Altered Enzyme Activity Research Articles

Temperature Induction Response: A Rapid Screening Technique for Thermotolerance in Plants

Global warming is a never-ending disastrous threat to the world and the existence of life. For many years, researchers have been cautioning about the disastrous results on the climate if the world touches average temperatures of 1.5ºC above the pre-industrial levels. High-temperature stress affects the growth and development of crops, Reduced photosynthesis and transpiration lead to lower biomass and increased respiration, leading to faster depletion of stored carbohydrates and reduced growth. Altered mineral nutrition and enzyme activity leads to nutrient imbalance and oxidative stress and eventually lowers yields to significant levels. Thermotolerance is a complex trait, and along with agronomic practices, there is a need for the identification and characterization of genotypes for heat tolerance, which is a prerequisite for crop improvement. Temperature Induction Response (TIR) is a high-throughput means successfully employed for assessing, identifying, and screening crop plants for thermotolerance in different crop species. TIR is based on the principle of the LD50 concept and acquired thermotolerance, which is crop-specific in nature. Hence, this review focuses on the relevance, methodology, standardization, mechanism, utilisation and significance of the TIR technique for crop improvement in different crop species to combat heat stress.

Long-term application of controlled-release fertilizer enhances rice production and soil quality under non-flooded plastic film mulching cultivation conditions

Agricultural practices that integrate plastic film mulching (PM) cultivation and controlled-release urea have been widely used to conserve water and increase crop yields. The interactive responses of rice productivity and soil quality to long-term plastic film mulching cultivation and controlled-release urea have not yet been comprehensively elucidated, and whether or not plastic film mulching cultivation combined with controlled-release urea is suitable for rice production remains unclear. A 12-year field experiment with two water regimes (continuously flooded [CF] and PM) and three nitrogen (N) fertilization treatments (no N fertilizer, urea, and controlled-release urea) was conducted to explore the long-term effects on rice yield, soil physicochemical and biological properties, and soil quality in a single rice cropping system. Compared to continuously flooded system, the plastic film mulching system maintained rice productivity (CF: 6.9 t ha−1; PM: 7.1 t ha−1) with higher water productivity (CF: 0.9 g L−1; PM: 2.0 g L−1). Controlled-release urea treatments improved rice yield by 11.9% and 44.6% compared to treatments with urea and no N fertilizer, respectively. Random forest analysis indicated that enzyme activity was the main factor affecting rice yield. Compared to continuously flooded system, the plastic film mulching system significantly increased soil pH by 3.4% and decreased soil organic matter content by 9.3%. Moreover, the plastic film mulching system exhibited significantly higher enzyme activity than the continuously flooded system. Principal coordinate analysis of enzyme activities showed that N fertilization influenced enzyme activities considerably more than water regime. According to Pearson’s analysis, soil fungal alpha diversity was more sensitive to soil physicochemical properties than bacterial alpha diversity. Overall, treatment with controlled-release urea in the plastic film mulching system resulted in the highest soil quality index values, which were positively correlated with rice yield (R2 = 0.61, p = 0.000). The positive direct effects induced by continuously flooded cultivation (i.e., satisfying the water requirements of rice) were counterbalanced by the negative indirect effects of altered enzyme activity. The N fertilizer type indirectly influenced rice yield by altering soil nutrients, enzyme activity, and microbial diversity. Therefore, controlled-release urea could maintain rice production with high soil quality under non-flooded plastic film mulching cultivation conditions.

Adaptive response of triploid Fujian oyster (Crassostrea angulata) to nanoplastic stress: Insights from physiological, metabolomic, and microbial community analyses

