Selective recognition of RNA G-quadruplex in vitro and in cells by L-aptamer-D-oligonucleotide conjugate.

RNA Guanine-quadruplexes (rG4s) are important nucleic acid structures that govern vital biological processes. Although numerous tools have been developed to target rG4s, few specific tools are capable of discerning individual rG4 of interest. Herein, we design and synthesize the first L-aptamer-antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) conjugate, L-Apt.

Specific Targeting and Imaging of RNA G-Quadruplex (rG4) Structure Using Non-G4-Containing l-RNA Aptamer and Fluorogenic l-Aptamer.

RNA G-quadruplex structures (rG4s) play important roles in the regulation of biological processes. So far, all the l-RNA aptamers developed to target rG4 of interest contain G4 motif itself, raising the question of whether non-G4-containing l-RNA aptamer can be developed to target rG4. Furthermore, it is unclear whether an l-Aptamer-based tool can be generated for G4 detection in vitro and imaging in cells.

Capture of RNA G-quadruplex structures using an l-RNA aptamer.

G-quadruplexes (dG4 and rG4) are nucleic acid secondary structures formed by the self-assembly of certain G-rich sequences, and they have distinctive chemical properties and play crucial roles in fundamental biological processes. Small molecule G4 ligands were shown to be crucial in characterizing G4s and understanding their functions. Nevertheless, concerns regarding the specificity of these synthetic ligands for further investigation of G4s, especially for rG4 isolation purposes, have been raised.

Polystyrene microplastics alter the trophic transfer and biotoxicity of fluoxetine in an aquatic food chain.

Microplastics (MPs) and fluoxetine are ubiquitous emerging pollutants in aquatic environments that may interact with each other due to the carrier effects of MPs, posing unpredictable risks to non-target organisms. However, limited studies have focused on the carrier effects of MPs in the aquatic food chain. This study evaluated the influences of polystyrene MPs on the trophic transfer and biotoxicity of fluoxetine in a simple food chain composed of brine shrimp (Artemia nauplii) and zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Non-coding RNAs and colitis-associated cancer: Mechanisms and clinical applications.

Background: Colitis-associated cancer (CAC) is one of the most severe complications of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which has caused a worse survival rate in IBD patients. Although the exact aetiology and pathogenesis of CAC are not completely elucidated, evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs are closely involved and play a key role.

Methods: This review aims to summarise the major findings of non-coding RNAs in the development of CAC and present the potential mechanistic links between non-coding RNAs and CAC pathogenesis.

An RNA G-Quadruplex Structure within the ADAR 5'UTR Interacts with DHX36 Helicase to Regulate Translation.

RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structures in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) play crucial roles in fundamental cellular processes. ADAR is an important enzyme that binds to double-strand RNA and accounts for the conversion of Adenosine to Inosine in RNA editing. However, so far there is no report on the formation and regulatory role of rG4 on ADAR expression.

Novel L-RNA Aptamer Controls Gene Expression in Cells by Targeting RNA G-Quadruplex Structure.

Guanine quadruplex (G4) structure is a four-stranded nucleic acid secondary structure motif with unique chemical properties and important biological roles. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related gene, and recently, we reported the formation of RNA G4 (rG4) at the 3'UTR of mRNA and demonstrated its repressive role in translation. Herein, we apply rG4-SELEX to develop a novel L-RNA aptamer, L-Apt.

[Community Structure and Microbial Function Responses of Biofilms Colonizing on Microplastics with Vertical Distribution in Urban Water].

Microplastics have received increasing attention worldwide due to their carrier effects. In the aquatic environment, microplastics always show a vertical distribution, which thereby may change the structure and function of the attached microbial communities. However, few studies have focused on this alteration.

Long non-coding RNA H19X promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis of colorectal cancer through regulating the miR-503-5p/KANK1 axis.

Background: It has been well established that the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) plays a critical role in tumor progression. However, the function of these transcripts and mechanisms responsible for their deregulation in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain to be investigated.

Objective: To explore the potential effect and regulation mechanism of lncRNA H19X in colorectal cancer.

Revealing the mechanisms of mercury adsorption on metal-doped kaolinite(001) surfaces by first principles.

Natural kaolinite exhibit high affinity for heavy metals while the interaction mechanisms in the presence of heteroatoms remain largely elusive, which are tackled by first principles. In this paper, three common dopants (Mg, Ca, Fe) were employed to construct metal-doped kaolinite(001) (K(001)) surfaces. We found that Mg-doped K(001) was the most stable surface in terms of thermal stability and structural analysis, consistent with the pervasive isomorphic substitution in kaolinite minerals.

Theoretical insights into the adsorption mechanism of Cd(II) on the basal surfaces of kaolinite.

Retardation of Cd(II) migration is an ongoing concern for environmental remediation, but a prevalent obstacle of the procedure originates from the lack of an atomic-scale description of the inherent mechanism for Cd(II) adsorption at mineral-water interfaces. Herein, we performed first-principles calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations to explore the adsorption mechanism of Cd(II) on the basal surfaces of kaolinite. Representative monodentate and bidentate Cd(II) complexes were constructed on the Kln-Al(001) and Kln-Si(001̅) surfaces.

