Pathogenic
(
) widely exist in Nature and have always been a serious threat to the human health. Conventional colony forming units counting-based methods are quite time consuming and not fit for ...rapid detection for
. Therefore, novel strategies for improving detection efficiency and sensitivity are in great demand. Aptamers have been widely used in various sensors due to their extremely high affinity and specificity. Successful applications of aptamers have been found in the rapid detection of pathogenic
. Herein, we present the latest advances in screening of aptamers for
, and review the preparation and application of aptamer-based biosensors in rapid detection of
. Furthermore, the problems and new trends in these aptamer-based biosensors for rapid detection of pathogenic microorganism are also discussed.
The binary skutterudite CoSb
3
is a narrow bandgap semiconductor thermoelectric (TE) material with a relatively flat band structure and excellent electrical performance. However, thermal conductivity ...is very high because of the covalent bond between Co and Sb, resulting in a very low
ZT
value. Therefore, researchers have been trying to reduce its thermal conductivity by the different optimization methods. In addition, the synergistic optimization of the electrical and thermal transport parameters is also a key to improve the
ZT
value of CoSb
3
material because the electrical and thermal transport parameters of TE materials are closely related to each other by the band structure and scattering mechanism. This review summarizes the main research progress in recent years to reduce the thermal conductivity of CoSb
3
-based materials at atomic-molecular scale and nano-mesoscopic scale. We also provide a simple summary of achievements made in recent studies on the non-equilibrium preparation technologies of CoSb
3
-based materials and synergistic optimization of the electrical and thermal transport parameters. In addition, the research progress of CoSb
3
-based TE devices in recent years is also briefly discussed.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is one of the most special and important Raman techniques. An apparent Raman signal can be observed when the target molecules are absorbed onto the surface of ...the SERS substrates, especially on the "hot spots" of the substrates. Early research focused on exploring the highly active SERS substrates and their detection applications in label-free SERS technology. However, it is a great challenge to use these label-free SERS sensors for detecting hydrophobic or non-polar molecules, especially in complex systems or at low concentrations. Therefore, antibodies, aptamers, and antimicrobial peptides have been used to effectively improve the target selectivity and meet the analysis requirements. Among these selective elements, aptamers are easy to use for synthesis and modifications, and their stability, affinity and specificity are extremely good; they have been successfully used in a variety of testing areas. The combination of SERS detection technology and aptamer recognition ability not only improved the selection accuracy of target molecules, but also improved the sensitivity of the analysis. Variations of aptamer-based SERS sensors have been developed and have achieved satisfactory results in the analysis of small molecules, pathogenic microorganism, mycotoxins, tumor marker and other functional molecules, as well as in successful photothermal therapy of tumors. Herein, we present the latest advances of the aptamer-based SERS sensors, as well as the assembling sensing platforms and the strategies for signal amplification. Furthermore, the existing problems and potential trends of the aptamer-based SERS sensors are discussed.
Abstract
In fleshy fruits, organic acids are the main source of fruit acidity and play an important role in regulating osmotic pressure, pH homeostasis, stress resistance, and fruit quality. The ...transport of organic acids from the cytosol to the vacuole and their storage are complex processes. A large number of transporters carry organic acids from the cytosol to the vacuole with the assistance of various proton pumps and enzymes. However, much remains to be explored regarding the vacuolar transport mechanism of organic acids as well as the substances involved and their association. In this review, recent advances in the vacuolar transport mechanism of organic acids in plants are summarized from the perspectives of transporters, channels, proton pumps, and upstream regulators to better understand the complex regulatory networks involved in fruit acid formation.
• Climate-driven phenological change across local spatial gradients leads to leaf shape variation. At higher elevations, leaves of broadleaf species tend to become narrower, but the underlying ...molecular mechanism is largely unknown.
• In this study, a series of morphometric analyses and biochemical assays, combined with functional identification in apple, were performed.
• We show that the decrease in apple leaf width with increasing altitude is controlled by a basic/helix–loop–helix transcription factor (bHLH TF), MdbHLH3. The MdbHLH3-overexpressing lines have a lower transcript abundance of MdPIN1 encoding an auxin efflux carrier but a higher transcript abundance of MdGH3-2 encoding a putative auxin amido conjugate synthase, resulting in a lower free auxin concentration; feeding the transgenic leaves with exogenous auxin partially restores leaf width. MdbHLH3 transcriptionally suppresses and activates MdPIN1 and MdGH3-2, respectively, by specifically binding to their promoters. This alters auxin homeostasis and transport, consequently leading to changes in leaf shape.
• These findings suggest that the bHLH TF MdbHLH3 directly modulates auxin signaling in controlling leaf shape in response to local spatial gradients in apple.
