Biotechnology and applied biochemistry最新文献

The derivatives of poly-lysines have a wide range of applications such as food additives, drug carriers, nanoparticles, and hydrogels. The ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is one of the important derivatives of poly-lysine. Due to its biodegradability, water solubility, and non-toxicity; ε-PL is the most preferred one in these areas. Streptomycetaceae strains produce ε-PL and the main industrial producer microorganism is Streptomyces albulus. ε-PL can be produced by chemical or biological processes; however, fermentation processes are preferable for its yield. To sustain cost-effective production, different studies were performed in the approach of strain isolation and improvement, medium optimization, operation modes, and innovative separation and purification methods. This review discusses recent advancements in purification methods, highlighting techniques that enhance purity and scalability for industrial applications and provides valuable insights to optimize ε-PL production and tailor its properties for diverse applications.

This research verified the in vitro study of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) extract and cell-free supernatant (CFS) produced from various probiotic Lactobacillus strains and evaluated its function of anti-obesity. The production of SCFAs produced from the combination of L. paracasei SD1 and L. rhamnosus SD11 provided the highest SCFAs content at fermentation at 24 h and 45°C. The CFS exhibits a markedly stronger ability to prevent adipogenesis compared to the extract. Specifically, the combination of L. paracasei SD1 and L. rhamnosus SD11 demonstrates the highest suppression of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. It was observed that the CFS had a dose-dependently inhibitory effect on adipocyte differentiation, which was linked to a significant downregulation of gene expression levels of C/EBP-β, C/EBP-α, PPARγ, FAS, and LPL. The findings revealed the possibility of utilizing the CFS as a functional food due to its anti-obesity abilities by suppression of adipogenesis/lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

The traditional art of rice beer brewing represents a vital element of the cultural heritage of an ethnic group of southern Assam, India. This study explores the indigenous knowledge, preparation techniques, and socio-cultural significance of rice beer among five ethnic groups, namely the Dimasa Kachari, Hmar, Zeme Naga, Karbi, and Tea tribes. The study was conducted from May to October 2023, across the districts of Cachar, Hailakandi, and Sribhumi, where 49 households were visited and elderly participants aged 50-70 years were interviewed following informed consent. The investigation documented detailed methods of fermentation and variations in starter culture preparation. The plant species used were Acacia pennata, Glycyrrhiza glabra, and Croton joufra, while one species, Ndhui gei, remains unidentified. The findings of the study reveal that rice beer holds distinct ritual, medicinal, and social functions within each community, symbolizing spirituality, unity, and cultural continuity. This study contributes to the preservation of indigenous ethnobotanical knowledge and highlights the biochemical and cultural diversity associated with traditional fermentation practices. Future studies integrating microbial and metabolomic analyses could further elucidate the functional and nutritional potential of these age-old brewing systems, promoting their scientific validation and sustainable preservation.

Gastrointestinal cancers (GICs) constitute one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite currently available therapeutic strategies, new approaches and procedures are needed for their prevention and treatment. In this context, bacterial pigments are compounds with diverse biological activities, including anticancer properties. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the in vitro antitumor activity of pigments derived from bacteria against GICs. A total of 350 articles published between January 2015 and January 2025 were identified from three electronic databases, although only 27 were finally selected after following established inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results showed that prodigiosin was the most frequently studied bacterial pigment, followed by phycocyanin and violacein, whereas colorectal and liver cancers were the most common types of GICs in which these pigments were tested. In addition, these in vitro studies reflected the mechanisms of action responsible for the antiproliferative activity of bacterial pigments, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, autophagy modulation, and oxidative stress. In conclusion, the great ability of bacteria to produce pigments provides a potentially valuable source of novel candidate compounds for cancer therapy, but further studies in this field will be necessary to prove their value as antitumor agents.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are recognized for their regulatory role in cancer progression and metastasis. However, their specific expression profiles and biological functions in breast cancer (BC) have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we found that circ_0105487 exhibited upregulation in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumor tissues and cell lines. Moreover, its overexpression led to an enhancement in TNBC cell growth in vitro, whereas its knockdown had the opposite effect. Our in vivo experiments demonstrated that the knockdown of circ_0105487 inhibited lung metastasis in TNBC. Mechanistically, we found that circ_0105487 was associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and induced N-cadherin in TNBC cells. Rescue experiments showed that N-cadherin knockdown attenuated the effects of circ_0105487 overexpression on TNBC metastasis. In conclusion, circ_0105487 is an oncologic factor that promotes TNBC growth and metastasis and presents a novel therapeutic target for TNBC.

Most genotoxic compounds are potentially used for therapeutic purposes against various diseases, particularly cancer types, either alone or in combination with other drugs. However, these drug combinations have detrimental adverse effects during or post the treatment procedures. To deeply understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the onset or progression of toxicity upon drug treatment, the current work establishes a systematic in silico approach that applies the microarray gene expression data to predict specific mechanisms through which hepatotoxicity is induced. To achieve this, about six in vivo genotoxic drugs are selected such as three chemotherapeutic drugs (cyclophosphamide [CP], cisplatin [CPT], and etoposide [ETP]) and three antibiotic drugs (ethionamide [ETO], chloramphenicol [CPL], and erythromycin ethyl succinate [EES]) based on their direct or indirect mechanisms in inducing hepatotoxicity. Rattus norvegicus liver tissue microarray expression datasets for the selected genotoxic drugs that are available in the Open Toxicogenomics Project-Genomics Assisted Toxicity Evaluation Systems (Open TG-GATES) database have been unpacked using robust software such as dChip and R to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Further, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks are constructed, and the genotoxic drugs are functionally analyzed for Gene Ontology Biological Process (GOBP) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) using the STRING v12 database. The study has been extended to principal component analysis (PCA) wherein the genotoxic drugs are combined to examine the effects of combinations against hepatotoxicity. The study concludes that 4 of the 15 combinations-CPT/CPL, CP/CPT, EES/CP, and ETP/CPL-possess the potency in causing hepatotoxicity, possibly through chemical carcinogenesis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) receptor activation mechanism leading to genotoxic drug-induced liver injury.

