Fuyang Normal University

Staphylococcus aureus is a well-known pathogenic bacterium that can produce a variety of virulence factors that cause disease in humans. RpiRB is a regulator of metabolic response, whose regulatory role in the virulence of S. aureus is largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that the disruption of rpiRB led to down-regulation of the transcription levels of agr-related virulence factors, and reduced the hemolytic activity of methicillin-resistance S. aureus (MRSA). In addition, we also found that RpiRB was involved in regulating the inflammatory response of the host. A mouse subcutaneous abscess model showed that the pathogenicity of the strain was significantly reduced after the destruction of rpiRB. Interestingly, RpiRB enhanced the pathogenic capacity of S. aureus in an agr-dependent manner, while it was directly inhibited by SarA. This study aims to highlight the role of RpiRB in the regulation of the pathogenicity of S. aureus, so as to provide theoretical references for illustrating the infection mechanism and coping strategies of S. aureus.

The Langya virus attachment glycoprotein (LayV-G) is a major surface glycoprotein critical for host cell entry, membrane fusion, and the induction of neutralizing antibody production. A highly specific, reliable, and cost-effective anti-LayV-G antibody is urgently needed to comprehensively assess its multifunctional role in the viral life cycle. Here, we report the first successful production of LayV-G protein and corresponding polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) using a prokaryotic expression system. In this study, the extracellular domain of LayV-G containing strong antigenic epitopes was predicted using bioinformatics approaches and selected for recombinant antigen production, followed by codon optimization and synthesis of the candidate protein-encoding gene. We then constructed the truncated attachment glycoprotein (tG) with a C-terminal histidine tag (His-tag), (pET-22b-tG/his) recombinant plasmid and expressed the protein in E. coli BL21 (DE3) competent cells. SDS-PAGE and subsequent tandem mass spectrometry revealed the molecular weight of the tG/his recombinant protein to be ∼64 kDa (kD). Subsequently, the targeted protein was used to immunize New Zealand white rabbits and generate pAbs. The specificity and titer of the pAbs were determined by Western blotting, indirect fluorescence assay (IFA), and indirect ELISA. The antibody exhibited high specificity for tG/his in prokaryotic cells (Western blotting), and LayV-G expressed by the recombinant baculovirus system (IFA). In conclusion, the LayV-G protein and pAbs targeting it lays the foundation for further investigations into LayV-G structure and function, pathogenic LayV molecular mechanisms, and rapid LayV detection methods.

Information security and anti-counterfeiting technologies are facing increasingly severe challenges worldwide. Traditional static anti-counterfeiting methods, being relatively easy to replicate, are gradually becoming inadequate to meet high-end security demands. In recent years, time-dependent stimuli-responsive optical materials have emerged as a focus of research for next-generation anti-counterfeiting and encryption systems, owing to their dynamic and tunable optical behaviors as well as their capacity for encoding information in the time domain. These materials exhibit time-evolving optical properties-such as luminescence color, intensity, lifetime, or polarization state-in response to external stimuli like light, pH, or chemical environments, often demonstrating reversible relaxation or specific kinetic behaviors. Based on these materials, information anti-counterfeiting and encryption systems can only reveal authentic data within specific time windows and enable self-destruction of information, which significantly enhance anti-counterfeiting complexity and security. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the design strategies, response mechanisms, and applications of such materials, covering systems including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), perovskite nanocrystals, organic small molecules, carbon nanodots (CDs), and smart hydrogels. It highlights their application potential in multilevel encryption, dynamic information storage and self-erasing labels. The article also identifies current challenges, such as strong reliance on UV light, insufficient dynamic control precision, and biocompatibility issues. Finally, it outlines future research directions, including multimodal stimulus responses, AI-assisted design, organic-inorganic hybrid systems, and environmentally friendly materials, to promote the practical application of these technologies in high-security anti-counterfeiting and encryption systems.