For almost a decade, our knowledge on the organisation of the family 1 UDP‐glycosyltransferases (UGTs) has been limited to the model plant A. thaliana. The availability of other plant genomes ...represents an opportunity to obtain a broader view of the family in terms of evolution and organisation. Family 1 UGTs are known to glycosylate several classes of plant secondary metabolites. A phylogeny reconstruction study was performed to get an insight into the evolution of this multigene family during the adaptation of plants to life on land. The organisation of the UGTs in the different organisms was also investigated. More than 1500 putative UGTs were identified in 12 fully sequenced and assembled plant genomes based on the highly conserved PSPG motif. Analyses by maximum likelihood (ML) method were performed to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships existing between the sequences. The results of this study clearly show that the UGT family expanded during the transition from algae to vascular plants and that in higher plants the clustering of UGTs into phylogenetic groups appears to be conserved, although gene loss and gene gain events seem to have occurred in certain lineages. Interestingly, two new phylogenetic groups, named O and P, that are not present in A. thaliana were discovered.
Compelling evidence of the health benefits of phenolic compounds and their impact on food quality have stimulated the development of analytical methods for the identification and quantification of ...these compounds in different matrices in recent years. A targeted metabolomics method has been developed for the quantification of 135 phenolics, such as benzoates, phenylpropanoids, coumarins, stilbenes, dihydrochalcones, and flavonoids, in fruit and tea extracts and wine using UPLC/QqQ-MS/MS. Chromatography was optimized to achieve separation of the compounds over a period of 15 min, and MRM transitions were selected for accurate quantification. The method was validated by studying the detection and quantification limits, the linearity ranges, and the intraday and interday repeatability of the analysis. The validated method was applied to the analysis of apples, berries, green tea, and red wine, providing a valuable tool for food quality evaluation and breeding studies.
Graphene is undoubtedly the carbon allotrope that has attracted the attention of a myriad of researchers in the last decades more than any other. The interaction of external or intercalated Li and Li
...with graphene layers has been the subject of particular attention for its importance in the applications of graphene layers in Lithium Batteries (LiBs). It is well known that lithium atoms and Li
can be found inside and/or outside the double layer of graphene, and the graphene layers are often twisted around its parallel plane to obtain twisted graphene with tuneable properties. Thus, in this research, the interactions between Li and Li
with bilayer graphene and twisted bilayer graphene were investigated by a first-principles density functional theory method, considering the lithium atom and the cation at different symmetry positions and with two different adsorption configurations. Binding energies and equilibrium interlayer distances of filled graphene layers were obtained from the computed potential energy profiles. This work shows that the twisting can regulate the interaction of bilayer graphene with Li and Li
. The binding energies of Li
systematically increase from bilayer graphene to twisted graphene regardless of twisted angles, while for lithium atoms, the binding energies decrease or remain substantially unchanged depending on the twist angles. This suggests a higher adsorption capacity of twisted graphene towards Li
, which is important for designing twisted graphene-based material for LiB anode coating. Furthermore, when the Li or Li
is intercalated between two graphene layers, the equilibrium interlayer distances in the twisted layers increase compared to the unrotated bilayer, and the relaxation is more significant for Li
with respect to Li. This suggests that the twisted graphene can better accommodate the cation in agreement with the above result. The outcomes of this research pave the way for the study of the selective properties of twisted graphene.
Mercury (Hg(II)) has been classified as a pollutant and its removal from aqueous sources is considered a priority for public health as well as ecosystem protection policies. Oxidized graphenes have ...attracted vast interest in water purification and wastewater treatment. In this report, a partially reduced graphene oxide is proposed as a pristine adsorbent material for Hg(II) removal. The proposed material exhibits a high saturation Hg(II) uptake capacity of 110.21 mg g
, and can effectively reduce the Hg(II) concentration from 150 mg L
to concentrations smaller than 40 mg L
, with an efficiency of about 75% within 20 min. The adsorption of Hg(II) on reduced graphene oxide shows a mixed physisorption-chemisorption process. Density functional theory calculations confirm that Hg atom adsorbs preferentially on clean zones rather than locations containing oxygen functional groups. The present work, therefore, presents new findings for Hg(II) adsorbent materials based on partially reduced graphene oxide, providing a new perspective for removing Hg(II).
