Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a complex metabolic disease threatening human health.We investigated the effects of Tegillarca granosa polysaccharide(TGP)and determined its potential mechanisms in a mouse model of T2...Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a complex metabolic disease threatening human health.We investigated the effects of Tegillarca granosa polysaccharide(TGP)and determined its potential mechanisms in a mouse model of T2DM established through a high-fat diet and streptozotocin.TGP(5.1×10^(3) Da)was composed of mannose,glucosamine,rhamnose,glucuronic acid,galactosamine,glucose,galactose,xylose,and fucose.It could significantly alleviate weight loss,reduce fasting blood glucose levels,reverse dyslipidemia,reduce liver damage from oxidative stress,and improve insulin sensitivity.RT-PCR and Western blotting indicated that TGP could activate the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway to regulate disorders in glucolipid metabolism and improve insulin resistance.TGP increased the abundance of Allobaculum,Akkermansia,and Bifidobacterium,restored the microbiota abundance in the intestinal tracts of mice with T2DM,and promoted short-chain fatty acid production.This study provides new insights into the antidiabetic effects of TGP and highlights its potential as a natural hypoglycemic nutraceutical.展开更多
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the major oilseed crops, mainly grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It is also rich in proteins, vitamins and ions, therefore it constitutes an important por...Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the major oilseed crops, mainly grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It is also rich in proteins, vitamins and ions, therefore it constitutes an important portion of food nutrition for people in these regions. The production of peanut is being threatened by the changing environments as the major peanut producing counties such as China, India, and USA are facing severe water shortage for peanut irrigation. The yield and quality of peanut are negatively affected by drought and salinity. Making peanut more droughtand salt-tolerant will likely sustain peanut production in countries where water shortage or saline soil are already problems. Efforts were made to genetically engineer peanut for higher tolerance to drought and salt. Analysis of these transgenic peanut plants indicated that the agronomic traits such as peanut yields were the same between wild-type and transgenic peanut plants under normal growth conditions, yet the yields of transgenic peanut plants were much higher than wild-type peanut plant under reduced irrigation conditions. Other traits such as protein content and fatty acid compositions in the seeds of transgenic peanut plants were not altered under both normal and drought conditions, indicating that the genetic manipulation of peanut for stress tolerance did not affect chemical compositions of peanut seeds in transgenic peanut plants, only increased seed yields under stress conditions.展开更多
Phytoene synthase （PSY） is the crucial plastidial enzyme in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. However, its post-translational regulation remains elusive. Likewise, Clp protease constitutes a central part of the p...Phytoene synthase （PSY） is the crucial plastidial enzyme in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. However, its post-translational regulation remains elusive. Likewise, Clp protease constitutes a central part of the plastid protease network, but its substrates for degradation are not well known. In this study, we report that PSY is a substrate of the Clp protease. PSY was uncovered to physically interact with various Clp protease subunits （i.e., ClpS1, CIpC1, and CIpD）. High levels of PSY and several other carotenogenic enzyme proteins overac- cumulate in the clpcl, clpp4, and clprl-2 mutants. The overaccumulated PSY was found to be partially enzy- matically active. Impairment of Clp activity in clpcl results in a reduced rate of PSY protein turnover, further supporting the role of Clp protease in degrading PSY protein. On the other hand, the ORANGE （OR） protein, a major post-translational regulator of PSY with holdase chaperone activity, enhances PSY protein stability and increases the enzymatically active proportion of PSY in clpcl, counterbalancing CIp-mediated proteol- ysis in maintaining PSY protein homeostasis. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the qual- ity control of plastid-localized proteins and establish a hitherto unidentified post-translational regulatory mechanism of carotenogenic enzymes in modulating carotenoid biosynthesis in plants.展开更多
