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To explore the relationship between citrus fruit juices (oranges, grapefruits, and lemonades) and kidney stone disease (KSD). Methods: A systematic review was performed using the Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus databases, in concordance with the PRISMA checklist for all English, French, and Spanish language studies regarding the consumption of citrus fruit juices and the relationship to urinary stone disease. The main outcome of interest was the association of citrus fruit juices with KSD. Results: Thirteen articles met the criteria for inclusion in the final review. Three large epidemiological studies found that grapefruit juice was a risk factor for stone formation, while orange juice did not increase the risk for KSD. Ten small prospective clinical studies found that orange, grapefruit, and lemon juices all increased urinary citrate levels. Only orange and grapefruit juices had an alkalinizing effect and while lemon juice has a protective effect by raising urinary citrate levels, it lacked a significant alkalinizing effect on urine pH. Orange juice and grapefruit juices significantly increased urinary oxalate levels, while orange juice also had a high carbohydrate content. Conclusion: While orange juice seems to play a protective role against stone formation, grapefruit was found to raise the risk of KSD in epidemiological studies but had a protective role in smaller clinical studies. Lemon juice had a smaller protective role than orange juice. Larger amounts of, as well as more accurate, data is needed before recommendations can be made and a high carbohydrate content in these juices needs to be taken into consideration.

Plants produce ∼300 aromatic compounds enzymatically linked to prenyl side chains via C–O bonds. These O-prenylated aromatic compounds have been found in taxonomically distant plant taxa, with some of them being beneficial or detrimental to human health. Although their O-prenyl moieties often play crucial roles in the biological activities of these compounds, no plant gene encoding an aromatic O-prenyltransferase (O-PT) has been isolated to date. This study describes the isolation of an aromatic O-PT gene, CpPT1, belonging to the UbiA superfamily, from grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi, Rutaceae). This gene was shown responsible for the biosynthesis of O-prenylated coumarin derivatives that alter drug pharmacokinetics in the human body. Another coumarin O-PT gene encoding a protein of the same family was identified in Angelica keiskei, an apiaceous medicinal plant containing pharmaceutically active O-prenylated coumarins. Phylogenetic analysis of these O-PTs suggested that aromatic O-prenylation activity evolved independently fromthe same ancestral gene in these distant plant taxa. These findings shed light on understanding the evolution of plant secondary (specialized) metabolites via the UbiA superfamily.

Summary Recently, CRISPR‐Cas12a (Cpf1) from Prevotella and Francisella was engineered to modify plant genomes. In this report, we employed CRISPR‐LbCas12a (LbCpf1), which is derived from Lachnospiraceae bacterium ND2006, to edit a citrus genome for the first time. First, LbCas12a was used to modify the CsPDS gene successfully in Duncan grapefruit via Xcc‐facilitated agroinfiltration. Next, LbCas12a driven by either the 35S or Yao promoter was used to edit the PthA4 effector binding elements in the promoter (EBEPthA4‐CsLOBP) of CsLOB1. A single crRNA was selected to target a conserved region of both Type I and Type II CsLOBPs, since the protospacer adjacent motif of LbCas12a (TTTV) allows crRNA to act on the conserved region of these two types of CsLOBP. CsLOB1 is the canker susceptibility gene, and it is induced by the corresponding pathogenicity factor PthA4 in Xanthomonas citri by binding to EBEPthA4‐CsLOBP. A total of seven 35S‐LbCas12a‐transformed Duncan plants were generated, and they were designated as #D35s1 to #D35s7, and ten Yao‐LbCas12a‐transformed Duncan plants were created and designated as #Dyao1 to #Dyao10. LbCas12a‐directed EBEPthA4‐CsLOBP modifications were observed in three 35S‐LbCas12a‐transformed Duncan plants (#D35s1, #D35s4 and #D35s7). However, no LbCas12a‐mediated indels were observed in the Yao‐LbCas12a‐transformed plants. Notably, transgenic line #D35s4, which contains the highest mutation rate, alleviates XccΔpthA4:dCsLOB1.4 infection. Finally, no potential off‐targets were observed. Therefore, CRISPR‐LbCas12a can readily be used as a powerful tool for citrus genome editing.

In agreement with the recent trend of consumers’ demand for natural antimicrobial products, the importance of using natural compounds in food is increasing. Among numerous natural compounds, grapefruit seed extract (GSE) is widely known for its extremely effective antimicrobial activity. The direct use of GSE in food is the most common method of application. Other GSE applications exist using it with coating materials and incorporating it into edible films. Previously done studies identified benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and other synthetic agents from GSE. Unfortunately, the presence of these antibacterial contents does not exactly coincide with the natural aspects of GSE. Even though GSE is identified as a natural antimicrobial, this observation suggests that the GSE antibacterial activity is derived from these synthetic substances such as benzalkonium chloride. Therefore, further research is needed about these controversial issues. This review analyzed the application of GSE as a natural antimicrobial in the food industry and suggested further research directions.