Circular L-RNA aptamer promotes target recognition and controls gene activity.

Rational design of aptamers to incorporate unnatural nucleotides and special chemical moieties can expand their functional complexity and diversity. Spiegelmer (L-RNA aptamer) is a unique class of aptamer that is composed of unnatural L-RNA nucleotides, and so far there are limited L-RNA aptamer candidates and applications being reported. Moreover, the target binding properties of current L-RNA aptamers require significant improvement.

Functional Expression, Purification and Identification of Interaction Partners of PACRG.

( co-regulated gene) shares a bi-directional promoter with the Parkinson's disease-associated gene , but the physiological roles of PACRG have not yet been fully elucidated. Recombinant expression methods are indispensable for protein structural and functional studies. In this study, the coding region of was cloned to a conventional vector pQE80L, as well as two cold-shock vectors pCold II and pCold-GST, respectively.

VP39 of Spodoptera litura multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus cannot efficiently rescue the nucleocapsid assembly of vp39-null Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus.

Background: Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) vp39 is conserved in all sequenced baculovirus genomes. In previous studies, VP39 has been identified as the major capsid structure protein of baculoviruses and found to be essential for nucleocapsid assembly. The nucleocapsid composition and structure of Group I and II NPVs of the Alphabaculovirus genus are very similar.

Engineered Recombinant Probiotic Strains Integrated with F4 and F18 Fimbriae Cluster Genes in the Chromosome and Their Assessment of Immunogenic Efficacy .

F4 (K88) and F18 fimbriaed enterotoxigenic (ETEC) are the predominant causes of porcine postweaning diarrhea (PWD), and vaccines are considered the most effective preventive approach against PWD. Since heterologous DNA integrated into bacterial chromosomes could be effectively expressed with stable inheritance, we chose probiotic EcNc ( Nissle 1917 prototype cured of cryptic plasmids) as a delivery vector to express the heterologous F4 or both F4 and F18 fimbriae and sequentially assessed their immune efficacy of anti-F4 and F18 fimbriae in both murine and piglet models. Employing the CRISPR-cas9 technology, , , , /, , and / sites in the chromosome of an EcNc strain were targeted as integration sites to integrate F4 or F18 fimbriae cluster genes under the P promotor to construct two recombinant integration probiotic strains (RIPSs), i.

Disruption of Autographa Californica Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus Results in Reduced Infectivity in a Host-Dependent Manner.

The Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) gene is highly conserved in lepidopteran-specific baculoviruses, and its function in the AcMNPV life cycle is still unknown. To investigate the function of , an -knockout AcMNPV (vAc111KO) was constructed through homologous recombination in . Viral growth curve analysis and plaque assays showed that the deletion of had no effect on infectious budded virion production.

Two new lipid analogues from the soft coral .

Soft corals of the genus are widely distributed in the South China Sea. Two new lipid analogues ()--(3,4-dihydroxyphenethyl)-3-methyldo-dec-2-enamide () and ()-1-(2,5-dihydroxy-4-methylphenyl)-6-acetoxy-2,3,7-trihydroxy-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadeca-11,14-dien (), together with three known compounds () were isolated from the soft coral . Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including one and two-dimensional NMR, MS, IR, UV, as well as by comparison with published data.

Posttranslational Modifications of Baculovirus Protamine-Like Protein P6.9 and the Significance of Its Hyperphosphorylation for Viral Very Late Gene Hyperexpression.

Unlabelled: Many viruses utilize viral or cellular chromatin machinery for efficient infection. Baculoviruses encode a conserved protamine-like protein, P6.9.

Contamination by metals and pharmaceuticals in northern Taihu Lake (China) and its relation to integrated biomarker response in fish.

Taihu Lake is the largest shallow freshwater lake in eastern China and is suffering not only from an increasingly serious threat of eutrophication but also potential ecological risk due to the input of emerging contaminants. Active biomonitoring was conducted in Taihu Lake using transplanted goldfish (Carassius auratus) to determine the contamination by pharmaceuticals and metals and to assess the potential ecological risk. A suite of biomarkers including acetylcholinesterase, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities in fish after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of exposure in situ, as well as pharmaceuticals and metals in water, were determined during the field exposure period.

Distribution and phosphorylation of the basic protein P6.9 of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus.

A protamine-like protein named P6.9 is thought to play a role in the condensation of genomes of the baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) during an infection. Previous studies have shown that P6.

[Effects of glycinebetaine on ultraweak luminescence and anti-oxidative capability of Malus hupehensis under drought stress].

In a pot experiment with 4-year-old apple root stock (Malus hupehensis), this paper studied the effects of foliar-spraying exogenous glycinebetaine (GB) on the leaf ultraweak luminescence (UWL), contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), endogenous GB and proline (Pro), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) under drought stress. The results showed that UWL intensity increased under slight- and mid drought stress, but decreased with increasing drought stress till lower than the control. Under slight- and mid drought stress, foliar-spraying GB improved the UWL intensity by 35.