{"title":"Engineering of an Fe2+/α-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase Enables Stereoselective and Efficient Sulfoxide Synthesis","authors":"Zhaolin Song,Dequan Liu,Fangyue Bi,Yuying Gao,Zhenkun Shi,Jian Cheng,Wei Cao,Qinggang Li,Yu Li,Yihan Liu,Fuping Lu,Fenghua Wang","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c07879","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c07879","url":null,"abstract":"Alliin (S-allyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide) is a valuable bioactive sulfur compound and an allicin precursor. However, its biocatalytic synthesis is limited by poor stereocontrol of an Fe2+/α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (l-isoleucine dioxygenase, IDO) that converts S-allyl-l-cysteine (SAC) into alliin. Herein, we analyzed the catalytic mechanism of IDO and proposed that the dihedral orientation of the SAC sulfur atom relative to the Fe(IV)═O intermediate likely governs sulfoxide chirality. Based on this mechanistic insight, we identified residue T233 and the flexible N77–F98 entrance loop as key determinants of substrate orientation during sulfoxidation. The engineered variant IDOM5 exhibited substantially enhanced diastereomeric excess (de, 93.4%) and turnover compared with the wild-type enzyme (de, 80.2%). Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the two geometric parameters encode stereochemical outcome and reaction rate, respectively, validating our initial hypothesis. Gram-scale biocatalytic synthesis of highly diastereomerically enriched (+)-alliin was achieved (2.70 g·L–1·h–1, conversion 93.70%). This work establishes a robust enzymatic platform for stereoselective alliin synthesis.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"PPARγ Is Critical for Lycopene Antagonizing Zearalenone-Induced Ferroptosis by Promoting Autophagy-Mediated TFRC Degradation in Swine Testicular Cells","authors":"Xin-Yue Mao,Zi-Yan Hu,Xin Yao,Ming Lou,Yue Cheng,Yi-Feng Huang,Hong-Li Si,Ming-Shan Chen,Jia-Xin Wang,Fu-Wei Jiang,Zhuo-Yu Liu,Xiao-Wei Li,Jin-Long Li,Yi Zhao","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c11442","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c11442","url":null,"abstract":"Mycotoxins are common contaminants in agricultural products and feed, which pose a serious threat to public health. Zearalenone (ZEA) is a well-known environmental endocrine disruptor that causes reproductive disorders. Lycopene (LYC) is a possible therapeutic and preventive agent for male diseases. Here, we aim to explore the mechanism of ZEA-induced swine testicular (ST) cell injury and antagonism of lycopene. ST cells were treated with lycopene and/or ZEA for mechanistic validation. In this study, ZEA caused pronounced mitochondrial structural damage, whereas lycopene restored mitochondrial integrity. Lycopene also reduced ZEA-induced lipid peroxidation and ferrous ion levels, eventually inhibiting ferroptosis. Mechanistically, lycopene recovered PPARγ expression and regulated AMPK/mTOR signaling, thereby facilitating TFRC turnover. Of note, PPARγ knockdown weakened the effects of lycopene on ferroptosis, whereas TFRC overexpression diminished the protection afforded by autophagy activation. These findings indicate that lycopene mitigates ZEA-induced ferroptosis by regulating the PPARγ-AMPK-mTOR pathway and thus promoting autophagy-mediated TFRC degradation.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"234 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaomiao Xu,Tonghui Ma,Lingwei Zhang,Yue Zhang,Jun Yao,Jinsheng Wang,Li Xu,Shuai Zhan,Yaohui Wang
{"title":"Decoupled Adult and Larval Host Preferences in Tephritid Fruit Flies with a Conserved Oviposition Attractant","authors":"Xiaomiao Xu,Tonghui Ma,Lingwei Zhang,Yue Zhang,Jun Yao,Jinsheng Wang,Li Xu,Shuai Zhan,Yaohui Wang","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09170","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09170","url":null,"abstract":"Tephritid fruit flies exhibit considerable variability in host range, yet the chemosensory mechanisms underlying adult host selection and larval performance across species with contrasting dietary breadths remain unclear. Here, we investigated behavioral responses