1,162 results match your criteria: "Max Planck Institute for Biology.[Affiliation]"

The unicellular eukaryote Paramecium tetraurelia contains functionally distinct nuclei: germline micronuclei (MICs) and a somatic macronucleus (MAC). During sex, the MIC genome is reorganized into a new MAC genome and the old MAC is lost. Almost 45,000 unique internal eliminated sequences (IESs) distributed throughout the genome require precise excision to guarantee a functional new MAC genome.

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Conservation of antiviral systems across domains of life reveals immune genes in humans.

Cell Host Microbe

September 2024

Molecular Diversity of Microbes, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3525, INSERM U1284, Université Paris-Cité, 75015 Paris, France. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Understanding eukaryotic immune systems is crucial for both human health and ecosystem comprehension, particularly with recent findings on antiphage systems and their origins from prokaryotes.
  • This study employs a phylogenetic approach to investigate the presence of bacterial antiphage system homologs in eukaryotes, revealing that many immune proteins in eukaryotes share similarities with these bacterial systems.
  • Key findings include the evolutionary connection of eukaryotic piRNA pathway proteins to the antiphage system Mokosh and the antiviral roles of certain human genes (GIMAPs, FHAD1, and CTRC) associated with prokaryotic defense systems.
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Prevention and cure of murine infection by a Lachnospiraceae strain.

Gut Microbes

August 2024

Center for Inflammation, Immunity and Infection, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.

We sought to better understand how intestinal microbiota confer protection against () infection (CDI). We utilized gnotobiotic altered Schaedler flora (ASF) mice, which lack the abnormalities of germfree (GF) mice as well as the complexity and heterogeneity of antibiotic-treated mice. Like GF mice, ASF mice were highly prone to rapid lethal CDI, without antibiotics, while very low infectious doses resulted in chronic CDI.

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Closely related species often use the same genes to adapt to similar environments. However, we know little about why such genes possess increased adaptive potential and whether this is conserved across deeper evolutionary lineages. Adaptation to climate presents a natural laboratory to test these ideas, as even distantly related species must contend with similar stresses.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Many bacteria have protective polysaccharide capsules made of long glycan chains, which can be free or attached to their outer membrane; the group 4 capsule in E. coli is produced by a specific gene operon.
  • - The GfcD protein, part of this operon, is believed to function as a channel for exporting lipid-anchored polysaccharide chains and has two predicted β-barrel domains that could serve as a lateral exit gate.
  • - A study using molecular dynamics showed that while the lateral aperture of GfcD remains stable, lipids do not enter the barrel, but lipid A successfully exits into the membrane, indicating how the capsule is exported.
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Most plants in natural ecosystems associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to survive soil nutrient limitations. To engage in symbiosis, AM fungi secrete effector molecules that, similar to pathogenic effectors, reprogram plant cells. Here we show that the Glomeromycotina-specific SP7 effector family impacts on the alternative splicing program of their hosts.

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Sexual reproduction is widespread, but asexual lineages have repeatedly arisen from sexual ancestors across a wide range of eukaryotic taxa. The molecular changes underpinning the switch to asexuality remain elusive, particularly in organisms with haploid sexual systems. Here we explore independent events of loss of sex in the brown alga Scytosiphon, examine the proximate and evolutionary mechanisms involved, and test the importance of sexual conflict on gene expression changes following loss of sex.

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Proteins self-assemble to function in living cells. They may execute essential tasks in the form of monomers, complexes, or supramolecular cages via oligomerization, achieving a sophisticated balance between structural topology and functional dynamics. The modularity and programmability make DNA origami unique in mimicking these key features.

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Background: With advancing age, cognitive decline is frequently associated with endothelial dysfunction, but data on vascular performance prior to the onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is scarce.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between endothelial function, vital parameters and cognitive performance in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD).

Methods: Forty-five volunteers aged 65 years and older with SCD underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment-based prognosis evaluation by means of the Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI), full neuropsychological examination and peripheral arterial tonometry measurement by means of EndoPAT™2000 to evaluate endothelial flexibility and vital parameters.

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Assembly of complete genomes can reveal functional genetic elements missing from draft sequences. Here we present the near-complete telomere-to-telomere and contiguous genome of the cotton species Gossypium raimondii. Our assembly identified gaps and misoriented or misassembled regions in previous assemblies and produced 13 centromeres, with 25 chromosomal ends having telomeres.

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Molecular effects of lifestyle interventions are typically studied in a single tissue. Here, we perform a secondary analysis on the sex-specific effects of the Growing Old TOgether trial (GOTO, trial registration number GOT NL3301 ( https://onderzoekmetmensen.nl/nl/trial/27183 ), NL-OMON27183 , primary outcomes have been previously reported in ref.

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Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) fuels cellular ATP demands. OXPHOS defects lead to severe human disorders with unexplained tissue specific pathologies. Mitochondrial gene expression is essential for OXPHOS biogenesis since core subunits of the complexes are mitochondrial-encoded.

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Stress-sensitive neural circuits change the gut microbiome via duodenal glands.

Cell

September 2024

Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen 72076, Germany. Electronic address:

Negative psychological states impact immunity by altering the gut microbiome. However, the relationship between brain states and microbiome composition remains unclear. We show that Brunner's glands in the duodenum couple stress-sensitive brain circuits to bacterial homeostasis.

