Chemoenzymatic Photoreforming: A Sustainable Approach for Solar Fuel Generation from Plastic Feedstocks.

Plastic upcycling through catalytic transformations is an attractive concept to valorize waste, but the clean and energy-efficient production of high-value products from plastics remains challenging. Here, we introduce chemoenzymatic photoreforming as a process coupling enzymatic pretreatment and solar-driven reforming of polyester plastics under mild temperatures and pH to produce clean H2 and value-added chemicals. Chemoenzymatic photoreforming demonstrates versatility in upcycling polyester films and nanoplastics to produce H2 at high yields reaching ∼103-104 µmol gsub-1 and activities at >500 µmol gcat-1 h-1. Enzyme-treated plastics were also used as electron donors for photocatalytic CO2-to-syngas conversion with a phosphonated cobalt bis(terpyridine) catalyst immobilized on TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2|CotpyP). Finally, techno-economic analyses reveal that the chemoenzymatic photoreforming approach has the potential to drastically reduce H2 production costs to levels comparable to market prices of H2 produced from fossil fuels while maintaining low CO2-equivalent emissions.

Bioprinting microporous functional living materials from protein-based core-shell microgels.

Living materials bring together material science and biology to allow the engineering and augmenting of living systems with novel functionalities. Bioprinting promises accurate control over the formation of such complex materials through programmable deposition of cells in soft materials, but current approaches had limited success in fine-tuning cell microenvironments while generating robust macroscopic morphologies. Here, we address this challenge through the use of core-shell microgel ink to decouple cell microenvironments from the structural shell for further processing. Cells are microfluidically immobilized in the viscous core that can promote the formation of both microbial populations and mammalian cellular spheroids, followed by interparticle annealing to give covalently stabilized functional scaffolds with controlled microporosity. The results show that the core-shell strategy mitigates cell leakage while affording a favorable environment for cell culture. Furthermore, we demonstrate that different microbial consortia can be printed into scaffolds for a range of applications. By compartmentalizing microbial consortia in separate microgels, the collective bioprocessing capability of the scaffold is significantly enhanced, shedding light on strategies to augment living materials with bioprocessing capabilities.

Application of a novel fluorogenic polyurethane analogue probe in polyester-degrading microorganisms screening by microfluidic droplet.

Application of polyester-degrading microorganisms or enzymes should be considered as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical recycling due to the huge plastic waste disposal nowadays. However, current impranil DLN-based screening of polyester-degrading microorganisms is time-consuming, labour-intensive and unable to distinguish polyesterases from other protease- or amidase-like enzymes. Herein, we present an approach that combined a novel synthetic fluorescent polyurethane analogue probe (FPAP), along with the droplet-based microfluidics to screen polyurethane-degrading microorganisms through fluorescence-activated droplet sorting (FADS) pipeline. The fluorescent probe FPAP exhibited a fluorescence enhancement effect once hydrolysed by polyesterases, along with a strong specificity in discriminating polyesterases from other non-active enzymes. Application of FPAP in a microfluidic droplet system demonstrated that this probe exhibited high sensitivity and efficiency in selecting positive droplets containing leaf-branch compost cutinase (LCC) enzymes. This novel fluorogenic probe, FPAP, combined with the droplet microfluidic system has the potential to be used in the exploitation of novel PUR-biocatalysts for biotechnological and environmental applications.

Morphology Regulation of Zeolite MWW via Classical/Nonclassical Crystallization Pathways.

The morphology and porosity of zeolites have an important effect on adsorption and catalytic performance. In the work, simple inorganic salts, i.e., Na salts were used to synthesize MWW zeolite using the organic compound 1-Butyl-2,3-dimethyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium hydroxide as a structure-directing agent and the morphology was regulated by the alkali metals. The sample synthesized without Na salts shows a dense hexagon morphology, while different morphologies like ellipsoid, wool ball, and uniform hexagon appear when using NaOH, Na2CO3, and NaHCO3, respectively. Moreover, the impact of Na salts on the induction, nucleation, and the evolution of crystal growth was studied. Different kinds of Na salts have a different impact on the crystalline induction time in the order of NaHCO3 (36 h) < Na2CO3 (72 h) = NaOH (72 h). Meanwhile, the crystalline mechanism with the cooperation of inorganic salts and the organic SDAs is proposed. NaOH- and Na2CO3-MWW zeolite crystallized with a network of hydrogel via the nonclassical pathway in the system; however, the product is synthesized via a classical route in the NaHCO3 environment. This work provides information about MWW zeolite crystallization and modulating diverse morphologies by adjusting the process.

