Nucleic acid agents for reducing or removing infestations of the Varroa destructor mite are described. Compositions comprising the nucleic acid agents and methods for controlling mite infestations using the nucleic acid agents and compositions are also disclosed.

Described herein are biological devices and methods for using the same to produce a polyactive carbohydrate. The biological devices include microbial cells transformed with a DNA construct containing genes for producing a chitin synthase, a chitosanase, and a chitin deacetylase. In some instances, the biological devices also include a gene for lipase. Methods for using the polyactive carbohydrate are also provided herein, including, but not limited to, enhancing the physiological properties of plants; medical applications; applications in the construction, materials science, and home goods industries; personal care, grooming, cosmetics, and oral care compositions containing the polyactive carbohydrate; methods for water decontamination; and the production of polyurethanes.

A chitin-binding protein for detecting fungi and an application thereof, and an affinity molecule detection method of the fungi are provided, relating to the field of fungus detection technologies. The chitin-binding protein includes ChBD2, ChBD3, EfCBP-1, PfCBP-A, PfCBP-B, BcCBP-1, or ScCBP-1. The chitin-binding protein can be used to detect the fungi. The affinity molecule detection method of the fungi can quickly and accurately quantitatively detect Candida albicans by combining a chitin affinity protein with recombinase polymerase amplification-clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR related protein 12a (RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a). The whole reaction can be completed within 120 minutes, and the detection sensitivity of Candida albicans reaches 310.sup.1 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL).