Levilactobacillus brevis is a common species of lactic acid bacteria mainly detected on the surface of plant stems and leaves and in pickles, dairy products, and intestines. With excellent physiological functions, L. brevis is a potential probiotic species. With the rise of genomics, it is of great significance to reveal the genetic characteristics and functional gene properties of L. brevis at the gene level for application of this bacterium. This paper reviews the genetic background and major functional genes of L. brevis, aiming to lay a theoretical foundation for the application of L. brevis.

Glucose-1-phosphate is a key precursor for starch biosynthesis of photoautotrophs. Phosphoglucomutases (PGMs) belonging to the phosphohexomutase family have a high conserved characteristic and perform the interconversion between glucose-6-phosphate and glucose-1-phosphate to regulate the starch biosynthesis. Compared with the higher plants, microalgae possess unique photosynthetic systems. Additionally, some microalgae strains can utilize organic carbon sources to produce valuable biomass by heterotrophic or mixotrophic cultivation, which might endow PGMs with specific structural features and biological functions in starch metabolism to regulate the levels of carbon fixation by photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and other pathways in microalgae. This article summarizes the molecular characteristics, functions, and activity regulation of PGMs for microalgae. Moreover, this article elucidates the potential mechanisms by which PGMs regulate microalgae starch synthesis to influence intracellular protein and lipid metabolic pathways. This review lays a theoretical foundation for microalgae carbon sequestration and the value-added utilization of microalgae resources, contributing to the achievement of China's "dual-carbon" goals.

[Objective] To compare the metabolism and transcription between the probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) and the model strains, thus providing a reference for the engineering and promoting the application of the food-safe strain EcN. [Methods] The genome and transcriptome were compared between EcN and model strains BL21(DE3) and W3110 by software, and plasmids were constructed to verify the differences. EcN-derived microcin was expressed in BL21(DE3) and the antibacterial effect of microcin was verified. [Results] A total of 904 differentially coding genes were identified. The differences in carbon source absorption and utilization of different strains were verified by experiments with different carbon sources as substrates. The expression of the promoter P_flic confirmed the differences in transcription among different strains. The recombinant strain of microcin showed an increase of 30.3% in the inhibition rate after 12 h of culture. [Conclusion] This study clarifies the metabolic characteristics of EcN and confirms the differences in transcription between EcN and model strains. Moreover, this study provides ideas for the development of microcin as a narrow-spectrum therapeutic drug to inhibit intestinal pathogens and reduce intestinal bacterial blooms.

CRISPR-Cas is a defense system ubiquitous in bacteria and archaea. It has been successfully applied in genome editing in a variety of organisms. At present, CRISPR-Cas9 and CRISPR-Cas12a are the most widely used genome editing tools. However, the large protein sizes of Cas9 and Cas12a (more than 1 000 amino acids (aa)) hinder their delivery. TnpB and IscB (about 400 aa) encoded by the transposon family are considered ancestors of Cas12 and Cas9, respectively, whereas their functions are revealed just recently. They are named as obligate mobile element-guided activity (OMEGA), with the associated RNA named ωRNA. Since then, the OMEGA system has become one of the research hotspots in genome editing. OMEGA systems are diverse, with wide distribution in all the three domains of life. The in-depth research on the OMEGA system will aid in the development of new genome editing tools that are streamlined, efficient, and safe. Here, we reviewed the discovery history, structural characteristics, mechanisms of cleavage, and genome editing applications of OMEGA systems, aiming to lay a foundation for the development and optimization of genome editing tools.

[Objective] To provide candidate strains and effective strategies for the control of mulberry fruit sclerotiniose, we screened out the endophytic bacteria with biocontrol potential for mulberry fruit sclerotiniose from a resistant mulberry cultivar. [Methods] The endophytic bacteria antagonistic to mulberry fruit sclerotiniose were isolated from mulberry plants by the tissue culture and confrontation culture methods. The antagonistic strain was identified based on morphological features, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and the phylogenetic relationship based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. The antimicrobial spectrum and control efficiency to detached mulberry fruits were determined to evaluate the application potential of the antagonistic strain. Furthermore, we observed the inhibitory effect of the fermentation supernatant of the strain on the mycelial growth of the pathogen, measured the variations in glycogen and reactive oxygen species accumulation of the pathogen treated with the antagonistic strain, and determined the expression of pathogen-related genes after treatment with the antagonistic strain to decipher the antagonistic mechanism of this strain. [Results] An endophytic bacterial strain C1R32 with strong and stable antagonistic activity on Sclerotinia sclerotiorum PZ-2 (the pathogen of mulberry fruit sclerotiniose) was isolated from a healthy mulberry branch. C1R32 showed similar morphological features and physiological and biochemical characteristics with Bacillus. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that C1R32 was located in the same clade with B. subtilis. Therefore, strain C1R32 was identified as B. subtilis. B. subtilis C1R32 had antagonistic activities against a variety of phytopathogens including S. sclerotiorum. The suspension and fermentation supernatant of B. subtilis C1R32 showed the control effects of 52.94% and 46.43%, respectively, on sclerotiniose of detached mulberry fruits. The cell-free fermentation supernatant of B. subtilis C1R32 caused the hypha swelling and distorting, cell wall breaking, and cytoplasm leakage of S. sclerotiorum PZ-2. Moreover, B. subtilis C1R32 inhibited S. sclerotiorum PZ-2 by reducing glycogen accumulation, promoting reactive oxygen species burst, and influencing the expression of genes associated with antioxidant activity. [Conclusion] We isolated an endophytic B. subtilis strain capable of controlling mulberry fruit sclerotiniose from a resistant mulberry cultivar and preliminarily explored its antagonistic mechanism, providing potential strain resources for the biocontrol of mulberry fruit sclerotiniose.

