RNA interference (RNAi) represents a promising approach for insect pest management; however, its application in Lepidoptera is constrained by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) instability, limited cellular uptake, and inefficient RNAi machinery. In this study, we developed a bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particle (VLP)-based delivery platform for hairpin RNA (hpRNA) targeting the invasive pest Hyphantria cunea. When expressed in Escherichia coli, MS2 VLPs efficiently encapsulate hpRNA, markedly enhancing its resistance to nuclease activity and environmental degradation. In addition, surface display of the HIV trans-activator of transcription (TAT) peptide on MS2 VLPs significantly improved cellular internalization of hpRNA, resulting in robust RNAi-mediated gene silencing in H. cunea at low hpRNA doses. Importantly, no adverse effects were detected in three nontarget organisms: Clostera restitura, Plagiodera versicolora, and the parasitoid Chouioia cunea. Together, these results demonstrate that the MS2-hpRNA system represents a scalable, effective, and environmentally safe strategy for RNA-based pest control.
{"title":"Self-Assembling Nanoparticle Enhances RNA Interference Efficiency against <i>Hyphantria Cunea</i> (Drury) with Minimal Risk to Nontarget Organisms.","authors":"Mengting Wu, Wenhui Liu, Chunmei Jiang, Yu Mao, Feng Lan, Jianyang Bai, Tianzi Gu, Binyu Wu, Jiang Zhang, Longwa Zhang, Ling Chang","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13240","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13240","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>RNA interference (RNAi) represents a promising approach for insect pest management; however, its application in Lepidoptera is constrained by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) instability, limited cellular uptake, and inefficient RNAi machinery. In this study, we developed a bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particle (VLP)-based delivery platform for hairpin RNA (hpRNA) targeting the invasive pest <i>Hyphantria cunea</i>. When expressed in <i>Escherichia coli</i>, MS2 VLPs efficiently encapsulate hpRNA, markedly enhancing its resistance to nuclease activity and environmental degradation. In addition, surface display of the HIV trans-activator of transcription (TAT) peptide on MS2 VLPs significantly improved cellular internalization of hpRNA, resulting in robust RNAi-mediated gene silencing in <i>H. cunea</i> at low hpRNA doses. Importantly, no adverse effects were detected in three nontarget organisms: <i>Clostera restitura</i>, <i>Plagiodera versicolora</i>, and the parasitoid <i>Chouioia cunea</i>. Together, these results demonstrate that the MS2-hpRNA system represents a scalable, effective, and environmentally safe strategy for RNA-based pest control.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146130534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c12740
Zebin Hong, Zhaoxia Xia, Yan Ru, Guojun Chen, Raymond Jianxiong Zeng, Xiaomin Li, Pei Wang, Yang Yang, Wenting Chi, Shiwen Hu, Chao Guo, Fangbai Li, Tongxu Liu
The mobility of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) in basalt-derived paddy soils under redox-fluctuating conditions governs their accumulation in rice. However, the influence of redox-induced changes in soil components, particularly iron (Fe) (oxyhydr)oxides and organic matter (OM), on the mobility of these metals remains poorly understood. This study revealed that Fe redox cycling serves as the fundamental driving force controlling the release and immobilization of Ni, Cr, and Pb. Fe(III) reduction and OM complexation under anoxic conditions increased metal mobility, while Fe(II) oxidation and OM stabilization under oxic conditions reduced metal mobility. A kinetic model revealed that Ni and Pb mobility was predominantly controlled by Fe cycling, with Pb showing the strongest coupling (81.5-93.5% influence). For Cr, although Fe cycling remained the underlying driver, a greater proportion (82.6-83.6%) was associated with OM interactions. These findings advance risk assessment and inform redox-based remediation strategies for contaminated paddy soils.
