Biomass valorization via electrocatalytic carbon–carbon bond cleavage

Renewable electrocatalytic upgrading of biomass feedstocks into valuable chemicals is one of the promising strategies to relieve the pressure of traditional energy-based systems.Through electrocatalytic carbon–carbon bond cleavage of high selectivity,various functionalized molecules,such as organic acids,amides,esters,and nitriles,have great potential to be accessed from biomass.However,it has merely received finite concerns and interests in the biorefinery.This review first showcases the research progress on the electrocatalytic conversion of lipid/sugar-and lignin-derived molecules(e.g.,glycerol,mesoerythritol,xylose,glucose,1-phenylethanol,and cyclohexanol)into organic acids via specific carbon–carbon bond scission processes,with focus on disclosing reaction mechanisms,recognizing actual active species,and collecting feasible modification strategies.For the guidance of further extensive studies on biomass valorization,organic transformations via a variety of reactions,including decarboxylation,ring-opening,rearrangement,reductive hydrogenation,and carboxylation,are also disclosed for the construction of similar carbon skeletons/scaffolds.The remaining challenges,prospective applications,and future objectives in terms of biomass conversion are also proposed.This review is expected to provide references to develop renewed electrocatalytic carbon–carbon bond cleavage transformation paths/strategies for biomass upgrading.

Selective photocatalytic aerobic oxidative cleavage of lignin C–O bonds over sodium lignosulfonate modified Fe_(3)O_(4)/TiO_(2)

Lignocellulose shows significantly potential in sustainable conversion to high-quality fuel and valueadded chemicals with the demands for realizing the rapid cycle of carbon resources and helping to reach carbon neutrality in nature.Selective tailoring of α-O-4,β-O-4,etc.linkages in lignin has always been viewed as "death blow" for its depolymerization.Herein,novel sodium lignosulfonate(SL) modified Fe_(3)O_(4)/TiO_(2)(SL-Fe_(3)O_(4)/TiO_(2)) spherical particles have been developed and used as catalysts for selectively photocatalytic oxidative cleavage of organosolv lignin.As expected,80% selective conversion of lignin in C2-C4 esters has been achieved,while C-O bonds in lignin model compounds can be effectively cleaved.Other than normal hydroxyl radical-mediated photocatalytic depolymerization of lignin over TiO_(2)-based materials,in this contribution,mechanism studies indicate that photogenerated holes and superoxide anion radicals are main active species,which trigger the cleavage of α/β-O-4 bond,and the isotopelabeling study confirms the crucial factor of C_β-H dehydrogenation in cleavage of β-O-4 bonds.

Ni-catalyzed carbon–carbon bonds cleavage of mixed polyolefin plastics waste

The inert carbon–carbon(C–C) bonds cleavage is a main bottleneck in the chemical upcycling of recalcitrant polyolefin plastics waste. Here we develop an efficient strategy to catalyze the complete cleavage of C–C bonds in mixed polyolefin plastics over non-noble metal catalysts under mild conditions. The nickelbased catalyst involving Ni_(2)Al_(3) phase enables the direct transformation of mixed polyolefin plastics into natural gas, and the gas carbon yield reaches up to 89.6%. Reaction pathway investigation reveals that natural gas comes from the stepwise catalytic cleavage of C–C bonds in polypropylene, and the catalyst prefers catalytic cleavage of terminal C–C bond in the side-chain with the low energy barrier.Additionally, our developed approach is evaluated by the technical economic analysis for an economically competitive production process.

