A bacterial effector manipulates host lysosomal protease activity-dependent plasticity in cell death modalities to facilitate infection.

Crosstalk between cell death programs confers appropriate host anti-infection immune responses, but how pathogens co-opt host molecular switches of cell death pathways to reprogram cell death modalities for facilitating infection remains largely unexplored. Here, we identify mammalian cell entry 3C (Mce3C) as a pathogenic cell death regulator secreted by (Mtb), which causes tuberculosis featured with lung inflammation and necrosis. Mce3C binds host cathepsin B (CTSB), a noncaspase protease acting as a lysosome-derived molecular determinant of cell death modalities, to inhibit its protease activity toward BH3-interacting domain death agonist (BID) and receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), thereby preventing the production of proapoptotic truncated BID (tBID) while maintaining the abundance of pronecroptotic RIPK1.

Nedd4 family interacting protein 1 directly regulates the NF-κB signaling pathway without promoting the ubiquitination of Tak1 in Nile tilapia.

Mammalian Nedd4 family interacting protein 1 (Ndfip1) serves as an activator of the E3 ubiquitin ligase, promoting ubiquitination and limiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, the functional role of teleost Ndfip1 is not completely understood. In the current study, an Ndfip1 gene designated as OnNdfip1 was characterized in Nile tilapia.

The application of matching pursuit spectral blueing in post-stack seismic frequency enhancement.

The calculation of the spectral blueing operator in the traditional spectral blueing method has singularity, which leads to poor performance in post-stack seimic frequency expansion. To this end, a frequency spreading technique based on matching pursuit (MP) and spectral blueing is proposed. Through time-frequency analysis processing, it is shown that the seismic signal extracted by matching tracking method has good stability and higher resolution.

LILRB1-HLA-G axis defines a checkpoint driving natural killer cell exhaustion in tuberculosis.

Chronic infections, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-caused tuberculosis (TB), can induce host immune exhaustion. However, the key checkpoint molecules involved in this process and the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain largely undefined, which impede the application of checkpoint-based immunotherapy in infectious diseases. Here, through adopting time-of-flight mass cytometry and transcriptional profiling to systematically analyze natural killer (NK) cell surface receptors, we identify leukocyte immunoglobulin like receptor B1 (LILRB1) as a critical checkpoint receptor that defines a TB-associated cell subset (LILRB1 NK cells) and drives NK cell exhaustion in TB.

TRIM27 elicits protective immunity against tuberculosis by activating TFEB-mediated autophagy flux.

Infectious diseases, such as (Mtb)-caused tuberculosis (TB), remain a global threat exacerbated by increasing drug resistance. Host-directed therapy (HDT) is a promising strategy for infection treatment through targeting host immunity. However, the limited understanding of the function and regulatory mechanism of host factors involved in immune defense against infections has impeded HDT development.

Optical fiber speckle spectrometer based on reversed-lens smartphone microscope.

Smartphones are a potentially powerful platform for scientific instruments. Here, we demonstrate speckle spectroscopy with smartphone-level hardware. This technique promises greater performance thresholds than traditional diffraction gratings.

A Golgi-resident GPR108 cooperates with E3 ubiquitin ligase Smurf1 to suppress antiviral innate immunity.

The regulation of antiviral immunity is crucial in maintaining host immune homeostasis, a process that involves dynamic modulations of host organelles. The Golgi apparatus is increasingly perceived as a host organelle functioning as a critical platform for innate immunity, but the detailed mechanism by which it regulates antiviral immunity remains elusive. Here, we identify the Golgi-localized G protein-coupled receptor 108 (GPR108) as a regulator of type Ι interferon responses by targeting interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3).

Identification and Functional Analysis of Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase Type 5b (TRAP5b) in .

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase type 5 (TRAP5) is an enzyme that is highly expressed in activated macrophages and osteoclasts and plays important biological functions in mammalian immune defense systems. In the study, we investigated the functions of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase type 5b from (OnTRAP5b). The OnTRAP5b gene has an open reading frame of 975 bp, which encodes a mature peptide consisting of 302 amino acids with a molecular weight of 33.

