Cotton production faces significant challenges from insect pests,with chemical pesticide use becoming increasingly limited by resistance and environmental concerns.This study explores the potential use of caffeine,a n...Cotton production faces significant challenges from insect pests,with chemical pesticide use becoming increasingly limited by resistance and environmental concerns.This study explores the potential use of caffeine,a natural plant alkaloid,as an environmentally friendly insect resistance strategy in cotton.Exogenous caffeine application demonstrated potent insecticidal effects against cotton bollworm(Helicoverpa armigera)larvae,with concentrations≥2 mg mL−1 causing near-complete feeding cessation and up to 70%larval mortality.Building on this,we engineered transgenic cotton(Gossypium hirsutum cv.Jin668)for heterologous caffeine biosynthesis by introducing three key N-methyltransferase genes(CaXMT1,CaMXMT1,CaDXMT1)by multiple gene transformation.Transgenic lines expressing all three genes showed remarkable caffeine accumulation(up to 3.59 mg g−1 dry weight),whereas two-gene combinations exhibited wild-type-level production.Feeding preference assays revealed that caffeine-enriched cotton strongly deterred feeding by H.armigera.Non-choice feeding trials demonstrated reduced leaf consumption and reduced larval growth in H.armigera fed on caffeine-producing cotton.The study highlights the effectiveness of synthetic biology approaches using the TGSII-UNiE multigene stacking system,despite challenges in transgene stability.This work advances plant-derived insect resistance research and provides a sustainable framework for reducing chemical pesticide reliance in cotton production,while underscoring unique potential of cotton as a synthetic biology platform for secondary metabolite engineering.展开更多
Medicinal plants serve as valuable sources of bioactive compounds with critical applications across pharmaceutical,agricultural,and industrial sectors.Compared to chemical synthesis and plant extraction,synthetic biol...Medicinal plants serve as valuable sources of bioactive compounds with critical applications across pharmaceutical,agricultural,and industrial sectors.Compared to chemical synthesis and plant extraction,synthetic biology offers a green,efficient,and sustainable alternative for producing bioactive compounds,which represents a state of art technology.However,this technology still faces several challenges,including overly long metabolic pathways,inadequate catalytic efficiency of key enzymes in the pathway,and incompatibility between gene elements and host cells,leading to low yields of target bioactive compounds.The development and application of regulatory tools in synthetic biology hold great promise for overcoming these obstacles.This review first summarizes the classification and biosynthesis of bioactive compounds based on structural types.Subsequently,recent advancements are outlined in regulation tools and their application in the heterologous production of bioactive compounds.This review aims to establish a foundation for the efficient production of bioactive compounds based on microbial cell factories.This not only has significant practical implications for reducing the resource consumption and environmental impact of traditional production methods,but also highlights the central role of synthetic biology in promoting the sustainable production of bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants.展开更多
From cracking the code of viruses to mentoring the next generation of scientists,the former president of Nankai University has contributed a lot to turning microscopic discoveries into monumental shields for global he...From cracking the code of viruses to mentoring the next generation of scientists,the former president of Nankai University has contributed a lot to turning microscopic discoveries into monumental shields for global health.OVER the past 40 years,one man has distinguished himself through a deep commitment to researching protein structures of high pathogenic viruses,and published numerous significant works in top international scientific journals.展开更多
As cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of global mortality,innovative animal models are vital to demonstrating the translational value of experimental discoveries.Investigations focused on myocardial remodelin...As cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of global mortality,innovative animal models are vital to demonstrating the translational value of experimental discoveries.Investigations focused on myocardial remodeling after ischemia reperfusion(I/R)are well suited to a porcine model,but the evolution of that injury and its impact on electrical conductivity or arrhythmia threshold have been difficult to monitor continuously.Multiple electrode telemetry devices may be fitted to the animals but are costly and prone to damage.Implantable telemetry devices are likewise expensive,carry surgical risk,and are often verified only for single use.Here,we report the utilization of the commercially available Fourth Frontier X2 external telemetry device for continuous monitoring of heart rate and rhythm after myocardial I/R injury in pigs,highlighting sustained monitoring across a 7day study.展开更多
Betalain,an economically valuable water-soluble natural plant pigment,is prized for its strong antioxidant activity,making it popular as a dietary supplement and a visual marker for plant transformation.However,market...Betalain,an economically valuable water-soluble natural plant pigment,is prized for its strong antioxidant activity,making it popular as a dietary supplement and a visual marker for plant transformation.However,market demand significantly outstrips current production capacity.This study reports the development of an efficient push-and-pull multigene strategy based on polycistronic expression and metabolic flux regulation to enhance betalain biosynthesis in transgenic maize(Zea mays L.)endosperm.We engineered a novel enhanced RUBY(eRUBY)system derived from the original polycistronic RUBY construct(CYP76AD1P2ADODA1P2ADOPA5GT unit,abbreviated CDG)by introducing arogenate dehydrogenase(ADHα)to increase the L-tyrosine substrate supply.All the genes were driven by the endosperm-specific promoter.Fusion of ADHαinto a single polycistronic eRUBY construct(CDGA)produced significantly higher betanin(6.88 mg g−1 dry weight)and isobetanin(1.81 mg g−1 dry weight)levels than in CDG+A,which stacked the ADHαcassette independently with CDG.The high betalain accumulation in CDGA lines(which also exhibited higher transgene copy number)resulted in a 2.85–7.58-fold improvement in endosperm antioxidant capacity compared to WT(versus 2.48–2.80-fold in CDG+A).Importantly,transgenic plants maintained a normal phenotype.Transcriptome and metabolome analyses further indicated that metabolism of phenylalanine,alanine,aspartate,and glutamate contributes to betalain production.Hybridization with sweet corn successfully created a high-sugar eRUBY maize variety.Collectively,these results demonstrate the successful development of a novel maize germplasm with significantly enhanced nutritional value through high betalain accumulation.展开更多