Triploid Fujian oyster (Crassostrea angulata) is crucial to aquaculture and coastal ecosystems because of its accelerated growth and heightened resilience against environmental stressors. In light of the increasing prevalence of nanoplastic pollution in the ocean, understanding its potential impact on this organism, particularly its adaptive responses, is of paramount importance. Despite this, the effects of nanoplastic pollution on the physiology of C. angulata remain largely unexplored. In this study, we explored the responses of triploid Fujian oysters to nanoplastic stress during a 14-day exposure period, employing an integrative methodology that included physiological, metabolomic, and 16S rRNA sequencing analyses. Our results demonstrate that the oysters exhibit a strong adaptive response to nanoplastic exposure, characterized by alterations in enzyme activity, metabolic pathways, and microbial community composition, indicative of an adaptive recovery state as opposed to a disordered state. Oysters subjected to elevated nanoplastic levels exhibited adaptive responses primarily by boosting the activity of the antioxidant enzyme catalase and elevating the levels of antioxidants such as adenosine, 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)pyruvate, D-sorbitol, d-mannose, and unsaturated fatty acids, as well as the functional amino acids l-proline and l-lysine. Nanoplastic treatment also resulted in increased activity of succinate dehydrogenase, a key component of energy metabolism, and increased contents of intermediate metabolites or products of energy metabolism, such as adenosine monophosphate, adenosine, guanosine, creatine, and thiamine. Nanoplastic treatment led to an increase in the abundance of certain advantageous genera of gut bacteria, specifically Phaeobacter and Nautella. The observed adaptive response of triploid Fujian oysters to nanoplastic stress provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underpinning resilience in marine bivalves.

Synthesis, characterization and impact of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles on the growth, pigment content and anti-oxidative defence system of Pistia stratiotes

Cadmium Sulfide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) were synthesised and their characteristics were evaluated using XRD (X-ray diffraction), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), FESEM (Field emission scanning electron microscopy), EDAX (Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis), and UV-Vis (Ultraviolet-visible). Further, the impacts of CdS NPs on the growth, pigment content and antioxidative defence system of Pistia stratiotes were studied. The exposure of CdS NPs to Pistia stratiotes caused the negative repercussions, which were tested using a variety of biological tests. The findings demonstrated that CdS NPs were hazardous to the Pistia plant at high concentrations, while they were easy to grow at lower concentrations up to 30 ml/l. Both growth and colour characteristics declined at 40 mg/l concentration of CdS NPs. Antioxidant enzymes' activity like superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) also decreased at 40 ml/l on 60 days. The Protein and photosynthetic pigments were declined on 60 days at 40ml/l concentration however, the level of both the parameters was found increased in comparison with control. The results demonstrated that the higher concentrations of CdS NPs are toxic to Pistia, resulting in decreased growth and significant alterations in antioxidant enzyme activity. These findings suggest that Pistia can be used as a bio-indicator for CdS NPs contaminated water.

Synthesis , Characterization and Study the Effect of Benzothiazol-pyrazole Derivatives on the Activity of AST, ALT Enzymes

This work includes synthesis some of 2-(4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-1,3-benzothiazole derivatives which synthesized from 2-hydrazino-1,3-benzothiazole with dicarbonyl compounds. The prepared compounds were characterized by FT-IR, 1HNMR and also studied the physical properties. The effect of the biological activity for these compounds were studied on the activity of AST and ALT enzymes in human serum of myocardial infarction patients. The studies show the compounds (A2 and A5) caused inhibition while the compound (A3 and A4) caused activation for the activity for AST and ALT enzymes.

Cell cycle and enzymatic activity alterations induced by ROS production in human neuroblastoma cells SH-SY5Y exposed to Fumonisin B1, Ochratoxin A and their combination

The presence of mycotoxins such as Fumonisin B1(FB1) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) in food and feed has become a threat to human and animal health since they can produce several afflictions. Different mechanisms of action by which they exercise their cytotoxic activity have been attributed to them, including the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). For this reason, a measurement of the production of ROS species, and an evaluation of the intrinsic cell enzymatic antioxidant activity, including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione transferase (GTS), and catalase (CAT) together with a cytotoxicity and cell cycle assay have been performed in undifferentiated SH-SY5Y cells exposed to FB1, OTA and [FB1 + OTA] after 24 h and 48 h. FB1 and OTA. Monitoring of intracellular ROS production was carried out by the H2-DCFDA probe; while spectrometry analysis of absorbances was used for measuring GPx, GST and CAT activity. Finally, cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution were studied by flow cytometry. When cells were treated with OTA, an increase in GPx and GST activity was observed compared to FB1 and [FB1 + OTA]; conversely, a decrease in CAT activity was observed when cells were exposed to OTA coinciding with the results observed for ROS measurement. Regarding the cell cycle, when cells were exposed to OTA, a decrease in G0/G1 was detected, revealing an arrest of cell division for SH-SY5Y cells at the concentrations studied.

