Xinyu Yao, Min Gao, Jing Lu, Xuming Deng, Shuang Guan
{"title":"Aflatoxin B1 Induces Pyroptosis and Apoptosis in Renal Cells by Mediating Mitophagy Dysfunction and Mitochondrial Pore Formation","authors":"Xinyu Yao, Min Gao, Jing Lu, Xuming Deng, Shuang Guan","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c07992","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c07992","url":null,"abstract":"Aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> (AFB<sub>1</sub>), a potent mycotoxin, induces nephrotoxicity through previously unrecognized crosstalk between pyroptosis and apoptosis. Using in vivo and in vitro renal injury models, we demonstrate that AFB<sub>1</sub> impairs mitophagy, leading to an excessive level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. This ROS surge triggers lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) and cathepsin B (CTSB)-dependent activation of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, initiating caspase-1–mediated pyroptosis via gasdermin D N-terminal (GSDMD-N) pore formation. Importantly, AFB<sub>1</sub> also induces cardiolipin translocation to the mitochondrial outer membrane, where pyroptosis-derived GSDMD-N is recruited to form mitochondrial pores. This results in cytochrome <i>c</i> (Cyt-<i>c</i>) release and activation of a caspase-dependent noncanonical apoptotic cascade distinct from the classical apoptotic pathway. These findings establish GSDMD-N-mediated mitochondrial damage as a molecular bridge linking pyroptosis to apoptosis in AFB<sub>1</sub> nephrotoxicity and highlight GSDMD-N inhibition as a promising therapeutic strategy. Given AFB<sub>1</sub>’s persistence and bioaccumulation in the food chain, these mechanistic insights provide a molecular basis for developing targeted interventions to mitigate its health risks in agricultural production and food safety.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145133449","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":"Postbiotics as an Innovative Intervention Strategy for Ulcerative Colitis: Insights into Bioactive Components and Mechanisms of Action.","authors":"Tianxiang Xue,Yanli Zhu,Mengwei Chang,Yufeng He,Guangsu Zhu","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08885","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08885","url":null,"abstract":"Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is an inflammatory disorder of the intestinal mucosa, characterized by recurrent inflammatory responses and dysfunction of the intestinal barrier. Recent research has revealed the crucial role of postbiotics in modulating gut flora and immune responses. However, the specific mechanisms by which postbiotics and their active ingredients influence gastrointestinal diseases remain unclear. Here, we review the literature on the sources and preparation of postbiotics. We also discuss the latest progress in understanding the pathways by which the active ingredients of postbiotics regulate UC. By understanding the effects of postbiotic bioactive components on the intestinal barrier, microbiota regulation, and immune metabolism, we can examine the potential to manipulate intestinal inflammation through postbiotics and delay the progression of UC. Although clinical validation of postbiotic applications is currently limited, these findings present an appealing new perspective for advancing probiotic research in the context of UC.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"95 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140107","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":"Functional Characterization and Protein Engineering of Salvia miltiorrhiza Rosmarinic Acid Synthase.","authors":"Yue Feng,Zhoulu Wang,Junbo Li,Zhenli Ren,Yanting Wu,Hao Zhan,Xuefei Chen,Yao Wang,Min Shi,Xu Jia,Degang Zhao,Jianbo Zhang,Kunlun Li,Guoyin Kai","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08090","url":null,"abstract":"Rosmarinic acid (RA) has been incorporated in various nutritious and health-promoting products. Rosmarinic acid synthase (RAS) is a committed enzyme in RA biosynthesis. However, SmRASs from Salvia miltiorrhiza remains functionally uncharacterized. Herein, a group of SmRASs was identified from the S. miltiorrhiza, and recombinant SmRAS1 was demonstrated to convert caffeoyl-CoA and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid to form RA. SmRAS1 exhibited maximum activity at 45 °C and pH 8.0 with Km values of 18 μM and 1647 μM for caffeoyl-CoA and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid, respectively. Subsequently, three highly catalytic activity SmRAS1 mutations R367W, G293I, and G293Rwere obtained, exhibiting 1.53-2.15 fold higher catalytic efficiency than the wild-type enzyme. Structural analysis and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that enlarged substrate access tunnel and reduced flexibility of residues286-295 located above the substrate pocket enhanced its catalytic activity. These results elucidate the mechanism underlying RA biosynthesis in S. miltiorrhiza and provide a promising RAS for RA biosynthesis in microbes.