Jiguo Yang

Insulin resistance is a major contributor to metabolic disorders. We compared krill oil (KO), fish oil (FO), and soybean lecithin (SL) using untargeted metabolomics (UHPLC-HRMS), untargeted lipidomics (UPLC-QTOF-MS), network pharmacology, molecular docking, and a TNF-alpha-induced 3T3-L1 adipocyte model. Metabolomics detected 3,314 annotated features. In the KO versus FO comparison, 378 features were up-regulated and 593 were down-regulated in positive-ion mode, whereas 365 were up-regulated and 925 were down-regulated in negative-ion mode. Lipidomics detected 4,667 lipid-associated features and revealed distinct product-specific patterns of phospholipids, free fatty acids, glycerolipids, and sphingolipids. Network pharmacology identified 394 intersecting candidate targets, with AKT1, IL6, PPARG, and SRC prioritized as high-centrality nodes. Molecular docking was used to prioritize predicted component-target interactions. In mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes, TNF-alpha reduced insulin-stimulated 2-NBDG uptake. KO, FO, and SL increased glucose uptake relative to the TNF-alpha plus insulin group, with KO showing the largest response among the tested oils. KO also increased the p -AKT/AKT ratio and altered the p-IRS1/IRS1 ratio. These findings support compositional differences among the tested oils and cell-level modulation of insulin signaling by KO. They do not establish in vivo efficacy, direct target engagement, or an effect attributable solely to phospholipid form because EPA/DHA exposure was not dose-matched.

Agarwood formation in nature is an extremely slow process, and the mechanisms by which endophytic fungi influence volatile metabolite biosynthesis and aroma quality remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate how different endophytic fungal strains regulate the volatile metabolic profile, aroma characteristics, and bioactive potential of agarwood essential oil. In this study, three endophytic fungi isolated from one-year-old agarwood were identified as Fusarium sp. (FS), Phaeoacremonium sp. (PS), and Penicillium sp. (PC) based on morphological characteristics and ITS region phylogenetic analysis. An ethanol extraction process was optimized using response surface methodology, and the optimal extraction conditions were determined as 34.85 h extraction time, 41.24℃temperature, 89.75% ethanol concentration, and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 10.51:1 (mL/g), achieving an extraction yield of (6.11 ± 0.14) %. GC-MS analysis identified 83 volatile metabolites across agarwood essential oils from different formation modes, dominated by sesquiterpenes (66.27%) and chromones. Fungal inoculation significantly reshaped the volatile metabolic profiles, particularly by increasing sesquiterpenes and chromones (p < 0.05). Relative odor activity value (ROAV) analysis identified alpha-elemol, (+)-nootkatone, benzaldehyde, benzylacetone, and ethyl 3-phenylpropionate as key contributors to the woody-floral-fruity-spicy aroma of agarwood. The PS group exhibited significantly higher levels of oxygenated sesquiterpenes and 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone derivatives than naturally formed agarwood (p < 0.05).

1,3-Dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO) mimics breast milk fat, yet its regulation of gut short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) remains unclear. Herein, stable OPO microcapsules (94.12% efficiency) were prepared using soy protein isolate/maltodextrin. Integrating metabolomics and transcriptomics in mice, we found OPO intervention dose-dependently increased acetic, propanoic, and butyric acids in the jejunum and colon. Multi-omics analysis revealed OPO upregulated key genes governing lipid digestion (FABP2, NPC1L1, MTTP) and bile secretion (ABCA1). These results indicate that OPO is closely associated with increased SCFA production, suggesting a potential pathway wherein optimized host nutrient digestion and absorption patterns create a favorable metabolic environment for distal microbial fermentation, rather than merely providing substrates. This study provides correlative multi-omics insights into a potential mechanism for OPO’s health benefits in functional foods.