Cooperative catalysis of Co single atoms and nanoparticles enables selective CAr-OCH_(3) cleavage for sustainable production of lignin-based cyclohexanols

In this work,a dual-size MOF-derived Co catalyst(0.2Co_(1-NPs)@NC)composed of single atoms(Co_(1))and highly dispersed nanoparticles(Co NPs)was prepared by in-situ Zn evaporation for the highperformance conversion of lignin-derived o-methoxyphenols(lignin oil)to cyclohexanols(up to 97%yield)via cascade demethoxylation and dearomatization.Theoretical calculations elaborated that the dual-size Co catalyst exhibited a cooperative effect in the selective demethoxylation process,in which the Co NPs could initially dissociate hydrogen at lower energies while Co1remarkably facilitated the cleavage of the C_(Ar)-OCH_(3)bond.Moreover,the intramolecular hydrogen bonds formed in the omethoxy-containing phenols were found to result in a decrease in the bond energy of the C_(Ar)-OCH_(3)bond,which was more prone to be activated by the dual-size Co sites.Notably,the pre-hydrogenated intermediate(e.g.,2-methoxycyclohexanol from guaiacol)is difficult to undergo demethoxylation,indicating that the selective C_(Ar)-OCH_(3)bond cleavage is a prerequisite for the synthesis of cyclohexanols.The 0.2Co_(1-NPs)@NC catalyst was highly recyclable with a neglect decline in activity during five consecutive cycles.This cooperative catalytic strategy based on the metal size effect opens new avenues for biomass upgrading via enhanced C-O bond cleavage of high selectivity.

Copper-Catalyzed C-C(O)C Bond Cleavage of Monoalkylated β-Diketone: Synthesis of α,β-Unsaturated Ketones

A new and simple route for the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated ketones via cleavage of the C-C(O)C single bond of monoalkylated β-diketone has been described. The reaction was catalyzed by copper, a cheap transition metal in a weakly basic medium (K3PO4) at room temperature. To carry out this study, we first had to synthesize the monoalkylated β-diketones 1. Afterwards, α,β-unsaturated ketones 2 were obtained with high yields around 80%. Finally, all the products were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS spectra. .

Mineral cleavage nature and surface energy: Anisotropic surface broken bonds consideration

The population of surface broken bonds of some typical sulfide, oxide and salt-type minerals which may belong to cubic, tetragonal, hexagonal, or orthorhombic system, were calculated. In terms of the calculation results, the cleavage natures of these minerals were analyzed, and the relationship between surface broken bonds density and surface energy was also established. The results show that the surface broken bonds properties could be used to predict the cleavage nature of most of minerals, and the predicted cleavage planes agree well with those reported in previous literature. Moreover, this work explored a rule that, surface broken bonds density is directly related to surface energy with determination coefficient（R2） of over 0.8, indicating that the former is a dominant factor to determine the latter. Therefore, anisotropic surface broken bonds density can be used to predict the stability of mineral surface and the reactivity of surface atoms.

Tau truncation in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease:a narrative review

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by two major neuropathological hallmarks—the extracellularβ-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles consisting of aggregated and hyperphosphorylated Tau protein.Recent studies suggest that dysregulation of the microtubuleassociated protein Tau,especially specific proteolysis,could be a driving force for Alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration.Tau physiologically promotes the assembly and stabilization of microtubules,whereas specific truncated fragments are sufficient to induce abnormal hyperphosphorylation and aggregate into toxic oligomers,resulting in them gaining prion-like characteristics.In addition,Tau truncations cause extensive impairments to neural and glial cell functions and animal cognition and behavior in a fragment-dependent manner.This review summarizes over 60 proteolytic cleavage sites and their corresponding truncated fragments,investigates the role of specific truncations in physiological and pathological states of Alzheimer's disease,and summarizes the latest applications of strategies targeting Tau fragments in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Optimizing Yanbian Cow Oocytes Mature in vitro and Cleavage System after Nuclear Transfer Based on Uniform Design

