Protein misfolding occurs due to the loss of native protein structure and adopts an abnormal structure, wherein the misfolded proteins accumulate and form aggregates, which result in the formation of amyloid fibrils that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Amyloid beta (Aβ42) aggregation or amyloidosis is contemplated as a unique hallmark characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Due to aberrant accrual and aggregation of Aβ42 in extracellular space, the formation of senile plaques is found in AD patients. These senile plaques occur usually in the cognitive and memory region of the brain, enfeebles neurodegeneration, hinders the signaling between synapse, and disrupts neuronal functioning. In recent years, herbal compounds are identified and characterized for their potential as Aβ42 inhibitors. Thus, understanding their structure and molecular mechanics can provide an incredible finding in AD therapeutics. To describe the structure-based molecular studies in the rational designing of drugs against amyloid fibrils, we examined various herbal compounds that belong to prenylflavonoids. The present study characterizes the trends we identified at molecular docking studies and dynamics simulation where we observed stronger binding orientation of bavachalcone, bavachin, and neobavaisoflavone with the amyloid-beta (Aβ42) fibril structure. Hence, we could postulate that these herbal compounds could be potential inhibitors of Aβ42 fibrils; these anti-aggregation agents need to be considered in treating AD.
Carotenoids are isoprenoid pigments synthesized exclusively by plants and microorganisms and play critical roles in light harvesting, photoprotection, attracting pollinators and phytohormone production. In recent years, carotenoids have been used for their health benefits due to their high antioxidant activity and are extensively utilized in food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis occurs throughout the life cycle of plants, with vibrant changes in composition based on developmental needs and responses to external environmental stimuli. With advancements in metabolic engineering techniques, there has been tremendous progress in the production of industrially valuable secondary metabolites such as carotenoids. Application of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology has become essential for the successful and improved production of carotenoids. Synthetic biology is an emerging discipline; metabolic engineering approaches may provide insights into novel ideas for biosynthetic pathways. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge on carotenoid biosynthetic pathways and genetic engineering of carotenoids to improve their nutritional value. In addition, we investigated synthetic biological approaches for the production of carotenoids. Theoretical biology approaches that may aid in understanding the biological sciences are discussed in this review. A combination of theoretical knowledge and experimental strategies may improve the production of industrially relevant secondary metabolites.