The development of eco-friendly, biodegradable, and multifunctional bio-based composite membranes serves as a promising strategy to safeguard global food security. In this study, we successfully synthesized the ellagic acid/γ-cyclodextrin (EA/γ-CD) inclusion complex, as well as six pectin-based edible composite membranes loaded with this inclusion complex and conducted comprehensive physicochemical characterization on the prepared materials. The results showed that the EA/γ-CD inclusion complex achieved a loading capacity of 9.02% and an encapsulation efficiency of 87.19%, and complexation with γ-CD increased the water solubility of EA by approximately 3.6 times. Zeta potential and particle size analysis confirmed that cyclic pH treatment modulated the colloidal stability of the composites in a pectin-type-dependent manner. Release kinetics indicated that, unlike the free EA-loaded membrane which exhibited slow release that plateaued at a low cumulative level, EA/γ-CD/H(pH) delivered rapid and sufficient EA release triggered by humidity, with a cumulative release rate reaching 93.33%. Meanwhile, EA/γ-CD/H(pH) composite membrane demonstrated superior performance in light transmittance, water solubility, water vapor permeability, wettability, degradability, antifungal activity, and antioxidant capacity. The composite membrane also exhibited excellent preservation efficacy for fresh postharvest blueberries. Furthermore, analysis via HS-GC-IMS revealed that EA/γ-CD/H(pH) composite membrane can positively maintain the volatile flavor compounds of postharvest blueberries. (E)-2-hexen-1-al-D had the highest variable VIP score, and can be considered the most reliable biomarker for distinguishing blueberry samples packaged with the EA/γ-CD/H(pH) edible food packaging membrane.

In this study, a series of novel pyrimidine derivatives incorporating a semicarbazide moiety were synthesized, and their structures were comprehensively characterized by means of 1H, 13C NMR, and HRMS. Biological evaluation revealed that compound N-benzyl-2-(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)hydrazine-1-carboxamide exhibited significant in vitro DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, with IC50 values of 4.9 and 3.8 μg/mL, respectively, lower than those of the reference antioxidants vitamin C (6.4 μg/mL) and Trolox (8.4 μg/mL). Meanwhile, molecular docking analysis further demonstrated that compound N-benzyl-2-(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)hydrazine-1-carboxamide engages in multiple intermolecular interactions within the active site of NADPH oxidase (PDB ID: 2CDU), including van der Waals forces, conventional hydrogen bonds, π-sulfur, alkyl, and π-alkyl interactions. Furthermore, ADMET profiling and drug-likeness assessments indicated that N-benzyl-2-(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)hydrazine-1-carboxamide possesses favorable physicochemical properties and an acceptable safety profile, consistent with the characteristics of promising drug candidates. To the best of our knowledge, this work constitutes the first systematic investigation of pyrimidine derivatives bearing a semicarbazide scaffold.

Pichia manshurica (P. manshurica), a gas-producing spoilage yeast prevalent in fermented foods, causes package swelling, off-flavor formation, and quality deterioration, thereby shortening shelf life and reducing commercial value. Carvacrol, a natural phenolic compound from plant essential oils, has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, but its mechanism for inhibiting P. manshurica’s gas production is unclear. In this study, in vitro and in situ experiments confirmed that carvacrol significantly inhibits gas production by P. manshurica in a concentration-dependent manner. Transcriptomic analysis identified 374 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were mainly enriched in biological processes such as nitrogen compound metabolism, lipid metabolism, and organic substance biosynthesis, as well as cellular components including the cell membrane, mitochondrion, and endoplasmic reticulum. Metabolomic analysis screened a total of 440 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), primarily involving carboxylic acids, phospholipids, fatty acids, and amino acids. Integrated transcriptome–metabolome analysis revealed that carvacrol disrupts cell membrane integrity, blocks the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, and interferes with energy, lipid, and amino acid metabolism in P. manshurica, thereby suppressing its gas production. This study elucidates the molecular mechanism by which carvacrol inhibits gas production by P. manshurica, providing a theoretical basis for the development and application of carvacrol as a natural preservative in fermented foods.

