Molecules最新文献

{"title":"Pectinase Immobilization on Porous Polyamide Microparticles: Characterization, Operational Stability and Application in Wine Clarification.","authors":"Sandra C Oliveira, Nadya V Dencheva, Zlatan Z Denchev","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162930","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162930","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lyophilized pectinase from <i>Aspergillus niger</i> (PeL) was immobilized onto polyamide 6 (PA6) microparticles (MPs) through an adsorption-based procedure within the pH range of 5-8, yielding four PeL@PA6 complexes. In contrast to commercial enological preparations that are complex enzymatic cocktails with unspecified exact compositions, the use of PeL with known specific activity enabled a more reliable evaluation and improvement of the immobilization process and of the structure-activity relationships of the resulting biocatalysts. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated better thermal stability of the PeL@PA6 complexes compared to neat PA6 MPs. UV-CD studies revealed that the secondary structure and conformational stability of PeL before and after immobilization were strongly pH-dependent, with maximum stability observed at pH 6-7. All four PeL@PA6 complexes retained significant catalytic activity and showed good tolerance to ethanol-rich media relevant to enological applications. Kinetic analysis indicated increased apparent <i>K_m</i> values after immobilization, suggesting diffusional limitations associated with the porous PA6 support. Clarification experiments of industrial white and rosé wine musts confirmed the practical applicability of the immobilized system. All PeL@PA6 complexes preserved the color and phenolic integrity of the musts, displayed good operational stability during reuse, and exhibited higher long-term storage stability than the free enzyme. These results demonstrate that PA6 MPs are promising supports for pectinase immobilization in wine clarification and related biotechnological applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515607/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An Integrated Two-Stage Strategy for Efficient Lactic Acid Production via Ionic Liquid-Assisted Mechanochemical Pretreatment and Catalytic Conversion.","authors":"Zheyuan Zhang, Chuan Li Lee, Jianrong Shan, Haixin Guo","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162922","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162922","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Efficient conversion of cellulose to value-added lactic acid remains challenging because the rigid crystalline structure of cellulose limits its accessibility and subsequent conversion. This study developed an integrated strategy combining ionic liquid-assisted ball milling with catalytic lactic acid production. Ionic liquid type, ball-milling time, ionic liquid concentration, and glucose addition were examined during cellulose pretreatment. Among the ionic liquids tested, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Bmim][OAc]) provided the highest apparent water-soluble fraction. After 60 min of ball milling with 0.17 M [Bmim][OAc], the apparent water-soluble fraction increased from 5.1% for untreated cellulose to 63.7%, while the crystallinity index decreased from 78.1% to 44.0%. The catalytic stage was then evaluated using D-glucose as a model substrate with rehydrated hydrotalcite (r-HT) in a Ba(OH)₂ medium. The r-HT/Ba(OH)₂ system achieved the highest lactic acid yield of 43.6 C-% at 100 °C for 2 h, compared with 9.1 C-% for r-HT and 38.2 C-% for Ba(OH)₂ alone. These results demonstrate the potential of this integrated strategy to improve cellulose accessibility while enhancing lactic acid formation from glucose, providing a basis for further development of cellulose-to-lactic-acid conversion pathways.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515166/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830324","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recycling of End-of-Life Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules: A Comprehensive Review of Technologies, Challenges, and Prospects.","authors":"Huide Fu, Yang Zhou, Bing Bai","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162933","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162933","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As global photovoltaic (PV) installation capacity grows rapidly, the environmental pollution and resource waste from the large-scale end-of-life (EOL) wave have drawn increasing attention. Traditional disposal methods such as landfilling and incineration are no longer viable, making green recycling a logical path for the PV industry. This paper reviews recent progress in the disassembly and recycling of EOL crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV modules. It first describes the structural material composition of c-Si PV modules and summarizes global recycling policies and regulatory frameworks. It then analyzes the mechanisms and process parameters of major delamination technologies, including mechanical crushing, pyrolysis, thermal cutting, high-voltage pulse fragmentation, solvent-based approaches, and laser peeling. Methods for purifying silicon and recovering precious metals such as silver and copper are also covered. Finally, key challenges in the recycling field and future development trends are discussed, with the aim of supporting the advancement of c-Si PV recycling technologies and the sustainable development of related industrial chains.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515860/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sweet Woodruff (<i>Galium odoratum</i> L.)