•Overexpression of MdABCI17, an ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter located in the tonoplast, significantly promotes anthocyanin accumulation in apple.•This study provides insight into the ...mechanism of MdABCI17-medicated anthocyanin accumulation, which will be useful for improving anthocyanin metabolism in apple and other plants.•This study facilitates the understanding of the roles of tonoplast proteins in plants and provides a novel strategy to improve the quality of apple fruit and other crops.
As a key colorant and antioxidant in human diets, anthocyanin is biosynthesized in cytosols and transported to vacuoles and other sites for storage. Therefore, the tonoplast transporters of anthocyanin play a key role in the anthocyanin storage and accumulation of plants. In this study, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter MdABCI17, which is located in the tonoplast, was identified. There was a positive correlation between the MdABCI17 expression and the anthocyanin accumulation during apple fruit ripening. Transgenic analysis showed that up-regulation of MdABCI17 expression in apple fruit and calli significantly increased anthocyanin content. Additionally, the expression of multiple anthocyanin biosynthesize genes, such as MdANS, MdCHS, MdCHI, MdDFR, and MdUFGT, was remarkably upregulated in apple fruit and calli with upregulated expression of MdABCI17, further demonstrating the critical role of MdABCI17 in the anthocyanin accumulation of apple. In summary, the expression of MdABCI17 had positive effects on anthocyanin accumulation, which will be useful for improving the quality of apple and other plants.
The genus Alisma contains 11 species distributed worldwide, of which at least two species (A. orientale Sam. Juzep. and A. plantago‐aquatica Linn.) have been used as common herbal medicines. ...Secondary metabolites obtained from the genus Alisma are considered to be the material basis for the various biological functions and medicinal applications. In this review, we mainly focused on the recent investigations of secondary metabolites from plants of the genus Alisma and their biological activities, with the highlighting on the diversity of the chemical structures, the biosynthesis of interesting secondary metabolites, the biological activities, and the relationships between structures and bioactivities.
Anthocyanins have essential biological functions, affecting the development of horticultural production. They are synthesized in the cytoplasm through flavonoid metabolic pathways and finally ...transported into vacuoles for storage. Plant glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are multifunctional enzymes involved in anthocyanin transportation. In this study, we identified 38 GSTs from the apple (
) genome (HFTH1 Whole Genome v1.0) based on the sequence similarity with the GST family proteins of
. These
genes could be grouped into nine chief subclasses: U, F, L, Z, T, GHR, EF1Bγ, TCHQD, and DHAR. The structures, motifs, three-dimensional models, and chromosomal distribution of
genes were further analyzed. Elements which are responsive for some hormones and stress, and others that involve genes related to flavonoid biosynthesis were forecast in the promoter of
. In addition, we identified 32 orthologous gene pairs between apple and
. These genes indicated that numerous apple and
counterparts appeared to be derived from a common ancestor. Amongst the 38
genes,
was considerably correlated with anthocyanin variation in terms of extracting expression profiles from reported. Finally, further functional identification in apple transgenic calli and subcellular localization confirmed that
was of great significance in anthocyanin accumulation in apple.
Cumulative evidence indicates that mitochondria dysfunction plays an important role in tumour treatment. Given the limited efficacy and toxicity of current mitochondria‐targeted drugs, research into ...effective mitochondria‐targeted anticancer agents remains an irresistible general trend. In this study, it was found that dehydrocrenatidine (DEC), a β‐carbolin alkaloid isolated from Picrasma quassiodes, displays a promising growth inhibitory effect in vitro and in vivo by inducing apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Mechanistically, we provided that the possible target of DEC against HCC cells was determined by isobaric labels for relative and absolute quantification assay and validated them using further experiments. The results suggested that DEC can target and regulate the function of mitochondrial complexes I, III and IV, affecting oxidative phosphorylation and ultimately leading to mitochondrial dysfunction to exert its anti‐HCC effects. In addition, the combination of DEC and sorafenib showed a synergistic effect and was also associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Importantly, DEC did not show significant toxicity in mice. This study provided a new insight into underlying mechanisms in DEC‐treated HCC cells, suggesting that DEC might be a mitochondrial targeting lead compound.
Biseuphoids A (1) and B (2), two unprecedented
-abietane-type diterpenoid dimers linked by monomeric blocks through C-17-C-12' and C-17-C-11', respectively, were isolated from
, along with their ...biogenesis related diterpenoid monomers, 17-hydroxyjolkinolide B (3), caudicifolin (4), and fischeriabietane C (5). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopy assisted by quantum chemical NMR and ECD calculations. The unusual dimeric skeletons are possibly derived from the adduct of diterpenoid monomers through Michael-like reactions. The novel dimers 1 and 2 exhibited inhibitory activities on soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) with IC
values of 8.17 and 5.61 μM, respectively. Molecular dynamics studies illustrated that both 1 and 2 can occupy the catalytic pocket of sEH by forming stable hydrogen bonds with the key amino acid residues including Gln384, Asn378, Pro361, Ala365, Asn366, and Asn472.
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