Mushroom extracts and compounds with suppressive action on breast cancer: evidence from studies using cultured cancer cells, tumor-bearing animals, and clinical trials.

This article reviews mushrooms with anti-breast cancer activity. The mushrooms covered which are better known include the following: button mushroom Agaricus bisporus, Brazilian mushroom Agaricus blazei, Amauroderma rugosum, stout camphor fungus Antrodia camphorata, Jew's ear (black) fungus or black wood ear fungus Auricularia auricula-judae, reishi mushroom or Lingzhi Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma sinense, maitake mushroom or sheep's head mushroom Grifola frondosa, lion's mane mushroom or monkey head mushroom Hericium erinaceum, brown beech mushroom Hypsizigus marmoreus, sulfur polypore mushroom Laetiporus sulphureus, Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom), Phellinus linteus (Japanese "meshimakobu," Chinese "song gen," Korean "sanghwang," American "black hoof mushroom"), abalone mushroom Pleurotus abalonus, king oyster mushroom Pleurotus eryngii, oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, tuckahoe or Fu Ling Poria cocos, and split gill mushroom Schizophyllum commune. Antineoplastic effectiveness in human clinical trials and mechanism of anticancer action have been reported for Antrodia camphorata, Cordyceps sinensis, Coriolus versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, and Lentinula edodes.

Behavioral Responses of Scolytus schevyrewi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) to Volatiles From Apricot Tree (Rosales: Rosaceae).

Scolytus schevyrewi Semenov (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is native to China and Central Asia. Damage by the adults and larvae weakens local apricot trees (Armeniaca spp.), often causing death to many host trees.

Molecular and Potential Regulatory Mechanisms of Melanin Synthesis in .

Melanization is a common phenomenon in insects, and melanin synthesis is a conserved physiological process that occurs in epidermal cells. Moreover, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of melanin synthesis influencing insect pigmentation are well-suited for investigating phenotype variation. The Asian multi-colored (Harlequin) ladybird beetle, , exhibits intraspecific polymorphism based on relative levels of melanization.

New ribosome-inactivating proteins and other proteins with protein synthesis-inhibiting activities.

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) consist of three varieties. Type 1 RIPs are single-chained and approximately 30-kDa in molecular weight. Type 2 RIPs are double-chained and composed of a type 1 RIP chain and a lectin chain.

Long-term performance and microbial community characteristics of pilot-scale anaerobic reactors for thermal hydrolyzed sludge digestion under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) with thermal hydrolysis pretreatment has been attracted widespread attention in recent years due to its high efficiency. However, few studies focus on systematical comparison of the downstream AD processes for thermal hydrolyzed sludge and their corresponding microbial community compositions, especially on those at pilot scale and above. Thus, this study systematically compared the long-term performance and microbial communities of two pilot-scale anaerobic reactors for thermal hydrolyzed sludge digestion under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

Characterization of brown film formed by Lentinula edodes.

Lentinula edodes is a widely-produced mushroom in China that forms a brown film via pigment accumulation on mature mycelial surfaces to ensure high-quantity and high-quality fruiting body formation. Here, ultraviolet-visible, infrared spectra, and elemental analyses predicted that the pigment in the brown film was melanin. Electron microscopy revealed the size, morphological characteristics, accumulation, and morphogenesis of electron-dense material, which were similar to those of melanin, as well as subcellular structural changes during brown film formation.

Cross-resistance, biochemical mechanism and fitness costs of laboratory-selected resistance to pyridalyl in diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella.

Pyridalyl belongs to one novel type of insecticides with uncertain mode of action, and it showed significant efficacy against Plutella xylostella, which has been considered as one notorious insect pest in the world. To characterize pyridalyl resistance in P. xylostella, one susceptible strain XY-PS and one laboratory-selected pyridalyl-resistant strain XY-PR (34.

Monitoring insecticide resistance and diagnostics of resistance mechanisms in Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (Q biotype) in China.

Bemisia tabaci is one of notorious agricultural insect pests in China, and the strategies of management largely depend on application of insecticides. In order to assess levels of resistance in field populations of B. tabaci to six insecticides including abamectin, cyantraniliprole, pymetrozine, imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos and bifenthrin, we monitored the susceptibility to all tested insecticides in five field populations across China and the results indicated that field populations of B.

Molecular characterization of DNA methyltransferase 1 and its role in temperature change of armyworm Mythimna separata Walker.

DNA methylation refers to the addition of cytosine residues in a CpG context (5'-cytosine-phosphate-guanine-3'). As one of the most common mechanisms of epigenetic modification, it plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression and in a diverse range of biological processes across all multicellular organisms. The relationship between temperature and DNA methylation and how it acts on the adaptability of migratory insects remain unknown.

Metabolomics Profiling and AKR Characterization During Paurometabolous Development of Corythucha ciliata (Hemiptera: Tingidae).

The sycamore lace bug, Corythucha ciliata (Say) is an invasive pest infesting trees of the genus Platanus. Both adults and nymphs damage the foliage of sycamore trees. Nymphs cannot survive in low temperatures; however, the sycamore lace bug overwinters as adults.

Patterns of PCR Amplification Artifacts of the Fungal Barcode Marker in a Hybrid Mushroom.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely used in modern biology and medicine. However, PCR artifacts can complicate the interpretation of PCR-based results. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA gene cluster is the consensus fungal barcode marker and suspected PCR artifacts have been reported in many studies, especially for the analyses of environmental fungal samples.

Functional characterization of one sex pheromone receptor (AlucOR4) in Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür).