This study investigated the antiviral activity and molecular mechanisms of oligochitosan against potato virus Y (PVY) in Nicotiana benthamiana. The results demonstrate that oligochitosan exhibits significant anti-PVY activity, achieving a preventive efficacy of 54.7%. Biochemical analyses revealed that oligochitosan treatment enhances the activities of defense-related enzymes and stimulates hydrogen peroxide accumulation in N. benthamiana. Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses identified key differentially expressed genes associated with reactive oxygen species signaling and the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, including PYL1, PP2C, OXI1, NDPK4, MAPKKK21 and POD4. Functional characterization demonstrated that oligochitosan specifically upregulates OXI1 expression while enhancing MAPKKK21 and NDPK4 transcript levels, thereby conferring enhanced PVY resistance. These findings establish that oligochitosan-induced plant defense against PVY operates primarily through ROS-mediated activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. This work provides novel insights into the molecular basis of the antiviral activity of oligochitosan in plant protection.

The global demand for biodegradable and active food packaging materials to replace non-degradable petroleum-based plastics and enhance the quality of postharvest fruits is rapidly escalating. In this study, six novel pectin-based composite films were developed by incorporating carvacrol (CAR)/chitosan inclusion complexes. The physicochemical, structural, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and biodegradable properties of the resultant films were systematically characterized, and their postharvest preservation performance for fresh roxburgh rose ( Rosa roxburghii Tratt) fruits was fully evaluated. Results demonstrated that chitosan encapsulation significantly improved the water solubility and thermal stability of CAR. Among all formulations, the H/4% CAR/chitosan film exhibited the most balanced comprehensive performance, with optimal light transmittance, water solubility, water vapor permeability, surface wettability, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, this film remarkably inhibited fruit decay and weight loss, preserved firmness and soluble solids content, and effectively retained key volatile aroma compounds of roxburgh rose.

Plant viruses often manipulate host proteins to facilitate infection, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions remain largely unclear. Here, we provide evidence that the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) coat protein (CP) interacts with the host kinase CDPK7-like in Nicotiana benthamiana. In an overexpression system, this interaction facilitates liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), forming condensate-like structures that could influence host immune-related signalling. Strikingly, plants overexpressing the CDPK7-like gene exhibited significantly enhanced resistance against diverse viruses, including potato virus Y and pepper mild mottle virus, yet displayed heightened susceptibility to CMV, suggesting virus-specific hijacking. Notably, a coumarin-based small-molecule LLPS modulator D3 is developed, which selectively targets the critical Thr52 residue within CMV CP to rescue CDPK7-like from LLPS initiation. Stands in contrast to the commercial drug ribavirin (EC50 = 195 μg/mL), D3 shows better inactivating property against CMV (EC50 = 70.8 μg/mL). This study reveals a mechanism by which CMV manipulates a host factor through phase separation and contributes a promising lead compound D3 for strategies aimed at enabling plants to win pathogen battles.

In this study, a series of novel vanillic acid derivatives incorporating 1,3,4-oxadiazole and thioether moieties were synthesized and their structures were confirmed using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS techniques. The results of bioactivity determination demonstrated that the target compounds exhibited moderate to good in vitro antibacterial activities against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Particularly, compound 2-4-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-3-methoxyphenyl-5-(propylthio)-1,3,4-oxadiazole displayed remarkable antibacterial activities against Xac and Xoo with EC50 values of 5.58 and 18.82 μg/mL respectively, surpassing those of bismerthiazol and thiodiazole copper. To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first report on the synthesis and antibacterial activity evaluation of vanillic acid derivatives incorporating 1,3,4-oxadiazole and thioether moieties.

