Paraglomus and Glomus arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi induce the green tea catechin quality index and phosphorus bioavailability in tropical soils.

The quality of green tea is influenced by soil microbes in addition to soil conditions and the Camellia sinensis cultivar. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can significantly improve soil quality and crop productivity; however, the specific AM fungal groups that affect the catechin quality index (CQI) of green tea are not yet clear. In the present study, rhizosphere soil samples, root samples, and fresh tea leaves from six different Camellia sinensis cultivars in Hunan Province, China, were collected.

Comprehensive analysis of α2,3-sialyltransferases as prognostic biomarkers and immunotherapy targets in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma.

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), a therapy-resistant aggressive kidney cancer, exhibits resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Altered sialylation is involved in tumor development, affecting immune microenvironment dynamics. In the study, through systematic bioinformatics analysis and experimental verification, we demonstrated that ST3Gal5 expression was elevated in tumor tissues of KIRC patients, correlating with poor prognosis, and ST3Gal1 was downregulated and associated with a better prognosis.

UBE2G2 inhibits vasculogenic mimicry and metastasis of uveal melanoma by promoting ubiquitination of LGALS3BP.

Uveal melanoma (UM) poses a significant lethality, with approximately 50% of those developing metastases surviving less than one year. In the progression of UM, vasculogenic mimicry (VM) induced by hypoxia plays a pivotal role, which also partially explains the resistance of UM to anti-angiogenic therapies. Nevertheless, the crucial molecular mechanisms underlying VM in the progression of UM remain unclear.

Detection and optimization of microbial expression systems for extracellular production and purification of Ca-responsive phase-changing annexin fusions.

Previously, we identified the human annexin A1 as a purification tag for column-free purification with gentler calcium-responsive precipitation. In this work, we used the annexin A1 tagged green fluorescent protein constructs for detecting extracellular production in Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Pichia pastoris, and identified that the leaderless fusion protein was transported extracellularly in E. coli with supply of additives including Triton X-100.

Ribosomal translation of fluorinated non-canonical amino acids for biologically active fluorinated macrocyclic peptides.

Fluorination has emerged as a promising strategy in medicinal chemistry to improve the pharmacological profiles of drug candidates. Similarly, incorporating fluorinated non-canonical amino acids into macrocyclic peptides expands chemical diversity and enhances their pharmacological properties, from improved metabolic stability to enhanced cell permeability and target interactions. However, only a limited number of fluorinated non-canonical amino acids, which are canonical amino acid analogs, have been incorporated into macrocyclic peptides by ribosomes for construction and target-based screening of fluorinated macrocyclic peptides.

Triptonide protects retinal cells from oxidative damage via activation of Nrf2 signaling.

Age‑related macular degeneration (AMD) is an ocular disease that threatens the visual function of older adults worldwide. Key pathological processes involved in AMD include oxidative stress, inflammation and choroidal vascular dysfunction. Retinal pigment epithelial cells and Müller cells are most susceptible to oxidative stress.

Ribosomal Incorporation of Lithocholic Acid into Peptides for the Discovery Of Peptide-Lithocholic Acid Hybrid Macrocyclic Peptides.

Peptide-bile acid hybrids offer promising drug candidates due to enhanced pharmacological properties, such as improved protease resistance and oral bioavailability. However, it remains unknown whether bile acids can be incorporated into peptide chains by the ribosome to produce a peptide-bile acid hybrid macrocyclic peptide library for target-based screening. In this study, we achieved the ribosomal incorporation of lithocholic acid (LCA)-d-tyrosine into peptide chains.

Lysine acetyltransferase 14 mediates TGF-β-induced fibrosis in ovarian endometrioma via co-operation with serum response factor.

Background: Fibrogenesis within ovarian endometrioma (endometrioma), mainly induced by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), is characterized by myofibroblast over-activation and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, contributing to endometrioma-associated symptoms such as infertility by impairing ovarian reserve and oocyte quality. However, the precise molecular mechanisms that underpin the endometrioma- associated fibrosis progression induced by TGF-β remain poorly understood.

Methods: The expression level of lysine acetyltransferase 14 (KAT14) was validated in endometrium biopsies from patients with endometrioma and healthy controls, and the transcription level of KAT14 was further confirmed by analyzing a published single-cell transcriptome (scRNA-seq) dataset of endometriosis.

Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly type 2 associated with a novel splicing variant that disrupts the expression of the functional transcript.

Background: Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized primarily by congenital microcephaly and intellectual disability but without extra-central nervous system malformations. This investigation aimed to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of microcephaly in a patient from a Chinese consanguineous family.

Methods: A comprehensive clinical assessment, including brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalogram (EEG), and genetic analyses, was conducted to evaluate the patient's condition.

The Healthcare and Societal Costs of Familial Intellectual Disability.

Most of the studies on the cost of intellectual disability are limited to a healthcare perspective or cohorts composed of individuals where the etiology of the condition is a mixture of genetic and non-genetic factors. When used in policy development, these can impact the decisions made on the optimal allocation of resources. In our study, we have developed a static microsimulation model to estimate the healthcare, societal, and lifetime cost of individuals with familial intellectual disability, an inheritable form of the condition, to families and government.

Backbone cyclization of Salmonella typhimurium diaminopropionate ammonia-lyase to enhance the activity and stability.

Diaminopropionate ammonia-lyase transforms D and L isomers of 2,3-diaminopropionate to pyruvate and ammonia. It catalyzes D- and l-serine less effectively. L-2,3-diaminopropionate is a precursor in the biosynthesis of oxalyl diaminopropionate as a neurotoxin in certain legume species.

CGG repeat expansion in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1 typically presents as oculopharyngodistal myopathy.