The measurement of the skin carotenoids using the Veggie Meter® has emerged as a rapid objective method for assessing fruit and vegetable intake, highly recommended by the Mediterranean Diet (MD), ...which represents one of the healthiest dietary patterns, worldwide. This study aimed to examine differences in skin carotenoid content and degree of adherence to the MD pattern between two adult populations from Southern Italy and the Dominican Republic.
This cross-sectional study enrolled a total of 995 adults, 601 subjects from Italy and 394 from the Dominican Republic. All participants underwent anthropometric measurements and skin carotenoid assessment by Veggie Meter®. Adherence to the MD and lifestyle were evaluated using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and the Mediterranean Lifestyle Index (MEDLIFE) questionnaires. Correlations between the skin carotenoid and MEDAS score were estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Multiple linear regression models were created to determine variables that affect skin carotenoid score for both populations.
Mean total skin carotenoids were higher in the Italian compared to the Dominican Republic population (342.4 ± 92.4 vs 282.9 ± 90.3; p < 0.005) regardless of sex (women: 318.5 ± 88.9 vs 277.3 ± 91.9, p < 0.005 and men: 371.7 ± 88.3 vs 289.5 ± 88.1, p < 0.005), and remaining statistically significant after age-adjustment of the Dominican Republic sample. Using the MEDAS questionnaire, we found a higher MD adherence score in the Italian than in the Dominican Republic population also after age-adjusting data (7.8 ± 2.1 vs 6.2 ± 3.7; p < 0.005) and even when categorized by sex (Italian vs age-adjusted Dominican Republic women: 7.9 ± 2.1 vs 6.3 ± 2.6; Italian vs age-adjusted Dominican Republic men: 7.7 ± 2.2 vs 6.0 ± 4.7; p < 0.005). Using the MEDLIFE test, total Italians presented a lower score with respect to the age-adjusted Dominican Republic population (3.2 ± 1.2 vs 3.4 ± 1.4; p < 0.05). In multiple regression analysis, skin carotenoids were associated with sex and negatively associated with BMI in the Italian population (sex: β: 54.95; 95% CI: 40.11, 69.78; p < 0.0001; BMI: β: - 1.60; 95% CI: - 2.98,0.86; p = 0.03), while they resulted associated with age and sex in the Dominican Republic population (age: β: 2.76; 95% CI: 1.92, 3.56; p < 0.001; sex: β: 23.29; 95% CI: 5.93, 40.64; p = 0.009). Interestingly, skin carotenoids were positively correlated with MEDAS score in both populations (Italy: r = 0.03, p < 0.0001, Dominican Republic: r = 0.16, p = 0.002).
This study provides the assessment of the adherence to the MD and skin carotenoid content in adults living in Southern Italy and the Dominican Republic, showing a higher MD adherence score and a skin carotenoid content in inhabitants from the Mediterranean region. Our findings highlight the need to globally encourage fruit and vegetable intake, particularly in non-Mediterranean area.
Recently, green-prepared oxidized graphenes have attracted huge interest in water purification and wastewater treatment. Herein, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was prepared by a scalable and ...eco-friendly method, and its potential use for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from water systems, was explored. The present work includes the green protocol to produce rGO and respective spectroscopical and morphological characterizations, as well as several kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamic analyses to successfully demonstrate the adsorption of MB. The pseudo-second-order model was appropriated to describe the adsorption kinetics of MB onto rGO, suggesting an equilibrium time of 30 min. Otherwise, the Langmuir model was more suitable to describe the adsorption isotherms, indicating a maximum adsorption capacity of 121.95 mg g
at 298 K. In addition, kinetics and thermodynamic analyses demonstrated that the adsorption of MB onto rGO can be treated as a mixed physisorption-chemisorption process described by H-bonding, electrostatic, and π - π interactions. These results show the potential of green-prepared rGO to remove cationic dyes from wastewater systems.
