Target Fish Research Articles

Variant proposal of the fish passage using technical and close to nature approach

Passing barriers on streams is nowadays an important activity for the protection and restoration of water ecosystems, and one of the goals of the European Union in the field of water habitat protection, that means barriers on waterways should be made suitable for the migration of aquatic fauna. The design and hydraulic parameters of these structures are fundamental in their design process, determining the effectiveness of fish passes in facilitating safe and efficient fish migration. These parameters should consider the specific needs and behaviours of the target fish species. It should provide suitable water depths, velocities, and facilitate fish movement upstream or downstream. The choice between technical fish passes, such as slot pass, and nature-like ones, such as rock ramps, is crucial. The selection of the right type also depends on various factors including the topography, hydrology and the species of fish being targeted. However, it is easier to achieve the parameters by technical fish pass. The proposed fish pass and its parameters were simulated by 1D mathematical model HEC-RAS. It was very difficult to design and fulfil all parameters according to the legislation. For more accurate results is recommended use of 2D or 3D models, or physical models.

Change in Reef Fish Assemblages along Depth Gradient at Gili Rakit and Gili Lipan Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Since 2010, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been established in Indonesia to ensure the sustainable management of coral reef ecosystems. This study examines fish assemblages across varying depths and MPAs management areas, specifically assessing the suitability of Gili Rakit and Gili Lipan MPAs. The study concludes that deeper coral reefs have higher reef fish abundance, with a majority of carnivores, planktivores, and omnivores. Gili Taekebo has the lowest abundance and species richness, while Pulau Lipan has the highest. The target reef fish are primarily found in the core zone, rehabilitation, and open access management types. Based on the findings, MPAs should prioritize sites with gradient depth coral reefs and complex habitats to enhance reef fish biodiversity richness. Takad Tabampang and Pulau Bedil are recommended as sustainable fisheries management types, while Gili Taekebo could benefit from rehabilitation or open access management. Pulau Lipan and Labajo may benefit from target fish re-stocking programs.

Piscicidal Effect of Some Biologically Active Plant Compounds of Alstonia scholaris and Codium variegatum Commonly used in Fresh Water Bodies against Target Fish Mystus mystus

Piscicidal Effect of Some Biologically Active Plant Compounds of Alstonia scholaris and Codium variegatum Commonly used in Fresh Water Bodies against Target Fish Mystus mystus

Wetland geomorphology and tidal hydrodynamics drive fine-scale fish community composition and abundance

Effective restoration of tidal wetlands for fish communities requires clear goals and mechanistic understanding of the ecosystem drivers which affect fish distribution and abundance. We examined fish community responses to abiotic habitat features in two adjacent but dissimilar freshwater tidal wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA, USA, each of which represents a potential restoration configuration. The first wetland was characterized by a broad, intertidal basin with relatively high hydrodynamic exchange with surrounding waterways. The second wetland was characterized by a dendritic network of shallow subtidal channels with relatively low hydrodynamic exchange. Fish community composition significantly differed between the two wetlands, based on permutational analysis of variance. Fish abundance within and among the two wetlands was also highly affected by specific geomorphic and hydrodynamic characteristics: distance from connection with the main external waterway, bed elevation, and water surface elevation. The physical configuration of a restored tidal wetland, in conjunction with the way tides move across the restored landscape, has strong implications for local fishes. Manipulating these elements to create a landscape mosaic of habitat configurations can be an effective tool for targeting desired restoration outcomes, such as specific fish communities or target fish densities.

УСОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЕ ТРАЛОВОГО ПРОМЫСЛА ТЮЛЬКИ В АЗОВСКОМ МОРЕ В СОВРЕМЕННЫХ УСЛОВИЯХ ВОССТАНОВЛЕНИЯ ПОПУЛЯЦИЙ ОСЕТРОВЫХ РЫБ

Background. At present, the Black and Caspian Sea sprat (tyulka) is the least exploited species of the aquatic biological resources in the Azov and Black Sea Fishery Basin, although it has always been a valuable fishing target and a possible reserve pool for the increase of fish catches in the Basin. In the recent years, with the increasing number of midwater trawls allowed for using in the Black and Caspian Sea sprat (tyulka) fishery, all vessels transitioned to its trawl fishing; however, its total catch is decreasing, and the fishing results of these vessels are on the decline. Relevance. Taking into consideration the stock restoration occurring to the sturgeon fish species in the Azov Sea Basin in the recent years, it is necessary to take measures for maintaining this trend, as the Black and Caspian Sea sprat trawl fishing can result in increased mortality or injury of sturgeon fish and considerably damage their population. With a substantial decrease in the Black and Caspian Sea sprat fishing stock, the matter of stock restoration of the sturgeon fish species in the Azov Sea can induce the prohibition of the trawl operations in this water body, including the complete ban of the insufficiently profitable trawl fishing of the Black and Caspian Sea sprat in its current form. The aim of this article is to examine the design of the midwater trawls used in the Black and Caspian Sea sprat fishing in the Azov Sea, to investigate the global best practices in the trawl selectivity improvement, and to substantiate the main design characteristics for the specialized tyulka midwater trawls and means of their selectivity improvement. Methods. The standard methods of sample collection and data processing that could characterize fishing methods, gears and techniques for harvesting aquatic bioresources have been used. Results. The designs for the specialized trawls for the Black and Caspian Sea sprat fishing (exploitation) and methods for their selectivity improvement have been developed. Conclusion. These specialized trawls with the sorting units and a new principle of using otter boards (trawl doors) can increase fishing selectivity and mitigate possible damage inflicted by trawling to the populations of sturgeon fish species in the Azov Sea.

Evaluation and securing of ecological flow by linking fish growth scenarios and basin water budget analysis

Maintaining ecological flow is crucial for preserving healthy aquatic ecosystems. This study presents a novel approach to assess and secure ecological flow by linking fish growth scenarios with water budget analysis. Addressing the challenges of accurately predicting ecological flow requirements, especially in post-dam-construction scenarios, is a central focus. In the Gam River basin, we assess the compatibility of a target fish species with post-dam quantitative instream flow, confirming an appropriate 4 m3/s for Zacco platypus in the basin's water supply system. This determination, facilitated by the K-WEAP model, not only ensures water availability but also prevents the Gimcheon-Buhang Dam from falling below its dead storage water level. Our study's key achievements include the development and successful application of this innovative methodology, integrating basin water budget analysis with fish population growth predictions across varying flow conditions. This approach allows the identification of potential ecosystem risks like water scarcity or pollution and determines the optimal ecological flow needed for maintaining the river ecosystem. Our research provides valuable insights for future endeavors in sustainable water resources management and river ecosystem conservation efforts.

Broadband Scattering Characteristic Quantization Technique for Single Fish Based on a Split-Beam Echosounder

The utilization of broadband quantization data increases the possibility of practical applications for fish target recognition based on the acoustic scattering theory. However, the quantification of broadband data is more complex than that of narrowband systems, requiring consideration of the broadband characteristics of split-beam transducers, seawater absorption, and circuits. This paper elucidates the scatterer acoustic field equation, transducer power equation, and signal processing flow in split-beam broadband quantization technology for engineering applications. A broadband calculation model based on transducer parameters is proposed to enhance the generalization ability of broadband quantization technology to different types of sonar. The classical echo integration method is combined with Fourier transform to meet the requirements of target strength (TS) estimation under broadband signals. This paper includes a series of experiments to prove the rationality and effectiveness of the method. The results demonstrate that the provided calculation model can more accurately reflect the backscattering characteristics of the scatterer, but certain errors remain. This article analyzes the sources of errors and validates the effectiveness of the new TS calculation method.

