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Journal articleMashkour M, Singh M, Lycksam H, et al., 2027, , Materials Chemistry and Physics, Vol: 372, ISSN: 0254-0584
Sustainable porous carbon materials derived from renewable biomass offer promising alternatives to fossil-derived electrodes for electrochemical energy conversion and storage. In this study, hierarchically porous carbon aerogels were fabricated from lignin and cellulose nanomaterials by ice-templating followed by carbonization at 1000 or 1400°C under a nitrogen atmosphere. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were used to tailor the pore architecture of the carbon aerogels, which were evaluated as capacitive bioanodes in supercapacitive microbial fuel cells (MFCs). All carbon aerogels exhibited anisotropic structures with aligned macroporous channels (∼20–25 μm) that facilitated biofilm formation within the pore architecture. The L-CNF aerogel carbonized at 1000°C exhibited the best electrochemical performance, with a specific surface area (SSA) of 416 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>, a maximum power density of 1840 mW m<sup>−2</sup>, and the highest apparent capacitance. Although carbonization at 1400°C increased the SSA to 731 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>, the increase was predominantly associated with microporosity and was accompanied by lower electrochemical performance. These results demonstrate that accessible, interconnected hierarchical porosity, rather than total specific surface area alone, is a key structural parameter influencing the performance of lignin-derived carbon bioanodes. Our study establishes a sustainable route for valorizing lignin into high-performance porous carbon electrodes and highlights that pore accessibility and connectivity are important design criteria for bio-based electrodes in electrochemical energy conversion and storage.
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Journal articleBernard A, Ledesma-Amaro R, Rossignol T, et al., 2026, , Bioresource Technology, Vol: 461, ISSN: 0960-8524
In bioproduction, synthetic microbial consortia have the potential to outcompete single-strain systems by distributing metabolic burden and partitioning tasks more effectively. Obligatory cross-feeding of essential metabolites, or syntrophy, is a promising strategy to stabilize consortium composition and prevent population drift. In this study, we screened 56 co-auxotrophic pairs capable of establishing syntrophy in the unconventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Further characterization of these consortia revealed diverse growth dynamics and population distributions across various inoculation ratios. A selection of syntrophic consortia was evaluated for the production of the natural value-added pigment, betanin, as a proof-of-concept. By redistributing the metabolic load across different co-culture designs, we achieved higher betanin titers (136.2 mg/L) in syntrophic co-cultures compared to monoculture by 1.5-fold in microbioreactor conditions. This study provides a platform of Y. lipolytica syntrophic consortia to produce metabolically demanding compounds more efficiently.
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Journal articleAzbekyan G, Shirvanyan A, Guaragnella N, et al., 2026, , Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Vol: 786, ISSN: 0003-9861
The study of acetic acid (AA) stress in yeast is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of acid stress tolerance and enhancing production efficiency. Although AA toxicity has been extensively studied, the mechanism by which oxygen availability modulates ion flux balance and intracellular proton handling under AA stress remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the combined effects of AA concentration, acidic pH, and oxygen availability on plasma membrane Na+, K+, and H+ fluxes, intracellular pH, and growth in two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with distinct AA tolerance. We show that AA toxicity is strongly concentration-, strain-, and oxygen-dependent. AA exposure increased DCCD-sensitive proton (JH+) and sodium (JNa+) fluxes while progressively impairing potassium uptake (JK+), resulting in nonlinear, strain-specific shifts in Na+/H+ and K+/H+ exchange ratios and a substantial increase in ion exchange imbalance. These effects were amplified under oxygen-limited conditions and correlated with reduced growth and metabolic activity. Moderate AA stress was accompanied by increased intracellular ATP, particularly in ATCC 9804 under oxygen limitation, whereas severe AA stress caused ATP depletion, most strongly in ATCC 13007. Notably, the more tolerant strain maintained lower intracellular proton accumulation and more efficient ion flux coordination, particularly during aerobic growth. Together, our findings demonstrate that oxygen availability fundamentally reshapes ion flux balance and intracellular pH homeostasis during AA stress. These insights have direct implications for strain selection and process optimization in industrial fermentations exposed to weak organic acid inhibition.