of adults and larvae of four species─Bactrocera dorsalis, B. correcta, Zeugodacus tau, and Z. cucurbitae─to seven fruit and vegetable cues. Adult preferences varied, with guava eliciting the strongest attraction in all species. Larval preferences were weaker and decoupled from adult choices. Comparative transcriptomics of guava-exposed antennae identified OBP19d as the most highly upregulated odorant-binding protein across species. RNAi knockdown of BdOBP19d in B. dorsalis reduced electrophysiological responses to guava volatiles and specifically abolished oviposition preference for 4-Ethylacetophenone. Molecular docking, electrophysiology, and behavioral assays collectively validated this interaction. These results reveal a conserved olfactory module for shared host attraction and identify 4-Ethylacetophenone as a candidate attractant for B. dorsalis females, with potential implications for pest management.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"497 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular Insights into Covalent Binding between Anthocyanin C3G and α-Glucosidase: Interaction of Flavylium with Cysteine Thiol","authors":"Yu Long,Tingxin Yu,Jianxia Sun,Jun Hu,Weibin Bai","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c07262","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c07262","url":null,"abstract":"Dietary anthocyanins have attracted considerable attention for their ability to modulate postprandial glycemia, yet their molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), a major anthocyanin, inhibits α-glucosidase through a cysteine-directed covalent interaction. C3G inhibited yeast α-glucosidase and a mouse intestinal α-glucosidase preparation with IC50 values of 169.7 and 719.1 μM, while time-dependent kinetic analysis yielded apparent kinact/KI values of 1.46 × 10–5 and 3.02 × 10–6 μM–1 min–1. Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) and cysteine-blocking experiments supported cysteine-dependent probe engagement, with direct covalent probe labeling and reduced labeling after cysteine blockade. Mechanistically, the intrinsic electrophilic flavylium (FAV) scaffold undergoes nucleophilic addition with free thiols to form stable covalent adducts. Covalent docking suggested Cys9 as a candidate residue in mammalian α-glucosidase. Cysteine-directed reactivity provides a chemical basis for the sustained inhibitory effects of C3G. This mechanism reveals a previously underappreciated covalent component of anthocyanin–α-glucosidase interactions.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149210881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Susan Genualdi,Sara Lupton,Elsie Peprah,Sami Popol,Manjula Sunkara,Ivan Lenov,Ryan Matsuda,Kimberly Nguyen,Candice Ulmer Holland,Kassidy Castillo Parkman,Robert D. Hurst,Nic Bice,Melissa Chisholm,Lowri DeJager
{"title":"A Harmonized Method for the Analysis of 32 PFAS in Priority Food Matrices for Interagency Regulatory Analysis","authors":"Susan Genualdi,Sara Lupton,Elsie Peprah,Sami Popol,Manjula Sunkara,Ivan Lenov,Ryan Matsuda,Kimberly Nguyen,Candice Ulmer Holland,Kassidy Castillo Parkman,Robert D. Hurst,Nic Bice,Melissa Chisholm,Lowri DeJager","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c11908","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c11908","url":null,"abstract":"This study represents a collaboration between state and federal agencies to develop a method for 32 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in eggs, meat, seafood, milk, and corn snaplage. The method was single-lab-validated with three spiking levels in each matrix. Recoveries were required to meet validation guidelines set in the Association of Official Analytical Chemistry (AOAC) standard method performance requirements (SMPR 2023.003). This method was also implemented in a state lab, and single-lab validation data and incurred residue samples were compared. Matrix effects and interferences are discussed, along with proficiency testing results. Average method detection limits were <10 ng/kg for all PFAS analytes across meat, eggs, milk, and seafood matrices. For PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA, LOQs calculated as the lowest validated level were able to meet the required LOQs as defined in EU 2022/1428 and AOAC SMPR 2023.003.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Changyu Cao,Yu Wang,Weifeng Ni,Yihao He,Yang Liu,Nan Li,Xinran Li
