A respiratory mucosal vaccine based on chitosan/aluminum adjuvant induces both mucosal and systemic immune responses.

The respiratory mucosa serves as a critical barrier against the invasion of pathogens. Effective mucosal vaccines are essential for enhancing local immunity. However, there is an urgent need to develop new mucosal adjuvants.

Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogens Realizing High-Contrast Bioimaging.

A revolutionary transformation in biomedical imaging is unfolding with the advent of aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens). These cutting-edge molecules not only overcome the limitations of traditional fluorescent probes but also improve the boundaries of high-contrast imaging. Unlike conventional fluorophores suffering from aggregation-caused quenching, AIEgens exhibit enhanced luminescence when aggregated, enabling superior imaging performance.

Enzymatically catalyzed molecular aggregation.

The dynamic modulation of the aggregation process of small molecules represents an important research objective for scientists. However, the complex and dynamic nature of internal environments in vivo impedes controllable aggregation processes of single molecules. In this study, we successfully achieve tumor-targeted aggregation of an aggregation-induced emission photosensitizer (AIE-PS), TBmA, with the catalysis of a tumor-overexpressed enzyme, γ-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT).

A quadri-fluorescence SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus system for efficient antigenic characterization of multiple circulating variants.

The ongoing co-circulation of multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains necessitates advanced methods such as high-throughput multiplex pseudovirus systems for evaluating immune responses to different variants, crucial for developing updated vaccines and neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). We have developed a quadri-fluorescence (qFluo) pseudovirus platform by four fluorescent reporters with different spectra, allowing simultaneous measurement of the nAbs against four variants in a single test. qFluo shows high concordance with the classical single-reporter assay when testing monoclonal antibodies and human plasma.

Exploring Mitochondrial Heterogeneity and Evolutionary Dynamics in through Population Genomics.

Limited exploration in fungal mitochondrial genetics has uncovered diverse inheritance modes. The mitochondrial genomes are inherited uniparentally in the majority of sexual eukaryotes, our discovery of persistent mitochondrial heterogeneity within the natural population of the basidiomycete fungus represents a significant advance in understanding mitochondrial inheritance and evolution in eukaryotes. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis by sequencing and assembling the complete mitogenomes of 40 samples exhibiting diverse heterogeneity patterns from various geographical origins.

TCR-like bispecific antibodies toward eliminating infected hepatocytes in HBV mouse models.

Therapeutics for eradicating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are still limited and current nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) and interferon are effective in controlling viral replication and improving liver health, but they cannot completely eradicate the hepatitis B virus and only a very small number of patients are cured of it. The TCR-like antibodies recognizing viral peptides presented on human leukocyte antigens (HLA) provide possible tools for targeting and eliminating HBV-infected hepatocytes. Here, we generated three TCR-like antibodies targeting three different HLA-A2.

Characterisation and Expression Analysis of LdSERK1, a Somatic Embryogenesis Gene in var. .

The Lanzhou lily ( var. ) is a variant of the Sichuan lily of the lily family and is a unique Chinese 'medicinal and food' sweet lily. Somatic cell embryogenesis of has played an important role in providing technical support for germplasm conservation, bulb propagation and improvement of genetic traits.

RNAi-Mediated Suppression of Promotes Salt Stress Tolerance in Rice.

This study explores the impact of RNAi in terms of selectively inhibiting the expression of the gene, with the primary objective of uncovering its involvement in the molecular mechanisms associated with salt tolerance in rice. , belonging to the Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) family gene, is known for its involvement in plant stress responses. The gene was successfully cloned from rice, exhibiting transcriptional self-activation in yeast.

Epitaxy-Directed Self-Assembly of Copolymers and Polymer Blends.

Directed self-assembly of materials into patterned structures is of great importance since the performance of them depends remarkably on their multiscale hierarchical structures. Therefore, purposeful structural regulation at different length scales through crystallization engineering provides an opportunity to modify the properties of polymeric materials. Here, an epitaxy-directed self-assembly strategy for regulating the pattern structures including phase structure as well as crystal modification and orientation of each component for both copolymers and polymer blends is reported.

Unlocking the Potential of Carbon Quantum Dots for Cell Imaging, Intracellular Localization, and Gene Expression Control in (L.) Heynh.

Utilizing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as biomaterials for delivering small substances has gained significant attention in recent research. However, the interactions and mechanisms of action of CQDs on plants have received relatively little focus. Herein, we investigated the transportation of CQDs into various organs of (L.

Transcriptome Insights into Candidate Genes of the Family and Carotenoid Biosynthesis during Fruit Growth and Development in 'Huangguan'.

The Chinese plum ( L.) is a fruit tree belonging to the Rosaceae family, native to south-eastern China and widely cultivated throughout the world. Fruit sugar metabolism and color change is an important physiological behavior that directly determines flavor and aroma.

Fast and High-Efficiency Synthesis of Capsanthin in Pepper by Transient Expression of Geminivirus.

The color of the chili fruit is an important factor that determines the quality of the chili, as red chilies are more popular among consumers. The accumulation of capsanthin is the main cause of reddening of the chili fruit. Capsanthin is an important metabolite in carotenoid metabolism, and its production level is closely linked to the expression of the genes for capsanthin/capsorubin synthase () and carotenoid hydroxylase ().

High expression of antimicrobial peptides cathelicidin-BF in and verification of its activity.