[Objective] The aim was to optimize Yanbian cow oocytes mature in vitro and cleavage system after nuclear transfer based on uniform design. [Method] Oocytes were recovered by aspiration method, and oocytes were matured in vitro （IVM） with different conditions, and then carried out nucleus transfer, fusion, activation and in vitro culture （IVC） of embryo. Effects of ovary storage temperature, maturation time and follicular diameter size on in vitro maturation and cleavage rates of cow oocytes were compared. [ Result] The best conditions of IVM of Yanbian cow oocytes was that： the oocytes of 8 mm diameter were matured in vitro for 24 hours when the ovaries were stored at 26℃ or 31 ℃. The best cleave conditions after nucleus transfer of oocytes was that： the oocytes of 6 mm or 8 mm diameter were cultured in vitro for 24 hours when the ovaries were stored at 26℃. [ Conclusion] The result has some reference to Yanbian cow and other cow breeding and population expanding propagation.

Roles of host proteases in the entry of SARS-CoV-2

The spike protein(S)of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for viral attachment and entry,thus a major factor for host suscep-tibility,tissue tropism,virulence and pathogenicity.The S is divided with S1 and S2 region,and the S1 contains the receptor-binding domain(RBD),while the S2 contains the hydrophobic fusion domain for the entry into the host cell.Numerous host proteases have been implicated in the activation of SARS-CoV-2 S through various c leavage sites.In this article,we review host proteases including furin,trypsin,transmembrane protease serine 2(TMPRSS2)and cathepsins in the activation of SARS-CoV-2 S.Many betacoronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2 have polybasic residues at the S1/S2 site which is subjected to the cleavage by furin.The S1/S2 cleavage facilitates more assessable RBD to the receptor ACE2,and the binding triggers further conformational changes and exposure of the S2'site to proteases such as type Il transmembrane serine proteases(TTPRs)including TMPRSS2.In the presence of TMPRSS2 on the target cells,SARS-CoV-2 can utilize a direct entry route by fusion of the viral envelope to the cellular membrane.In the absence of TMPRSS2,SARS-CoV-2 enter target cells via endosomes where multiple cathepsins cleave the S for the successful entry.Additional host proteases involved in the cleavage of the S were discussed.This article also includes roles of 3C-like protease inhibitors which have inhibitory activity against cathepsin L in the entry of SARS-CoV-2,and discussed the dual roles of such inhibitors in virus replication.

Human circBOULE RNAs as potential biomarkers for sperm quality and male infertility

Reliable molecular biomarkers to predict fertility remain scarce.The current study investigated the potential of testis-specific circBOULE RNAs as biomarkers for male infertility and sperm quality.Using reverse transcription-PCR and real-time reverse transcription-PCR assays,we identified seven circular RNAs from the human BOULE gene in human sperm.We observed that the expression level of circEx3-6 was significantly reduced in asthenozoospermia,while the expression levels of both circEx2-6 and circEx2-7 were decreased in terato-zoospermia,compared with the controls.Furthermore,we demonstrated that the expression level of circEx2-6 was negatively correlated with the sperm DNA fragmentation index,and the expression level of circEx2-7 was correlated with both fertilization and cleavage rates in those treated with the assisted reproductive technologies.Further functional analyses in a transgenic fly model supported the roles of circBOULE RNAs in sperm development and human male fertility.Collectively,our findings support that sperm circBOULE RNAs may serve as diagnostic biomarkers for assessing sperm motility and DNA quality.Therefore,clinical application and significance of sperm circBOULE RNAs in the assisted reproductive technologies warrant further investigation.

Studies on a New Usage of Hypophosphorous Acid-iodine System in N-C Bond Cleavage

A mixture of hypophosphorous acid (H3PO2) and iodine in acetic acid can cleave the N-alkyl bond in a variety of N-1 substituted pyrimidine derivative in relatively high yields, without any damage to the amido bond in the non-nucleosides pyrimidine base skeleton.

