Terahertz (THz) radiation, an emerging frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum, has been widely appliedacross various fields. However, its ability to resonate with the energy levels of biomolecules has raised s...Terahertz (THz) radiation, an emerging frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum, has been widely appliedacross various fields. However, its ability to resonate with the energy levels of biomolecules has raised significant concernsregarding its biosafety. A growing body of research indicates that THz radiation can markedly influence the structure andfunction of proteins. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the abnormal aggregationof amyloid proteins, has been shown in prior studies to be modulated by THz radiation in terms of amyloid aggregation.Building on this, the present study utilized the CL4176 strain of Caenorhabditis elegans as an animal model for AD.Using a self-designed and constructed radiation system based on quantum cascade lasers, the study investigated changesin the pathological progression of AD under 3.1-THz electromagnetic radiation exposure. By evaluating lifespan, motility,feeding behavior, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and aging markers in the Caenorhabditis elegans model, thestudy highlights the potential biological risks of 3.1-THz radiation for individuals with AD. These findings provide crucialexperimental evidence to support the promotion and standardization of THz technology applications.展开更多
Heat stress can restrict plant growth,development,and crop yield.As essential plant antioxidants,carotenoids play significant roles in plant stress resistance.b-carotene hydroxylase(BHY)and b-carotene ketolase(BKT),wh...Heat stress can restrict plant growth,development,and crop yield.As essential plant antioxidants,carotenoids play significant roles in plant stress resistance.b-carotene hydroxylase(BHY)and b-carotene ketolase(BKT),which catalyze the conversions of b-carotene to zeaxanthin and b-carotene to canthaxanthin,respectively,are key enzymes in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway,but little is known about their potential functions in stress resistance.Here,we investigated the roles of b-carotene hydroxylase and b-carotene ketolase during heat stress in Physcomitrella patens through expressing a b-carotene ketolase gene from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii(Cr BKT)and a b-carotene hydroxylase gene from Haematococcus pluvialis(Hp BHY)in the moss P.patens.In transgenic moss expressing these genes,carotenoids content increased(especially lutein content),and heat stress tolerance increased,with reduced leafy tissue necrosis.To investigate the mechanism of this heat stress resistance,we measured various physiological indicators and found a lower malondialdehyde level,higher peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities,and higher endogenous abscisic acid and salicylate content in the transgenic plants in response to high-temperature stress.These results demonstrate that Cr BKT and Hp BHY increase plant heat stress resistance through the antioxidant and damage repair metabolism,which is related to abscisic acid and salicylate signaling.展开更多
Metasurfaces,as advanced photonic platforms capable of precise electromagnetic manipulation,confine optical energy within meta-atoms,generating intense near-field hotspots that greatly enhance light–matter interactio...Metasurfaces,as advanced photonic platforms capable of precise electromagnetic manipulation,confine optical energy within meta-atoms,generating intense near-field hotspots that greatly enhance light–matter interactions and enable ultrasensitive biosensing.However,the superhydrophobicity of gold leads to a pronounced coffee-ring effect during the evaporation of liquid samples,resulting in uneven distribution of biomolecules and weakened light–matter interactions.Herein,we present a metallic terahertz(THz)metasurface sensor whose metal array region is modified with ionic liquids(ILs),resulting in a reduction of the droplet contact angle from 105.7°to 39.4°.This indicates excellent hydrophilicity,which facilitates the uniform deposition of protein molecules on the surface.This strategy circumvents the conventional dependence on high quality(Q)factor resonances and delivers outstanding sensing performance.Specifically,under y-polarized THz excitation,the two resonance modes excited by the metasurface enable reliable qualitative and quantitative detection of various proteins.Among these modes,Mode II exhibited a direct limit of detection(LoD)of 0.03125 mg/mL for insulin.This work establishes a new paradigm for trace biomolecule sensing and provides valuable insights for future sensor innovations.展开更多
文摘Terahertz (THz) radiation, an emerging frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum, has been widely appliedacross various fields. However, its ability to resonate with the energy levels of biomolecules has raised significant concernsregarding its biosafety. A growing body of research indicates that THz radiation can markedly influence the structure andfunction of proteins. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the abnormal aggregationof amyloid proteins, has been shown in prior studies to be modulated by THz radiation in terms of amyloid aggregation.Building on this, the present study utilized the CL4176 strain of Caenorhabditis elegans as an animal model for AD.Using a self-designed and constructed radiation system based on quantum cascade lasers, the study investigated changesin the pathological progression of AD under 3.1-THz electromagnetic radiation exposure. By evaluating lifespan, motility,feeding behavior, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and aging markers in the Caenorhabditis elegans model, thestudy highlights the potential biological risks of 3.1-THz radiation for individuals with AD. These findings provide crucialexperimental evidence to support the promotion and standardization of THz technology applications.
基金supported by the CAS Pioneer Hundred Talents Programthe National Natural Science Foundation of China (31571262)Yunnan Natural Science Foundation (2017FB031)
文摘Heat stress can restrict plant growth,development,and crop yield.As essential plant antioxidants,carotenoids play significant roles in plant stress resistance.b-carotene hydroxylase(BHY)and b-carotene ketolase(BKT),which catalyze the conversions of b-carotene to zeaxanthin and b-carotene to canthaxanthin,respectively,are key enzymes in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway,but little is known about their potential functions in stress resistance.Here,we investigated the roles of b-carotene hydroxylase and b-carotene ketolase during heat stress in Physcomitrella patens through expressing a b-carotene ketolase gene from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii(Cr BKT)and a b-carotene hydroxylase gene from Haematococcus pluvialis(Hp BHY)in the moss P.patens.In transgenic moss expressing these genes,carotenoids content increased(especially lutein content),and heat stress tolerance increased,with reduced leafy tissue necrosis.To investigate the mechanism of this heat stress resistance,we measured various physiological indicators and found a lower malondialdehyde level,higher peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities,and higher endogenous abscisic acid and salicylate content in the transgenic plants in response to high-temperature stress.These results demonstrate that Cr BKT and Hp BHY increase plant heat stress resistance through the antioxidant and damage repair metabolism,which is related to abscisic acid and salicylate signaling.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(12174284)。
文摘Metasurfaces,as advanced photonic platforms capable of precise electromagnetic manipulation,confine optical energy within meta-atoms,generating intense near-field hotspots that greatly enhance light–matter interactions and enable ultrasensitive biosensing.However,the superhydrophobicity of gold leads to a pronounced coffee-ring effect during the evaporation of liquid samples,resulting in uneven distribution of biomolecules and weakened light–matter interactions.Herein,we present a metallic terahertz(THz)metasurface sensor whose metal array region is modified with ionic liquids(ILs),resulting in a reduction of the droplet contact angle from 105.7°to 39.4°.This indicates excellent hydrophilicity,which facilitates the uniform deposition of protein molecules on the surface.This strategy circumvents the conventional dependence on high quality(Q)factor resonances and delivers outstanding sensing performance.Specifically,under y-polarized THz excitation,the two resonance modes excited by the metasurface enable reliable qualitative and quantitative detection of various proteins.Among these modes,Mode II exhibited a direct limit of detection(LoD)of 0.03125 mg/mL for insulin.This work establishes a new paradigm for trace biomolecule sensing and provides valuable insights for future sensor innovations.