{"title":"Mitochondrial Dysfunction Triggered by T-2 Toxin-Induced Thioredoxin Reductase 2 (TXNRD2) Depletion and Its Molecular Mechanism","authors":"Changyu Cao,Yu Wang,Weifeng Ni,Yihao He,Yang Liu,Nan Li,Xinran Li","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c17572","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c17572","url":null,"abstract":"The T-2 toxin is a prevalent trichothecene mycotoxin that threatens food safety and animal health, yet its direct mitochondrial targets remain poorly defined. Using network toxicology and in vitro validation in porcine renal PK15 cells, thioredoxin reductase 2 (TXNRD2) was identified as the most significantly downregulated mitochondrial selenoprotein upon T-2 toxin exposure. Molecular docking and enzymatic assays demonstrated that T-2 binds to and inhibits TXNRD2 by occupying its FAD/NADPH-binding pocket. Notably, SeMet restored TXNRD2 expression and partially rescued mitochondrial injury, whereas direct TXNRD2 overexpression independently conferred comparable protection, confirming TXNRD2 as the key downstream effector. These interventions attenuated the abnormal elevation of intracellular ATP content and reduced ROS overproduction by approximately 39%. Conversely, TXNRD2 knockdown attenuated SeMet’s efficacy to establish TXNRD2 as a direct mitochondrial target of the T-2 toxin. Supplementation with SeMet protected cells by restoring both the expression and enzymatic activity of TXNRD2 and preventing T-2 toxin-induced cytotoxicity.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spatially Partitioned Engineering of an Alginate Lyase Overcomes the Stability–Activity Trade-Off via Distal Cap Loop Rigidification and Network Remodeling","authors":"Mengxuan Zhao,Mengqi Zhao,Peiyi Zhang,Liqiang Fan,Xu Li,Chen Deng,Liming Zhao","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09998","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09998","url":null,"abstract":"The stability–activity trade-off limits engineering of alginate lyases for alginate oligosaccharide production. Here, a spatially partitioned semirational strategy coupled with the greedy accumulated strategy for protein engineering (GRAPE) was applied to an alginate lyase from Vibrio sp. The optimized variant M13 achieved a 4.6-fold increase in catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) and an 11.4-fold extension of half-life at 50 °C. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that distal Cap Loop rigidification suppresses thermal unfolding while Gate Loop flexibility is retained for catalysis. A67K reversion increased Cap Loop flexibility and shifted the optimal temperature from 40 to 30 °C, supporting its thermostability contribution. Residue interaction network analysis identified a Val272–Tyr260–Arg73 communication pathway associated with active site preorganization into a near-attack conformation. V272A reversion reduced kcat/Km by 45.7%, supporting its catalytic contribution. These findings show that spatial partitioning can concurrently improve thermostability and catalytic efficiency, providing a design principle for polysaccharide lyase engineering.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiaming Liu,Linqing Li,Xintong Cao,Linxuan Bian,Zhen Hao,Yinhang Cai,Peng Xiong,Xiutao Liu
{"title":"Multidimensional Engineering of β-Glucosidase Cel1A for Enhanced Sophorose Synthesis","authors":"Jiaming Liu,Linqing Li,Xintong Cao,Linxuan Bian,Zhen Hao,Yinhang Cai,Peng Xiong,Xiutao Liu","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c10094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c10094","url":null,"abstract":"Sophorose is a potent cellulase inducer, but its enzymatic synthesis from glucose is limited by native β-glucosidases. Cel1A, a GH1 β-glucosidase from Trichoderma reesei, was engineered using a structure-, energy-, and sequence-guided semirational strategy combining alanine scanning, MM/PBSA analysis, UniKP prediction, saturation mutagenesis, and combinatorial screening, yielding T299G/K240H. This variant exhibited