scholarly journals Rare Sugars: Recent Advances and Their Potential Role in Sustainable Crop Protection

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1720
Author(s):  
Nikola Mijailovic ◽  
Andrea Nesler ◽  
Michele Perazzolli ◽  
Essaid Aït Barka ◽  
Aziz Aziz

Rare sugars are monosaccharides with a limited availability in the nature and almost unknown biological functions. The use of industrial enzymatic and microbial processes greatly reduced their production costs, making research on these molecules more accessible. Since then, the number of studies on their medical/clinical applications grew and rare sugars emerged as potential candidates to replace conventional sugars in human nutrition thanks to their beneficial health effects. More recently, the potential use of rare sugars in agriculture was also highlighted. However, overviews and critical evaluations on this topic are missing. This review aims to provide the current knowledge about the effects of rare sugars on the organisms of the farming ecosystem, with an emphasis on their mode of action and practical use as an innovative tool for sustainable agriculture. Some rare sugars can impact the plant growth and immune responses by affecting metabolic homeostasis and the hormonal signaling pathways. These properties could be used for the development of new herbicides, plant growth regulators and resistance inducers. Other rare sugars also showed antinutritional properties on some phytopathogens and biocidal activity against some plant pests, highlighting their promising potential for the development of new sustainable pesticides. Their low risk for human health also makes them safe and ecofriendly alternatives to agrochemicals.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca R. Crowther ◽  
Joseph E. Qualls

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite decades of research, there is still much to be uncovered regarding the immune response to Mtb infection. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on anti-Mtb immunity, with a spotlight on immune cell amino acid metabolism. Specifically, we discuss L-arginine and L-tryptophan, focusing on their requirements, regulatory roles, and potential use as adjunctive therapy in TB patients. By continuing to uncover the immune cell contribution during Mtb infection and how amino acid utilization regulates their functions, it is anticipated that novel host-directed therapies may be developed and/or refined, helping to eradicate TB.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Mortada ◽  
Raymond Farah ◽  
Sanaa Nabha ◽  
David M. Ojcius ◽  
Youssef Fares ◽  
...  

The current treatments for neurodegenerative diseases are mostly symptomatic without affecting the underlying cause of disease. Emerging evidence supports a potential role for immunotherapy in the management of disease progression. Numerous reports raise the exciting prospect that either the immune system or its derivative components could be harnessed to fight the misfolded and aggregated proteins that accumulate in several neurodegenerative diseases. Passive and active vaccinations using monoclonal antibodies and specific antigens that induce adaptive immune responses are currently under evaluation for their potential use in the development of immunotherapies. In this review, we aim to shed light on prominent immunotherapeutic strategies being developed to fight neuroinflammation-induced neurodegeneration, with a focus on innovative immunotherapies such as vaccination therapy.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arief Pambudi ◽  
Nita Noriko ◽  
Endah Permata Sari

<p><em>Abstrak -</em><strong> </strong><strong>Produksi padi di Indonesia setiap tahun mengalami peningkatan, namun peningkatan ini belum mampu memenuhi kebutuhan nasional sehingga impor masih harus dilakukan. Salah satu masalah dalam produksi beras adalah penggunaan pupuk berlebih yang tidak hanya meningkatkan biaya produksi, namun juga merusak kondisi tanah. Aplikasi bakteri tanah sebagai Plant <em>Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria</em> (PGPR) dapat menjadi salah satu solusi terhadap masalah ini. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengisolasi bakteri tanah dari 3 lokasi sawah daerah Bekasi, membandingkan keberadaan total bakteri pada ketiga lokasi tersebut,  dan melakukan karakterisasi isolat berdasarkan karakter yang dapat memicu pertumbuhan tanaman. Dari ketiga lokasi, diperoleh total 59 isolat dan 5 diantaranya berpotensi sebagai PGPR karena kemampuan fiksasi Nitrogen, melarutkan Fosfat, katalase positif, dan motil. Dari ketiga lokasi pengambilan sampel, BK1 memiliki jumlah total bakteri terendah karena aplikasi pemupukan dan pestisida berlebih yang ditandai tingginya kadar P total, serta tingginya residu klorpirifos, karbofuran, dan paration. Kondisi fisik tanah BK1 juga didominasi partikel liat yang menyebabkan tanah menjadi lebih padat. Peningkatan jumlah penggunaan pupuk tidak selalu diikuti peningkatan produktivitas tanaman.</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><em>Kata Kunci</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong>- <em>Bakteri tanah, Rhizosfer sawah, PGPR, Pupuk Hayati</em></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><em>Abstract</em><strong> - </strong><strong>Rice production in Indonesia has increased annually, but this increase has not reached national demand,so imports still done. </strong><strong>One of the problems in rice production is the use of excessive fertilizers that not only increase production costs, but also decreased the soil conditions. The application of soil bacteria as Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) can be the one solution to face this problem. The objective of this study was isolate soil bacteria from 3 locations of rice field in Bekasi, compare the total bacteria in the three locations, and characterize isolates based on the character that can promote plant growth. From three locations, a total of 59 isolates were obtained and 5 of them were potential as a PGPRs due to its Nitrogen fixation activity, Phosphate solubilization, positive catalase, and motility. From three sampling sites, BK1 has the lowest TPC value because of excessive  fertilizers and pesticides application which indicated by high total P levels, and also high chlorpyrifos, carbofuran and paration residues. The physical condition of BK1 soil is also dominated by clay particles which causes the soil more solid. Increasing of fertilizer application is not always followed by increased plant productivity.</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong><em>Keywords</em></strong> - <em>Biofertilizer, PGPR, Rice field rhizosphere, Soil Bacteria</em></p>