Manipulated sperm motility via soot nanoparticles-induced biochemical alterations in human seminal plasma

Obtaining spermatozoa with progressive motility, via postejaculatory activation with pharmacological agents such as theophylline and pentoxifylline, is crucial for the success rate of assisted reproduction in couples with severe male factor infertility. Regrettably, the possibility of premature acrosome reactions and impared oocyte function questions the practical applicability of phosphodiesterase inhibitors. The rapid development of nanotechnologies promotes the use of hydrophobic rapeseed oil soot as a non-cytotoxic biomaterial for sperm motility activation, but the scarcity of knowledge regarding the interactions of soot with components from the seminal plasma hinders the eventual commercialization of this cutting-edge approach. Aiming to eliminate this shortcoming, the current study shows for the first time how the soot nanomaterials alter the biochemistry of human seminal plasma. Upon 270 min incubation with soot nanoparticles, the activity of AST, ALT, CK, LDH and GGT enzymes in the seminal plasma of ten patients changes inversely to the registered sperm motility (i.e., lower enzyme activity, higher sperm motility and vice versa). This phenomenon is primarily related to termination of the enzymes-substrate binding or extraction of enzymes from the gametes via chemical bonding with the soot. These novel mechanisms depend on the physicochemical features of used carbon nanomaterials, revealing opportunities for predictable tuning of the sperm reproductive potential.

A Culex quinquefasciatus strain resistant to the binary toxin from Lysinibacillus sphaericus displays altered enzyme activities and energy reserves

BackgroundThe resistance of a Culex quinquefasciatus strain to the binary (Bin) larvicidal toxin from Lysinibacillus sphaericus is due to the lack of expression of the toxin’s receptors, the membrane-bound Cqm1 α-glucosidases. A previous transcriptomic profile of the resistant larvae showed differentially expressed genes coding Cqm1, lipases, proteases and other genes involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic features of Bin-resistant individuals by comparing the activity of some enzymes, energy reserves, fertility and fecundity to a susceptible strain.MethodsThe activity of specific enzymes was recorded in midgut samples from resistant and susceptible larvae. The amount of lipids and reducing sugars was determined for larvae and adults from both strains. Additionally, the fecundity and fertility parameters of these strains under control and stress conditions were examined.ResultsEnzyme assays showed that the esterase activities in the midgut of resistant larvae were significantly lower than susceptible ones using acetyl-, butyryl- and heptanoyl-methylumbelliferyl esthers as substrates. The α-glucosidase activity was also reduced in resistant larvae using sucrose and a synthetic substrate. No difference in protease activities as trypsins, chymotrypsins and aminopeptidases was detected between resistant and susceptible larvae. In larval and adult stages, the resistant strain showed an altered profile of energy reserves characterized by significantly reduced levels of lipids and a greater amount of reducing sugars. The fertility and fecundity of females were similar for both strains, indicating that those changes in energy reserves did not affect these reproductive parameters.ConclusionsOur dataset showed that Bin-resistant insects display differential metabolic features co-selected with the phenotype of resistance that can potentially have effects on mosquito fitness, in particular, due to the reduced lipid accumulation.Graphical

Foliar melatonin ameliorates drought-induced alterations in enzyme activities of sugar and nitrogen metabolisms in cotton leaves.

Sugar and nitrogen metabolisms help plants maintain cellular homeostasis, stress tolerance, and sustainable growth in drought conditions. Melatonin, a potent antioxidant and signaling molecule, appears to mitigate the negative impacts of drought on plants. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of foliar-applied melatonin in ameliorating drought-induced alterations in leaf sugar and nitrogen metabolisms' enzyme activities during cotton flowering and boll formation. To date, no study has examined drought-induced sugar and nitrogen metabolisms' enzyme activity changes in cotton treated with foliar melatonin. Drought levels (FC1 = 75 ± 5%, FC2 = 60 ± 5%, and FC3 = 45 ± 5%) were maintained between 3 and 35 days after flowering (DAF), and melatonin (M) concentrations (0, 25, 50, and 100 μmol L-1 ) were applied at 3 and 21 DAF in a completely randomized design. M100 concentrations at low FC levels significantly enhanced leaf sugar and N-metabolic enzyme activities, such as sucrose synthase (65.56%) and glutamine synthetase (55.24%), compared to plants not treated with melatonin; peaking between 7 and 21 DAF and declining gradually with crop growth. Moreover, the M100 concentrations at all FC levels, particularly FC3, significantly increased the relative expression of GhSusB, GhSusC, SPS1, and SPS3 genes, indicating that melatonin improves leaf sugar and N-metabolism enzymatic activities under drought stress. Therefore, applying M100 concentrations to cotton foliage under FC3 conditions during reproductive stages improves leaf water status, sugar, and N-metabolism enzyme activities, demonstrating melatonin's potent anti-stress, osmoregulatory, and growth-promoting properties in overcoming drought stress in cotton crops. Future research into the molecular mechanisms of melatonin-mediated sugar and nitrogen metabolism enzyme activities in cotton leaves may lead to biotechnological methods to improve drought resilience in cotton and other crops.