Driven by rapid global population growth and evolving consumer demands for high-quality nutrition and enhanced sensory enjoyment,the food industry is advancing towards healthier,more efficient,more sustainable,and mor...Driven by rapid global population growth and evolving consumer demands for high-quality nutrition and enhanced sensory enjoyment,the food industry is advancing towards healthier,more efficient,more sustainable,and more personalized targets.Notably,this transformation is being accelerated by the convergence of advanced biotechnology(BT)and information technology(IT)in food production systems.This review examines pivotal technologies shaping future food systems,highlighting two biotechnological frontiers and two artificial intelligence-driven domains.Specifically,evolutionary engineering enhances microbial resilience and production efficiency while synthetic biology expands the diversity of food sources and enables personalized food ingredient design,both of which advance sustainable food production.Meanwhile,artificial intelligence promotes food flavor innovation by integrating existing knowledge in molecular structure,flavoromics and consumer preferences.Furthermore,insights into gut microbiota,along with the development of omics techniques and wearable biosensors are unlocking attainable solutions for precision nutrition.Collectively,the trilateral convergence of BT,IT and food technology,embodying a harmonious balance,is reshaping the paradigm of future food manufacturing.展开更多
Source-sink coordination serves as the foundation for improving crop yield.Current research primarily focuses on individual factors,such as increasing the source or expanding the sink,which often leads to disrupted so...Source-sink coordination serves as the foundation for improving crop yield.Current research primarily focuses on individual factors,such as increasing the source or expanding the sink,which often leads to disrupted source-sink balance,causing trade-offs among photosynthesis,yield,and stress response.To address these limitations,we present an integrated synthetic biological framework that synergistically enhances photosynthetic efficiency(source capacity),sink optimization,and abiotic stress tolerance.We developed an editing-overexpression coupling(EOC)vector system enabling simultaneous overexpression of four photosynthesis-enhancing genes(Cyt c6,PsbA,FBPase,OsMGT3),knockout of three yield-limiting genes(GS3,Gn1a,OsAAP5),and self-excision of selection markers,gene-editing modules,and fragment deletion cassettes.Field evaluations of CFMP-gga transgenic lines revealed significant physiological improvements,including 13%–17%increase in photosynthetic rates,improved chlorophyll fluorescence parameters,and increased stomatal conductance.These enhancements translated into remarkable agronomic gains,including 18.7%–22.3%higher grain yield,23.1%–26.1%increased biomass,and improved panicle architecture(increased grain size and grain number per panicle).The engineered lines maintained superior thermotolerance(under 42°C stress)and alkali tolerance(at pH 10)compared to wild-type controls.This study provides a strategy for enhancing crop yield by demonstrating that coordinated multi-gene regulation of source-sink dynamics,coupled with stress resilience engineering,achieves concurrent improvements.展开更多
Plants produce a vast array of specialized metabolites that serve as essential defenses against herbivores and pathogens.However,the capacity to produce these compounds differs substantially among plant species and is...Plants produce a vast array of specialized metabolites that serve as essential defenses against herbivores and pathogens.However,the capacity to produce these compounds differs substantially among plant species and is frequently diminished during domestication.Advances in synthetic metabolic engineering enable efficient elucidation and engineering of plant specialized metabolic pathways active in crop pest and pathogen resistance.This review summarizes strategies and workflows for selecting defensive metabolic pathways,identifying candidate biosynthetic genes,and rewiring native or introducing heterologous pathways to enhance crop resistance to pests and pathogens.Strategies include weighted gene co-expression network construction,biosynthetic gene cluster scanning,and metabolite genome-wide association studies for pathway discovery,as well as transcriptional reprogramming,enzyme activity optimization,and transporter deployment for pathway engineering.We further discuss challenges in using synthetic metabolic engineering to enhance crop resistance and highlight the potential of artificial intelligence in addressing them.展开更多
A growing global population and the increasing prevalence of diet-related health issues such as“hidden hunger”,obesity,hypertension,and diabetes necessitate a fundamental rethinking of crop design and breeding.Synth...A growing global population and the increasing prevalence of diet-related health issues such as“hidden hunger”,obesity,hypertension,and diabetes necessitate a fundamental rethinking of crop design and breeding.Synthetic metabolic engineering offers a method to modify and redesign metabolic pathways to increase the nutritional value of crops.We summarize recent advances in the biofortification of key nutrients including provitamin A,vitamin C,vitamin B9,iron,zinc,anthocyanins,flavonoids,and unsaturated fatty acids.We discuss the potential of multi-gene stacking,gene editing,enzyme engineering,and artificial intelligence in synthetic metabolic engineering.We propose future research directions and potential solutions centered on leveraging AI-driven systems biology,precision gene editing,enzyme engineering,agrobacterium-mediated genotype-independent transformation,and modular metabolic engineering strategies to develop next-generation nutritionally enhanced super crops and transform global food systems.展开更多