-More than Just Coumarin: From Fundamental to Biomass Valorization.","authors":"Isabelle Herre, Thomas Stegemann","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162920","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162920","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Galium odoratum</i> (L.) Scop., commonly known as sweet woodruff, is a perennial European woodland herb traditionally used as a medicinal and aromatic plant. Its characteristic sweet, hay-like scent is mainly linked to coumarin, which is formed from glycosidically bound melilotoside precursors during wilting and drying. However, the phytochemistry of <i>G. odoratum</i> extends beyond coumarin. The species also contains iridoid glycosides, coumarin-related melilotosides, caffeoylquinic acids, flavonoids, and volatile constituents. This review summarizes current knowledge on traditional use, phytochemical constituents, metabolite dynamics, biological and ecological relevance, toxicology, and potential applications. Seasonal variation, organ-specific differences, post-harvest metabolism, and differences in analytical methodology affect analytical interpretation of the available data. Reported biological activities are mainly based on isolated constituents, in vitro studies, animal models, or non-standardized extracts, and no convincing clinical evidence is available for defined <i>G. odoratum</i> preparations. Potential applications require standardized plant material, controlled processing, sustainable sourcing, and safety assessment, while the valorization of processing residues may provide an additional route toward more resource-efficient utilization of the species. Overall, <i>G. odoratum</i> should be regarded as a chemically diverse species rather than merely as a source of coumarin aroma.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13516820/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plant-Based Approaches for Inhibition of Advanced Glycation End Products Formation: Dietary Polyphenols.","authors":"Seray Akalin-Saygili, Aylin Ayaz","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162928","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162928","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Advanced glycation end products arise during thermal processing and endogenous metabolism, contributing to oxidative stress, inflammation, and the progression of chronic diseases. Dietary polyphenols have emerged as promising advanced glycation end product (AGE) inhibitors through antioxidant activity, carbonyl trapping, metal chelation, and modulation of inflammatory pathways. This review summarizes current evidence on the effects of polyphenols in food systems and highlights how different polyphenol subclasses vary in their antiglycation potential depending on chemical structure, food matrix, and cooking conditions. Although experimental studies consistently demonstrate inhibitory effects, the translation to humans remains limited by low bioavailability, metabolic transformation, and heterogeneous analytical methods. Standardized AGE measurements are needed to improve mechanistic insight, and evaluations of dose-response relationships are needed to clarify their relevance in real-world diets. Future research should prioritize long-term human studies and practical culinary strategies to determine whether polyphenol-rich foods can meaningfully reduce dietary AGE exposure and support chronic disease prevention.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515515/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Challenges and Opportunities in Food Processing Using Innovative Techniques.","authors":"Hanna Kowalska, Mariola Kozłowska","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162923","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162923","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alongside environmental concerns, the growing consumer demand for foods with high nutritional value, health-promoting properties, and sensory benefits has driven the development of innovative and sustainable food processing technologies [...].</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515174/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combinatorial Treatment with Chlorogenic Acid and Cinnamaldehyde Disrupts Intracellular pH and Metabolic Transport in Breast Cancer Cells.","authors":"Yusuff Olayiwola, Vindya Edgunpati, Li Li, Lauren Gollahon","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162939","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162939","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Breast cancer cells exhibit a reversed pH gradient and metabolic plasticity that promote proliferation, invasion, and resistance to therapy. Natural products such as chlorogenic acid (CGA) and cinnamaldehyde (CA) have shown emerging anticancer potential. However, their effects on intracellular pH and metabolic transport systems remain undefined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize these parameters in breast cancer and non-tumorigenic breast cells. This study evaluated the physiochemical properties of CGA and CA using LC-MS, under pH conditions (pH 1.2, 7.4, and 9.0) mimicking the gastrointestinal track (GIT). Additionally, LC-MS-based human liver microsome (HLM) assays with NADPH were used to evaluate susceptibility to CYP-mediated metabolism to evaluate first-pass metabolic stability. Intracellular uptake kinetics were quantified at multiple time points using LC-MS. Following CGA:CA treatment, intracellular pH (pH_i) was measured in cancerous MDA-MB-231 and non-tumorigenic MCF-10A breast cell lines using SNARF-1 targeted ratio-metric fluorescence approach. Expression of OATP1B1, GLUT1, and MCT1 were analyzed by Western and immunofluorescence respectively, to assess potential cellular uptake of CGA:CA through OATP1B1 and their effects on glucose uptake and lactate and proton transport. Physiochemical results demonstrated that the compounds ranged from fully stable (pH 1.2 and 7.4) to completely unstable (pH 9.0). HLM incubation indicated no CYP-mediated hepatic metabolism. Treatment results showed that there was rapid intracellular uptake of CGA and CA in cancer cells and that CGA:CA lowered pH_i in both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, while pH_i remained mostly