual stimuli. This fast adaptation to varying levels and wavelengths of light helps to regulate circadian rhythms and allows for adaptation to high levels of illumination, thereby enabling the rest of the visual system to remain responsive. It has been shown that retinal microRNA (miRNA) molecules play a key role in regulating these processes. However, despite extensive research using various model organisms, light-regulated miRNAs in human retinal cells remain unknown. Here, we aim to characterize these miRNAs. We generated light-responsive human retinal organoids that express miRNA families and clusters typically found in the retina. Using an in-house developed photostimulation device, we identified a subset of light-regulated miRNAs. Importantly, we found that these miRNAs are differentially regulated by distinct wavelengths of light and have a rapid turnover, highlighting the dynamic and adaptive nature of the human retina.

A multi-well bioreactor for cartilage tissue engineering experiments

Cartilage tissue engineering necessitates the right mechanical cues to regenerate impaired tissue. For this reason, bioreactors can be employed to induce joint-relevant mechanical loading, such as compression and shear. However, current articulating joint bioreactor designs are lacking in terms of sample size and usability. In this paper, we describe a new, simple-to-build and operate, multi-well kinematic load bioreactor and investigate its effect on the chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived stem cells (MSCs). We seeded MSCs into a fibrin-polyurethane scaffold and subsequently exposed the samples to a combination of compression and shear for 25 days. The mechanical loading activates transforming growth factor beta 1, upregulates chondrogenic genes, and increases sulfated glycosaminoglycan retention within the scaffolds. Such a higher-throughput bioreactor could be operated in most cell culture laboratories, dramatically accelerating and improving the testing of cells, new biomaterials, and tissue-engineered constructs.

Probing expression of E-selectin using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated tagging with HiBiT in human endothelial cells

E-selectin is expressed on endothelial cells in response to inflammatory cytokines and mediates leukocyte rolling and extravasation. However, studies have been hampered by lack of experimental approaches to monitor expression in real time in living cells. Here, NanoLuc Binary Technology (NanoBiT) in conjunction with CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing was used to tag endogenous E-selectin in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with the 11 amino acid nanoluciferase fragment HiBiT. Addition of the membrane-impermeable complementary fragment LgBiT allowed detection of cell surface expression. This allowed the effect of inflammatory mediators on E-selectin expression to be monitored in real time in living endothelial cells. NanoBiT combined with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing allows sensitive monitoring of real-time changes in cell surface expression of E-selectin and offers a powerful tool for future drug discovery efforts aimed at this important inflammatory protein.

DIRAS3 enhances RNF19B-mediated RAC1 ubiquitination and degradation in non-small-cell lung cancer cells

Distant metastasis remains the leading cause of high mortality in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). DIRAS3 is a candidate tumor suppressor protein that is decreased in various tumors. However, the regulatory mechanism of DIRAS3 on metastasis of NSCLC remains unclear. Here, we found that DIRAS3 suppressed the migration of NSCLC cells. Besides, DIRAS3 stimulated the polyubiquitination of RAC1 and suppressed its protein expression. Furthermore, RNF19B, a member of the RBR E3 ubiquitin ligase family, was observed to be the E3 ligase involved in the DIRAS3-induced polyubiquitination of RAC1. DIRAS3 could promote the binding of RAC1 and RNF19B, thus enhancing the degradation of RAC1 by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Finally, the DIRAS3-RNF19B-RAC1 axis was confirmed to be associated with the malignant progression of NSCLC. These findings may be beneficial for developing potential prognostic markers of NSCLC and may provide an effective treatment strategy.

Development of a human iPSC-derived placental barrier-on-chip model

Although recently developed placenta-on-chip systems opened promising perspectives for placental barrier modeling, they still lack physiologically relevant trophoblasts and are poorly amenable to high-throughput studies. We aimed to implement human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived trophoblasts into a multi-well microfluidic device to develop a physiologically relevant and scalable placental barrier model. When cultured in a perfused micro-channel against a collagen-based matrix, hiPSC-derived trophoblasts self-arranged into a 3D structure showing invasive behavior, fusogenic and endocrine activities, structural integrity, and expressing placental transporters. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the microfluidic 3D environment boosted expression of genes related to early placental structural development, mainly involved in mechanosensing and cell surface receptor signaling. These results demonstrated the feasibility of generating a differentiated primitive syncytium from hiPSC in a microfluidic platform. Besides expanding hiPSC-derived trophoblast scope of applications, this study constitutes an important resource to improve placental barrier models and boost research and therapeutics evaluation in pregnancy.

