Transfer of Microplastics in Terrestrial and Aquatic Food Webs: The Impact of E‑Waste Debris and Ecological Traits

Factors affecting the trophic transfer of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems remain to be clarified. Here, we determined the abundances of MPs in multiple terrestrial and aquatic species, including insects, snails, crustaceans, fishes, snakes, birds, and voles, from an abandoned e-waste recycling site. Approximately 80% of MPs were within the size range 20–50 μm. In wildlife, the MP abundances per individual and per body weight were found to be positively and negatively correlated with body weight, respectively. Herein, terrestrial vertebrates, primarily birds, exhibited more complex compositions of polymer types than other organisms owing to the wide foraging areas and diverse food sources. However, according to the MPs modeled and the observed results in bird food chains, MPs do not appear to be preferentially retained in the bird gastrointestinal tract. The species-specific polymer types identified indicate the influences of habitat on MP pollution in organisms, which is further supported by significant correlations between the abundance of MPs and δ13C in the terrestrial food web (p < 0.05). In the analyzed bird species, the low MP abundance detected in birds compared with the amount of food ingested indicates that MPs constitute a negligible factor in the bioaccumulation of chemical pollutants

Palladium Metallene-Based Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion Applications

Palladium (Pd)-based catalysts are considered compelling alternatives to platinum (Pt)-based counterparts in various electrocatalytic reactions. Recently, Pd metallene-based nanomaterials have emerged as innovative materials for electrocatalysis, demonstrating unique functional properties and exceptional catalytic activity. This review aims to discuss recent research progress on Pd metallene-based electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications, providing an overview of their design strategies and pivotal advantages. Seven pivotal construction strategies for Pd metallene-based electrocatalysts, including defect engineering, interface engineering, strain effect, phase engineering, alloying effect, and doping effect, are meticulously introduced and comprehensively discussed, highlighting their critical roles in modulating the electronic structure and coordination environment. Finally, the current challenges and perspectives on the future directions of Pd metallene-based electrocatalysts are provided

FgNeo1 is essential for ascospore discharge in an ion-dependent manner.

(A) Ascospore discharge of perithecia harvested from PH-1 and pFgNIA1-FgNEO1 cultured on carrot agar plates with NO3- or Glu. (B) Measurement of the ion concentration in asci of the indicated strains by spectrophotometrically. Error bars represent the SD and asterisks indicate statistically significant differences (ppFgNIA1-FgNEO1 cultured on carrot agar plates with Glu by adding exogenous ions.</p

FgPep12 and FgVam7 physically interact with Ca²⁺ ATPase FgNeo1 in <i>F</i>. <i>graminearum</i>.

(A) Y2H assays for the interactions between FgPep12, FgVam7 and the predicted intracellular calcium signaling-related proteins, respectively. +, positive control; -, negative control. (B) Co-IP assays for the interactions between FgPep12 and FgNeo1, FgVam7 and FgNeo1. Total proteins were isolated from transformants co-expressing GFP-FgNeo1 and FgVam7-3×FLAG or FgPep12-3×FLAG constructs, and proteins eluted from the anti-FLAG M2 beads (elution). Immunoblots were incubated with monoclonal anti-FLAG and anti-GFP antibody, respectively. (C) BiFC assays for the interactions between FgPep12 and FgNeo1, FgVam7 and FgNeo1, respectively. (D and E) Hyphae of transformants expressing RFP-FgSft2 or RFP-FgRab7 constructs in the FgPep12&FgNeo1 and FgVam7&FgNeo1 BiFC strains, were examined under a confocal microscope. Numbers indicate the merged rate of YFP and RFP proteins. Bar = 10μm.</p

A proposed model for FgPep12-Vam7-Neo1 during the development, plant infection and ascospore discharge in <i>F</i>. <i>graminearum</i>.

A proposed model for FgPep12-Vam7-Neo1 during the development, plant infection and ascospore discharge in F. graminearum.</p

FgPep12 is important for vegetative growth, conidiogenesis, pathogenicity and DON production.

