Hesperidin from Orange Peel as a Promising Skincare Bioactive: An Overview

The pursuit for better skin health, driven by collective and individual perceptions, has led to the demand for sustainable skincare products. Environmental factors and lifestyle choices can accelerate skin aging, causing issues like inflammation, wrinkles, elasticity loss, hyperpigmentation, and dryness. The skincare industry is innovating to meet consumers' requests for cleaner and natural options. Simultaneously, environmental issues concerning waste generation have been leading to sustainable strategies based on the circular economy. A noteworthy solution consists of citrus by-product valorization, as such by-products can be used as a source of bioactive molecules. Citrus processing, particularly, generates substantial waste amounts (around 50% of the whole fruit), causing unprecedented environmental burdens. Hesperidin, a flavonoid abundant in orange peels, is considered to hold immense potential for clean skin health product applications due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. This review explores hesperidin extraction and purification methodologies as well as key skincare application areas: (i) antiaging and skin barrier enhancement, (ii) UV radiation-induced damage, (iii) hyperpigmentation and depigmentation conditions, (iv) wound healing, and (v) skin cancer and other cutaneous diseases. This work's novelty lies in the comprehensive coverage of hesperidin's promising skincare applications while also demonstrating its potential as a sustainable ingredient from a circular economy approach.

Whole mitochondrial and chloroplast genome sequencing of Tunisian date palm cultivars: diversity and evolutionary relationships

BACKGROUND

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is the most widespread crop in arid and semi-arid regions and has great traditional and socioeconomic importance, with its fruit well-known for its high nutritional and health value. However, the genetic variation of date palm cultivars is often neglected. The advent of high-throughput sequencing has made possible the resequencing of whole organelle (mitochondria and chloroplast) genomes to explore the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of cultivated plants with unprecedented detail.

RESULTS

Whole organelle genomes of 171 Tunisian accessions (135 females and 36 males) were sequenced. Targeted bioinformatics pipelines were used to identify date palm haplotypes and genome variants, aiming to provide variant annotation and investigate patterns of evolutionary relationship. Our results revealed the existence of unique haplotypes, identified by 45 chloroplastic and 156 mitochondrial SNPs. Estimation of the effect of these SNPs on genes functions was predicted in silico.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study have important implications, in the light of ongoing environmental changes, for the conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of date palm cultivars in Tunisia, where monoculture threatens biodiversity leading to genetic erosion. These data will be useful for breeding and genetic improvement programs of the date palm through selective cross-breeding.

Fungal and Toxin Contaminants in Cereal Grains and Flours: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cereal grains serve as the cornerstone of global nutrition, providing a significant portion of humanity's caloric requirements. However, the presence of fungal genera, such Fusarium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria, known for their mycotoxin-producing abilities, presents a significant threat to human health due to the adverse effects of these toxins. The primary objective of this study was to identify the predominant fungal contaminants in cereal grains utilized in breadmaking, as well as in flour and bread. Moreover, a systematic review, including meta-analysis, was conducted on the occurrence and levels of mycotoxins in wheat flour from the years 2013 to 2023. The genera most frequently reported were Fusarium, followed by Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria. Among the published reports, the majority focused on the analysis of Deoxynivalenol (DON), which garnered twice as many reports compared to those focusing on Aflatoxins, Zearalenone, and Ochratoxin A. The concentration of these toxins, in most cases determined by HPLC-MS/MS or HPLC coupled with a fluorescence detector (FLD), was occasionally observed to exceed the maximum limits established by national and/or international authorities. The prevalence of mycotoxins in flour samples from the European Union (EU) and China, as well as in foods intended for infants, exhibited a significant reduction compared to other commercial flours assessed by a meta-analysis investigation.

