Pectin-rich biomass, derived from fruit and citrus processing waste, presents a promising yet underutilized resource for sustainable biofuel and biochemical production. Its low lignin content and high concentrations of fermentable sugars, including D-galacturonic acid, L-arabinose, and D-xylose, make it an attractive feedstock. Unlike lignocellulosic biomass, pectin-rich hydrolysates require milder pretreatment, improving sugar recovery efficiency. However, industrial strains such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibit strong glucose preference, limiting the efficient co-fermentation of mixed sugars. While prior reviews have broadly addressed lignocellulosic biomass utilization, this mini-review uniquely centers on the specific metabolic challenges and opportunities associated with pectin-rich feedstocks. In addition to incorporating established strategies for the co-utilization of cellobiose and xylose, we highlight recent advances that allow S. cerevisiae to metabolize carbon sources specifically from pectin-rich biomass, such as L-arabinose and D-galacturonic acid—monomers not prevalent in traditional lignocellulosic biomass. By integrating discussions on sugar transport engineering, redox balancing, and pathway optimization, this review offers a comprehensive framework to overcome glucose repression and support efficient co-fermentation of carbon sources from conventional and pectin-rich biomass. Drawing on these advances, we outline practical strategies to enhance fermentation performance and expand the valorization of food processing residues in biomanufacturing.

Extracellular vesicles derived from probiotics have received considerable attention for their pivotal role in bacterial‒host communication. These nanosized, bilayer-encapsulated vesicles carry diverse bioactive molecules, such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and metabolites. Currently, ample evidence has emerged that probiotic extracellular vesicles may modulate several processes of host physiological hemostasis and offer therapeutic benefits. This review examines the biogenesis, composition, and immunomodulatory functions of probiotic-derived extracellular vesicles in probiotic–host interactions, highlighting the therapeutic potential of probiotic extracellular vesicles in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. We further summarize the techniques for the separation and purification of extracellular vesicles, providing a methodological foundation for future research and applications. Although the field of probiotic extracellular vesicle research is still in its infancy, the prospects for their application in the biomedical field are broad, potentially emerging as a novel therapeutic approach.

Two rod-shaped, Gram-positive, spore-forming, motile, and strictly anaerobic bacteria, FM7315^T and FM7330^T were isolated from Myeolchi-jeot, a traditional Korean fermented anchovy. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences revealed that strains FM7315^T and FM7330^T represent novel species within the genus Haloimpatiens. The genome sizes of strains FM7315^T and FM7330^T were 3,052,517 bp and 4,194,114 bp, respectively, with G + C contents of 29.7 mol% and 28.0 mol%, respectively. Strain FM7315^T exhibited growth at 20–37°C, 0–2% NaCl, and pH range of 5.0–8.0, whereas strain FM7330^T grew at 25–45°C, 0–4% NaCl, and pH range of 5.0–9.0. Strain FM7315^T contains C_14:0, C_16:0, C_18:1 ω9c, Summed Feature 3 (C_16:1 ω7c/C_16:1 ω6c), and Summed Feature 8 (C_18:1 ω7c/C_18:1 ω6c) as major fatty acids, along with diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid, two aminophospholipids, and five unidentified lipids. Strain FM7330^T contains C_16:0, C_17:1 ω8c, and C_18:1 ω9c as major fatty acids, along with diphosphatidylglycerol, two phosphatidylglycerols, four aminophospholipids, and six unidentified lipids. Based on their phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and molecular characteristics, strains FM7315^T and FM7330^T represent two novel species of the genus Haloimpatiens, for which the names Haloimpatiens sporogenes sp. nov. (FM7315^T = KCTC 25939^T = JCM 37574^T) and Haloimpatiens myeolchijeotgali sp. nov. (FM7330^T = KCTC 25938^T = JCM 37575^T) have been proposed.

Prebiotics are indigestible dietary components that improve host health by stimulating the growth and metabolic activity of beneficial intestinal microbes. The whole grains are rich in non-digestible carbohydrates, which may confer prebiotic potential. Among them, millet and quinoa have gained attention as dietary alternatives due to the growing popularity of gluten-free diets. In this study, we examined the effects of proso millet and quinoa on the human gut microbiota using an in vitro fecal incubation model. Both grains altered alpha diversity metrics, including microbial richness, evenness, and phylogenetic diversity. Beta diversity analysis showed that the proso millet and quinoa treatment groups exhibited distinct clustering patterns compared to the control, highlighting their impact on microbial community structure. Taxonomic analysis showed an increase in beneficial genera, including Bifidobacterium, and a decrease in taxa such as Enterobacteriaceae and Flavonifractor. To assess metabolic changes associated with microbial fermentation, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) intensities were measured. The intensities of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid were significantly higher in the proso millet- and quinoa-treated groups compared to the control group. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the abundances of Bifidobacterium and Blautia were significantly positively associated with SCFA intensities. Furthermore, predicted functional pathway analysis identified enrichment of carbohydrate-related pathways in proso millet and quinoa treatments. Quinoa supplementation led to a broader enhancement of metabolic pathways, including glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, and pentose phosphate pathways, whereas proso millet enriched galactose metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism. These findings suggest that proso millet and quinoa influence gut microbial diversity, composition, and function.

The global spread of COVID-19 has underscored the urgent need for advanced tools to study emerging coronaviruses. Reverse genetics systems have become indispensable for dissecting viral gene functions, developing live-attenuated vaccine candidates, and identifying antiviral targets. In this study, we describe a robust and efficient reverse genetics platform for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The system is based on the assembly of a full-length infectious cDNA clone from seven overlapping fragments, each flanked by homologous sequences to facilitate seamless assembly using the Gibson assembly method. Individual cloning of each fragment into plasmids enables modular manipulation of the viral genome, allowing rapid site-directed mutagenesis by fragment exchange. Infectious recombinant virus was successfully recovered from the assembled cDNA, exhibiting uniform plaque morphology and genetic homogeneity compared to clinical isolates. Additionally, fluorescent reporter viruses were generated to enable real-time visualization of infection, and the effects of different mammalian promoters on viral rescue were evaluated. This reverse genetics platform enables efficient generation and manipulation of recombinant SARS-CoV-2, providing a valuable resource for virological research and the development of preventive and therapeutic antiviral measures.