Mechano-regulation of germline development, maintenance, and differentiation.

Biochemical signaling arising from mechanical force-induced physical changes in biological macromolecules is a critical determinant of key physiological processes across all biological lengths and time scales. Recent studies have deepened our understanding of how mechano-transduction regulates somatic tissues such as those in alveolar, gastrointestinal, embryonic, and skeleto-muscular systems. The germline of an organism has a heterogeneous composition - of germ cells at different stages of maturation and mature gametes, often supported and influenced by their accessory somatic tissues.

Recent developments in the production of prebiotic fructooligosaccharides using fungal fructosyltransferases.

Prebiotic nutritional ingredients have received attention due to their health-promoting potential and related uses in the food and nutraceutical industries. Recent times have witnessed an increasing interest in the use of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) as prebiotics and their generation using microbial enzymes. FOS consumption is known to confer health benefits such as protection against colon cancer, improved mineral absorption, lowering effect on serum lipid and cholesterol concentration, antioxidant properties, favourable dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota, and immuno-modulatory effects.

A new species of genus Oedaspis Loew and new distribution records of Acidiostigma Hendel & Goniurellia Hendel from India (Diptera: Tephritidae).

A new species of genus Oedaspis Loew, Oedaspis nauniensis Maneesh & Hancock, sp. nov., is described from Himachal Pradesh, India and Oedaspis Loew, Acidiostigma bomiense Wang and Goniurellia lacerata (Becker) are newly recorded from India.

Breast cancer cells promote osteoclast differentiation in an MRTF-dependent paracrine manner.

Bone is a frequent site for breast cancer metastasis. The vast majority of breast cancer-associated metastasis is osteolytic in nature, and RANKL (receptor activator for nuclear factor κB)-induced differentiation of bone marrow-derived macrophages to osteoclasts (OCLs) is a key requirement for osteolytic metastatic growth of cancer cells. In this study, we demonstrate that Myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF) in breast cancer cells plays an important role in paracrine modulation of RANKL-induced OCL differentiation.

Catalytic Thioglycoside Activation with Diazo-Derived Copper Carbenes.

Traditional glycosylation methods using thioglycosides often require harsh conditions or expensive metal catalysts. This study presents a more sustainable alternative by employing copper, an earth-abundant catalyst. We developed diazo-based thioglycoside donors that, through copper catalysis, undergo intramolecular activation to form glycosyl sulfonium ions, leading to the generation of oxocarbenium ions.