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"86 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140111","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":"Streptomyces-Induced 6-Nitrocoumarin Coordinates Rhizosphere Microbiome Recruitment for Pepper Blight Suppression.","authors":"Tianbing Zhou,Yuxin Xu,Yingtong Chen,Zhengbin Tang,Erxin Wang,Mengmeng Li,Mingrui Dou,Zhijia Zhang,Tao Zhang,Shujun Huang,Shuxian Gu,Shuai Wang,Ranfeng Sun,Dong Li","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08807","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08807","url":null,"abstract":"Phytophthora capsici causes devastating losses in global pepper production. This study deciphers a sophisticated plant-microbe-metabolite collaboration initiated by rhizosphere-colonizing Streptomyces. We demonstrate that Streptomyces specifically primes pepper root biosynthesis of 6-nitrocoumarin, a nitrated coumarin derivative exhibiting potent broad-spectrum antioomycete activity (EC50: P. capsici 44.39 mg/L, Phytophthora palmivora 47.06 mg/L, Peronophythora litchii 34.92 mg/L). Crucially, this Streptomyces-recruited metabolite functions as a keystone rhizosphere signal, selectively enriching beneficial bacterial consortia while directly disrupting the ABC transporters of pathogens. The restructured microbiome synergistically amplifies plant systemic resistance through upregulating defense genes and enhancing root immunity. Our work establishes 6-nitrocoumarin as a dual-functional inoculant, a direct actinomycete compound and microbiome modulator, revealing a novel plant-microbe codefense paradigm driven by Streptomyces-induced metabolic rewiring for sustainable crop protection.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"161 2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140219","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}
Subhashini Raj Kumal, Sun Tee Tay, Kwai Lin Thong, Jing Xuan Wong, Mohd Rafie Bin Johan, Suresh K. Bhargava, Bey Fen Leo
{"title":"Harnessing Nanomaterials for Cutting-Edge Biosensing of Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens","authors":"Subhashini Raj Kumal, Sun Tee Tay, Kwai Lin Thong, Jing Xuan Wong, Mohd Rafie Bin Johan, Suresh K. Bhargava, Bey Fen Leo","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c05560","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c05560","url":null,"abstract":"The food industry represents a cornerstone of the global economy with continued expansion projected in the coming years. Ensuring food safety is paramount for safeguarding public health and supporting socio-economic prosperity. Despite stringent regulatory measures, foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial pathogens remain a significant concern. Conventional detection methods are often slow, labor-intensive, and insufficiently sensitive, limiting timely intervention to prevent outbreaks. There has been a concerted endeavor to develop point-of-care (POC) devices for the rapid and sensitive detection of foodborne pathogens. Nanomaterials (including metallic, nonmetallic, and inorganic substrates) with their unique physicochemical properties offer great potential for biosensing applications. This review summarizes recent advances in nanotechnology-based strategies for the POC detection of foodborne pathogens. This review highlights advances in nanotechnology-based biosensing platforms for POC applications, emphasizing the distinctive features of nanomaterials and their integration into innovative detection technologies aimed at enhancing food safety and reducing the burden of foodborne diseases.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145133448","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}
Peiyu Zhao, Jiaxin Zheng, Qiuyan Xu, Shengnan Zhao, Jie Li, Yaxuan Zhu, Jingli Yan, Qinqin Chen, Bo Yang, Chun Li, Feng Han, Yuan-Qing Jiang
{"title":"Correction to \"Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the JAZ Gene Family in Rapeseed Reveal JAZ2 and JAZ3 Roles in Drought and Salt Stress Tolerance\".","authors":"Peiyu Zhao, Jiaxin Zheng, Qiuyan Xu, Shengnan Zhao, Jie Li, Yaxuan Zhu, Jingli Yan, Qinqin Chen, Bo Yang, Chun Li, Feng Han, Yuan-Qing Jiang","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c11922","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c11922","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145147149","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":"Rational Engineering of Arginine Deiminase To Enhance the Acid Tolerance of Lactic Acid Bacteria.","authors":"Huan Yang,Liying Hao,Shangjie Yao,Rongqing Zhou,Chongde Wu","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c09676","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c09676","url":null,"abstract":"In this work, the arginine deiminase system in lactic acid bacteria was activated in response to acid stress. Subsequently, a protein engineering strategy was rationally proposed to enhance the robustness of arginine deiminase, thereby improving the acid tolerance of lactic acid bacteria. Through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, arginine deiminase mutants possessing a lower binding energy with the substrate arginine and higher stability (lower RMSD, RMSF, and Rg values compared with the wild type) were identified. Furthermore, the mutants were constructed in Lactococcus lactis NZ9000, and the resulting variants D71L, D120M, and D71L-D120M exhibited a higher enzymatic activity than the wild-type strain. The survival rate of L. lactis variants D71L, D120M, and D71L-D120M increased 15.07, 31.98, and 113.47%, respectively, compared with the wild-type strain under acid stress, suggesting the feasibility of rationally engineered arginine deiminase for improving the acid tolerance of lactic acid bacteria. Findings showed in this work may be beneficial for rationally improving the industrial functionalities of lactic acid bacteria during food biomanufacture.