International Journal of Biological Macromolecules最新文献

Bio-based conductive hydrogels are catching a widespread attention in the field of flexible sensors and human-machine interface interaction. Here, an enhanced autocatalytic system constructed from dopamine-encapsulated cellulose nanofibers (DA@CNF) and Cu²⁺ in a glycerol-water binary solvent achieved fast auto-polymerization of hydrogels within 60 s. X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), UV-vis spectrum (UV), Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were used to characterize the autocatalytic system. The hydrogel obtained has excellent mechanical properties (strain >900 %, compressive strength >800 kPa, toughness >700 kJ/m³), reproducible adhesive properties (>10 times), excellent high and low temperature (-20-60 °C) adaptability and stability. And the excellent electrical conductivity endows the hydrogel with high strain sensitivity (GF = 5.15) over a wide strain range (400 %). The excellent overall performance ensures the stability and accuracy of the hydrogel as a flexible electronic skin for signal detection during human-computer interface interaction. This work contributes a new research strategy for the rational design and green development of biomass-based conductive hydrogel sensors.

Cataract is a progressive loss of eye lens transparency, as a result of age-related chemical modifications or due to congenital mutations in crystallins. A vital antioxidant in the aqueous humor, the vitamin C, has been suggested to hold potential for the prophylaxis of age-related cataract. However, the effect of vitamin C on congenital cataract has not yet been investigated. Here, we explored the aggregation inhibitory effect of vitamin C on the P23T human γD-crystallin mutant, associated with congenital cataract. The effect of vitamin C on the aggregation propensity of P23T human γD-crystallin was investigated by solution NMR, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and other biophysical techniques. We found that vitamin C is able to prevent and reverse P23T human γD-crystallin aggregation in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, NMR data suggest that the inhibitory effect of vitamin C on P23T human γD-crystallin phase-separation is probably mediated by interacting with aggregation prone regions. AFM images of P23T human γD-crystallin under native aggregating conditions revealed the appearance of amorphous aggregates, that disassemble into monomers in the presence of vitamin C. The current study highlights and confirms the possibility that vitamin C is able to dissolve crystallin aggregates, potentially slowing the onset or reversing cataract.

The C-type lectin domain family 9 member A (CLEC9A) is widely recognized as the most critical receptor protein for cross presentation of dead cell associated antigens in animal dendritic cells (DCs). Surprisingly, we revealed for the first time that the sole CLEC9A (SsCLEC9A) in pigs becomes a pseudogene due to three causal mutations that occurred approximately 29.8-44.7 million years ago, challenging the significance of CLEC9A in immune cross-presentation across mammals. Interestingly, we found that SsCLEC9A can transcribe a mutated transcript encoding a truncated protein. Through fluorescence-activated cell sorting and single-cell RNA sequencing, we observed that SsCLEC9A mutant transcript is mainly expressed in DCs and correlated with the expression of its homolog CLEC7A. Further data showed that DCs with SsCLEC9A mutant transcripts exhibited reduced cellular interaction ability and downregulation of antigen presentation function, displaying the characteristics of mature DCs. In addition, introducing the conserved sequence of CLEC9A gene into FLT3L-induced bone marrow hematopoietic cells significantly increased the expression of genes involved in antigen processing and presentation. This study presents a natural mutation model of pseudogenes to understand its transcriptional adation, and provides a fundamental basis for rescuing SsCLEC9A to promote immunity in pigs in the future.

