Structural Variations Research Articles

A Comparative Analysis of the Combinatorial Properties of Chinese Measure Words and Arabic Classifiers

This comparative analysis investigates the combinatorial properties of Chinese noun measure words and Arabic classifiers exploring their semantic syntactic and cultural aspects. Chinese measure words are integral to quantifying nouns exhibiting diverse semantic alignments and syntactic patterns. In contrast, Arabic classifiers fulfill a similar role but with distinct structural variations influenced by grammatical gender and number agreement. By juxtaposing these linguistic elements, this study unveils both commonalities and disparities, offering insights into the intricate ways languages encode quantification. Through this comparative examination, we gain a nuanced understanding of linguistic diversity and cultural nuances inherent in Chinese and Arabic, enriching our comprehension of language structure and cross-linguistic communication.

Engineering Thermally Reduced Graphene Oxide for Synchronously Enhancing Photocatalytic Activity and Photothermal Effect.

The structural composition of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) can be modified and controlled by appropriate reduction methods to modulate its electronic structure, rendering it a versatile platform for tailoring optoelectronic and catalytic properties. Nevertheless, it is uncommon to concurrently amplify the photocatalytic and photothermal effects when regulating and utilizing pure rGO. Here, we investigate the impact of structural variations in thermally reduced graphene oxide (TGO) on its photocatalytic and photothermal properties. Various characterization results demonstrate that appropriate thermal reduction facilitates the preservation and transformation of oxygenated groups and structure defects, which in turn encourages the formation of reactive carbon radicals and discrete graphitic domains, thereby strengthening the activation of molecular oxygen and the plasmonic photothermal effect under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Moreover, the optimized TGOs exhibit efficient sterilization with NIR irradiation due to enhanced photocatalytic activities and photothermal effects. This work highlights the potential for developing photocatalytic and photothermal rGO-based materials through structural engineering.

Molecular docking and antimicrobial activities of photoexcited inhibitors in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms in endodontic infections

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a promising approach to combat antibiotic resistance in endodontic infections. It eliminates residual bacteria from the root canal space and reduces the need for antibiotics. To enhance its effectiveness, an in silico and in vitro study was performed to investigate the potential of targeted aPDT using natural photosensitizers, Kojic acid and Parietin. This approach aims to inhibit the biofilm formation of Enterococcus faecalis, a frequent cause of endodontic infections, by targeting the Ace and Esp proteins. After determining the physicochemical characteristics of Ace and Esp proteins and model quality assessment, the molecular dynamic simulation was performed to recognize the structural variations. The stability and physical movement of the protein-ligand complexes were evaluated. In silico molecular docking was conducted, followed by ADME/Tox profiling, pharmacokinetics characteristics, and assessment of drug-likeness properties of the natural photosensitizers. The study also investigated the changes in the expression of genes (esp and ace) involved in E. faecalis biofilm formation. The results showed that both Kojic acid and Parietin complied with Lipinski’s rule of five and exhibited drug-like properties. In silico analysis indicated stable complexes between Ace and Esp proteins and the natural photosensitizers. The molecular docking studies demonstrated good binding affinity. Additionally, the expression of the ace and esp genes was significantly downregulated in aPDT using Kojic acid and Parietin with blue light compared to the control group. This investigation concluded that Kojic acid and Parietin with drug-likeness could efficiently interact with Ace and Esp proteins with a strong binding affinity. Hence, natural photosensitizers-mediated aPDT can be considered a promising adjunctive treatment against endodontic infections.

Investigation of the effect of Tideglusib on the hydroxyapatite formation, crystallinity and elasticity of conditioned resin-dentin interfaces