A Titratable Cell Lysis-on-Demand System for Droplet-Compartmentalized Ultrahigh-Throughput Screening in Functional Metagenomics and Directed Evolution.

Water-in-oil emulsion droplets are an attractive format for ultrahigh-throughput screening in functional metagenomics and directed evolution applications that allow libraries with more than 107 members to be characterized in a day. Single library members are compartmentalized in droplets that are generated in microfluidic devices and tested for the presence of target biocatalysts. The target proteins can be produced intracellularly, for example, in bacterial hosts in-droplet cell lysis is therefore necessary to allow the enzymes to encounter the substrate to initiate an activity assay. Here, we present a titratable lysis-on-demand (LoD) system enabling the control of the cell lysis rate in Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that the rate of cell lysis can be controlled by adjusting the externally added inducer concentration. This LoD system is evaluated both at the population level (by optical density measurements) and at the single-cell level (on single-cell arrays and in alginate microbeads). Additionally, we validate the LoD system by droplet screening of a phosphotriesterase expressed from E. coli, with cell lysis triggered by inducer concentrations in the µM range. The LoD system yields sufficient release of the intracellularly produced enzymes to bring about a detectable quantity of product (measured by fluorescence in flow cytometry of double emulsions), while leaving viable cells for the downstream recovery of the genetic material.

Protein-Lipid Interactions Stabilize the Oligomeric State of BOR1p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The BOR proteins are integral membrane transporters which mediate efflux of boron. Structures of two BOR family members from Arabidopsis thaliana and Saccharomyces mikitiae indicate that the proteins exist as dimers. However, it remains unclear whether dimer formation is dependent on protein-lipid interactions or whether the dimer is the functional form of the protein. Here, we used the BOR1p protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScBOR1p), recombinantly expressed in its native host, to explore these aspects of BOR transporter structure and function. Native mass spectrometry (MS) revealed that ScBOR1p isolates as a monomer in a range of detergents. Lipidomics analysis showed that ScBOR1p co-isolates with phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylinositol (PI). Delipidation of ScBOR1p followed by addition of PS or PE causes formation of ScBOR1p dimers. Using a homology model of ScBOR1p, we identified a possible lipid binding site at the dimer interface comprising residues Arg265, Arg267, Arg480, and Arg481. A quadruple 4R/A mutant was expressed and isolated and also shown to be monomeric by native MS, and addition of PS or PE to this mutant did not reform the dimer. Functional complementation analysis revealed that the 4R/A mutant had boron efflux activity, suggesting that the ScBOR1p monomer is responsible for transport function. Taken together, these data strongly indicate that the physiological form of the ScBOR1p is the dimer and that dimer formation is dependent on association with membrane lipids.

Bioeffects of micron-size magnesium particles on inflammatory cells and bone turnover in vivo and in vitro.

Magnesium (Mg) is a promising biodegradable metal offering many potential advantages over current scaffold technologies. Many studies have reported on the corrosion characteristics the Mg and its bioeffects in vitro and in vivo, but there are few studies on the biological effects of the corrosive products of Mg - the micron-size Mg particles (MgMPs). In this study, the effects of size-selected commercial MgMPs on bone turnover and macrophages were investigated in vivo and in vitro. We found that MgMPs were susceptible to engulfment by macrophages, leading to cell lysis, likely resulting from H2 gas production. We also found that the inflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α were induced more strongly by titanium particles (TiMPs) group than by either MgMPs or control. Examination of the expression of bone remodeling markers revealed that MgMPs are beneficial for bone regeneration. Micro-CT scanning indicated that, 30 days postimplantation, unlike TiMPs, MgMPs had no adverse effect on either bone quality or quantity. We have investigated the bioeffects of micron-size MgMPs in vivo and in vitro, and our results indicate that MgMPs may promote bone regeneration without inducing inflammation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 923-931, 2016.

Arsanilic acid causes apoptosis and oxidative stress in rat kidney epithelial cells (NRK-52e cells) by the activation of the caspase-9 and -3 signaling pathway.

