β‐Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has recently gained attention for a nutritional supplement because it is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). In this study, we developed NMN synthesis by coupling two modules. The first module is to culture E. coli MG1655 ▵tktA ▵tktB ▵ptsG to metabolize xylose to generate D‐ribose in the medium. The supernatant containing D‐ribose was applied in the second module which is composed of EcRbsK‐EcPRPS‐CpNAMPT reaction to synthesize NMN, that requires additional enzymes of CHU0107 and EcPPase to remove feedback inhibitors ADP and pyrophosphate. The second module can be rapidly optimized by comparing NMN production determined by the cyanide assay. Finally, 10 mL optimal biocascade reaction generated NMN with a good yield of 84 % from 1 mM D‐ribose supplied from the supernatant of E. coli MG1655 ▵tktA ▵tktB ▵ptsG. Our results can further guide researchers to metabolically engineer E. coli for NMN synthesis.

NucPNP and NucV involved in the early steps of nucleocidin biosynthesis were characterized in vitro. The results provide insight to study the biosynthesis of nucleocidin in the future.

A chalcone series (3a–f) with electron push–pull effect was synthesized via a one-pot Claisen–Schmidt reaction with a simple purification step. The compounds exhibited strong emission, peaking around 512–567 nm with mega-stokes shift (∆λ = 93–139 nm) in polar solvents (DMSO, MeOH, and PBS) and showed good photo-stability. Therefore, 3a–f were applied in cellular imaging. After 3 h of incubation, green fluorescence was clearly brighter in cancer cells (HepG2) compared to normal cells (HEK-293), suggesting preferential accumulation in cancer cells. Moreover, all compounds exhibited higher cytotoxicity within 24 h toward cancer cells (IC50 values ranging from 45 to 100 μM) than normal cells (IC50 value >100 μM). Furthermore, the antimicrobial properties of chalcones 3a–f were investigated. Interestingly, 3a–f exhibited antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of 0.10–0.60 mg/mL (375–1000 µM), suggesting their potential antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Thus, this series of chalcone-derived fluorescent dyes with facile synthesis shows great potential for the development of antibiotics and cancer cell staining agents.

A hypoxia-responsive probe based on a flavylium dye containing an azo group (AZO-Flav) was synthesized to detect hypoxic conditions via a reductase-catalyzed reaction in cancer cells. In in vitro enzymatic investigation, the azo group of AZO-Flav was reduced by a reductase in the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) followed by fragmentation to generate a fluorescent molecule, Flav-NH2. The response of AZO-Flav to the reductase was as fast as 2 min with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.4 μM. Moreover, AZO-Flav displayed high enzyme specificity even in the presence of high concentrations of biological interferences, such as reducing agents and biothiols. Therefore, AZO-Flav was tested to detect hypoxic and normoxic environments in cancer cells (HepG2). Compared to the normal condition, the fluorescence intensity in hypoxic conditions increased about 10-fold after 15 min. Prolonged incubation showed a 26-fold higher fluorescent intensity after 60 min. In addition, the fluorescence signal under hypoxia can be suppressed by an electron transport process inhibitor, diphenyliodonium chloride (DPIC), suggesting that reductases take part in the azo group reduction of AZO-Flav in a hypoxic environment. Therefore, this probe showed great potential application toward in vivo hypoxia detection.