Efficient and Convenient Procedures for the Formation andCleavage of Steroid Acetals Catalysed by Montmorilloaite K 10

Acetalization of steroid ketones and cleavage of the acetals have ben carried out inexcellent yield under catalysis of montmorillonite K 10.

tRNA cleavage: a new insight

Over the past decades,tRNA was found to be a rich hub of RNA modifications such as 1-methyladenosine and 5-methycytosine modifications and others,holding more than half of all modifications occurring in RNA molecules.Moreover,tRNA was discovered to be a source of various small noncoding RNA species,such as the stress induced angiogenin cleaved tRNA halves(tiRNA)or the miRNA like tRNA derived fragments.tRNA cleavage under stress was fist discovered in bacteria and later was found to be conserved across different species,including mammals.Under cellular stress conditions,tRNA undergoes conformational changes and angiogenin cleaves it into 3′and 5′halves.5′tiRNA halves were shown to repress protein translations.tRNA cleavage is thought of to be a cytoprotective mechanism by which cells evade apoptosis,however some data hints to the opposite;that tiRNA are cytotoxic or at least related to apoptosis initiation.tRNA cleavage also was shown to be affected by tRNA modifications via different enzymes in the cytosol and mitochondria.In this review,we will highlight the biology of tRNA cleavage,show the evidence of it being cytoprotective or a marker of cell death and shed a light on its role in disease models and human diseases as well as possible future directions in this field of RNA research.

Acidic Montmorillonite/Cordierite Monolithic Catalysts for Cleavage of Cumene Hydroperoxide

In this work,a series of acidic montmorillonite/cordierite monolithic catalysts were prepared by a coating method using silica sol as the binder.The morphology and structure of the acidic montmorillonite/cordierite samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction(XRD),N_2 adsorption/desorption isotherms,and scanning electron microscope(SEM).The cleavage of cumene hydroperoxide(CHP) in a conventional fixed-bed reactor was chosen as a model reaction to evaluate the catalytic activity of the monolithic catalysts.The influences of acidic montmorillonite loading,reaction temperature.CHP concentration,and weight hourly space velocity(WHSV) on the catalytic activity and selectivity of phenol were studied.The results indicated that the obtained acidic montmorillonite/cordierite monolithic catalysts were firm and compact,and the loading of acidic montmorillonite was found to reach 40%(by mass) after three coating operations.The surface area of acidic montmorillonite/cordierite catalysts increases greatly as acidic montmorillonite loading increases due to higher surface area of acidic montmorillonite.Under the optimal reaction conditions(acidic montmorillonite loading of 32.5%(by mass),temperature of 80 ℃,a mass ratio of CHP to acetone of 1:3,and WHSV of CHP of 90 h^(-1)),the conversion of CHP can reach 100%,and the selectivity of phenol is up to 99.8%.

PrP^C-related signal transduction is influenced by copper, membrane integrity and the alpha cleavage site

The copper-binding, membrane-anchored, cellular prion protein （PrP~） has two constitutive cleavage sites producing distinct N- and C-terminal fragments （N1/C1 and N2/C2）. Using RK13 cells expressing either human PrPc, mouse PrPc or mouse PrP^C carrying the 3F4 epitope, this study explored the influence of the PrP^C primary sequence on endoproteolytic cleavage and one putative PrPc function, MAP kinase signal transduction, in response to exogenous copper with or without a perturbed membrane environment. PrPc primary sequence, especially that around the N1/C1 cleavage site, appeared to influence basal levels of proteolysis at this location and extracellular signal-regulat- ed kinase 1/2 （ERK1/2） phosphorylation, with increased processing demonstrating an inverse relationship with basal ERK1/2 activation. Human PrP^C showed increased N1/C1 cleavage in response to copper alone, accompanied by specific p38 and JNK/SAPK phosphorylation. Combined exposure to copper plus the cholesterol-sequestering antibiotic filipin resulted in a mouse PrP^C-specific substantial increase in signal protein phosphorylation, accompanied by an increase in N1/C1 cleavage. Mouse PrPc harboring the human N1/C1 cleavage site assumed more human-like profiles basally and in response to copper and altered membrane environments. Our results demonstrate that the PrPc pri- mary sequence around the N1/C1 cleavage site influences endoproteolytic processing at this location, which appears linked to MAP kinase signal transduction both basally and in response to copper. Further, the primary sequence appears to confer a mutual dependence of N1/C1 cleavage and membrane integrity on the fidelity of PrP^C-related signal transduction in response to exogenous stimuli.