Arsenic exists widely in rock, water and air, and arsanilic acid (also known as aminophenyl arsenic acid) is an organoarsenic compound and has been used as feed additives. Organoarsenic compounds in foodstuff cause adverse effects, including acute and chronic toxicity, in animals and humans. However, little is known about the cellular toxicity and mechanisms of organic arsenic on the kidney. In this study, we explored the toxicity and molecular mechanisms of arsanilic acid on rat kidney epithelial cells (NRK-52e cells). The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that arsanilic acid inhibited the proliferation of rat NRK-52e cells in a dose-dependent manner, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay and flow cytometry revealed that arsanilic acid induced cellular apoptosis in NRK-52e cells. Fluorescence spectrophotometer displayed that arsanilic acid caused a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MMP) of NRK-52e cells, but enhanced reactive oxygen species level of these cells. Notably, trolox, a water-soluble derivative of vitamin E, protected NRK-52e cells against MMP loss and apoptosis caused by arsanilic acid. Western blots with caspase inhibitors further indicated that arsanilic acid increased expression of active caspase-3 and -9 in NRK-52e cells. Collectively, these results suggest that arsanilic acid causes apoptosis and oxidative stress in rat kidney epithelial cells through activation of the caspase-9 and -3 signaling pathway. This study thus provides a novel insight into molecular mechanisms by which arsanilic acid has adverse cytotoxicity on renal tubular epithelial cells.

Gossypol acetic acid induces apoptosis in RAW264.7 cells via a caspase-dependent mitochondrial signaling pathway.

To investigate the effects of gossypol acetic acid (GA) on proliferation and apoptosis of the macrophage cell line RAW264.7 and further understand the possible underlying mechanism responsible for GA-induced cell apoptosis, RAW264.7 cells were treated with GA (25~35 µmol/L) for 24 h and the cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay, while apoptotic cells were identified by TUNEL assay, acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining and flow cytometry. Moreover, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) with Rhodamine 123 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) with DCFH-DA were analyzed by fluorescence spectrofluorometry. In addition, the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 was assessed by Western Blot assay. Finally, the GA-induced cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry in the present of caspase inhibitors Z-VAD-FMK and Ac-LEHD-FMK, respectively. GA significantly inhibited the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner, and caused obvious cell apoptosis and a loss of ΔΨm in RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, the ROS production in cells was elevated, and the levels of activated caspase-3 and caspase-9 were up-regulated in a dose-dependent manner. Notably, GA-induced cell apoptosis was markedly inhibited by caspase inhibitors. These results suggest that GA-induced RAW264.7 cell apoptosis may be mediated via a caspase-dependent mitochondrial signaling pathway.

Generation, characterization, and potential therapeutic applications of cardiomyocytes from various stem cells.

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Myocardial cell transplantation emerges as a novel therapeutic strategy for heart failure, but this approach has been hampered by severe shortage of human cardiomyocytes. We have recently induced mouse embryonic stem cells to differentiate into embryoid bodies and eventually, cardiomyocytes. Here, we address recent advancements in cardiomyocyte differentiation from cardiac stem cells and pluripotent stem cells. We highlight the methodologies, using growth factors, endoderm-like cell cocultures, small molecules, and biomaterials, in directing the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into cardiomyocytes. The characterization and identification of pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes by morphological, phenotypic, and functional features are also discussed. Notably, increasing evidence demonstrates that cardiomyocytes may be generated from the stem cells of several tissues outside the cardiovascular system, including skeletal muscles, bone marrow, testes, placenta, amniotic fluid, and adipose tissues. We further address the potential applications of cardiomyocytes derived from various kinds of stem cells. The differentiation of stem cells into functional cardiomyocytes, especially from an extra-cardiac stem cell source, would circumvent the scarcity of heart donors and human cardiomyocytes, and, most importantly, it would offer an ideal and promising cardiomyocyte source for cell therapy and tissue engineering in treating heart failure.

Cytoprotective effect of trolox against oxidative damage and apoptosis in the NRK-52e cells induced by melamine.