In this study, a series of novel pyrimidine derivatives incorporating an 1,1,2-trifluoro-1-butene moiety were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS. The bioassay results demonstrate that 4-methyl-2-[(3,4,4-trifluorobut-3-en-1-yl)thio]-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidine exhibits comparable in vitro antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger (64.55 and 48.85

In this study, a series of novel pyrimidine derivatives incorporating amide and 1,3,4-thiadiazole thioether moieties were synthesized and their structures were confirmed using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS analyses. Bioassay results demonstrated that compound 2-[4-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidin-2-yl]thio-N-[5-(propylthio)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]acetamide exhibited superior antibacterial activity against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), with an inhibition rate of 100

In this study, a series of novel sulfone derivatives incorporating 1,3,4-oxadiazole and pyrimidine moieties were synthesized and confirmed their structures by 1H NMR,13C NMR, and HRMS. Their in vitro antifungal activities of the target compounds against Dothiorella gregaria (D. gregaria), Diaporthe phaseolorum (D. phaseolorum), Daldinia childiae (D. childiae), Colletotrichum godetiae (C. godetiae), Fusarium tricinctum (F. tricinctum), Neofusicoccum parvum (N. parvum), Botryosphaeria dothidea (B. dothidea), and Epicoccum sorghinum (E. sorghinum) at 100 and 50 mu g/mL were determined by the mycelium growth rate method. The bioassay results demonstrate that the target compounds exhibit comparatively lower antifungal activities against the eight plant pathogenic fungi in comparison to imazalil sulfate. To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first report on the synthesis and antifungal activity evaluation of sulfone derivatives incorporating 1,3,4-oxadiazole and pyrimidine moieties.

Phase separation (PS) plays a fundamental role in organizing aggregates during the viral lifecycle, providing significant opportunities for in viral disease treatment by inhibiting PS. Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) have been extensively studied and found to be critical for PS. However, the discovery of small molecules that target residues within IDRs remains underexplored, particularly in the field of pesticides. Herein, we report a novel phytovirucide compound 29, which was screened from a series of vanillin derivatives designed with sulfonylpiperazine motifs. The inactivation efficacy of compound 29 against tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) was significantly superior to that of the control agents vanisulfane and ribavirin. Mechanistically, compound 29 binds to the TSWV nucleocapsid protein (NP) at residues Lys68 (K68), Thr92 (T92), and Arg94 (R94), with T92 and R94 located in the IDRs of NP. Mutations at these sites impair the ability to form aggregates. Furthermore, a host factor, GTP (Guanosine Triphosphate)-binding nuclear protein Ran-like (Niben101scf08341g01001, NbRANL), which interacts with NP and promotes its aggregation, was identified. Compound 29 also suppresses the expression of NbRANL, resulting in the dual inhibition of ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) formation. This unique mechanism of action provides insights into IDRs-based virucide discovery.

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a major pathogen that causes clinical diarrhea in piglets, resulting in substantial economic losses to the pig farming industry. Because of its host diversity, PDCoV can infect multiple species such as cattle, chickens, turkeys, mice, and even humans, posing a considerable threat to public health security. Currently, effective commercial drugs for PDCoV infection remain unavailable. In this study, we noted that resveratrol (Res) treatment effectively inhibited PDCoV replication in the porcine small intestinal epithelial cell line, IPEC-J2. Mechanistically, Res treatment increased SIRT1 expression, and the SIRT1 inhibitor EX-527 could block Res's antiviral activity. SIRT1 overexpression inhibited PDCoV replication, whereas mutant SIRT1 lacking deacetylase activity did not affect PDCoV replication. These results indicated that the deacetylation activity of SIRT1 is critical for the anti-PDCoV effects of Res. We also found that Res treatment significantly elevated IFN-β mRNA levels and activated IRF3 phosphorylation via SIRT1. In conclusion, Res can activate SIRT1, upregulating the interferon signaling pathway and promoting IFN-β production, thereby inhibiting PDCoV replication. As such, Res may be a promising therapeutic agent for PDCoV control, facilitating the development of novel anti-PDCoV drugs.