{"title":"Key Roles of Iron (Oxyhydr)oxides and Organic Matter in Controlling the Mobility of Ni, Cr, and Pb in Redox-Fluctuating Basalt-Derived Paddy Soils.","authors":"Zebin Hong, Zhaoxia Xia, Yan Ru, Guojun Chen, Raymond Jianxiong Zeng, Xiaomin Li, Pei Wang, Yang Yang, Wenting Chi, Shiwen Hu, Chao Guo, Fangbai Li, Tongxu Liu","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c12740","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c12740","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The mobility of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) in basalt-derived paddy soils under redox-fluctuating conditions governs their accumulation in rice. However, the influence of redox-induced changes in soil components, particularly iron (Fe) (oxyhydr)oxides and organic matter (OM), on the mobility of these metals remains poorly understood. This study revealed that Fe redox cycling serves as the fundamental driving force controlling the release and immobilization of Ni, Cr, and Pb. Fe(III) reduction and OM complexation under anoxic conditions increased metal mobility, while Fe(II) oxidation and OM stabilization under oxic conditions reduced metal mobility. A kinetic model revealed that Ni and Pb mobility was predominantly controlled by Fe cycling, with Pb showing the strongest coupling (81.5-93.5% influence). For Cr, although Fe cycling remained the underlying driver, a greater proportion (82.6-83.6%) was associated with OM interactions. These findings advance risk assessment and inform redox-based remediation strategies for contaminated paddy soils.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146130570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Although medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) are extensively applied in food, pharmaceutical, and chemical fields, traditional approaches for their production are costly and unsustainable. Recently, the biosynthesis of MCCAs exhibits huge potential for sustainable development in both economic and environmental aspects. However, the biological method is still in its infancy and faces several challenges. A comprehensive review is therefore necessary to emphasize the recent progress in the production of biobased MCCAs. In this review, the principles of MCCA biosynthesis were introduced, and the main challenges were completely analyzed, including insufficient electron donors, byproduct accumulation, substrate competitiveness, and inhibitory factors. Moreover, several effective strategies that could improve the performance of MCCA synthesis were discussed, such as process control, biofilm, quorum sensing, electro-fermentation, bioaugmentation, and MCCA extraction. Finally, the potential of bioconversion of wasted biomass into MCCAs was analyzed toward the low-cost production of MCCAs.
{"title":"Production of Medium-Chain Carboxylic Acids via Chain Elongation: Challenges, Strategies, and Perspectives.","authors":"Cunsheng Zhang, Hongze Liu, Min Li, Shuhao Huo, Qingyan Wang, Akram Avami","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c05195","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c05195","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) are extensively applied in food, pharmaceutical, and chemical fields, traditional approaches for their production are costly and unsustainable. Recently, the biosynthesis of MCCAs exhibits huge potential for sustainable development in both economic and environmental aspects. However, the biological method is still in its infancy and faces several challenges. A comprehensive review is therefore necessary to emphasize the recent progress in the production of biobased MCCAs. In this review, the principles of MCCA biosynthesis were introduced, and the main challenges were completely analyzed, including insufficient electron donors, byproduct accumulation, substrate competitiveness, and inhibitory factors. Moreover, several effective strategies that could improve the performance of MCCA synthesis were discussed, such as process control, biofilm, quorum sensing, electro-fermentation, bioaugmentation, and MCCA extraction. Finally, the potential of bioconversion of wasted biomass into MCCAs was analyzed toward the low-cost production of MCCAs.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146130581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13482
Rong-Yue Xue, Lu Zhou, Hong-Bo Li, Xin-Ying Lin, Lei Zhou, Hong-Tao Wang, Albert L Juhasz, Lena Q Ma, Dongmei Zhou
Cadmium (Cd)-contaminated rice and wheat cause significant harm to public health. However, mechanistic differences in Cd bioavailability and toxicity between the staple foods through intestinal transport and gut microbiota remain insufficient. In this study, Cd-containing whole wheat and polished rice were fed to mice, showing over 2-fold lower Cd accumulation in the liver and kidneys of wheat-fed mice compared to rice-fed mice. One contributor was higher iron, calcium, and zinc contents in wheat than in rice, leading to a lower expression of iron, calcium, and zinc transporters in the duodenum of wheat-fed mice. Additionally, fiber-rich wheat caused higher relative abundance of Lactobacillus reuteri, strengthening intestinal integrity and tight junction expression, promoting fecal Cd excretion, and upregulating bile acid metabolism in the gut. The transporter downregulation and gut health improvements collectively contributed to lower wheat-Cd bioavailability. Findings indicate that Cd-containing wheat may pose remarkably lower health risk to humans compared to rice.
