Diacenaphthylene-fused benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b‘]dithiophenes: polycyclic heteroacenes containing full-carbon five-membered aromatic rings

We herein report on an efficient synthesis of diacenaphthylenefused benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b’]dithiphenes and demonstrate that their packing structure in the solid state depends on the substituent groups. These compounds form dimers with their radical cations in high solution concentration and display good field-effect mobility

PgtE Enzyme of Salmonella enterica Shares the Similar Biological Roles to Plasminogen Activator (Pla) in Interacting With DEC-205 (CD205), and Enhancing Host Dissemination and Infectivity by Yersinia pestis

Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, is a newly evolved Gram-negative bacterium. Through the acquisition of the plasminogen activator (Pla), Y. pestis gained the means to rapidly disseminate throughout its mammalian hosts. It was suggested that Y. pestis utilizes Pla to interact with the DEC-205 (CD205) receptor on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to initiate host dissemination and infection. However, the evolutionary origin of Pla has not been fully elucidated. The PgtE enzyme of Salmonella enterica, involved in host dissemination, shows sequence similarity with the Y. pestis Pla. In this study, we demonstrated that both Escherichia coli K-12 and Y. pestis bacteria expressing the PgtE-protein were able to interact with primary alveolar macrophages and DEC-205-transfected CHO cells. The interaction between PgtE-expressing bacteria and DEC-205-expressing transfectants could be inhibited by the application of an anti-DEC-205 antibody. Moreover, PgtE-expressing Y. pestis partially re-gained the ability to promote host dissemination and infection. In conclusion, the DEC-205-PgtE interaction plays a role in promoting the dissemination and infection of Y. pestis, suggesting that Pla and the PgtE of S. enterica might share a common evolutionary origin.Peer reviewe

Five-Ring Fused Tetracyanothienoquinoids as High-Performance and Solution-Processable n‑Channel Organic Semiconductors: Effect of the Branching Position of Alkyl Chains

Dicyanomethylene-substituted quinoidal dithieno­[2,3-<i>d</i>;2′,3′-<i>d</i>′]­benzo­[1,2-<i>b</i>;4,5-<i>b</i>′]­dithiophene compounds (<b>QDTBDT</b>s) with alkyl chains branched at different positions were synthesized. Thin-film transistor characteristics showed that the type of charge carriers in <b>QDTBDT</b>s could be tuned by changing the branching position of the alkyl chains. <b>QDTBDT-2C</b> exhibited n-channel behavior, and the observed electron mobility was 0.57 cm² V^–1 s^–1 without post-treatment, one of the highest values reported for spin-coated thin-film transistors with no annealing under ambient conditions. <b>QDTBDT-4C</b>-based transistors displayed electron-dominated ambipolar transport behavior, with electron mobilities reaching 0.2 cm² V^–1 s^–1 and hole mobilities in the range of 10^–3–10^–4 cm² V^–1 s^–1. <b>QDTBDT-3C</b> showed solution-concentration-dependent carrier transport characteristics, exhibiting n-type behavior at low solution concentrations and ambipolar performance at high solution concentrations with an electron mobility of 0.22 cm² V^–1 s^–1 and a hole mobility of 0.034 cm² V^–1 s^–1. CMOS-like inverters fabricated from <b>QDTBDT-2C</b> displayed high gain and high noise margins

Cu–Thienoquinone Charge-Transfer Complex: Synthesis, Characterization, and Application in Organic Transistors

A facile and unusual reaction between thienoquinone compound <b>QDTBDT2C</b> and copper is reported. The formation of <b>Cu–QDTBDT2C</b> complex is proved by absorption spectra, IR spectra, Raman spectra, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. This complex can serve as a doping layer at the interface of Cu/<b>QDTBDT2C</b> and greatly improve the performance of organic transistors in which the copper electrode is source/drain electrodes and <b>QDTBDT2C</b> is an active layer. The transistors display an electron mobility of 0.95 cm² V^–1 s^–1, to our knowledge, the highest electron mobility reported for copper electrode-based n-type transistors and nearly two times higher than that of the Au electrode-based devices. These results demonstrate the potential applications of <b>Cu–QDTBDT2C</b> complex in organic electronics, and the unique properties of <b>QDTBDT2C</b> (spontaneously reacting with copper) provide a new insight into the design of n-type organic semiconductors for copper electrode-based organic transistors

