Current Research in Biotechnology最新文献

Treating anaerobic digestion (AD) slurry as industrial wastewater not only consumes a significant amount of energy but also wastes its inherent abundant nutrients, particularly the high ammonium content. Ammonia recovery from AD slurry has attracted attention in recent years and biochar has tentatively been used to adsorb ammonia nitrogen. However, most of the previous studies used pure ammonium chloride solution to simulate ammonia-rich wastewater and ignored the influence of other components. Furthermore, how the physico-chemical properties of biochar influence the adsorption performance of ammonia in AD slurry remains unknown. Therefore, this study focused on the investigation of the adsorption behavior of different types of biochar to ammonia nitrogen in AD slurry. Biochar generated from rice straw, coconut shell, and wood shaving under pyrolysis temperatures of 300 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C were used to adsorb ammonia from food waste (FW) AD slurry, and five different particle sizes of biochar were also tested. The results showed that biochar derived from rice straw (up to 9.44 mg/g) and coconut shell (up to 8.86 mg/g) had higher ammonium adsorption capacity than biochar derived from wood shaving (up to 5.13 mg/g). Moreover, low pyrolysis temperature resulted in high adsorption capacity, while particle size and surface area of the biochar were not the critical factors determining the adsorption capacity. The correlation results demonstrated that the H/C (aromaticity), O/C (hydrophilicity), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and ash content influenced the adsorption significantly. Based on the kinetics model results, it seems that physical adsorption was the main adsorption mechanism, while ion exchange and reaction with function groups also contributed to the adsorption. Moreover, the lower adsorption capacity was observed in this study where the real FW AD slurry was used as compared to other studies where pure ammonium chloride solution was used, which implied that microorganisms in FW AD slurry may colonize on the surface or pores of biochar, resulting in a negative effect on the adsorption capacity of biochar. The results derived from this study provided technical support for ammonia recovery of AD slurry.

Nanoscale copper oxide (CuO NPs) with diameters in the 80–150 nm range has been biosynthesized using lipopeptide biosurfactant derived from Bacillus vallismortis and characterized by XRD and FE-SEM. The CuO NPs could be introduced as nanocarrier systems for combination therapy and a potential candidate for antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-diabetic activity. The antibacterial activity of CuO NPs was studied by incorporating the nanoparticles with fluorescent antibiotic Ciprofloxacin HCL (CIP) to form CIP@CuO NPs and tracked inside HEK-293 cell lines. The MIC values of CIP@CuO NPs against 1 × 10⁶ CFU ml⁻¹ Pseudomonas aeruginosa was determined to be 76 µg ml⁻¹and 69 µg ml⁻¹ against 1 × 10⁶ CFU ml⁻¹ Staphylococcus aureus. The CuO NPs were conjugated with the anticancer drug Doxorubicin (DOX) to form DOX@CuONPs, improving delivery toward cancer (HeLa) cells. The intracellular uptake of the drug-loaded CuO NPs was confirmed from confocal micrographs. Finally, the in vitro anti-diabetic activity of lipopeptide-coated CuO NPs was confirmed by the inhibitory activity of α-amylase. In contrast, the in vivo anti-diabetic efficacy of CuO NPs was validated by a significant reduction in blood glucose and glutathione levels. The CuO NPs positively affected the histopathological changes of the pancreas in induced diabetic mice. Cytotoxicity testing with Zebrafish demonstrated abnormal organ development with varying viability and hatching rates at 72 and 96 hpf, with an LC₅₀ of 45 µg/l. Aside from the various potential medicinal characteristics, the study provided valuable information on cytotoxic impact, which can be used in future investigations of their eco-toxicological impacts.

Naturally occurring cinnamic acid derivatives are a broad family of aromatic carboxylic acids with bioactive properties. Among the cinnamic acid derivatives, for instance, are ferulic acid and caffeic acid, which have been widely studied for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These active ingredients are mostly poorly soluble in water, which greatly limits their bioavailability. To increase the bioavailability of these acids, green esterification protocols can be developed exploiting lipases. In particular, this article reports the process optimization for the enzymatic esterification of nine cinnamic acid derivatives with erythritol, a polyol highly soluble in water. The study explores how the different substituents present on the aromatic ring of the cinnamic acid derivatives affect the catalytic capacity of the Candida antarctica lipase type B. The study, conducted through both molecular docking and experimental evidence, shows how hydroxyl groups on the aromatic ring can strongly limit the conversion of the acids to the corresponding esters. At the same time, the degree of unsaturation of the derivative also influences the favorable poses in the active site of the lipase. The best results (yields over 95 %) were obtained with 10 g/L of lipase, a temperature of 90 °C, molar ratio (acid/alcohol) of 3:1, for 72 h of reaction time.

