Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Rao Yao, Wen Fu, Ming Du, Zi-Xi Chen, An-Ping Lei, Jiang-Xin Wang
Summary: Carotenoids are essential for photosynthetic organisms due to their superior photoprotective and antioxidant properties, reducing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Despite some uncertainties regarding carotenoids in Euglena, studies have begun to uncover their distribution, structure, biosynthesis pathway, and accumulation under stress conditions.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mingcan Wu, Ming Du, Guimei Wu, Feimiao Lu, Jing Li, Anping Lei, Hui Zhu, Zhangli Hu, Jiangxin Wang
Summary: The study found that microalgae can only be cultivated through two growth cycles with purified and reused water, with significant growth inhibition observed in the third cycle. As the number of water reuse cycles increases, the Cl- concentration gradually rises in the cultivation water, leading to inhibition of microalgae growth. Additionally, the study identified humic acid (HA) as the main inhibitor of microalgae growth, and demonstrated that HA can be efficiently removed by treatments such as activated carbon and advanced oxidation processes.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mohammed Aldholmi, Rizwan Ahmad, Daniel Carretero-Molina, Ignacio Perez-Victoria, Jesus Martin, Fernando Reyes, Olga Genilloud, Lea Gourbeyre, Thierry Gefflaut, Hanne Carlsson, Alexei Maklakov, Ellis O'Neill, Robert A. Field, Barrie Wilkinson, Maria O'Connell, A. Ganesan
Summary: The study discovered that euglenatides from Euglena gracilis can inhibit pathogenic fungi and cancer cells, and bear resemblance to nemamides in Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular network analysis also revealed the presence of multiple euglenatide-like metabolites in Euglena species.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ina Becker, Binod Prasad, Maria Ntefidou, Viktor Daiker, Peter Richter, Michael Lebert
Summary: Euglena gracilis demonstrates high sensitivity to hygromycin and zeocin, offering potential resistance marker genes for transformant selection. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (ATMT) yielded hygromycin-resistant cells, but GUS-negative cells indicated explicit silencing of the gus gene. Optimization of cocultivation factors led to higher transformant numbers and an efficiency of 8.26 +/- 4.9% under optimized conditions, demonstrating potential for bioengineering E. gracilis for high-value product production and fundamental studies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jiayi He, ChenChen Liu, Mengzhe Du, Xiyi Zhou, Zhangli Hu, Anping Lei, Jiangxin Wang
Summary: The study investigated the metabolic response of Euglena to environmental stresses and the effects of different toxic chemicals on the content of its products. Through comprehensive metabolomics research, potential regulatory mechanisms and mechanisms behind the differential accumulation of metabolites were discovered.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenfan Chen, Jiayi Zhu, Ming Du, Zixi Chen, Qiong Liu, Hui Zhu, Anping Lei, Jiangxin Wang
Summary: Euglena is a single-celled eukaryote that exhibits characteristics of both plants and animals. The model species, Euglena gracilis, is of great academic interest for studying endosymbiosis and chloroplast development. As an industrial species, E. gracilis is highly valuable for its high-value products, such as vitamins, amino acids, pigments, and unsaturated fatty acids, and is used in various applications. This article reviews the progress in genetic transformation of E. gracilis, including delivery methods of exogenous materials and advanced biotechnological tools like CRISPR and RNA interference.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Nicola Giuliani, Massimiliano Rossi, Giovanni Noselli, Antonio DeSimone
Summary: The study focuses on the nonplanar waveforms generated by the flagellum of Euglena gracilis during swimming, as well as the corresponding three-dimensional flows in the surrounding fluid. By constructing a numerical interpolation of the swimming stroke and comparing it with experimentally measured velocities, the researchers validate the effectiveness of the synthetic stroke. Results show that Euglena behaves as an off-axis puller during swimming strokes, and the flow field can be approximated using a small set of dominant singularities.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Javier Cordoba, Emilie Perez, Mick Van Vlierberghe, Amandine R. Bertrand, Valerian Lupo, Pierre Cardol, Denis Baurain
Summary: Euglena gracilis, a photosynthetic microeukaryote, has a complex gene ancestry and gene regulation in euglenozoans is not primarily controlled at the transcriptional level, as revealed in transcriptome analysis. The evolutionary history of E. gracilis involves a convoluted process with more than two partners, ruling out sequence contamination as a possible explanation for the mixed gene ancestry observed.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Navya Rastogi, Pranjal Seth, Ramray Bhat, Prosenjit Sen
Summary: The novel orthogonal vortex chip enables size-based cell separation at lower velocities to avoid cell damage caused by high flow speeds. The device utilizes shear-gradient lift, centrifugal, and Dean flow drag forces to selectively trap particles of different sizes, showing promising results for gentle isolation of rare cells from blood.
ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Sina Ebrahimi, Mojgan Alishiri, Esmail Pishbin, Homa Afjoul, Amir Shamloo
Summary: This research proposes an inertial microfluidic system using a curved expansion-contraction array (CEA) microchannel to separate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from white blood cells (WBCs). Experimental results show that the proposed system can achieve the highest separation efficiency (-80.31%) and purity (-91.32%) at a flow rate of -7.5 ml/min, with an approximately 11.48% increase in efficiency compared to a straight channel.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xiaomiao Tan, Jiangyu Zhu, Minato Wakisaka
Summary: Adding vanillic acid as a growth stimulator for microalgae can significantly increase biomass yield and the content of chlorophyll and carotenoids. Vanillic acid also enhances the activity of microalgae, increases lipid content without sacrificing biomass, providing a promising pathway for future biofuel production.
WORLD JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jiangyu Zhu, Minato Wakisaka
Summary: The study found that lignosulfonates can promote the growth and valuable product accumulation of microalgae Euglena gracilis, significantly increasing the growth rate of the microalgae and affecting the yield of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids. Additionally, lignosulfonates induced changes in cell morphology.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Jiangyu Zhu, Xiaomiao Tan, Halimatun Saadiah Hafid, Minato Wakisaka
Summary: Introducing biomass-derived additives, specifically trans-4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and syringaldehyde, into microalgae cultivation can promote growth and enhance lipid biosynthesis, contributing to biofuel production.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Paola Brun, Anna Piovan, Rosy Caniato, Vanessa Dalla Costa, Anthony Pauletto, Raffaella Filippini
Summary: The study demonstrated that fractionated extracts obtained from E. gracilis can reduce LPS-induced intestinal inflammation, with pheophytin a and b and canthaxanthin increasing intracellular reducing potential and reducing the generation of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation induced by LPS.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Diana Lihanova, Alexandra Lukacova, Terezia Beck, Andrej Jedlicka, Dominika Veselenyiova, Juraj Krajcovic, Matej Vesteg
Summary: Euglena gracilis, a freshwater protist, has secondary chloroplasts derived from green algae and can undergo bleaching due to various physical and chemical factors. It can be used as a model organism to study the effects of pollutants and for bioremediation. Genetic modifications have been successfully applied to E. gracilis for the synthesis of biotechnological compounds. Large-scale cultivation is limited by the inability to synthesize essential B-vitamins, but co-cultivation with other microorganisms can overcome this disadvantage.