Professional ethics for infectious disease control: moral conflict management in modern public health practice

OBJECTIVES

Despite scientific evidence that confirms their effectiveness, use of vaccines and microbiological mass testing during the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with social and moral controversies. In this commentary, it is suggested how such conflicts originating from moral/normative imperatives can be managed in infectious disease control.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a commentary analysis.

METHODS

A case example of scientific and public debate regarding infectious disease control and policy-making during the early pandemic response is first presented. The case is used to characterize how conflicts arising from moral constraints occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. These features are thereafter used as a basis for outlining a strategy for moral conflict prevention and management.

RESULTS

A challenge for infectious disease control throughout the pandemic was how to manage persuasive initiatives originating from social forces competing with science for influence. Purposively maneuvered information distributed through social media and internet websites could predispose population factions to contest legitimate (evidence and legally based) pandemic response measures. During the pandemic, fact-based criticism of professionals responsible for infectious disease control was mixed with a critique of their moral standards and intentions so as to diminish effectiveness and credibility. Such blending could be curtailed if infectious disease control professionals are made accountable for public health decisions made in the light of prevalent scientific evidence and legislation.

CONCLUSIONS

If the infectious disease control community would embrace the international code of medical professional ethics, this would help to deal with moral conflicts, especially ones arising from external threats, in modern public health.

Acute physiological responses to a pyramidal exercise protocol and the associations with skin temperature variation in different body areas

This study aimed to examine the skin temperature (Tsk) variations in five regions of interest (ROI) to assess whether possible disparities between the ROI's Tsk could be associated with specific acute physiological responses during cycling. Seventeen participants performed a pyramidal load protocol on a cycling ergometer. We synchronously measured Tsk in five ROI with three infrared cameras. We assessed internal load, sweat rate, and core temperature. Reported perceived exertion and calves' Tsk showed the highest correlation (r = -0.588; p < 0.01). Mixed regression models revealed that the heart rate and reported perceived exertion were inversely related to calves' Tsk. The exercise duration was directly associated with the nose tip and calf Tsk but inversely related to the forehead and forearm Tsk. The sweat rate was directly related to forehead and forearm Tsk. The association of Tsk with thermoregulatory or exercise load parameters depends on the ROI. The parallel observation of the face and calf Tsk could indicate simultaneously the observation of acute thermoregulatory needs and individual internal load. The separate Tsk analyses of individual ROI appear more suitable to examine specific physiological response than a mean Tsk of several ROI during cycling.

Nursing in a posthuman era: Towards a technology-integrated ecosystem of care

The healthcare sector has undergone significant transformation due to the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and biotechnologies, presenting both opportunities and threats to the nursing profession. Posthumanism, as a critical perspective challenging anthropocentrism and emphasizing the increasingly blurred boundaries between humans and nonhumans, provides a novel lens to comprehend these technological advancements. In this commentary paper, I draw on the posthuman discourse to argue that in light of these technological forces, we need to contemplate the core values and fundamental patterns of knowing within the nursing discipline, reconfigure nursing scope, redefine its relations with other agents, and embrace a technology-integrated ecosystem of care.

AI in drug discovery and its clinical relevance

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need for novel drug discovery process. However, the journey from conceptualizing a drug to its eventual implementation in clinical settings is a long, complex, and expensive process, with many potential points of failure. Over the past decade, a vast growth in medical information has coincided with advances in computational hardware (cloud computing, GPUs, and TPUs) and the rise of deep learning. Medical data generated from large molecular screening profiles, personal health or pathology records, and public health organizations could benefit from analysis by Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches to speed up and prevent failures in the drug discovery pipeline. We present applications of AI at various stages of drug discovery pipelines, including the inherently computational approaches of de novo design and prediction of a drug's likely properties. Open-source databases and AI-based software tools that facilitate drug design are discussed along with their associated problems of molecule representation, data collection, complexity, labeling, and disparities among labels. How contemporary AI methods, such as graph neural networks, reinforcement learning, and generated models, along with structure-based methods, (i.e., molecular dynamics simulations and molecular docking) can contribute to drug discovery applications and analysis of drug responses is also explored. Finally, recent developments and investments in AI-based start-up companies for biotechnology, drug design and their current progress, hopes and promotions are discussed in this article.

