Insects
·
2026
·Vol. 17
·期 8
·851
·
IF 3
Fei-Feng Wang,Xiu-Qi Zou,Ming Zhong,Sheng-Feng Tu,Min-Er Li,Wen-Feng Zhao,Bao-Li Qiu,Wen Sang
Simple SummaryThe Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) is the primary vector of citrus huanglongbing, a destructive disease that causes severe losses to citrus production worldwide.D. citriexhibits positive phototaxis, the innate tendency to move toward light. However, the molecular mechanisms that control this key behavioral trait remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of octopamine, a core neuromodulator that governs multiple behaviors in insects, in regulatingD. citriphototactic behavior. We identified three key genes in the octopamine signaling pathway, analyzed their expression patterns, characterized the pharmacological response of receptors, and validated their behavioral functions via RNA interference. Our results show that the octopamine positively regulates phototactic behavior viaDcOctβ1RinD. citri. These findings deepen our understanding of the molecular basis of insect behavior.The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri, ACP) is the primary vector of citrus huanglongbing and exhibits positive phototactic behavior. Octopamine (OA) is a critical neuromodulator of diverse insect behaviors, yet its regulatory mechanism in ACP phototactic behavior remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, three core genes of the OA signaling pathway in ACP were identified and characterized: the biosynthetic enzymeDcTβHand two β-adrenergic-like OA receptors (DcOctβ1R,DcOctβ2R). All three genes exhibited a U-shaped developmental expression pattern and high transcript abundance in the head, suggesting potential involvement in the early nymphal and adult stages and essential roles in central nervous system. Pharmacology assays revealed that DcOctβ1R activation by OA and tyramine induced cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation, with agonists and antagonists exerting differential effects on its activity. In contrast, no cAMP response was observed in cells expressingDcOctβ2R regardless of ligand treatment. Combined RNA interference and behavioral assays demonstrated that silencingDcTβHorDcOctβ1Rsignificantly impairs ACP phototactic behavior. These findings revealed that the OA signaling positively regulates phototactic behavior viaDcOctβ1Rin ACP. This study enhances the understanding of OA-mediated phototactic behavior in agricultural pests and lays a foundation for exploring the molecular mechanisms of insect behaviors.
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Journal of Natural Medicines
·
2026
·
IF 2.6
Chen Peiyao,Wan Baolian,Yu Fei,Zhang Yanqiu,He Mengmeng,Wu Enyi,He Yanjun,Zhong Hui,Zhang Hao
Liver aging is a critical contributor to metabolic dysregulation and the development of various liver diseases. Currently, there is no approved therapy specifically targeting liver aging. The potential of medicinal and edible herbs in preventing and treating liver aging has attracted increasing attention. Accordingly, we constructed a self-built compound library containing 87 bioactive constituents isolated from these herbs. This study aimed to identify the potential compound capable of alleviating hepatic senescence from the constructed library and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Isomucronulatol (Iso), a bioactive isoflavone isolated from Astragalus membranaceus , exhibited potential anti-hepatic senescence activity in a p21 promoter-driven luciferase reporter assay. Iso exhibited significant anti-hepatic senescence activity in H₂O₂-stimulated and doxorubicin (DOX)-stimulated HepG2 cells, as well as in mitomycin C (MC)-exposed AML12 cells, as evidenced by reduced SA-β-Gal positivity, downregulated p21 and p16 expression, and decreased secretion of SASP factors (IL-6, IL-1β, CCL2). In a D-galactose (D-gal)-induced mouse aging model, Iso treatment attenuated liver histological damage, lowered serum ALT and AST levels, and suppressed senescence markers in liver tissues. Transcriptomic and network pharmacology analyses revealed that Iso could activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to delay hepatic senescence. Mechanistically, Iso could facilitate nuclear accumulation of β-catenin by inhibiting GSK-3β acetylation, thereby restoring Wnt signaling. Collectively, these findings highlight Iso as a potential therapeutic agent against hepatic senescence. Graphical abstract
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FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2026
·
IF 10.4
Lili Qi,Shun Zhang,Yanyan Peng,Yinhui Liu,Zhijian Ke,Mengting Wang,Haiguang Mao,Wei Ma,Yong Yu,Jinbo Wang