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Journal articleGeorgakilas AG, Vasilopoulos SN, Bigi艧 EZ, et al., 2026, , Virology, Vol: 624
Comparative viral genomics can reveal sequence-level constraints influencing virus-host interactions. Relative minimal absent words (rMAWs) are short oligonucleotide motifs present in viral genomes but completely absent from the host, potentially reflecting selective pressures related to host adaptation and immune evasion. Using the EAGLE algorithm and the GRCh38 human reference genome, we systematically screened for prevalent rMAWs (prMAWs) across six major human oncogenic viruses: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), and human herpesvirus 8/Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (HHV-8/KSHV). highly conserved 11- and 12-bp prMAWs were identified in EBV, HBV, HTLV-1, and HHV-8/KSHV, with sequence prevalences ranging from 91.5% to 97.9%. Conversely, no short prMAWs were detected in HCV or HPV, likely reflecting differences in genome architecture, mutation rates, and long-term host adaptation to the human host. Importantly, the identified host-exclusive motifs exhibited non-random genomic distribution and were preferentially embedded within viral genes central to replication, persistence, immune modulation, and oncogenesis, including EBNA-1 (EBV), HBx (HBV), Tax-associated regions (HTLV-1), and lytic replication genes of HHV-8/KSHV. Notably, all detected prMAWs were enriched in GC nucleotides and exhibited marked CpG over-representation, suggesting sequence constraints associated with epigenetic regulation and viral persistence. Collectively, these highly conserved, host-exclusive signatures offer promising, candidates for sequence-directed approaches in the diagnosis, monitoring, and investigation of virus-associated cancers.
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Journal articleSingh M, Myllym盲ki S, Halonen N, et al., 2026, , Battery Energy, Vol: 5, ISSN: 2768-1688
<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title> <jats:p> Potassium鈥恑on batteries (KIBs) require anode materials that combine high reversible capacity with minimal first鈥恈ycle losses associated with solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Biomass鈥恉erived hard carbons (HCs) are promising candidates, although their K鈥恠torage behavior is strongly influenced by carbon structure, surface chemistry, and pore architecture. Here, industrial LignoBoost lignin was converted into binder鈥恌ree, free鈥恠tanding HC nanofiber mats by electrospinning followed by carbonization at 800°C–1400°C (HC8鈥怘C14), enabling evaluation of their intrinsic K鈥恠torage behavior without inactive binder or conductive additives. Temperature鈥恉ependent structural and chemical evolution was characterized using Raman spectroscopy and X鈥恟ay photoelectron spectroscopy and correlated with specific surface area (331–1328 m <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> g <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ), electrical conductivity (2.4–14 S cm <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ) and electrochemical performance. All HC mats exhibited the characteristic sloping and low鈥恦oltage plateau regions of K storage. Increasing the carbonization temperature progressively decreased the sloping capacity while enhancing plateau contribution. HC14 exhibited the best overall performance, delivering a reversible capacity of 369 mAh g <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> with an initial coulombic efficiency of 69%. This improvement is associated with increased sp <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> 鈥恟ich conjugation and development of nanocrystalline aromatic domains and together with reduced oxygen鈥恈ontaining functionalities and resi
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Journal articleJervis PA, Rosa GM, Bates KA, et al., 2026, , Nat Chem Biol, Vol: 22, Pages: 1731-1740
Epizootic outbreaks of invasive pathogens, such as the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), are increasingly recognized as a global threat to biodiversity. However, not all susceptible host populations are equally impacted by these disease outbreaks. While some populations persist despite intense infections and high mortality rates, others can transition to enzootic coexistence with the pathogen. Here, we use comparative peptidomics to identify differences in antimicrobial peptide (AMP) maturation in Bd-susceptible common midwife toads (Alytes obstetricans) through metamorphosis. Here, we show that animals that metamorphose before AMP immune maturation display a low-diversity AMP phenotype deficient in anti-Bd AMPs. Where a high incidence of postmetamorphic animals occur with immature AMPs, populations are associated with epizootic disease dynamics. Conversely, populations associated with mature AMPs are stable following invasion of the pathogen. Our results show that even intrinsically susceptible amphibian species can possess the tools that allow populations to recover following a severe Bd epizootic.