Citrus is a highly valued tree crop worldwide, while, at the same time, citrus production faces many biotic challenges, including bacterial canker and Huanglongbing (HLB). Breeding for disease‐resistant varieties is the most efficient and sustainable approach to control plant diseases. Traditional breeding of citrus varieties is challenging due to multiple limitations, including polyploidy, polyembryony, extended juvenility and long crossing cycles. Targeted genome editing technology has the potential to shorten varietal development for some traits, including disease resistance. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9/sgRNA technology to modify the canker susceptibility gene CsLOB1 in Duncan grapefruit. Six independent lines, DLOB2, DLOB3, DLOB9, DLOB10, DLOB11 and DLOB12, were generated. Targeted next‐generation sequencing of the six lines showed the mutation rate was 31.58%, 23.80%, 89.36%, 88.79%, 46.91% and 51.12% for DLOB2, DLOB3, DLOB9, DLOB10, DLOB11 and DLOB12, respectively, of the cells in each line. DLOB2 and DLOB3 showed canker symptoms similar to wild‐type grapefruit, when inoculated with the pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc). No canker symptoms were observed on DLOB9, DLOB10, DLOB11 and DLOB12 at 4 days postinoculation (DPI) with Xcc. Pustules caused by Xcc were observed on DLOB9, DLOB10, DLOB11 and DLOB12 in later stages, which were much reduced compared to that on wild‐type grapefruit. The pustules on DLOB9 and DLOB10 did not develop into typical canker symptoms. No side effects and off‐target mutations were detected in the mutated plants. This study indicates that genome editing using CRISPR technology will provide a promising pathway to generate disease‐resistant citrus varieties.

With the rapid industrialization, especially offshore oil exploitation, frequent leakage incidents of oils/organic solvents have adversely affected ecological systems and environmental resources. Therefore, great interest has been shown in developing new materials to eliminate these organic pollutants, which have become worldwide problems. In this study, a cost-effective, environmentally friendly porous aerogel with three-dimensional (3D) structure was prepared from grapefruit peel by a facile hydrothermal method as the adsorbent of oils/organic solvents. The as-prepared modified grapefruit peel aerogel (M-GPA) showed mesoporous structure with high specific surface area of 36.42 m 2 /g and large pore volume of 0.0371 cm 3 /g. The excellent hydrophobicity of M-GPA with a water contact angle of 141.2° indicated a strong potential for adsorption of oils and organic solvents. The high adsorption capacity of M-GPA for a series of oils and organic solvents was 8 to 52 times as much as its own weight. Moreover, the M-GPA was easily regenerated and a high adsorption capacity recovery above 97% was maintained after five adsorption–regeneration cycles. Therefore, the M-GPA is a promising recyclable adsorbent for the removal of oils/organic solvents from polluted water.

The aim of the study was to compare the mineral content between the peel and the pulp of citrus fruits and to determine which citrus fruit, among orange ( Citrus sinensis ), pomelo ( Citrus maxima ), mandarin ( Citrus reticulata Blanco), lemon ( Citrus limon ), key lime ( Citrus aurantifolia ), and red, yellow, or green grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi ), is the richest in minerals. The research material consisted of fresh citrus fruits belonging to the genus Citrus L in the family Rutaceae. The fruits were purchased at a supermarket at one time. To prepare laboratory samples, each fruit was cut in half, and one half was homogenized, treating the sample as a whole (peel + flesh), while the other half was peeled and the pulp (F) and peel (P) were homogenized separately. To determine the content of minerals (Na + , K + , Ca +2 , Mg +2 , Fe +2 , Zn +2 , Cu +2 , Mn +2 , and Se +2 ), the samples were mineralized and analyzed using an Analytik Jena PlasmaQuant PQ 9000 inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer. The content of macro- and micronutrients in the peel of most of the fruits far exceeded their quantity in the pulp. Oranges and pomelos are the fruits richest in iron and copper, so they could be recommended in cases such as hemoglobin production disorders resulting from a deficiency of these elements. Oranges can additionally enrich the body with potassium, phosphorus, and manganese, while lime can be a source of calcium, zinc, sodium, and especially potassium. It should also be noted that all citrus fruits are a very valuable source of potassium, which is needed to ensure the water and electrolyte balance.