As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Ye...As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Year of the Horse symbolizes endeavor and far-reaching journeys,reflecting our own spirit of continuous exploration and breakthrough innovation on the path of crop science.Here,I extendmysincere appreciation to all our authors and reviewers for their invaluable time,expertise,and dedication,which are instrumental in the success of The Crop Journal,establishing it as a premier platform for the global crop science research community.The Crop Journal publishes its 2026 first issue as a special issue themed“Synthetic Biology for Crop Improvement”,ably vip-edited by four young scientists.The issue provides a comprehensive overview of major advances in the field.In the past few years,crop science has made long strides in metabolic engineering of important pathways in secondary metabolism.The achievements expedite the emergence of synthetic biology as a potent methodology for crop breeding and represent a fundamental paradigm shift from“deciphering crops”to“designing crops”,which is further empowered by artificial intelligence(AI).At this turning point of the New Year,I would like to take this opportunity to provide a brief retrospective and future perspective.展开更多
Laser wakefield accelerators(LWFAs)offer acceleration gradients up to 1000 times higher than those of conventional radio-frequency accelerators,offering a pathway to significantly more compact and cost-effective accel...Laser wakefield accelerators(LWFAs)offer acceleration gradients up to 1000 times higher than those of conventional radio-frequency accelerators,offering a pathway to significantly more compact and cost-effective accelerator systems.This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for laboratory-scale light sources.All-optical inverse Compton scattering(AOCS)sources driven by LWFAs produce high-brightness,quasimonochromatic X rays with micrometer-scale source sizes,delivering the spatial coherence and resolution required for X-ray phase-contrast imaging(XPCI).These features position AOCS X-ray sources as promising tools for applications in biology,medicine,physics,and materials science.However,previous AOCS-based imaging studies have primarily focused on X-ray absorption imaging.In this work,we report successful experimental demonstrations of edge-enhanced in-line XPCI using energy-tunable,quasi-monochromatic AOCS X rays.With a spatial resolution of~20μm,our results clearly show the potential of high-resolution,AOCS-based XPCI applications.展开更多
Exosomes have shown good potential in ischemic injury disease treatments.However,evidence about their effect and molecular mechanisms in osteonecrosis of femoral head(ONFH)treatment is still limited.Here,we revealed t...Exosomes have shown good potential in ischemic injury disease treatments.However,evidence about their effect and molecular mechanisms in osteonecrosis of femoral head(ONFH)treatment is still limited.Here,we revealed the cell biology characters of ONFH osteonecrosis area bone tissue in single cell scale and thus identified a novel ONFH treatment approach based on M2 macrophages-derived exosomes(M2-Exos).We further show that M2-Exos are highly effective in the treatment of ONFH by modulating the phenotypes communication between neutrophil and endothelium including neutrophil extracellular traps formation and endothelial phenotype transition.Additionally,we identified that M2-Exos’therapeutic effect is attributed to the high content of miR-93-5p and constructed miR-93-5p overexpression model in vitro and in vivo based on lentivirus and adenoassociated virus respectively.Then we found miR-93-5p can not only reduce neutrophil extracellular traps formation but also improve angiogenic ability of endothelial cells.These results provided a new theoretical basis for the clinical application of ONFH therapeutic exosomes.展开更多
Plant synthetic biology has emerged as a transformative field in agriculture,offering innovative solutions to enhance food security,provide resilience to climate change,and transition to sustainable farming practices....Plant synthetic biology has emerged as a transformative field in agriculture,offering innovative solutions to enhance food security,provide resilience to climate change,and transition to sustainable farming practices.By integrating advanced genetic tools,computational modeling,and systems biology,researchers can precisely modify plant genomes to enhance traits such as yield,stress tolerance,and nutrient use efficiency.The ability to design plants with specific characteristics tailored to diverse environmental conditions and agricultural needs holds great potential to address global food security challenges.Here,we highlight recent advancements and applications of plant synthetic biology in agriculture,focusing on key areas such as photosynthetic efficiency,nitrogen fixation,drought tolerance,pathogen resistance,nutrient use efficiency,biofortification,climate resilience,microbiology engineering,synthetic plant genomes,and the integration of artificial intelligence with synthetic biology.These innovations aim to maximize resource use efficiency,reduce reliance on external inputs,and mitigate environmental impacts associated with conventional agricultural practices.Despite challenges related to regulatory approval and public acceptance,the integration of synthetic biology in agriculture holds immense promise for creating more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems,contributing to global food security and environmental sustainability.Rigorous multi-field testing of these approaches will undoubtedly be required to ensure reproducibility.展开更多
Background:Platinum can cause chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment.Low-intensity focused ultrasound(LIFUS)is a promising noninvasive physical stimulation method with a unique advantage in neurological rehabilitat...Background:Platinum can cause chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment.Low-intensity focused ultrasound(LIFUS)is a promising noninvasive physical stimulation method with a unique advantage in neurological rehabilitation.We aimed to investigate whether LIFUS can alleviate cisplatin-induced cognitive impairment in rats and explore the related neuropatho-logical mechanisms.Methods:After confirming the target position for LIFUS treatment in 18 rats,64 rats were randomly divided into four groups:control,model,sham,and LIFUS groups.Before and after LIFUS treatment,detailed biological behavioral assessments and magnetic resonance imaging were performed.Finally,the rats were euthanized,and relevant histopathological and molecular biological experiments were conducted and analyzed.Results:In the Morris water maze,the model group showed fewer platform crossings(1.250.93 vs.5.691.58),a longer escape latency(41.6536.55 s vs.6.382.11 s),and a lower novel object recognition index(29.7711.83 