Acidic and alkali extractions are two fundamental methods for isolating bioactive polysaccharides, each generates distinct molecular structures that critically determine their biological functionalities. Despite the broad utilization of these techniques in producing polysaccharides that exhibit significant therapeutic potential, in-depth and systematic analyses of their extraction mechanisms, structural features, and resulting bioactivities remain insufficiently explored. This comprehensive review provides a critical comparative analysis across four key dimensions: (1) extraction, separation and purification methodologies of polysaccharides, (2) method-induced structural disparities, including molecular weight distribution and monosaccharide composition, (3) bioactivities, such as antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic effects, (4) structure-function relationship governing polysaccharide bioactivity. The current review highlights that alkali-extracted polysaccharides often exhibit higher molecular weights and enhanced immunomodulatory and anti-tumor properties, whereas acidic-extracted polysaccharides tend to possess lower molecular weights and superior antioxidant activity. Despite extensive research on polysaccharides, a systematic comparison of the emerging trends in structure and bioactivity between acidic- and alkali-extracted variants is lacking. By elucidating these aspects, this review covers relevant literature over the past decade aims to bridge critical gaps in method-structure-function understanding and offer valuable insights to guide the production of high-quality polysaccharides for functional foods and therapeutic agents.

Trametes sanguinea belongs to the polyporaceae family and it is a white rot medicinal fungus. In the present study, pure mycelium of Trametes sanguinea ZHSJ (T. sanguinea ZHSJ) was obtained from the fruiting body of wild basidiomycetes by tissue separation method, and its growth conditions were optimized in vitro. The results exhibited the optimal growth of T. sanguinea ZHSJ at pH 5, temperature 30 ℃ with the carbon source maltose 20 g/L and nitrogen source yeast extract 4 g/L. LC-MS based untargeted metabolomic studies revealed there are 6715 metabolites in both positive and negative ion mode detection of spores (SP), mycelium (MY) and fruiting body (MU). However, principal component analysis (PCA) represented PC1 67.10% and PC2 24.60% metabolite variance among SP, MY and MU. Further, metabolite cluster and Variable projection importance (VIP) analysis has represented differential upregulated and down regulated metabolites with p value < 0.05 and VIP ≥ 1 significance. Moreover, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis represented SP vs. MY and SP vs. MY major metabolites 23 and 31 involved in biosynthesis of co-factors and MY vs. MU major metabolites involved in diterpenoid biosynthesis. Hence, current study reveals that the morphological stages of T. sanguinea ZHSJ possess several variations in their metabolites and this is the first study to reveal the optimization of T. sanguinea spores and their metabolites comparison with mycelium and fruiting body through LC-MS based untargeted metabolomics. Further research on the biological activity of these differential metabolites of T. sanguinea spores would way a path in identification of novel medicinally important compounds.

Peptides, derived primarily from natural bioactive sources, play essential roles in human physiological processes such as hormone regulation and nerve signal transmission. Recent advances in phage display technology have revolutionized peptide screening, enabling the rapid and efficient identification of billions of peptide within a single day. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has further accelerated peptide discovery, allowing for the swift identification of bioactive sequences and structural optimization to enhance their stability, efficacy, and target specificity. Peptides have demonstrated extensive applications across diverse industries. In medicine, they exhibit potent antibacterial, antiviral, and antitumor properties, with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) emerging as promising alternatives against multidrug-resistant bacteria. In the food industry, peptides contribute to functional foods by providing antihypertensive, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects, promoting overall health. The cosmetics sector also relies on peptides for their ability to stimulate collagen production, enhance skin regeneration, and deliver anti-aging benefits, making them key ingredients in advanced skincare formulations. Emerging delivery nanocarrier systems, aim to improve peptide stability, absorption, and half-life. With ongoing technological breakthroughs and interdisciplinary collaboration, peptides are poised to play an increasingly pivotal role in modern medicine and biotechnology, offering innovative solutions for a range of health, food, and cosmetic applications.

Alginate oligosaccharides (AOSs), important plant immunity inducers, are widely used in agriculture because of their important role in the biological control of crop diseases. However, the mechanism by which AOSs induce plant resistance to pathogens is not clear. Here, we report AOS with a degree of polymerization of 2–5, which was obtained by a newly reported enzyme Aly2. AOS treatment exhibited high activity in enhancing resistance to Phytophthora infestans (P. infestans). AOS significantly induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, calcium influx, stomata closure, and callose deposition. The salicylic acid (SA) synthesis-related gene and the defense-related genes were upregulated after AOS treatment. A transcriptome file generated from AOS-treated seedlings verified the SA pathway and suggested the presence of chitin elicitor receptor kinase (CERK). The subsequent results showed that AtCERK1 binds AOS tightly, suggesting that AtCERK1 is responsible for AOS recognition. This study laid a theoretical foundation for the broad application of AOS.