In vitro cleavage of hepatitis B virus C mRNA by 10-23 DNA enzyme

BACKGROUND: 10-23 DNA enzyme is one kind of de-oxyribozymes for RNA cleavage. The inhibition effects of 10-23 DNA enzyme on the expression of the HBV C gene in HepG2. 2. 15 cells were demonstrated previously. The aim of this study was to further explore the cleavage activities of 10-23 DNA enzyme targeting at HBV C gene mRNA in vitro. METHODS: 10-23 DNA enzyme named Drz-HBV-C-9 specific to HBV C gene ORF A1816UG was designed and synthesized. HBV C gene mRNA was obtained by the in vitro transcription method. Cleavage activities of Drz-HBV-C-9 were observed in vitro. Values of kinetic parameters including Km,Kcat and Kcat/Km were calculated accordingly. RESULTS: Under the certain cleavage conditions, Drz-HBV-C-9 could efficiently cleave target mRNA at specific sites in vitro. Cleavage products of 109nt plus 191nt were obtained. The kinetic parameters, Km,Kcat and Kcat/ Km for Drz-HBV-C-9, were 1.4 ×10-9 mol, 1.6 min-1 and 1.1 × 109 mol-1 · min-1, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: 10-23 DNA enzyme targeting at HBV C gene mRNA possesses specific cleavage activities in vitro. This would be a potent antiviral strategy with respect to HBV gene therapy.

Hydroxyl radicals-mediated oxidative cleavage of the glycosidic bond in cellobiose by copper catalysts and its application to low-temperature depolymerization of cellulose

As the most abundant source of biomass in nature for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals,efficient depolymerization of cellulose under mild conditions,due to the difficulty in selective cleavage of itsβ-1,4-glycosidic bonds,still remains challenging.Here,we report a novel method for oxidative cleavage of the glycosidic bonds by free radicals.Probed by the cellobiose reaction,it was found that·OH radicals,generated from the decomposition of H2O2 catalyzed by CuSO4 or CuO/SiO2,were efficient for selective conversion of cellobiose to glucose and gluconic acid at a low temperature of 333 K,and their selectivities reached 30.0%and 34.6%,respectively,at 23.4%cellobiose conversion.Other radicals,such as·SO4?,also exhibited high efficacy in the cellobiose reaction.Mechanistic studies suggest that the oxidative cleavage of theβ-1,4-glycosidic bond by the free radicals involve formation of the carbon radical intermediate via abstraction of the H atom dominantly at the C1 position.Following this oxidative mechanism,treatment of microcrystalline cellulose with·OH by impregnation with H2O2 and CuSO4 catalyst at 343 K led to significant enhancement in its hydrolysis efficiency.These results demonstrate the effectiveness of this new method in the oxidative cleavage of glycosidic bonds,and its viability for the efficient depolymerization of cellulose at low temperatures,which can be further improved,for example,by exploring new free radicals and optimizing their reactivity and selectivity.

Developmental Potential and Clinical Value of Embryos with Abnormal Cleavage Rate