vs.83.695.67)than the control group.LIFUS treatment improved these metrics,with more platform crossings(3.130.34),a higher recognition index(65.588.71),and a shorter escape latency(6.452.27 s).Longitudinal analysis of the LIFUS group further confirmed these improvements.Neuroimaging revealed significant differences in diffusion tensor imaging metrics of specific brain regions pre-and post-LIFUS.Moreover,neuropathology showed higher dendritic spine density,less myelin loss,fewer apoptotic cells,more synapses,and less mitochondrial autophagy after LIFUS treatment.The neuroimaging indicators were correlated with behavioral improvements,highlighting the potential of LIFUS for alleviating cognitive impairment(as demonstrated through imaging and analysis).Our investigation of the molecular biological mechanisms revealed distinct protein expression patterns in the hippocampus and its subregions.In the model group,glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1(IBA1)expression levels were elevated across the hippocampus,whereas neuronal nuclei(NeuN)expression was reduced.Subregional analysis revealed higher GFAP and IBA1 and lower NeuN,especially in the dentate gyrus subregion.Moreover,positive cell areas were larger in the cornu ammonis(CA)1,CA2,CA3,and dentate gyrus regions.In the CA2 and CA3,significant differences among the groups were observed in GFAP-positive cell counts and areas,and there were variations in NeuN expression.Conclusions:Our results suggest that LIFUS can reverse cisplatin-induced cognitive impairments.The neuroimaging findings were consistent with the behavioral and histological results and suggest a neuropathological basis that supports further research into the clinical applications of LIFUS.Furthermore,LIFUS appeared to enhance the plasticity of neuronal synapses in the rat hippocampus and reduce hippocampal inflammation.These findings highlight the clinical potential of LIFUS as an effective,noninvasive therapeutic strategy and monitoring tool for chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits.展开更多
Neural EGFL-like 2(NELL2)is a secreted protein known for its regulatory functions in the nervous and reproductive systems,yet its role in bone biology remains unexplored.In this study,we observed that NELL2 was dimini...Neural EGFL-like 2(NELL2)is a secreted protein known for its regulatory functions in the nervous and reproductive systems,yet its role in bone biology remains unexplored.In this study,we observed that NELL2 was diminished in the bone of aged and ovariectomized(OVX)mice,as well as in the serum of osteopenia and osteoporosis patients.In vitro loss-of-function and gain-offunction studies revealed that NELL2 facilitated osteoblast differentiation and impeded adipocyte differentiation from stromal progenitor cells.In vivo studies further demonstrated that the deletion of NELL2 in preosteoblasts resulted in decreased cancellous bone mass in mice.Mechanistically,NELL2 interacted with the FNI-type domain located at the C-terminus of Fibronectin 1(Fn1).Moreover,we found that NELL2 activated the focal adhesion kinase(FAK)/AKT signaling pathway through Fn1/integrinβ1(ITGB1),leading to the promotion of osteogenesis and the inhibition of adipogenesis.Notably,administration of NELL2-AAV was found to ameliorate bone loss in OVX mice.These findings underscore the significant role of NELL2 in osteoblast differentiation and bone homeostasis,suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target for managing osteoporosis.展开更多
Microwave thermochemotherapy(MTC)has been applied to treat lip squamous cell carcinoma(LSCC),but a deeper understanding of its therapeutic mechanisms and molecular biology is needed.To address this,we used single-cell...Microwave thermochemotherapy(MTC)has been applied to treat lip squamous cell carcinoma(LSCC),but a deeper understanding of its therapeutic mechanisms and molecular biology is needed.To address this,we used single-cell transcriptomics(scRNA-seq)and spatial transcriptomics(ST)to highlight the pivotal role of tumor-associated neutrophils(TANs)among tumor-infiltrating immune cells and their therapeutic response to MTC.MNDA+TANs with anti-tumor activity(N1-phenotype)are found to be abundantly infiltrated by MTC with benefit of increased blood perfusion,and these TANs are characterized by enhanced cytotoxicity,ameliorated hypoxia,and upregulated IL1B,activating T&NK cells and fibroblasts via IL1B-IL1R.In this highly anti-tumor immunogenic and hypoxia-reversed microenvironment under MTC,fibroblasts accumulated in the tumor front(TF)can recruit N1-TANs via CXCL2-CXCR2 and clear N2-TANs(pro-tumor phenotype)via CXCL12-CXCR4,which results in the aggregation of N1-TANs and extracellular matrix(ECM)deposition.In addition,we construct an N1-TANs marker,MX2,which positively correlates with better prognosis in LSCC patients,and employ deep learning techniques to predict expression of MX2 from hematoxylin-eosin(H&E)-stained images so as to conveniently guide decision making in clinical practice.Collectively,our findings demonstrate that the N1-TANs/fibroblasts defense wall formed in response to MTC effectively combat LSCC.展开更多
The use of synthetic biology technology to develop cosmetic ingredients is attracting widespread attention due to its effectiveness,safety,and environmental friendliness.This article explains the concept of synthetic ...The use of synthetic biology technology to develop cosmetic ingredients is attracting widespread attention due to its effectiveness,safety,and environmental friendliness.This article explains the concept of synthetic biology and its key technologies and current status in the production of cosmetic ingredients.It also briefly analyzes the regulatory approaches to synthetic biology-based cosmetic ingredients in different countries and regions,providing guidance for the management of this field in China.The goal is to ensure product safety,enhance consumer trust,and promote the healthy development of the industry.展开更多
Walking into the Institute of Plateau Biology(IPB in short)in Lhasa,Xizang,vice director Yang Le exchanged pleasantries with the guard in fluent Tibetan.Originally from Hunan Province,he has worked and lived here in X...Walking into the Institute of Plateau Biology(IPB in short)in Lhasa,Xizang,vice director Yang Le exchanged pleasantries with the guard in fluent Tibetan.Originally from Hunan Province,he has worked and lived here in Xizang for over 20 years."Now I see Xizang as my home,"he said with a smile.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32325039).We express our gratitude to Professor Qinlong Zhu,South China Agricultural University,for invaluable assistance in vector construction.