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Journal articleWalsh SLF, Maher TM, Kolb M, et al., 2026, , Eur Respir J
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Journal articleBrook TS, ODonovan M, Hutton IJ, et al., 2026, , Seed Science Research, Pages: 1-15, ISSN: 0960-2585
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p> Seed banking can be an efficient approach to conserve plant species <jats:italic>ex situ</jats:italic> . Research into the suitability of long-term seed banking for (sub)tropical species is limited and urgent, especially for taxa with limited distributions such as those endemic to oceanic islands. Here, we combine a stepwise experimental methodology with non-parametric and survival analyses to assess the germination requirements and desiccation tolerance of three species of Currant Bush <jats:italic>Coprosma</jats:italic> (Rubiaceae) from Lord Howe Island, a remote island in the South Pacific. All species germinated best under temperatures equivalent to submontane spring/autumn conditions, consistent with temperatures during ripe fruit dispersal. Although warmer temperatures inhibited germination in all species, the species with the broadest elevational range was the least affected. Consistent with the wider literature, we found a negative relationship between seed size and drying tolerance, with the larger seeds of <jats:italic>Coprosma huttoniana</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>C. ptotopetra</jats:italic> sensitive to the drying required for conventional seed banking, while the smaller seeds of <jats:italic>C. lanceolaris</jats:italic> were tolerant and potentially bankable for long-term conservation. </jats:p>
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Journal articleJee AS, Pugashetti JV, Yazbeck L, et al., 2026, , Eur Respir J
Application of the 2015 Interstitial Pneumonia with Autoimmune Features (IPAF) research statement produced IPAF cohorts with favorable transplant-free survival (TFS) relative to the idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IP) base populations from which they arose. Whether differences in underlying fibrotic morphology may explain this observation remains unclear.A multi-centre retrospective cohort study was performed. IPAF criteria were applied to six idiopathic IP cohorts from the US and UK using available clinical data. Fibrotic morphology was determined in separate analyses using imaging and histopathological data. Three-year TFS was compared between cohorts before and after adjustment for fibrotic morphology. Stratified analyses were performed to assess the prognostic significance of IPAF classification and presence clinical and serological domain features within key morphological groups. Outcomes were benchmarked against a connective tissue disease-associated (CTD-ILD) reference cohort (n=1566).Of 5042 individuals with idiopathic IP included in the analysis, 649 (12.9%) met IPAF criteria. Whilst IPAF classification was associated with favorable TFS before adjustment for imaging-based fibrotic morphology (HR 0.79; 95% CI 0.68-0.92; p=0.003), this association was attenuated after adjustment (HR 0.91; 95% CI 0.77-1.07; p=0.25). Results were similar when adjusting for histopathological-based morphology. IPAF classification had no prognostic significance within common morphological groups, but the presence of IPAF clinical domain features captured a phenotype with CTD-ILD-like natural history in the setting of non-UIP morphology.After accounting for differences in fibrotic morphology, IPAF classification has no prognostic significance relative to the idiopathic IP base population, suggesting that the current IPAF construct may not effectively identify a unique population.
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Journal articleKowal J, Buckley S, Upham R, et al., 2026, , Mycorrhiza, Vol: 36
Root colonisation by endomycorrhizal fungi has long been a widely used metric in mycorrhizal studies. However, due to the significant time required to assess colonisation using traditional microscopy techniques, studies of colonisation at large scales are impractical. Machine-learning-based approaches may increase output and facilitate ecosystem assessments. We trained a machine-learning-based tool (MycorrhizaFinder) on 42 field roots (132 unique 1 cm sections, with > 100,000 tiles) and validated on a further 37 sections from grasslands and heathlands hosting common Northern European plants with arbuscular (AM) and ericoid mycorrhizal (ErM) fungal structures, and dark septate endophytes (DSE), also common in field-sourced roots. We incorporated a user-customized confidence threshold to encourage engagement with morphological ambiguities, in e.g. ErM and DSE. A Macro F1 statistic was used to assess the tool's development performance. We provide a sample workflow from root processing and microscope slide scanning to semi-automated model training and performance evaluation. Our model performance combining all classes, the Macro F1, is conservatively 66% for arbuscular and 57% for ericoid mycorrhizal colonisation assessment. MycorrhizaFinder is user-friendly, requires no programming skills and offers flexibility for advanced agronomists or ecologists to train the tool using their own labelled mycorrhizal root datasets, including images acquired from different instruments or staining protocols. This adaptability allows users to customize the model for specific ecosystems or experimental designs. Leveraged with molecular identification and/or functional traits of fungi (e.g. arbuscules), MycorrhizaFinder supports scalable and repeatable nursery experiments and monitoring across ecosystems to assess mycorrhizal status and track land-use changes over time.
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