Species‐specific foraging behavior and diets of stream salmonids: An implication for negative impacts on native charr by nonnative trout in Japanese mountain streams

AbstractSalmonids have been introduced globally as a food source and recreational fishing target. In Japan, brown trout (Salmo trutta) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were introduced in the 19th century and have since spread. In many headwater streams, native white‐spotted charr (Salvelinus leucomaenis) are thought to be experiencing negative impacts from these species. The current study examined foraging behavior, microhabitat use, and diet overlap of these three species in Kamikochi, Nagano Prefecture: one of Japan's premier mountain areas. In Kamikochi, many spring‐fed headwater streams are currently dominated by these invasive salmonids and white‐spotted charr have declined drastically over the last half century. Underwater video analysis revealed that while total foraging rates and foraging modes were similar between the three species, brook trout and white‐spotted charr foraged benthically more frequently than brown trout. Microhabitat water depth and flow velocity were similar between species, and fish size had a positive effect on water depth and flow velocity in all three species. Diet analysis indicated that brook trout and white‐spotted charr diets were nearly identical, comprised primary of aquatic invertebrates, while brown trout preyed on a mix of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, as well as amphibians and fish. These results indicate that in Kamikochi, the decline of white‐spotted charr is likely most influenced by direct competition with brook trout for prey resources. However, brown trout likely also predate on juvenile white‐spotted charr, while also possibly causing a foraging niche shift of white‐spotted charr, and have ecosystem‐level impacts due to predation on terrestrial prey.

Multifaceted approach toward mapping out the anticancer properties of small molecules via invitro evaluation on melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer cells, and in silico target fishing.

Melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers are among the most prevalent and most lethal forms of skin cancers. To identify new lead compounds with potential anticancer properties for further optimization, invitro assays combined with in-silico target fishing and docking have been used to identify and further map out the antiproliferative and potential mode of action of molecules from a small library of compounds previously prepared in our laboratory. From screening these compounds invitro against A375, SK-MEL-28, A431, and SCC-12 skin cancer cell lines, 35 displayed antiproliferative activities at the micromolar level, with the majority being primarily potent against the A431 and SCC-12 squamous carcinoma cell lines. The most active compounds 11 (A431: IC50 = 5.0 μM, SCC-12: IC50 = 2.9 μM, SKMEL-28: IC50 = 4.9 μM, A375: IC50 = 6.7 μM) and 13 (A431: IC50 = 5.0 μM, SCC-12: IC50 = 3.3 μM, SKMEL-28: IC50 = 13.8 μM, A375: IC50 = 17.1 μM), significantly and dose-dependently induced apoptosis of SCC-12 and SK-MEL-28 cells, as evidenced by the suppression of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP protein expression levels. Both agents significantly reduced scratch wound healing, colony formation, and expression levels of deregulated cancer molecular targets including RSK/Akt/ERK1/2 and S6K1. In silico target prediction and docking studies using the SwissTargetPrediction web-based tool suggested that CDK8, CLK4, nuclear receptor ROR, tyrosine protein-kinase Fyn/LCK, ROCK1/2, and PARP, all of which are dysregulated in skin cancers, might be prospective targets for the two most active compounds. Further validation of these targets by western blot analyses, revealed that ROCK/Fyn and its associated Hedgehog (Hh) pathways were downregulated or modulated by the two lead compounds. In aggregate, these results provide a strong framework for further validation of the observed activities and the development of a more comprehensive structure-activity relationship through the preparation and biological evaluation of analogs.