WORLD JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tianlong Zhang, Amy K. Cain, Lucie Semenec, Ling Liu, Yoichiroh Hosokawa, David W. Inglis, Yaxiaer Yalikun, Ming Li
Summary: Here, we demonstrate the separation and enrichment of Escherichia coli clusters from its singlets using a viscoelastic microfluidic device. The ability to obtain highly pure populations of E. coli clusters is crucial for various applications in biology, biomedicine, and industry. Experimental results show that particles of different sizes migrate towards the center of the channel due to the combined effects of inertial and elastic forces. The size-dependent separation efficiency is influenced by channel length, sheath-to-sample flow rate ratio, and poly(ethylene oxide) concentration.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Siyuan Zhuang, Hangrui Liu, David W. Inglis, Ming Li
Summary: Water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) or double-emulsion (DE) droplets are widely used in cellular assays at a single-cell level due to their stability and biocompatibility. The oil shell of w/o/w droplets acts as a semipermeable membrane, allowing the passage of low molecular weight substances but restricting high molecular weight ones. By manipulating the osmosis of the DEs, the core can be shrunk or swollen. This manipulation of the core size offers benefits in cellular assays such as enhanced biosignals and increased cell growth.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yasutaka Kitahama, Pablo Martinez Pancorbo, Hiroki Segawa, Machiko Marumi, Ting-Hui Xiao, Kotaro Hiramatsu, William Yang, Keisuke Goda
Summary: We propose a new measurement scheme based on Place & Play SERS, which utilizes an ultrathin, flexible, stretchable, adhesive, biointegratable gold-deposited PVA nanomesh substrate. This method allows for SERS measurement of an object by placing the substrate on top without touching, destroying, or sampling it. Experimental results validate this new measurement scheme and demonstrate its practical applications in fields such as food safety testing and forensic analysis.
ANALYTICAL METHODS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Zhi-Kai Zuo, Zheng Xu, Guo-Yan Diao, Ming Li, Ming-Guo Ma, Zheng-Jun Shi
Summary: Flexible functional composites have been identified as having great potential for athlete health monitoring and auxiliary training. However, there is limited review on their applications in these fields. This mini-review summarizes the applications, synthesis methods, structures, properties, and future development directions of three types of functional composites for athlete health monitoring and auxiliary training. The results demonstrate that these composites display excellent properties and promising potential for applications in athlete health monitoring and auxiliary training.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Yansheng Hao, Chaoying Fang, Yapeng Yuan, Kazunori Okano, Ryohei Yasukuni, Shaokoon Cheng, Yo Tanaka, Yoichiroh Hosokawa, Yang Yang, Ming Li, Yaxiaer Yalikun
Summary: We developed a novel flow sensor using ultrathin glass sheet, fabricated by femtosecond laser processing, to quantify the flow velocity of liquid flows. The sensor is transparent, chemically inert, and capable of measuring water flows with a velocity between 0.067 and 0.804 m/s (Reynolds numbers 3-36). The sensitivity and dynamic range of the sensor can be adjusted by optimizing geometric parameters, making it suitable for high-throughput microfluidics-based applications.
IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ye Zhang, Chun Yuen Jerry Wong, Hanieh Gholizadeh, Annalisa Aluigi, Mattia Tiboni, Luca Casettari, Paul Young, Daniela Traini, Ming Li, Shaokoon Cheng, Hui Xin Ong
Summary: Respiratory tract infections are a leading cause of death globally, and liposomal antibiotic nano-systems delivered via inhalation have shown promise in targeting infections with reduced systemic exposure and side effects. This study evaluated the antibiofilm efficacy of two different-sized liposomal ciprofloxacin formulations using a 3D-printed microfluidic chip, and the results suggest that these formulations can effectively control drug release and offer potential treatment for respiratory infections.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yunjie Deng, Hui Min Tay, Yuqi Zhou, Xueer Fei, Xuke Tang, Masako Nishikawa, Yutaka Yatomi, Han Wei Hou, Ting-Hui Xiao, Keisuke Goda
