Coordination of Focal Adhesion Nanoarchitecture and Dynamics in Mechanosensing for Cardiomyoblast Differentiation.

Focal adhesions (FAs) are force-bearing multiprotein complexes, whose nanoscale organization and signaling are essential for cell growth and differentiation. However, the specific organization of FA components to exert spatiotemporal activation of FA proteins for force sensing and transduction remains unclear. In this study, we unveil the intricacies of FA protein nanoarchitecture and that its dynamics are coordinated by a molecular scaffold protein, BNIP-2, to initiate downstream signal transduction for cardiomyoblast differentiation.

Closing the Knowledge Gap of Post-Acquisition Sample Normalization in Untargeted Metabolomics.

Sample normalization is a crucial step in metabolomics for fair quantitative comparisons. It aims to minimize sample-to-sample variations due to differences in the total metabolite amount. When samples lack a specific metabolic quantity to accurately represent their total metabolite amounts, post-acquisition sample normalization becomes essential.

Insights into the regulation of CHIP E3 ligase-mediated ubiquitination of neuronal protein BNIP-H.

BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19-kDa protein-interacting protein 2 homolog (BNIP-H or Caytaxin), a pivotal adaptor protein that facilitates cerebellar cortex growth and synaptic transmission, is posttranslationally modified to regulate neuronal function. This study reports the ubiquitination of BNIP-H by Carboxyl terminus of Hsc70-Interacting Protein (CHIP), a U-box containing E3 ligase that is also regulated autoubiquitination. Specifically, it was observed that CHIP autoubiquitinated itself primarily at Lys23 and Lys31 .

A Putative Frizzled 7-Targeting Compound Acts as a Firefly Luciferase Inhibitor.

The Frizzled family (FZD) of G protein-coupled receptors regulates WNT signaling mediating proliferative input. Dysregulation of FZD and exaggerated WNT/β-catenin signaling is frequently observed in intestinal cancers. Therefore, it is attractive to develop therapeutics targeting FZD for cancer treatment.

The dichotomous roles of microbial-modified bile acids 7-oxo-DCA and isoDCA in intestinal tumorigenesis.

The gut microbiota has a significant impact on the development and function of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) by modifying bile acid (BA) metabolites. Recently, specific gut microbiome-derived BAs, such as 7-oxo-deoxycholic acid (7-oxo-DCA) and isodeoxycholic acid (isoDCA), have been identified to be shifted inversely in colitis and hepatic liver diseases. Although the responsible gut microbes have been identified, metabolites' effects on IECs remain largely unclear.