{"title":"Different Cadmium Bioavailability from Wheat and Rice Dictates Toxicity via Distinct Intestinal Pathways in Mice.","authors":"Rong-Yue Xue, Lu Zhou, Hong-Bo Li, Xin-Ying Lin, Lei Zhou, Hong-Tao Wang, Albert L Juhasz, Lena Q Ma, Dongmei Zhou","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13482","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13482","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cadmium (Cd)-contaminated rice and wheat cause significant harm to public health. However, mechanistic differences in Cd bioavailability and toxicity between the staple foods through intestinal transport and gut microbiota remain insufficient. In this study, Cd-containing whole wheat and polished rice were fed to mice, showing over 2-fold lower Cd accumulation in the liver and kidneys of wheat-fed mice compared to rice-fed mice. One contributor was higher iron, calcium, and zinc contents in wheat than in rice, leading to a lower expression of iron, calcium, and zinc transporters in the duodenum of wheat-fed mice. Additionally, fiber-rich wheat caused higher relative abundance of <i>Lactobacillus reuteri</i>, strengthening intestinal integrity and tight junction expression, promoting fecal Cd excretion, and upregulating bile acid metabolism in the gut. The transporter downregulation and gut health improvements collectively contributed to lower wheat-Cd bioavailability. Findings indicate that Cd-containing wheat may pose remarkably lower health risk to humans compared to rice.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146130589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The increasing demand for sustainable food-grade emulsifiers has stimulated interest in enzymatic processes utilizing renewable feedstocks. However, the use of waste cooking oil (WCO) for the enzymatic production of monoacylglycerols (MAG) suitable for food applications has been poorly explored. In this study, WCO was successfully upcycled into MAG through lipase-catalyzed glycerolysis using an immobilized enzyme in tert-amyl alcohol as a green solvent. Process parameters, including enzyme loading, glycerol-to-WCO molar ratio, temperature, and solvent concentration, were optimized. Under optimized conditions, a MAG yield of 67% was achieved. The resulting MAG exhibited emulsifying properties comparable to those of commercial surfactants in oil-in-water systems. Overall, this work demonstrates a sustainable strategy for the upcycling of WCO into high-value emulsifiers, contributing to circular economy principles in food ingredient production.
{"title":"Sustainable Synthesis of Food-Grade Emulsifiers from Waste Cooking Oil via Enzymatic Glycerolysis in a Green Solvent System.","authors":"Stefano Genualdo, Marina Simona Robescu, Sara Tengattini, Vitiana Cerone, Dhanalakshmi Vadivel, Paola Perugini, Daniele Dondi, Teodora Bavaro","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c14323","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c14323","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing demand for sustainable food-grade emulsifiers has stimulated interest in enzymatic processes utilizing renewable feedstocks. However, the use of waste cooking oil (WCO) for the enzymatic production of monoacylglycerols (MAG) suitable for food applications has been poorly explored. In this study, WCO was successfully upcycled into MAG through lipase-catalyzed glycerolysis using an immobilized enzyme in <i>tert</i>-amyl alcohol as a green solvent. Process parameters, including enzyme loading, glycerol-to-WCO molar ratio, temperature, and solvent concentration, were optimized. Under optimized conditions, a MAG yield of 67% was achieved. The resulting MAG exhibited emulsifying properties comparable to those of commercial surfactants in oil-in-water systems. Overall, this work demonstrates a sustainable strategy for the upcycling of WCO into high-value emulsifiers, contributing to circular economy principles in food ingredient production.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146130587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c16349
Luisa Irmer, Oliver Frank, Sebastian Minas, Silvia Schaefer, Johanna Hecht, Andreas Daschner, Maik Behrens, Corinna Dawid
This study employed activity-guided fractionation to identify the compounds that are responsible for the bitter off-taste of fava bean protein isolates and concentrates. UHPLC-ToF-MS and 1D/2D NMR experiments led to the identification of three known bitter compounds, vicine, convicine, and 3'-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-L-DOPA. In addition, eight previously unknown vicine and convicine derivatives were identified. The bitter thresholds of the analytes were determined and found to be in the range of 0.10 to 1.44 mmol/L. To assess the taste contribution, the corresponding dose-overthreshold (DoT) factors were calculated, and it was shown that convicine with a DoT > 230 is playing a central role for the bitter off-taste. Furthermore, the analysis of fatty acids and their oxidation products suggests that linolenic-, linoleic-, and oleic acid directly contribute to the off-taste of fava bean protein. In addition, cell-based studies showed activation of bitter receptors TAS2R16 and TAS2R43 by vicine and convicine, respectively.