A mycobacterial effector promotes ferroptosis-dependent pathogenicity and dissemination.

Ferroptosis is a lipid peroxidation-driven and iron-dependent programmed cell death involved in multiple physical processes and various diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that several pathogens manipulate ferroptosis for their pathogenicity and dissemination, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we identify that protein tyrosine phosphatase A (PtpA), an effector secreted by tuberculosis (TB)-causing pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), triggers ferroptosis to promote Mtb pathogenicity and dissemination.

TRIM27 maintains gut homeostasis by promoting intestinal stem cell self-renewal.

Dysregulation of gut homeostasis is associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder affecting approximately 11.2% of the global population. The poorly understood pathogenesis of IBS has impeded its treatment.

A bacterial phospholipid phosphatase inhibits host pyroptosis by hijacking ubiquitin.

The inflammasome-mediated cleavage of gasdermin D (GSDMD) causes pyroptosis and inflammatory cytokine release to control pathogen infection, but how pathogens evade this immune response remains largely unexplored. Here we identify the known protein phosphatase PtpB from as a phospholipid phosphatase inhibiting the host inflammasome-pyroptosis pathway. Mechanistically, PtpB dephosphorylated phosphatidylinositol-4-monophosphate and phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate in host cell membrane, thus disrupting the membrane localization of the cleaved GSDMD to inhibit cytokine release and pyroptosis of macrophages.

PknG manipulates host autophagy flux to promote pathogen intracellular survival.

The eukaryotic-type protein kinase G (PknG), one of the eleven eukaryotic type serine-threonine protein kinase (STPK) in (Mtb), is involved in mycobacterial survival within macrophages, presumably by suppressing phagosome and autophagosome maturation, which makes PknG an attractive drug target. However, the exact mechanism by which PknG inhibits pathogen clearance during mycobacterial infection remains largely unknown. Here, we show that PknG promotes macroautophagy/autophagy induction but inhibits autophagosome maturation, causing an overall effect of blocked autophagy flux and enhanced pathogen intracellular survival.

Functional characterization of TNF-α in pufferfish (Takifugu obscurus) in immune response and apoptosis against Aeromonas hydrophila.

Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a multifunctional cytokine involved in immune system homeostasis, antimicrobial defence, regulation of apoptosis, cell proliferation and differentiation. Although the pro-inflammatory property of TNF-α has been made new progress, detailed research on host defence against bacterial infection and inducing apoptosis remains to be revealed in early vertebrates. Here, we reported the TNF-α homologue (ToTNF-α) from pufferfish (Takifugu obscurus).

Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein kinase G acts as an unusual ubiquitinating enzyme to impair host immunity.

Upon Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, protein kinase G (PknG), a eukaryotic-type serine-threonine protein kinase (STPK), is secreted into host macrophages to promote intracellular survival of the pathogen. However, the mechanisms underlying this PknG-host interaction remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that PknG serves both as a ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1) and a ubiquitin ligase (E3) to trigger the ubiquitination and degradation of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), thereby inhibiting the activation of NF-κB signaling and host innate responses.

Identification and functional characterization of CD154 in T cell-dependent immune response in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

CD154, a member of the TNF superfamily, is a multifunctional molecule highly expressed in activated T cells, and plays important roles in T cell-dependent humoral immune response. In this study, CD154 of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was identified, and its functions in the T cell-dependent immune response were demonstrated. The open reading frame (ORF) of OnCD154 is 699 bp, encoding a protein of 232 amino acids with a 23 amino acid transmembrane region.

Lung gene expression signatures suggest pathogenic links and molecular markers for pulmonary tuberculosis, adenocarcinoma and sarcoidosis.

Previous reports have suggested a link between pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), which is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), and the development of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and sarcoidosis. Furthermore, these lung diseases share certain clinical similarities that can challenge differential diagnosis in some cases. Here, through comparison of lung transcriptome-derived molecular signatures of TB, LUAD and sarcoidosis patients, we identify certain shared disease-related expression patterns.