To investigate the effect of dentin infiltration with polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) doped with tideglusib (TDg) (TDg-NPs) on hydroxyapatite formation, crystallinity and elasticity of conditioned resin-dentin interfaces. Dentin conditioned surfaces were infiltrated with NPs or TDg-NPs. Bonded interfaces were created, stored for 24 h and submitted to mechanical and thermal challenging. Resin-dentin interfaces were evaluated through nanoindentation to determine the modulus of elasticity, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy through selected area diffraction and bright-filed imaging. TDg-NPs provoked peaks narrowing after the diffraction-intensity analysis that corresponded with high crystallinity, with an increased modulus of Young after load cycling in comparison with the samples treated with undoped NPs. New minerals, in the group of TDg-NPs, showed the greatest both deviation of line profile from perfect crystal diffraction and dimension of the lattice strain, i.e, crystallite, grain size and microstrain and 002 plane-texture. The new minerals generated after TDg-NPs application and mechanical loading followed a well defined lineation. Undoped NPs mostly produced small hydroxyapatite crystallites, non crystalline or amorphous in nature with poor maturity. Tideglusib promoted the precipitation of hydroxyapatite, as a major crystalline phase, at the intrafibrillar compartment of the collagen fibrils, enabling functional mineralization. TDg-NPs facilitated nucleation of crystals randomly oriented, showing less structural variation in angles and distances that improved crystallographic relative order of atoms and maturity. Nanocrystals inducted by TDg-NPs were hexagonal prisms of submicron size. Thermal challenging of dentin treated with TDg-NPs have provoked a decrease of functional mineralization and crystallinity, associated to immature hydroxyapatite. New polycrystalline lattice formation generated after TDg-NPs infiltration may become correlated with high mechanical performance. This association can be inferred from the superior crystallinity that was obtained in presence of tideglusib. Immature crystallites formed in dentin treated with undoped NPs will account for a high remineralizing activity.

The structural, mechanical, and biological variation of silica bioglasses obtained by different sintering temperatures

The structural, mechanical, and biological variation of silica bioglasses obtained by different sintering temperatures

Engineering Mn Vacancies to Enhance Ion Kinetics in Layered Manganese Silicate for High-Energy and Durable Intercalation Pseudocapacitance.

Transition metal silicates (TMSs) are potential electrodes for aqueous metal-ion intercalation pseudocapacitors owing to their superior theoretical capacity and high structural stability. However, the narrow interlayer spacing and intrinsic inert basal plane of TMSs lead to sluggish ions and charge transfer, causing an undesirable energy storage performance. Herein, rich Mn vacancies are introduced in layered manganous silicates (M2-xS@FA) to expedite K+ diffusion, while enhancing charge storage capacity and prolonging lifespan. In situ characterizations validate the K+ intercalation pseudocapacitance mechanism with evident crystal structure and valence state variations in M2-xS@FA. Both theoretical calculations and electrochemical experimental evaluations elucidate the imperative role of Mn vacancies in enhancing K+ diffusion kinetics and electron transfer through increased interlayer spacing and activated basal plane. Mn vacancies further boost the charge storage capacity by providing additional K+ storage sites, while simultaneously reinforcing local atomic bonding within M2-xS@FA, thereby augmenting structural stability. The assembled aqueous asymmetric solid-state cell, featuring a M2-xS@FA cathode, demonstrates exceptional power and energy densities (144.08 W h kg-1 at 375.80 W kg-1) and ultralong lifespan (100% capacity retention after 10,000 cycles). This work heralds a paradigm whereby modulating cation vacancies in layered TMSs significantly enhances K+ storage and stability for high-energy intercalation pseudocapacitance.

Centromeric transposable elements and epigenetic status drive karyotypic variation in the eastern hoolock gibbon.

Great apes have maintained a stable karyotype with few large-scale rearrangements; in contrast, gibbons have undergone a high rate of chromosomal rearrangements coincident with rapid centromere turnover. Here we characterize assembled centromeres in the Eastern hoolock gibbon, Hoolock leuconedys (HLE), finding a diverse group of transposable elements (TEs) that differ from the canonical alpha satellites found across centromeres of other apes. We find that HLE centromeres contain a CpG methylation centromere dip region, providing evidence this epigenetic feature is conserved in the absence of satellite arrays; nevertheless, we report a variety of atypical centromeric features, including protein-coding genes and mismatched replication timing. Further, large structural variations define HLE centromeres and distinguish them from other gibbons. Combined with differentially methylated TEs, topologically associated domain boundaries, and segmental duplications at chromosomal breakpoints, we propose that a "perfect storm" of multiple genomic attributes with propensities for chromosome instability shaped gibbon centromere evolution.