{"title":"Contribution of Vicine, Convicine, and New Derivatives to the Bitter Off-Taste of Fava Bean Proteins.","authors":"Luisa Irmer, Oliver Frank, Sebastian Minas, Silvia Schaefer, Johanna Hecht, Andreas Daschner, Maik Behrens, Corinna Dawid","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c16349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c16349","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study employed activity-guided fractionation to identify the compounds that are responsible for the bitter off-taste of fava bean protein isolates and concentrates. UHPLC-ToF-MS and 1D/2D NMR experiments led to the identification of three known bitter compounds, vicine, convicine, and 3'-<i>O</i>-β-d-glucopyranosyl-L-DOPA. In addition, eight previously unknown vicine and convicine derivatives were identified. The bitter thresholds of the analytes were determined and found to be in the range of 0.10 to 1.44 mmol/L. To assess the taste contribution, the corresponding dose-overthreshold (DoT) factors were calculated, and it was shown that convicine with a DoT > 230 is playing a central role for the bitter off-taste. Furthermore, the analysis of fatty acids and their oxidation products suggests that linolenic-, linoleic-, and oleic acid directly contribute to the off-taste of fava bean protein. In addition, cell-based studies showed activation of bitter receptors TAS2R16 and TAS2R43 by vicine and convicine, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146130564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c09758
Qianqian Zhong, Yiting Wei, Zhen Zhang, Luyao Tang, Yuqing Xu, Yuhan Ye, Jun Liu, Xiong Yao, Li Zhu, Weilin Zhang, Yuexing Wang, Yuchun Rao
Rice lesion mimic mutants (LMMs) spontaneously form lesion-like symptoms without pathogen infection and are vital for studying plant immune and defense responses. Here, we identified an EMS-mutagenized Nipponbare-derived LMM, russet spots leaf (rsp), exhibiting leaf russet spots and deteriorated agronomic traits with significantly reduced grain yield. These abnormal phenotypes correlate with impaired photosynthetic efficiency, aberrant programmed cell death (PCD) and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Moreover, rsp shows enhanced resistance to bacterial blight and rice stripe virus, driven by altered defense-related genes and metabolites. Map-based cloning localized RSP (encoding MED subunit 33a), where a single nucleotide substitution causes its inactivation. This mutation alters plant responses to abiotic stresses and exogenous hormones, likely via disrupting its conserved domain mediating multiple biological processes. Our findings confirm RSP as a pivotal regulator of immune responses and grain yield, laying a theoretical foundation for breeding high-yield, high-quality and disease-resistant rice cultivars.
