C-to-G editing generates double-strand breaks causing deletion, transversion and translocation.

Base editors (BEs) introduce base substitutions without double-strand DNA cleavage. Besides precise substitutions, BEs generate low-frequency 'stochastic' byproducts through unclear mechanisms. Here, we performed in-depth outcome profiling and genetic dissection, revealing that C-to-G BEs (CGBEs) generate substantial amounts of intermediate double-strand breaks (DSBs), which are at the centre of several byproducts.

DNA Damage Atlas: an atlas of DNA damage and repair.

DNA damage and its improper repair are the major source of genomic alterations responsible for many human diseases, particularly cancer. To aid researchers in understanding the underlying mechanisms of genome instability, a number of genome-wide profiling approaches have been developed to monitor DNA damage and repair events. The rapid accumulation of published datasets underscores the critical necessity of a comprehensive database to curate sequencing data on DNA damage and repair intermediates.

Behavioural responses of zebrafish with sound stimuli in microfluidics.

Neuronal activities of the human brain responsible for cognitive features have been theorized through several animal models that exhibited various complementary spatial learning modes by generating a flexible repertoire of behavioral strategies. However, for such studies associated with a neurodegenerative disease, which can be further manipulated to provide therapeutic strategies, the animal models employed in their developmental stages have been preferred over the adult ones. This pilot work was incepted to underscore the spatial memory capabilities that strengthened the intricate mechanism of memory acquisition potential in one of the low-order evolutionarily conserved species, such as zebrafish larvae.

LncRNA CCTT-mediated RNA-DNA and RNA-protein interactions facilitate the recruitment of CENP-C to centromeric DNA during kinetochore assembly.

Kinetochore assembly on centromeres is central for chromosome segregation, and defects in this process cause mitotic errors and aneuploidy. Besides the well-established protein network, emerging evidence suggests the involvement of regulatory RNA in kinetochore assembly; however, it has remained elusive about the identity of such RNA, let alone its mechanism of action in this critical process. Here, we report CCTT, a previously uncharacterized long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcribed from the arm of human chromosome 17, which plays a vital role in kinetochore assembly.

Understanding New Yorkers' Everyday Life Information Seeking Behavior in the Context of Coping with COVID-19.

This poster presents preliminary findings of a study which examines New Yorkers' everyday life information seeking (ELIS) behavior in the context of coping with COVID-19. Based on semi-structured interviews with 10 New Yorkers, this study identified 15 major categories of everyday life information needs, and developed a typology of New Yorkers' preferred ELIS sources. These typologies show New Yorkers' specific ELIS behavior during the pandemic, such as actively seeking information regarding grocery shopping and delivery, health safety guidelines, and current events.

Active retrotransposons help maintain pericentromeric heterochromatin required for faithful cell division.

Retrotransposons are populated in vertebrate genomes, and when active, are thought to cause genome instability with potential benefit to genome evolution. Retrotransposon-derived RNAs are also known to give rise to small endo-siRNAs to help maintain heterochromatin at their sites of transcription; however, as not all heterochromatic regions are equally active in transcription, it remains unclear how heterochromatin is maintained across the genome. Here, we address these problems by defining the origins of repeat-derived RNAs and their specific chromatin locations in S2 cells.

LncRNA HRCEG, regulated by HDAC1, inhibits cells proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal-transition in gastric cancer.

Recently, a number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play significant roles in human tumorigenesis. However, only few gastric cancer related lncRNAs have been well characterized. Here, we identified one lncRNA HRCEG, whose expression was decreased in the gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues.

TAT-functionalized PEI-grafting rice bran polysaccharides for safe and efficient gene delivery.

Polysaccharides are considered to be promising candidates for non-viral gene delivery because of their molecular diversity, which can be modified to fine-tune their physicochemical properties. In this work, transcriptional activator protein (TAT) functionalized PEI grafted polysaccharide polymer (PRBP) was prepared by using rice bran polysaccharide as the starting material, and characterized by various methods. The potential of TAT functionalized PRBP (PRBP-TAT) as gene vector was studied in vitro, including DNA loading capacity, DNA protection ability and biocompatibility.

Development of a novel DNA delivery system based on rice bran polysaccharide-Fe(III) complexes.

Metal complexes, as a type of potential non-virus gene carriers, have gained much attention due to their properties of high charge density and unique three-dimensional structure. This study investigated the potential of polyethyleneimine (PEI)-modified rice bran polysaccharide-Fe(III) complex (PEI-PI) as a safe gene delivery system and explored the effect of Fe(III) on the efficiency of gene transfection mediated by PEI modified rice bran polysaccharide (PEI-P) and PEI-PI. Gel retardation assay was used to study the DNA binding and protection capability, MTT assay was performed to evaluate the biocompatibility, and PEI-PI complex-mediated EGFP gene transfection was studied in vitro.

Development of a safe and efficient gene delivery system based on a biodegradable tannic acid backbone.

Finding a safe and efficient gene delivery vector is a major international challenge facing the development of gene therapy. Tannic acid (TA) is a natural cross-linker owing to its hydroxyl and carboxyl groups that can interact with biopolymers for different biomaterial design. In this work, three polyethyleneimine-modified TA polymers were prepared, and the polymers were characterized by FTIR, UV-vis, elemental analysis and H NMR.

Safe and efficient gene delivery based on rice bran polysaccharide.

Polysaccharides are capable of being modified by polycations to adjust their physical and chemical properties, which accordingly are considered as potential candidate materials for safe and efficient gene delivery. Here, we extracted and purified polysaccharides from rice bran, and their physicochemical properties were determined by various methods. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) modified rice bran polysaccharide (PRBP) was prepared by grafting RBP with low molecular weight PEI and the preparation was determined by FTIR.

Rice bran polysaccharide-metal complexes showed safe antioxidant activity in vitro.

The effect on the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and the antioxidant and cytotoxicity properties of rice bran polysaccharides (RBP) and RBP-metal complexes RBP-Fe(III), RBP-Cu, RBP-Zn and RBP-Ca, were evaluated using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), scavenging activity assays, cell viability assay and fluorescence microscopy. The RBP-metal complexes were prepared using the hydrothermal method. The RBP-Fe(III) complexes were found to be potent scavengers for superoxide (O) free radicals.

Researchers' participation in and motivations for engaging with research information management systems.

Researchers’ Participation In Online Rimss: This article examined how researchers participated in research information management systems (RIMSs), their motivations for participation, and their priorities for those motivations. Profile maintenance, question-answering, and endorsement activities were used to define three cumulatively increasing levels of participation: Readers, Record Managers, and Community Members. Junior researchers were more engaged in RIMSs than were senior researchers.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote Hepatocarcinogenesis via lncRNA-MUF Interaction with ANXA2 and miR-34a.

Accumulating evidence suggests that cancer-associated mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) contribute to the development and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Aberrant expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) has been associated with these processes but cellular mechanisms are obscure. In this study, we report that HCC-associated mesenchymal stem cells (HCC-MSC) promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and liver tumorigenesis.

[Study on the correlation between hypertension and the indexes of vascular endothelial function among people living in the community].

Objective: To study the features of hypertension and vessel endothelium functional parameter in people living at the community level as well as the risk factors of hypertension. Differences of angiotensin II (Ang II ), prostacyclin (PGI2) and nitric oxide (NO) among normal group and three hypertension groups were also studied.

Methods: By cluster sampling, 1134 adult Han people were selected from the residential communities.