A novel Diguanylate cyclase VdcR has multifaceted regulatory functions in the pathogenicity of Vibrio vulnificus.

Background: Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram-negative pathogen that infects humans through foodborne or wound infections. Victims of V. vulnificus infections face significant health risks, including cellulitis and septicemia, which have rapid disease progression and high mortality rates.

Investigate the metabolic changes in intestinal diseases by employing a H-NMR-based metabolomics approach on Caco-2 cells treated with cedrol.

Mitochondrial dysfunction may precipitate intestinal dysfunction, while inflammatory bowel disease manifests as a chronic inflammatory ailment affecting the gastrointestinal tract. This condition disrupts the barrier function of the intestinal epithelium and alters metabolic products. Increasing mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis in intestinal epithelial cells presents a promising avenue for colitis treatments.

Identification and molecular detection of the pathogen of leaf yellowing through genome analysis.

Moth orchids ( spp.) are globally popular ornamental flowers. However, effective management strategies for leaf yellowing remain elusive, making the disease a challenging obstacle affecting moth orchids at various growth stages.

The Complete Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogenetic Analysis of (Matsumura, 1909) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae).

The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) (Matsumura, 1909), an endemic moth species in Taiwan, was sequenced and analyzed. The complete circular mitogenome of is 15,303 bp and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and an AT-rich control region. The mitogenome has an overall nucleotide composition of 41.

Microbiome heterogeneity in tissues of the coral, Fimbriaphyllia (Euphyllia) ancora.

Coral microbiomes differ in the mucus, soft tissue and skeleton of a coral colony, but whether variations exist in different tissues of a single polyp is unknown. In the stony coral, Fimbriaphyllia ancora, we identified 8,994 amplicon sequencing variants (ASVs) in functionally differentiated polyp tissues, i.e.

NRC Immune receptor networks show diversified hierarchical genetic architecture across plant lineages.

Plants' complex immune systems include nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing (NLR) proteins, which help recognize invading pathogens. In solanaceous plants, the NRC (NLR required for cell death) family includes helper NLRs that form a complex genetic network with multiple sensor NLRs to provide resistance against pathogens. However, the evolution and function of NRC networks outside solanaceous plants are currently unclear.

A cross-sectional study of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in a tertiary care hospital in Taiwan: implications for protection against the Omicron variants.

Background: Taiwan, deeply impacted by the 2003 SARS outbreak, promptly implemented rigorous infection control and prevention (ICP) measures in January 2020 to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional serologic study was conducted among healthcare workers (HCWs) in a tertiary care hospital in Taiwan from August 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023. The study aimed to assess HCWs' antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccination against Omicron subvariants BA.

Gn protein expressed in plants for diagnosis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) causes the highly fatal disease in humans. To facilitate diagnosis, the native form of subunit glycoprotein (Gn), a prime target for potential vaccines and therapies, was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana using a Bamboo mosaic virus-based vector system. By fusion with secretory signal tags, SS, derived from the extension protein, and the (SP) motif, the yield of the recombinant Gn (rGn) was remarkably increased to approximately 7 mg/kg infiltrated leaves.

Proteomic profiling of tumor microenvironment and prognosis risk prediction in stage I lung adenocarcinoma.

Objectives: With the increasing popularity of CT screening, more cases of early-stage lung cancer are being diagnosed. However, 24.5% of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients still experience treatment failure post-surgery.

Monitoring the Season-Prevalence Relationship of in Honey Bees () over One Year and the Primary Assessment of Probiotic Treatment in Taichung, Taiwan.

Microsporidiosis, which is caused by the pathogen , is a prevalent disease in the honey bee () and might lead to significant adult honey bee mortality. In this study, we conducted an annual survey of the mature spore load of in the guts of nurse bees and forager bees in the apiary of National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) in Taiwan. The results indicated that, on average, honey bees hosted approximately 2.

Agrobacteria deploy two classes of His-Me finger superfamily nuclease effectors exerting different antibacterial capacities against specific bacterial competitors.

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) assembles into a contractile nanomachine to inject effectors across bacterial membranes for secretion. The species complex is a group of soil inhabitants and phytopathogens that deploys T6SS as an antibacterial weapon against bacterial competitors at both inter-species and intra-species levels. The strain 1D1609 genome encodes one main T6SS gene cluster and four genes (i.

