Cost-Effective DNA Storage System with DNA Movable Type.

In the face of exponential data growth, DNA-based storage offers a promising solution for preserving big data. However, most existing DNA storage methods, akin to traditional block printing, require costly chemical synthesis for each individual data file, adopting a sequential, one-time-use synthesis approach. To overcome these limitations, a novel, cost-effective "DNA-movable-type storage" system, inspired by movable type printing, is introduced.

The disulphide cleavage derivative (C42-4) of 11'-deoxyverticillin A (C42) fails to induce apoptosis and genomic instability in HeLa cells.

Our previous study revealed 11'-deoxyverticillin A (C42), a natural product isolated from the -associated fungus and a member of the epipolythiodioxopiperazines (ETPs), induced both apoptosis and autophagy in HCT116 cells; however, the role of disulphide/polysulphide bridges of C42 in the regulation of autophagy remains unexplored. Here, we revealed that C42 activated both caspase-dependent apoptosis and autophagy in HeLa cells, whereas its disulphide cleavage derivative C42-4 failed to induce the cleavage of both caspase-3 and PARP-1. In contrast, both C42 and C42-4 increased the formation of autophagosomes, punctate staining of LC3, and the ratio of LC3-II to actin, suggesting that disulphide/polysulphide bridges are dispensable for the induction of the autophagic process.

Preoperative CBCT Guided Bone Regeneration Combined with Concentrated Growth Factor Applied in the Implantation of Maxillary Teeth with Insufficient Bone Mass.

It was to explore the application effect of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) guided bone regeneration (GBR) combined with concentrated growth factor (CGF) in the implantation of maxillary teeth with insufficient bone mass. 78 patients with single maxillary anterior tooth loss and labial alveolar defects in Dazhong Stomatological Hospital were retrospectively analyzed and randomly divided into groups A and B. Both groups were treated with surgical methods of GBR at the same time of implantation.

Accurate and efficient protein sequence design through learning concise local environment of residues.

Motivation: Computational protein sequence design has been widely applied in rational protein engineering and increasing the design accuracy and efficiency is highly desired.

Results: Here, we present ProDESIGN-LE, an accurate and efficient approach to protein sequence design. ProDESIGN-LE adopts a concise but informative representation of the residue's local environment and trains a transformer to learn the correlation between local environment of residues and their amino acid types.

The Studies in Constructing Yeast Cell Factories for the Production of Fatty Acid Alkyl Esters.

Fatty acid alkyl esters have broad applications in biofuels, lubricant formulas, paints, coatings, and cosmetics. Traditionally, these esters are mostly produced through unsustainable and energy-intensive processes. In contrast, microbial production of esters from renewable and sustainable feedstocks may provide a promising alternative and has attracted widespread attention in recent years.

The unique Akt inhibitor SC66 suppressed AMPK activity and abolished autophagy through the EGFR-p62 pathway.

Akt is usually considered to be a negative regulator of both autophagy and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling. In the present study, we found that SC66, a pyridine-based allosteric Akt inhibitor, suppressed basal and H O -induced autophagy concurrent with decreased phosphorylation and activity of AMPK. SC66 treatment led to the formation of a high molecular weight (HMW) form of SQSTM1/p62 (p62), which is an autophagic substrate and is essential for selective autophagy.

Chloropupukeananin and Pestalofone C Regulate Autophagy through AMPK and Glycolytic Pathway.

Chloropupukeananin (RN56-6) and Pestalofone C (RN56-49), isolated from the culture of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis fici, have been shown cytotoxic, anti-HIV, and antimicrobial activities. However, the underlying mechanism of their regulatory roles in autophagy remains unknown. In the present study, we revealed that both compounds increased the formation of autophagosome and enhanced autophagic flux.

SQSTM1/p62 loss reverses the inhibitory effect of sunitinib on autophagy independent of AMPK signaling.

Sunitinib (ST), a multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of renal carcinoma. It has been reported that ST is involved in the mediation of autophagy; however, its regulatory role in the autophagic process remains controversial. Furthermore, the mechanism by which activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) negatively regulates autophagy remains nearly unexplored.

Grb2 binds to PTEN and regulates its nuclear translocation to maintain the genomic stability in DNA damage response.

Growth factor receptor bound protein 2 (Grb2) is an adaptor protein critical for signal transduction and endocytosis, but its role in DNA damage response (DDR) remains unknown. Here, we report that either knockdown of Grb2 or overexpression of the mutated Grb2 promotes micronuclei formation in response to oxidative stress. Furthermore, Grb2 was demonstrated to interact with phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN; a tumor suppressor essential for nuclear stability), and the loss of Grb2 reduced the nuclear-localized PTEN, which was further decreased upon stimulation with hydrogen peroxide (HO).

Distinct role of 4E-BP1 and S6K1 in regulating autophagy and hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication.

Aims: To investigate the role and underlying mechanism of 4E-BP1 and S6K1 in regulating autophagy and hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication.

Main Methods: The mRNA relative expression of HBx and its DNA level were detected by real-time PCR. The relative levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

[PFKFB3 regulates 11'-deoxyverticillin A (C42)-induced autophagy and apoptosis in HeLa cells].

Objective: The aim is to reveal the role of PFKFB3 in 11'-deoxyverticillin A (C42)-induced autophagy and apoptosis.

Methods: Electron and fluorescence microscopy, immunoblotting, MTS assay, siRNA interference and real time PCR were used.