Highly sensitive and selective detection against specific target gases, especially at low-ppb （part per bil- lion） level, remain a great number of challenges in gas sensor applications. In this paper, we first prese...Highly sensitive and selective detection against specific target gases, especially at low-ppb （part per bil- lion） level, remain a great number of challenges in gas sensor applications. In this paper, we first present an ordered mesoporous NiFe204 for highly sensitive and selective detection against low-ppb toluene. A series of mesoporous NiFe204 materials were synthesized by templating from mesoporous silica KIT-6 and its framework thickness was reduced from 8.5 to 5 nm by varying the pore size of KIT-6 from 9.4 to 5.6 nm, accompanied with the increase of the specific surface area from 134 to 216 m^2 g^-1. The ordered mesoporous NiFe2O4 with both ultrathin framework of 5 nm and large specific surface area of up to 216 m^2 g^-1 exhibits a highest response （Rgas/Ralr-1 = 77.3） toward 1,000 ppb toluene at 230℃ and is nearly 7.3 and 76.7 times higher than those for the NiFe204 replica with thick framework and its bulk counter- part respectively, which also possesses a quite low limit of detection （〈2 ppb）, and good selectivity.展开更多
With the rapid growth of world population,it is essential to increase agricultural productivity to feed the growing population.Over the past decades,many methods have been used to increase crop yields.Despite the succ...With the rapid growth of world population,it is essential to increase agricultural productivity to feed the growing population.Over the past decades,many methods have been used to increase crop yields.Despite the success in boosting the crop yield through these methods,global food production still needs to be increased to be on par with the increasing population and its dynamic consumption patterns.Additionally,given the prevailing environmental conditions pertaining to the global temperature increase,heat stress will likely be a critical factor that negatively affects plant biomass and crop yield.One of the key elements hindering photosynthesis and plant productivity under heat stress is the thermo-sensitivity of the Rubisco activase(RCA),a molecular chaperone that converts Rubisco back to active form after it becomes inactive.It would be an attractive and practical strategy to maintain photosynthetic activity under elevated temperatures by enhancing the thermo-stability of RCA.In this context,this review discusses the need to improve the thermo-tolerance of RCA under current climatic conditions and to further study RCA structure and regulation,and its limitations at elevated temperatures.This review summarizes successful results and provides a perspective on RCA research and its implication in improving crop yield under elevated temperature conditions in the future.展开更多
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFD0900902)Zhejiang Province Public Welfare Technology Application Research Project(LGJ21C20001)Zhejiang Provincial Key Research and Development Project of China(2019C02076 and 2019C02075)。
文摘Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a complex metabolic disease threatening human health.We investigated the effects of Tegillarca granosa polysaccharide(TGP)and determined its potential mechanisms in a mouse model of T2DM established through a high-fat diet and streptozotocin.TGP(5.1×10^(3) Da)was composed of mannose,glucosamine,rhamnose,glucuronic acid,galactosamine,glucose,galactose,xylose,and fucose.It could significantly alleviate weight loss,reduce fasting blood glucose levels,reverse dyslipidemia,reduce liver damage from oxidative stress,and improve insulin sensitivity.RT-PCR and Western blotting indicated that TGP could activate the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway to regulate disorders in glucolipid metabolism and improve insulin resistance.TGP increased the abundance of Allobaculum,Akkermansia,and Bifidobacterium,restored the microbiota abundance in the intestinal tracts of mice with T2DM,and promoted short-chain fatty acid production.This study provides new insights into the antidiabetic effects of TGP and highlights its potential as a natural hypoglycemic nutraceutical.
文摘Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the major oilseed crops, mainly grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It is also rich in proteins, vitamins and ions, therefore it constitutes an important portion of food nutrition for people in these regions. The production of peanut is being threatened by the changing environments as the major peanut producing counties such as China, India, and USA are facing severe water shortage for peanut irrigation. The yield and quality of peanut are negatively affected by drought and salinity. Making peanut more droughtand salt-tolerant will likely sustain peanut production in countries where water shortage or saline soil are already problems. Efforts were made to genetically engineer peanut for higher tolerance to drought and salt. Analysis of these transgenic peanut plants indicated that the agronomic traits such as peanut yields were the same between wild-type and transgenic peanut plants under normal growth conditions, yet the yields of transgenic peanut plants were much higher than wild-type peanut plant under reduced irrigation conditions. Other traits such as protein content and fatty acid compositions in the seeds of transgenic peanut plants were not altered under both normal and drought conditions, indicating that the genetic manipulation of peanut for stress tolerance did not affect chemical compositions of peanut seeds in transgenic peanut plants, only increased seed yields under stress conditions.