To investigate the developmental potential and clinical value of embryos with abnormal cleavage rate,a retrospective analysis was performed on 66 635 2-prokaryotic(2PN)and 1-pronuclear(1PN)embryos.The embryos were given conventionally in vitro fertilization(IVF)treatment and continuously cultured on the day 3(D3)at the Reproductive Medicine Center,Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2016 to December 2017.The embryos were separated into the day-2(D2)undivided group with 106 cases,the arrested development group with 3482 cases,the blastomere reduction group with 541 cases,and the control group with 62 506 cases,respectively.The blastocyst utilization rates of these three abnormal groups were 2.83%,10.86%and 6.84%,respectively,which were significantly different from that in control group(39.46%).Furthermore,2 cases of anabiosis and 1 case of live birth were found in D2 undivided group.In arrested development group,there were 55 cases of anabiosis,11 cases of clinical pregnancy in single-embryo transplantation(including 6 cases of live birth),and 25 cases of clinical pregnancy in combination with one normal embryo transplantation(including 23 cases of live births and 15 cases of dizygotic twins under B-ultrasound).There were 13 case of anabiosis in blastomere reduction group:there was 1 case of single embryo transplantation and clinical pregnancy was obtained;there were also 6 cases of clinical pregnancy in combination with one single normal embryo transplantation(including 5 cases of live births and 2 cases of di2ygotic twins under B-ultrasound).In conclusion,embryos with abnormal cleavage rate still have the potential to continue to develop,and have certain blastocyst utilization rate and live birth.

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Dinuclear Cu(Ⅱ) Complex Based on a Carboxyl-substituted 1H-1,2,3-Triazole and Its DNA Cleavage Activity

The novel dinuclear copper complex [Cu2（H20）2（DMF）2（L）2] （1, H2L = 5-phenyl- 2H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylic acid, DMF = N,N-dimethyl-formamide） has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The compound crystallizes in triclinic system, space group P1 with a = 9.591, b = 10.508, c = 15.515A,β = 75.11°, V= 1446.2 A3, Z= 2, Mr = 683.62, Dc = 1.570 g/cm3, μ = 1.531 mm^-1, F（000） = 700, the final R = 0.0404 and wR = 0.1130 for 5327 observed reflections with I 〉 2σ（I）. In each unit of the complex, two Cu2＋ ions coordinated with two triazole ligands to form a dimeric [5,6,5] tricyclic structure. The central Cu atom is five-coordinated, and each copper atom shows a square pyramidal geometry. The crystal structure is stabilized by the inversion-related O-H…O hydrogen bond and C-H…O hydrogen bonding interactions to form a layer structure. Fluorescent spectra show an obvious quenching of fluorescence compared with free 1,2,3-triazole ligand. The results of agarose gel electrophoresis indicate that this complex can cleave the plasmid supercoiled DNA within shorter time in the 50-folds excess of ascorbate under physiological conditions, providing a new example in the research for artificial metal nucleic acid enzyme.

Beta-amyloid precursor protein cleavage enzyme-1 expression in adult rat retinal neurons in the early period after lead exposure

Previous studies have reported that non-human primates and rodents exposed to lead during brain development may become dependent on the deposition of pre-determined β-amyloid protein （Aβ）,and exhibit upregulation of β-site amyloid precursor protein expression in old age.However,further evidence is required to elucidate the precise relationship and molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of early lead exposure on excessive Aβ production in adult mammals.The present study investigated the effects of lead exposure on expression of β-amyloid precursor protein cleavage enzyme-1 （BACE-1） in the rat retina and the production of Aβ in early development,using the retina as a window for studying Alzheimer＇s disease.Adult rats were intraocularly injected with different doses of lead acetate （10μmol/L,100μmol/L,1 mmol/L,10 mmol/L and 100 mmol/L）.The results revealed that retinal lead concentration,BACE-1 and its cleavage products β-C-terminal fragment and retina Aβ1-40 were all significantly increased in almost all of the lead exposure groups 48 hours later in a dose-dependent manner.The only exception was the 10μmol/L group.The distribution of BACE-1 in the retina did not exhibit obvious changes,and no distinctive increase in the activation of retinal microglia was apparent.Similarly,retinal synaptophysin expression did not exhibit any clear changes.These data suggest that lead exposure can result in the upregulation of retinal neuron BACE-1 expression in the early period of development and further increase the overproduction of Aβ1-40 in the retina.Our results provided novel insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying environmentally-induced Alzheimer＇s disease.