The fungal genus Trametes belongs to the Polyporales of Basidiomycota. Trametes species exhibit medicinal properties and are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Trametes versicolor is one of the most studied species in this genus. This review presents recent research on the prominent characteristics, such as antimicrobial, antitumour, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and other important medicinal activities, of Trametes species, addresses unsolved issues related to this genus, and provides several prospects for future research.

This paper characterized PGP90, a novel low-molecular-weight (∼3.1 kDa) inulin-type fructan (α-D-Glcp-(1 → [1)-β-D-Fruf-(2]₁₈) isolated from Platycodon grandiflorus (P. grandiflorus), and demonstrated its potent immunomodulatory effects in CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice. Structural and cell cytotoxicity analysis confirmed the composition of PGP90 with less side effects. Oral administration of PGP90 (100 or 200 mg/kg) significantly restored CTX-suppressed immune parameters, including body weight, spleen weight, spleen index, splenic histoarchitecture, and the distribution of CD3+ T and CD19+ B cells in peripheral blood and spleen. These restorative effects were associated with the ability of PGP90 to remodel gut microbiota composition and to modulate microbial metabolism, particularly pathways related to vitamin B6 metabolism, which correlated with elevated levels of metabolites such as 4-pyridoxic acid. These findings suggest that PGP90 may serve as a promising prebiotic candidate that targets the gut microbiota to help alleviate immune dysfunction.

BACKGROUND:Many fungal pathogens infect and kill host insects successfully through the suppression of host immune systems, making them potential biological control agents. Aspergillus oryzae is a new fungal pathogen of locust Locusta migratoria, which is an important insect pest worldwide; consequently, information on the molecular mechanisms that it uses to suppress the host's immune system is limited. Here, transcriptomic analyses of male locusts during an A. oryzae infection were used to characterize the temporal variations in the host's molecular immune responses. RESULTS:Two key immune tissues, fat body cells and hemocytes, exhibited distinct functional roles in the locust's defense against Aspergillus infection, with their contributions varying over time. Following A. oryzae infection, the expression of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) increased in fat body cells but decreased in hemocytes. In fat body cells, the expression of serine protease inhibitors (SERPINs) showed a significant increase at 48 h and 72 h postinfection (hpi) with A. oryzae. In hemocytes, SERPINs exhibited an initial upregulation at 24 hpi, followed by a downregulation by 72 hpi, suggesting that serine proteinase activity is suppressed, which in turn hinders the activation of downstream pathways such as prophenoloxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD) and Toll pathways. Most effectors, such as lysozymes, defensins and peroxiredoxin, were upregulated in fat body cells by 48 hpi. PPOs were down-regulated both in fat body cells and hemocytes. CONCLUSIONS:The findings revealed that A. oryzae infection markedly weakened the locust's immune defenses within 72 hpi, resulting in a reduced host's Toll pathway in response to the fungal pathogen infection. These results offer critical information that can be utilized to design highly efficient biocontrol in integrated locust management programs with microbial agents. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background With the increasing quantity and variety of food products, concerns regarding food quality and safety have attracted global attention. Numerous foodborne hazards potentially present at any stage of the food production process can enter the human body through the food chain. Even at trace levels, these hazards can cause a range of foodborne illnesses, posing significant risks to public health. Therefore, the development of accurate and rapid detection methods is crucial for the timely identification and management of contaminated food to ensure safety. Scope and approach This review provides a comprehensive analysis of electrochemical sensor design strategies for detecting foodborne hazards. It covers sensor types, electrode materials, recognition elements, and the integration of smart technologies. The research progress on electrochemical detection of pesticides, antibiotics, mycotoxins, heavy metals and pathogenic bacteria in food matrices is systematically summarized. In particular, the electrochemical detection mechanisms for foodborne hazards and the application of smart sensing technologies are discussed in detail. In addition, the review discusses future prospects and current challenges in the application of electrochemical sensors in food analysis. Key findings and conclusions Electrochemical sensors have been widely used for detecting foodborne hazards due to their high sensitivity, efficiency, rapid response, and practical applicability. Moreover, integrating electrochemical sensors with smartphones, microfluidics, or flexible materials enables point-of-care testing and on-site detection. Future research should focus on improving the robustness of portable electrochemical sensors and enhancing their resistance to interference in complex food matrices, thereby reinforcing food safety monitoring systems.