Polytetrafluoroethylene nanoparticles (PTFE NPs) are used as nanoadditives due to their high melting temperatures and strong covalent connections between carbon and fluorine. PTFE NPs have a wide applications as coating materials, aircraft industry, chemical industry, and solar panels for energy savings. Interestingly, despite its widespread use, there is no comprehensive risk assessment study regarding on human health and environment. For the first time, in vitro and in ovo toxicological profile of PTFE NPs was investigated on different cell types depending on their characteristic properties in this study. According to the results, it was observed that PTFE NPs significantly affected cell viability on L929 and A549 cell lines and also exhibited dose-dependent ROS formation on L929 cells. PTFE NPs inhibited cell migration on the L929 cell line but, on the contrary, activated cell migration on the A549 cell line. It was seen that PTFE NPs caused haemolysis at high doses and exhibited lysis from the second minute on vascular membrane which is in the moderate irritation category in HET-CAM test. In conclusion, PTFE NPs exhibited significant toxic effects on different cell types, so, there are concerns about their safe use. In addition, further studies and comprehensive risk assessments should be needed for investigations.

This paper presents the sustainable and eco-friendly biogenic Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles synthesized using the fruit extract of Anthocephalus cadamba integrated over the PVP matrix to create a nanocomposite. These nanocomposites are found to be effective in creating the hydrophobic antimicrobial surface. SEM images indicated ZnO's homogeneous distribution in polymeric PVP. The generated ZnO/PVP nanocomposite has a 15.4 nm crystallite size according to Scherrer's equation and XRD measurements. Microstructure thermal stability is important for applications that need temperature resistance. Hydrophobic surfaces made from the ZnO/PVP nanocomposite are self-cleaning and resilient to different temperatures. The outcome of XTT experiment indicated the antimicrobial activities of the nanocomposite against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, showing a dose-dependent reduction in the metabolic activity from 20 to 100 µg/mL. Confocal laser scanning microscopic (CLSM) studies showed the nanocomposite's inhibitory propensity against P. aeruginosa biofilm, with maximum inhibition observed at 100 µg/mL. ZnO and PVP provide a robust, water-repellent coating with prospective applications in aerospace, automotive, and construction. This work presents a simple and cost-effective way to make lasting hydrophobic coatings that resist bacterial surface contamination, achieving a water contact angle of 98.6^° with three-layer deposition. Hence this paper discusses a novel concept of combining biogenic ZnO with PVP to create a single nanocomposite that offers hydrophobic, antibacterial, and antibiofilm properties.

Proteases are groups of enzymes that can cleave proteins into smaller fragments and maintain homeostasis. They have wide applications in the food processing, detergent, leather, biotechnological, and pharmaceutical industries. The plant-derived proteolytic enzymes are finding increasing clinical and industrial applications. The spice seeds are not explored as sources of raw material for protease production. Carom (Trachyspermum ammi) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum) are common spice seeds as well as medicinal plants used in traditional medicine. This study focuses on the isolation, purification, and characterization of proteases from these spice seeds. The extracted protein after ammonium sulfate precipitation was purified by anion exchange chromatography. Proteolytic activity was studied by azocasein assay for quantitative detection in the presence and absence of inhibitors and metal ions. Protease action was shown in gelatin zymography and BSA digestion. The molecular weights of purified protease from coriander and carom seed are, respectively, around 57 and 52 kDa. Coriander protease is found to be a serine protease in nature, and carom protease is a cysteine protease in nature. The purified proteases were characterized for secondary structure by circular dichroic spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy, and confirmed that a major part of the purified proteases is of beta sheet type. Both the proteases showed milk coagulation properties, which can be explored further.

Purpose: This study sought to identify radiotherapy- and immune-related genes linked to prognosis, as well as develop a predictive model for thyroid cancer (THCA).

Methods: The THCA transcriptomic dataset was obtained from the UCSC Xena Database, followed by screening for differentially expressed immune-related genes (DE-IRGs) linked to radiotherapy sensitivity. Then, a risk score (RS) predictive model for patient stratification was developed by selecting DE-IRGs associated with prognosis, and its efficacy was evaluated using a nomogram and receiver operating characteristic curves. Next, KEGG pathways and immune cell infiltration patterns in different risk categories were estimated.

Results: Our study identified 40 DE-IRGs in THCA, and nine genes, including ULBP2, PDIA3, PIK3R3, PGF, CAMP, CLDN4, GRP, SFTPA1, and NR1D1, were identified as characteristic genes. Subjects with low RS have better survival outcomes. The prediction nomogram was constructed by using the RS model, radiotherapy, and age. Patients across different risk groups showed distinct involvement in 11 KEGG pathways, including tyrosine metabolism, glycine serine, and threonine metabolism, as well as infiltration of eight immune cells, such as T-cell follicular helper, B-cell plasma, T-cell regulatory (Tregs), and T-cell CD4⁺ memory resting. Among the selected DE-IRGs, PDIA3, PGF, and GRP were related to more immune-related items than other genes.

Conclusion: A prognostic model utilizing the RS value was successfully proposed. Meanwhile, we identified PDIA3, PGF, and GRP as novel treatment biomarkers for THCA.