Selective miR-21 detection technology based on photocrosslinkable artificial nucleic acid-modified magnetic particles and hybridization chain reaction.

Recently, microRNA (miRNA) detection in blood has attracted attention as a new early detection technology for cancer. The extraction of target miRNA is a necessary preliminary step for detection; however, currently, most extraction methods extract all RNA from the blood, which limits the detection selectivity. Therefore, a method for the selective extraction and detection of target miRNA from blood is very important.

Social isolation shortens lifespan through oxidative stress in ants.

Social isolation negatively affects health, induces detrimental behaviors, and shortens lifespan in social species. Little is known about the mechanisms underpinning these effects because model species are typically short-lived and non-social. Using colonies of the carpenter ant Camponotus fellah, we show that social isolation induces hyperactivity, alters space-use, and reduces lifespan via changes in the expression of genes with key roles in oxidation-reduction and an associated accumulation of reactive oxygen species.

Basic Structures of Gut Bacterial Communities in Eusocial Insects.

Gut bacterial communities assist host animals with numerous functions such as food digestion, nutritional provision, or immunity. Some social mammals and insects are unique in that their gut microbial communities are stable among individuals. In this review, we focus on the gut bacterial communities of eusocial insects, including bees, ants, and termites, to provide an overview of their community structures and to gain insights into any general aspects of their structural basis.

New SNCA mutation and structures of α-synuclein filaments from juvenile-onset synucleinopathy.

A 21-nucleotide duplication in one allele of SNCA was identified in a previously described disease with abundant α-synuclein inclusions that we now call juvenile-onset synucleinopathy (JOS). This mutation translates into the insertion of MAAAEKT after residue 22 of α-synuclein, resulting in a protein of 147 amino acids. Both wild-type and mutant proteins were present in sarkosyl-insoluble material that was extracted from frontal cortex of the individual with JOS and examined by electron cryo-microscopy.

Photo-Cross-Linked Probe-Modified Magnetic Particles for the Selective and Reliable Recovery of Nucleic Acids.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays are used to diagnose various infectious diseases such as Coronavirus disease 2019 by detecting the nucleic acids of the pathogen. However, in practice, the yield of the extraction process and the inhibition of the reverse transcription reaction and PCR by foreign substances reduce the sensitivity and may yield false negative results. The sensitivity of the PCR test can be improved by using technologies that can reliably capture the target nucleic acid and remove foreign substances.