Structural insights into the recognition of RALF peptides by FERONIA receptor kinase during Brassicaceae pollination.

Ensuring species integrity and successful reproduction is pivotal for the survival of angiosperms. Members of Brassicaceae family employ a "lock and key" mechanism involving stigmatic (sRALFs) and pollen RALFs (pRALFs) binding to FERONIA, a Catharanthus roseus receptor-like kinase 1-like (CrRLK1L) receptor, to establish a prezygotic hybridization barrier. In the absence of compatible pRALFs, sRALFs bind to FERONIA, inducing a lock state for pollen tube penetration.

Gold nanocages co-assembled with Spinacia oleracea extract combined photothermal/photodynamic therapy in 4T1 breast cancer cell line.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have been emerging as potential alternatives to conventional cancer treatment modalities. Gold nanoparticles, owing to their surface plasmon resonance properties, have been promising in cancer phototherapies, and extracts from potentially medicinal plants are commonly employed for the green synthesis of various nanoparticles. Some researchers also have been using chlorophyll as the photosensitizer for reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.

Microbial iCLIP2: Enhanced mapping of RNA-Protein interaction by promoting protein and RNA stability.

The entire RNA lifecycle, spanning from transcription to decay, is intricately regulated by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). To understand their precise functions, it is crucial to identify direct targets, pinpoint their exact binding sites, and unravel the underlying specificity in vivo. Individual-nucleotide resolution UV crosslinking and immunoprecipitation 2 (iCLIP2) is a state-of-the-art technique that enables the identification of RBP binding sites at single-nucleotide resolution.

From lock and key to molecular diplomacy: understanding pollen recognition and discrimination in brassicaceae.

Hybridization barriers in Brassicaceae play a pivotal role in governing reproductive success and maintaining speciation. In this perspective, we highlight recent advances revealing the intricate molecular mechanisms and the interplay among key players governing these barriers. Recent studies have shed light on the molecular mechanisms that govern hybridization barriers in Brassicaceae.

Medium-density amorphous ice unveils shear rate as a new dimension in water's phase diagram.

Recent experiments revealed a new amorphous ice phase, medium-density amorphous ice (MDA), formed by ball-milling ice at 77 K [Rosu-Finsen , Science , 474-478 (2023)]. MDA has density between that of low-density amorphous (LDA) and high-density amorphous (HDA) ices, adding to the complexity of water's phase diagram, known for its glass polyamorphism and two-state thermodynamics. The nature of MDA and its relation to other amorphous ices and liquid water remain unsolved.