[Objective] To obtain a yeast strain efficiently producing the acidic protease PrA for applications in food processing, feed additives, and other related industries. [Methods] We constructed a recombinant strain of Pichia pastoris expressing PrA by fermentation in shake flasks and measured the enzymatic properties of the expressed PrA. Several strategies, such as signal peptide modification, gene dosage optimization, and co-expression with molecular chaperones, were employed to enhance the production of PrA. Additionally, high-density fermentation was employed to further improve the expression level. [Results] The expressed enzyme PrA showcased the specific activity of 3 974.00 U/mg, with the optimum performance at pH 3.0 and 45 ℃. The production of PrA by the parental strain was 738.03 U/mL. The modification of the MF4I signal peptide increased the production of PrA to 1 206.52 U/mL. Moreover, an increase in the copy number of prA further increased the PrA production to 2 406.47 U/mL. Additionally, co-expression with single or combined molecular chaperones increased the PrA production to 4 091.27 U/mL. After undergoing high-density fermentation, the enzyme activity reached 43 088.00 U/mL within 168 h, representing a 58.4-fold increase compared with the initial production. [Conclusion] High-level expression of PrA was achieved in P. pastoris, which laid a foundation for the future industrial applications. The results provide valuable insights into the research and development of PrA for applications in food processing and feed additives.

[Objective] A facultative anaerobic bacterium Klebsiella sp. CW-D3T utilizing sulfate as the terminal electron acceptor for anaerobic respiration was used for degradation of target pollutants in the system with phenanthrene (PHE)-Cd²⁺ co-contamination. The response mechanism of the strain to different Cd²⁺ concentrations in the sulfate reduction system and the anaerobic metabolic pathways of the strain for degrading PHE were studied. [Methods] A sulfate reduction system with an initial sulfate concentration of 20 mmol/L was developed to enhance the growth and metabolic activity of functional bacteria and improve the bacterial performance for remediating PHE-Cd²⁺ co-contamination. The changes in extracellular polymer secretion and the vibrational characteristics of characteristic peaks were analyzed to explore the cellular responses to different Cd²⁺ concentrations. Furthermore, qualitative and quantitative analyses of the metabolic products of PHE in the sulfate reduction system were conducted by GC-MS and HPLC. [Results] In the presence of 0.5–50.0 mg/L Cd²⁺, the sulfate reduction system of Klebsiella sp. CW-D3T enhanced the remediation efficiency of target compounds, with the PHE and Cd²⁺ removal rates above 70.00% when the initial Cd²⁺ concentration was below 10 mg/L. As the concentration of Cd²⁺ increased, the secretion of extracellular polysaccharides in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) was more than that of extracellular proteins, and the intensity of characteristic peaks of polysaccharides and protein functional groups on the surface of bacterial cells was enhanced. The initial activation of PHE in the sulfate reduction system tended to favor carboxylation to produce 2-phenanthroic acid under Cd²⁺ stress. When the initial Cd²⁺ concentrations were 10 mg/L and 50 mg/L, the content of 2-phenanthroic acid peaked at 15.56 μg/L and 10.23 μg/L on day 5, respectively, which decreased by 27.56% and 52.37% compared with that of the control group without the addition of Cd²⁺. Cd²⁺ stress significantly affected the 2-phenanthroic acid content within the cycle and at the end of the cycle. [Conclusion] The biodegradation efficiency of PHE by Klebsiella sp. CW-D3T was significantly improved when sulfate was used as an electron acceptor in the presence of Cd²⁺. The extracellular polysaccharides and proteins played a positive role in enhancing the microbial tolerance to Cd²⁺ stress by regulating the detoxification process.