Hyperstable β-glucosidase engineered via semi-rational design shows 4.6-fold longer half-life. • T47A mutant achieves dual thermostability enhancement and 44.4% efficiency boost. • Flexible loop rigidification near active site revealed as novel stabilization mechanism. • High glucose tolerance ( K i = 3.72 mM) maintained for efficient isoflavone conversion. The thermal instability of β-glucosidases frequently impedes their industrial deployment in soy isoflavone bioconversion. Herein, we engineered a hyperstable Bgl1269 variant via a semi-rational strategy integrating evolutionary conservation analysis, homology modeling, and FoldX free energy calculations. Among six constructed mutants, T47A demonstrated exceptional thermostability, exhibiting a 4.6-fold extended half-life at 45 °C (1.64 ± 0.03 h), a 5 °C elevated optimal temperature, and an increased T50 value (51.36 °C). Kinetic analyses revealed enhanced catalytic efficiency for daidzin (44.4% increase) and genistin (39.1% increase), while preserving robust substrate affinity and glucose tolerance ( K i = 3.72 mM). Molecular dynamics simulations attributed these enhancements to reduced flexibility in active site-adjacent loops, reinforcing structural rigidity without compromising catalytic integrity. This study delivers a potent biocatalyst for industrial isoflavone aglycone production and a generalizable glycosidase thermostabilization paradigm through targeted engineering of non-catalytic loops.
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2026
·
IF 8.7
Qian Li,Xuanran Lin,Zhengguang Wang,Dongxu Xing,Fan Liu,Qingyi Wei,Yuxiao Zou
This study investigated the encapsulation of mulberry anthocyanins using silk fibroin (SF), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), and their composite (SF/β-CD) as wall materials. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) was optimized by adjusting the core-to-wall ratio and composite wall composition. Results showed that the highest EE of 85.39% was achieved at a core-to-wall ratio of 1:10 with an SF/β-CD ratio of 1:1. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the initial decomposition temperature increased from 83.47 °C for anthocyanins to 168.80 °C for microcapsules, indicating significantly improved thermal stability. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observations revealed spherical and smooth microcapsules with an average diameter of 1–2 μm. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed higher crystallinity in the microcapsules compared to anthocyanins. In antioxidant assays, the SF/β-CD microcapsules exhibited stronger 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities than anthocyanins, maintaining stable antioxidant performance over time. In vitro digestion studies showed that microencapsulation enhanced anthocyanin retention by 18.31% as compared to unencapsulated anthocyanin after 3 h of simulated intestinal digestion. Additionally, the hygroscopicity of microcapsules decreased to 48.17% after 25 days under 50% relative humidity, compared with 65.13% for anthocyanins. Color stability analysis under light exposure demonstrated that the ΔE values was reduced from 4.68 (unencapsulated anthocyanin) to 4.18 (microcapsules) after 11 days. These findings confirm that SF/β-CD composite microcapsules effectively enhance the stability, antioxidant activity, and controlled release of anthocyanins, indicating potential for functional food applications.
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ELECTROANALYSIS
·
2026
·Vol. 38
·期 7
·e70190
·
IF 2.6
Hao Liang,Xuening Jin,Hebing Pei,Zunli Mo
The enantioselective recognition of biomolecules such as amino acids has significant value in medicine, life sciences, agriculture, and other fields. In this study, a novel electrochemical chiral sensor, CS@Cu-β-CD/GCE, was successfully prepared by self-assembling Cu 2+ modified β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with chitosan (CS) and coating it onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). This method effectively addresses the agglomeration issues associated with CS while significantly enhancing the conductive properties of the material and increasing the number of chiral recognition sites. Experimental testing and structural analysis revealed that differentiated hydrogen bonding provides the driving force for molecular binding, while the confinement of the Cu-β-CD cavity and steric hindrance enable structure selection. At optimized testing conditions (30 s incubation, 25°C, pH = 6.0, 5.0 mM), it exhibited the peak current ratio (I D /I L ) of up to 2.25 for phenylalanine (Phe) isomers, outperforming most previously reported electrochemical sensors. Meanwhile, the CS@Cu-β-CD/GCE exhibits excellent stability (98.6% signal retention after 16 days of storage at 5°C), high enantiomeric selectivity for Phe, and good resistance to interference, can be developed for distinguishing racemic phenylalanine. This strategy provides a simple and efficient approach for electrochemical chiral identification of Phe enantiomers and holds wide-ranging application prospects in chiral sensing and drug analysis.
