In our team's previous study, five highly active sesterterpenes against human pathogenic fungi were obtained from Pleurotus ostreatus via coculture with Trametes robiniophia. Genetic analysis indicated that these compounds feature structural diversity and are worthy of in-depth exploration. To obtain more novel terpenoid lead compounds for drug development, this study conducts deep mining of terpenoids with high antifungal activity from P. ostreatus under the drive of the "gene-coculture-activity" coupling strategy. Strategies including coculture, signal molecule supplementation and genetic engineering were attempted to activate silent genes in macrofungi, and the condition with the optimal effect was selected for in-depth excavation of novel terpenoids. Specifically, the coculture system was mainly constructed with P. ostreatus and the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans; signal molecule supplementation mainly involved Ca²⁺ and methyl jasmonate; the genetic engineering strategy mainly focused on transferring terpenoid-related biosynthetic gene clusters from P. ostreatus into Escherichia coli for heterologous expression. LC-MS was applied to analyze the effects of these different approaches on the biosynthesis of antifungal terpenoids in P. ostreatus. By comparing different conditions, coculture of P. ostreatus with the pathogenic fungus C. albicans was finally determined to achieve the best activation effect. Accordingly, fermentation culture was performed under this condition, and the crude extract was obtained via extraction and rotary evaporation. The target compounds were then separated using normal-phase column chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). At present, one target compound has been obtained. In the next step, structural identification and antifungal activity evaluation will be carried out, and other antifungal active substances will continue to be isolated and prepared. Coculture of Pleurotus ostreatus with the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans can effectively induce the production of antifungal active substances, laying a foundation for the screening and clinical application of novel anti-human pathogenic fungi drugs.

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Objective: To systematically analyze the potential therapeutic mechanism of licochalcone A against Alzheimer's disease by network pharmacology. Methods: The Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) and GeneCards database were screened, and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed on the overlapping genes of Alzheimer's disease and licochalcone A, followed by Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) analysis and visualization. Results: A total of 64 potential overlapping targets between licochalcone A and Alzheimer's disease were identified, among which CASP3, AKT1 and BCL2 were core targets with high degree values. The annotated genes were enriched in signal transduction, metabolism and immune system. Conclusion: Licochalcone A may exert anti-Alzheimer's disease effects by targeting and regulating inflammatory response, participating in biological processes such as signal transduction and energy metabolism, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of multi-target drugs for Alzheimer's disease.

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In the research area, chili pepper is not only a very popular food ingredient but also a critical cash crop. Observations indicate that many people in the local community grow peppers for their livelihood. However, a persistent challenge has been identified: peppers are often infected by severe pests and diseases, so the yield is frequently very low, causing significant financial loss to farmers. After learning about these issues, research interest in pepper cultivation has been aroused. At the same time, the huge advantages of microbial control in agriculture have been recognized; therefore, a topic related to chili peppers and microbial control was selected. The purpose of conducting this research is to understand to what extent microbial control can improve the cultivation of chili peppers, evaluate the assistance of different microorganisms in chili pepper cultivation compared to traditional methods, and assess whether these biological methods are economically and practically viable for ordinary farmers. This research synthesizes data from global studies to determine if microorganisms are a "silver bullet" or a supportive tool in modern agriculture. The author has read relevant literature and learned that the diseases and pests of peppers can be caused by multiple factors, ranging from fungal infections to insect infestations. Meanwhile, many microorganisms can also affect the growth of peppers to varying degrees, offering a sustainable alternative that does not damage the surrounding environment. At present, microbial control has been widely applied in agriculture, but there are still many people who do not understand this technology. They prefer traditional chemical prevention and control methods, instead of microbial control, due to habit and cost concerns. This research aims to compare conflicting views and make more people know the advantages and limitations of microbial control.

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