The silkworm (Bombyx mori) gut microbiota is involved in metabolic detoxification by glucosylation of plant toxins

Abstract Herbivores have evolved the ability to detoxify feed components through different mechanisms. The oligophagous silkworm feeds on Cudrania tricuspidata leaves (CTLs) instead of mulberry leaves for the purpose of producing special, high-quality silk. However, CTL-fed silkworms are found to have smaller bodies, slower growth and lower silk production than those fed mulberry leaves. Here, we show that the high content of prenylated isoflavones (PIFs) that occurred in CTLs is converted into glycosylated derivatives (GPIFs) in silkworm faeces through the silkworm gut microbiota, and this biotransformation is the key process in PIFs detoxification because GPIFs are found to be much less toxic, as revealed both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, adding Bacillus subtilis as a probiotic to remodel the gut microbiota could beneficially promote silkworm growth and development. Consequently, this study provides meaningful guidance for silk production by improving the adaptability of CTL-fed silkworms

Thieno[3,4‑<i>c</i>]pyrrole-4,6-dione Containing Copolymers for High Performance Field-Effect Transistors

Thieno­[3,4-<i>c</i>]­pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) containing copolymer semiconductors <b>P1–P3</b> were strategically designed and successfully synthesized. Their physicochemical properties were thoroughly investigated. All polymers exhibited good solution processability and high humidity stability in thin film transistors (TFTs). Transistor electrical characterization showed the device performance was sensitive to the alkyl chain substituent orientations of the polymers. A maximum TFT hole mobility of ∼1.29 cm²/(V s) was observed for <b>P3</b>-based devices, a recorded mobility for TPD containing polymer semiconductors reported to date. The corresponding thin-film morphologies and polymer chains packing were investigated in detail by AFM and 2D-GIXD to correlate with the alkyl orientation-dependent carrier mobility of <b>P1–P3</b>. Experimental results showed the alkyl chain orientations determined the polymer chains packing pattern in the thin films, the film morphologies, and the resulting device performances of <b>P1–P3</b>

Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental Gonorrhea

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae, gonococci, or GC), the etiologic agent of gonorrhea, is a human-obligate bacterial pathogen. The GC surface contains pili that mediate the adherence to host cells. Studies have shown that GC pili, coded by pilin genes, undergo remarkable changes during human experimental gonorrhea, possibly generated by DNA phase variation during infection. The question that arises is whether the changes in pilins can alter the adherence capacity of N. gonorrhoeae to host cells. In this study, six variants initially isolated from male volunteers infected with one single clone of GC were examined for their adherence patterns with human Chang conjunctiva cells. In this study, we showed that the variants showed distinct adherence patterns to this cell line under light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, two reisolates showed higher adherence capacities than that of the input strain. The results provide an additional example as to how the pilus variation may play a role in the pathogenesis of N. gonorrhoeae

Syntheses and Properties of Nine-Ring-Fused Linear Thienoacenes

π-Extended nine-ring-fused linear thienoacenes <b>1a</b>–<b>c</b> with internal thieno­[3,2-<i>b</i>;4,5-<i>b</i>′]­dithiophene substructures were synthesized. Their optical and electrochemical properties were investigated. Thin-film transistor characteristics showed all compounds displayed high device reproducibility and nearly no dependence on substrate temperatures. The highest performance was observed for <b>1c</b>-based devices with mobility up to 1.0 cm²/Vs and current on/off ratio of 10⁷, whereas the maximum mobility was 0.5 cm²/Vs for <b>1b</b> and 0.011 cm²/Vs for <b>1a</b>

Synthesis, Structure, and Opto-electronic Properties of Regioisomeric Pyrene–Thienoacenes

Three regioisomeric sulfur-bridged pyrene–thienoacenes (PTAs) have been synthesized. The crystal structures and optoelectronic properties of these ring-fused PTAs and their ring-opened precursors have been fully investigated. Among these isomers, the [3,4]-extended compound (4-S-PTA) shows the most pronounced spectral red-shift and highest quantum yield as well as large transistor mobility