The application of preparations of biological origin in the protection system of soybean grown under conditions of intensive irrigated crop rotations conforms to the modern tendencies of science and production development. The use of them contributes to solving ecological, production and social-economic problems. The study presents the three-year research on the efficiency of systems protecting soybean from pests and diseases based on biological and chemical preparations. The research was conducted in typical soil and climate conditions of the South of Ukraine. Zonal agricultural methods and generally accepted research methodology were used. The purpose of the research was to create a soybean protection system based on preparations of biological origin, ensuring high productivity of high-quality products reducing a negative impact of the crop production on the environment. The study emphasizes that, under irrigated conditions of the South of Ukraine, the application of biological preparations has a positive impact on the indexes of growth, development and formation of the elements of soybean yield structure. There was an increase in the crop biological weight by 13.8 % and 22.1 % and the number of seeds per plant rose by 11.6 and 14.6 % as a consequence of eliminating harmful organisms with the plant protection systems. The larger ground mass was formed by medium-ripe varieties Danai and Svyatogor, on which the increase from protection measures was higher. Weight 1000 pcs. the seeds did not undergo significant changes. It is established that the larger seeds were formed by Danaya and Svyatogor varieties, in which the average weight is 1000 pcs. seeds were 142 and 136 g, respectively, while in the variety Diona this figure was 133 g. There was an increase in the height of the lowest pod when the total plant height rose. For medium-ripe varieties was characterized by a higher attachment of beans, where the highest values of this indicator acquired in the variety Svyatogor. The medium maturing soybean variety Danaia formed the maximum yield of 3.23 and 3.35 t/ha respectively, when biological and chemical protection systems were applied. The research establishes that the application of the bio-fungicide Psevdobakterin 2 (2.0 l/ha) in the crop protection system at the beginning of soybean flowering and the bio-fungicide Baktofit (2.5 l/ha) with the bio-insecticide Lepidotsid-BTU (10.0 l/ha) at the beginning of pod formation does not reduce the productivity of the soybean varieties under study considerably, when compared to the application of chemical preparations. The research determines that the soybean protection system under study ensures a decrease in the coefficient of soybean water uptake by 7.2-13.0 %, increasing the total water intake to an inconsiderable degree. Biologization of the soybean crop protection system leads to a reduction in production costs compared to the chemical protection system. Taking into account the needs for the collection of additional products, costs increase by an average of 1 thousand UAH/ha, while for chemical protection systems by 1.8 thousand UAH/ha. At the same time, the cost is reduced by 220-360 UAH/t and the profitability of growing crops is increased by 3.8-7.8 %. There has been a reduction in the burden of pesticides on the environment and the production of cleaner products. This indicates the prospect of using the biofungicides Pseudobacterin 2 and Bactophyte and the bioinsecticide Lepidocid-BTU on soybeans to protect plants from pests.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (42) ◽  
pp. 4510-4522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biancamaria Longoni ◽  
Irene Fasciani ◽  
Shivakumar Kolachalam ◽  
Ilaria Pietrantoni ◽  
Francesco Marampon ◽  
...  

: Exosomes are extracellular vesicles produced by eukaryotic cells that are also found in most biological fluids and tissues. While they were initially thought to act as compartments for removal of cellular debris, they are now recognized as important tools for cell-to-cell communication and for the transfer of pathogens between the cells. They have attracted particular interest in neurodegenerative diseases for their potential role in transferring prion-like proteins between neurons, and in Parkinson’s disease (PD), they have been shown to spread oligomers of α-synuclein in the brain accelerating the progression of this pathology. A potential neuroprotective role of exosomes has also been equally proposed in PD as they could limit the toxicity of α-synuclein by clearing them out of the cells. Exosomes have also attracted considerable attention for use as drug vehicles. Being nonimmunogenic in nature, they provide an unprecedented opportunity to enhance the delivery of incorporated drugs to target cells. In this review, we discuss current knowledge about the potential neurotoxic and neuroprotective role of exosomes and their potential application as drug delivery systems in PD.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 1026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laís G. Fregolente ◽  
João Vitor dos Santos ◽  
Giovanni Vinci ◽  
Alessandro Piccolo ◽  
Altair B. Moreira ◽  
...  