The phenomenon of strain degeneration in biotechnologically relevant fungi

Fungi are widely exploited for large-scale production in the biotechnological industry to produce a diverse range of substances due to their versatility and relative ease of growing on various substrates. The occurrence of a phenomenon-the so-called fungal strain degeneration-leads to the spontaneous loss or decline of production capacity and results in an economic loss on a tremendous scale. Some of the most commonly applied genera of fungi in the biotechnical industry, such as Aspergillus, Trichoderma, and Penicillium, are threatened by this phenomenon. Although fungal degeneration has been known for almost a century, the phenomenon and its underlying mechanisms still need to be understood. The proposed mechanisms causing fungi to degenerate can be of genetic or epigenetic origin. Other factors, such as culture conditions, stress, or aging, were also reported to have an influence. This mini-review addresses the topic of fungal degeneration by describing examples of productivity losses in biotechnical processes using Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Trichoderma reesei, and Penicillium chrysogenum. Further, potential reasons, circumvention, and prevention methods are discussed. This is the first mini-review which provides a comprehensive overview on this phenomenon in biotechnologically used fungi, and it also includes a collection of strategies that can be useful to minimize economic losses which can arise from strain degeneration. KEY POINTS: • Spontaneous loss of productivity is evident in many fungi used in biotechnology. • The properties and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are very versatile. • Only studying these underlying mechanisms enables the design of a tailored solution.

Application of Lineage Tracing in Central Nervous System Development and Regeneration

The central nervous system (CNS) is a complicated neural network. The origin and evolution of functional neurons and glia cells remain unclear, as do the cellular alterations that occur during the course of cerebral disease rehabilitation. Lineage tracing is a valuable method for tracing specific cells and achieving a better understanding of the CNS. Recently, various technological breakthroughs have been made in lineage tracing, such as the application of various combinations of fluorescent reporters and advances in barcode technology. The development of lineage tracing has given us a deeper understanding of the normal physiology of the CNS, especially the pathological processes. In this review, we summarize these advances of lineage tracing and their applications in CNS. We focus on the use of lineage tracing techniques to elucidate the process CNS development and especially the mechanism of injury repair. Deep understanding of the central nervous system will help us to use existing technologies to diagnose and treat diseases.

Emerging contaminants bioremediation by enzyme and nanozyme-based processes - A review

Due to their widespread occurrence and the inadequate removal efficiencies by conventional wastewater treatment plants, emerging contaminants (ECs) have recently become an issue of great concern. Current ongoing studies have focused on different physical, chemical, and biological methods as strategies to avoid exposing ecosystems to significant long-term risks. Among the different proposed technologies, the enzyme-based processes rise as green biocatalysts with higher efficiency yields and lower generation of toxic by-products. Oxidoreductases and hydrolases are among the most prominent enzymes applied for bioremediation processes. The present work overviews the state of the art of recent advances in enzymatic processes during wastewater treatment of EC, focusing on recent innovations in terms of applied immobilization techniques, genetic engineering tools, and the advent of nanozymes. Future trends in the enzymes immobilization techniques for EC removal were highlighted. Research gaps and recommendations on methods and utility of enzymatic treatment incorporation in conventional wastewater treatment plants were also discussed.

Inflammation conditional genome editing mediated by the CRISPR-Cas9 system

The specificity of CRISPR-Cas9 in response to particular pathological stimuli remains largely unexplored. Hence, we designed an inflammation-inducible CRISPR-Cas9 system by grafting a sequence that binds with NF-κB to the CRISPR-Cas9 framework, termed NBS-CRISPR. The genetic scissor function of this developed genome-editing tool is activated on encountering an inflammatory attack and is inactivated or minimized in non-inflammation conditions. Furthermore, we employed this platform to reverse inflammatory conditions by targeting the MyD88 gene, a crucial player in the NF-κB signaling pathway, and achieved impressive therapeutic effects. Finally, during inflammation, P65 (RELA) can translocate to the nucleus from the cytoplasm. Herein, to avoid Cas9 leaky DNA cleavage activity i, we constructed an NBS-P65-CRISPR system expressing the Cas9-p65 fusion protein. Our inflammation inducible Cas9-mediated genome editing strategy provides new perspectives and avenues for pathological gene interrogation.

Multifunctional nanostructures: Intelligent design to overcome biological barriers

Over the past three decades, nanoscience has offered a unique solution for reducing the systemic toxicity of chemotherapy drugs and for increasing drug therapeutic efficiency. However, the poor accumulation and pharmacokinetics of nanoparticles are some of the key reasons for their slow translation into the clinic. The is intimately linked to the non-biological nature of nanoparticles and the aberrant features of solid cancer, which together significantly compromise nanoparticle delivery. New findings on the unique properties of tumors and their interactions with nanoparticles and the human body suggest that, contrary to what was long-believed, tumor features may be more mirage than miracle, as the enhanced permeability and retention based efficacy is estimated to be as low as 1%. In this review, we highlight the current barriers and available solutions to pave the way for approved nanoformulations. Furthermore, we aim to discuss the main solutions to solve inefficient drug delivery with the use of nanobioengineering of nanocarriers and the tumor environment. Finally, we will discuss the suggested strategies to overcome two or more biological barriers with one nanocarrier. The variety of design formats, applications and implications of each of these methods will also be evaluated.