Enhancing point cloud registration with transformer: cultural heritage protection of the Terracotta Warriors

Point cloud registration technology, by precisely aligning repair components with the original artifacts, can accurately record the geometric shape of cultural heritage objects and generate three-dimensional models, thereby providing reliable data support for the digital preservation, virtual exhibition, and restoration of cultural relics. However, traditional point cloud registration methods face challenges when dealing with cultural heritage data, including complex morphological and structural variations, sparsity and irregularity, and cross-dataset generalization. To address these challenges, this paper introduces an innovative method called Enhancing Point Cloud Registration with Transformer (EPCRT). Firstly, we utilize local geometric perception for positional encoding and combine it with a dynamic adjustment mechanism based on local density information and geometric angle encoding, enhancing the flexibility and adaptability of positional encoding to better characterize the complex local morphology and structural variations of artifacts. Additionally, we introduce a convolutional-Transformer hybrid module to facilitate interactive learning of artifact point cloud features, effectively achieving local–global feature fusion and enhancing detail capture capabilities, thus effectively handling the sparsity and irregularity of artifact point cloud data. We conduct extensive evaluations on the 3DMatch, ModelNet, KITTI, and MVP-RG datasets, and validate our method on the Terracotta Warriors cultural heritage dataset. The results demonstrate that our method has significant performance advantages in handling the complexity of morphological and structural variations, sparsity and irregularity of relic data, and cross-dataset generalization.

Electronic and Atomic Structural Properties Associated with Enhanced Photodegradation Activity in Mo-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles.

The efficacy and structural evolution of Mo-doped titania nanoparticles (MTNPs) as advanced photocatalysts for degrading methyl blue (MB) are investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The 3 wt % MTNP, characterized by uniform size and anatase structure, exhibits higher efficiency. The spectral analyses unveiled structural variations in the TiO6 octahedral structure and revealed an active site of the distorted square pyramidal structure symmetry (C4v). The in situ XAS spectra illustrate that MTNPs, particularly at 3 wt % doping, effectively enhanced the hole carriers in Ti 3d orbitals with a charge transfer to Mo 4d orbitals and impeded electron-hole pair merging, significantly enhancing the photodegradation under light illumination. This study deepens our understanding of the crucial role of Mo doping in optimizing TiO2 nanoparticle performance for efficient environmental remediation, showcasing the potential of MTNPs as sustainable photocatalytic materials.

Comparison between imidacloprid effects on AChE and nAChRα1 in target Aphis craccivora and non-target Apis mellifera: experimental and theoretical approaches

BackgroundNeonicotinoids are widespread insecticides because of their potent effects against aphids and other piercing-sucking insects in addition to having high selectivity toward insects rather than vertebrates. However, they affect severely some non-target insects, mainly honeybee in a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder (CCD).ResultsEffects of imidacloprid (IMI), most used neonicotinoids, on aphid acetylcholinesterase (AChE), in vivo and in vitro were examined; besides, molecular modeling was used to investigate similarities and differences of AChE and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors α1-subunit (nAChRα1) in aphids, target insect, and honeybees, non-target insect. Results showed that aphid AChE was inhibited in vitro, with IC50 108.6 mg/L but not affected in vivo while the mortality was concentration-dependent with high toxicity (LC50 9.50 mg/L); in addition, aphid AChE was more inhibited, in vitro, but with much less effects, in vivo, than that of honeybees. These results indicate that AChE is not the main cause of the observed mortality, but it still has a role in insect resistance system with different responses in both insects. Molecular modeling showed high similarity in primary and secondary structures of AChE indicated by high identity (67%) and low gaps (1%); besides, the same template for both enzymes was auto-selected for homology. In addition, similar positions of the triad amino acids were found in AChE of both insects indicating high similarity. Conversely, the similarity in nAChRα1 in both insects is lower (50% identity and 9% gaps). These gaps (50 amino acids) are found in the intracellular large loop between TM3 and TM4 and account for the observed differences in the nAChRα1 binding sites of in both insects.ConclusionThese observed variations in nAChRα1 structures and binding sites in different insect species can be used as good bases in designing new neonicotinoids that express high effects on target insects with better selectivity to minimize adverse effects on non-target organisms.Graphical

Investigation of Cd and Pb enrichment capacities of Erigeron sumatrensis across three polluted regions: Insights into soil parameters and microbial communities