Economic viability of a large vessel mesopelagic fishery under ecological uncertainty

Motivated by the global rise in demand for marine products, there is increased interest in exploitation of the mesopelagic zone. However, the feasibility of this potential fishery remains uncertain, partly due to limited biological data and knowledge on sustainability of exploitation, and due to questions related to its economic viability. Consequently, there is a demand for better insights into these factors before any commencement of a fishery. Here we use the DISPLACE individual-vessel based bio-economic model to evaluate economic and biological trade-offs of a fishery on Maurolicus muelleri and Benthosema glaciale, the main potential target fish species in the mesopelagic zone of the Northeast Atlantic. We found that a fish price between 1.6-5.0 €/kg is necessary for mesopelagic resources to assure a profitable mesopelagic fishery, which is twice that expected for species with similar fat content. These high fish prices are necessary to cover the high fuel consumption costs due to the distant fishing grounds. Furthermore, the distance of the fishing grounds makes the fuel tank capacity a limiting factor for the fishery. A first evaluation of preliminary harvest control strategies indicated that a low fishing mortality of F = 0.2 year-1 resulted in the highest potential profitability of the fishery. Restriction of gear mesh sizes did not significantly affect the profitability of the fishery. We show that the current ecological uncertainties, especially regarding the life-history, species-specific and spatio-temporal abundance and distribution estimates have a significant impact on the estimates of potential viability of the fishery. It is therefore of the utmost importance to gain more insights in those factors before investments are made into the development of such fishery.

Unconfined fishway design, implementation, and assessment for the emerald Shiner (Notropis atherinoides) in the Upper Niagara River, New York

An engineered seawall in need of repair along the Upper Niagara River in Buffalo, NY, was previously identified as a hydrodynamic barrier to the migration of a small but important prey fish, the emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides), and its connection to the upstream environs of Lake Erie. This study proposed a novel unconfined fishway design to be incorporated into existing plans for rehabilitation of the seawall at Broderick Park. The proposed fishway was developed using a two-dimensional depth-averaged numerical model, it was explored by placing the target fish into a physical model, and the constructed demonstration project was assessed using field measurements and observations. The numerical model showed that modular baffles attached to the seawall reduced the nearshore flow velocities to about 0.4 to 0.6 m s−1, which was within the acceptable range of velocities for the upstream migration of the emerald shiners. The physical experiments demonstrated that most emerald shiners chose to swim toward, within, or close to the proposed fishway in the presence of higher flow velocities within the main channel region. The proposed fishway design was integrated into the seawall repair as part of a demonstration project supervised by the US Army Corps of Engineers-Buffalo District. Post-construction assessment of the installation showed that (1) the modular baffles reduced time-averaged flow velocities near the seawall and water surface, (2) while very few shiners were observed swimming along the pre-construction seawall, large numbers were observed swimming upstream within this reduced flow velocity corridor created by the baffles, and (3) the structural integrity of the installation proved to be durable and resilient to extremely harsh environmental conditions. This study explored a new approach to fishway design for the passage of relatively small fish in large rivers, and it effectively melded fishway requirements into seawall restoration in concert with the expectations of multiple stakeholders.

Drug screening identifies aldose reductase as a novel target for treating cisplatin-induced hearing loss

Cisplatin is a frequently used chemotherapeutic medicine for cancer treatment. Permanent hearing loss is one of the most serious side effects of cisplatin, but there are few FDA-approved medicines to prevent it. We applied high-through screening and target fishing and identified aldose reductase, a key enzyme of the polyol pathway, as a novel target for treating cisplatin ototoxicity. Cisplatin treatment significantly increased the expression level and enzyme activity of aldose reductase in the cochlear sensory epithelium. Genetic knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of aldose reductase showed a significant protective effect on cochlear hair cells. Cisplatin-induced overactivation of aldose reductase led to the decrease of NADPH/NADP+ and GSH/GSSG ratios, as well as the increase of oxidative stress, and contributed to hair cell death. Results of target prediction, molecular docking, and enzyme activity detection further identified that Tiliroside was an effective inhibitor of aldose reductase. Tiliroside was proven to inhibit the enzymatic activity of aldose reductase via competitively interfering with the substrate-binding region. Both Tiliroside and another clinically approved aldose reductase inhibitor, Epalrestat, inhibited cisplatin-induced oxidative stress and subsequent cell death and thus protected hearing function. These findings discovered the role of aldose reductase in the pathogenesis of cisplatin-induced deafness and identified aldose reductase as a new target for the prevention and treatment of hearing loss.

