A π‑Electron Rich Cage via the Friedel–Crafts Reaction

A prism-shaped cage was obtained via the Friedel–Crafts reaction in a 2:3 mixture of trisfuryl and bis-isopropenyl precursors, in a remarkable yield of 40% considering six C–C bonds formed in a one-pot manner. The cage contains two π-electron rich trisfuryl platforms bridged in a face-to-face manner with three p-xylylene linkers. Therefore, it enables accommodation of π-electron poor guests with complementary size, including biscationic viologen

Self-Assembly of Peptide-Polyoxometalate Hybrid Sub-Micrometer Spheres for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

The spontaneous formation of hybrid submicrometer spheres that were composed by a Weakley-type polyoxometalate Na₉[EuW₁₀O₃₆]·32H₂O (denoted as EuW₁₀) and cationic peptide (K8) through a simple ionic self-assembly method was investigated. The approach presented in this study is an extended research which combined a biomolecule and a functional inorganic polyoxoanion for the fabrication of a multifunctional material. The K8/EuW₁₀ hybrid submicrometer spheres were fully characterized by transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and fluorescence spectra. The results indicated that the electrostatic interaction, hydrogen-bonding interaction, and combined hydrophobic interaction between EuW₁₀ and K8 favored the formation of the smooth submicrometer sphere structure. Once the EuW₁₀/K8 submicrometer spheres were forming, the fluorescence of EuW₁₀ was reduced due to the hydrogen bonding between the ammonium group of K8 and the oxygen atom of EuW₁₀ that blocked the hopping of the d₁ electron in EuW₁₀. Interestingly, our submicrometer spheres showed excellent decomposition efficiency toward organic pollutants such as the dye of methylene blue (MB), suggesting their promising applications in the treatment of wastewater

DataSheet_1_Aboveground herbivory does not affect mycorrhiza-dependent nitrogen acquisition from soil but inhibits mycorrhizal network-mediated nitrogen interplant transfer in maize.pdf

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture due to their ability to facilitate plant uptake of important mineral elements, such as nitrogen (N). However, plant mycorrhiza-dependent N uptake and interplant transfer may be highly context-dependent, and whether it is affected by aboveground herbivory remains largely unknown. Here, we used 15N labeling and tracking to examine the effect of aboveground insect herbivory by Spodoptera frugiperda on mycorrhiza-dependent N uptake in maize (Zea mays L.). To minimize consumption differences and 15N loss due to insect chewing, insect herbivory was simulated by mechanical wounding and oral secretion of S. frugiperda larvae. Inoculation with Rhizophagus irregularis (Rir) significantly improved maize growth, and N/P uptake. The 15N labeling experiment showed that maize plants absorbed N from soils via the extraradical mycelium of mycorrhizal fungi and from neighboring plants transferred by common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs). Simulated aboveground leaf herbivory did not affect mycorrhiza-mediated N acquisition from soil. However, CMN-mediated N transfer from neighboring plants was blocked by leaf simulated herbivory. Our findings suggest that aboveground herbivory inhibits CMN-mediated N transfer between plants but does not affect N acquisition from soil solutions via extraradical mycorrhizal mycelium.</p