Exploring Novel 1-Hydroxynaphthalene-2-Carboxanilides Based Inhibitors Against C-Jun N-Terminal Kinases Through Molecular Dynamic Simulation and WaterSwap Analysis.

Cancer is a disease of mutation and lifestyle modifications. A large number of normal genes can transform normal cells to cancer cells due to their deregulations including overexpression and loss of expression. Signal transduction is a complex signaling process that involves multiple interactions and different functions. C-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) is an important protein involved in signaling process. JNK mediated pathways can detect, integrate, and amplify various external signals that may cause alterations in gene expression, enzyme activities, and different cellular functions that affect cellular behavior like metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, and cell survival. In this study, we performed molecular docking protocol (MOE) to predict the binding interactions of some known anticancer 1-hydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxanilides candidates. A set of 10 active compounds was retrieved after initial screening on the basis of docking scores, binding energies, and number of interactions and was re-docked in the active site of JNK protein. The results were further validated through molecular dynamics simulation and MMPB/GBSA calculations. The active compounds 4p and 5k were ranked on top. After computationally exploring interactions of 1-hydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxanilides with JNK protein, we believe compounds 4p and 5k can serve as potential inhibitors of JNK protein. It is believed that the results of current research would help to develop novel and structurally diverse anticancer compounds that will be useful not only treat cancer but also for the medication for the other diseases caused by protein deregulation.

Effect of Microplastics on the Activity of Digestive and Oxidative-Stress-Related Enzymes in Peled Whitefish (Coregonus peled Gmelin) Larvae.

Microplastics (MPs) are emergent pollutants in freshwater environments and may impact aquatic organisms, including those of nutritional value. The specific activities of digestive and antioxidant enzymes can be used as good bioindicators of the potential effects of MPs on fish in case of waterborne MP contamination. In this study, we used fluorescent polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) to analyze the alterations in enzyme activities in larvae of Coregonus peled Gmelin (peled or Northern whitefish), one of the most valuable commercial fish species of Siberia. Our results indicate that peled larvae can ingest 2 µm PS microspheres in a waterborne exposure model. A positive correlation (rs = 0.956; p < 0.01) was found between MP concentration in water and the number of PS microspheres in fish guts, with no significant differences between 24 h and 6-day exposure groups. The ingestion of MPs caused alterations in digestive enzyme activity and antioxidant responses at the whole-body level. The presence of PS-MPs significantly stimulated (p < 0.05) the specific activity of α-Amylase and non-specific esterases in peled larvae after 24 h. However, a pronounced positive effect (p < 0.05) of MPs on the activity of pancreatic trypsine and bile salt-activated lipase was only found after 6 days of exposure compared to after 24 h. Intestinal membrane enzyme aminopeptidase N was also stimulated in the presence of PS-MPs after 6-day exposure. We also observed a significant increase in the specific activity of catalase in peled larvae after 6 days of exposure, which indicates the MP-induced modulation of oxidative stress. Taken together, these results highlight the potential impact of environmental MPs on northern commercial fish, their importance for estimating fish stocks, and the sustainability of freshwater ecosystems.

Effect of Drainage with Flax Oil on Weight and some Blood Characteristics During Late Pregnancy Stage of Awassi Ewes

The goal of this research was to determine the effects of various doses of flaxseed oil on ewe body weight, growth characteristics, and selected biochemical and hormonal blood characteristics. This research was carried out in the animal science department at the University of Tikrit’s College of Agriculture between October 6th, 2022, and September 1st, 2022. There were a total of 17 female Awassi sheep, ages 1-2, with an average live weight of 56.41 kg, and they were randomly assigned to one of three groups. To the ewes, flaxseed oil was administered at a rate of 0%, 6%, and 8% of the dry matter weight in the three different groups. The ewes were grazing daily, in addition to providing a supplementary diet at the level of 2.5% of body weight, consisting of 14.98 protein and 14.22 MJ/kg dry matter as energy. At the end of the experiment, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) between the treatments in ewes’ weights, the percentage of packed blood cells, the number of white blood cells and platelets, and the values of total protein, albumin, urea, and creatinine, while the control treatment was the least significant (P≤0.05). of the second and third treatments, which had the highest numbers of red blood cells (5.79, 6.61 and 7.72) 106cells/ml3 and hemoglobin (9.06, 9.80 and 10.20) mg/dl, respectively. While a significant decrease (P≤0.05) was, observe for the activity of AST, ALT and triglyceride enzymes for the third treatment compared to the control treatment. The third treatment was significantly superior (P≤0.05) in the value of blood globulin, glucose and cholesterol 1.90 g/dl, 66.66 and 84.00 mg/dl, respectively.