Erigeron sumatrensis is a vigorously growing invasive plant in mining areas and has been the subject of research for its potential in the phytoremediation of heavy metals. In this study, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) of E. sumatrensis were assessed to evaluate its phytoaccumulation potential for cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) across three distinct zinc mining regions with different degrees of contamination, including Huayuan (HY), Yueyang (YY), and Liuyang (LY) areas. The region of HY is identified as having the most severe Cd contamination, while the most pronounced Pb pollution characterizes the LY area. The findings indicate that E. sumatrensis demonstrated a stronger ability to enrich Cd and Pb in less contaminated areas. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions was employed to analyze the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities across the three areas. The results revealed significant variations in the microbial community structure, function, and composition, suggesting a complex interplay between the plant and its associated microorganisms. Correlation analysis identified several soil properties, including soil pH, total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), organic matter (OM), and available phosphorus (AP), as pivotal factors that may influence the heavy metal enrichment capabilities of the plant. Notably, some microorganisms (e.g., Burkholderia, Brevundimonas, Paraglomus, and Trichoderma) and enzymes (e.g., P-type ATPases, citrate synthase, catalase) of microorganisms were found to be potentially involved in facilitating the accumulation of Cd and Pb by E. sumatrensis. This research contributes to understanding how invasive alien plants can be utilized to remedy contaminated environments. It highlights the importance of modulating critical soil factors to enhance the phytoremediation potential of E. sumatrensis, which could aid in developing strategies to manage invasive plants and mitigate heavy metal pollution in ecosystems.

External electric field induced emission behavior for ESIPT-based 2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-4-(pyren-1-yl)phenol towards near-infrared region

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) for low energy transfer and double emission, but the current methods for regulating ESIPT processes are mostly solvent and substituent effects. Here, utilizing the density theory functional (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) methods, the ESIPT process controlled by an external electric field (EEF) is proposed, and the changes in photophysical properties of 2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-4-(pyren-1-yl)phenol (PyHBT) are investigated. Structural parameter variations and IR vibrational spectra measure the prerequisite for the ESIPT process, namely, intramolecular hydrogen bond (IHB) strength, and the scanned potential energy curves (PECs) demonstrate that the ESIPT process of PyHBT is harder to execute as the positive EEF increases, and the opposite is true for the negative EEF. The absorption and fluorescence spectra show shifts under the distinct EEFs, and even the emission wavelength reaches the short-wave near-infrared (SW-NIR) region (780–1100 nm), such as 815.2 nm for a positive EEF of + 30 × 10-4 a.u. in the keto form. Additionally, the fluorescence intensity of PyHBT is strongly influenced by the positive EEF, especially in the enol form, and the investigation of the mechanism by hole-electron analysis demonstrates that under the positive EEF, the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) process is induced, which triggers the weakening of the fluorescence intensity. In summary, our work not only complements the theoretical approach to modulate the ESIPT process, but also reveals that the photophysical properties of materials affected by the external electric field are even expected to reach the NIR region.

Exploring Evolutionary Pathways and Abiotic Stress Responses through Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the Alternative Oxidase (AOX) Gene Family in Common Oat (Avena sativa).

The alternative oxidase (AOX), a common terminal oxidase in the electron transfer chain (ETC) of plants, plays a crucial role in stress resilience and plant growth and development. Oat (Avena sativa), an important crop with high nutritional value, has not been comprehensively studied regarding the AsAOX gene family. Therefore, this study explored the responses and potential functions of the AsAOX gene family to various abiotic stresses and their potential evolutionary pathways. Additionally, we conducted a genome-wide analysis to explore the evolutionary conservation and divergence of AOX gene families among three Avena species (Avena sativa, Avena insularis, Avena longiglumis) and four Poaceae species (Avena sativa, Oryza sativa, Triticum aestivum, and Brachypodium distachyon). We identified 12 AsAOX, 9 AiAOX, and 4 AlAOX gene family members. Phylogenetic, motif, domain, gene structure, and selective pressure analyses revealed that most AsAOXs, AiAOXs, and AlAOXs are evolutionarily conserved. We also identified 16 AsAOX segmental duplication pairs, suggesting that segmental duplication may have contributed to the expansion of the AsAOX gene family, potentially preserving these genes through subfunctionalization. Chromosome polyploidization, gene structural variations, and gene fragment recombination likely contributed to the evolution and expansion of the AsAOX gene family as well. Additionally, we hypothesize that AsAOX2 may have potential function in resisting wounding and heat stresses, while AsAOX4 could be specifically involved in mitigating wounding stress. AsAOX11 might contribute to resistance against chromium and waterlogging stresses. AsAOX8 may have potential fuction in mitigating ABA-mediated stress. AsAOX12 and AsAOX5 are most likely to have potential function in mitigating salt and drought stresses, respectively. This study elucidates the potential evolutionary pathways of the AsAOXs gene family, explores their responses and potential functions to various abiotic stresses, identifies potential candidate genes for future functional studies, and facilitates molecular breeding applications in A. sativa.