The widespread use of glyphosate has significantly increased its presence in drinking water sources. Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA), a breakdown product of glyphosate, is challenging to remove from water using conventional treatment methods, posing risks to public health and environmental safety. This work investigates the biodegradation of AMPA by bacteria isolated from three environmental sources, with a focus on determining their potential application in water treatment systems. Two samples were collected from granular activated carbon (GAC) filters of different operational durations at a water treatment facility, and one sample was taken from soil that had historically been treated with glyphosate-based herbicides. Bacterial isolates capable of degrading AMPA were identified from these samples through selective enrichment, and kinetic degradation experiments were then conducted to assess their effectiveness. In environmental samples, after 48 hrs AMPA removal was > 70 % using GAC from an active treatment plant and soil samples removed 19 %. After bacterial isolation a consortium was isolated and from these four isolates were identified, comprising three species, including novel AMPA degraders M−S3 and M−SS (Myroides sp. mNGS23), and P-S92 (Pseudochrobactrum saccharolyticum). Within both minimal media supplemented with AMPA and raw untreated showing substrate concentrations above 10 mg/L whilst the specific degradation rates saw a decrease in substrate concentrations above 100 mg/L. AMPA removal occured in pilot scale sand filters augmented with P-S92 but removal was inconsistent. These findings show the potential of using biodegradation as an effective treatment strategy for AMPA removal from water. The identification of AMPA-degrading bacteria offers a promising solution for enhancing the removal of this persistent pollutant from contaminated waters. Further research is recommended to explore the full-scale application of these isolates in water treatment processes. This study contributes to the development of sustainable water treatment technologies by harnessing the natural degradative capacities of environmental bacteria.

Human cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality. Traditional treatment methods, while effective are often associated with substantial side effects, high technical requirements, and considerable expenses. Recently, anticancer peptides, such as dolastatin-type peptides naturally found in marine mollusc Dolabella auricularia, have gained attention due to their enhanced characteristics and specific targeting of cancer cells with minimal toxicity to normal cells. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the anticancer activities of natural dolastatins and synthetic analogues over the past 35 years, focusing on their utilization in advancing cancer treatment strategies. This updated review encompasses a detailed analysis of numerous studies demonstrating the cytotoxic effects of dolastatins and their synthetic analogues on various human tumour cell lines. The analysis includes investigations into their ability to activate apoptosis pathways, inhibit cell cycle progression, and indirectly limit inflammation and angiogenesis in tumours. Both natural dolastatins and synthetic analogues have demonstrated significant anticancer properties through a variety of mechanisms in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies. Some have even advanced to clinical trials, either alone or in combination with other agents, and have shown promising outcomes. The biological activities of dolastatins and their synthetic analogues offer a promising path in the development of more effective and sustainable anticancer drugs. Their specific action on cancer cells and relative non-toxicity to normal cells highlight their potential as superior cancer therapeutic agents. The current study provides a platform for the most recent preclinical and clinical research on dolastatins and their analogues. Further research into these marine peptides may contribute to the development of sustainable and efficient treatment models for cancer, filling a significant gap in the current cancer therapeutic portfolio.

As of early 2022, Mpox has resurged and expanded globally, posing a new threat to global health. In close to 110 countries, 87,000 confirmed cases and 112 deaths have been reported as on April 18, 2023. Considering the current pandemic crisis and future developments, it is imperative to understand and characterize the global patent scenario of Mpox. In biological sciences, patents are often promising indicators of technological knowledge production. This patent landscape analysis is the first to provide a solid intellectual foundation for the ongoing development of diagnostic measures, therapeutic drug agents, and vaccines for Mpox. Our search encompassed several patent databases to identify patents related to Mpox, including PatSeer, Google patents, lens.org, Espacenet, and Patentscope. Patenting trends are discussed, and a Whitespace analysis is carried out in this paper, suggesting the knowledge gaps and promising areas for future research on Mpox. This study could serve as an epicentre for provoking ideas and mitigation strategies.

The human gut microbiome is an intricate ecosystem with profound implications for host metabolism, immune function, and neuroendocrine activity. Over the years, studies have strived to decode this microbial universe, especially its interactions with human health and underlying metabolic processes. Traditional analyses often struggle with the complex interplay within the microbiome due to presumptions of microbial independence. In response, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) provide advanced multivariate and non-linear analytical tools that adeptly capture the complex interactions within the microbiota. With the influx of data from metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), there's an increasing reliance on these artificial intelligence (AI) subsets to derive actionable insights. This review delves deep into the cutting-edge ML techniques tailored for human gut microbiota research. It further underscores the potential of gut microbiota in shaping clinical diagnostics, prognosis, and intervention strategies, pointing to a future where computational methods bridge the gap between microbiome knowledge and targeted health interventions.

We evaluated the myogenic potential of muscle stem cells (MuSCs) derived from three distinct chicken purebreds—Rhode Island Red (RIR), White Leghorn (WL), and Cornish (CN). Chicken MuSCs were isolated from the breast muscles of chicken embryos on embryonic day 18 using a pre-plating method. Subsequently, the cells underwent a three-day proliferation period, followed by a three-day differentiation phase. WL MuSCs exhibited higher myogenic potential initially compared to RIR and CN. Despite a relatively lower proliferation rate, WL demonstrated a higher proportion of PAX7-positive cells and showed higher expression of myogenic regulatory factor genes than the other breeds. During differentiation, MuSCs from WL formed thicker muscle fibers and showed the highest proportion of myosin-heavy chain-positive cells than MuSCs from other breeds. Additionally, the expression of MYH1, associated with muscle maturation, was highest in WL. Overall, this finding suggests that the myogenic potential of MuSCs from WL surpasses those of RIR and CN. Given the fact that WL is primarily used for egg laying with a low growth rate in the traditional poultry industry, the present study highlights the crucial distinction between selecting production characteristics in conventional animal husbandry and those desirable for cultured meat production.