Antibacterial peptides are endogenous polypeptides produced by multicellular organisms to protect the host against pathogenic microbes, they show broad spectrum antimicrobial activities against various microorganisms and possess low propensity for developing resistance. The purpose of this study is to develop recombinant antibacterial peptide cathelicidin-BF by genetic engineering and protein engineering technology, and study its antibacterial activity and , so as to provide reference for the production and application of recombinant antibacterial peptide cathelicidin-BF. In this study, on account of eukaryotic expression system, we expressed and prepared antibacterial peptide cathelicidin-BF.

Strain-induced 3D-oriented crystallites in natural rubber/chitin nanofiber composites.

Natural rubber (NR) composites containing bio-based chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) exhibit a wide range of mechanical properties - from rubber to plastic behavior - with increasing chitin contents. A constrained 3-dimensional network can be formed by mixing natural rubber latex and a modified zwitterionic rigid chitin counterpart. By inclusion of highly anisotropic chitin nanofibers (30 wt%), strain-induced NR crystallization occurs at a much lower strain of 50%.

, and Regulate Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Flower Buds of 'Siberia'.

The bulb formation of is affected by many physiological and biochemical phenomena, including flower bud differentiation, starch and sucrose accumulation, photoperiod, carbon fixation, plant hormone transduction, etc. The transcriptome analysis of flower buds of Lilium hybrid 'Siberia' at different maturity stages showed that floral bud formation is associated with the accumulation of anthocyanins. The results of HPLC-MS showed that cyanidin is the major anthocyanin found in 'Siberia'.

Lineage-mosaic and mutation-patched spike proteins for broad-spectrum COVID-19 vaccine.

SARS-CoV-2 spread in humans results in continuous emergence of new variants, highlighting the need for vaccines with broad-spectrum antigenic coverage. Using inter-lineage chimera and mutation-patch strategies, we engineered a recombinant monomeric spike variant (STFK1628x) that contains key regions and residues across multiple SAR-CoV-2 variants. STFK1628x demonstrated high immunogenicity and mutually complementary antigenicity to its prototypic form (STFK).

Facile fabrication of ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) thin films with pure γ phase.

A simple heating-cooling procedure is employed to make pure polar γ-PVDF thin films. By controlling the relaxation state of the crystals, pure γ crystals are induced by two kinds of mechanism including self-seeding and self-nucleation upon cooling within 30 min. The methodology paves a new way for PVDF homopolymers in flexible ferroelectric device applications.

Isolation and Functional Characterization of a Green-Tissue Promoter in Japonica Rice ( subsp. ).

Plant promoters play a vital role in the initiation and regulation of gene transcription. In this study, a rice protein/gene of unknown expression, named , was gained from a rice T-DNA capture line. The semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the gene was only expressed in root, glume, and flower, but not in stem, leaf, embryo, and endosperm of japonica rice.

New discovery of high-affinity SARS-CoV-2 spike S2 protein binding peptide selected by PhIP-Seq.

• A peptide Spep-1 targeting S2 of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was selected by PhIP-Seq. • Spep-1 showed nanomolar affinity and high specificity to spike protein. • S-1 based immunoassay can detect femtomolar spike antigen in spiked serum samples.

Erratum: A cell-penetrating whole molecule antibody targeting intracellular HBx suppresses hepatitis B virus via TRIM21-dependent pathway: Erratum.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7150/thno.20047.

Effect of 3-Mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane Modified Illite on the Reinforcement of SBR.

To achieve the sustainable development of the rubber industry, the substitute of carbon black, the most widely used but non-renewable filler produced from petroleum, has been considered one of the most effective ways. The naturally occurring illite with higher aspect ratio can be easily obtained in large amounts at lower cost and with lower energy consumption. Therefore, the expansion of its application in advanced materials is of great significance.

Genetic Differentiation and Widespread Mitochondrial Heteroplasmy among Geographic Populations of the Gourmet Mushroom from Yunnan, China.

The mitochondrial genomes are generally considered non-recombining and homoplasmic in nature. However, our previous study provided the first evidence of extensive and stable mitochondrial heteroplasmy in natural populations of the basidiomycete fungus from Yunnan province, China. The heteroplasmy was characterized by the presence of two types of introns residing at adjacent but different sites in the cytochrome oxidase subunits I () gene within an individual strain.

Three SARS-CoV-2 antibodies provide broad and synergistic neutralization against variants of concern, including Omicron.

The rapidly spreading Omicron variant is highly resistant to vaccines, convalescent sera, and neutralizing antibodies (nAbs), highlighting the urgent need for potent therapeutic nAbs. Here, a panel of human nAbs from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) convalescent patients show diverse neutralization against Omicron, of which XMA01 and XMA04 maintain nanomolar affinities and excellent neutralization (half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50]: ∼20 ng/mL). nAb XMA09 shows weak but unattenuated neutralization against all variants of concern (VOCs) as well as SARS-CoV.

Cross-species tropism and antigenic landscapes of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Mutations in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) may alter viral host tropism and affect the activities of neutralizing antibodies. Here, we investigated 153 RBD mutants and 11 globally circulating variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs) (including Omicron) for their antigenic changes and cross-species tropism in cells expressing 18 ACE2 orthologs. Several RBD mutations strengthened viral infectivity in cells expressing ACE2 orthologs of non-human animals, particularly those less susceptible to the ancestral strain.