文摘Phytoene synthase （PSY） is the crucial plastidial enzyme in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. However, its post-translational regulation remains elusive. Likewise, Clp protease constitutes a central part of the plastid protease network, but its substrates for degradation are not well known. In this study, we report that PSY is a substrate of the Clp protease. PSY was uncovered to physically interact with various Clp protease subunits （i.e., ClpS1, CIpC1, and CIpD）. High levels of PSY and several other carotenogenic enzyme proteins overac- cumulate in the clpcl, clpp4, and clprl-2 mutants. The overaccumulated PSY was found to be partially enzy- matically active. Impairment of Clp activity in clpcl results in a reduced rate of PSY protein turnover, further supporting the role of Clp protease in degrading PSY protein. On the other hand, the ORANGE （OR） protein, a major post-translational regulator of PSY with holdase chaperone activity, enhances PSY protein stability and increases the enzymatically active proportion of PSY in clpcl, counterbalancing CIp-mediated proteol- ysis in maintaining PSY protein homeostasis. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the qual- ity control of plastid-localized proteins and establish a hitherto unidentified post-translational regulatory mechanism of carotenogenic enzymes in modulating carotenoid biosynthesis in plants.
基金supported by the National First-Rate Discipline Construction Project of Ningxia(NXYLXK2017A04,2017CET02KY03,and 2017CET04KY05)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51362024,21006116,and 51672138)+2 种基金the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering(2016–19)National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(21325105)the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Science
文摘Highly sensitive and selective detection against specific target gases, especially at low-ppb （part per bil- lion） level, remain a great number of challenges in gas sensor applications. In this paper, we first present an ordered mesoporous NiFe204 for highly sensitive and selective detection against low-ppb toluene. A series of mesoporous NiFe204 materials were synthesized by templating from mesoporous silica KIT-6 and its framework thickness was reduced from 8.5 to 5 nm by varying the pore size of KIT-6 from 9.4 to 5.6 nm, accompanied with the increase of the specific surface area from 134 to 216 m^2 g^-1. The ordered mesoporous NiFe2O4 with both ultrathin framework of 5 nm and large specific surface area of up to 216 m^2 g^-1 exhibits a highest response （Rgas/Ralr-1 = 77.3） toward 1,000 ppb toluene at 230℃ and is nearly 7.3 and 76.7 times higher than those for the NiFe204 replica with thick framework and its bulk counter- part respectively, which also possesses a quite low limit of detection （〈2 ppb）, and good selectivity.
基金supported by the Department of Biological Sciences and Graduate School of Texas Tech Universitysupported by grants to Guoxin Shen from the Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province,China(2021C02002)the Natural Science Foundation of China(32001104).
文摘With the rapid growth of world population,it is essential to increase agricultural productivity to feed the growing population.Over the past decades,many methods have been used to increase crop yields.Despite the success in boosting the crop yield through these methods,global food production still needs to be increased to be on par with the increasing population and its dynamic consumption patterns.Additionally,given the prevailing environmental conditions pertaining to the global temperature increase,heat stress will likely be a critical factor that negatively affects plant biomass and crop yield.One of the key elements hindering photosynthesis and plant productivity under heat stress is the thermo-sensitivity of the Rubisco activase(RCA),a molecular chaperone that converts Rubisco back to active form after it becomes inactive.It would be an attractive and practical strategy to maintain photosynthetic activity under elevated temperatures by enhancing the thermo-stability of RCA.In this context,this review discusses the need to improve the thermo-tolerance of RCA under current climatic conditions and to further study RCA structure and regulation,and its limitations at elevated temperatures.This review summarizes successful results and provides a perspective on RCA research and its implication in improving crop yield under elevated temperature conditions in the future.