a 10.29-fold apparent higher catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) relative to wild-type Cel1A, resulting in 12.24 ± 0.67 g L–1 sophorose in 12 h at 37 °C, corresponding to 1.02 ± 0.06 g L–1 h–1. Channel analysis, CaverDock calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the mutations favored glucose entry and binding, weakened sophorose binding, and reduced conformational fluctuations. K240 substitutions modulated hydrolysis, transglycosylation, isomerization, and synthesis. These findings identify an improved Cel1A variant and provide a computational interpretation of its enhanced sophorose-synthesizing activity.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"73 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tianmiao Li,Hongyao Zhu,Yihong Xu,Depeng Yuan,Woo-Jong Hong,Xu Jiang,Ki-hong Jung,Yuan Hu Xuan
{"title":"DUFB Promotes Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance by Stabilizing GS1;1 in Rice","authors":"Tianmiao Li,Hongyao Zhu,Yihong Xu,Depeng Yuan,Woo-Jong Hong,Xu Jiang,Ki-hong Jung,Yuan Hu Xuan","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09661","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09661","url":null,"abstract":"Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization increases rice susceptibility to pathogens, yet the molecular links between N signaling and immunity remain largely unresolved. In this study, we identified three genes encoding DUF-domain-containing proteins, DUFA, DUFB, and DUFC, which were induced by Rhizoctonia solani (R. solani) infection and N treatment. Analyses of dufa/b/c mutant and overexpression lines showed that DUFA/B/C genes have functional redundancy and confer broad-spectrum resistance to sheath blight (ShB), blast, and bacterial blight. DUFA/B/C interacted with glutamine synthetase 1;1 (GS1;1), suggesting that distinct DUF proteins may converge on a shared GS1;1-associated defense pathway. Subsequent analyses demonstrated that DUFs enhance rice ShB resistance by inhibiting ubiquitin-mediated GS1;1 degradation. The GS1;1 protein level was reduced in high-nitrogen (HN) compared to in low-nitrogen (LN) conditions, implying that DUFB-GS1;1 signaling might be involved in N-dependent rice disease resistance. Overall, these findings reveal a mechanism linking the N status to rice immunity through DUFB-mediated stabilization of GS1;1.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yebao Chen,Jingwen Rao,Wenli Liang,Liu Yang,Xiaoyan Hu,Xiaoyu Dong,Yonghua Wang,Rongkang Hu
{"title":"Structural Rigidity and Nucleophilic Proximity Synergistically Enable Efficient High-Temperature Hydrolysis of Phthalate Esters by PestE","authors":"Yebao Chen,Jingwen Rao,Wenli Liang,Liu Yang,Xiaoyan Hu,Xiaoyu Dong,Yonghua Wang,Rongkang Hu","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c08537","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c08537","url":null,"abstract":"Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are persistent environmental pollutants. Their industrial biodegradation demands thermostable, efficient hydrolases. We characterized PestE, a thermostable esterase hydrolyzing both dialkyl and monoalkyl PAEs. PestE retained >98% of its maximal activity in short-term assays at 80–100 °C, with minimal loss after 12 h, and retained ∼50% activity after 48 h at 80 °C, with 99.4% dibutyl phthalate degradation in 2 min. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that hydrophobic core reorganization and increased surface hydrophilicity synergistically enhance thermostability by balancing global rigidity and local flexibility. Co-crystallization with monobutyl phthalate revealed a substrate-guiding tunnel and catalytic machinery (Ser157-His284-Asp254 triad and oxyanion hole Gly85/Gly86/Ala158) for two-step dealkylation. A key feature is the close proximity of the nucleophilic Ser157 to the substrate carbonyl carbon (2.8–3.1 Å), enabling efficient catalysis. Mutagenesis confirmed key hydrophobic residues for substrate binding and active-site stability. These findings establish PestE as a promising biocatalyst for industrial PAE degradation.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149218883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}