Cotton fabrics, as both a polysaccharide and a high-molecular-weight polymer, are typically dyed with reactive dyes, which require a high amount of salt and produce significant colored effluent, increasing treatment complexity. This paper presents a novel and revolutionary reactive dyeing technique based on diazo pre-activation and coupling coloration of cotton fibers, which is distinct from conventional reactive dyeing methods. It demonstrates a room-temperature, salt-free reactive dyeing method to address problems like high energy consumption, significant salt usage, wastewater treatment challenges, the long duration from dye preparation to application, and the difficulty of recycling cotton fibers in reactive dyeing processes. This method combines dye preparation and dyeing by amination, diazotization, and coupling. It produces salt-free, room-temperature dyeing in <4 h, which is substantially less time than a standard reactive dyeing procedure that requires both dye synthesis and application. Furthermore, cotton fabrics can be endowed with bright, deep, and diverse colors, achieving superior colorfastness with ratings of 3-4 or more and K/S values exceeding 12. Moreover, dyed cotton fabrics can be easily decolorized by alkaline washing, producing alkaline washed cotton (AWC), while preserving their good whiteness and recyclable nature.

Mechanical integrity is a pivotal characteristic of cellulose fiber networks; however, their wet strength frequently deteriorates under humid conditions due to the hydrophilic nature of cellulose. This study presents a novel conjugate additive, synthesized by grafting carbohydrate-binding modules onto amphoteric polyacrylamide (CBM3-AmPAM), aimed at enhancing the mechanical properties of cellulose fiber networks at the wet-end of papermaking. The incorporation of CBM3-AmPAM significantly improved performance compared to AmPAM alone, with stress-strain properties enhanced by 1130.34 % and 202.25 % under humid conditions at a 1 % dosage. Notably, the foldability of the cellulose fiber networks increased by 33 %. Employing quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), the adsorption behaviors of CBM3, AmPAM, their conjugate (CBM3-AmPAM) and mixture (CBM3+AmPAM) onto fibers were assessed. Results indicated that CBM3-AmPAM exhibited notably robust and more irreversible adsorption compared to other tested formulations. This research highlights the potential of CBM3-AmPAM as an effective wet-end additive in papermaking and provides valuable insights into its interaction with cellulose fibers.

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) is a highly contagious and latent virus that induces various diseases in the respiratory and reproductive systems. It is widespread in numerous countries, including China, and has a high positive detection rate, causing significant economic losses to global cattle industry. Timely and precise diagnosis is essential for effective preventative and control strategies. This study constructed a rabbit phage single chain fragment variable (scFv) display library with 7.14 × 10¹⁰ cfu/mL based on BHV-1 gD protein expressed in a prokaryotic system. Following three rounds of biopanning, three high-affinity scFv targeting the gD protein were obtained, and CHO-K1 cells were employed to express three high-affinity secreted rabbit monoclonal antibodies (RmAb). Double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) was established with D3 as the capture antibody and D2 as the detection antibody. The findings indicated that optimal reaction conditions were: 3 % BSA blocking, 90 min antigen incubation time, 15 min color development time, and a cutoff value of 0.8525. The specificity test demonstrated that the method exclusively responded with BHV-1, exhibiting no cross-reactivity with other bovine-related viruses. Additionally, the coefficients of variation between Intra-batch and Inter-batch were below 5 %, indicating good stability and reliability. This study is the first application of RmAb in developing a detection method for BHV-1, aimed at improving the specificity and sensitivity of the method, thereby offering robust scientific technical assistance for the epidemiological surveillance and prevention of this disease.

The aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the fingerprint of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPs) sourced from China and their bioactivities, with an emphasis on identifying the most bioactive TFP variety that significantly mitigated radiation-induced intestinal injury (RIII). Firstly, the multi-fingerprints we developed indicated that TFPs were classified as acidic, primarily consisting of mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, glucose, xylose, and fucose, with average molecular weight (Mw) ranging from 1.65 × 10³ to 2.50 × 10³ kDa. Subsequently, in vitro activity evaluations demonstrated variability in the antioxidant activities and the inhibitory effects on cancer cell proliferation among TFPs. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated a significant correlation between monosaccharide composition of TFPs and their bioactivity, whereas Mw did not exhibit a similar relationship. Notably, TFP sourced from Zhenjinhui (Gutian, Fujian) (i.e., TFP-2) and Shengkuo (Tongjiang, Sichuan) (i.e., TFP-23) exhibited the most significant bioactivities, both effectively mitigating RIII in mice, with TFP-23 proving to be more effective. Further investigations indicated that TFP-23 provided radioprotective benefits by rectifying RIII-induced dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota and increasing probiotic abundance. Consequently, this study not only clarifies the fingerprint-activity relationship of TFPs but also promotes the potential of TFP-23 as innovative agents for radiation protection.