Trametes sanguinea belongs to the polyporaceae family and its fruiting body possesses several benefits. In the current study, Trametes sanguinea ZHSJ (T. sanguinea ZHSJ) isolated from the chestnut tree wood was studied for its whole genome sequence and transcriptome sequence with their annotations. T. sanguinea ZHSJ genome is 41.3243 Mb in length with a total of 135 contigs with N50 contig length 2.8138 Mb. A total of 10886 genes of T. sanguinea ZHSJ were annotated. Further, RNA sequencing and assembly represented 11861 genes, out of these 10,507 genes were annotated with four annotation databases. Moreover, denovo prediction annotation performed by Funannotate represented 12,268 coding genes and simple sequence repeats (SSR) prediction represented total 1,242 SSR and among them 707 were trinucleotide repeat motifs.

This study examines the phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities of highland barley varieties with white, blue, and black seed coat colors, focusing on the effects of cooking methods on black barley. Among the varieties, black barley, particularly Xiongzhang type, showed high concentrations of anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, and phenolics, all of which are associated with enhanced antioxidant activities. Metabolomic profiling revealed significant biochemical diversity across the barley samples closely linked to seed coat color. Cooking methods substantially influenced β-glucan levels and metabolomic profiles. Specifically, frying and baking increased β-glucan content while inducing specific metabolic changes. The findings highlight the nutritional advantages of black barley and the role of cooking techniques in preserving its bioactive compounds. This study provides valuable insights for breeding initiatives and dietary recommendations to enhance the nutritional quality and health benefits of barley.

In the context of peptide drug development, glycosylation plays a pivotal role. Accordingly, L-type peptides were synthesized predicated upon the PD-1/PD-L1 blocker DPPA-1. Subsequent glycosylation resulted in the production of two distinct glycopeptides, D-glu-LPPA-1 and D-gal-LPPA-1, by using D-glucose (D-glu) and D-galactose (D-gal), respectively, during glycosylation. Both glycopeptides significantly inhibited the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1, and the measured half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) were 75.5 μM and 101.9 μM for D-glu-LPPA-1 and D-gal-LPPA-1, respectively. Furthermore, D-gal-LPPA-1 displayed a pronounced ability to restore T-cell functionality. In an MC38 tumor-bearing mouse model, D-gal-LPPA-1 demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect. Notably, D-gal-LPPA-1 substantially augmented the abundance and functionality of CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, in the lymph nodes and spleens, D-gal-LPPA-1 significantly increased the proportion of CD8+ T cells secreting interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). These strong findings position D-gal-LPPA-1 as a potent enhancer of the antitumor immune response in MC38 tumor-bearing mice, underscoring its potential as a formidable PD-1/PD-L1 blocking agent.

Lactarius deliciosus, a widely appreciated mushroom with delightful tastes and texture, has exhibited immunomodulatory activity in vitro, while the effects on intestinal flora metabolisms in vivo are ambiguous. In this study, a L. deliciosus polysaccharide (LDP) was extracted and purified, and the structural characteristics were evaluated, as well as the immunological enhancement on tumor-bearing mice through regulating intestinal flora metabolisms. Results showed that LDP was a heteropolysaccharide (average molecular weight of 1.44 x 107 Da) with a backbone of alpha-(1 -> 6)-Manp and branches of alpha-(1 -> 6)-Galp, alpha-(1 -> 3)-Fucp, alpha-(1 -> 6)-Glcp, alpha-(1 -> 4)Glcp. Animal experiments indicated that LDP could significantly protect immune organs of tumor-beraing mice and suppress solid tumors growth with inhibitory rate of 51.61 % (high-dose, 100 mg/kg), and improve the intestinal lactobacillus contents, promote adenine mediated zeatin biosynthesis, then competitively antagonize A2A receptor and enhance the activities of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, finally effectively facilitate the apoptosis and elimination of tumor cells. These results would provide powerful data supports for the further antitumor mechanisms development and practical applications of L. deliciosus polysaccharide in food and drug industries.