Summary: Vascular stenosis caused by atherosclerosis leads to platelet activation and aggregation, resulting in thrombus formation. Antiplatelet drugs are commonly used but may not prevent recurrent thrombotic events due to limited understanding of their efficacy in the complex hemodynamic environment. We propose and demonstrate a method involving a 3D stenosis microfluidic chip and optical time-stretch quantitative phase imaging system for studying the efficacy of antiplatelet drugs under stenosis. Our method simulates the flow environment of vascular stenosis and enables high-resolution and statistical analysis of platelet aggregates. This method can assist in developing optimal pharmacologic strategies for patients with atherosclerosis.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tao Tang, Xun Liu, Yapeng Yuan, Ryota Kiya, Tianlong Zhang, Yang Yang, Shiro Suetsugu, Yoichi Yamazaki, Nobutoshi Ota, Koki Yamamoto, Hironari Kamikubo, Yo Tanaka, Ming Li, Yoichiroh Hosokawa, Yaxiaer Yalikun
Summary: Impedance cytometry combined with machine learning is used to analyze the response of bacterial single cells to antibiotic treatment in real time, with a high throughput of over one thousand cells per minute. This system provides an online training method on reference particles to distinguish between different types of particles and accurately identify susceptible cells. The results demonstrate the capability of real-time characterization and recognition of individual cells, providing a convenient and efficient method for antibiotic susceptibility testing.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Hanshui Fan, Xuan Tian, Huiting Peng, Yinfeng Shen, Liang Li, Ming Li, Liming Gao
Summary: Three-dimensional NAND flash memory is widely used in sensor systems for fast data access and system stability. However, the increase in cell bits and scaling process in flash memory result in serious data disturbance, such as neighbor wordline interference (NWI), which reduces data storage reliability. This study constructs a physical device model to investigate NWI mechanism and evaluates critical factors, proposing an adaptive voltage scheme as a countermeasure to optimize data reliability.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Haowei Duan, Yizhou Wang, Shi-Yang Tang, Ting-Hui Xiao, Keisuke Goda, Ming Li
Summary: This study presents a carbon-based E-CRISPR modified with gold nanoparticles and MXene Ti3C2 for stable and sensitive detection of nucleic acids. The developed sensor shows excellent analytical performance and long-term shelf life.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Optics
Walker Peterson, Kotaro Hiramatsu, Keisuke Goda
Summary: Coherent Raman scattering microscopy enables high-contrast imaging of tissues and single cells based on molecular vibrations. However, conventional techniques face a trade-off between Raman spectral bandwidth, imaging speed, and image fidelity. This trade-off can be overcome using emerging computational tools such as compressive sensing and machine learning, even though it is currently challenging to address through optical design.
LIGHT-SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Rubing Li, Yueyun Weng, Siyuan Lin, Chao Wei, Liye Mei, Shubin Wei, Yifan Yao, Fuling Zhou, Du Wang, Keisuke Goda, Cheng Lei
Summary: Optical time-stretch imaging (OTS) has advantages in high-throughput cell screening, but is limited by data transmission and storage pressure. This study proposes all-optical Fourier-domain-compressed time-stretch imaging with low-pass filtering to simplify the system structure and improve signal-to-noise ratio and image quality.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Ryo Nishiyama, Kei Furuya, Phillip McCann, Laura Kacenauskaite, Bo W. Laursen, Amar H. Flood, Kotaro Hiramatsu, Keisuke Goda
Summary: This article introduces a new type of Raman-active nanoparticles called MERdots, which enhance Raman signals by using ionophore macrocycles. These MERdots, combined with resonant broadband time-domain Raman spectroscopy, showed a 3-fold increase in Raman intensity compared to conventional Rdots, and improved the detection limit on their concentration. With their small size and strong Raman signal, along with the broadband capabilities of time-domain resonant Raman spectroscopy, MERdots are promising candidates for a wide range of biological applications.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Ye Zhang, Paul Young, Daniela Traini, Ming Li, Hui Xin Ong, Shaokoon Cheng
Summary: Biofilms are structured communities of bacterial cells encased in a self-produced polymeric matrix, exhibiting temporal responses to stimuli. They have both beneficial and detrimental impacts in various fields, but comprehensive understanding of their properties remains a challenge.
BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Optics
Ting-Hui Xiao, Yuqi Zhou, Keisuke Goda
Summary: In-silico clearing is a breakthrough method that corrects image blur caused by scattering and aberration, enabling deep optical imaging of biological samples. This technique provides researchers with unprecedented insights into three-dimensional biological systems, offering enormous potential for advancing biology and medicine to better understand living organisms and human health.
LIGHT-SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS
(2023)