Results: C42 could induce multiple cell death in HeLa cells.

De novo generation of infectious prions with bacterially expressed recombinant prion protein.

The prion hypothesis is strongly supported by the fact that prion infectivity and the pathogenic conformer of prion protein (PrP) are simultaneously propagated in vitro by the serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification (sPMCA). However, due to sPMCA's enormous amplification power, whether an infectious prion can be formed de novo with bacterially expressed recombinant PrP (rPrP) remains to be satisfactorily resolved. To address this question, we performed unseeded sPMCA with rPrP in a laboratory that has never been exposed to any native prions.

[Effect of autophagy on expression of interferon in hepatitis B virus-infected hepatocytes].

Object: Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway in which eukaryotic cells dispose intracellular aggregates or defective organelles to maintain cellular homeostasis. Autophagy not only plays a key role in the growth, development, mature and differentiation of cells, but also is associated with pathogenesis, virus infection and immunity. To clarify the mechanism of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and cell immune response, we investigated the relationship between autophagy and IFN factors in the HBV infected cells.

Silencing prion protein in MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells leads to pleiotropic cellular responses to cytotoxic stimuli.

Prion protein (PrP) is well studied for its pathogenic role in prion disease, but its potential contribution to other pathological processes is less understood. PrP is expressed in a variety of cancers and at least in pancreatic and breast cancers, its expression appears to be associated with poor prognosis. To understand the role of PrP in breast cancer cells, we knocked down PrP expression in MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells with small interfering RNA and subjected these cells to a series of analyses.

[11'-Deoxyverticillin A induces caspase-dependent cell apoptosis in PC3M cells].

Recent years, the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer have increased dramatically in China. At earlier stages, most diagnosed prostate cancers are responsive to androgen depletion treatment, yet, nearly all patients will eventually progress to metastatic androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC), which still has no effective therapeutic method or drug to deal with. 11'-Deoxyverticillin A (C42) belongs to the family of epipolythiodioxopiperazines (ETPs), an interesting class of fungal toxins that inhibit farnesyl transferase.

[Infection with hepatitis B virus enhances basal autophagy].

Objective: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major human pathogen that chronically infects 400 million people worldwide. Chronic infection of HBV plays a key role in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To clarify the mechanism of HBV-related HCC and immune escape of HBV, we investigated the relationship between infection of HBV and basal autophagy.

Autophagy augmented by troglitazone is independent of EGFR transactivation and correlated with AMP-activated protein kinase signaling.

Troglitazone is a synthetic ligand of peroxisome proliferators activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) and induces apoptosis in a variety of malignant cells. However, the underlying mechanism of its regulatory role in macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) remains largely unknown. Using fluorescence and electron microscopy, we observed that autophagosomes could be induced and identified upon troglitazone challenge in both primary and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressed porcine aortic endothelial (PAE) cells.

[Stable inhibition of human prion protein through a retrovirus-based RNAi system].

Prion leads to fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Cellular prion protein (PrPc) is necessary in prion disease. At present, it is demonstrated that PrPc plays a protective role in several carcinomas, such as gastric and breast cancer.

Analysis of a point mutation in H5N1 avian influenza virus hemagglutinin in relation to virus entry into live mammalian cells.

Binding to and infection of human cells is essential for avian influenza virus transmission. Since virus binding is not always predictive for efficient infection of the cells, here we wished to investigate how hemagglutinin (HA) mutations of avian influenza virus H5N1 influence virus post-binding events in a single cycle of replication. One mutation observed in H5 HA of avian and natural human isolates from mainland China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand was identified and analyzed.

Serological proteomics of gastritis: degradation of apolipoprotein A-I and alpha1-antitrypsin is a common response to inflammation irrespective of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Proteomic technology was employed to analyze serum samples from healthy subjects (10 cases) and gastritis patients with negative and positive Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection (15 cases each). The serum proteins were separated by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and analyzed by a computer-aided program. The altered proteins in expression were then identified by mass spectrometry and validated by Western blotting.

A dual reporter gene based system to quantitate the cell fusion of avian influenza virus H5N1.

Membrane fusion is central to the entry of influenza virus into host cells. To quantitatively determine the fusion activity of hemagglutinin (HA) of avian influenza virus H5N1, we established a cell fusion assay based on a dual luciferase reporter gene. The HA fusion activity was assayed by measuring luciferase expression in fused cells, allowing a rapid, sensitive, and quantitative comparison of HA fusion activities at various pHs and in different cells types.

In vitro self-propagation of recombinant PrPSc-like conformation generated in the yeast cytoplasm.

Self-propagation is characteristic property for a prion conformation. Previous studies revealed that prion protein expressed in the cytoplasm gained a PrP(Sc)-like conformation. However, it remains unclear whether the PrP(Sc)-like conformation has the self-propagating property.

Interaction of Doppel with the full-length laminin receptor precursor protein.

Doppel (Dpl) is a homolog of normal cellular prion protein (PrPc) with unknown functions. Ectopic expression of Dpl in the central nervous system (CNS) causes neurotoxicity and this effect is rescued by the expression of PrPc. However, the molecular basis for the protective effect of PrPc remains unclear.

[Progress of miRNA and its functions in eukaryotes].

Two major kinds of non-coding RNAs play important roles in eukaryotes. One is microRNA (miRNA), the other is small interference RNA (siRNA). miRNA, 19-25 nt in length, functions in regulation of gene expression and development.