Article
Microbiology
Sieun Kim, Juno Lee, Jiyeun Park, Soyoung Choi, Duc-Cuong Bui, Jung-Eun Kim, Jiyoung Shin, Hun Kim, Gyung Ja Choi, Yin-Won Lee, Pahn-Shick Chang, Hokyoung Son
Summary: In this study, a gene knockout mutant library of 86 putative lipase-encoding genes was constructed, and a comprehensive phenotypic database of the mutants was established. FgLip1 and Fgl1 were identified as core extracellular lipases in the pathogenic fungus, and several putative transcription factors that regulate lipase activities were identified. These findings provide significant insights into the genetic and regulatory mechanisms underlying lipases in fungi.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Stefano Secchia, Mattia Forneris, Tobias Heinen, Oliver Stegle, Eileen E. M. Furlong
Summary: This study combines single-cell regulatory genomics with loss-of-function mutants to systematically evaluate the functional input of transcription factors (TFs) and uncover cellular and molecular phenotypes. By performing experiments at different time points during Drosophila embryo development, the researchers reconstruct the developmental trajectories and identify the TFs and enhancers involved in major muscle types. They also develop a single-nucleus genotyping strategy to assess mutant phenotypes and discover new ones while revealing regulatory input and mode of action.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Rodolpho R. C. Monteiro, Angel Berenguer-Murcia, Javier Rocha-Martin, Rodrigo S. Vieira, Roberto Fernandez-Lafuente
Summary: The increasing concerns about energy consumption and environmental preservation have led to a growing interest in the production of biolubricants. This review explores the various methods of producing these molecules using lipases, including esterification of free fatty acids, hydroesterification or transesterification of oils and fats, transesterification of biodiesel with suitable alcohols, estolide production, and fatty acid modification. The utilization of discarded substrates, such as waste oil, also offers ecological benefits. The advantages and disadvantages of these production methods, as well as general considerations for process optimization, are discussed. Potential solutions to address the challenges in biolubricant production are also examined.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Isamayra Germano de Sousa, Gabrielly Ferreira Mota, Antonio Luthierre Gama Cavalcante, Thales Guimaraes Rocha, Patrick da Silva Sousa, Jeferson Yves Nunes Holanda Alexandre, Jose Erick da Silva Souza, Francisco Simao Neto, Francisco Thalysson Tavares Cavalcante, Ada Amelia Sanders Lopes, Jose C. S. dos Santos
Summary: In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for sustainable energy resources, prompting researchers worldwide to develop green technologies and products. Biolubricants have emerged as a viable alternative to petroleum-derived lubricants, being biodegradable, non-toxic, and easily disposable in the environment. Enzymatic biocatalysts, particularly lipases, offer a promising alternative for biolubricant production, as they generally exhibit higher energy efficiency and produce less waste compared to conventional chemical catalysts. This article discusses various aspects of lipase-catalyzed biolubricant production, including different reactions, raw material sources, and alternative process protocols such as enzymatic immobilization, alcohols, and bioreactors.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Hui-Hui Zhang, Bao-Jun Yang, Yong Wu, Hao-Li Gao, Xu-Min Lin, Jian-Zheng Zou, Ze-Wen Liu
Summary: Lipid metabolism and lipases are crucial for the development and reproduction of insects. In this study, we investigated the activity of triacylglycerol hydrolysis in different tissues of N. lugens and identified 43 lipases. Among them, 23 lipases belonged to neutral lipases and were selected for further experiments. The presence of complete motifs was essential for the activity of neutral lipases in triacylglycerol hydrolysis. Silencing a highly expressed lipase gene in the ovary decreased egg production and hatchability, partially due to a decline in lipid metabolism. Our findings suggest that incomplete motifs in neutral lipases expressed in the intestine may explain the lower lipase activity in this tissue, and ovary-specific neutral lipases are important for N. lugens reproduction.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Madison B. Adolph, Atharv S. Garje, Swati Balakrishnan, Florian Morati, Mauro Modesti, Walter J. Chazin, David Cortez
Summary: RAD51 forms nucleoprotein filaments to promote DNA repair and replication processes, and its stability is regulated by RADX. Mutants of RADX with separation of function exhibit impaired ATP hydrolysis activity of RAD51, leading to accumulation of DNA damage and replication defects in cells.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Claire Seydoux, Mattia Storti, Vasco Giovagnetti, Anna Matuszynska, Erika Guglielmino, Xue Zhao, Cecile Giustini, Yufang Pan, Lander Blommaert, Jhoanell Angulo, Alexander Ruban, Hanhua Hu, Benjamin Bailleul, Florence Courtois, Guillaume Allorent, Giovanni Finazzi
Summary: Diatoms, successful phytoplankton clades, have the ability to adapt to changing light conditions due to their regulatory circuit involving the H+/K+ antiporter KEA3 and diadinoxanthin de-epoxidase. This circuit allows diatoms to efficiently respond to fast or slow changes in light environment, contributing to their thriving in different ocean provinces.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hajer Ben Hlima, Mouna Dammak, Aida Karray, Maroua Drira, Philippe Michaud, Imen Fendri, Slim Abdelkafi
Summary: A study combining in silico analysis and bioinformatic tools identified and characterized 14 putative lipases expressed by Chlorella vulgaris, with diverse molecular weights, subcellular localizations, and sequence similarities. These lipases share a similar core with common alpha/beta hydrolases fold and belong to family 3 lipases and class GX, with some predicted to have transmembrane domains and a lysosomal acid lipase identified. Further structural insights are needed for understanding their enzymatic characteristics.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiazi Zhang, Hongchun Xiong, Huijun Guo, Yuting Li, Xiaomei Xie, Yongdun Xie, Linshu Zhao, Jiayu Gu, Shirong Zhao, Yuping Ding, Luxiang Liu
