Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster

A wide variety of enzymatic pathways that produce specialized metabolites in bacteria, fungi and plants are known to be encoded in biosynthetic gene clusters. Information about these clusters, pathways and metabolites is currently dispersed throughout the literature, making it difficult to exploit. To facilitate consistent and systematic deposition and retrieval of data on biosynthetic gene clusters, we propose the Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster (MIBiG) data standard.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog

PEDV: Insights and Advances into Types, Function, Structure, and Receptor Recognition

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has been endemic in most parts of the world since its emergence in the 1970s. It infects the small intestine and intestinal villous cells, spreads rapidly, and causes infectious intestinal disease characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, leading to high mortality in newborn piglets and causing massive economic losses to the pig industry. The entry of PEDV into cells is mediated by the binding of its spike protein (S protein) to a host cell receptor. Here, we review the structure of PEDV, its strains, and the structure and function of the S protein shared by coronaviruses, and summarize the progress of research on possible host cell receptors since the discovery of PEDV

Cholesterol Biosynthesis Modulates CSFV Replication

Classical swine fever (CSF) caused by the classical swine fever virus (CSFV) has resulted in severe losses to the pig industry worldwide. It has been proposed that lipid synthesis is essential for viral replication, and lipids are involved in viral protein maturation and envelope production. However, the specific crosstalk between CSFV and host cell lipid metabolism is still unknown. In this study, we found that CSFV infection increased intracellular cholesterol levels in PK-15 cells. Further analysis demonstrated that CSFV infection upregulated PCSK9 expression to block the uptake of exogenous cholesterol by LDLR and enhanced the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, which disrupted the type I IFN response in PK-15 cells. Our findings provide new insight into the mechanisms underpinning the pathogenesis of CSFV and hint at methods for controlling the disease

Radiosynthesis and Biological Evaluation of <i>N</i>-[¹⁸F]Labeled Glutamic Acid as a Tumor Metabolic Imaging Tracer

<div><p>We have previously reported that <i>N</i>-(2-[¹⁸F]fluoropropionyl)-L-methionine ([¹⁸F]FPMET) selectively accumulates in tumors. However, due to the poor pharmacokinetics of [¹⁸F]FPMET <i>in vivo</i>, the potential clinical translation of this observation is hampered. In this study, we rationally designed and synthesized [¹⁸F] or [¹¹C]labeled <i>N</i>-position L-glutamic acid analogues for tumor imaging. <i>N</i>-(2-[¹⁸F]fluoropropionyl)-L-glutamic acid ([¹⁸F]FPGLU) was synthesized with a 30±10% (n = 10, decay-corrected) overall radiochemical yield and a specific activity of 40±25 GBq/μmol (n = 10) after 130 min of radiosynthesis. <i>In vitro</i> cell experiments showed that [¹⁸F]FPGLU was primarily transported through the X_AG^– system and was not incorporated into protein. [¹⁸F]FPGLU was stable in urine, tumor tissues, and blood. We were able to use [¹⁸F]FPGLU in PET imaging and obtained high tumor to background ratios when visualizing tumors tissues in animal models.</p></div

Radio-HPLC analysis the stability of [¹⁸F]FPGLU.

<p>HPLC chromatograms of tumor tissue extract (A) and plasma (B) (S180 fibrosarcoma-bearing mice at 0.5 h after intravenous injection of [¹⁸F]FPGLU). HPLC chromatograms of urine (C) (S180 fibrosarcoma-bearing mice at 1 h after intravenous injection of [¹⁸F]FPGLU). HPLC chromatograms of [¹⁸F]FPGLU in mouse serum at 37°C for 2 h (D). (The peak at T = 5.5 min was [¹⁸F]FPGLU.).</p

Scheme of the radiosynthesis of [¹⁸F]FPGLU.

<p>Scheme of the radiosynthesis of [¹⁸F]FPGLU.</p

Small animal PET imaging and quantification.

<p>Decay-corrected whole-body PET images were acquired at different time points. (A) PET images of S180 fibrosarcoma-bearing mouse static scans at 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 h after the injection of [¹⁸F]FPGLU. The same S180 fibrosarcoma-bearing mouse static scan at 1 h after injection of [¹⁸F]FDG. (The red arrows indicate the tumor.) (B) PET images of SPCA-1 or LTEP-a-2 human lung adenocarcinoma-bearing nude mouse static scans at 1 h after the injection of [¹⁸F]FPGLU or [¹⁸F]FDG. (The red arrows indicate the tumor.) (C) <b>A</b> comparison of tumor uptake of [¹⁸F]FPGLU and [¹⁸F]FDG in S180 fibrosarcoma, LTEP-a-2, and SPCA-1 human lung adenocarcinoma at 1 h after injection. (n = 3 per group; bars represent means ± SD.).</p

Biodistribution of [¹⁸F]FPGLU in Normal Mice<i>^a.</i>

a<p>Means ± SD (<i>n = </i>4). Data are average % ID/g.</p

Scheme of the radiosynthesis of [¹¹C]MGLU.

<p>Scheme of the radiosynthesis of [¹¹C]MGLU.</p