Hydrochar is a carbon-based material that can be used as soil amendment. Since the physical-chemical properties of hydrochar are mainly assigned to process parameters, we aimed at evaluating the organic fraction of different hydrochars through 13C-NMR and off-line TMAH-GC/MS. Four hydrochars produced with sugarcane bagasse, vinasse and sulfuric or phosphoric acids were analyzed to elucidate the main molecular features. Germination and initial growth of maize seedlings were assessed using hydrochar water-soluble fraction to evaluate their potential use as growth promoters. The hydrochars prepared with phosphoric acid showed larger amounts of bioavailable lignin-derived structures. Although no differences were shown about the percentage of maize seeds germination, the hydrochar produced with phosphoric acid promoted a better seedling growth. For this sample, the greatest relative percentage of benzene derivatives and phenolic compounds were associated to hormone-like effects, responsible for stimulating shoot and root elongation. The reactions parameters proved to be determinant for the organic composition of hydrochar, exerting a strict influence on molecular features and plant growth response.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1201
Author(s):  
Hsuan Peng ◽  
Kazuhiro Shindo ◽  
Renée R. Donahue ◽  
Ahmed Abdel-Latif

Stem cell-based cardiac therapies have been extensively studied in recent years. However, the efficacy of cell delivery, engraftment, and differentiation post-transplant remain continuous challenges and represent opportunities to further refine our current strategies. Despite limited long-term cardiac retention, stem cell treatment leads to sustained cardiac benefit following myocardial infarction (MI). This review summarizes the current knowledge on stem cell based cardiac immunomodulation by highlighting the cellular and molecular mechanisms of different immune responses to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their secretory factors. This review also addresses the clinical evidence in the field.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 1043
Author(s):  
George T. Tziros ◽  
Anastasios Samaras ◽  
George S. Karaoglanidis

Olive leaf spot (OLS) caused by Fusicladiumoleagineum is mainly controlled using copper fungicides. However, the replacement of copper-based products with eco-friendly alternatives is a priority. The use of plant resistance-inducers (PRIs) or biological control agents (BCAs) could contribute in this direction. In this study we investigated the potential use of three PRIs (laminarin, acibenzolar-S-methyl, harpin) and a BCA (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB24) for the management of OLS. The tested products provided control efficacy higher than 68%. In most cases, dual applications provided higher (p < 0.05) control efficacies compared to that achieved by single applications. The highest control efficacy of 100% was achieved by laminarin. Expression analysis of the selected genes by RT-qPCR revealed different kinetics of induction. In laminarin-treated plants, for most of the tested genes a higher induction rate (p < 0.05) was observed at 3 days post application. Pal, Lox, Cuao and Mpol were the genes with the higher inductions in laminarin-treated and artificially inoculated plants. The results of this study are expected to contribute towards a better understanding of PRIs in olive culture and the optimization of OLS control, while they provide evidence for potential contributions in the reduction of copper accumulation in the environment.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1818
Author(s):  
Francisco Hernández-Aparicio ◽  
Purificación Lisón ◽  
Ismael Rodrigo ◽  
José María Bellés ◽  
M. Pilar López-Gresa

New strategies of control need to be developed with the aim of economic and environmental sustainability in plant and crop protection. Metabolomics is an excellent platform for both understanding the complex plant–pathogen interactions and unraveling new chemical control strategies. GC-MS-based metabolomics, along with a phytohormone analysis of a compatible and incompatible interaction between tomato plants and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, revealed the specific volatile chemical composition and the plant signals associated with them. The susceptible tomato plants were characterized by the over-emission of methyl- and ethyl-salicylate as well as some fatty acid derivatives, along with an activation of salicylic acid and abscisic acid signaling. In contrast, terpenoids, benzenoids, and 2-ethylhexanoic acid were differentially emitted by plants undergoing an incompatible interaction, together with the activation of the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway. In accordance with this response, a higher expression of several genes participating in the biosynthesis of these volatiles, such as MTS1, TomloxC,TomloxD, and AOS, as well as JAZ7, a JA marker gene, was found to be induced by the fungus in these resistant plants. The characterized metabolome of the immune tomato plants could lead to the development of new resistance inducers against Fusarium wilt treatment.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 3061
Author(s):  
Bianca Ivănescu ◽  
Ana Flavia Burlec ◽  
Florina Crivoi ◽  
Crăița Roșu ◽  
Andreia Corciovă

The Artemisia genus includes a large number of species with worldwide distribution and diverse chemical composition. The secondary metabolites of Artemisia species have numerous applications in the health, cosmetics, and food sectors. Moreover, many compounds of this genus are known for their antimicrobial, insecticidal, parasiticidal, and phytotoxic properties, which recommend them as possible biological control agents against plant pests. This paper aims to evaluate the latest available information related to the pesticidal properties of Artemisia compounds and extracts and their potential use in crop protection. Another aspect discussed in this review is the use of nanotechnology as a valuable trend for obtaining pesticides. Nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, and nanocapsules represent a more efficient method of biopesticide delivery with increased stability and potency, reduced toxicity, and extended duration of action. Given the negative impact of synthetic pesticides on human health and on the environment, Artemisia-derived biopesticides and their nanoformulations emerge as promising ecofriendly alternatives to pest management.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document