Among the various two-dimensional semiconductors, indium selenide has recently triggered the interest of scientific community, due to its band gap matching the visible region of the electromagnetic ...spectrum, with subsequent potential applications in optoelectronics and especially in photodetection. In this feature article, we discuss the main issues in the synthesis, the ambient stability and the application capabilities of this novel class of two-dimensional semiconductors, by evidencing open challenges and pitfalls. In particular, we evidence how the growth of single crystals with reduced amount of Se vacancies is crucial in the road map for the exploitation of indium selenide in technology through ambient-stable nanodevices with outstanding values of both mobility of charge carriers and ON/OFF ratio. The surface chemical reactivity of the InSe surface, as well as applications in the fields of broadband photodetection, flexible electronics and solar energy conversion are also discussed.
Gibberellins (GAs) are involved in the regulation of flowering and fruit-set in grapes (Vitis vinifera L.), but the molecular mechanisms behind this process are mostly unknown. In this work, the ...family of grapevine GA oxidases involved in the biosynthesis and deactivation of GAs was characterized. Six putative GA 20-oxidase (GA20ox), three GA 3-oxidase (GA3ox), and eight GA 2-oxidase (GA2ox) proteins, the latter further divided into five C19-GA 2ox and three C20-GA2ox proteins, were identified. Phylogenetic analyses suggest a common origin of the GA3ox and C19-GA2ox groups and challenge previous evolutionary models. In vitro analysis revealed that all GA3ox and GA20ox enzymes prefer substrates of the non-13-hydroxylation pathway. In addition, ectopic expression of GA2ox genes in Arabidopsis thaliana confirmed the activity of their encoded proteins in vivo. The results show that bioactive GA1 accumulates in opening grapevine flowers, whereas at later developmental stages only GA4 is detected in the setting fruit. By studying the expression pattern of the grapevine GA oxidase genes in different organs, and at different stages of flowering and fruit-set, it is proposed that the pool of bioactive GAs is controlled by a fine regulation of the abundance and localization of GA oxidase transcripts.
The oxidative exfoliation of graphite is a promising approach to the large-scale production of graphene. Conventional oxidation of graphite essentially facilitates the exfoliation process; however, ...the oxidation procedure releases toxic gases and requires extensive, time-consuming steps of washing and reduction to convert exfoliated graphene oxide (GO) into reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Although toxic gases can be controlled by modifying chemical reactions, filtration, dialysis, and extensive sonication are unfavorable for large-scale production. Here, we report a complete, scalable, and green synthesis of GO, without NaNO
, followed by reduction with citric acid (CA). This approach eliminates the generation of toxic gases, simplifies the washing steps, and reduces the time required to prepare rGO. To validate the proposed method, we present spectroscopical and morphological studies, using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), UV-visible spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) is used to analyze the thermal properties of GO and rGO. This eco-friendly method proposes a complete guideline protocol toward large-scale production of oxidized graphene, with potential applications in supercapacitors, fuel cells, composites, batteries, and biosensors.
Plants produce an enormous array of biologically active metabolites, often with stereochemical variations on the same molecular scaffold. These changes in stereochemistry dramatically impact ...biological activity. Notably, the stereoisomers of the heteroyohimbine alkaloids show diverse pharmacological activities. We reported a medium chain dehydrogenase/reductase (MDR) from Catharanthus roseus that catalyses formation of a heteroyohimbine isomer. Here we report the discovery of additional heteroyohimbine synthases (HYSs), one of which produces a mixture of diastereomers. The crystal structures for three HYSs have been solved, providing insight into the mechanism of reactivity and stereoselectivity, with mutation of one loop transforming product specificity. Localization and gene silencing experiments provide a basis for understanding the function of these enzymes in vivo. This work sets the stage to explore how MDRs evolved to generate structural and biological diversity in specialized plant metabolism and opens the possibility for metabolic engineering of new compounds based on this scaffold.
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