Qingdao Agricultural University

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play a crucial role in food fermentation and human health. This study introduces Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) QL-19, a novel probiotic strain isolated from traditional Hunan pickles and characterized via whole-genome sequencing and in vitro functional assays. The 3,396,702 genome contains 3236 predicted coding sequences, including genes associated with stress tolerance, adhesion, and cholesterol metabolism (cbh, cfa, and hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase). Genomic analysis further revealed biosynthetic gene clusters encoding antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds, emphasizing its functional versatility. A comprehensive safety assessment confirmed that QL-19 is non-pathogenic and non-hemolytic, meeting probiotic safety standards. In HepG2 cell-based experiments, L. plantarum QL-19 reduced intracellular total cholesterol levels. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were employed to evaluate the expression of genes and proteins involved in cholesterol metabolism. The results demonstrated that QL-19 enhanced cholesterol metabolism by upregulating the expression of SREBP2, LDLR, and CYP7A1, while downregulating NPC1L1 and HMGCR. The results suggest that QL-19 facilitates cholesterol metabolism through multiple pathways. Taken together with its 75.4% in vitro cholesterol degradation rate, these findings highlight the potential of QL-19 as a cholesterol-lowering probiotic candidate for cardiovascular health applications.

Gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea, leading to great economic loss in agricultural production worldwide. Chemical fungicides represent one of the most effective strategies for preventing and controlling B. cinerea, while confronting increasingly severe resistance and environmental concerns. It is urgent to discover novel environment-friendly fungicides. Chitin deacetylase (CDA), an enzyme involved in chitin deacetylation, represents a promising novel target due to its role in helping pathogens evade plant immunity. In this work, we employed the AlphaFold3 server to predict the three-dimensional structure of B. cinerea chitin deacetylase (BcCDA). Structure based virtual screening identified the top eight compounds that bind to Zn2+ binding pocket of BcCDA. Then, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and binding free energy calculations confirmed the stable interaction of candidate compounds with BcCDA and identified the residues crucial for the binding. Some of the candidates exhibited ecological safety and low environmental risk. Bioassays demonstrated that 105 244 924 and F0915-6107 showed inhibitory activity against BcCDA and effective prevention of B. cinerea invasion. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis confirmed the binding of 105 244 924 and F0915-6107 to residues Asp203 and His366 in the Zn2+ binding pocket of BcCDA, with KD values of 2.37 × 10-6 and 2.84 × 10-6 mol L-1, respectively. These findings indicate that compounds 105 244 924 and F0915-6107 are promising candidates for developing antifungal agents against B. cinerea. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

ABSTRACT The advancement of highly efficient, durable, and economically viable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) plays a crucial role in enabling large‐scale green hydrogen production. However, significant challenges remain in improving the efficiency of conventional catalytic processes. Here, we report osmium nanocluster‐decorated molybdenum boride (Os/MoB) as an efficient catalyst for the HER, operating via a novel hydrogen spillover mechanism. The Os/MoB catalyst achieves remarkably low overpotentials (η 10 = 22, 27, and 11 mV) to reach 10 mA cm −2 in alkaline, acidic, and alkaline seawater (1 m KOH + seawater) electrolytes, performance that matches or surpasses commercial Pt/C. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that H 2 O adsorbs on the MoB surface, followed by the dissociation of H 2 O, where the generated H* species spillover to the interfacial Os sites, subsequently recombining and releasing H 2 . Furthermore, an Os/MoB‐based anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) delivers a current density of 500 mA cm −2 at low voltages of only 1.78 V in 1 m KOH and 1.88 V in alkaline seawater and maintains stable operation for over 100 h.