Computational Study on the Reaction Mechanism of 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate Synthase from Nicotiana Tabacum.

5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) catalyzes the conversion of 5-enolpyruvate (PEP) and shikimic acid phosphate (S3P) to 5-enolpyruvylshikimic acid-3-phosphate (EPSP), releasing inorganic phosphate. This reaction is the sixth step of the shikimate pathway, which is a metabolic pathway used by microorganisms and plants for the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids and folates but not in mammals. In the present study, the detailed reaction mechanism of EPSPS from Nicotiana tabacum (NtEPSPS) is revealed by quantum chemical calculations with the cluster approach.

Strategy of employing plug-and-play vectors and LC-MS screening to facilitate the discovery of natural products using Aspergillus oryzae.

Aspergillus oryzae is a widely used host for heterologous expression of fungal natural products. However, the vectors previously developed are not convenient for use and screening positive transformants by PCR and fermentation is time- and effort-consuming. Hence, three plug-and-play vectors were developed here for multi-gene expression and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry detection was introduced to screen positive transformants.

EZH2 modulates mRNA splicing and exerts part of its oncogenic function through repression of splicing factors in CML.

The polycomb protein EZH2 is up-regulated in Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) and associated with transcriptional reprogramming. Here we tested whether EZH2 might also act as a modulator of the mRNA splicing landscape to elicit its oncogenic function in CML. We treated CML cell lines with EZH2 inhibitors and detected differential splicing of several hundreds of events, potentially caused by the transcriptional regulation of splicing factors.

Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of Blueberry Root Drought Tolerance Through Yeast Functional Screening and Metabolomic Profiling.

Blueberry plants are among the most important fruit-bearing shrubs, but they have shallow, hairless roots that are not conducive to water and nutrient uptake, especially under drought conditions. Therefore, the mechanism underlying blueberry root drought tolerance should be clarified. Hence, we established a yeast expression library comprising blueberry genes associated with root responses to drought stress.

Rapid Screening of Etomidate and Its Analogs in Seized e-Liquids Using Thermal Desorption Electrospray Ionization Coupled with Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry.

The growing popularity of e-cigarettes has raised significant concerns about the safety and potential abuse of these products. Compounds originally used in the medical field, such as etomidate, metomidate, and isopropoxate, have been illegally added to e-liquids, posing substantial risks to consumer health, and facilitating the misuse of illicit drugs. To address these concerns, this study developed a rapid and efficient method for detecting etomidate, metomidate, and isopropoxate in e-liquids using thermal desorption electrospray ionization coupling triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS/MS).