An outbreak of urinary stones associated with consumption of melamine-tainted milk products occurred in 2008 in China, leading to serious illness of many infants and even death. However, the toxicity of melamine in kidney epithelial cells remains unclear. We have explored the effects of melamine and trolox on renal NRK-52e (normal rat kidney 52e) cells. The IC(50) of melamine was measured by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide] assay. Total SOD (superoxide dismutase) was determined by NBT (Nitro Blue Tetrazolium) staining method. GSH-Px (glutathione peroxidase) activity was detected by UV colorimetric assay, and MDA (malondialdehyde) content was determined by thiobarbituric acid assay. Apoptosis induced by melamine was determined by flow cytometry. The IC(50) increased when NRK-52e cells were treated with both melamine and trolox compared with melamine only. SOD and GSH-Px activities were decreased, but MDA content was increased by melamine in a dose-dependent manner. Trolox significantly enhanced SOD and GSH-Px activity in melamine-treated NRK-52e cells, but it decreased their MDA content. LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) activity and the level of ROS (reactive oxygen species) of the NRK-52e cells were enhanced by melamine compared with the control. Furthermore, the apoptosis rate increased in NRK-52e cells treated with melamine, whereas trolox was protective. These results show that melamine has an obvious adverse effect on proliferation of NRK-52e cells, causing oxidative damage and apoptosis, thus providing a novel insight into renal cytotoxicology of melamine. Trolox ameliorates the effect on melamine toxicity.

Zearalenone induces apoptosis and necrosis in porcine granulosa cells via a caspase-3- and caspase-9-dependent mitochondrial signaling pathway.

Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced mainly by Fusarium. There are numerous incidences of mycotoxicosis in laboratory and domestic animals, especially in pigs. However, little is known about molecular mechanisms of zearalenone toxicity. Granulosa cells are the maximal cell population in follicles, and they play an essential role in the development and maturation of follicles. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of zearalenone at high concentrations on proliferation and apoptosis of porcine granulosa cells and uncover signaling pathway underlying the cytotoxicity of zearalenone. We found that zearalenone reduced the proliferation of porcine granulosa cells in a dose-dependent manner as shown by the MTT assay and zearalenone resulted in an obvious apoptosis and necrosis in porcine granulosa cells as determined by the TUNEL analysis and flow cytometry. In addition, TUNEL assay with caspase inhibitors showed that zearalenone triggered a caspase-3- and caspase-9-dependent apoptotic process in porcine granulosa cells. Fluorescence spectrophotometer displayed that zearalenone led to a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential of porcine granulosa cells but enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels of the cells. Notably, Western blots revealed that caspase-3 and caspase-9 were activated by zearalenone in porcine granulosa cells. Collectively, our results suggest that zearalenone induces apoptosis and necrosis of porcine granulosa cells in a dose-dependent manner via a caspase-3- and caspase-9-dependent mitochondrial pathway. This study thus offers a novel insight into molecular mechanisms by which zearalenone has adverse cytotoxicity on reproduction.

Melamine causes apoptosis of rat kidney epithelial cell line (NRK-52e cells) via excessive intracellular ROS (reactive oxygen species) and the activation of p38 MAPK pathway.

There was an outbreak of urinary stones associated with consumption of melamine-tainted milk products in 2008 in China, leading to serious illness of many infants and even death. We have recently demonstrated that melamine causes oxidative damage on the NRK (normal rat kidney)-52e cells. The objective of this study was to explore the cellular signalling pathway that mediates the cell apoptosis induced by melamine in the NRK-52e cells. Fluorescence microscope showed that melamine enhanced intracellular ROS (reactive oxygen species) levels of the NRK-52e cells. AO/EB (acridine orange/ethidium bromide) staining and flow cytometry revealed that melamine increased apoptotic and necrotic percentages of the NRK-52e cells in a dose-dependent manner. Notably, MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide] assays and flow cytometry displayed that SB203580, an inhibitor for p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway, increased the proliferation of the NRK-52e cells and reduced the apoptotic and necrotic percentages of the NRK-52e cells. Western blots further demonstrated that p38 phosphorylation was activated by melamine in the NRK-52e cells and inhibitor SB203580 blocked the increase of p38 phosphorylation induced by melamine. Together, these results suggested that melamine causes apoptosis of the NRK-52e cells via excessive intracellular ROS and the activation of p38 MAPK pathway. This study thus offers a novel insight into molecular mechanisms by which melamine has adverse cytotoxicity on renal tubular epithelial cells.

