Biofortification of crops for reducing malnutrition

Micronutrient deficiencies affect approximately 3 billion people worldwide. Malnutrition hinders the development of human potential and social and economic development in developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) have made fighting micronutrient deficiencies, known as hidden hunger, a high priority. Deficiencies of the micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, and vitamin A, are the most devastating among the world’s poor. WHO emphasizes nutrient supplementation and food fortification to address the malnutrition. CGIAR has placed a greater emphasis on biofortification through the HarvestPlus challenge program, and improved micronutrient content of the staple crops (rice, wheat, maize, beans, cassava, pearl millet, and sweet potato) through breeding and biotechnological approaches. An excellent example of biotechnology application is the development of ‘golden rice’ with adequate levels of a provitamin A, β-carotene. The Africa Harvest and the BioCassava Plus programs, respectively, are developing sorghum and cassava with improved nutritional quality. Here, we summarize current strategies of crop biofortification and future prospects towards the development of biofortified crops.     

Establishment and application of the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H)-based plant interactome for investigation of gene functions

A large amount of genomic information is currently being generated in the biological sciences; however, the postgenome era needs biological connectors to bridge between genome data and gene functions. Interactomes are proteinprotein interaction maps used to study gene function through the demonstration of predicted functions based on known roles of interaction partners to understand biological processes as a systemic approach. Diverse experimental approaches for interactomes have been developed, each of which has its own merits and pitfalls. In this review, the status and application of the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H)-based plant interactome is introduced to investigate gene functions as a biological network.     

Chromatin interacting factor OsVIL2 increases biomass and rice grain yield

Grain number is an important agronomic trait. We investigated the roles of chromatin interacting factor Oryza sativa VIN3‐LIKE 2 (OsVIL2), which controls plant biomass and yield in rice. Mutations in OsVIL2 led to shorter plants and fewer grains whereas its overexpression (OX) enhanced biomass production and grain numbers when compared with the wild type. RNA‐sequencing analyses revealed that 1958 genes were up‐regulated and 2096 genes were down‐regulated in the region of active division within the first internodes of OX plants. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that, among the downregulated genes, OsVIL2 was directly associated with chromatins in the promoter region of CYTOKININ OXIDASE/DEHYDROGENASE2 (OsCKX2), a gene responsible for cytokinin degradation. Likewise, active cytokinin levels were increased in the OX plants. We conclude that OsVIL2 improves the production of biomass and grain by suppressing OsCKX2 chromatin.     

Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Emerging Solar Cells: Synthesis and Electrode Applications

Emerging solar cells, namely, organic solar cells and perovskite solar cells, are the thin‐film photovoltaics that have light to electricity conversion efficiencies close to that of silicon solar cells while possessing advantages in having additional functionalities, facile‐processability, and low fabrication cost. To maximize these advantages, the electrode components must be replaced by materials that are more flexible and cost‐effective. Researchers around the globe have been looking for the new electrodes that meet these requirements. Among many candidates, single‐walled carbon nanotubes have demonstrated their feasibility as the new alternative to conventional electrodes, such as indium tin oxide and metals. This review discusses various growth methods of single‐walled carbon nanotubes and their electrode applications in thin‐film photovoltaics.     

The Effect of Probiotics on Halitosis: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Although several studies have evaluated the inhibitory effect of probiotics on halitosis, findings are inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis...     

Biocompatibility evaluation of bioprinted decellularized collagen sheet implanted in vivo cornea using swept‐source optical coherence tomography

Corneal transplantation by full‐thickness penetrating keratoplasty with human donor tissue is a widely accepted treatment for damaged or diseased corneas. Although corneal transplantation has a high success rate, a shortage of high‐quality donor tissue is a considerable limitation. Therefore, bioengineered corneas could be an effective solution for this limitation, and a decellularized extracellular matrix comprises a promising scaffold for their fabrication. In this study, three‐dimensional bioprinted decellularized collagen sheets were implanted into the stromal layer of the cornea of five rabbits. We performed in vivo noninvasive monitoring of the rabbit corneas using swept‐source optical coherence tomography (OCT) after implanting the collagen sheets. Anterior segment OCT images and averaged amplitude‐scans were acquired biweekly to monitor corneal thickness after implantation for 1 month. The averaged cornea thickness in the control images was 430.3 ± 5.9 μm, while the averaged thickness after corneal implantation was 598.5 ± 11.8 μm and 564.5 ± 12.5 μm at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. The corneal thickness reduction of 34 μm confirmed the biocompatibility through the image analysis of the depth‐intensity profile base. Moreover, hematoxylin and eosin staining supported the biocompatibility evaluation of the bioprinted decellularized collagen sheet implantation. Hence, the developed bioprinted decellularized collagen sheets could become an alternative solution to human corneal donor tissue, and the proposed image analysis procedure could be beneficial to confirm the success of the surgery.      

Platycodin D,a bioactive component of Platycodon grandiflorum,induces cancer cell death associated with extreme vacuolation

Platycodin D (PD) is a major active component of the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A.DC. and possesses multiple biological and pharmacological properties, including anti-cancer activity. The aim of this study was to characterize PD-induced cytoplasmic vacuolation in human cancer cells and investigate the underlying mechanisms. PD-induced cancer cell death was associated with cytoplasmic pinocytic and autophagic vacuolation. Cellular energy levels were decreased by this compound, leading to the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Additionally, compound C, an inhibitor of AMPK, completely prevented PD-induced vacuolation. These results suggest that PD induces cancer cell death, associated with excessive vacuolation through AMPK activation when cellular energy levels are low. Therefore, our findings provide a mechanistic rationale for a novel combinatorial approach using PD to treat cancer.