Analysis of Metabolic Products by Response Surface Methodology for Production of Human-like Collagen II

Recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 is used to produce human-like collagen. The key constituents of media are optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Before thermal induction, the highest biomass production and the lowest production of some hazardous by-products, especially acetic acid, were obtained in the media containing 0.085 mol·L-1 glucose and 0.019 mol·L-1 nitrogen (carbon-nitrogen ratio, 4.47:1). After thermal induction, when the concentrations of glucose and nitrogen in the media were 0.065 mol·L-1 and 0.017 mol·L-1 , respectively (carbon-nitrogen ratio, 3.82:1), the productivity of human-like collagen per cell was the highest while that of acetic acid was the lowest. The extended analysis showed that the production of lactic acid and propionic acid increased while that of some intermediate acids of the tricarboxylic acid cycle decreased if the dose of glucose increased.

Microbial community structure and functional metabolic diversity are associated with organic carbon availability in an agricultural soil

Exploration of soil environmental characteristics governing soil microbial community structure and activity may improve our understanding of biogeochemical processes and soil quality. The impact of soil environmental characteristics especially organic carbon availability after 15-yr different organic and inorganic fertilizer inputs on soil bacterial community structure and functional metabolic diversity of soil microbial communities were evaluated in a 15-yr fertilizer experiment in Changping County, Beijing, China. The experiment was a wheat-maize rotation system which was established in 1991 including four different fertilizer treatments. These treatments included： a non-amended control（CK）, a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer treatment（NPK）; a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer with swine manure incorporated treatment（NPKM）, and a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer with maize straw incorporated treatment（NPKS）. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis（DGGE） of the 16 S r RNA gene was used to determine the bacterial community structure and single carbon source utilization profiles were determined to characterize the microbial community functional metabolic diversity of different fertilizer treatments using Biolog Eco plates. The results indicated that long-term fertilized treatments significantly increased soil bacterial community structure compared to CK. The use of inorganic fertilizer with organic amendments incorporated for long term（NPKM, NPKS） significantly promoted soil bacterial structure than the application of inorganic fertilizer only（NPK）, and NPKM treatment was the most important driver for increases in the soil microbial community richness（S） and structural diversity（H）. Overall utilization of carbon sources by soil microbial communities（average well color development, AWCD） and microbial substrate utilization diversity and evenness indices（H＇ and E） indicated that long-term inorganic fertilizer with organic amendments incorporated（NPKM, NPKS） could significantly stimulate soil microbial metabolic activity and functional diversity relative to CK, while no differences of them were found between NPKS and NPK treatments. Principal component analysis（PCA） based on carbon source utilization profiles also showed significant separation of soil microbial community under long-term fertilization regimes and NPKM treatment was significantly separated from the other three treatments primarily according to the higher microbial utilization of carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, polymers, phenolic compounds, and amino acid, while higher utilization of amines/amides differed soil microbial community in NPKS treatment from those in the other three treatments. Redundancy analysis（RDA） indicated that soil organic carbon（SOC） availability, especially soil microbial biomass carbon（Cmic） and Cmic/SOC ratio are the key factors of soil environmental characteristics contributing to the increase of both soil microbial community structure and functional metabolic diversity in the long-term fertilization trial. Our results showed that long-term inorganic fertilizer and swine manure application could significantly improve soil bacterial community structure and soil microbial metabolic activity through the increases in SOC availability, which could provide insights into the sustainable management of China＇s soil resource.

Variation in soil organic matter accumulation and metabolic activity along an elevation gradient in the Santa Rosa Mountains of Southern California, USA

Variations in soil organic matter accumulation across an elevation can be used to explain the control of substrate supply and variability on soil metabolic activity. We investigated geographic changes in soil organic matter and metabolic rates along an elevation gradient（289–2,489 m） in the Santa Rosa Mountains, California, USA from subalpine and montane pine forests through chaparral to desert. From base（289 m） to summit（2,489 m）, 24 sites were established for collecting soil samples under canopies and inter-canopy spaces, at 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depths increments. Soil organic matter（SOM） content was determined using weight loss on ignition at 550°C and soil CO2 efflux（R） was measured at day 5（R5） and day 20（R20） of incubation. Changes in SOM content along the elevation gradient showed a significant relationship（P〈0.05） but R5 and R20 were not related to either elevation or SOM content. However, the ratio of R and SOM（R5/SOM） showed a strong relationship across the mountains at both soil depths. R5/SOM, as an indicator of carbon use efficiency, may be applicable to other semi-arid transects at larger scale modeling of soil metabolic processes.