unchanged in MCF-10A cells. Protein analysis revealed that CGA:CA treatment downregulated GLUT1 and MCT1 expression in cancer cells, suggesting impaired glycolytic activity and lactate shuttling. OATP1B1 expression was significantly suppressed in cancer cells, suggesting feedback inhibition of the solute carrier protein. Collectively, these findings indicate that CGA and CA exhibit favorable biochemical stability and disrupt intracellular pH regulation and metabolic transporter expression in breast cancer cells. Importantly, normal cells are not significantly affected. Thus, CGA:CA demonstrates therapeutic potential for breast cancer through pH_i and metabolic modulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515508/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural Products: Advances in Isolation, Characterization, Biological Activities, and Plant Protection Applications.","authors":"Hazem S Elshafie","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162921","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162921","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Natural products derived from plants and microorganisms remain promising alternatives to synthetic chemicals and conventional substances across a wide range of fields, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and industry. They also play an important role in the development of sustainable biopesticides and biofertilizers. Chemically, natural products can be grouped into overlapping structural and biosynthetic categories, including alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, and polyketides. Each group reflects distinct chemical characteristics and associated biological functions. This overview highlights the main findings from the <i>Molecules</i> Special Issue: \"Natural Products: Isolation, Analysis and Biological Activity, 2nd Edition\", focusing on three categories: (i) plant protection, plant health, and plant biotechnology; (ii) functional foods and health-promoting formulations; and (iii) therapeutic natural products and derivatives. Exploring the mechanisms of action of natural products is essential for ensuring safety and optimizing sustainable resource use. This understanding drives critical innovations across drug discovery and materials science. Ultimately, such research reinforces their cross-disciplinary significance for advancing human health and promoting environmental sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515428/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Light-Controlled Assembly and Disassembly of Covalent RNA-Protein Conjugates to Control RNA Base Editing.","authors":"Alfred Hanswillemenke, Tim Stefan Berneiser, Marius Blackholm, Johann Kaiser, Anna Sofia Imrich, Karthika Devi Kiran Kumar, Hayase Hakariya, Thorsten Stafforst","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162924","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162924","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Self-labeling enzymes, like SNAP-, CLIP- and Halo-tag have found wide application in biology, biochemistry, materials science and bioengineering. For example, they have been applied with high versatility to rewrite genetic information inside the living cell by providing rationally programmable RNA-targeting strategies of protein-based effectors. Such approaches benefit from the engineering capability of the small molecule-based self-labeling moieties. Here, we further engineered that approach to control RNA-targeting by light. Specifically, we combined two orthogonal self-labeling enzymes for the recruitment of two distinct fusion proteins to a target RNA inside the living cell and achieved concurrent assembly and disassembly of distinct guide RNA-protein conjugates. We applied this to control RNA base editing and achieved a photo-induced swap of two distinct editing events. Overall, this work describes new ways for tool development, RNA imaging, and transcript engineering.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515618/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Progress in DFT Studies of BiOF: Crystals, Defects, Doping and Heterojunctions.","authors":"Shuili Zhang, Chao Wang, Xiong Zhang, Pengju Li","doi":"10.3390/molecules31162935","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules31162935","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BiOF has emerged as a promising functional material for photocatalysis, electrochemical energy storage, and ion adsorption due to its unique layered structure, excellent chemical stability, and tunable electronic properties. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide in-depth theoretical insights into the crystal structure, intrinsic defects, doping modification, and heterostructure construction of BiOF. This review systematically summarizes the recent DFT research progress of BiOF systems. Computational results reveal the lattice characteristics, bandgap features, built-in electric field distribution and facet anisotropy of BiOF, and highlight the critical influence of Bi semicore states on structural relaxation and electronic modulation. Defect engineering of bismuth and oxygen vacancies can effectively optimize band structure, accelerate carrier separation and improve catalytic performance. Cation and anion doping introduce impurity energy levels to narrow the bandgap and broaden the visible-light response range. Various BiOF-based heterostructures with different band alignment modes are analyzed, and the interfacial built-in electric field dominates charge separation, while excessive formation energy and unfavorable charge transfer still restrict material optimization. This work provides a systematic theoretical reference for the rational design and performance improvement of high-efficiency BiOF-based materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"31 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13515855/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148830335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}