Network pharmacology-based pharmacological mechanism prediction of Lycii Fructus against postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) has become one of most frequent bone diseases worldwide with aging population. Lycii Fructus, a common plant fruit with the property of drug homologous food, has long since been used to treat PMOP. The aim of this study is to explore pharmacological mechanisms of Lycii Fructus against PMOP through using network pharmacology approach. The active ingredients of Lycii Fructus were obtained from Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology database. Target fishing was performed on these ingredients in UniProt database for identification of the relative targets. Then, we screened the targets related to PMOP using GeneCards database and DisGeNET database. The overlapping genes between PMOP and Lycii Fructus were obtained to perform protein-protein interaction, gene ontology analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis. A total of 35 active ingredients were identified in Lycii Fructus, and fished 158 related targets. Simultaneously, 292 targets associated with PMOP were obtained from GeneCards database and DisGeNET database. By drawing Venn diagram, 41 overlapping genes were obtained, and were considered as therapeutically relevant. Gene ontology enrichment analysis predicted that anti-inflammation and promotion of angiogenesis might be 2 potential mechanism of Lycii Fructus for PMOP treatment. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed several pathways, such as IL-17 pathway, TNF pathway, MAPK pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and HIF signaling pathway were involved in regulating these 2 biological processes. Through the method of network pharmacology, we systematically investigated the mechanisms of Lycii Fructus against PMOP. The identified multi-targets and multi-pathways provide new insights to further determinate its exact pharmacological mechanisms.

Spider cone: a novel behavior of cobweb-like excretions of Conus geographus

Conus geographus is a specialized nocturnal cone snail that has evolved to engulf several target fish at once. A newly discovered behavior was observed wherein it releases cobweb-like excretions. This study focuses on characterizing this behavior from visual media as well as identifying the factors triggering the releases of cobweb-like excretions. Data from observations were then analyzed together with previously published C. geographus data and data from arachnids to determine similarities and their relationship between adaptation and evolution. Comparisons revealed that the first factor for releasing the cobweb-like excretions would be mobilization, which is the descending ability of C. geographus using the projections that may be similar to the abseiling spiders of Theridiidae and Araneidae. Next factor is the defense mechanism wherein the cone snail’s siphon was compared to spiders with trichobothria, which are used for mechanoreception. The last considered factor is an additional feeding strategy. In the observed visual media, the C. geographus wrapped an aerator with its excretions similar to the entangling mechanism for feeding specific species of spiders. Gathered information revealed that the cobweb-like excretions were used for mobility, defense mechanism, and feeding strategy, as C. geographus is highly susceptible to adaptation due to its neurological abilities. The compared data showed similarities between geography cone snails and spiders, suggesting a strong linkage between the two phyla that shows a convergent evolutionary relationship.

SEBARAN DAERAH PENANGKAPAN IKAN PADA PERIKANAN SKALA KECIL DI KABUPATEN PANGANDARAN, JAWA BARAT

Capture fisheries in Pangandaran Regency, West Java are dominated by small-scale fishers. As many as 98% of fishing vessels in Pangandaran are under 5 GT. The small fishing vessels restrict Pangandaran fishers from operating further outside the Pangandaran Bay. As a result, the fishing pressure around the bay increases. This study aims to analyze the fishing grounds distribution of Pangandaran fishers. The selection of fishing locations was carried out using the participatory mapping method by asking fishers to show the fishing location on the map provided. A total of 163 respondents from 4 different fish landing bases were interviewed to obtain data on fishing positions and dominant caught fish. The results showed that the fishing grounds of Pangandaran Regency fishers are divided into Pangandaran Bay (east coast) and Parigi Bay (west coast) with the highest concentration of fishing grounds in the western part of both bays. Fishers choose this location because it is safer from waves and blocks the target fish that migrate from west to east. There were 25 species of fish caught by Pangandaran fishers, but only 13 species were dominant with Trichiurus savala and Pampus argenteus being at the top. The results of this study are expected to be the basis information for determining policies to develop the fishing capacity of coastal fisheries in Pangandaran to offshore, hence it can reduce fishing pressure in the coastal waters.
 Keywords: fishing ground, artisanal fisheries.