Influence mechanism of further hydration on the compressive strength of ultra-high performance concrete with coarse aggregates

A further hydration test was conducted to study the effects of temperature and humidity conditions on the compressive strength and microstructure of ultra-high performance concrete with coarse aggregates (UHPC-CA), while analyzing the mechanisms influencing its compressive strength. The results indicated that the higher temperatures resulted in more significant strength and pore structure variations, with strength and pore structure changes being greater in liquid water environments compared to water vapor environments. The hardness of interfacial transition zone (ITZ) increased initially and then declined. The influence of further hydration on the strength of UHPC-CA was primarily divided into three stages: enhancement, damage and filling. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the evaluation and design of UHPC materials for long-term service in aquatic environments.

Crystal structure of the Rib domain of the cell-wall-anchored surface protein from Limosilactobacillus reuteri.

The immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domain is found in a broad range of proteins with diverse functional roles. While an essential β-sandwich fold is maintained, considerable structural variations exist and are critical for functional diversity. The Rib-domain family, primarily found as tandem-repeat modules in the surface proteins of Gram-positive bacteria, represents another significant structural variant of the Ig-like fold. However, limited structural and functional exploration of this family has been conducted, which significantly restricts the understanding of its evolution and significance within the Ig superclass. In this work, a high-resolution crystal structure of a Rib domain derived from the probiotic bacterium Limosilactobacillus reuteri is presented. This protein, while sharing significant structural similarity with homologous domains from other bacteria, exhibits a significantly increased thermal resistance. The potential structural features contributing to this stability are discussed. Moreover, the presence of two copper-binding sites, with one positioned on the interface, suggests potential functional roles that warrant further investigation.

Redundancy and resilience of microbial community under aniline stress during wastewater treatment

Aniline is one of the most toxic and widespread organic pollutants. Although biological treatment is cost-effective and generates minimal secondary pollution, microbial communities are significantly affected by high aniline concentrations, which result in low degradation efficiency. However, a comprehensive understanding of the microbial community response to aniline stress is lacking. Here, we performed a cyclic experiment with aniline concentrations (200, 600, 1200, 600, and 200 mg/L) to investigate the ability of microbial communities to recover their performance after exposure to high aniline concentrations. At aniline concentrations up to 600 mg/L, the bioreactor exhibited high aniline removal efficiency (almost 100 %). Comamonas, Zoogloea, and Delftia played crucial roles in removing aniline and microbial beta diversity changed. Additionally, alpha diversity and network complexity decreased with increasing aniline concentration, but these metrics recovered to their original levels when the aniline concentration was returned to 200 mg/L. Homogeneous and heterogeneous selection dominated microbial community assembly. Therefore, according to the observed variations in community structure and the recovery of keystones after aniline stress, microbial community redundancy and resilience are pivotal for ensuring system stability. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the redundancy and resilience of microbial communities under aniline stress and establishes a scientific basis for managing and evaluating wastewater treatment plants.

An efficient and practical electrode optimization method for transcranial electrical stimulation

Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique with great potential. Electrode optimization methods based on simulation models of individual TES field could provide personalized stimulation parameters according to individual variations in head tissue structure, significantly enhancing the stimulation accuracy of TES. However, the existing electrode optimization methods suffer from prolonged computation times (typically exceeding 1 d) and limitations such as disregarding the restricted number of output channels from the stimulator, further impeding their clinical applicability. Hence, this paper proposes an efficient and practical electrode optimization method. The proposed method simultaneously optimizes both the intensity and focality of TES within the target brain area while constraining the number of electrodes used, and it achieves faster computational speed. Compared to commonly used electrode optimization methods, the proposed method significantly reduces computation time by 85.9% while maintaining optimization effectiveness. Moreover, our method considered the number of available channels for the stimulator to distribute the current across multiple electrodes, further improving the tolerability of TES. The electrode optimization method proposed in this paper has the characteristics of high efficiency and easy operation, potentially providing valuable supporting data and references for the implementation of individualized TES.

