Impact of thermal processing on amino acid composition, physicochemical properties, and bioactive compounds of watermeal (Wolffia globosa) extract

Hens' diet manipulation: Effects of addition of lupine seeds and soybean meal on amino acid and protein composition in hens' meat and blood.

EnsemGlyPred: Intelligent prediction system for lysine glycation sites integrating deep semantic features and sequence information.

UriPred: Machine learning prediction of urinary proteins and identification of biomarkers for liver cancer.

Biological activities and safety assessment of Teleogryllus mitratus extracts for skin delivery via nanoemulsion-based systems.

Barobbo, a culinary heritage of the Bugis ethnic group in South Sulawesi: An analysis of proximate, amino acid, and fatty acid composition

Integration of interpretable multi-features and multi-loss functions for multi-functional therapeutic peptide prediction via dataset construction.

Soil salinization is one of the critical environmental problems that negatively affects soil microbial activity and enzymatic processes. This study aimed to evaluate the enzymatic activity and humic acid composition of soils from two contrasting regions: non-saline soils of Chinaz district (Tashkent region) and the saline soils of Nishon district (Kashkadarya region). Soil samples (0–30 cm) were analyzed for enzymatic activity (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, and phosphatase), while humic acids isolated from the 0–10 cm layer were studied for amino acid and microelement composition. The results showed that saline soils had higher concentrations of soluble salts (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), reflecting increased alkalinity and salinity, whereas non-saline soils contained lower salt levels. Enzymatic activity was significantly higher in non-saline soils, with notable seasonal variations, while saline soils showed a pronounced decline in enzyme activity. Amino acid content in humic acids of non-saline soils (531.77 ± 1.75 mg g⁻¹ was about 1.5 times higher compared to saline soils (348.80 ± 2.04 mg g⁻¹ 1). In contrast, iron concentration in humic acids was higher in saline soils (853.37 ± 1.15 mg g⁻¹) than in non-saline soils (545.27 ± 1.19 mg g⁻¹ ). These findings suggest that both enzymatic activity and humic acid composition can serve as reliable biochemical indicators for assessing soil quality and the impact of salinization.

Structural determinants of walnut glutelin solubility for enhancing food industry applications.

Biofouling severely limits the performance of biomedical devices, motivating the development of antifouling surface coatings inspired by natural hydration-based resistance mechanisms. Zwitterionic peptide self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are promising candidates, yet the molecular origins of their mechanical and hydration properties remain insufficiently understood. Here, we investigate the assembly, viscoelastic properties, and interfacial hydration of zwitterionic peptide SAMs on gold substrates using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Four peptide sequences (EK, DK, ER, and DR) were examined to elucidate the role of amino acid composition. Arginine-containing SAMs (ER and DR) exhibited a higher apparent elastic modulus and viscosity than lysine-containing counterparts (EK and DK), indicating enhanced mechanical rigidity arising from strong intermolecular interactions involving arginine side chains. Lysine-containing SAMs formed thicker and mechanically stable hydration layers, which provide a physical and energetic barrier that resists nonspecific protein and cell adhesion. The thicknesses of the interfacial hydration layer were evaluated using an ethanol-PBS displacement method. The estimated hydration thicknesses agree with AFM measurements, supporting the reliability of the QCM-D approach. These findings provide molecular-level insight for the rational design of peptide-based antifouling interfaces.