Identification of Reference Genes for Precise Expression Analysis during Germination in Chenopodium quinoa Seeds under Salt Stress

Chenopodium quinoa Willd. (quinoa), a member of the Amaranthaceae family, is an allotetraploid annual plant, endemic to South America. The plant of C. quinoa presents significant ecological plasticity with exceptional adaptability to several environmental stresses, including salinity. The resilience of quinoa to several abiotic stresses, as well as its nutritional attributes, have led to significant shifts in quinoa cultivation worldwide over the past century. This work first defines germination sensu stricto in quinoa where the breakage of the pericarp and the testa is followed by endosperm rupture (ER). Transcriptomic changes in early seed germination stages lead to unstable expression levels in commonly used reference genes that are typically stable in vegetative tissues. Noteworthy, no suitable reference genes have been previously identified specifically for quinoa seed germination under salt stress conditions. This work aims to identify these genes as a prerequisite step for normalizing qPCR data. To this end, germinating seeds from UDEC2 and UDEC4 accessions, with different tolerance to salt, have been analyzed under conditions of absence (0 mM NaCl) and in the presence (250 mM NaCl) of sodium chloride. Based on the relevant literature, six candidate reference genes, Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), Monensin sensitivity1 (MON1), Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB), Actin-7 (ACT7), Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (UBC), and 18S ribosomal RNA (18S), were selected and assessed for stability using the RefFinder Tool encompassing the statistical algorithms geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and ΔCt in the evaluation. The data presented support the suitability of CqACT7 and CqUBC as reference genes for normalizing gene expression during seed germination under salinity stress. These recommended reference genes can be valuable tools for consistent qPCR studies on quinoa seeds.

The response of Arabidopsis to the apocarotenoid β-cyclocitric acid reveals a role for SIAMESE-RELATED 5 in root development and drought tolerance

New regulatory functions in plant development and environmental stress responses have recently emerged for a number of apocarotenoids produced by enzymatic or nonenzymatic oxidation of carotenoids. β-Cyclocitric acid (β-CCA) is one such compound derived from β-carotene, which triggers defense mechanisms leading to a marked enhancement of plant tolerance to drought stress. We show here that this response is associated with an inhibition of root growth affecting both root cell elongation and division. Remarkably, β-CCA selectively induced cell cycle inhibitors of the SIAMESE-RELATED (SMR) family, especially SMR5, in root tip cells. Overexpression of the SMR5 gene in Arabidopsis induced molecular and physiological changes that mimicked in large part the effects of β-CCA. In particular, the SMR5 overexpressors exhibited an inhibition of root development and a marked increase in drought tolerance which is not related to stomatal closure. SMR5 up-regulation induced changes in gene expression that strongly overlapped with the β-CCA-induced transcriptomic changes. Both β-CCA and SMR5 led to a down-regulation of many cell cycle activators (cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases) and a concomitant up-regulation of genes related to water deprivation, cellular detoxification, and biosynthesis of lipid biopolymers such as suberin and lignin. This was correlated with an accumulation of suberin lipid polyesters in the roots and a decrease in nonstomatal leaf transpiration. Taken together, our results identify the β-CCA-inducible and drought-inducible SMR5 gene as a key component of a stress-signaling pathway that reorients root metabolism from growth to multiple defense mechanisms leading to drought tolerance.

Harnessing the Bioactive Potential of Limonium spathulatum (Desf.) Kuntze: Insights into Enzyme Inhibition and Phytochemical Profile

This study assessed the halophyte species Limonium spathulatum (Desf.) as a possible source of natural ingredients with the capacity to inhibit enzymes related to relevant human health disorders and food browning. Extracts using food-grade solvents such as water and ethanol were prepared by maceration from dried L. spathulatum leaves. They were evaluated for in vitro inhibition activity of enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), α-glucosidase, tyrosinase and lipase, related to Alzheimer's disease, type-2-diabetes mellitus, skin hyperpigmentation, and obesity, respectively. These extracts were also appraised for in vitro acute toxicity on tumoral and non-tumoral cell lines and their chemical composition by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The extracts were more effective towards BChE than AChE. The best results were obtained with the hydroethanolic and water extracts, with IC50 values of 0.03 mg/mL and 0.06 mg/mL, respectively. The hydroethanolic extract had the highest capacity to inhibit α-glucosidase (IC50: 0.04 mg/mL), higher than the positive control used (acarbose, IC50 = 3.14 mg/mL). The ethanol extract displayed the best inhibitory activity against tyrosinase (IC50 = 0.34 mg/mL). The tested samples did not inhibit lipase and exhibited low to moderate cytotoxic activity against the tested cell lines. The hydroethanolic extract had a higher diversity of compounds, followed by the ethanol and water samples. Similar molecules were identified in all the extracts and were mainly hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavonoids. Taken together, these results suggest that L. spathulatum should be further explored as a source of bioactive ingredients for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