(A) The wild type PH-1, ΔFgpep12 mutant and the complemented transformant ΔFgpep12/FgPEP12 were cultured on CM- media at 25°C for 3 days in the dark, and photographed. (B) Conidia of the indicated strains were harvested from CMC medium, and stained with calcofluor white, and observed under a fluorescence microscope. Bar = 10 μm. (C) Infection assays on flowering wheat heads. Conidia suspensions (10 μl) of PH-1, ΔFgpep12 and ΔFgpep12/FgPEP12 were injected into the flowering wheat heads. Photographs were taken at 14 days post-inoculation (dpi). Inoculated site were pointed by white arrows. (D) Spikelets were inoculated with conidia from PH-1 and ΔFgpep12 strain expressing FgACTIN-RFP construct. Images were taken at 7 dpi. Inoculated spikelets were indicated by white arrows. (E) DON production in wheat kernels infested by the indicated strains for 20 days. (F) Relative transcription abundance of trichothecene synthase genes TRI5 and TRI6 in the indicated strains. Error bars represent the SD and asterisks indicate statistically significant differences (p<0.01).</p

Ascospore discharge of the indicated strains under various ions treatment.

Ascospore discharge of the indicated strains under various ions treatment.</p

FgPep12 is required for retrograde transport of RS-Alp from the vacuole to the PVC.

Conidia of transformants expressing Alp-GFP, RS-Alp-GFP and (F/A)RS-Alp-GFP in the wild type PH-1, ΔFgpep12 and ΔFgvps41 mutants were examined by DIC or fluorescence microscope. CMAC staining or expressing RFP-FgSft2 was performed to co-localize with target proteins. Bar = 10 μm.</p

Stereoselective Metabolism of α‑, β‑, and γ‑Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) by Human Liver Microsomes and CYP3A4

This is the first study investigating the in vitro metabolism of α-, β-, and γ-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) stereoisomers in humans and providing semiquantitative metabolism data. Human liver microsomes were incubated with individual racemic mixtures and with individual stereoisomers of α-, β-, and γ-HBCDs, the hydroxylated metabolites formed were analyzed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and the value of the intrinsic in vitro clearance (Cl_int,vitro) was calculated. Several mono- and dihydroxylated metabolites of α-, β-, and γ-HBCDs were formed, with mono-OH-HBCDs being the major metabolites. No stereoisomerization of any of the six α-, β-, and γ-HBCD isomers catalyzed by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes occurred. The value of Cl_int,vitro of α-HBCDs was significantly lower than that of β-HBCDs, which, in turn, was significantly lower than that of γ-HBCDs (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Such differences were explained by the significantly lower values of Cl_int,vitro of each α-HBCD stereoisomer than those of the β- and γ-HBCD stereoisomers. In addition, significantly lower values of Cl_int,vitro of the (−) over the (+)­α- and β-HBCD stereoisomers, but not γ-HBCDs, were obtained. Our data offer a possible explanation of the enrichment of α-HBCDs over β- and γ-HBCDs on the one hand and, on the other hand, of (−)­α-HBCDs over (+)­α-HBCDs previously reported in human samples. It also offers information about the mechanism resulting in such enrichments, the stereoisomer-selective metabolism of α-, β-, and γ-HBCDs catalyzed by CYPs with the lack of stereoisomerization

Identification of Species-Specific Prey Uptake and Biotransformation of Chiral Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Riparian and Aquatic Food Webs

The atropisomeric enrichment of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can trace the movement of PCBs through food webs, but it is a challenge to elucidate the prey uptake and stereoselective biotransformation of PCBs in different species. The present study investigated the concentrations and enantiomer fractions (EFs) of chiral PCBs in invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, and birds. Chiral PCB signature was estimated in total prey for different predators based on quantitative prey sources. The nonracemic PCBs in snakehead (Ophiocephalus argus) were mainly from prey. EFs of PCBs in amphibians and birds were mainly influenced by biotransformation, which showed enrichment of (+)-CBs 132 and 135/144 and different enantiomers of CBs 95 and 139/149. Biomagnification factors (BMFs) of chiral PCBs were higher than 1 for amphibians and passerine birds and lower than 1 for kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and snakehead. BMFs were significantly correlated with EFs of chiral PCBs in predators and indicative of atropisomeric enrichment of PCBs across different species. Trophic magnification factors (TMFs) were higher in the riparian food web than in the aquatic food web because of the high metabolism capacity of chiral PCBs in aquatic predators. The results highlight the influences of species-specific prey sources and biotransformation on the trophic dynamics of chiral PCBs