Lassa virus (LASV) remains a major public health threat in West Africa, with recurrent outbreaks, exported cases, and no licensed vaccine. LASV lineages are geographically separated and differ in immunogenicity and pathogenicity; however, the fundamental biophysical properties that may explain these differences remain poorly defined. Here, we analyse LASV protein properties at the population scale across lineages, focusing on the glycoprotein (GP), the principal target of humoral immunity. Across hundreds of curated sequences, protein length variation is driven primarily by short indels, with pronounced variation in the RNA polymerase and a recurrent one-amino-acid difference in GP. In parallel, population-scale analyses reveal subtle lineage- and protein-specific differences in amino-acid composition across the LASV proteins. Despite co-circulation in Nigeria, S-segment–encoded proteins from lineage III are consistently heavier than those from lineage II. An integrative framework combining random forest feature importance, Manhattan-distance profiling, Pearson correlation, and amino-acid composition analyses reveals that lineage III GPs are ~180 Da heavier on average, driven by shifts toward the use of heavier residues at specific sites. Population-scale computational structural modelling and flow-cytometric assays indicate that the N-terminal GP1 indel is structurally and functionally tolerated. Together, these findings define lineage-specific biophysical patterns in LASV and provide a catalogue of GP structures to inform vaccine and therapeutic design.

Impact of fermentation regime and metabolically defined LAB consortia on sourdough bread nutritional and volatile composition.

Largehead hairtail (Trichiurus japonicus), kwangtung skate (Dipturus kwangtungensis), and mottled skate (Raja pulchra) are the most popular aquatic products in Korea. In the present study, total and free amino acid analyses were performed to confirm the usability of byproducts from largehead hairtail (head and fins) and skates (skin and liver). Amino acid contents were determined using specific methods and high-performance liquid chromatography. Notably, 18 types of total amino acids and 19 free amino acids were identified in the byproducts of largehead hairtail, kwangtung skate, and mottled skate. Among the amino acids, the total amino acids glycine and glutamate/glutamine and the free amino acids leucine, alanine, and glycine exhibited the highest contents in the byproducts of the three species, indicating that the byproducts contained high-quality proteins. Conclusively, these results suggest that the byproducts are potential materials for producing nutritious foods, protein supplements, cosmetics, functional materials, and nutraceuticals. Overall, these data indicate that fishery byproducts can be used as recyclable resources.

Escalating global protein insecurity, combined with the environmental and economic limitations of conventional plant and animal protein systems, underscores the need for sustainable alternatives. Fruit processing residues, generated at >500 million tons annually worldwide, represent underutilized, carbon-rich bio-resources with potential for microbial protein production. In this PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis, peer-reviewed studies on fruit-derived single-cell protein (SCP) were systematically evaluated across substrate types and microbial platforms. Meta-analysis revealed mean biomass yields of 0.24-37.40 g/L substrate and protein contents ranging from 20.58 to 54.74% (dry weight). Evidence from engineered strains suggests possible improvements in essential amino acid composition, particularly lysine and methionine, although direct validation on fruit-waste substrates remains limited. Synthetic biology interventions may enhance nutrient enrichment and digestibility, yet human clinical or in vivo data are currently lacking. Life-cycle analyses indicate potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and land use relative to animal proteins, although energy-intensive pretreatment and substrate heterogeneity may influence these outcomes. Overall, fruit-waste-derived SCP presents a promising avenue for circular bio-economy strategies, offering a framework for programmable nutrition systems that integrate synthetic biology, precision fermentation, and regional waste valorization, while acknowledging the current experimental and translational limitations.

Sarcopenia is a prevalent condition in older adults that involves the progressive loss of muscle mass and function, affecting their autonomy and quality of life. Balanced nutrition, especially adequate protein intake, is essential for preventing and managing this condition. This narrative review analyzes the importance of both the quantity and quality of protein in the diet of older adults to preserve muscle mass and prevent age-related functional decline. It is emphasized that general protein recommendations may be insufficient for this population, requiring higher doses of protein, appropriately distributed throughout the day, to optimally stimulate muscle protein synthesis. It also highlights the importance of the essential amino acid profile, particularly leucine, which plays a key role in activating anabolic pathways and improves the muscular anabolic response. Animal proteins offer greater bioavailability and a more complete amino acid profile, although strategic combinations of plant proteins can also be effective in meeting amino acid requirements. Other dietary supplements such as creatine, vitamin D, collagen, and omega-3 fatty acids may further complement nutritional interventions to improve muscle mass and function. These nutritional approaches, along with physical activity, particularly resistance training, form a comprehensive strategy for maintaining muscle function and overall wellbeing in older adults.