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JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
·
2026
·
IF 6.7
Liru Zeng,Zeyulin Zhang,Dinghe Liu,Zhuangjie Xu,Dazheng Chen,Yue Peng,Qian Feng,Yachao Zhang,Jincheng Zhang,Chunfu Zhang,Yue Hao
The interfacial configuration in oxide heteroepitaxy plays a critical role in determining the structural integrity and reliable performance of wide-bandgap heterostructures. Herein, we investigate the orientation-dependent epitaxial growth of high-quality NiO films on β-Ga 2 O 3 via mist chemical vapor deposition (Mist-CVD), exhibiting distinct epitaxial domain configurations depending on the substrate orientation. Combined experimental and density functional theory (DFT) analyses reveal that the synergistic interplay among surface energy, lattice mismatch, and crystal symmetry governs the epitaxial mode and crystalline quality across different substrate orientations. Benefiting from the high-quality epitaxy, the NiO films demonstrate good environmental stability, retaining 94% of their initial current after 30 days of ambient exposure. As a functional demonstration, the NiO/(001) β-Ga 2 O 3 p-n diode exhibits a low leakage current density (2.08 ×10 −8 A·cm −2 @-100 V) and a high breakdown voltage of 885 V, highlighting the critical role of epitaxial interface quality. This study provides mechanistic insight into orientation-regulated oxide heteroepitaxy and offers a viable materials strategy for constructing stable wide-bandgap oxide heterostructures.
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EMBO Molecular Medicine
·
2026
·Vol. 18
·期 7
·2723-2747
·
IF 7.9
Li Ning,Wang Yuru,Han Lu,Qiao Ou,Wang Xinyue,Hao Herui,Chen Xin,Wang Pengtao,Saeed Sania,Wang Jing,Bao Fengjiao,Hou Yingjie,Zhang Li,Duan Xiaohong,Rao Shuquan,Gong Yanhua
Rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury (RM-AKI) is mediated primarily by myoglobin (Mb) toxicity, yet effective targeted therapies remain unavailable. Through computational structural modeling, we uncovered that the haptoglobin β-subunit (Hpβ) can bind Mb, forming a structurally stable complex. We then engineered a 55 kDa recombinant GST-Hpβ fusion protein and demonstrated that this engineered construct exhibits robust binding affinity for free Mb (17.8 kDa), thereby generating a stable 72.8 kDa GST-Hpβ-Mb complex. Significantly, this complex surpasses the molecular size threshold of the glomerular filtration barrier (~69 kDa), thereby preventing Mb from being filtered into the renal tubules and inflicting subsequent pathological damage. Further analysis revealed that the GST-Hpβ-Mb complex is expeditiously eliminated via CD163-mediated macrophage phagocytosis. Employing well-established RM-AKI murine models, we demonstrated that a single intraperitoneal administration of the GST-Hpβ fusion protein markedly improves survival, ameliorates renal function, and alleviates kidney damage, with protective effects lasting beyond a two-week period. In sum, the GST-Hpβ fusion protein offers a novel and promising biotherapeutic agent that addresses the fundamental pathophysiology of RM-AKI.