Fruit peels have a diverse range of phytochemicals including carotenoids, vitamins, dietary fibres, and phenolic compounds, some with remarkable antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, the comprehensive screening and characterization of the complex array of phenolic compounds in different fruit peels is limited. This study aimed to determine the polyphenol content and their antioxidant potential in twenty different fruit peel samples in an ethanolic extraction, including their comprehensive characterization and quantification using the LC-MS/MS and HPLC. The obtained results showed that the mango peel exhibited the highest phenolic content for TPC (27.51 ± 0.63 mg GAE/g) and TFC (1.75 ± 0.08 mg QE/g), while the TTC (9.01 ± 0.20 mg CE/g) was slightly higher in the avocado peel than mango peel (8.99 ± 0.13 mg CE/g). In terms of antioxidant potential, the grapefruit peel had the highest radical scavenging capacities for the DPPH (9.17 ± 0.19 mg AAE/g), ABTS (10.79 ± 0.56 mg AAE/g), ferric reducing capacity in FRAP (9.22 ± 0.25 mg AA/g), and total antioxidant capacity, TAC (8.77 ± 0.34 mg AAE/g) compared to other fruit peel samples. The application of LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS tentatively identified and characterized a total of 176 phenolics, including phenolic acids (49), flavonoids (86), lignans (11), stilbene (5) and other polyphenols (25) in all twenty peel samples. From HPLC-PDA quantification, the mango peel sample showed significantly higher phenolic content, particularly for phenolic acids (gallic acid, 14.5 ± 0.4 mg/g) and flavonoids (quercetin, 11.9 ± 0.4 mg/g), as compared to other fruit peel samples. These results highlight the importance of fruit peels as a potential source of polyphenols. This study provides supportive information for the utilization of different phenolic rich fruit peels as ingredients in food, feed, and nutraceutical products.

Citrus canker caused by Xanthomonas citri subspecies citri (Xcc) is a severe disease for most commercial citrus cultivars and responsible for significant economic losses worldwide. Generating canker‐resistant citrus varieties will provide an efficient and sustainable solution to control citrus canker. Here, we report our progress in generating canker‐resistant grapefruit by modifying the PthA4 effector binding elements (EBEs) in the CsLOB1 Promoter (EBEPₜₕA₄‐CsLOBP) of the CsLOB1 (Citrus sinensis Lateral Organ Boundaries) gene. CsLOB1 is a susceptibility gene for citrus canker and is induced by the pathogenicity factor PthA4, which binds to the EBEPₜₕA₄‐CsLOBP to induce CsLOB1 gene expression. There are two alleles, Type I and Type II, of CsLOB1 in Duncan grapefruit. Here, a binary vector was designed to disrupt the PthA4 EBEs in Type I CsLOB1 Promoter (TI CsLOBP) via epicotyl transformation of Duncan grapefruit. Four transgenic Duncan plants with targeted modification of EBEPₜₕA₄‐T1 CsLOBP were successfully created. As for Type I CsLOB1 promoter, the mutation rate was 15.63% (#D13), 14.29% (#D17), 54.54% (#D18) and 81.25% (#D22). In the presence of wild‐type Xcc, transgenic Duncan grapefruit developed canker symptoms similarly as wild type. An artificially designed dTALE dCsLOB1.3, which specifically recognizes Type I CsLOBP, but not the mutated Type I CsLOBP or Type II CsLOBP, was developed to infect Duncan transformants. Consequently, #D18 had weakened canker symptoms and #D22 had no visible canker symptoms in the presence of XccΔpthA4:dCsLOB1.3. Our data suggest that activation of a single allele of susceptibility gene CsLOB1 by PthA4 is sufficient to induce citrus canker disease, and mutation in the promoters of both alleles of CsLOB1 is probably required to generate citrus canker‐resistant plants. This work lays the groundwork to generate canker‐resistant citrus varieties via Cas9/sgRNA in the future.

Plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PEVs) have gained attention as promising bioactive nutraceutical molecules; their presence in common fruit juices has increased their significance because human interaction is inevitable. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential of PEVs derived from grapefruit and tomato juices as functional ingredients, antioxidant compounds, and delivery vehicles. PEVs were isolated using differential ultracentrifugation and were found to be similar in size and morphology to mammalian exosomes. The yield of grapefruit exosome-like vesicles (GEVs) was higher than that of tomato exosome-like vesicles (TEVs), despite the latter having larger vesicle sizes. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of GEVs and TEVs was found to be low in comparison to their juice sources, indicating a limited contribution of PEVs to the juice. GEVs showed a higher efficiency in being loaded with the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) than TEVs, as well as a higher efficiency than TEV and PEV-free HSP70 in delivering HSP70 to glioma cells. Overall, our results revealed that GEVs present a higher potential as functional ingredients present in juice and that they exert the potential to deliver functional molecules to human cells. Although PEVs showed low antioxidant activity, their role in oxidative response in cells should be further addressed.