Structural mechanisms for regulation of GSDMB pore-forming activity.

Cytotoxic lymphocyte-derived granzyme A (GZMA) cleaves GSDMB, a gasdermin-family pore-forming protein, to trigger target cell pyroptosis. GSDMB and the charter gasdermin family member GSDMD have been inconsistently reported to be degraded by the Shigella flexneri ubiquitin-ligase virulence factor IpaH7.8 (refs.

An evaluation of a community-based vision care programme for the elderly.

Background: This study evaluated the real-world effectiveness and potential cost-effectiveness of a community-based vision care programme for the elderly population aged 60 years or above.

Methods: Data from a total of 8899 subjects participating in a community-based comprehensive vision care programme from 2015 to 2019 were analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in terms of the prevalence of distance visual impairment (VI), the change in the prevalence of distance VI after refractive error correction, and the types of ocular disorders suspected. Distance VI was defined as a) visual acuity (VA) worse than 6/18 in any eye (worse eye) and b) VA worse than 6/18 in the better eye.

Improved production of echinenone and canthaxanthin in transgenic Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 overexpressing a heterologous crtO gene from Nostoc flagelliforme.

Echinenone and canthaxanthin are important carotenoid pigments with food and industrial applications. Biosynthesis of echinenone and/or canthaxanthin is catalyzed by β-carotene ketolase (CrtO), with β-carotene as the substrate. In this study, we generated transgenic Nostoc sp.

Improving mass spectrometry analysis of protein structures with arginine-selective chemical cross-linkers.

Chemical cross-linking of proteins coupled with mass spectrometry analysis (CXMS) is widely used to study protein-protein interactions (PPI), protein structures, and even protein dynamics. However, structural information provided by CXMS is still limited, partly because most CXMS experiments use lysine-lysine (K-K) cross-linkers. Although superb in selectivity and reactivity, they are ineffective for lysine deficient regions.

Correlation between SEPS1 gene polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A preliminary study.

Background: The protein encoded by the selenoprotein S gene is considered to be an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant protein and is involved in a variety of diseases. Therefore, we want to study the distribution characteristics of this gene in Chinese diabetic population.

Methods: A total of 170 patients with DM (including 100 patients with T2DM and 70 patients with diabetic nephropathy [DN]) and 100 healthy controls (HC) were selected from Haikou People's Hospital (China) between January 2017 and July 2017.

P5CR1 protein expression and the effect of gene-silencing on lung adenocarcinoma.

The present study aimed to investigate the expression of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (P5CR1) protein in lung adenocarcinoma and paracancerous tissues and to explore the effect of silencing the encoding gene on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cisplatin sensitivity in lung adenocarcinoma cells, thereby providing a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of the disease. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to detect the P5CR1 protein expression in lung adenocarcinoma and paracancerous tissues, and statistical analysis evaluated the correlation between P5CR1 protein expression and gender, age, tissue part, or pathological grade. The CCK8 assay was performed to detect the proliferation and cisplatin sensitivity, while the effect of on the migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells was detected by scratch test and transwell chamber assay.

Alpha-kinase 1 is a cytosolic innate immune receptor for bacterial ADP-heptose.

Immune recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by pattern recognition receptors often activates proinflammatory NF-κB signalling. Recent studies indicate that the bacterial metabolite D-glycero-β-D-manno-heptose 1,7-bisphosphate (HBP) can activate NF-κB signalling in host cytosol, but it is unclear whether HBP is a genuine PAMP and the cognate pattern recognition receptor has not been identified. Here we combined a transposon screen in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis with biochemical analyses and identified ADP-β-D-manno-heptose (ADP-Hep), which mediates type III secretion system-dependent NF-κB activation and cytokine expression.

Pore-forming activity and structural autoinhibition of the gasdermin family.

Inflammatory caspases cleave the gasdermin D (GSDMD) protein to trigger pyroptosis, a lytic form of cell death that is crucial for immune defences and diseases. GSDMD contains a functionally important gasdermin-N domain that is shared in the gasdermin family. The functional mechanism of action of gasdermin proteins is unknown.