文摘Cotton production faces significant challenges from insect pests,with chemical pesticide use becoming increasingly limited by resistance and environmental concerns.This study explores the potential use of caffeine,a natural plant alkaloid,as an environmentally friendly insect resistance strategy in cotton.Exogenous caffeine application demonstrated potent insecticidal effects against cotton bollworm(Helicoverpa armigera)larvae,with concentrations≥2 mg mL−1 causing near-complete feeding cessation and up to 70%larval mortality.Building on this,we engineered transgenic cotton(Gossypium hirsutum cv.Jin668)for heterologous caffeine biosynthesis by introducing three key N-methyltransferase genes(CaXMT1,CaMXMT1,CaDXMT1)by multiple gene transformation.Transgenic lines expressing all three genes showed remarkable caffeine accumulation(up to 3.59 mg g−1 dry weight),whereas two-gene combinations exhibited wild-type-level production.Feeding preference assays revealed that caffeine-enriched cotton strongly deterred feeding by H.armigera.Non-choice feeding trials demonstrated reduced leaf consumption and reduced larval growth in H.armigera fed on caffeine-producing cotton.The study highlights the effectiveness of synthetic biology approaches using the TGSII-UNiE multigene stacking system,despite challenges in transgene stability.This work advances plant-derived insect resistance research and provides a sustainable framework for reducing chemical pesticide reliance in cotton production,while underscoring unique potential of cotton as a synthetic biology platform for secondary metabolite engineering.
基金financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32401215 to HS No.2247081930 to HYJ)the non-profit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(No.2023-I2M-3-015)State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs(No.20240104).
文摘Medicinal plants serve as valuable sources of bioactive compounds with critical applications across pharmaceutical,agricultural,and industrial sectors.Compared to chemical synthesis and plant extraction,synthetic biology offers a green,efficient,and sustainable alternative for producing bioactive compounds,which represents a state of art technology.However,this technology still faces several challenges,including overly long metabolic pathways,inadequate catalytic efficiency of key enzymes in the pathway,and incompatibility between gene elements and host cells,leading to low yields of target bioactive compounds.The development and application of regulatory tools in synthetic biology hold great promise for overcoming these obstacles.This review first summarizes the classification and biosynthesis of bioactive compounds based on structural types.Subsequently,recent advancements are outlined in regulation tools and their application in the heterologous production of bioactive compounds.This review aims to establish a foundation for the efficient production of bioactive compounds based on microbial cell factories.This not only has significant practical implications for reducing the resource consumption and environmental impact of traditional production methods,but also highlights the central role of synthetic biology in promoting the sustainable production of bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants.
文摘From cracking the code of viruses to mentoring the next generation of scientists,the former president of Nankai University has contributed a lot to turning microscopic discoveries into monumental shields for global health.OVER the past 40 years,one man has distinguished himself through a deep commitment to researching protein structures of high pathogenic viruses,and published numerous significant works in top international scientific journals.
基金College of Graduate Studies,Medical University of South Carolina,Grant/Award Number:SCTR 2305National Heart,Lung,and Blood Institute,Grant/Award Number:1U01HL169361-01NIH:NCATS,Grant/Award Number:UL1TR001450。
文摘As cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of global mortality,innovative animal models are vital to demonstrating the translational value of experimental discoveries.Investigations focused on myocardial remodeling after ischemia reperfusion(I/R)are well suited to a porcine model,but the evolution of that injury and its impact on electrical conductivity or arrhythmia threshold have been difficult to monitor continuously.Multiple electrode telemetry devices may be fitted to the animals but are costly and prone to damage.Implantable telemetry devices are likewise expensive,carry surgical risk,and are often verified only for single use.Here,we report the utilization of the commercially available Fourth Frontier X2 external telemetry device for continuous monitoring of heart rate and rhythm after myocardial I/R injury in pigs,highlighting sustained monitoring across a 7day study.
基金supported by grants from the Biological Breeding-National Science and Technology Major Project(2024ZD04077)the Invigorate the Seed Industry of Guangdong Province(2024-NPY-00-044)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32272120)the Guangxi Science and Technology Major Project(GKAA24206023)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2024YFF1000800)the Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Precise Breeding of Future Crops Major Project(FCBRCE-202502,FCBRCE-202504).