AGS Gastric Cells: Antioxidant Activity and Metabolic Effects of Phenolic Extracts from Different Monocultivar Virgin Olive Oils.

The effects of the phenolic compounds of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on AGS cells have never been studied so far, which is the aim of this study. The profiles of the main phenolic components in EVOOs, mainly secoiridoid compounds derived from the transformation of oleuropein during the olive milling process, were evaluated and compared. Oils of different origins were evaluated aiming at verifying whether chemical differences in the phenolic composition of the dry extracts played a role in the metabolism and in maintaining the cellular redox state of AGS cells. The following key enzymes of some metabolic pathways were studied: lactate dehydrogenase, enolase, pyruvate kinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, 3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and hexokinase. As confirmed through PCA analysis, pretreatments with the dry extracts of EVOOs at different concentrations appeared to be able to counteract the enzymatic activity alterations due to oxidative stress induced by H2O2 1 mM and 2 mM. The studied phytocomplexes showed the ability to protect AGS cells from oxidative damage and the secoiridoid derivatives from both oleuropein and ligstroside contributed to the observed effects. The results suggested that EVOOs with medium to high concentrations of phenols can exert this protection.

Effects of Citric Acid and Humic-like Substances on Yield, Enzyme Activities, and Expression of Genes Involved in Iron Uptake in Tomato Plants

Iron (Fe) deficiency is a common abiotic stress on plants growing in calcareous soils where low organic matter content, high carbonate–bicarbonate concentration, and high pH precipitate Fe in unavailable forms. Enzymatic activity is a mechanism for plants to access soil nutrients; enzymes such as H+-ATPase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), and the intracellular enzyme ferric reduction oxidase (FRO) are involved in Fe absorption. The effects of the application of citric acid (CA) and humic-like substances (HLS) on the yield, H+-ATPase, PEPC, and FRO enzyme activity, and expression of LeHA1, LePEPC1, and LeFRO1 genes in tomato plants grown under calcareous soil were studied. CA and HLS improved the SPAD units and increased the number of harvested fruits and yield per plant. Temporary alterations in enzyme activity, which reduced PEPC and FRO activity in roots, were documented. In leaf tissue, CA resulted in lower expression of LeHA1 and LePEPC1 and the induction of LeFRO1 expression, whereas HLS application resulted in higher expression of LePEPC1 and LeFRO1. In roots, LeHA1 expression increased with HLS, whereas LePEPC1 and LeFRO1 showed lower expression with CA and HLS, respectively. The application of CA and HLS through a nutrient solution in combination with Fe-chelate can improve Fe nutrition in tomato plants potted in calcareous soil by inducing temporal alterations in PEPC and FRO enzyme activity and LeFRO1 and LeHA1 gene expression.

The Prophylactic Effect of Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 against Ultraviolet-C-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Male Rats.

Ultraviolet C (UVC) devices are an effective means of disinfecting surfaces and protecting medical tools against various microbes, including coronavirus. Overexposure to UVC can induce oxidative stress, damage the genetic material, and harm biological systems. This study investigated the prophylactic efficacy of vitamin C and B12 against hepatotoxicity in UVC-intoxicated rats. Rats were irradiated with UVC (725.76, 967.68, and 1048.36 J/cm2) for 2 weeks. The rats were pretreated with the aforementioned antioxidants for two months before UVC irradiation. The prophylactic effect of vitamins against UVC hepatotoxicity was evaluated by monitoring the alteration of liver enzyme activities, antioxidant status, apoptotic and inflammatory markers, DNA fragmentation, and histological and ultrastructural alterations. Rats exposed to UVC showed a significant increase in liver enzymes, oxidant-antioxidant balance disruption, and increased hepatic inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS, and IDO-1). Additionally, obvious over-expression of activated caspase-3 protein and DNA fragmentation were detected. Histological and ultrastructural examinations verified the biochemical findings. Co-treatment with vitamins ameliorated the deviated parameters to variable degrees. In conclusion, vitamin C could alleviate UVC-induced hepatotoxicity more than vitamin B12 by diminishing oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage. This study could provide a reference for the clinical practice of vitamin C and B12 as radioprotective for workers in UVC disinfectant areas.