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RSC Advances
·
2026
·Vol. 16
·期 39
·44479
·
IF 6.1
Bei-bei Liu,He-cheng Wang,Yi-le He,Liu-jie Zhang,Dong-li Meng,Yun Fu,Ming-yong Wang,Wei Zhang
The aggregation of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) plays a key role in the pathological progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Given the current absence of effective therapeutic strategies, the drug repurposing approach provides novel insights into the treatment of AD. Venetoclax, a B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor, has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in the treatment of hematological malignancies, characterized by well-defined pharmacokinetic properties and a favorable safety profile. However, its effects and molecular mechanisms in the treatment of AD remain unexplored. Here, we investigated the potential of venetoclax in the inhibition of Aβ aggregation and elucidated its underlying mechanism. The inhibitory effect of venetoclax on Aβ aggregation was assessed using thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assays, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Cellular assays were performed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of venetoclax against Aβ42-induced neurotoxicity and oxidative stress. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to explore the molecular interactions between venetoclax and Aβ42 peptides. Venetoclax significantly inhibited Aβ aggregation, reduced fibril formation, and decreased β-sheet content at molar ratios of 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 (Aβ : venetoclax). Cellular assays showed that venetoclax attenuated Aβ42-induced neurotoxicity and oxidative stress. MD simulations revealed that venetoclax stabilized Aβ peptides via hydrogen-bonding networks, increasing solvent accessibility and reducing hydrophobic interactions. Venetoclax inhibited Aβ aggregation and mitigated Aβ-induced neurotoxicity by stabilizing Aβ peptide dynamics. These findings support the potential of venetoclax as a repurposed therapeutic candidate for AD. Venetoclax, as a repurposed therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer's disease, inhibits Aβ42 aggregation, alleviates Aβ-induced neurotoxicity.
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ACS Applied Polymer Materials
·
2026
·
IF 5.2
Liu Yawen,Cao Yue,Chen Xin,Li Qiuyi,Dong Zheqin
β-Cyclodextrin (βCD)-based adsorbents have
emerged
as promising materials for micropollutant removal owing to their host–guest
recognition capability toward diverse organic molecules. However,
developing βCD-based monolithic adsorbents that simultaneously
achieve high adsorption capacity and rapid mass transport remains
challenging. Here, we report a βCD-functionalized hierarchically
porous polymer monolith fabricated by integrating digital light processing
(DLP) 3D printing, polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS),
and supramolecular post-modification. By optimizing the porogenic
solvent composition of the printing inks, nanoporous polymer monoliths
with interconnected submicron pores, a porosity of 23.49%, an average
pore diameter of 0.20 μm, a specific surface area of 28.33 m 2 g –1 , and adequate compressive strength
were obtained. Subsequent βCD grafting introduced host–guest
adsorption sites, enabling βCD-Nano-P to achieve an equilibrium
BPA uptake of 77.52 mg g –1 at 1 mM BPA, which was
37.5% higher than that of the βCD-modified nonporous control.
The βCD-Nano-P monolith also showed good reusability over five
adsorption–desorption cycles and broad removal capability toward
different organic pollutants. Importantly, DLP printing enabled the
construction of hierarchically porous monoliths with triply periodic
minimal surface macropores, which accelerated adsorption kinetics
by increasing the adsorption rate constant 12.4-fold compared with
the nanoporous monolith without macropores. This work demonstrates
a multiscale design strategy that integrates βCD adsorption
sites, PIPS-generated nanopores, and DLP-designed macroporous flow
pathways to simultaneously improve adsorption capacity and adsorption
kinetics in structured water-treatment adsorbents.