Neuronal maturation is associated with extensive changes in gene expression and chromatin organization. However, the molecular mechanisms that control the epigenetic landscape in terminally differentiated neurons remain poorly understood. Here, we show that maturing cerebellar granule cells undergo a striking and specific increase in the levels of the repressive histone modification H3K27me3 across different genomic regions, including individual genes, broad intergenic regions, and gene clusters. The accumulation of H3K27me3 coincides with a developmental switch from EZH2 to EZH1 and colocalizes with H3K36me2 and DNA non-CpG methylation. Using mice with a conditional deletion in the catalytic domain of EZH1, we demonstrate that the maintenance of H3K27me3 in mature neurons depends on EZH1. Unexpectedly, an almost complete loss of H3K27me3 in postmitotic GCs induces minimal changes in gene expression and chromatin accessibility at 7 months of age. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) from the mouse neocortex, we show that, similarly to GCs, the loss of EZH1-mediated H3K27me3 also has a minimal impact on cortical neuron gene expression. The amino acid composition of EZH1 suggests reduced sensitivity to H3K36 methylation, providing a potential basis for its activity in chromatin contexts that are not permissive for EZH2. Together, our results show that a postmitotic switch from EZH2 to EZH1 establishes novel chromatin domains in neurons with a minimal role in transcriptional maintenance.

The DNA of sperm is uniquely packaged into an exceptionally condensed chromatin state with sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBPs). These proteins are diverse, including protamines, protamine-like (PL) proteins, testis-specific (TS) histones, and high mobility group (HMG)-box proteins. Usage of SNBP type varies widely among and within phyla. Moreover, SNBPs can be evolutionarily dynamic in copy number and amino acid composition, even among closely related species. Despite the diversity of insects, little is known about SNBP usage across members of this taxonomic group. A previous study biochemically identified SNBP candidates from the male reproductive tissue of the jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis, in addition to other insects. Here, we computationally examined existing N. vitripennis tissue transcriptomes to independently identify SNBP candidates. Our analyses uncovered 13 genes encoding proteins with SNBP characteristics, including exclusive gene expression in the testis, short protein length, and a high proportion of basic residues. The 2 highest-expressed of these genes encode PL proteins, which are evolutionary derivatives of the histone H1 family. Targeted degradation of the transcripts produced by the highest-expressed PL gene resulted in partial male sterility and defective sperm nuclear morphology in fertilized embryos, while RNAi treatment of the other PL gene yielded a subtle fertility effect. Both genes are present across hymenopteran insects but not outside this insect order. Moreover, they are not evolutionarily dynamic like the testis-specific HMG-box SNBPs in Drosophila species, which may reflect the lack of sex chromosomes, and the resulting conflict between them, in hymenopteran insects.

The felting of wool directly on the sheep largely affects its value as a raw material for the textile industry. In this regard, the aim of this study was to investigate the amino acid and mineral composition of wool affected by this defect in sheep of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain breed. Experimental wool samples were divided into guard and down fibers. The amino acid composition was determined using an AAA-400 amino acid analyzer, the mineral composition was determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Thermo Scientific iCE 3500), and sulfur was determined by the nephelometric method based on the turbidity of a barium sulfate suspension stabilized with glycerin. It has been shown that the process of wool felting is accompanied by partial degradation of fibers resulting from the destruction of disulfide, ionic, and hydrogen bonds, as indicated by a significant decrease in the total amino acid content, due to reductions in aspartic (P < 0.01) and glutamic (P < 0.01) acids, arginine (P < 0.05), as well as cystine (P < 0.01) and histidine (P < 0.05) in down fibers, and lysine (P < 0.01) in guard fibers. The observed decrease in calcium and copper content in felted wool indicates a disruption of ionic interactions with the functional groups of amino acids, which play a key role in stabilizing the structural organization of wool fibers, while the decrease in sulfur content in down fibers confirms the destruction of disulfide bonds. Therefore, the results of the study indicate that wool felting is the result of biochemical processes leading to disruption of the keratin structure of the fiber. In the future, the obtained data may be used to develop comprehensive approaches aimed at preventing and eliminating this wool defect.

