The Bbotf1 Zn(â ¡)2Cys6 transcription factor contributes to antioxidant response, fatty acid assimilation, peroxisome proliferation and infection cycles in insect pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana.

The abilities to withstand oxidation and assimilate fatty acids are critical for successful infection by many pathogenic fungi. Here, we characterized a Zn(II)2Cys6 transcription factor Bbotf1 in the insect pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, which links oxidative response and fatty acid assimilation via regulating peroxisome proliferation. The null mutant ΔBbotf1 showed impaired resistance to oxidants, accompanied by decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes including CATs, PODs and SODs, and down-regulated expression of many antioxidation-associated genes under oxidative stress condition. Meanwhile, Bbotf1 acts as an activator to regulate fatty acid assimilation, lipid and iron homeostasis as well as peroxisome proliferation and localization, and the expressions of some critical genes related to glyoxylate cycle and peroxins were down-regulated in ΔBbotf1 in presence of oleic acid. In addition, ΔBbotf1 was more sensitive to osmotic stressors, CFW, SDS and LDS. Insect bioassays revealed that insignificant changes in virulence were seen between the null mutant and parent strain when conidia produced on CZP plates were used for topical application. However, propagules recovered from cadavers killed by ΔBbotf1 exhibited impaired virulence as compared with counterparts of the parent strain. These data offer a novel insight into fine-tuned aspects of Bbotf1 concerning multi-stress responses, lipid catabolism and infection cycles.

The Metabolic Landscape of Breast Cancer and Its Therapeutic Implications.

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor globally as of 2020 and remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death among female individuals worldwide. Metabolic reprogramming is well recognized as a hallmark of malignancy owing to the rewiring of multiple biological processes, notably, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, pentose phosphate pathway, as well as lipid metabolism, which support the demands for the relentless growth of tumor cells and allows distant metastasis of cancer cells. Breast cancer cells are well documented to reprogram their metabolism via mutations or inactivation of intrinsic factors such as c-Myc, TP53, hypoxia-inducible factor, and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway or crosstalk with the surrounding tumor microenvironments, including hypoxia, extracellular acidification and interaction with immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and adipocytes. Furthermore, altered metabolism contributes to acquired or inherent therapeutic resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the metabolic plasticity underlying breast cancer progression as well as to dictate metabolic reprogramming that accounts for the resistance to standard of care. This review aims to illustrate the altered metabolism in breast cancer and its underlying mechanisms, as well as metabolic interventions in breast cancer treatment, with the intention to provide strategies for developing novel therapeutic treatments for breast cancer.

The AreA Nitrogen Catabolite Repression Activator Balances Fungal Nutrient Utilization and Virulence in the Insect Fungal Pathogen Beauveria bassiana.

In many fungi, the AreA GATA-type transcription factor mediates nitrogen catabolite repression affecting fungal development and, where applicable, virulence. Here, we investigated the functions of AreA in the fungal entomopathogen and plant endophyte Beauveria bassiana using knockdown of gene expression. The antiAreA mutants were impaired in nitrogen utilization and showed increased sensitivities to osmotic stressors but increased tolerances to oxidative/hypoxia stresses. Repression of BbAreA caused overall minimal effects on fungal virulence. The minor effects on virulence appeared to be due in part to competing secondary effects where host defense phenoloxidase activity was significantly decreased, but production of the fungal metabolite oosporein was increased and hyphal body development was impaired. Knockdown of BbAreA expression also resulted in impairment in ability of the fungus to associate with host plants. These data implicate that BbAreA likely acts as a regulator to balance fungal nutrient utilization, pathogenicity, and mutualism, facilitating the fungal occupation of host niches.

Research progress of matrine's anticancer activity and its molecular mechanism.

BACKGROUND: and ethnopharmacological relevance: Matrine (MT), a type of alkaloid extracted from the Sophora family of traditional Chinese medicine, has been documented to exert a variety of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-viral, anti-fibrosis, and cardiovascular protection. Sophora flavescens Aiton is a traditional Chinese medicine that is bitter and cold. Additionally, it also exhibits the effects of clearing heat, eliminating dampness, expelling insects, and promoting urination. Malignant tumors are the most important medical issue and are also the second leading cause of death worldwide. Numerous natural substances have recently been revealed to have potent anticancer properties, and several have been used in clinical trials. AIMS OF THE STUDY: To summarize the antitumor effects and associated mechanisms of MT, we compiled this review by combining a huge body of relevant literature and our previous research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As demonstrated, we grouped the pharmacological effects of MT via a PubMed search. Further, we described the mechanism and current pharmacological research on MT's antitumor activity. RESULTS: Additionally, extensive research has demonstrated that MT possesses superior antitumor properties, including accelerating cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell growth and proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest, inhibiting cancer metastasis and invasion, inhibiting angiogenesis, inducing autophagy, reversing multidrug resistance and inhibiting cell differentiation, thus indicating its significant potential for cancer treatment and prognosis. CONCLUSION: This article summarizes current advances in research on the anticancer properties of MT and its molecular mechanism, to provide references for future research.

Structure-function elucidation of a microbial consortium in degrading rice straw and producing acetic and butyric acids via metagenome combining 16S rDNA sequencing.