Alginate lyases can fully degrade alginate into various size-defined unsaturated oligosaccharide products by β-elimination. Here, we identified the bifunctional endolytic alginate lyase Aly35 from the marine bacterium Vibrio sp. Strain H204. The enzyme Aly35 is classified into the polysaccharide lyase 7 superfamily and contains two alginate lyase catalytic domains. The relationship and function of the two lyase domains are not well known. Thus, the full-length recombinant enzyme and its truncated proteins Aly35-CD1 (catalytic domain 1), Aly35-CD2 (catalytic domain 2 domain) were constructed. The three enzymes showed similar biochemical characteristics and exhibited temperature and pH stability. Further research showed that Aly35 and Aly35-CD2 can efficiently degrade alginate, polymannuronate (PM) and polyguluronate (PG) into a series of unsaturated oligosaccharides, while Aly35-CD1 exhibits greater PM-degrading activity than that of Aly35-CD2 but can not degraded PG efficiently. The results suggest that the domain (Trp295-His582) is critical for PG-degrading activity, the domain has (Leu53-Lys286) higher PM-degrading activity, both catalytic domains together confer increased alginate (including M-blocks and G blocks)-degrading activity. The enzyme Aly35 and its truncations Aly35-CD1 and Aly35-CD2 will be useful tools for structural analyses and for preparing bioactive oligosaccharides, especially Aly35-CD1 can be used to prepare G unit–rich oligosaccharides from alginate.

Background In the past few decades, plant polysaccharides obtained from the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits or seeds of herbaceous, woody, shrub and liana plants have become important sources for developing valuable functional foods and immune adjuvant. Compared with other plant parts, the research on plant seed polysaccharides (PSPs) is more less, and many seed resources remain unexplored. Scope and approach The study of the active substances in seeds, especially polysaccharides, is an indispensable part of research. PSPs have attracted immense attention because of their relatively low-toxicity and various biological activities. The article reviews experimental studies regarding structural characteristics and immunomodulatory effects of polysaccharides which extracted from plant seeds, covering a period of over 20 years. Key findings and conclusions Increasing evidence has suggested that PSPs can exert their active functions through immunomodulatory effects. This review aims to summarize the relationships among plant sources, structural characteristics and the immunomodulatory effects of PSPs, and thus provide theoretical support for the application of plant seeds, especially for the further application of PSPs as valuable food or as functional factors related to the immune response.

Three representative purple fleshed sweet potato varieties, Taizishu NO.1, Violet and Vietnamese purple sweet potato were selected as materials. Sensory evaluation, moisture content, starch content, sugar content were explored after baking, steaming and microwave with Pushu NO.32 as the control. Combining with correlation analysis and partial least squares regression (PLSR), the correlations of consumer sensory evaluation and physicochemical property was explored. The sensory evaluation results showed that, Taizishu No.1 obtain the highest score. The sweetness and texture were the driving attributes which could determine consumer preference. The cooking method significantly affected the sensory quality of purple sweet potato. Moisture and starch content of purple sweet potato were decreased after cooking while content of reducing sugar and total sugar were increased. Moreover, sucrose and maltose content increased, while glucose and fructose showed different changes with different varieties and cooking methods. Steaming facilitates water retention and roasting was good for high temperature saccharification during ripening. The correlation analysis showed that the sensory evaluation score was significantly positively correlated with water content and reducing sugar (fructose and glucose), and negatively correlated with starch content. The effect of water, glucose, starch, fructose, and reducing sugar on sensory evaluation score increased gradually. PLSR indicated that main indicators affecting sensory quality of purple sweet potato were reducing sugar, glucose and fructose. This study could provide a scientific basis for establishing sensory prediction model of purple sweet potato, develop the best processing technology of different varieties of purple sweet potato, and guide the breeding of fresh purple sweet potato.

Small berry pomaces (SBPs) are poorly utilized as an inexpensive source of bioactive compounds. This study investigated the impact of compounding treatment on nutritional and antioxidant characteristics of combined SBPs, in comparison with single SBP. The results showed that the amounts of protein, minerals, dietary fiber (DF) and anthocyanidins were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in combined SBPs than in combined fruits. Moreover, the combined SBPs were characterized by an elevated abundance of minerals and anthocyanidins (6 kinds, and 5 kinds, respectively), substantiating the effectiveness of compounding treatment on SBP nutrition. A total of 776 secondary phytochemicals were detected in combined SBPs by a widely targeted metabolomics approach. Each SBP contained approximately 100 kinds of unique natural antioxidants. Furthermore, the combined SBPs group had the highest antioxidant activity compared with single SBP. Meanwhile, the antioxidant activities determined in combined SBPs were higher than arithmetic mean value of single SBP. The synergism and interaction of active components in different sources of SBPs play vital role in the high antioxidant capacity of combined SBPs. All the results provide reference for the comprehensive development and utilization of fruit residues. The SBPs should be highly prized for their substantial amount of nutritional and bioactive constituents, including protein, DF, essential minerals and secondary metabolites. These secondary metabolites are positively associated with antioxidant benefits. The present study summarizes the knowledge about bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of combined SBPs group and discusses the relevant mechanisms. A conclusion can be educed that combined process is an effective way to improve properties of the pomaces.