Due to the high toxicity and widespread distribution of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), there is significant interest in efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly microbial degradation methods. Rhodococcus opacus PD630 cell-free supernatant (RCFS) shows excellent activity in degrading AFB1, but its active components and mechanisms remain unclear. We assessed the feasibility of ethanol precipitation to enrich active components in RCFS and characterized the ethanol precipitate (RCFSC-EP). Metabolomics and proteomics were used to elucidate the active components, mechanisms, and products of AFB1 degradation by RCFS. The results indicate that ethanol precipitation enriches over 80% of the active components for AFB1 degradation in RCFS. RCFSC-EP exhibits excellent heat resistance, and inhibitors like EDTA-2Na and proteinase K significantly inhibit its activity. Multi-omics analysis suggests that active components in RCFS metabolize AFB1 into six products through four potential pathways, three of which withstand 135 °C for 20 min. The AFB1-degrading activity of RCFS is an intrinsic, constitutive trait of R. opacus PD630 during normal growth. The active components are diverse proteins or enzymes, including glutathione S-transferases, aldo/keto reductase, peroxidases, and carbonyl reductases. This study enriches and reveals the active components, pathways, and products of AFB1 degradation by RCFS, providing a basis for developing RCFS as a biological agent for AFB1 degradation.

Aiyuan Zhang and Jiguo Yang. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2025;35:1-13. https://doi.org/10.4014/jmb.2504.04044

This study employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) combined with multivariate analysis to investigate tissue-specific metabolic profiles in the peel, pulp, and seeds of black wax gourd (Benincasa hispida). A total of 1020 metabolites were identified, including 520 primary metabolites (e.g., amino acids, lipids, and organic acids) and 500 secondary metabolites (e.g., phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids). Significant metabolic divergence was observed across tissues: 658, 674, and 433 differential metabolites were identified between the peel and the pulp, the peel and the seeds, and the pulp and the seeds, respectively. Unique metabolites such as methyl 5-glucosyloxy-2-hydroxybenzoate and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid were exclusive to the peel, while 4-O-(6′-O-glucosyl-imino)-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and fertaric acid were specific to the seeds. KEGG pathway enrichment revealed distinct metabolic priorities: flavonoids and phenolic acids dominated in the peel, amino acids and phenylpropanoids in the pulp, and nucleotides and lipids in the seeds. The peel exhibited the highest secondary metabolite abundance (14.27%), whereas the seeds accumulated the most primary metabolites (26.62%), including essential amino acids like L-tryptophan and functional lipids such as linoleic acid. These findings underscore the nutritional and bioactive potential of underutilized by-products (peel and seeds), providing a biochemical foundation for valorizing wax gourd tissues in the food, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries.

This study investigated the impact of glycerol monooleate (MO) at varying levels (0.3%, 0.6%, 0.9%, and 1.2%) on the quality and baking properties of frozen dough. Low-field NMR and MRI were used to analyze the moisture distribution, water migration, and structural changes during frozen storage. The results indicated that MO reduced the content of free water, leading to a decrease in the spin–spin relaxation time of free water (T23). At the same time, the increase in the content of bound water resulted in an increase in the spin–spin relaxation time of bound water (T21). Rheological and SEM analyses revealed that MO preserved the dough’s microstructure and improved its rheological properties, reducing mechanical damage and inhibiting free water crystallization. This study found that by 8 weeks of frozen storage, the frozen dough containing 0.6% MO exhibited the best fermentation performance, with a larger fermentation volume and specific volume, and lower bread hardness, measuring 80 mL, 3.48 mL/g, and 1.10 N, respectively. These findings highlight MO’s potential in terms of enhancing frozen dough quality by maintaining the moisture balance and structural integrity during storage, offering a practical approach to improving bakery product quality.

A strain of Bacillus subtilis YQ-1 was screened from corn soil, which can convert ZEN into C ₁₉ H ₂₆ O ₈ and ZEN diglucoside, and a new glycosyltransferase was mined that can catalyze the glycosylation of ZEN and achieve effective detoxification of ZEN.