Deciphering the Impact of Induced Drought in Agriculture Soils: Changes in Microbial Community Structure, Enzymatic and Metabolic Diversity

Prolonged drought stress may have a significant impact on the structure and activity of the soil microbial community. Our study aims to investigate the impact of short-term drought (2 months) on the microbial community structure, enzymes, and metabolic diversity in four agricultural soils (Gniewkowo (G), Lulkowo (L), Wielka Nieszawka (N) and Suchatówka (S) sites) in Poland. These four types of soil were selected based on differences in their texture (gleyic luvisol Phaeozem in G (rich in clay and humus), stagnic luvisol in L, fluvisol in N and haplic luvisol in S (sandy)). We investigated the (1) number of bacteria, actinomycetes (formally phylum Actinomycetota) and fungi; (2) microbial community (16S rRNA and ITS amplicon regions); (3) biological activity by community-level physiological profiling (CLPP); (4) soil enzyme activities (dehydrogenases (DH), phosphatases (acid ACP and alkaline ALP) and urease (UR)); and (5) soil chemical properties. At the end of our experiment, we observed a significant decrease in soil moisture content with the highest in the soil from the S site. Overall, there was no change in total bacteria, but actinomycetes and fungal numbers increased after the 1st week with a decrease in moisture content. ACP activity decreased in three out of four analyzed soil samples. The exception was in sample G, where activity increased for 1–2 weeks and then decreased. ALP activity significantly increased with a decrease in moisture in the 1st week and was lowest at the end of the experiment. DH activity increased up to the 4th week in the G and N samples and up to the 2nd week in the L and S samples. UR activity showed variations in the analyzed samples. A reduction in the utilization of carbon sources (except D-mannitol and L-asparagine) was noted with the highest reduction in the G sample followed by the L, N and S samples. Thus, the pattern of changes was different depending on the analyzed soil type. The 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing revealed a decrease in the relative abundance of Pseudomonadota, Basidiomycota, Apicomplexa, and increased abundance of Actinomycetota, Bacillota and Ascomycota under prolonged drought conditions. With this, we concluded that drought conditions resulted in a significant alteration of soil microbial communities, enzyme activities, and metabolic diversity in the investigated soils.

A systematic review about affinity tags for one-step purification and immobilization of recombinant proteins: integrated bioprocesses aiming both economic and environmental sustainability.

The present study reviewed and discussed the promising affinity tags for one-step purification and immobilization of recombinant proteins. The approach used to structure this systematic review was The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) methodology. The Scopus and Web of Science databases were used to perform the bibliographic survey by which 267 articles were selected. After the inclusion/exclusion criteria and the screening process, from 25 chosen documents, we identified 7 types of tags used in the last 10years, carbohydrate-binding module tag (CBM), polyhistidine (His-tag), elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), silaffin-3-derived pentalysine cluster (Sil3k tag), N-acetylmuramidase (AcmA tag), modified haloalkane dehalogenase (HaloTag®), and aldehyde from a lipase polypeptide (Aldehyde tag). The most used bacterial host for expressing the targeted protein was Escherichia coli and the most used expression vector was pET-28a. The results demonstrated two main immobilization and purification methods: the use of supports and the use of self-aggregating tags without the need of support, depending on the tag used. Besides, the chosen terminal for cloning the tag proved to be very important once it could alter enzyme activity. In conclusion, the best tag for protein one-step purification and immobilization was CBM tag, due to the eco-friendly supports that can be provided from industry wastes, the fast immobilization with high specificity, and the reduced cost of the process.