文摘Betalain,an economically valuable water-soluble natural plant pigment,is prized for its strong antioxidant activity,making it popular as a dietary supplement and a visual marker for plant transformation.However,market demand significantly outstrips current production capacity.This study reports the development of an efficient push-and-pull multigene strategy based on polycistronic expression and metabolic flux regulation to enhance betalain biosynthesis in transgenic maize(Zea mays L.)endosperm.We engineered a novel enhanced RUBY(eRUBY)system derived from the original polycistronic RUBY construct(CYP76AD1P2ADODA1P2ADOPA5GT unit,abbreviated CDG)by introducing arogenate dehydrogenase(ADHα)to increase the L-tyrosine substrate supply.All the genes were driven by the endosperm-specific promoter.Fusion of ADHαinto a single polycistronic eRUBY construct(CDGA)produced significantly higher betanin(6.88 mg g−1 dry weight)and isobetanin(1.81 mg g−1 dry weight)levels than in CDG+A,which stacked the ADHαcassette independently with CDG.The high betalain accumulation in CDGA lines(which also exhibited higher transgene copy number)resulted in a 2.85–7.58-fold improvement in endosperm antioxidant capacity compared to WT(versus 2.48–2.80-fold in CDG+A).Importantly,transgenic plants maintained a normal phenotype.Transcriptome and metabolome analyses further indicated that metabolism of phenylalanine,alanine,aspartate,and glutamate contributes to betalain production.Hybridization with sweet corn successfully created a high-sugar eRUBY maize variety.Collectively,these results demonstrate the successful development of a novel maize germplasm with significantly enhanced nutritional value through high betalain accumulation.
基金financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation(32302265).
文摘Driven by rapid global population growth and evolving consumer demands for high-quality nutrition and enhanced sensory enjoyment,the food industry is advancing towards healthier,more efficient,more sustainable,and more personalized targets.Notably,this transformation is being accelerated by the convergence of advanced biotechnology(BT)and information technology(IT)in food production systems.This review examines pivotal technologies shaping future food systems,highlighting two biotechnological frontiers and two artificial intelligence-driven domains.Specifically,evolutionary engineering enhances microbial resilience and production efficiency while synthetic biology expands the diversity of food sources and enables personalized food ingredient design,both of which advance sustainable food production.Meanwhile,artificial intelligence promotes food flavor innovation by integrating existing knowledge in molecular structure,flavoromics and consumer preferences.Furthermore,insights into gut microbiota,along with the development of omics techniques and wearable biosensors are unlocking attainable solutions for precision nutrition.Collectively,the trilateral convergence of BT,IT and food technology,embodying a harmonious balance,is reshaping the paradigm of future food manufacturing.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFA0907600)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31100869)+1 种基金Central Public-interest Scientific Institutions Basal Research Fund for Zhang Zhiguo(Y2025YY06)the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Nonprofit Scientific Institutions for Lu Tiegang,and Cui Xuean.
文摘Source-sink coordination serves as the foundation for improving crop yield.Current research primarily focuses on individual factors,such as increasing the source or expanding the sink,which often leads to disrupted source-sink balance,causing trade-offs among photosynthesis,yield,and stress response.To address these limitations,we present an integrated synthetic biological framework that synergistically enhances photosynthetic efficiency(source capacity),sink optimization,and abiotic stress tolerance.We developed an editing-overexpression coupling(EOC)vector system enabling simultaneous overexpression of four photosynthesis-enhancing genes(Cyt c6,PsbA,FBPase,OsMGT3),knockout of three yield-limiting genes(GS3,Gn1a,OsAAP5),and self-excision of selection markers,gene-editing modules,and fragment deletion cassettes.Field evaluations of CFMP-gga transgenic lines revealed significant physiological improvements,including 13%–17%increase in photosynthetic rates,improved chlorophyll fluorescence parameters,and increased stomatal conductance.These enhancements translated into remarkable agronomic gains,including 18.7%–22.3%higher grain yield,23.1%–26.1%increased biomass,and improved panicle architecture(increased grain size and grain number per panicle).The engineered lines maintained superior thermotolerance(under 42°C stress)and alkali tolerance(at pH 10)compared to wild-type controls.This study provides a strategy for enhancing crop yield by demonstrating that coordinated multi-gene regulation of source-sink dynamics,coupled with stress resilience engineering,achieves concurrent improvements.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32402306)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFE0203300),and the China-Uruguay Joint Laboratory on Soybean Research and Innovation.
文摘Plants produce a vast array of specialized metabolites that serve as essential defenses against herbivores and pathogens.However,the capacity to produce these compounds differs substantially among plant species and is frequently diminished during domestication.Advances in synthetic metabolic engineering enable efficient elucidation and engineering of plant specialized metabolic pathways active in crop pest and pathogen resistance.This review summarizes strategies and workflows for selecting defensive metabolic pathways,identifying candidate biosynthetic genes,and rewiring native or introducing heterologous pathways to enhance crop resistance to pests and pathogens.Strategies include weighted gene co-expression network construction,biosynthetic gene cluster scanning,and metabolite genome-wide association studies for pathway discovery,as well as transcriptional reprogramming,enzyme activity optimization,and transporter deployment for pathway engineering.We further discuss challenges in using synthetic metabolic engineering to enhance crop resistance and highlight the potential of artificial intelligence in addressing them.
基金supported by grants from the Guangxi Science and Technology Major Project(GKAA24206023)the Biological Breeding-National Science and Technology Major Project(2024ZD04077)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32272120)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2024YFF1000800)the Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Precise Breeding of Future Crops Major Project(FCBRCE-202502,FCBRCE-202504).
文摘A growing global population and the increasing prevalence of diet-related health issues such as“hidden hunger”,obesity,hypertension,and diabetes necessitate a fundamental rethinking of crop design and breeding.Synthetic metabolic engineering offers a method to modify and redesign metabolic pathways to increase the nutritional value of crops.We summarize recent advances in the biofortification of key nutrients including provitamin A,vitamin C,vitamin B9,iron,zinc,anthocyanins,flavonoids,and unsaturated fatty acids.We discuss the potential of multi-gene stacking,gene editing,enzyme engineering,and artificial intelligence in synthetic metabolic engineering.We propose future research directions and potential solutions centered on leveraging AI-driven systems biology,precision gene editing,enzyme engineering,agrobacterium-mediated genotype-independent transformation,and modular metabolic engineering strategies to develop next-generation nutritionally enhanced super crops and transform global food systems.
