Nuclear localization signals (NLS) are generally short peptides that act as a signal fragment that mediates the transport of proteins from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. This NLS-dependent protein recognition, a process necessary for cargo proteins to pass the nuclear envelope through the nuclear pore complex, is facilitated by members of the importin superfamily. Here, we summarized the types of NLS, focused on the recently reported related proteins containing nuclear localization signals, and briefly summarized some mechanisms that do not depend on nuclear localization signals into the nucleus.

The large consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels has brought about energy depletion and environmental pollution, spawning the production of renewable biofuels, an important alternative to alleviate the energy crisis effectively. As one of the ideal types of biofuel, bioethanol synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has attracted much attention. S. cerevisiae has been developed as essential chassis cells with high efficiency for bioethanol synthesis on account of many advantages. This study systematically summarized the preponderance of S. cerevisiae in biosynthesis. It objectively stated the research strategies of bioethanol synthesis based on S. cerevisiae and the existing bottleneck problems. This study further proposed reasonable prospects for bioethanol synthesis by S. cerevisiae, attempting to provide alternative research strategies.

Glutathione (GSH), γ-Glu-Cys-Gly, is one of the most abundant small non-protein thiol molecules in mammalian tissues, particularly in the liver. Although glutathione is present in thiol-reduced (GSH) and disulfide oxidized (GSSG) forms, the predominant form is GSH and its content can exceed 10 mmol/L in liver cells. As an important intracellular reductant, GSH has many biological functions in cells. Its major function is as an anti-oxidant as it can protect proteins from oxidation by reversible posttranslational modification (glutathionylation) and decrease reactive oxygen species-mediated damage. However, it does have numerous other functions, including to chelate metal irons; enhance the absorption of iron, selenium and calcium; participate in lipid and insulin metabolism; regulate cellular events such as gene expression, DNA and protein synthesis, cell proliferation and apoptosis, redox-dependent signal transduction pathways, cytokine production and the immune response; and control protein glutathionylation. Therefore, GSH plays important roles in cell survival and health, and an imbalance in the GSH level can lead to many diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of the function of GSH in mammalian cells and discuss future research of GSH.

Filamentous fungi play a crucial role in environmental pollution control, protein secretion, and the production of active secondary metabolites. The evolution of gene editing technology has significantly improved the study of filamentous fungi, which in the past was laborious and time-consuming. But recently, CRISPR-Cas systems, which utilize small guide RNA (sgRNA) to mediate clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas), have demonstrated considerable promise in research and application for filamentous fungi. The principle, function, and classification of CRISPR-Cas, along with its application strategies and research progress in filamentous fungi, will all be covered in the review. Additionally, we will go over general matters to take into account when editing a genome with the CRISPR-Cas system, including the creation of vectors, different transformation methodologies, multiple editing approaches, CRISPR-mediated transcriptional activation (CRISPRa) or interference (CRISPRi), base editors (BEs), and Prime editors (PEs).

Cordyceps militaris, a traditional medicinal ingredient with a long history of application in China, is regarded as a high-value fungus due to its production of various bioactive ingredients with a wide range of pharmacological effects in clinical treatment. Several typical bioactive ingredients, such as cordycepin, D-mannitol, cordyceps polysaccharides, and N⁶-(2-hydroxyethyl)-adenosine (HEA), have received increasing attention due to their antitumor, antioxidant, antidiabetic, radioprotective, antiviral and immunomodulatory activities. Here, we systematically sorted out the latest research progress on the chemical characteristics, biosynthetic gene clusters and pathways of these four typical bioactive ingredients. This summary will lay a foundation for obtaining low-cost and high-quality bioactive ingredients in large amounts using microbial cell factories in the future.