{"title":"RSP Gene Encodes a MED Subunit 33a, Which Is Involved in the Regulation of PCD and Immune Responses.","authors":"Qianqian Zhong, Yiting Wei, Zhen Zhang, Luyao Tang, Yuqing Xu, Yuhan Ye, Jun Liu, Xiong Yao, Li Zhu, Weilin Zhang, Yuexing Wang, Yuchun Rao","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c09758","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c09758","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rice lesion mimic mutants (LMMs) spontaneously form lesion-like symptoms without pathogen infection and are vital for studying plant immune and defense responses. Here, we identified an EMS-mutagenized Nipponbare-derived LMM, russet spots leaf (rsp), exhibiting leaf russet spots and deteriorated agronomic traits with significantly reduced grain yield. These abnormal phenotypes correlate with impaired photosynthetic efficiency, aberrant programmed cell death (PCD) and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Moreover, rsp shows enhanced resistance to bacterial blight and rice stripe virus, driven by altered defense-related genes and metabolites. Map-based cloning localized RSP (encoding MED subunit 33a), where a single nucleotide substitution causes its inactivation. This mutation alters plant responses to abiotic stresses and exogenous hormones, likely via disrupting its conserved domain mediating multiple biological processes. Our findings confirm RSP as a pivotal regulator of immune responses and grain yield, laying a theoretical foundation for breeding high-yield, high-quality and disease-resistant rice cultivars.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146130515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Catalytic promiscuity provides fundamental insights into enzyme evolution. To address the multiobjective challenges in discovering and evolving promiscuous activities, we developed EnzySFC, an AI-assisted platform that combines de novo enzyme discovery with functional evolution, enabling coordinated optimization of activity and specificity. Using EnzySFC, we experimentally validated 10 uncharacterized nitrilases from 1113 candidates: 90% showed catalytic activity toward the target substrate, and 80% demonstrated amide formation. Notably, a wild-type nitrilase from a Phototrophicales bacterium exhibited exclusive nitrile hydratase activity. Through AI-driven evolution, 16 mutants of a nitrilase from an Actinomycetia bacterium were experimentally verified within a single prediction cycle. Seven variants displayed increased amide production, five of which exceeded 80% amide proportion. The top four variants achieved a 100% amide yield with complete substrate conversion. This platform establishes a transferable framework for multiobjective enzyme engineering and accelerates the development of efficient enzyme catalysts.
{"title":"Artificial Intelligence Platform EnzySFC for Enzyme Screening and Functional Conversion: Completely Redirecting Nitrilase to Nitrile Hydratase Function","authors":"Shuiqin Jiang, Zhelin Zheng, Hua Dong, Siwei Zhang, Qi Tong, Dong Yi","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c14148","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c14148","url":null,"abstract":"Catalytic promiscuity provides fundamental insights into enzyme evolution. To address the multiobjective challenges in discovering and evolving promiscuous activities, we developed EnzySFC, an AI-assisted platform that combines de novo enzyme discovery with functional evolution, enabling coordinated optimization of activity and specificity. Using EnzySFC, we experimentally validated 10 uncharacterized nitrilases from 1113 candidates: 90% showed catalytic activity toward the target substrate, and 80% demonstrated amide formation. Notably, a wild-type nitrilase from a <i>Phototrophicales bacterium</i> exhibited exclusive nitrile hydratase activity. Through AI-driven evolution, 16 mutants of a nitrilase from an <i>Actinomycetia bacterium</i> were experimentally verified within a single prediction cycle. Seven variants displayed increased amide production, five of which exceeded 80% amide proportion. The top four variants achieved a 100% amide yield with complete substrate conversion. This platform establishes a transferable framework for multiobjective enzyme engineering and accelerates the development of efficient enzyme catalysts.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NAFLD-related hepatic steatosis is a growing global health concern. We developed food-grade gliadin hydrolysate-berberine-chitosan nanoparticles (BBR-NPs) and evaluated their bioactivity in oleic acid-challenged HepG2 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. In vitro, BBR-NPs reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-C, increased HDL-C, and alleviated oxidative stress by decreasing ROS and malondialdehyde while enhancing superoxide dismutase activity. In vivo, oral BBR-NPs attenuated hepatic lipid deposition and improved serum/hepatic lipid indices, ALT/AST, oxidative stress markers, insulin resistance, and inflammatory cytokines, with generally more pronounced effects than free berberine at the same nominal dose in this model. Integrated hepatic metabolomics and transcriptomics suggested coordinated regulation of lipid homeostasis, including fatty acid oxidation, de novo lipogenesis, and cholesterol/bile acid metabolism. Collectively, BBR-NPs represent a scalable oral delivery approach that may enhance berberine's metabolic benefits in diet-induced steatosis; however, pharmacokinetic and tissue exposure studies are needed to confirm formulation-specific advantages.