CGG repeat expansions in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1 have recently been identified as a cause of oculopharyngeal myopathy with leukoencephalopathy. However, since only three patients from a single family were reported, it remains unknown whether their clinicopathological features are typical for CGG repeat expansions in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1. Here, using repeat-primed-polymerase chain reaction and long-read sequencing, we identify 12 individuals from 3 unrelated families with CGG repeat expansions in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1, typically presenting with oculopharyngodistal myopathy.

Generation of an integration-free induced pluripotent stem cell line, FJMUUHi002-A, from a Rett syndrome patient with a heterozygous mutation p. R133C in MeCP2.

The human iPS cell line, hiPS-RTT (FJMUi002-A), is derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a 12-year-old female RTT patient carrying a heterozygous p. R133C (c.397C > T) mutation in the MeCP2 gene.

De Novo Discovery of Cysteine Frameworks for Developing Multicyclic Peptide Libraries for Ligand Discovery.

Conserved cysteine frameworks are essential components of disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs), which dominantly define the structural diversity of both naturally occurring and de novo-designed DRPs. However, there are only very limited numbers of conserved cysteine frameworks, and general methods enabling de novo discovery of cysteine frameworks with robust foldability are still not available. Here, we devised a "touchstone"-based strategy that relies on chasing oxidative foldability between two individual disulfide-rich folds on the phage surface to discover new cysteine frameworks from random sequences.

CD56 polysialylation promotes the tumorigenesis and progression via the Hedgehog and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: CD56 has been observed in malignant tumours exhibiting neuronal or neuroendocrine differentiation, such as breast cancer, small-cell lung cancer, and neuroblastoma. Abnormal glycosylation modifications are thought to play a role in regulating tumour cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Nevertheless, the exact roles and molecular mechanisms of CD56 and polysialylated CD56 (PSA-CD56) in the development and progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain elusive.

Engineering the best transplant outcome for high-risk acute myeloid leukemia: the donor, the graft and beyond.

Allogeneic hemopoietic cell transplantation remains the goal of therapy for high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, treatment failure in the form of leukemia relapse or severe graft-versus-host disease remains a critical area of unmet need. Recently, significant progress has been made in the cell therapy-based interventions both before and after transplant.

Biallelic COQ4 Variants in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: Clinical and Molecular Characterization.

Background: Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP) are neurologic disorders characterized by progressive lower-extremity spasticity. Despite the identification of several HSP-related genes, many patients lack a genetic diagnosis.

Objectives: The aims were to confirm the pathogenic role of biallelic COQ4 mutations in HSP and elucidate the clinical, genetic, and functional molecular features of COQ4-associated HSP.

Oxygen-Free Csp-H Oxidation of Pyridin-2-yl-methanes to Pyridin-2-yl-methanones with Water by Copper Catalysis.

Aromatic ketones are important pharmaceutical intermediates, especially the pyridin-2-yl-methanone motifs. Thus, synthetic methods for these compounds have gained extensive attention in the last few years. Transition metals catalyze the oxidation of Csp-H for the synthesis of aromatic ketones, which is arresting.

Purification Effect of PES-C Ultrafiltration Membrane Incorporated with Emodin on Acanthopanax Senticosus Injection.

A new PES-C/emodin ultrafiltration membrane was prepared by blending natural emodin with phenolphthalein polyethersulfone (PES-C) and was used to purify an acanthopanax senticosus injection in this study. Regarding the purified acanthopanax senticosus injection, its color became lighter, and its clarity increased. On the contrary, for an acanthopanax senticosus injection containing macromolecules, its color deepened, and its turbidity increased.

Weak acid-initiated slow release of Dexamethasone from hydrogel to treat orbital inflammation.

Orbital inflammation is a prevalent and prolonged ocular disease that poses a significant challenge to clinicians. Glucocorticoid Dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Dex) has demonstrated efficacy in the clinical treatment of nonspecific orbital inflammation. However, frequent administration is required due to the short half-life of Dex, which may lead to drug waste and adverse side effects.

Recovery of Zinc from Metallurgical Slag and Dust by Ammonium Acetate Using Response Surface Methodology.

Metallurgical slag and dust (MSD) are abundant Zn-containing secondary resources that can partially alleviate the shortage of zinc minerals, with hazardous characteristics and a high recycling value. In this work, the process conditions of recycling Zn from MSD materials leaching by ammonium acetate (NH-CHCOONH-HO) were optimised using response surface methodology (RSM). The influences of liquid/solid ratio, stirring speed, leaching time, total ammonia concentration, and the interactions between these variables on the Zn effective extraction rate during the ammonium acetate leaching process were investigated.

Disentangling the activity-selectivity trade-off in catalytic conversion of syngas to light olefins.

Breaking the trade-off between activity and selectivity has been a long-standing challenge in the field of catalysis. We demonstrate the importance of disentangling the target reaction from the secondary reactions for the case of direct syngas conversion to light olefins by incorporating germanium-substituted AlPO-18 within the framework of the metal oxide-zeolite (OXZEO) catalyst concept. The attenuated strength of the catalytically active Brønsted acid sites allows enhancing the targeted carbon-carbon coupling of ketene intermediates to form olefins by increasing the active site density while inhibiting secondary reactions that consume the olefins.

Single cell sequencing analysis constructed the N7-methylguanosine (m7G)-related prognostic signature in uveal melanoma.

Background: Uveal melanoma is a highly malignant tumor in the eye. Its recurrence and metastasis are common, and the prognosis is poor.

Methods: The transcriptome data of UVM were downloaded from TCGA database, and the single cell sequencing dataset GSE139829 was downloaded from GEO database.