During prolonged storage of garlic scapes (Allium sativum L.), the proliferation of microorganisms, particularly fungi, frequently causes postharvest rot, leading to moss-covered stem spots, tissue softening, depression, and even structural breakage. Carvacrol, a promising natural food preservative, exhibits various biological activities against different microorganisms. To investigate the inhibitory effects and mechanism of action of carvacrol against specific pathogens responsible for postharvest rot in garlic scapes, in this study, a specific pathogenic fungal strain responsible for postharvest rot in garlic scapes, designated as strain F, was initially isolated from symptomatic garlic scapes and identified as Fusarium acuminatum through a combination of morphological, physiological, and molecular biological analyses. Meanwhile, our findings revealed that carvacrol can significantly delay the onset of postharvest rot symptoms in garlic scapes and exhibit potent in vito inhibitory activity against Fusarium acuminatum, with a median effective concentration (EC50) of 36.17 μg/L. In addition, scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations indicated that carvacrol could induce irreversible alterations in the morphology and structure of the hyphae, leading to deformation and rupture. Furthermore, the combined transcriptome and proteome analysis results indicated that carvacrol primarily affects the steroid biosynthesis and MAPK signaling pathway cell signaling pathways in Fusarium acuminatum to interference compromises the integrity and stability of the cell membrane, consequently suppressing the growth and proliferation of Fusarium acuminatum.

Rosa roxburghii Tratt (RRT) is widely cultivated in Guizhou Province, China. In recent years, RRT has emerged as one of the most promising new fruit crops in China, primarily because of its remarkably high levels of ascorbic acid (AsA). In this research, we assessed the AsA levels in RRT across various growth phases. The findings demonstrate that the AsA concentration in RRT fruits progressively increased in a linear fashion throughout development, peaking at 2274.60 mg/(100 g FW) when the fruit reached maturity (84 DAA). Furthermore, we conducted an integrated analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data for the first time to investigate the mechanisms responsible for AsA accumulation in RRT. Our results show that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were primarily associated with the ascorbate and aldarate metabolism pathway, suggesting that this pathway plays a crucial role in regulating AsA accumulation in RRT. This study elucidates the molecular mechanism underlying AsA accumulation in RRT and provides a robust scientific foundation for subsequent research on AsA accumulation in RRT.

During prolonged storage of garlic scapes (Allium sativum L.), the proliferation of microorganisms, particularly fungi, frequently results in postharvest rot, which negatively impacts both product quality and market value. Carvacrol, a promising natural food preservative, exhibits broad-spectrum bioactivity against various microorganisms. In this study, a specific pathogenic fungal strain causing postharvest rot in garlic scapes, designated as HQ, was initially isolated from symptomatic garlic scapes. Based on a combination of physiological characteristics and molecular identification techniques, the HQ strain was identified as Aspergillus niger. Our findings further demonstrated that carvacrol exhibits significant in vitro inhibitory effects against Aspergillus niger with an EC50 value of 75.99 μg/L. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed that carvacrol induces irreversible morphological and structural changes in the hyphae, resulting in deformation and rupture. Additionally, integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses indicated that carvacrol primarily targets the cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling pathway within the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in Aspergillus niger, thereby compromising cell membrane integrity and stability, which ultimately suppresses fungal growth and proliferation.

In this study, two gas-producing spoilage microbes, namely CQ17 and CQ22, were isolated from fermented pepper. Combining the physiological and biochemical characteristics, molecular biological identification, and specific colony morphology, CQ17 was identified as Pichia manshurica while CQ22 was identified as Lentilactobacillus buchneri. Subsequently, our findings indicated that the CQ17 and CQ22 strains exhibited resistance to high temperature, low-pH, and high salinity environments. Meanwhile, our findings revealed that carvacrol, a commonly utilized preservative, exhibited remarkable inhibitory activities against Pichia manshurica and Lentilactobacillus buchneri with the EC50 values of 0.28 and 0.68 mg/L respectively, effectively suppressing the growth of gas-producing strains to prolong the shelf life of fermented pepper. Simultaneously, volatile components of the fermented pepper were analyzed using HS-GC-IMS technology resulting in identification of 55 volatile flavor compounds including acids, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones, alkenes, and other compounds. Among them, (R/S)-linalool, 3-methyl-1-butanol acetate butanoic acid ethyl ester, 2-methyl butanoic acid ethyl ester, and ethyl 2-methylpropionate were identified as crucial components contributing to sensory attributes in fermented pepper as well as (E)-3-hexen-1-ol and l-Pentanol exhibited the highest VIP values and can be considered as the best reliable markers for differentiating fermented pepper samples with the addition of carvacrol as a preservative.