文摘As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Year of the Horse symbolizes endeavor and far-reaching journeys,reflecting our own spirit of continuous exploration and breakthrough innovation on the path of crop science.Here,I extendmysincere appreciation to all our authors and reviewers for their invaluable time,expertise,and dedication,which are instrumental in the success of The Crop Journal,establishing it as a premier platform for the global crop science research community.The Crop Journal publishes its 2026 first issue as a special issue themed“Synthetic Biology for Crop Improvement”,ably vip-edited by four young scientists.The issue provides a comprehensive overview of major advances in the field.In the past few years,crop science has made long strides in metabolic engineering of important pathways in secondary metabolism.The achievements expedite the emergence of synthetic biology as a potent methodology for crop breeding and represent a fundamental paradigm shift from“deciphering crops”to“designing crops”,which is further empowered by artificial intelligence(AI).At this turning point of the New Year,I would like to take this opportunity to provide a brief retrospective and future perspective.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB0530000)the Discipline Construction Foundation of“Double World-class Project”.
文摘Laser wakefield accelerators(LWFAs)offer acceleration gradients up to 1000 times higher than those of conventional radio-frequency accelerators,offering a pathway to significantly more compact and cost-effective accelerator systems.This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for laboratory-scale light sources.All-optical inverse Compton scattering(AOCS)sources driven by LWFAs produce high-brightness,quasimonochromatic X rays with micrometer-scale source sizes,delivering the spatial coherence and resolution required for X-ray phase-contrast imaging(XPCI).These features position AOCS X-ray sources as promising tools for applications in biology,medicine,physics,and materials science.However,previous AOCS-based imaging studies have primarily focused on X-ray absorption imaging.In this work,we report successful experimental demonstrations of edge-enhanced in-line XPCI using energy-tunable,quasi-monochromatic AOCS X rays.With a spatial resolution of~20μm,our results clearly show the potential of high-resolution,AOCS-based XPCI applications.
基金the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.82272503)Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (Grant No. LQN25H060006)
文摘Exosomes have shown good potential in ischemic injury disease treatments.However,evidence about their effect and molecular mechanisms in osteonecrosis of femoral head(ONFH)treatment is still limited.Here,we revealed the cell biology characters of ONFH osteonecrosis area bone tissue in single cell scale and thus identified a novel ONFH treatment approach based on M2 macrophages-derived exosomes(M2-Exos).We further show that M2-Exos are highly effective in the treatment of ONFH by modulating the phenotypes communication between neutrophil and endothelium including neutrophil extracellular traps formation and endothelial phenotype transition.Additionally,we identified that M2-Exos’therapeutic effect is attributed to the high content of miR-93-5p and constructed miR-93-5p overexpression model in vitro and in vivo based on lentivirus and adenoassociated virus respectively.Then we found miR-93-5p can not only reduce neutrophil extracellular traps formation but also improve angiogenic ability of endothelial cells.These results provided a new theoretical basis for the clinical application of ONFH therapeutic exosomes.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Category B,XDB1090000).
文摘Plant synthetic biology has emerged as a transformative field in agriculture,offering innovative solutions to enhance food security,provide resilience to climate change,and transition to sustainable farming practices.By integrating advanced genetic tools,computational modeling,and systems biology,researchers can precisely modify plant genomes to enhance traits such as yield,stress tolerance,and nutrient use efficiency.The ability to design plants with specific characteristics tailored to diverse environmental conditions and agricultural needs holds great potential to address global food security challenges.Here,we highlight recent advancements and applications of plant synthetic biology in agriculture,focusing on key areas such as photosynthetic efficiency,nitrogen fixation,drought tolerance,pathogen resistance,nutrient use efficiency,biofortification,climate resilience,microbiology engineering,synthetic plant genomes,and the integration of artificial intelligence with synthetic biology.These innovations aim to maximize resource use efficiency,reduce reliance on external inputs,and mitigate environmental impacts associated with conventional agricultural practices.Despite challenges related to regulatory approval and public acceptance,the integration of synthetic biology in agriculture holds immense promise for creating more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems,contributing to global food security and environmental sustainability.Rigorous multi-field testing of these approaches will undoubtedly be required to ensure reproducibility.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82171908 and 82102015)the General Project of the Nanjing Medical Science and Technology Development Program(YKK21075)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(No.2023A1515140030).
