Manipulating turn residues on de novo designed β-hairpin peptides for selectivity against drug-resistant bacteria.

Synthetic β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a useful source for the development of novel antimicrobial agents. β-hairpin peptides generally consist of two side strands bridged by a reverse turn. In literature, most studies focused on the modifications of the side strands to manipulate the stability and activity of β-hairpin peptides, and much less is known about the impact of the turn region.

Emergence of a smooth interface from growth of a dendritic network against a mechanosensitive contractile material.

Structures and machines require smoothening of raw materials. Self-organized smoothening guides cell and tissue morphogenesis and is relevant to advanced manufacturing. Across the syncytial embryo surface, smooth interfaces form between expanding Arp2/3-based actin caps and surrounding actomyosin networks, demarcating the circumferences of nascent dome-like compartments used for pseudocleavage.

A Novel Nonsense Variant Causes Dextrocardia and Congenital Heart Disease in a Han Chinese Patient.

The position and morphology of human internal organs are asymmetrically distributed along the left-right axis. Aberrant left-right patterning in the developing embryo can lead to a series of congenital laterality defects, such as dextrocardia and heterotaxy syndrome. Laterality defects are a genetic condition; however, pathogenic genetic lesions are found in only one-fifth of patients.