Gut microbiota-derived metabolites are novel targets for improving insulin resistance

The gut microbiota plays a key role in metabolic diseases.Gut-microbiota-derived metabolites are found in different dietary sources,including:Carbohydrate(acetate,propionate,butyrate,also known as short-chain fatty acids,as well as succinate);protein(hydrogen sulfide,indole,and phenylacetic acid);and lipids(resveratrol-,ferulic acid-,linoleic acid-,catechin-and berry-derived metabolites).Insulin resistance,which is a global pandemic metabolic disease that progresses to type 2 diabetes mellitus,can be directly targeted by these metabolites.Gutmicrobiota-derived metabolites have broad effects locally and in distinct organs,in particular skeletal muscle,adipose tissue,and liver.These metabolites can modulate glucose metabolism,including the increase in glucose uptake and lipid oxidation in skeletal muscle,and decrease in lipogenesis and gluconeogenesis associated with lipid oxidation in the liver through activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-serine/threonine-protein kinase B and AMP-activated protein kinase.In adipose tissue,gut-microbiota-derived metabolites stimulate adipogenesis and thermogenesis,inhibit lipolysis,and attenuate inflammation.Importantly,an increase in energy expenditure and fat oxidation occurs in the whole body.Therefore,the therapeutic potential of current pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches used to treat diabetes mellitus can be tested to target specific metabolites derived from intestinal bacteria,which may ultimately ameliorate the hyperglycemic burden.

Response of Tomato Sugar and Acid Metabolism and Fruit Quality under Different High Temperature and Relative Humidity Conditions

The combined stress of high temperature and high relative air humidity is one of the most serious agrometeorological disasters that restricts the production capacity of protected agriculture.However,there is little information about the precise interaction between them on tomato fruit quality.The objectives of this study were to explore the effects of the combined stress of high temperature and relative humidity on the sugar and acid metabolism and fruit quality of tomato fruits,and to determine the best relative air humidity for fruit quality under high temperature environments.Four temperature treatments(32℃,35℃,38℃,41℃),three relative air humidity(50%,70%,90%)and four duration(3,6,9,12 d)orthogonal experiments were conducted,with 28℃,50%as control.The results showed that under high temperature and relative air humidity,the activity of sucrose metabolizing enzymes in young tomato fruits changed,which reduced fruits soluble sugar content;in addition,enzyme activities involved phosphopyruvate carboxylase(PEPC),mitochondria aconitase(MDH)and citrate synthetase(CS)increased which increased the content of organic acids(especially malic acid).Eventually,vitamin C,total sugar and sugar-acid ratio decreased significantly,while the titratable acid increased,resulting in a decrease in fruit flavor quality and nutritional quality in ripe fruit.Specifically,a temperature of 32℃and a relative air humidity of 70%were the best cultivation conditions for tomato reproductive growth period under high temperature.Our results indicating that fruit quality reduced under high temperature at the flowering stage,while increasing the relative air humidity to 70%could alleviate this negative effect.Our results are benefit to better understand the interaction between microclimate parameters under specific climatic conditions in the greenhouse environment and their impact on tomato flavor quality.

Activating transcription factor 3,glucolipid metabolism,and metabolic diseases

Lipids and glucose exert many essential physiological functions,such as providing raw materials or energy for cellular biosynthesis,regulating cell signal transduction,and maintaining a constant body temperature.Dysregulation of lipid and glucose metabolism can lead to glucolipid metabolic disorders linked to various metabolic diseases,such as obesity,diabetes,and cardiovascular disease.Therefore,intervention in glucolipid metabolism is a key therapeutic strategy for the treatment of metabolic diseases.Activating transcription factor 3(ATF3)is a transcription factor that acts as a hub of the cellular adaptive-response network and plays a pivotal role in the regulation of inflammation,apoptosis,DNA repair,and oncogenesis.Emerging evidence has illustrated the vital roles of ATF3 in glucolipid metabolism.ATF3 inhibits intestinal lipid absorption,enhances hepatic triglyceride hydrolysis and fatty acid oxidation,promotes macrophage reverse cholesterol transport,and attenuates the progression of western diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis.In addition to its role in lipid metabolism,ATF3 has also been identified as an important regulator of glucose metabolism.Here,we summarize the recent advances in the understanding of ATF3,mainly focusing on its role in glucose and lipid metabolism and potential therapeutic implications.

Longitudinal assessment of peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota in an APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease not only affects the brain,but also induces metabolic dysfunction in peripheral organs and alters the gut microbiota.The aim of this study was to investigate systemic changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease,in particular the association between changes in peripheral organ metabolism,changes in gut microbial composition,and Alzheimer’s disease development.To do this,we analyzed peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota in amyloid precursor protein-presenilin 1(APP/PS1)transgenic and control mice at 3,6,9,and 12 months of age.Twelve-month-old APP/PS1 mice exhibited cognitive impairment,Alzheimer’s disease-related brain changes,distinctive metabolic disturbances in peripheral organs and fecal samples(as detected by untargeted metabolomics sequencing),and substantial changes in gut microbial composition compared with younger APP/PS1 mice.Notably,a strong correlation emerged between the gut microbiota and kidney metabolism in APP/PS1 mice.These findings suggest that alterations in peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota are closely related to Alzheimer’s disease development,indicating potential new directions for therapeutic strategies.