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140206","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":"The Methyltransferase Protein Encoded by Ustilaginoidea virens Polymycovirus 1 Suppresses Autophagy in Ustilaginoidea virens to Promote Viral Infection and Confer Host Hypovirulence.","authors":"Zhenrui He,Wenhua Zhao,Mei Yang,Baoping Cheng,Yiming Zhu,Yingqing Yang,Erxun Zhou","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c04009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c04009","url":null,"abstract":"Rice false smut (RFS), caused by the ascomycete fungus Ustilaginoidea virens (Cooke) Takahashi (teleomorph: Villosiclava virens), is a major panicle disease affecting rice production. Hypovirulence-associated mycoviruses represent promising biocontrol agents against plant fungal diseases. Here, we isolated a novel mycovirus, Ustilaginoidea virens polymycovirus 1 (UvPMV1), which alters the biological characteristics of the host fungus. Our findings demonstrate that UvPMV1 suppresses the autophagy pathway in U. virens and that autophagy is an essential defense mechanism during UvPMV1 infection. The methyltransferase (MT) protein encoded by UvPMV1 acted as an autophagy inhibitor and hypovirulence inducer by specifically interacting with the autophagy-related protein UvAtg6. Furthermore, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed intricate virus-host interaction mechanisms. Collectively, we propose a model in which viral disruption of UvAtg6-mediated autophagy suppresses host defenses to enhance mycoviral proliferation. These findings present a promising biocontrol strategy against RFS and provide new insights into the agricultural application of mycoviruses.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140108","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}
Olesya Y Shoeva,Varvara D Zedgenizova,Anastasiya A Egorova,Sophia V Gerasimova,Tatjana V Kukoeva,Gennady V Vasiliev,Olga N Kovaleva,Shakhira Zakhrabekova,Mats Hansson,Christian W Hertig,Iris Hoffie,Jochen Kumlehn,Elena Khlestkina
{"title":"Analysis of Anthocyanin-Less 2 Diversity in Barley Reveals a Specific Allele to Cause Purple-Colored Grains.","authors":"Olesya Y Shoeva,Varvara D Zedgenizova,Anastasiya A Egorova,Sophia V Gerasimova,Tatjana V Kukoeva,Gennady V Vasiliev,Olga N Kovaleva,Shakhira Zakhrabekova,Mats Hansson,Christian W Hertig,Iris Hoffie,Jochen Kumlehn,Elena Khlestkina","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c05032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c05032","url":null,"abstract":"The purple color of the barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain is attributed to anthocyanins which are beneficial for human health. Synthesis of these pigments in both grain and vegetative tissues is controlled by ANT1 and ANT2 that belong to the families R2R3-MYB and bHLH of transcription factors, respectively. Here, we investigated the role of the Ant2 gene in pigmentation of grains compared to vegetative tissue. After screening of 504 barley accessions, six relevant alleles of Ant2 were identified. These involve distinct insertions in the promoter and/or in intron 6. Allele Ant2.l was found in all purple-grained barley accessions and was more strongly expressed compared to the alleles present in the other lines. The crucial role of Ant2.l in grain pigmentation was validated by targeted mutagenesis using RNA-guided endonuclease Cas9. It is further shown that the other Ant2 alleles do not affect grain pigmentation while being essential for pigmentation of vegetative tissues.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140110","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":"Biosensing of Urea with a Functionalized Gold Electrode for Health and Food Monitoring.","authors":"Angelo Ferlazzo,Meryam Chelly,Antonino Gulino,Giovanni Neri","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08426","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08426","url":null,"abstract":"Urea monitoring in biological fluids is of crucial significance, since urea is a key indicator of liver and kidney physiological functioning, a marker for hemodynamic treatments, and has been used for food adulteration. Therefore, we have covalently anchored the urease enzyme (Ur) to a screen-printed gold electrode (SPGE) using the 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid di(N-hydroxysuccinimide ester) (DSP) bifunctional linker that allowed optimal electronic communication between urease and gold electrode and developed a selective urea biosensor (Ur-DSP/SPGE). The Ur-DSP/SPGE was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), cyclovoltammetry (CV), and electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Open-circuit potentiometry (OCP) was also used to detect urea at different concentrations (0-600 μM) in water. The biosensor showed a urea limit of detection (LOD) of 5.0 μM, as well as excellent temporal stability and selectivity. Urea sensing was also investigated in caw's milk, human saliva, and tap water with excellent results and recoveries.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145127237","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}