Concatemeric Broccoli reduces mRNA stability and induces aggregates.

Fluorogenic aptamers are an alternative to established methodology for real-time imaging of RNA transport and dynamics. We developed Broccoli-aptamer concatemers ranging from 4 to 128 substrate-binding site repeats and characterized their behavior fused to an mCherry-coding mRNA in transient transfection, stable expression, and in recombinant cytomegalovirus infection. Concatemerization of substrate-binding sites increased Broccoli fluorescence up to a concatemer length of 16 copies, upon which fluorescence did not increase and mCherry signals declined.

Metabolic Glycoengineering in hMSC-TERT as a Model for Skeletal Precursors by Using Modified Azide/Alkyne Monosaccharides.

Metabolic glycoengineering enables a directed modification of cell surfaces by introducing target molecules to surface proteins displaying new features. Biochemical pathways involving glycans differ in dependence on the cell type; therefore, this technique should be tailored for the best results. We characterized metabolic glycoengineering in telomerase-immortalized human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC-TERT) as a model for primary hMSC, to investigate its applicability in TERT-modified cell lines.

High-Yielding Water-Soluble Asymmetric Cyanine Dyes for Labeling Applications.

A simple and efficient microwave-assisted synthesis of asymmetric pentamethine cyanine dyes with various functional groups was developed, which allows high-yielding results. The synthesized dyes are modifiable and suitable for single-molecule imaging in biological and medical sciences by application of click chemistry or classic esterification and amidation.

Bioorthogonal labeling with tetrazine-dyes for super-resolution microscopy.

Genetic code expansion (GCE) technology allows the specific incorporation of functionalized noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins. Here, we investigated the Diels-Alder reaction between trans-cyclooct-2-ene (TCO)-modified ncAAs, and 22 known and novel 1,2,4,5-tetrazine-dye conjugates spanning the entire visible wavelength range. A hallmark of this reaction is its fluorogenicity - the tetrazine moiety can elicit substantial quenching of the dye.

Silver(I) Clusters with Carba-closo-dodecaboranylethynyl Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Phosphorescence.

Salts of anionic silver(I) clusters with the carba-closo-dodecaboranylethynyl ligand were obtained from {Ag (12-C≡C-closo-1-CB H )} , selected pyridines, and [Et N]Cl or [Ph P]Br. Salts of octahedral silver(I) clusters [Et N] [Ag (12-C≡C-closo-1-CB H ) (4-X-C H N) ] were formed with pyridine (X=H, x=8), 4-methylpyridine (X=Me, x=8), and 4-cyanopyridine (X=CN, x=10). In contrast, 3,5-lutidine (3,5-Me Py) did not result in salts of dianionic clusters, even in the presence of excess of [Et N]Cl or [Ph P]Br; instead salts of monoanionic Ag clusters, [Et N][Ag (12-C≡C-closo-1-CB H ) (3,5-Me Py) ] and [Ph P][Ag (12-C≡C-closo-1-CB H ) (3,5-Me Py) ] were obtained.

Unprecedented Efficient Structure Controlled Phosphorescence of Silver(I) Clusters Stabilized by Carba-closo-dodecaboranylethynyl Ligands.

{Ag2 (12-C≡C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )}n and selected pyridine ligands have been used for the synthesis of photostable Ag(I) clusters that, with one exception, exhibit for Ag(I) compounds unusual room-temperature phosphorescence. Extraordinarily intense phosphorescence was observed for a distorted pentagonal bipyramidal Ag(I) 7 cluster that shows an unprecedented quantum yield of Φ=0.76 for Ag(I) clusters.

Key role for respiratory CD103(+) dendritic cells, IFN-γ, and IL-17 in protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in response to α-galactosylceramide.

Background: Exogenous activation of pulmonary invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, a population of lipid-reactive αβ T lymphocytes, with use of mucosal α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) administration, is a promising approach to control respiratory bacterial infections. We undertook the present study to characterize mechanisms leading to α-GalCer-mediated protection against lethal infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1, a major respiratory pathogen in humans.

Methods And Results: α-GalCer was administered by the intranasal route before infection with S.