Genome wide detection of CNV and their association with body size in Danzhou chickens

Copy number variation (CNV) is a crucial component of genetic diversity in the genome, serving as the foundation for the genetic architecture and phenotypic variability of complex traits. In this study, we examined CNVs in the Danzhou (DZ) chicken, an indigenous breed exclusive to Hainan Province, China. By employing whole-genome resequencing data from 200 DZ chickens, we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of CNVs using CNVpytor and performed CNV-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on six body size traits, including body slope length (BSL), keel length (KeL), tibial length (TiL), tibial circumference (TiC), chest width (ChW), and chest depth (ChD) utilizing linear mixed model methods considering a genomic relationship matrix. We identified a total of 144,265 autosomal CNVs among the 200 individuals, comprising 67,818 deletions and 76,447 duplications. After merging these variants together, we obtained 4,824 distinct copy number variant regions, which accounted for approximately 20% of the chicken autosomal genome. Furthermore, we discovered several significantly associated CNV segments with body size traits located proximal to genes such as IHH, WNT6, WNT10A, LPR4, FZD2, WNT7B, and GNAS that have been extensively implicated in skeletal development and growth processes. These findings enhance our understanding of CNVs in chickens and their potential impact on body size traits by revealing candidate genes involved in the regulation of these traits. This establishes a solid framework for future studies and may prove particularly beneficial for exploring genetic structural variation in chickens.

Structural and functional bacterial biodiversity in a copper, zinc and nickel amended bioreactor: shotgun metagenomic study

BackgroundAt lower concentrations copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) are trace metals essential for some bacterial enzymes. At higher concentrations they might alter and inhibit microbial functioning in a bioreactor treating wastewater. We investigated the effect of incremental concentrations of Cu, Zn and Ni on the bacterial community structure and their metabolic functions by shotgun metagenomics. Metal concentrations reported in previous studies to inhibit bacterial metabolism were investigated.ResultsAt 31.5 μM Cu, 112.4 μM Ni and 122.3 μM Zn, the most abundant bacteria were Achromobacter and Agrobacterium. When the metal concentration increased 2 or fivefold their abundance decreased and members of Delftia, Stenotrophomonas and Sphingomonas dominated. Although the heterotrophic metabolic functions based on the gene profile was not affected when the metal concentration increased, changes in the sulfur biogeochemical cycle were detected. Despite the large variations in the bacterial community structure when concentrations of Cu, Zn and Ni increased in the bioreactor, functional changes in carbon metabolism were small.ConclusionsCommunity richness and diversity replacement indexes decreased significantly with increased metal concentration. Delftia antagonized Pseudomonas and members of Xanthomonadaceae. The relative abundance of most bacterial genes remained unchanged despite a five-fold increase in the metal concentration, but that of some EPS genes required for exopolysaccharide synthesis, and those related to the reduction of nitrite to nitrous oxide decreased which may alter the bioreactor functioning.

Anti-enterovirus 71 activity of native fucosylated chondroitin sulfates and their derivatives

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is recognized as a major causative agent of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), posing a significant global public health concern due to its widespread impact and resulting in a major public health issue worldwide. Despite its prevalence, current clinical therapy lacks effective antiviral agents. Fucosylated chondroitin sulfates (FCS) derived from sea cucumber exhibits a range of biological activities including potent antiviral effects. This study provides compelling evidence of the potent antiviral efficacy of FCS against EV71. To further elucidate the impact of structural variations on the anti-EV71 activity, native FCSs with diverse sulfation patterns and a varity of FCS derivatives were prepared and analyzed. Notably, this study presents the detailed structural characterization of FCSs from the sea cucumbers Holothuria scabra Jaege and Holothuria fuscopunctata. Analysis of the structure-activity relationships revealed that molecular weight, sulfated fucose branches, and sulfation pattern were all crucial factors contributing to the potent inhibitory effects of FCS against EV71. Interestingly, molecular weight emerged as the most significant structural determinant of the antiviral potency. These findings suggest the promising potential of utilizing FCS as an innovative EV71 entry inhibitor for the treatment of HFMD.