A Siglec-1-like lectin from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) possesses functions of agglutination and mediation of macrophage phagocytic activity.

Siglec-1, one of the sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins, is closely related to the recognition of host-pathogen and cell-cell interactions in the adaptive and innate immune systems. In this communication, a Siglec-1-like gene (OnSiglec-1-like) from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was analyzed. Relative expression revealed that the OnSiglec-1-like was expressed in all tested tissues, and the highest expression was found in the anterior kidney.

Molecular and functional characterization of IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and glycoprotein 130 (gp130) in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that exerts its biological functions through interaction with its receptor system consisting of a ligand-specific IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and a common signal-transducing receptor (gp130). In this study, OnIL-6R and Ongp130 genes from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were identified, and their roles in bacterial or viral infection and in regulation of inflammatory response involved in IL-6 were investigated. The open reading frames (ORFs) of OnIL-6R and Ongp130 are 2019 bp and 2679 bp, encoding 672 and 892 amino acids, respectively.

Fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of wastes for biofuels production - A review.

Microwave-assisted pyrolysis of waste suffers from the problem that the waste generally has low microwave absorptivity thereby resulting in low heating rate and low pyrolysis temperature. In this case, fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis is proposed and developed to help the pyrolysis of waste. This study describes two methods that can be used to realize fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of waste: (1) premixed method (wastes are mixed with microwave absorbent) and (2) non-premixed method (wastes are poured onto the heated microwave absorbent bed).

The antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic activities of phosphorylated polysaccharide from Ulva pertusa.

Ulvan was the polysaccharide (U) from a large edible green algae Ulva pertusa. In this study, phosphorylated ulvan (PU) was prepared by the sodium trimetaphosphate -sodium tripolyphosphate method. Antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic effects of U and PU were investigated employing in vivo systems.

Antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic activities of high sulfate content purified polysaccharide from Ulva pertusa.

In this study, purification of polysaccharide ulvan by anion exchange chromatography was prepared, and the major polysaccharide fraction (FU) was collected at 1.0 M NaCl elute by anion exchange chromatography, then high sulfate content purified ulvan (HFU) was prepared with sulfur trioxide/N,N-dimethylformamide (SO-DMF) in formamide. The antioxidant activity and the antihyperlipidemic activity of HFU in mice were determined.

Complement C1q subunit molecules from Xenopus laevis possess conserved function in C1q-immunoglobulin interaction.

Complement component 1q (C1q), together with C1r and C1s to form C1, recognize and bind immune complex to initiate the classical complement pathway. In this study, C1q subunit molecules (XlC1qA, XlC1qB, XlC1qC) were cloned and analyzed from Xenopus laevis (X. laevis).

Effects of Cell Differentiation on the Phagocytic Activities of IgM B Cells in a Teleost Fish.

Teleost B cells have phagocytic activities for ingesting particulate antigens, such as bacteria, in addition to the functional secretion of immunoglobulins (Igs). In the present study, the phagocytic activities of IgM B cells under various differentiational conditions residing in peripheral blood leukocytes were investigated in a teleost fish Nile tilapia (). The IgM B cells were recognized as IgM or IgM subsets based on their membrane IgM (mIgM) levels.

CD38 play roles in T cell-dependent response and B cell differentiation in nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

CD38 is a multifunctional cell surface molecule that plays a crucial role in B cell activation, differentiation, and maturation in mammals with an increased expression in B cell maturation. In this study, a CD38-like molecule (OnCD38) was cloned and identified from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), and its functional characterization was investigated. The open reading frame of OnCD38 is 828 bp of the nucleotide sequence, encoding a polypeptide of 275 amino acids.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of the transcriptional heterogeneity in different IgM cell subsets from peripheral blood of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

In teleost fish, IgM B cells play important roles in innate and adaptive immunity. Different IgM B cells are detected in teleost, named IgM and IgM B cell subsets, according to the distinct expression levels of membrane IgM (mIgM). However, the study on the heterogeneity in IgM B cell subsets remains poorly understood.