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Dissecting plant responses to the environment is key to understanding whether and how plants adapt to anthropogenic climate change. Stomata, plants' pores for gas exchange, are expected to decrease in density following increased CO concentrations, a trend already observed in multiple plant species. However, it is unclear whether such responses are based on genetic changes and evolutionary adaptation.

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Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting prolong the lifespan and healthspan of model organisms and improve human health. The natural polyamine spermidine has been similarly linked to autophagy enhancement, geroprotection and reduced incidence of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases across species borders. Here, we asked whether the cellular and physiological consequences of caloric restriction and fasting depend on polyamine metabolism.

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Article Synopsis
  • Mitochondrial fusion and fission are vital for stress responses and managing metabolic changes, which involves the protein Opa1 in its various forms.
  • The study involved creating mouse models with specific Opa1 isoforms to determine their role, showing that both cleavable and non-cleavable forms support embryo and adult mouse health.
  • Opa1 processing isn't essential for dealing with metabolic or thermal stress but is crucial for longevity and heart health in mice with faulty energy production, indicating its importance in regulating heart growth and metabolism.
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  • Gene innovation is crucial for the evolution of traits, particularly in the context of Leguminosae plants and their rhizobial symbioses, which are key for nitrogen fixation in agriculture.
  • The research focused on identifying gene gain events in the evolution of root nodule symbiosis (RNS) in Leguminosae, discovering that these genes were mainly acquired through gene duplication and underwent strong purifying selection.
  • Among the findings, type II chalcone isomerase (CHI) genes, particularly CHI1A and CHI1B, showed structural divergences and functional differences, with CHI1B being essential for nodulation in legumes like soybean and Medicago truncatula, shedding light on genetic
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Patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing lipase 8 (PNPLA8), one of the calcium-independent phospholipase A2 enzymes, is involved in various physiological processes through the maintenance of membrane phospholipids. Biallelic variants in PNPLA8 have been associated with a range of paediatric neurodegenerative disorders. However, the phenotypic spectrum, genotype-phenotype correlations and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.

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Microglia rescue neurons from aggregate-induced neuronal dysfunction and death through tunneling nanotubes.

Neuron

September 2024

German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany; Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg; Institute of innate immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • - Microglia play a vital role in brain health by connecting to neurons through tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), allowing the quick exchange of essential materials.
  • - In neurodegenerative diseases, microglia utilize these TNTs to help neurons eliminate toxic protein aggregates like alpha-synuclein and tau, thereby improving neuronal health and function.
  • - Genetic mutations in microglia, such as Lrrk2(Gly2019Ser) and Trem2 variants, hinder their ability to transfer protective materials to neurons, highlighting their potential involvement in neurodegenerative disease progression.
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How antisense transcripts can evolve to encode novel proteins.

Nat Commun

July 2024

Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, Münster, Germany.

Protein coding features can emerge de novo in non coding transcripts, resulting in emergence of new protein coding genes. Studies across many species show that a large fraction of evolutionarily novel non-coding RNAs have an antisense overlap with protein coding genes. The open reading frames (ORFs) in these antisense RNAs could also overlap with existing ORFs.

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Background: Among preventive strategies against dementia, nutrition is considered a powerful one and the recently established "nutritional cognitive neuroscience of aging" is a highly active research field.

Objective: The present study was designed to deeply characterize older adults across the continuum from cognitive integrity to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and better elucidate the prognostic role of lipophilic micronutrients within their lipidomic signature.

Methods: 123 participants older than 65 years across the continuum from cognitive integrity to MCI were included [49 with subjective cognitive impairment, 29 women, 72.

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Unlabelled: are abundant in the human gut and comprise families associated with host health such as which has been correlated with leanness. However, culturing bacteria within this family is challenging, leading to their detection primarily through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, which has a limited ability to unravel diversity at low taxonomic levels, or by shotgun metagenomics, which is hindered by its high costs and complexity. In this cross-sectional study involving 114 Colombian adults, we used an amplicon-based sequencing strategy with alternative markers-gyrase subunit B () and DNA K chaperone heat protein 70 ()-that evolve faster than the 16S rRNA gene.

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Treatment approaches for older Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

Curr Opin Oncol

September 2024

University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD).

Purpose Of Review: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) occurs at two age peaks around 25 and 60 years of age. Due to varying fitness and co-morbidities older patients are a heterogeneous group that has relatively poor treatment outcomes. The evolving therapeutic landscape for older HL is summarized herein.

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Medium-chain carboxylates (MCCs) are used in various industrial applications. These chemicals are typically extracted from palm oil, which is deemed not sustainable. Recent research has focused on microbial chain elongation using reactors to produce MCCs, such as -caproate (C6) and -caprylate (C8), from organic substrates such as wastes.

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Regulatory mechanism of cold-inducible diapause in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Nat Commun

July 2024

Unit of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.

Temperature is a critical environmental cue that controls the development and lifespan of many animal species; however, mechanisms underlying low-temperature adaptation are poorly understood. Here, we describe cold-inducible diapause (CID), another type of diapause induced by low temperatures in Caenorhabditis elegans. A premature stop codon in heat shock factor 1 (hsf-1) triggers entry into CID at 9 °C, whereas wild-type animals enter CID at 4 °C.

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