Illuminating Progress: The Contribution of Bioluminescence to Sustainable Development Goal 6-Clean Water and Sanitation-Of the United Nations 2030 Agenda

The United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) aims at ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation. The routine monitoring of water contaminants requires accurate and rapid analytical techniques. Laboratory analyses and conventional methods of field sampling still require considerable labor and time with highly trained personnel and transport to a central facility with sophisticated equipment, which renders routine monitoring cumbersome, time-consuming, and costly. Moreover, these methods do not provide information about the actual toxicity of water, which is crucial for characterizing complex samples, such as urban wastewater and stormwater runoff. The unique properties of bioluminescence (BL) offer innovative approaches for developing advanced tools and technologies for holistic water monitoring. BL biosensors offer a promising solution by combining the natural BL phenomenon with cutting-edge technologies. This review provides an overview of the recent advances and significant contributions of BL to SDG 6, focusing attention on the potential use of the BL-based sensing platforms for advancing water management practices, protecting ecosystems, and ensuring the well-being of communities.

Colorimetric Paper Sensor for Food Spoilage Based on Biogenic Amine Monitoring

Biogenic amines (BAs), nitrogenous molecules usually present in different foods, can be considered an indicator of freshness and food quality since their amount increases during food spoilage. Their detection, possibly in real time via the use of smart packaging, is therefore of crucial importance to ensure food safety and to fulfill consumers' demand. To this end, colorimetric sensors are considered one of the most feasible solutions. Here, we report a user-friendly colorimetric sensing paper able to detect BAs via the naked eye. The sensing molecule is the aglycone genipin, a natural cross-linking agent extracted from gardenia fruit, able to bind BAs producing water-soluble blue pigments. The paper sensor was applied to chicken meat quality monitoring and a quantitative analysis was performed with image acquisition via a smartphone camera, achieving a limit of detection equivalent to 0.1 mM of putrescine. The suitability of the BA sensing paper was assessed by integrating the sensor into smart packaging and analyzing commercial chicken meat samples stored at different temperatures; the results of the sensor paralleled the "best before date" indicated on the label, confirming the potential applicability of the sensor as a smart label.

OUP accepted manuscript

RSAT (Regulatory Sequence Analysis Tools) enables the detection and the analysis of cis-regulatory elements in genomic sequences. This software suite performs (i) de novo motif discovery (including from genome-wide datasets like ChIP-seq/ATAC-seq) (ii) genomic sequences scanning with known motifs, (iii) motif analysis (quality assessment, comparisons and clustering), (iv) analysis of regulatory variations and (v) comparative genomics. RSAT comprises 50 tools. Six public Web servers (including a teaching server) are offered to meet the needs of different biological communities. RSAT philosophy and originality are: (i) a multi-modal access depending on the user needs, through web forms, command-line for local installation and programmatic web services, (ii) a support for virtually any genome (animals, bacteria, plants, totalizing over 10 000 genomes directly accessible). Since the 2018 NAR Web Software Issue, we have developed a large REST API, extended the support for additional genomes and external motif collections, enhanced some tools and Web forms, and developed a novel tool that builds or refine gene regulatory networks using motif scanning (network-interactions). The RSAT website provides extensive documentation, tutorials and published protocols. RSAT code is under open-source license and now hosted in GitHub. RSAT is available at http://www.rsat.eu/.