The DnaJ1 heat shock protein interacts with the flavanone 3-hydroxylase-like protein F3HL to synergistically enhance drought tolerance by scavenging reactive oxygen species in tomato.

The widely distributed heat shock protein DnaJ is renowned for its pivotal role in enhancing thermal tolerance in plants; however, its involvement in drought tolerance remains elusive. In this study, genes encoding DnaJ1 were cloned from drought-resistant wild tomato (Solanum pennellii) and drought-sensitive cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). SpDnaJ1 and SlDnaJ1 from both tomato species were localized in the chloroplast, and their gene expression was induced by various abiotic stresses.

Replicating PET Hydrolytic Activity by Positioning Active Sites with Smaller Synthetic Protein Scaffolds.

Evolutionary constraints significantly limit the diversity of naturally occurring enzymes, thereby reducing the sequence repertoire available for enzyme discovery and engineering. Recent breakthroughs in protein structure prediction and de novo design, powered by artificial intelligence, now enable to create enzymes with desired functions without solely relying on traditional genome mining. Here, a computational strategy is demonstrated for creating new-to-nature polyethylene terephthalate hydrolases (PET hydrolases) by leveraging the known catalytic mechanisms and implementing multiple deep learning algorithms and molecular computations.

Identification and validation of a major QTL, QFhb-6AL, for Fusarium head blight resistance on chromosome 6AL in wheat.

A novel major QTL, QFhb-6AL, accounting for 34.6% phenotypic variation for FHB resistance, was identified in the Chinese cultivar Xunong 029, and a near-diagnostic marker was developed for marker-assisted selection. Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a destructive disease in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

Screening and Functional Characterization of Nanobodies Targeting the Transferrin Receptor.

The transferrin receptor (TfR1) mediates the cellular uptake of iron and other molecules, playing a vital role in hematology and tumor growth. Nanobodies(NBs) targeting TfR1 offer promising therapeutic potential due to their small size, high specificity and stability. However, rapid identification of effective nanobodies remains challenging.