Biology subjects

Palomares, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Palomares, M..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Nutrient content estimation of the world's fishes

Seafood nutrients from global fisheries are of increasing importance for research and policy in food security and nutrition. As the chemical composition of fish is determined by what they eat, their energetic demands, and the environment in which they live, nutrient content reflects aspects of physiology and life history, ecological and environmental traits, as well as evolutionary history. Here we present data from Bayesian model estimates of 12 key nutrients (calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B9, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein) in wild fish, using a database of reported nutrient content for freshwater and marine species. We then predict the nutrient content of 5588 fish species with traits available from FishBase. We compare our previous model using traits alone with a new model of both traits and phylogeny, and present the data, code, and predictions for models coded in PyMC. These models and predictions, made freely available through FishBase, can be used to explore the historical, current, and future nutrient content of fisheries catch.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2026

From Metabolomics to Function: Ranking Plant Stem Cell Metabolomes for Use in Health and Cosmetics

BackgroundPlants produce diverse metabolites with potential benefits for human health. However, the metabolomes of plant callus cultures--cell cultures analogous to stem cells--remain poorly characterized in terms of their functional relevance. MethodsWe profiled the metabolomes of six plant calli: Acacia concinna (Shikakai), Daucus carota (carrot), Hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus), Linum usitatissimum (flax), Ocimum sanctum (tulsi), and the Nicotiana tabacum Bright-Yellow 2 (BY-2) cell line. To facilitate functional interpretation, we developed Metabolite2Function (M2F), a pipeline that annotates metabolites with biological functions using scientific literature and large language modeling. ResultsUntargeted metabolomics identified 177 metabolites, revealing clustering patterns independent of genetic relationships, culture age, or growth rate. Tulsi and carrot calli exhibited enrichment in metabolites relative to the tobacco reference line, whereas flax and hibiscus were comparatively depleted. Most metabolites varied across at least four calli, and 10% were unique to a single species. Using M2F, we annotated 87 metabolites with beneficial activities, including antioxidant, anti-glycation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-senescence functions, as well as skin-related effects such as collagen production and brightening. Notably, antioxidant and anti-senescence metabolite levels correlated with corresponding biological activities in human cells. ConclusionsPlant callus cultures generate distinct and functionally diverse bioactive metabolomes. M2F provides a scalable framework for systematic functional annotation relevant to human health and cosmetic applications.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2026

Yeast-Plant-Derived Consortia Factors Exhibit A Distinct And Enriched Beneficial Metabolome For Health And Beauty

Cells secrete metabolites and other factors into the extracellular medium, collectively referred to as the secretome. The effect of co-culturing cells from different species on their combined secretome remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effect of co-culturing plant and yeast cells to produce a unique set of secretory factors collectively termed Consortia Factors (CFx). Specifically, a yeast suspension of Ustilago cynodontis (Ustilago) was co-cultured with plant cells derived from Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi). The metabolome of the Ustilago-Tulsi CFx (termed CFx-1) was then profiled and compared with that of the individual cultures. Statistical clustering analyses revealed that the CFx-1 metabolome was substantially different from either culture grown alone and was enriched in metabolites relative to single cultures. Notably, significant enrichment was observed among metabolites mutually upregulated in CFx compared with both single cultures, with approximately one-third absent from either culture alone. Using an algorithm designed to identify scientifically validated antioxidant metabolites, the CFx-1 was found to be enriched in antioxidants relative to the single cultures, including vitamin C. Accordingly, the CFx-1 exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than either of the single-culture secretomes, and even than the combination of the two single-culture secretomes. These findings suggest that consortia factors derived from co-culturing yeast and plant cells can generate a unique and more potent secretome that is enriched in bioactive metabolites beneficial for human health.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Mechanical, rheological, and sensory characterization of lion's mane mushroom steak

Mushrooms are increasingly recognized as delicious, nutritious, and sustainable foods, with an intrinsic umami flavor and fibrous microstructure that can approximate meat-like texture. Among them, lions mane mushroom has emerged as a promising candidate for whole-cut meat alternatives. Yet, its mechanical, rheological, and sensory properties remain largely unquantified. Here we show that a minimally processed lions mane mushroom steak exhibits distinctive mechanical, rheological, and sensory characteristics that position it favorably among existing meat alternatives. Despite its pronounced fibrous morphology, lions mane steak behaves predominantly as an isotropic material under both mechanical loading and rheological testing, with elastic stiffnesses of E = 33.2 kPa and E = 34.8 kPa in-plane and cross-plane. A fundamental challenge in alternative protein development is to understand how these measurable physical properties relate to human texture perception. In a complementary sensory survey, n = 21 participants ranked lions mane steak as more fatty, fibrous, moist, and meaty than eight animal- and plant-based comparison meats. Strikingly, our perceived sensory softness correlates inversely with our experimentally measured mechanical stiffness ({tau}=-0.60, p = 0.02) and rheological loss modulus ({tau}=-0.56, p = 0.03). Taken together, our results demonstrate that lions mane steak combines favorable mechanical performance with desirable sensory attributes and provide a mechanistic link between physics and taste. Our findings highlight lions mane mushroom as a compelling whole-cut alternative protein and underscore the value of integrated mechanical-sensory characterization for rational food design.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2025

Engineering Sustained-Release Broadly Neutralizing Antibody Formulations

Sustained serum levels of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) are crucial for effective passive immunization against infectious diseases as protection persists only while these bnAbs remain at adequate concentrations within the body. Current obstacles, such as poor pharmacokinetics (PK) and burdensome administration, must be overcome to make bnAbs a viable option for pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis. In this work, we explore how a polymer-nanoparticle (PNP) hydrogel depot technology can be engineered to prolong protein delivery. In-vivo studies in mice and rats demonstrate prolonged protein release, and modeling efforts predict the impact of both the elimination half-life of the active pharmaceutical ingredient and hydrogel depot volume on overall pharmacokinetics. Moreover, flow cytometry characterization reveals that immune cell infiltration into the hydrogel depot can result in faster-than-expected release of antibody cargo on account of active transport via cellular uptake. We then demonstrate that co-formulation of antibodies with an anti-inflammatory agent reduces cellular infiltration and resulting active transport, further extending delivery and pharmacokinetics. Finally, multicompartmental modeling predicts the human PK profiles of clinically relevant HIV bnAbs delivered via subcutaneous hydrogel injection. These findings aid in the development of next generation hydrogel materials that stabilize and slowly release bnAbs for long-term pre-exposure immunoprophylaxis.

bioengineering↗