Traps baited with female-produced sex pheromones have been very effective in the monitoring and management of mirid bugs in numerous field trials. However, none of the target odorant receptors for sex pheromone components in Apolygus lucorum have been identified. Here, we identified one candidate sex pheromone receptor, AlucOR4, from A.

Evaluation of the Expression and Function of the and Genes in Ecdysis of .

is an important predatory insect and widely used in biological control of agricultural and forestry pests. Trehalose is directly involved in the energy storage of the and in the oxidative function of various physiological activities thereby providing an energy source for its growth and development. The aim of this study was to explore the potential function of membrane-bound-like trehalase () and membrane-bound trehalase () genes in by RNAi.

Deorphanization of an odorant receptor revealed new bioactive components for green mirid bug Apolygus lucorum (Hemiptera: Miridae).

Background: The Apolygus lucorum is one of the most destructive insect pests in China with a wide range of host plants. Interaction of A. lucorum with surrounding environment heavily relies on chemical communication.

Discrimination of Oviposition Deterrent Volatile β-Ionone by Odorant-Binding Proteins 1 and 4 in the Whitefly .

The whitefly, , is an important invasive economic pest of agricultural crops worldwide. β-ionone has a significant oviposition repellent effect against , but the olfactory molecular mechanism of this insect for recognizing β-ionone is unclear. To clarify the binding properties of odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) with β-ionone, we performed gene cloning, evolution analysis, bacterial expression, fluorescence competitive binding assay, and molecular docking to study the binding function of OBP1 and OBP4 on β-ionone.

Molecular and Functional Characterization of One Odorant-Binding Protein Gene OBP3 in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae).

Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) of insects play a critical role in chemical perceptions and choice of insect host plant. Bemisia tabaci is a notorious insect pest which can damage more than 600 plant species. In order to explore functions of OBPs in B.

Spatio-temporal variations in wheat aphid populations and their natural enemies in four agro-ecological zones of Pakistan.

Aphids are major pests of wheat crop in Pakistan inflicting considerable economic losses. A better knowledge of landscape scale spatial distribution of aphids and their natural enemies could be used to improve integrated pest management programs. Therefore, the present study aimed to document spatio-temporal variations in populations of wheat aphids and their natural enemies in Pakistan.

Variations in Nuclear Number and Size in Vegetative Hyphae of the Edible Mushroom .

In basidiomycete fungi, the number of nuclei and their ploidy level per nucleus can vary tremendously among species; however, within species, nuclear number and ploidy levels are traditionally considered fixed in their vegetative hyphae. In the edible mushroom , the hyphae are classified as either monokaryotic or dikaryotic, with each monokaryotic hyphal cell containing one haploid nucleus, and each dikaryotic hyphal cell containing two haploid nuclei. The dikaryotic hyphae are the results of mating between two genetically distinct monokaryons with different mating types.

First demonstration of protective effects of purified mushroom polysaccharide-peptides against fatty liver injury and the mechanisms involved.

Fatty liver (FLD) disease is a consequence of metabolic syndrome, which is a health problem worldwide with a phenomenal rise in prevalence. In this study, two hepatoprotective polysaccharide-peptides were extracted from the mushroom Auricularia polytricha followed by chromatographic fractionation of the extract on the ion exchanger DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration on Sephadex-200 to yield two purified fractions: APPI and APPII. The monosaccharide compositions, FT-IR, N-terminal sequences, internal peptide sequences and molecular weights of the two fractions were determined.

High Genetic Diversity and Species Complexity of Associated With Grapevine Dieback in China.

Grapevine trunk diseases have become one of the main threats to grape production worldwide, with species as an emerging group of pathogens in China. At present, relatively little is known about the taxonomy and genetic diversity of Chinese populations, including their relationships to other populations worldwide. Here, we conducted an extensive field survey in six provinces in China to identify and characterize species in grape vineyards.

The Role of the Dopamine Melanin Pathway in the Ontogeny of Elytral Melanization in .

Polymorphic melanism in insects is a conspicuous phenotype which is derived from specific genotypes, and might be central to speciation processes via assortative sexual selection. At the molecular level, melanism in insects is attributed to the melanin pathway. DOPA decarboxylase (DDC) protein encoded by the gene plays a central role in dopamine-melanin synthesis, the main component of melanin in insects.

Characteristics of neonicotinoid imidacloprid in urine following exposure of humans to orchards in China.

Imidacloprid (IMI) is a typical neonicotinoid with the largest usage in agricultural orchards in China. The long-term repeated use and the lack of proper protective measures may result in rural farmers and people living near orchards to be inevitably exposed to IMI. Excessive exposure may cause potential adverse effects on human health.

Antennal ionotropic receptors IR64a1 and IR64a2 of the parasitoid wasp Microplitis mediator (Hymenoptera: Braconidate) collaboratively perceive habitat and host cues.

Ionotropic receptors (IRs), as a member of the conserved chemoreceptor families in the peripheral nervous system, play a critical role in the chemoreception of Drosophila. However, little is known about IRs in Hymenoptera insects. Here, we comprehensively characterized the gene structure, topological map and chemosensory roles of antennal IRs (MmedIRs) in the hymenopteran parasitoid wasp Microplitis mediator.

Transcriptome sequencing, molecular markers, and transcription factor discovery of Platanus acerifolia in the presence of Corythucha ciliata.

The London Planetree (Platanus acerifolia) are present throughout the world. The tree is considered a greening plant and is commonly planted in streets, parks, and courtyards. The Sycamore lace bug (Corythucha ciliata) is a serious pest of this tree.