DNA damage and decrease of cellular oxidase activity in piglet Sertoli cells exposed to arsanilic acid.

The study was designed to explore the toxic effects of arsanilic acid on piglet Sertoli cells. Sertoli cells were isolated from piglet testes using a two-step enzyme digestion followed by differential plating. Piglet Sertoli cells were cultured and classified into the following five groups: group A, the control without arsanilic acid treatment; group B, cultured with 5 µM arsanilic acid; group C, cultured with 50 µM arsanilic acid; group D, cultured with 0.5 mM arsanilic acid; and group E, cultured with 5 mM arsanilic acid. We found that Sertoli cell growth was inhibited by arsanilic acid at 0.5 mM compared with the control, group A. The oxidase activity of Sertoli cells was decreased by arsanilic acid at 0.5 mM as evidenced by the observations that arsanilic acid increased MDA content but decreased the SOD and GSH-Px activities of Sertoli cells. Moreover, 50 µM of arsanilic acid was observed to cause DNA damage in Sertoli cells. The results of our study suggest that exposure of Sertoli cells to arsanilic acid leads to induction of oxidative stress and inhibition of cell growth at a high concentration, while arsanilic acid causes DNA damage in Sertoli cells at a low concentration.

Cadmium suppresses the proliferation of piglet Sertoli cells and causes their DNA damage, cell apoptosis and aberrant ultrastructure.

OBJECTIVE: Very little information is known about the toxic effects of cadmium on somatic cells in mammalian testis. The objective of this study is to explore the toxicity of cadmium on piglet Sertoli cells. METHODS: Sertoli cells were isolated from piglet testes using a two-step enzyme digestion and followed by differential plating. Piglet Sertoli cells were identified by oil red O staining and Fas ligand (FasL) expression as assayed by immunocytochemistry and expression of transferrin and androgen binding protein by RT-PCR. Sertoli cells were cultured in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum in the absence or presence of various concentrations of cadmium chloride, or treatment with p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190 and with cadmium chloride exposure. Apoptotic cells in seminiferous tubules of piglets were also performed using TUNEL assay in vivo. RESULTS: Cadmium chloride inhibited the proliferation of Piglet Sertoli cells as shown by MTT assay, and it increased malondialdehyde (MDA) but reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity. Inhibitor SB202190 alleviated the proliferation inhibition of cadmium on piglet Sertoli cells. Comet assay revealed that cadmium chloride caused DNA damage of Piglet Sertoli cells and resulted in cell apoptosis as assayed by flow cytometry. The in vivo study confirmed that cadmium induced cell apoptosis in seminiferous tubules of piglets. Transmission electronic microscopy showed abnormal and apoptotic ultrastructure in Piglet Sertoli cells treated with cadmium chloride compared to the control. CONCLUSION: cadmium has obvious adverse effects on the proliferation of piglet Sertoli cells and causes their DNA damage, cell apoptosis, and aberrant morphology. This study thus offers novel insights into the toxicology of cadmium on male reproduction.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum protects mouse male germ cells against apoptosis caused by zearalenone via Bax and Bcl-2 regulation.

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum on Zearalenone-induced apoptosis in mouse male germ cells. Fifty Kunming male mice at 25-days-old were classified into five groups: group A was the control (10% ethanol, 0.5 ml/day); group B with 10 microg Zearalenone/day; group C with 10 microg Zearalenone and 50 mg/kg/day Gynostemma pentaphyllum; group D with 10 microg Zearalenone and 100 mg/kg/day Gynostemma pentaphyllum; and group E with 10 microg Zearalenone and 200 mg/kg/day Gynostemma pentaphyllum. It was found that Gynostemma pentaphyllum has a marked effect on protecting male germ cells against Zearalenone-induced apoptosis, as evidenced by a reduced apoptosis rate of male germ cells and Bax expression as well as an enhancement of Bcl-2 expression in Gynostemma pentaphyllum-treated groups compared to the control. In addition, Gynostemma pentaphyllum remarkably improved pathologic changes of testicular tissue, reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), and increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) caused by Zearalenone. Taken together, these results suggest that Gynostemma pentaphyllum protects against toxicity caused by Zearalenone through anti-oxidation and anti-apoptosis via the regulation of Bax and Bcl-2 expression.