文摘Background:Platinum can cause chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment.Low-intensity focused ultrasound(LIFUS)is a promising noninvasive physical stimulation method with a unique advantage in neurological rehabilitation.We aimed to investigate whether LIFUS can alleviate cisplatin-induced cognitive impairment in rats and explore the related neuropatho-logical mechanisms.Methods:After confirming the target position for LIFUS treatment in 18 rats,64 rats were randomly divided into four groups:control,model,sham,and LIFUS groups.Before and after LIFUS treatment,detailed biological behavioral assessments and magnetic resonance imaging were performed.Finally,the rats were euthanized,and relevant histopathological and molecular biological experiments were conducted and analyzed.Results:In the Morris water maze,the model group showed fewer platform crossings(1.250.93 vs.5.691.58),a longer escape latency(41.6536.55 s vs.6.382.11 s),and a lower novel object recognition index(29.7711.83 vs.83.695.67)than the control group.LIFUS treatment improved these metrics,with more platform crossings(3.130.34),a higher recognition index(65.588.71),and a shorter escape latency(6.452.27 s).Longitudinal analysis of the LIFUS group further confirmed these improvements.Neuroimaging revealed significant differences in diffusion tensor imaging metrics of specific brain regions pre-and post-LIFUS.Moreover,neuropathology showed higher dendritic spine density,less myelin loss,fewer apoptotic cells,more synapses,and less mitochondrial autophagy after LIFUS treatment.The neuroimaging indicators were correlated with behavioral improvements,highlighting the potential of LIFUS for alleviating cognitive impairment(as demonstrated through imaging and analysis).Our investigation of the molecular biological mechanisms revealed distinct protein expression patterns in the hippocampus and its subregions.In the model group,glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1(IBA1)expression levels were elevated across the hippocampus,whereas neuronal nuclei(NeuN)expression was reduced.Subregional analysis revealed higher GFAP and IBA1 and lower NeuN,especially in the dentate gyrus subregion.Moreover,positive cell areas were larger in the cornu ammonis(CA)1,CA2,CA3,and dentate gyrus regions.In the CA2 and CA3,significant differences among the groups were observed in GFAP-positive cell counts and areas,and there were variations in NeuN expression.Conclusions:Our results suggest that LIFUS can reverse cisplatin-induced cognitive impairments.The neuroimaging findings were consistent with the behavioral and histological results and suggest a neuropathological basis that supports further research into the clinical applications of LIFUS.Furthermore,LIFUS appeared to enhance the plasticity of neuronal synapses in the rat hippocampus and reduce hippocampal inflammation.These findings highlight the clinical potential of LIFUS as an effective,noninvasive therapeutic strategy and monitoring tool for chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits.
基金supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China(82272444,81972031,81972033)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M722382)Tianjin Key Medical Discipline(Specialty)Construction Project(TJYXZDXK-032A)。
文摘Neural EGFL-like 2(NELL2)is a secreted protein known for its regulatory functions in the nervous and reproductive systems,yet its role in bone biology remains unexplored.In this study,we observed that NELL2 was diminished in the bone of aged and ovariectomized(OVX)mice,as well as in the serum of osteopenia and osteoporosis patients.In vitro loss-of-function and gain-offunction studies revealed that NELL2 facilitated osteoblast differentiation and impeded adipocyte differentiation from stromal progenitor cells.In vivo studies further demonstrated that the deletion of NELL2 in preosteoblasts resulted in decreased cancellous bone mass in mice.Mechanistically,NELL2 interacted with the FNI-type domain located at the C-terminus of Fibronectin 1(Fn1).Moreover,we found that NELL2 activated the focal adhesion kinase(FAK)/AKT signaling pathway through Fn1/integrinβ1(ITGB1),leading to the promotion of osteogenesis and the inhibition of adipogenesis.Notably,administration of NELL2-AAV was found to ameliorate bone loss in OVX mice.These findings underscore the significant role of NELL2 in osteoblast differentiation and bone homeostasis,suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target for managing osteoporosis.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China grants(Nos.82173326 and 82473058)Key Research and Development Project of Sichuan Province(Nos.2024YFFK0374 and 2024YFFK0198)Interdisciplinary Innovation Project of West China College of Stomatology,Sichuan University(RD-03-202004).
文摘Microwave thermochemotherapy(MTC)has been applied to treat lip squamous cell carcinoma(LSCC),but a deeper understanding of its therapeutic mechanisms and molecular biology is needed.To address this,we used single-cell transcriptomics(scRNA-seq)and spatial transcriptomics(ST)to highlight the pivotal role of tumor-associated neutrophils(TANs)among tumor-infiltrating immune cells and their therapeutic response to MTC.MNDA+TANs with anti-tumor activity(N1-phenotype)are found to be abundantly infiltrated by MTC with benefit of increased blood perfusion,and these TANs are characterized by enhanced cytotoxicity,ameliorated hypoxia,and upregulated IL1B,activating T&NK cells and fibroblasts via IL1B-IL1R.In this highly anti-tumor immunogenic and hypoxia-reversed microenvironment under MTC,fibroblasts accumulated in the tumor front(TF)can recruit N1-TANs via CXCL2-CXCR2 and clear N2-TANs(pro-tumor phenotype)via CXCL12-CXCR4,which results in the aggregation of N1-TANs and extracellular matrix(ECM)deposition.In addition,we construct an N1-TANs marker,MX2,which positively correlates with better prognosis in LSCC patients,and employ deep learning techniques to predict expression of MX2 from hematoxylin-eosin(H&E)-stained images so as to conveniently guide decision making in clinical practice.Collectively,our findings demonstrate that the N1-TANs/fibroblasts defense wall formed in response to MTC effectively combat LSCC.
文摘The use of synthetic biology technology to develop cosmetic ingredients is attracting widespread attention due to its effectiveness,safety,and environmental friendliness.This article explains the concept of synthetic biology and its key technologies and current status in the production of cosmetic ingredients.It also briefly analyzes the regulatory approaches to synthetic biology-based cosmetic ingredients in different countries and regions,providing guidance for the management of this field in China.The goal is to ensure product safety,enhance consumer trust,and promote the healthy development of the industry.
文摘Walking into the Institute of Plateau Biology(IPB in short)in Lhasa,Xizang,vice director Yang Le exchanged pleasantries with the guard in fluent Tibetan.Originally from Hunan Province,he has worked and lived here in Xizang for over 20 years."Now I see Xizang as my home,"he said with a smile.