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
·
2026
·
IF 7.3
Qin Xu,Xu Zhao,Li-Jian Chen,Xiu-Ping Yan
β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), a highly stable and persistent residue from pesticide use, poses significant risks to the environment and human health, so its sensitive and specific detection is of critical importance for accurate risk assessment. Conventional optical methods are often compromised by autofluorescence and matrix interferences. Here, we report a highly sensitive and selective persistent luminescence-based competitive enzyme biosensor for the detection of β-HCH. A key innovation is the design of a carboxylated HaloTag ligand grafted onto amino-functionalized persistent luminescence nanoparticles, Mn2+-doped Zn2GeO4, a conjugate (ZGOM@L) to serve as both the optical reporter and a competing substrate for the dehalogenase LinB. In this competitive assay, the presence of β-HCH preferentially consumes the LinB activity, sparing ZGOM@L for covalent conjugation with the immobilized HaloTag protein. This results in an increasing persistent luminescence proportional to the β-HCH concentration, inherently eliminating matrix-derived optical interference. The proposed method gives a detection limit of 0.02 ng mL–1 along with quantitative recoveries (88.0% to 105.3%) in vegetable samples. This work provides a robust, autofluorescence-free sensing platform and a generalizable strategy for monitoring trace haloalkanes in complex samples.
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FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2026
·
IF 10.4
Jian Wang,Aiqian Ye,Jian He,Huadong Sheng,Hua Huang,Kan Jiang,Qiaozhi Zhang,Linglin Fu
Synergistic pH-shifting and glycation modify β-Lg's structure and functionality. • Acidic pH shifting enhances β-Lg flexibility, improving glycation efficiency. • XOS shows superior glycation efficiency with β-Lg compared to branched GOS. • Acidic-XOS treatment improves emulsifying and foaming properties of β-Lg. • Basic-GOS conjugation achieves the greatest reduction in IgE-binding capacity. As a major milk allergen with limited functionality, β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) requires effective modification strategies to enhance its applicability. This study investigated the synergistic effects of pH-shifting pretreatment and glycation on the structure, functional properties, and allergenic potential of β-Lg. The protein was first treated under strongly acidic or basic conditions to induce conformational rearrangements, followed by glycation with galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) or xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS). Pretreatment under acidic conditions enhanced the protein structural flexibility, exposing more glycation sites, especially for the linearly structured XOS. Acidic pH-shifting with XOS glycation significantly improved the emulsifying and foaming properties of β-Lg, while reducing its IgE-binding capacity. In comparison, basic pH-shifting plus glycation resulted in the greatest reduction in protein allergenicity through a synergistic masking effect, albeit with compromised functionality due to aggregation. Overall, the combined modulation of structure and conjugation provides an effective strategy to tailor the functionality and allergenicity of milk proteins. Download: Download high-res image (120KB) Download: Download full-size image
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JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.1
Shuolei Ma,Peiyuan Li,Jiangfeng Luo,Jianxiong Wang,Zhiyu Wang,Honglin Zheng,Lexuan Su,Shuwen Sun,Weihong Guo,Jikui Wang
Conductive hydrogels hold great promise for applications in flexible sensors. However, for such soft hydrogel systems, achieving a synergistic integration of high mechanical robustness, excellent conductivity, and outstanding self-healing capability remains a significant challenge. To address this issue, this study introduces β -cyclodextrin-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes ( β -CD@MWCNTs) combined with a dynamic redox initiation system undergoing rapid polymerization to prepare hydroxyethyl cellulose/polyacrylic acid/ β -CD@MWCNTs (HEC/PAA/ β -CD@MWCNTs) semi-interpenetrating network hydrogels. The incorporated β -CD@MWCNTs serve as additional physical crosslinking points within the system, which not only markedly enhance the mechanical properties of the hydrogel—including fracture strain (1407.28%), toughness (734.71 kJ m −3 )—while retaining the low modulus (13.08 kPa) characteristic of typical hydrogels, but also confer a remarkable self-healing capability (with up to 88.65% healing efficiency for elongation at break). Furthermore, β -CD@MWCNTs can form a stable ion-electron synergistic conductive pathway with Fe 3+ , endowing the hydrogel with excellent electrical conductivity (37.21 mS cm −1 ) and high strain sensitivity (gauge factor [GF] = 3.77). This study introduces functionalized carbon nanotubes, providing a novel strategy for developing high-performance conductive hydrogels that combine low modulus with high stretchability, excellent conductivity, and self-healing capability, underscoring their broad application potential in flexible sensing including human motion monitoring, information encryption, and handwriting anti-counterfeiting.
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