In silico Strategy: A Promising Implement in the Development of Multitarget Drugs against Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Multi-target drug development (MTDD) is the demand of the recent era, especially in the case of multi-factorial conditions such as cancer, depression, neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), etc. The MTDD approaches have many advantages; avoidance of drug-drug interactions, predictable pharmacokinetic profile, and less drug resistance. The wet lab practice in MTDD is very challenging for the researchers, and the chances of late-stage failure are obvious. Identification of an appropriate target (Target fishing) is another challenging task in the development of multi-target drugs. The in silico tools will be one of the promising tools in the MTDD for the NDs. Therefore the outlook of the review comprises a short description of NDs, target associated with different NDs, in silico studies so far done for MTDD for various NDs. The main thrust of this review is to explore the present and future aspects of in silico tools used in MTDD for different NDs in combating the challenge of drug development and the application of various in silico tools to solve the problem of target fishing.

Temporal study of coral reef health in Kepulauan Seribu Marine National Park

Coral reefs are one of ecosystems that have high biodiversity and productivity. The condition of coral reefs in Seribu Islands is currently being threatened by various marine industry development activities. This study aims to determine coral reef health in Seribu Islands, DKI Jakarta. The study was conducted at eight observation stations in Kepulauan Seribu Marine National Park area on 7-10 March 2022 (First Monitoring) and 31 May until 3 June 2022 (Second Monitoring). Coral reef data collecting were using Underwater Photo Transect (UPT) method. Reef fish data collecting were using Underwater Visual Census (UVC) method. While for macrobenthos data collecting were using the Belt Transect method. The coral reef health index was determined based on two main components, there are benthic component and reef fish component. Overall, coral reef health from eight observation stations during two monitoring sessions had high recovery potential, although some stations had low coral cover and low target fish biomass. In addition, several species of macrobenthos are bioindicators that can contribute to purifying waters.

Hydro-morphological alteration and related effects on fish habitat induced by sediment management in a regulated Alpine river

Sediment pulses can cause relevant geomorphological alteration and fine sediment deposition, affecting the entire river ecosystem. Quantifying the impact of these events is becoming increasingly important, as sediment disturbance is predicted to intensify because of growing anthropogenic activity combined to the effects of current climate change. In this paper, the effects of a sediment pulse event on riverbed morphology and, in turn, on fish habitat availability are assessed in a regulated river, located in the southern European Alps. Specifically, four target fish species were selected: marble (Salmo marmoratus) and brown trout (Salmo trutta), grayling (Thymallus thymallus), and bullhead (Cottus gobio). The investigated event was triggered by the effects of localized landslides combined with an uncontrolled sediment release from a hydropower reservoir. A pre-post event integrated approach was applied, involving topographic surveys, fine sediment deposition measurements, and eco-hydraulic modeling. Habitat availability analysis was done using two-dimensional steady-state channel-flow simulation and standard habitat suitability modeling, with univariate suitability curves as biological input. The investigation focused on two river reaches, quite close each other, but characterized by significantly different streamflow patterns, due to the layout of the local hydropower system. The results showed that noticeable riverbed fining occurred at both study reaches after the pulse, with the maximum thickness of the fine sediment deposits up to one meter, and higher amounts of deposition detected in areas wetted at baseflow. Moreover, for both reaches, recovery to the pre-event riverbed grain-size condition occurred in about a year, but with differences related to different streamflow patterns. Pre-post topographic comparison showed that areas of erosion prevailed over areas of deposition, and fine sediment deposition was not systematically associated to the riverbed elevation raise. Simulated habitat availability was affected by both topographic changes and fine sediment deposition, with the latter predominantly impacting juveniles and the most bottom dwelling species, i.e., the bullhead. The study confirms the need for improving the management of the hydro-sedimentary regime of regulated rivers to preserve the habitat of fish species, particularly of those characterized by conservation status already endangered.