In this study, a series of novel difluoromethyl pyrazole derivatives were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS techniques. Subsequently, their antifungal activities in vitro against Mucor fragilis (M. fragilis), Trichoderma atroviride (T. atroviride), and Mucor bainieri (M. bainieri) at concentrations of 50 and 100 μg/mL were evaluated using the mycelium growth rate assay. Bioactivity results showed that the target compounds revealed lower antifungal activities against M. fragilis, T. atroviride, and M. bainieri than those of prochloraz and carbendazim. Additionally, the antibacterial activities against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoo) were determined using the turbidimeter test method. The bioassay results demonstrated that some of the target compounds exhibited moderate to good antibacterial activities. Notably, 2-methoxyphenyl 3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylate displayed superior antibacterial effects against Xoo and Xac with inhibition rates of 62, 86 and 53, 80

A series of novel 1,3,4-thiadiazole sulfone-derived compounds incorporating an amide moiety was synthesized. The in vitro antibacterial activities against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc), and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) demonstrated that 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-N-[5-(methylsulfonyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]acetamide exhibited remarkable antibacterial activities against all three pathogenic bacteria with EC50 values of 6 μg/mL for Xoo, 11 μg/mL for Xoc, and 16 μg/mL for Xac, which were even surpassed those of bismerthiazol and thiodiazole copper. Furthermore, under greenhouse conditions at a concentration of 200 μg/mL, this compound showed superior efficacy compared to bismerthiazol and thiodiazole copper in reducing rice bacterial leaf blight with a protection activity of 53.43

Herein, a series of novel 4-chromanone-derived compounds incorporating an acylhydrazone moiety was synthesized and their structures were confirmed using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS technologies. Bioassay results demonstrated that some of the target compounds exhibited moderate to good antibacterial activities against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicolaby (Xoc), as well as antifungal activities against Lasiodiplodia theobromae (L. theobromae) and Fusarium proliferatum (F. proliferatum).

This study involved the design and synthesis of a series of novel 4-chromanone-derived compounds. Their in vivo anti-cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) activity in field trials against CMV disease in Passiflora spp. was then assessed. Bioassay results demonstrated that compounds 7c and 7g exhibited remarkable curative effects and protection against CMV, with inhibition rates of 57.69% and 51.73% and 56.13% and 52.39%, respectively, surpassing those of dufulin and comparable to ningnanmycin. Field trials results indicated that compound 7c displayed significant efficacy against CMV disease in Passiflora spp. (passion fruit) after the third spraying at a concentration of 200 mg/L, with a relative control efficiency of 47.49%, surpassing that of dufulin and comparable to ningnanmycin. Meanwhile, nutritional quality test results revealed that compound 7c effectively enhanced the disease resistance of Passiflora spp., as evidenced by significant increases in soluble protein, soluble sugar, total phenol, and chlorophyll contents in Passiflora spp. leaves as well as improved the flavor and taste of Passiflora spp. fruits, as demonstrated by notable increases in soluble protein, soluble sugar, soluble solid, and vitamin C contents in Passiflora spp. fruits. Additionally, a transcriptome analysis revealed that compound 7c primarily targeted the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway, a crucial plant hormone signal transduction pathway, thereby augmenting resistance against CMV disease in Passiflora spp. Therefore, this study demonstrates the potential application of these novel 4-chromanone-derived compounds as effective inducers of plant immunity for controlling CMV disease in Passiflora spp. in the coming decades.