Cysteine-Induced Chirality Evolution of Molybdenum Disulfide Nanodots from a Bottom-Up Strategy.

The transfer of chirality from molecules to synthesized nanomaterials has recently attracted significant attention. Although most studies have focused on graphene and plasmonic metal nanostructures, layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), particularly MoS, have recently garnered considerable attention due to their semiconducting and electrocatalytic characteristics. Herein, we report a new approach for the synthesis of chiral molybdenum sulfide nanomaterials based on a bottom-up synthesis method in the presence of chiral cysteine enantiomers.

Powerful Microbial Base-Editing Toolbox: From Optimization Strategies to Versatile Applications.

Base editors (BE) based on CRISPR systems are practical gene-editing tools which continue to drive frontier advances of life sciences. BEs are able to efficiently induce point mutations at target sites without double-stranded DNA cleavage. Hence, they are widely employed in the fields of microbial genome engineering.

Preferential Regulation of Transient Protein-Protein Interaction by the Macromolecular Crowders.

The environmental condition is a critical regulation factor for protein behavior in solution. Several studies have shown that macromolecular crowders can modulate protein structures, interactions, and functions. Recent publications described the regulation of specific interaction by macromolecular crowders.

Preferential Interactions of a Crowder Protein with the Specific Binding Site of a Native Protein Complex.

Nonspecific binding of crowder proteins with functional proteins is likely prevalent , yet direct quantitative evidence, let alone residue-specific information, is scarce. Here we present nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) characterization showing that bovine serum albumin weakly but preferentially interacts with the histidine carrier protein (HPr). Notably, the binding interface overlaps with that for HPr's specific partner protein, EIN, leading to competition.

Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles Stain Hydrogels for the Portable and High-Throughput Monitoring of Mercury Ions.

The hybrid of l-cysteine and agarose can reduce HAuCl and support the rapid growth of plasmonic gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in the hydrogel phase. The l-cysteine-doped agarose hydrogel (C-AGH) not only offers the substrate the capacity to reduce Au(III) ions but also stabilizes and precisely modulates the grown Au NPs with high repeatability, easy operation, and anti-interference performance. Herein, before the incubation of HAuCl, the improved hydrogel is preincubated in the aqueous solution containing mercury ions, and the cysteine can specifically conjugate with mercury the thiol groups.

Mercury ion-engineering Au plasmonics on MoS layers for absorption-shifted optical sensors.

Semiconducting MoS layers offer the electrons, reducing conjugated Au(I) to Au atoms, and sebsequently serve as desirable substrates for supporting the interfacial growths of gold nanostructures. Au-covering MoS heterostructures perform morphology-varied optical characteristics, and the surface engineering of MoS involved by Hg ions results in the differential growths of nanostructures and morphological diversities. Naked-eye colorimetric responses to mercury ions, with a low limit of detection of 1.

Kinetic Constraints in the Specific Interaction between Phosphorylated Ubiquitin and Proteasomal Shuttle Factors.

Ubiquitin (Ub) specifically interacts with the Ub-associating domain () in a proteasomal shuttle factor, while the latter is involved in either proteasomal targeting or self-assembly coacervation. PINK1 at S65 and makes Ub alternate between C-terminally relaxed () and retracted conformations (). Using NMR spectroscopy, we show that but not preferentially interacts with the from two proteasomal shuttle factors Ubqln2 and Rad23A.

Aggregation-induced responses (AIR) of 2D-derived layered nanostructures enable emerging colorimetric and fluorescence sensors.

Layered nanostructures (LNs), including two-dimensional nanosheets, nanoflakes, and planar nanodots, show large surface-to-volume ratios, unique optical properties, and desired interfacial activities. LNs are highly promising as alternative probes and platforms due to numerous merits, e.g.

Requirement for p62 acetylation in the aggregation of ubiquitylated proteins under nutrient stress.

Autophagy receptor p62/SQSTM1 promotes the assembly and removal of ubiquitylated proteins by forming p62 bodies and mediating their encapsulation in autophagosomes. Here we show that under nutrient-deficient conditions, cellular p62 specifically undergoes acetylation, which is required for the formation and subsequent autophagic clearance of p62 bodies. We identify K420 and K435 in the UBA domain as the main acetylation sites, and TIP60 and HDAC6 as the acetyltransferase and deacetylase.

Solution structure of the RNA recognition domain of METTL3-METTL14 N-methyladenosine methyltransferase.

N-methyladenosine (mA), a ubiquitous RNA modification, is installed by METTL3-METTL14 complex. The structure of the heterodimeric complex between the methyltransferase domains (MTDs) of METTL3 and METTL14 has been previously determined. However, the MTDs alone possess no enzymatic activity.

Transplantation of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells and hepatocyte stem cells from liver fibrosis rats ameliorates liver fibrosis.

Aim: To explore the effectiveness for treating liver fibrosis by combined transplantation of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BM-EPCs) and bone marrow-derived hepatocyte stem cells (BDHSCs) from the liver fibrosis environment.

Methods: The liver fibrosis rat models were induced with carbon tetrachloride injections for 6 wk. BM-EPCs from rats with liver fibrosis were obtained by different rates of adherence and culture induction.

Ubiquitin S65 phosphorylation engenders a pH-sensitive conformational switch.

Ubiquitin (Ub) is an important signaling protein. Recent studies have shown that Ub can be enzymatically phosphorylated at S65, and that the resulting pUb exhibits two conformational states-a relaxed state and a retracted state. However, crystallization efforts have yielded only the structure for the relaxed state, which was found similar to that of unmodified Ub.