Summary: This study identified the direct target genes of the wheat Q gene and proposed a possible regulatory network, which helps clarify the mechanism of wheat spike morphology and improve wheat grain yield.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mar Serrano-Arnaldos, M. Dolores Murcia, Salvadora Ortega-Requena, M. Claudia Montiel, Fuensanta Maximo, Elisa Gomez, Josefa Bastida
Summary: The pseudo-first-order kinetic model accurately describes the esterification process of cetyl esters and predicts the reaction rate of spermaceti. The results suggest that lipases can be used as industrial catalysts with the assistance of this simple yet accurate kinetic model.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anamaria Todea, Sara Fortuna, Cynthia Ebert, Fioretta Asaro, Stefano Tomada, Marco Cespugli, Fabio Hollan, Lucia Gardossi
Summary: The lipase-catalyzed polycondensation of azelaic acid and glycerol was investigated using a Design-of-Experiment approach. The study provided rational guidelines for optimizing the reaction and successfully scaled it up for industrial use.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Siti Hajar Hamdan, Jonathan Maiangwa, Mohd Shukuri Mohamad Ali, Yahaya M. Normi, Suriana Sabri, Thean Chor Leow
Summary: Thermal stability is crucial in the search for novel lipases, with thermophilic microorganisms offering new opportunities for biotechnological applications. Enzyme structure modifications are essential for optimizing stability in thermophilic conditions, particularly in the food industry and biodiesel production. There is a trade-off between enzyme use in organic solvents and product generation, but enhancing stability is key for maintaining enzymatic activity regardless of the environment.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jonathan Bassut, Kifah Nasr, Gregory Stoclet, Marc Bria, Jean-Marie Raquez, Audrey Favrelle-Huret, Robert Wojcieszak, Philippe Zinck, Ivaldo Itabaiana Jr
Summary: Levoglucosan (LGA) has gained increasing attention as a pyrolytic sugar with potential applications in various industries. In this study, a series of LGA-containing polymers were synthesized for the first time through a regioselective transesterification reaction, and the effect of LGA content on the properties of the polymers was investigated.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhaoxia Sun, Xinfang Wang, Ronghua Liu, Wei Du, Mingchuan Ma, Yuanhuai Han, Hongying Li, Longlong Liu, Siyu Hou
Summary: A Tartary buckwheat EMS dwarf mutant, ftdm, was identified through mutagenesis and transcriptomic analysis, revealing potential candidate genes related to the dwarf trait. Further studies are needed to determine the molecular basis underlying the dwarf phenotype of the ftdm mutant.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
K. Vivek, G. S. Sandhia, S. Subramaniyan
Summary: With industrialization and development in modern science, enzymes and their applications have increased widely. Lipases have attracted industrial attention due to their broad catalytic properties and other characteristics, making them suitable for various industrial processes. They have applications in detergent formulations, biofuel synthesis, and bioremediation of lipid waste in harsh environments.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Karen Massel, Yasmine Lam, Jessica Hintzsche, Nicholas Lester, Jose R. Botella, Ian D. Godwin
Summary: Utilizing endogenous U6 promoters can enhance CRISPR/Cas9 editing efficiency in sorghum and may have potential applications for gene editing in other cereals.
PLANT CELL REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yusen Zhou, Xiaomin Zhang, Jing Chen, Xiaopeng Guo, Hongyan Wang, Weibo Zhen, Junli Zhang, Zhubing Hu, Xuebing Zhang, Jose Ramon Botella, Toshiro Ito, Siyi Guo
Summary: In this study, we identified AHL9 as a positive regulator of leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. AHL9 accelerates leaf senescence through ethylene synthesis or signaling.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kun Li, Qianyun Jia, Jinggong Guo, Zhijuan Zhu, Mengying Shao, Jin Wang, Weiqiang Li, Jie Dai, Minghui Guo, Rui Li, Jieqiong Song, Fengbo Yang, Jingyi Du, Jose R. Botella, Chun-Peng Song, Yuchen Miao
Summary: Mutations in the GPX7 gene in plants lead to increased photo-bleaching under high light conditions, and GPX7 plays a crucial role in chloroplast function.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Qing-Bin Chen, Wen-Jing Wang, Yue Zhang, Qi-Di Zhan, Kang Liu, Jose Ramon Botella, Ling Bai, Chun-Peng Song
Summary: Seed germination is regulated by multiple factors, including the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) and the light signal repressor COP1. Disruption of COP1 enhances the sensitivity of seeds to ABA, leading to increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). COP1 is translocated to the cytoplasm upon ABA induction, resulting in increased nuclear localization of HY5 and ABI5 proteins and the upregulation of ABI5 target genes and ROS levels during ABA-mediated inhibition of seed germination.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chunjie Wei, Hao Liu, Wenwen Wang, Pengyu Luo, Qiuling Chen, Rou Li, Chong Wang, Jose Ramon Botella, Hui Zhang
Summary: Recently developed base editors have been proven to be a powerful tool for plant research and crop improvement. Researchers have fused a non-sequence-specific single-stranded DNA-binding domain (DBD) from the human Rad51 protein with Cas9 nickase and deaminase, resulting in dramatically increased editing efficiency and expanded editing window. This strategy has been successfully applied in rice, demonstrating improved editing range.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Yijie Wang, Jose Ramon Botella
Summary: As sessile organisms, plants have evolved mechanisms to adapt to environmental fluctuations. Heterotrimeric G proteins play essential roles in the response to stress in plants, regulating multiple signaling pathways. Understanding the functions of G proteins in stress reactions can contribute to the development of resilient crops and global food security.