A water-soluble lentil polysaccharide (SLPS) extract was obtained from lentil fiber, at pH 10, after heating at 120 °C for 90 min, with a recovery as high as 16.5 %. SLPS had a weight average molecular mass of 1975 kg/mol, and contained 47 % glucose, 42 % arabinose, and 7 % uronic acid. Objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of SLPS to be employed as a natural emulsifier, by measuring its interfacial properties, as well as emulsifying capacity on a model emulsion system. Acidic emulsions were prepared with 5 % oil and 5 % SLPS and their particle size distribution was evaluated by light scattering and complementary microscopy, to determine their stability. SLPS showed the ability to reduce interfacial tension at oil/water interfaces, and the emulsions were stable under acidic conditions. Two different molecular weight fractions (SLPS-H and -L were investigated), and while the high molecular weight fraction (SLPS-H; 1567 kg/mol) was effective at stabilizing interfaces, emulsions prepared with low molecular weight fraction (SLPS-L; 2.3 kg/mol) showed aggregation and coalescence of oil droplets. Addition of pectinase caused aggregation of the droplets as measured by dynamic light scattering, demonstrating that adsorbs on the surface of oil droplets, and prevents aggregation of the oil droplets.

This study explores the inhibitory effects of a chitosan/nano-TiO₂/Daisy Essential Oil (CSTD) composite film on spoilage microorganisms affecting Actinidia arguta. Owing to its high nutritional value and water content, Actinidia arguta is highly susceptible to microbial spoilage, leading to a significantly shortened shelf life. Traditional chemical preservation methods are ineffective against microbial spoilage and raise concerns about safety and environmental sustainability, highlighting the demand for natural, effective alternatives. Chitosan, a natural polysaccharide, shows promise due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, its mechanical, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties require enhancement. To address these limitations, this study incorporates nano-TiO₂ and Daisy Essential Oil into chitosan to develop a composite film. Key spoilage microorganisms of Actinidia arguta were isolated and identified, with Rhizopus stolonifera reported for the first time as one of the spoilage organisms. The composite film demonstrated significant inhibitory effects against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Aspergillus niger, Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, Aspergillus piperis, and Rhizopus stolonifera. Resistance induction experiments further revealed that CSTD effectively delayed oxidative stress and enzymatic degradation linked to fruit spoilage, significantly extending the shelf life of Actinidia arguta. These findings provide theoretical support for developing effective preservation techniques for Actinidia arguta.

The regulation of intramuscular fat (IMF) accumulation plays a crucial role in determining meat quality in the beef industry. In humans, fat deposition in skeletal muscle is closely associated with insulin resistance and obesity. However, its underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. We previously identified erucic acid (EA) as a key metabolite that may affect IMF deposition of beef using omics strategies. By utilizing bovine intramuscular preadipocytes in vitro, the study demonstrates a dose-dependent increase in lipid storage induced by EA, along with mRNA expression levels of transporters FABP4 and CD36. At a mechanistic level, EA triggers ERK1/2 phosphorylation and enhances the expression of PPARγ, FABP4, and CD36, thereby facilitating the formation of lipid droplets within preadipocytes. In vivo experiments conducted in mice support these findings, indicating that EA stimulates fat accumulation in skeletal muscles and enhances the levels of FABP4 and CD36 proteins. These outcomes not only enhance our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms governing IMF deposition but also provide insights into potential strategies for enhancing meat quality and addressing metabolic disorders linked to fat accumulation in skeletal muscles. The findings of the study contribute to existing scholarly knowledge and lay the groundwork for future research endeavors aimed at improving meat quality and metabolic well-being.