Sporophyte-directed gametogenesis in Arabidopsis.

Plants alternate between diploid sporophyte and haploid gametophyte generations. In mosses, which retain features of ancestral land plants, the gametophyte is dominant and has an independent existence. However, in flowering plants the gametophyte has undergone evolutionary reduction to just a few cells enclosed within the sporophyte.

A delta-tubulin/epsilon-tubulin/Ted protein complex is required for centriole architecture.

Centrioles have a unique, conserved architecture formed by three linked, 'triplet', microtubules arranged in ninefold symmetry. The mechanisms by which these triplet microtubules are formed remain unclear but likely involve the noncanonical tubulins delta-tubulin and epsilon-tubulin. Previously, we found that human cells lacking delta-tubulin or epsilon-tubulin form abnormal centrioles, characterized by an absence of triplet microtubules, lack of central core protein POC5, and a futile cycle of centriole formation and disintegration (Wang et al.

Development of a Biodegradable BODIPY-ε-Caprolactone System for Rapid Colorimetric Detection of Fluoride Ions in Environmental Samples.

Dental fluorosis, urolithiasis, and even cancer can result from excessive fluoride exposure. This is why monitoring fluoride levels is so important. A 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine derivative of a BODIPY-based aldehyde system (BDNP) is a sensitive, ratiometric, and selective naked-eye sensor that we have developed for the quick detection of fluoride ions in biological and environment samples showed a significant color change from pink to grey and a significant redshift in absorbance maxima when interacting with fluoride ions.

G-quadruplex-stalled eukaryotic replisome structure reveals helical inchworm DNA translocation.

DNA G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-B-form DNA secondary structures that threaten genome stability by impeding DNA replication. To elucidate how G4s induce replication fork arrest, we characterized fork collisions with preformed G4s in the parental DNA using reconstituted yeast and human replisomes. We demonstrate that a single G4 in the leading strand template is sufficient to stall replisomes by arresting the CMG helicase.