Review
Plant Sciences
Jose R. Botella
Summary: Early detection of pests and pathogens is crucial for reducing agricultural losses. Point-of-care (POC) diagnostics, especially those based on nucleic acid amplification, have shown great potential in providing early warning and allowing prompt preventive measures. POC amplification technologies that do not require thermocycling offer high sensitivity and specificity. However, the success of POC amplification ultimately relies on the availability of POC-friendly nucleic acid extraction methods and amplification readouts.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ya-Nan Chang, Zhijuan Wang, Ziyin Ren, Chun-Han Wang, Pengcheng Wang, Jian-Kang Zhu, Xia Li, Cheng-Guo Duan
Summary: The study reveals that NUA and ESD4 act as inhibitors of SnRK2 kinases, negatively regulating plant responses to ABA and drought stress. The mechanism involves the SUMOylation-dependent regulation of SnRK2s.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leia Colin, Felix Ruhnow, Jian-Kang Zhu, Chunzhao Zhao, Yang Zhao, Staffan Persson
Summary: Salt stress causes ionic toxicity, osmotic stress, and oxidative stress, directly affecting plant growth and development. Plants perceive salt stress through the cell wall and coordinate effective responses. Some mechanisms underlying these processes have been elucidated.
Article
Plant Sciences
Liangliang Li, Linxiao Li, Shenghui Cui, Dongdong Qian, Shijie Lyu, Wencheng Liu, Jose Ramon Botella, Huilin Li, David J. Burritt, Lam-Son Phan Tran, Weiqiang Li, Yu Zhang
Summary: Seed germination in Arabidopsis is regulated by ABA through the activation of PDC1 gene, which promotes fatty acid beta-oxidation and ROS accumulation, resulting in inhibition of seed germination.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Heng Zhang, Zhizhong Gong, Jian-Kang Zhu
Summary: Maintaining proper DNA methylation levels in the genome requires active demethylation of DNA. The discovery of the first eukaryotic DNA demethylase ROS1 in Arabidopsis thaliana has greatly expanded our understanding of the active DNA demethylation pathway and its regulation and biological functions in plants.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mingjing Wang, Hailong Zhang, Xiaonan Zhao, Jingwen Zhou, Guochen Qin, Yuqi Liu, Xiaoyue Kou, Zhenjie Zhao, Tao Wu, Jian-Kang Zhu, Xianzhong Feng, Lixin Li
Summary: The gene AtSYP81 in Arabidopsis thaliana plays a critical role in root growth and development by regulating peroxisome- and peroxidase-mediated ROS homeostasis. Knockdown of AtSYP81 resulted in reduced root meristem activity and disruption of root stem cell niche identity. Transcriptome analysis revealed changed expression of class III peroxidases, adding evidence of the regulatory role of AtSYP81 in ROS signaling.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yiping Zou, Michael Glenn Mason, Jose Ramon Botella
Summary: Amplification-based diagnostics is widely used in plant disease diagnostics due to its sensitivity, rapidness, and flexibility. However, there is a high demand for modules that can interpret amplification results rapidly, reliably, and easily in resource-limited settings. Therefore, we have developed a portable, low-cost, and easy-to-perform device named Dr. Diagnose, which allows users to accurately and unbiasedly read amplification reactions in a user-friendly manner.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
J. M. Templeton, J. R. Botella, P. J. Blackall
Summary: This article describes the research on low cost, low technology POM assays in the field of food safety as applied to the poultry industries, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of these assays.
MICROBIOLOGY AUSTRALIA
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Qingchao Chen, Tao Hu, Xiaohua Li, Chun-Peng Song, Jian-Kang Zhu, Liqing Chen, Yang Zhao
Summary: During drought stress, plants increase their root:shoot ratio by enhancing the long-distance sucrose transport, mediated by the phosphorylation of sucrose transporters SWEET11 and 12. This phosphorylation, induced by drought and abscisic acid treatments, improves sugar loading in the phloem and supports enhanced root growth.