Beneficial bacteria in the gut affect human health, and it is generally believed that the assemblage of healthy gut flora is achieved through vertical transmission of by breastfeeding in early infancy. There is limited evidence for the difference in the composition of beneficial bacteria across different mother-infant cohorts and the presence of population-specific microbial taxa. [Objective] To investigate Lactobacillus spp. and the vertical transmission and genetic differences of the dominant species Lacticaseibacillus paracasei among mother-infant cohorts of different ethnic groups, providing a theoretical basis for developing personalized probiotic regimens. [Methods] Lactobacillus strains were isolated from 39 mother-infant pairs of three ethnic groups without mixed marriage in China and identified by repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (rep-PCR) and groEL sequences. The genetic differences of 83 strains of L. paracasei, a representative species, were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). [Results] The species and abundance of Lactobacillus varied among the mother-infant pairs of different ethnic groups. A total of 945 Lactobacillus strains were isolated, belonging to 15 species of 4 genera. L. rhamnosus (20.07%), L. paracasei (16.54%), and L. casei (11.90%) were dominant species in the Han ethnic group, while L. casei (13.55%), L. paracasei (12.69%), and Ligilactobacillus salivarius (11.47%) were dominant bacteria in Uighur ethnic group in Hotan. The dominant species in the Li ethnic group in Hainan were Limosilactobacillus oris (24.55%), L. paracasei (15.85%), and Lactobacillus gasseri (10.87%). The 83 strains of L. paracasei were classified into 11 phylogenetic groups by rep-PCR and 31 sequence types (STs) by MLST, demonstrating ethnic specificity. L. paracasei isolates from the same mother-infant pair had the same STs, and isolates from the mother-infant pairs of the same ethnic group had higher genetic similarity. [Conclusion] Lactobacillus species varied in the mother-infant pairs of different ethnic groups, and L. paracasei strains from the same origin displayed higher genetic similarity, which supported vertical transmission at strain level and ethnic specificity.

Monocarboxylates such as lactate, pyruvate, and ketone bodies play an important role in the metabolic activities of organisms. As a monocarboxylate transporter, MpMch2 is mainly responsible for the transmembrane transport of monocarboxylates and the maintenance of glucose metabolism balance.[Objective] To analyze the functions of MpMch2 in Monascus purpureus. [Methods] The MpMch2 in M. purpureus Mp-21 was replaced with the hygromycin gene by homologous recombination to construct the deletion strain ∆MpMch2. The colony and cell morphology of Mp-21 and ∆MpMch2 on different media was observed, and the yield of monascus pigment, γ-aminobutyric acid, conidia and ascospores were determined. The expression levels of genes related to conidia and γ-aminobutyric acid were determined by RT-qPCR. [Results] There was no significant difference in the colony morphology between the wild type and ∆MpMch2 on different media. After knockout of MpMch2, the yields of conidia, ascospores, Monascus pigments, and γ-aminobutyric acid decreased, and the expression levels of related genes were down-regulated. [Conclusion] MpMch2 positively regulated the development of conidia and ascospores and the production of Monascus pigments and γ-aminobutyric acid.

Isoquercetin is a flavonoid with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities. However, the low content in plants poses a challenge to the large-scale production of isoquercetin by the extraction method.[Objective] α-L-rhamnosidase can specifically hydrolyze the terminal L-rhamnose residues of natural glycosides. In this study, we screened the strains capable of efficiently and specifically transforming rutin to produce isoquercetin with rutin as the sole carbon source and applied the α-L-rhamnosidase to the production of isoquercetin, aiming to provide new elements for the large-scale production of isoquercetin. [Methods] The selective culture medium with rutin as the sole carbon source was used to screen and identify the strains that can specifically hydrolyze rutin into isoquercetin. The transcriptome analysis was carried out to obtain highly efficient and specific α-L-rhamnosidase, the domain composition of which was determined by structural simulation. The enzymatic properties and substrate specificity of the α-L-rhamnosidase were studied. Furthermore, the hydrolysis effect of the enzyme heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris in a 5 L fermenter was determined. [Results] AfRhase had five domains, including one α-domain (domain A) and four β-domains (domains N, E, F, and C). With rutin as the substrate, the recombinant enzyme AfRhase showcased the best performance at 55 ℃ and pH 4.5. AfRhase had a wide range of substrates including rutin, hesperidin, naringin, and epimedin C. In a 5 L fermenter for scaled-up production of isoquercetin, P. pastoris expressing AfRhase generated 61 g isoquercetin by hydrolyzing 120 g crude rutin (purity of 70%), with the molar conversion rate of 95.4% and production efficiency of 2.0 mmol/(L·h). [Conclusion] This study for the first time discovered a highly efficient and specific α-L-rhamnosidase from Aspergillus sp. XT-1 for the production of isoquercetin from rutin and heterologously expressed this enzyme in P. pastoris. The domain composition, enzymatic properties, substrate specificity, and hydrolysis efficiency in a 5 L fermenter of this enzyme were determined. In conclusion, this study broadened the function of a fungus-derived α-L-rhamnosidase for the transformation of rutin and laid a foundation for the industrial production of isoquercetin.