建立了一种测定多类型肥料中肥料增效型宛氏拟青霉SJ1提取物(ZNC)的高效液相色谱-荧光检测分析方法.以乙酸乙酯作为萃取溶剂,肥料增效型ZNC荧光的最佳激发波长为260 nm,发射波长为330 nm,优化洗脱条件为水、甲醇、乙腈混合梯度洗脱,采用HITACHI LaChrom C18色谱柱进行检测.结果表明,方法的线性关系良好,相关系数(R2)＞0.99,在信噪比(S/N)=3的条件下,复合肥料和尿素中肥料增效型ZNC的检测限为0.25 mg/kg,氨基酸水溶肥中肥料增效型ZNC的检测限为5.0 mg/L,回收率为71.6％～93.5％,相对偏差(RSD,n=3)为2.9％～7.3％.本方法利用化合物本身荧光特性,操作简单,准确度和精密度均满足方法学指标,可为肥料监管部门监督和新型肥料质量内部控制提供一种有效的检测手段.

Trichoderma hamatum (Bonord.) Bainier (T. hamatum) belongs to Hypocreaceae family, Trichoderma genus. Trichoderma spp. are prominently known for their biocontrol activities and plant growth promotion. Hence, T. hamatum also possess several beneficial activities, such as antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, insecticidal activity, herbicidal activity, and plant growth promotion; in addition, it holds several other beneficial properties, such as resistance to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and degradation of DDT by certain enzymes and production of certain polysaccharide-degrading enzymes. Hence, the current review discusses the beneficial properties of T. hamatum and describes the gaps that need to be further considered in future studies, such as T. hamatum’s potentiality against human pathogens and, in contrast, its role as an opportunistic human pathogen. Moreover, there is a need for substantial study on its antiviral and antioxidant activities.

Introduction: Beneficial microorganisms play essential roles in plant growth and induced systemic resis-tance (ISR) by releasing signaling molecules. Our previous study obtained the crude extract from benefi-cial endophyte Paecilomyces variotii, termed ZNC (ZhiNengCong), which significantly enhanced plant resistance to pathogen even at 100 ng/ml. However, the immunoreactive components of ZNC remain unclear. Here, we further identified one of the immunoreactive components of ZNC is a nucleoside 20- deoxyguanosine (2-dG). Objectives: This paper intends to reveal the molecular mechanism of microbial-derived 20-deoxyguanosine (2-dG) in activating plant immunity, and the role of plant-derived 2-dG in plant immunity.Methods: The components of ZNC were separated using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and 2-dG is identified using a HPLC-mass spectrometry system (LC-MS). Transcriptome analysis and genetic experiments were used to reveal the immune signaling pathway dependent on 2-dG activation of plant immunity. Results: This study identified 20-deoxyguanosine (2-dG) as one of the immunoreactive components from ZNC. And 2-dG significantly enhanced plant pathogen resistance even at 10 ng/ml (37.42 nM). Furthermore, 2-dG-induced resistance depends on NPR1, pattern-recognition receptors/coreceptors, ATP receptor P2K1 (DORN1), ethylene signaling but not salicylic acid accumulation. In addition, we identified Arabidopsis VENOSA4 (VEN4) was involved in 2-dG biosynthesis and could convert dGTP to 2-dG, and vne4 mutant plants were more susceptible to pathogens.Conclusion: In summary, microbial-derived 2-dG may act as a novel immune signaling molecule involved in plant-microorganism interactions, and VEN4 is 2-dG biosynthesis gene and plays a key role in plant immunity.(c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Cairo University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Abstract The roots of the medicinal plant Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf (C. pilosula) possess most medicinal supplements. In current research on C. pilosula root endophytes were isolated, identified, and evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against human pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the fungi Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. Endophytes C.P-8 and C.P-20 exhibited very significant antimicrobial activity, the secondary metabolite of C.P-8 registered at retention time 24.075 by HPLC analysis. Significant minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of C.P-8 was exhibited at 250 µg/ml against S. aureus and 500 µg/ml against B. subtilis. Qualitative, quantitative analyses, and partial purification of enzymes and purity was analysed by molecular weight determined by SDS‒PAGE of enzymes produced by C.P-20, amylase—64 kDa, protease—64 kDa, chitinase—30 kDa, and cellulase—54 kDa. Optimum pH and temperature of the partially purified enzymes, was carried out. The partially purified enzymes from C.P-20 displayed maximum activity at pH 6–7 and temperatures of 40°C–45°C. Moreover, the above endophytes will be useful tools for producing active enzymes and active bioantimicrobial agents against human pathogens.