A gauge of coral physiology: re-examining temporal changes in abundance correlated with natural coral bleaching.

Bacteria contribute to many physiological functions of coral holobionts, including responses to bleaching. The bacterial genus, , dominates the microbial flora of many coral species and its abundance appears to be correlated with coral bleaching. However, evidences for decoupling of bleaching and abundance changes have also been reported.

Development of a tag-free plant-made interferon gamma production system with improved therapeutic efficacy against viruses.

Plants offer a promising platform for cost-effective production of biologically active therapeutic glycoproteins. In previous studies, we have developed a plant expression system based on (BaMV) by incorporating secretory signals and an affinity tag, which resulted in notably enhanced yields of soluble and secreted fusion glycoproteins (FGs) in . However, the presence of fusion tags on recombinant glycoproteins is undesirable for biomedical applications.

Antibodies from dengue patients with prior exposure to Japanese encephalitis virus are broadly neutralizing against Zika virus.

Exposure to multiple mosquito-borne flaviviruses within a lifetime is not uncommon; however, how sequential exposures to different flaviviruses shape the cross-reactive humoral response against an antigen from a different serocomplex has yet to be explored. Here, we report that dengue-infected individuals initially primed with the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) showed broad, highly neutralizing potencies against Zika virus (ZIKV). We also identified a rare class of ZIKV-cross-reactive human monoclonal antibodies with increased somatic hypermutation and broad neutralization against multiple flaviviruses.

Excess dietary sugar impairs Drosophila adult stem cells via elevated reactive oxygen species-induced JNK signaling.

High-sugar diets (HSDs) often lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes, both metabolic syndromes associated with stem cell dysfunction. However, it is unclear whether excess dietary sugar affects stem cells. Here, we report that HSD impairs stem cell function in the intestine and ovaries of female Drosophila prior to the onset of insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

Potential PCR amplification bias in identifying complex ecological patterns: Higher species compositional homogeneity revealed in smaller-size coral reef zooplankton by metatranscriptomics.

PCR-based high-throughput sequencing has permitted comprehensive resolution analyses of zooplankton diversity dynamics. However, significant methodological issues still surround analyses of complex bulk community samples, not least as in prevailing PCR-based approaches. Marine drifting animals-zooplankton-play essential ecological roles in the pelagic ecosystem, transferring energy and elements to higher trophic levels, such as fishes, cetaceans and others.

Similar but different: Characterization of gene-mediated DMSP metabolism among coral-associated .

are often predominant bacteria and prominently important in coral health. Their role in dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) degradation has been a subject of discussion for over a decade. A previous study found that degraded DMSP through the pathway.

Protein-Protein Interactions: Co-immunoprecipitation.

Proteins often do not function as single substances but rather as team players in a dynamic network. Growing evidences show that protein-protein interactions are crucial in many biological processes in living cells. Genetic (such as yeast two hybrid, Y2H) and biochemical (such as co-immunoprecipitation, co-IP) methods are the commonly used methods to identify the interacting proteins.

Biological characterization of coronavirus noncanonical transcripts in vitro and in vivo.

Background: In addition to the well-known coronavirus genomes and subgenomic mRNAs, the existence of other coronavirus RNA species, which are collectively referred to as noncanonical transcripts, has been suggested; however, their biological characteristics have not yet been experimentally validated in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: To comprehensively determine the amounts, species and structures of noncanonical transcripts for bovine coronavirus in HRT-18 cells and mouse hepatitis virus A59, a mouse coronavirus, in mouse L cells and mice, nanopore direct RNA sequencing was employed. To experimentally validate the synthesis of noncanonical transcripts under regular infection, Northern blotting was performed.

Argonaute 5-mediated antiviral defense and viral counter-defense in Nicotiana benthamiana.

The argonaute (AGO) family proteins play a crucial role in preventing viral invasions through the plant antiviral RNA silencing pathway, with distinct AGO proteins recruited for specific antiviral mechanisms. Our previous study revealed that Nicotiana benthamiana AGO5 (NbAGO5) expression was significantly upregulated in response to bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV) infection. However, the roles of NbAGO5 in antiviral mechanisms remained to be explored.