The characterized microbial consortium can efficiently degrade rice straw to produce acetic and butyric acids in high yields. The rice straw lost 86.9% in weight and degradation rates of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin attained were 97.1%, 86.4% and 70.3% within 12 days, respectively. During biodegradation via fermentation of rice straw, average concentrations of acetic and butyric acids reached 1570 mg/L and 1270 mg/L, accounting for 47.2% and 35.4% of the total volatile fatty acids, respectively. The consortium mainly composed of Prevotella, Cellulosilyticum, Pseudomonas, Clostridium and Ruminococcaceae, etc. Metagenomic analyses indicated that glycoside hydrolases (GHs) were the largest enzyme group with a relative abundance of 54.5%. Various lignocellulose degrading enzymes were identified in the top 30 abundant GHs, and were primarily distributed in the dominant genera (Prevotella, Cellulosilyticum and Clostridium). These results provide a new route for the commercial recycling of rice straw to produce organic acids.

A review of anti-tumour effects of ginsenoside in gastrointestinal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal cancer, one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths in the world, refers to malignant conditions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and other organs. Although conventional therapy has been successful to some extent in cancer treatment, drug resistance and cancer recurrence still limit the therapeutic efficacy. There is increasing evidence indicating that ginsenoside, as a kind of high nutritional value and widely used traditional Chinese medicine, could contribute to the promotion of treatment in GI cancer, which deserves further investigation. KEY FINDINGS: Based on previous studies, the possible mechanisms mainly include regulation of autophagy, apoptosis, proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. However, no studies recently have conducted a more in-depth review of the anti-cancer effects of ginsenoside in GI cancer. SUMMARY: Therefore, this review will summarise and analyse the latest developments in the anti-tumour effects of ginsenosides in GI cancer, thus may promote further research of the anti-tumour efficacy of ginsenoside.

Exosome-Based Delivery of Natural Products in Cancer Therapy.

A rapidly growing research evidence has begun to shed light on the potential application of exosome, which modulates intercellular communications. As donor cell released vesicles, exosomes could play roles as a regulator of cellular behaviors in up-taken cells, as well as a delivery carrier of drugs for targeted cells. Natural product is an invaluable drug resources and it is used widely as therapeutic agents in cancers. This review summarizes the most recent advances in exosomes as natural product delivery carriers in cancer therapy from the following aspects: composition of exosomes, biogenesis of exosomes, and its functions in cancers. The main focus is the advantages and applications of exosomes for drug delivery in cancer therapy. This review also summarizes the isolation and application of exosomes as delivery carriers of natural products in cancer therapy. The recent progress and challenges of using exosomes as drug delivery vehicles for five representative anti-cancer natural products including paclitaxel, curcumin, doxorubicin, celastrol, and ß-Elemene. Based on the discussion on the current knowledge about exosomes as delivery vehicles for drugs and natural compounds to the targeted site, this review delineates the landscape of the recent research, challenges, trends and prospects in exosomes as delivery vehicles for drugs and natural compounds for cancer treatment.

[Degradation of organic contaminant in landfill leachate by photo-Fenton process].

In the present work, the treatment of landfill leachate was studied by photo-Fenton process. All photocatalytic experiments were carried out under similar conditions on July or August sunny days between 12 a. m. and 14 p. m. in Chongqing based on the change in solar light intensity with time. The effect of operating conditions such as Fe/H2O2, pH value and Fenton's reagent dosage on color removal and UV254 was investigated. The UV-Vis absorption spectra of 1.00 X 10(3) mg x L(-1) landfill leachate were considered before and after photo-Fenton experiment. The experiment result indicated that photo-Fenton process can effectively remove color. The oxidation of organic materials in the leachate was pH dependent and the optimal pH was 2.5. The favorable Fe2+ to H2O2 molar ratio was 1/95. The optimal conditions in this research were Fe2+ concentration of 5.00 mmol x L(-1) and H2O2 concentration of 5.70 x 10(2) mmol x L(-1). Meanwhile, the analysis of reaction kinesics was carried out in the research. Second-order kinetic was observed for the degradation of landfill leachate, and the rate equation of photo-Fenton process was -dc/dt = -4.34[c]1.92. The result of UV-Vis spectra of landfill leachate showed that photo-Fenton process is an effective method for removal of organic compounds.

Oxidation of acidic dye Eosin Y by the solar photo-Fenton processes.

Oxidation of acidic dye Eosin Y has been investigated with Fenton process and photo-Fenton process (solar light or artificial light source). With UV-Fenton process and Fenton, 42.5% and 21.3% of dye could be removed from the water, respectively. However, 94.1% of dye was removed in solar-Fenton in 90min. Based on solar-Fenton process, the effect of pH value and the concentration of dye, Fe(2+), H(2)O(2) as well as oxalic acid concentration on Eosin Y degradation efficiency were investigated. In 60min, 96% of Eosin Y was degraded when the pH value was 3.5 and the concentration of Fe(2+), H(2)O(2) and oxalic acid was 10mol/L, 600mg/L and 300mg/L, respectively. The Eosin Y degradation was dependent on the dye concentration. That is higher Eosin Y concentration resulted in lower degradation efficiency. Under the conditions of pH 3.5, the Eosin Y apparent kinetics equation was -dC/dt=0.000249[Eosin Y](0.78)[Fe(2+)](1.14)[H(2)O(2)](1.26). Meanwhile, this research also proved that oxalic acid could improve the photocatalytic efficiency in the solar-Fenton process.