The growing demand for sustainable alternative proteins has intensified interest in fungal mycelia as a nutrient-dense biomass for food applications. This study compared Pleurotus ostreatus fruiting bodies with mycelia grown in liquid state on amaranth seed- and Bambara groundnut-based media, evaluating aroma-active volatiles and amino acid composition. Across 52 identified volatiles, C8 oxylipin-derived compounds dominated all matrices, with exceptionally high odour activity values (OAVs) for 1-octen-3-one (~4.1 × 103), 3-octanone (~1.5 × 103), 1-octen-3-ol (~8.3 × 102) and 3-octanol (~5.3 × 102). Amaranth-grown mycelia showed intensified mushroom/green/fatty notes due to elevated C8 ketones and unsaturated aldehydes, whereas Bambara-grown mycelia exhibited reduced C8 prominence and stronger malty, nutty and fermented nuances driven by Ehrlich-pathway aldehydes (e.g., 3-methylbutanal ~2.0 × 103), with floral contributions from linalool (~3.8 × 102). Mycelial protein contents ranged from 35.8 to 36.1 g/100 g (amaranth) and up to 38.2 g/100 g (Bambara), compared with 39.5 g/100 g in the fruiting body. Amino acid scores (AAS) identified cystine + methionine as limiting; mycelia exhibited higher AAS, with more indispensable amino acids exceeding reference requirements. Elevated glutamic and aspartic acids underscore the umami potential of the mycelial biomass. Overall, these plant-based substrates can strategically modulate both flavour chemistry and amino acid balance in P. ostreatus mycelia, supporting their use as nutritionally relevant, flavour-active ingredients in alternative protein and hybrid food systems.

IntroductionC5orf46 is a recently discovered tumor-progression-related gene whose function in most cancers is still unknown, especially its potential role in regulating the tumor microenvironment (TME). The aim of the study is to explore the function of the C5orf46 gene in human pan-cancer, including kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), for potential clinical application.MethodsThe study started with the physicochemical properties of C5orf46, then the gene expression as well as alteration patterns in diverse cancers, followed by its post-transcription modulation, and then survival analysis. Moreover, the correlations between C5orf46 and multiple cancer TME-related parameters, including angiogenesis, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, and immune infiltration, were explored sequentially. Furthermore, C5orf46’s association with other critical cancer features, for instance, cancer stemness, tumor epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and DNA repair, was also investigated.ResultsFirstly, the physicochemical properties, including amino acid composition, estimated molecular weight, and protein half-life, of the C5orf46 gene were computed sequentially. Then, based on gene expression as well as survival analysis results, C5orf46 was shown to be upregulated in various human cancers, wherein KIRC showed the greatest difference in C5orf46 expression between cancer and corresponding normal tissues. The change in expression was partly due to DNA methylation modulation. Meanwhile, of greater clinical significance, the upregulated C5orf46 expression was correlated with both worse patients’ overall survival and shorter recurrence-free survival. Moreover, the association between C5orf46 and multiple critical cancer traits, including microenvironment angiogenesis, immune infiltration, ECM degradation, and cancer EMT, was validated. Furthermore, the C5orf46 gene was indicated to correlate with the sensitivity of several chemotherapy-related drugs.ConclusionsBased on TCGA pan-cancer data and validation of local hospital samples, C5orf46 was indicated to potentially work as an oncogene in diverse cancers, and the gene was associated with multiple critical cancer traits.