The Aspergillus ustus pigment production was investigated by introducing different precursor and enzyme inhibitors during the early biosynthesis stages. A comparative transcriptomic analysis was conducted between pigment-producing and non-producing A. ustus strains. Bioinformatics approaches were employed to functionally annotate and perform enrichment analysis of the sequenced genes. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to validate the transcriptome sequencing results. The addition of acetic acid, propionic acid, isoleucine, arginine, methionine and phenylalanine enhanced pigment production, whereas iodoacetamide, dinitrofluorobenzene, P-aminobenzoic acid and imidazole inhibited it. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant differential gene expression during pigment biosynthesis, including pronounced upregulation of genes related to non-reducing polyketide synthase (NR-PKS). Integrative evidence reveals that A. ustus pigment is synthesized via an iterative type I PKS pathway catalyzed by fungal NR-PKSs, similar to the noranthrone biosynthetic pathway in fungi. RT-qPCR validation showed 80% concordance with the RNA-seq data, confirming the reliability of the transcriptome sequencing.

Blueberry stem extract (BSE), which contains phenolic compounds like proanthocyandins, reduces liver lipid synthesis, boosts anti-adult T-cell leukemia action, protects retinal cells from blue light damage, and prevents lacrimal hyposecretion. However, the anticancer functions and immunomodulatory effects of BSE are not well understood. To assess the anticancer properties of BSE, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer (BC) cells were treated with various concentrations of BSE. BSE suppressed the growth of BC cells in a manner dependent on both dose and exposure times. Furthermore, it triggered apoptosis by disrupting mitochondrial membrane potential. BSE also inhibited cell motility in BC cells. Notably, it reduced the expression of PD-1, TIGIT, and LAG-3 immune checkpoint proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), which are critical for antitumor immune response. These findings suggest that BSE has promising anticancer and immunomodulatory properties that warrant further investigation in preclinical models.

Analysis of various parts of cocoa by LC-ESI-MS/MS revealed that fermented cocoa bean shells contained high amounts of ceramides, especially a hydroxy phytoceramide (t18:0-h24:0, 466.6 μg/g) present in human skin. Its total ceramide content was higher than that in the skins of soybean, coffee bean, or peanut, suggesting that this high content is a unique feature of fermented cocoa bean shells.

The skin tubercle gland of the stonefish Synanceia verrucosa secretes ichthyocrinotoxin. Ichthyocrinotoxins have been suggested to act as antifeedants against predators. Brominated natural products, namely synanceins D (4) and E (5), were newly isolated and characterized from the ichthyocrinotoxin of S. verrucosa. Synanceins D (4) and E (5) exhibited strong bitterness at 10 μg in the bitterness detection test. This was similar to synanceins A-C (1-3), previously isolated as the major components of the ichthyocrinotoxin from S. verrucosa. Furthermore, synanceins A-E (1-5) were evaluated for their growth-inhibitory activities against the parasitic protozoan Leishmania major. Among them, synancein C (3) exhibited the highest antileishmanial activity, showing 90.5% inhibition at a concentration of 100 μg/mL.

Abstract A simple one-pot and biomimetic synthetic method for producing pimeforazine A and B, fluorescent benzoxazines with neuroprotective activity isolated from the olive weevil Pimelocerus perforatus, was developed. This synthesis uses the oxidation of commercially available 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)phenol (tyrosol) with 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX), followed by the addition of concentrated aqueous ammonia. The reaction produced pimeforazines A and B in a ratio of 3.4:1, which is consistent with the natural product ratio. This method provides a practical and efficient alternative to extracting these compounds from the olive weevil.

Rising global demand for food has led to excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, increasing yields but damaging soils, biodiversity, and microbial communities. Alternatives such as the application of beneficial bacteria could restore diminished soil health and maintain productivity without these long-term costs. Bacillus species and related genera, such as Paenibacillus and Priestia, combine several useful traits, including phosphorus solubilization, nitrogen fixation, production of growth hormones, enzyme release, and generation of antimicrobial compounds. These abilities improve nutrient use, protect plants from pathogens, and increase stress tolerance. Applied as single strains or in microbial consortia, they have consistently increased yields, improved soil health, and reduced reliance on synthetic agrochemicals. Continued work on strain optimization, consortia design and modeling, and adaptation to specific environments will further unlock their potential for sustainable agriculture.

In skeletal muscle cells, the resting membrane potential is primarily determined by Cl-, necessitating precise regulation of intracellular and extracellular Cl- balance. Potassium chloride cotransporters (KCCs), members of the cation-chloride cotransporter superfamily, facilitate the efflux of K+ and Cl- at a 1:1 ratio. However, the specific roles of KCCs in skeletal muscle remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the function of KCCs in skeletal muscle cells using [(dihydroindenyl)oxy]acetic acid (DIOA), a KCCs inhibitor. DIOA treatment of cultured C2C12 myotubes impaired contractility in response to electrical pulse stimulation. Additionally, DIOA-treated myotubes exhibited muscle atrophy, accompanied by increased expression of atrogenes such as Atrogin-1 and MuRF1. These findings reveal a novel role for KCCs in skeletal muscle and provide insights that may contribute to the development of preventive or therapeutic strategies for muscle disorders and atrophy.

Ferritin, a protein ubiquitously found in living organisms, is well known for its major role in iron homeostasis. However, recent studies in invertebrates have revealed that it possesses diverse physiological functions beyond iron homeostasis. Especially in mollusks, ferritin has been suggested to be involved in functions such as restricting iron availability to pathogens during immune responses, mediating iron transport to specific tissues via hemolymph, and contributing to the formation of mineralized tissues, such as shells and radulae. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that mollusks possess not only the cytoplasmic ferritin found in vertebrates, but also a secretory ferritin, which contains a signal peptide. This review provides a comprehensive overview of molluscan ferritin, summarizing the broad aspects of its molecular structure and physiological functions.

Co-administration of histidine and soy isoflavones induced beige adipogenesis in male rats, as demonstrated by the formation of multilocular lipid droplets and increased uncoupling protein 1 gene expression in white adipose tissue. This response was accompanied by fat depot-specific enhancement of mitochondrial activity and suppression of lipogenesis, suggesting the potential for dietary strategies to combat obesity via beige adipocytes activation.

Bionanocapsules (BNCs), hollow nanoparticles derived from the hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface L protein, originated from HB vaccine development and has evolved into a versatile biotechnological platform. Evolving from the first-generation S antigen vaccine, we developed second-generation (M antigen) and third-generation (L antigen) vaccines with enhanced protective efficacy, the latter giving rise to BNCs. BNCs retain the human liver-specific infection machinery of HBV and exhibit stealth, targeting, and endosomal escape abilities as a drug delivery system (DDS). Furthermore, BNCs have been applied to re-targeting via antibody display and as nanoscaffolds for high-sensitivity biosensors, resulting in breakthroughs across DDS, infection-mechanism elucidation, and biosensing technologies.