{"title":"Nanoparticle-Based Oral Delivery of Berberine Attenuates High-Fat Diet-Induced Hepatic Steatosis in Mice: Insights from Integrated Hepatic Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analyses.","authors":"Xiaoxiao Li, Xiaofeng Miao, Xinrui Zhang, Hailong Tian, Luyang Wang, Jin Liu, Jinyang Zhang, Rui Tan, Jihong Huang","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c15040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c15040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>NAFLD-related hepatic steatosis is a growing global health concern. We developed food-grade gliadin hydrolysate-berberine-chitosan nanoparticles (BBR-NPs) and evaluated their bioactivity in oleic acid-challenged HepG2 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. <i>In vitro</i>, BBR-NPs reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-C, increased HDL-C, and alleviated oxidative stress by decreasing ROS and malondialdehyde while enhancing superoxide dismutase activity. <i>In vivo</i>, oral BBR-NPs attenuated hepatic lipid deposition and improved serum/hepatic lipid indices, ALT/AST, oxidative stress markers, insulin resistance, and inflammatory cytokines, with generally more pronounced effects than free berberine at the same nominal dose in this model. Integrated hepatic metabolomics and transcriptomics suggested coordinated regulation of lipid homeostasis, including fatty acid oxidation, de novo lipogenesis, and cholesterol/bile acid metabolism. Collectively, BBR-NPs represent a scalable oral delivery approach that may enhance berberine's metabolic benefits in diet-induced steatosis; however, pharmacokinetic and tissue exposure studies are needed to confirm formulation-specific advantages.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146130566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The growing global demand for food is limited by low seed germination rates, a key constraint in crop production. Priestia megaterium W101, a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium with high indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) yield, was found to significantly promote the germination of wheat seeds and the growth of the root system. For the first time, we characterized in Priestia megaterium a complete indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPyA) pathway, encoded by ipdC, patB, feaB, and gene1566, together with a yedL-encoded alternative pathway, through integrated multiomics analyses and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated heterologous expression. In addition, we reconstructed the complete IPyA pathway in Bacillus subtilis 168, which increased IAA production by approximately 98% compared to that in the wild-type strain. Overall, this study elucidates the IAA biosynthetic network in W101 and highlights its potential as a core strain for sustainable microbial inoculant development in green agriculture.
{"title":"Exploration and Confirmation of the Indole-3-Acetic Acid Biosynthetic Pathway in Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Priestia megaterium W101","authors":"Xu Wang, Fan Wang, Ruinan Zhang, Litao Wang, Haiyan Wang, Hai Zhang, Chenying Wu, Hengran Yi, Yindi Nan, Shumin Li, Yongqiang Tian, Yanli Zheng","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13041","url":null,"abstract":"The growing global demand for food is limited by low seed germination rates, a key constraint in crop production. <i>Priestia megaterium</i> W101, a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium with high indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) yield, was found to significantly promote the germination of wheat seeds and the growth of the root system. For the first time, we characterized in <i>Priestia megaterium</i> a complete indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPyA) pathway, encoded by <i>ipdC</i>, <i>patB</i>, <i>feaB</i>, and <i>gene1566</i>, together with a <i>yedL</i>-encoded alternative pathway, through integrated multiomics analyses and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated heterologous expression. In addition, we reconstructed the complete IPyA pathway in <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> 168, which increased IAA production by approximately 98% compared to that in the wild-type strain. Overall, this study elucidates the IAA biosynthetic network in W101 and highlights its potential as a core strain for sustainable microbial inoculant development in green agriculture.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}