Assessment of Median Lethal Dose and Target Organ Toxicity of Oral Sub-chronic Administration of Newbouldia laevis in Mice and Rat Model of Toxicity

The acute and sub-chronic toxicities of the leaf extract of Newbouldia laevis, an ethnomedicinal herb use in the management of diabetes mellitus was investigated. For the acute toxicity study, 10 – 5000 mg/kg of the extract were administered orally to mice and obvious signs of toxic symptoms and mortality monitored for 24 h post extract administration. In the sub-chronic study, 302 and 604 mg/kg of the extract were orally administered daily for 90 days. Body weight changes as well as haematological and biochemical parameters were determined periodically. Qualitative phytochemistry was also conducted. Presence of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, reducing sugar, steroids, terpenoids, alkaloids and glycosides phytocompounds in the extract were detected. The oral LD50 was estimated to be above 5,000 mg/kg in mice. Ninety days oral administration of ethanol extract of N. laevis produced a significant (P&lt;0.05) reduction in body weight at 604 mg/kg on the 31st day and at both 302 and 604 mg/kg on the 61st and 91st days compared to 5% Tween 20 vehicle control group. For liver function enzymes, the extract at both doses (302 and 604 mg/kg) produced significant (P&lt;0.05) reduction in serum ALT enzyme activity at the 91st day with non-significant reduction in other liver function enzymes compared to vehicle control group. Non-significant changes were also recorded for haematological and kidney function markers. The results from this study provide evidence for safety profile of the ethanol leaves extract of N. laevis thus supportive of its validity in the use for treatment of chronic diseases like diabetes.

Adverse effects and potential mechanisms of fluxapyroxad in Xenopus laevis on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism

Fungicides are one of significant contributing factors to the rapid decline of amphibian species worldwide. Fluxapyroxad (FLX), an effective and broad-spectrum succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicide, has attracted major concerns due to its long-lasting in the environment. However, the potential toxicity of FLX in the development of amphibians remains mostly unknown. In this research, the potential toxic effects and mechanisms of FLX on Xenopus laevis were investigated. In the acute toxicity test, the 96 h median lethal concentration (LC50) of FLX in X. laevis tadpoles was 1.645 mg/L. Based on the acute toxicity result, tadpoles at the stage 51 were exposed to 0, 0.00822, 0.0822, and 0.822 mg/L FLX during 21 days. Results demonstrated that FLX exposure led to an apparent delay in the growth and development of tadpoles and associated with severe liver injury. Additionally, FLX induced glycogen depletion and lipid accumulation in the liver of X. laevis. The biochemical analysis of plasma and liver indicated that FLX exposure could perturb liver glucose and lipid homeostasis by altering enzyme activity related to glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, and oxidation. Consistent with the biochemical result, FLX exposure altered the liver transcriptome profile, and the enrichment analysis of differential expression genes highlighted the adverse effects of FLX exposure on steroid biosynthesis, PPAR signaling pathway, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and fatty acid metabolism in the tadpole liver. Overall, our study was the first to reveal that sub-lethal concentrations of FLX could induce liver damage and produce obvious interference effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of Xenopus, providing new insight into the potential chronic hazards of FLX for amphibians.

Nano silicon dioxide reduces cadmium uptake, regulates nutritional homeostasis and antioxidative enzyme system in barley seedlings (Hordeum vulgare L.) under cadmium stress

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity is one of the most severe environmental threats inhibiting crop growth and productivity. Strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of Cd stress on plants are under scrutiny. Nano silicon dioxide (nSiO2) is an emerging material and could protect plants against abiotic stress. Can nSiO2 alleviate Cd toxicity in barley, and the possible mechanisms are poorly understood. A hydroponic experiment was conducted to study the mitigation effects of nSiO2 on Cd toxicity in barley seedlings. The results showed that the application of nSiO2 (5, 10, 20, and 40mg/L) increased barley plant growth and chlorophyll and protein content, improving photosynthesis, compared with Cd-treated alone. Specifically, 5-40mg/L nSiO2 addition increased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 17.1, 38.0, 30.3, and - 9.7%, respectively, relative to the Cd treatment alone. Furthermore, exogenous nSiO2 reduced Cd concentration and balanced mineral nutrient uptake. The application of 5-40mg/L nSiO2 decreased Cd concentration in barley leaves by 17.5, 25.4, 16.7, and 5.8%, respectively, relative to the Cd treatment alone. Moreover, exogenous nSiO2 lowered malondialdehyde (MDA) content by 13.6-35.0% in roots, and by 13.5-27.2% in leaves, respectively, compared with Cd-treated alone. Besides, nSiO2 altered antioxidant enzyme activities and alleviated detrimental effects on Cd-treated plants, attaining maximal values at 10mg/L nSiO2. These findings revealed that exogenous nSiO2 application may be a viable option for addressing Cd toxicity of barley plants.