Exploring 3-O-glycosylations of 20(R)-dammarane ginsenosides and the catalytic mechanism underlying the stereoselectivity with the combined assistance of AlphaFold 2 and molecular docking

Glycosylation at C3-OH is the favorable modification for pharmaceutical activities and diversity expansion of 20(R)-dammarane ginsenosides. The 3-O-glycosylation, exclusively occurring in 20(R)-PPD ginsenosides, has never been achieved in 20(R)-PPT ginsenosides. Herein, 3-O-glycosylation of 20(R)-PPT enabled by a glycosyltransferase (GT) OsSGT2 was achieved with the combined assistance of AlphaFold 2 and molecular docking. Firstly, we combined AlphaFold2 algorithm and molecular docking to predict interactions between 20(R)-PPT and candidate GTs. A catalytically favorable binding geometry was thus identified in the OsSGT2–20(R)-PPT complex, suggesting OsSGT2 might act on 20(R)-PPT. The enzymatic assays demonstrated that OsSGT2 reacted with varied sugar donors to form 20(R)-PPT 3-O-glycosides, exhibiting donor promiscuity. Additionally, OsSGT2 displayed acceptor promiscuity, catalyzing 3-O-glucosylation of 20(R/S)-PPT, 20(R/S)-PPD and 20(R/S)-Rh1, respectively. Protein engineering on OsSGT2 was thus performed to probe its catalytic mechanism underlying its stereoselectivity. The W207A mutant preferred 20(S)-dammarane aglycons, while F395Q/A396G(QG) displayed a conversion enhancement towards both 20(R/S)-dammarane aglycons. The QG mutant was then used to synthesize 20(R)-PPT 3-O-glucoside, which displayed a moderate angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory effect with an IC50 of 27.5 ± 4.7 μM, superior to that of its 20(S)-epimer, with the combined assistance of target fishing and reverse docking. The water solubility of 20(R)-PPT 3-O-glucoside increased as well.

A network pharmacology approach to explore pharmacological mechanisms of Asparagus racemosus for ameliorative effect in epilepsy and comorbid progressive memory dysfunction.

Network pharmacology approach has been observed a powerful tool to predict underlying complex pharmacological mechanism of herbs. Asparagus racemosus has been reported to show ameliorative effects in treating epilepsy and comorbid memory dysfunction but mechanism of this amelioration is elusive. Hence a network pharmacology approach was employed to investigate the plausible mechanism of A. recemosus. : Bioactive compounds of A. racemosus were extracted based on the TCMSP, PCIDB, and BATMAN-TCM database. The potential targets of bioactive compounds were collected using target fishing. Epilepsy and comorbid dementia genes were collected from DISGENET. A PPI network among these targets was constructed using the intersecting key targets between herb targets and disease targets. Besides, DAVID bioinformatics resource was utilized for the pathway enrichment analysis on GO and KEGG. Ultimately, phytochemical compound-target genes-Pathways network has been assembled utilizing Cytoscape to decipher the mechanism of the herb. The network analysis revealed that 5 targets (CASP3, TNF, VEGFA, PTGS2 and CNR1) might be the key therapeutic targets of asparagus on Epilepsy comorbid Alzheimer's disease. Based on high connectivity, four hub compounds with the highest connectivity were noted and it includes Shatavarin V, Sarsasapogenin, Shatavarin IX, and Shatavarin VI. A total of 19 KEGG terms were enriched as the potential pathways of A. racemosus in Epilepsy comorbid Alzheimer's disease. This study envisaged the pharmacological and molecular mechanism of A. racemosus against epilepsy comorbid Alzheimer's disease and put forward a strategy to uncover the mechanisms of Traditional Indian Medicine based on network pharmacology. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-023-00169-x.