Article
Microbiology
Renxing Liang, Zhou Li, Maggie C. Y. Lau Vetter, Tatiana A. Vishnivetskaya, Oksana G. Zanina, Karen G. Lloyd, Susan M. Pfiffner, Elizaveta M. Rivkina, Wei Wang, Jessica Wiggins, Jennifer Miller, Robert L. Hettich, Tullis C. Onstott
Summary: By combining DNA repair protocols with high throughput sequencing, 52 metagenome-assembled genomes were reconstructed from ancient microbial DNA trapped in Siberian coastal permafrost. The genomes from different sediment layers revealed the evolutionary history and adaptive strategies of microbes to long-term survivability in ancient permafrost. The study provides insights into microbial successions and long-term survival mechanisms under cryogenic conditions, with potential applications in studying ancient non-permafrost environments and search for extraterrestrial life on Mars.
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Physical
Jun Lu, Huanting Wang
Summary: A high ligand/metal ion concentration ratio strategy eliminates lattice defects in polycrystalline zirconium metal-organic framework membranes, enhancing their molecular sieving performance.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
J. Howard Choat
Summary: A novel approach has revealed that the coelacanth can live up to a hundred years, highlighting the importance of measuring life-history traits that determine fish population demographics.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zekun Huang, Wanlong Huang, Xiaolin Liu, Zhaofang Han, Guangjian Liu, Grace Afumwaa Boamah, Yi Wang, Feng Yu, Yang Gan, Qizhen Xiao, Xuan Luo, Nan Chen, Meng Liu, Weiwei You, Caihuan Ke
Summary: The nautilus, known as a living fossil, is endangered and may face extinction. The lack of genomic information hinders understanding of its biology and evolution, but research reveals strong adaptability and long-term survival in its evolutionary process.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandre Pedro Selvatti, Filipe Romero Rebello Moreira, Daniel Cardoso Carvalho, Francisco Prosdocimi, Claudia Augusta de Moraes Russo, Ana Carolina Martins Junqueira
Summary: This study used mitochondrial genomes and nuclear orthologs to investigate the divergence time of turtles. The findings suggest that the split of Testudines occurred in the Early Jurassic, associated with the fragmentation of Pangaea and the formation of saltwater barriers. The divergence of Pleurodira coincided with Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous geologic events, while Cryptodira remained in Laurasia and diversified during the Cenozoic. The study also provides a detailed hypothesis of Cryptodira evolution in the Southern Hemisphere correlated with landmass contacts derived from Gondwana and Laurasia.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeremy J. Wright, Spencer A. Bruce, Daniel A. Sinopoli, Jay R. Palumbo, Donald J. Stewart
Summary: The study found that the Bowfin belongs to an independent evolutionary lineage within the Amiidae family, and there may be multiple species within the extant populations. The phylogenomic analysis expands our understanding of species diversity in this ancient lineage.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elie Dolgin
Summary: This technology has the potential to revolutionize immunization efforts against diseases such as HIV, malaria, influenza, and more.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yunan Wang, Peizhen Ma, Zhen Zhang, Cui Li, Yumeng Liu, Ya Chen, Jiahui Wang, Haiyan Wang, Hao Song
Summary: The mitochondrial genome of Entemnotrochus rumphii, a representative species from the isolated lineage of Pleurotomarioidea, displays a high level of conservation in gene arrangement within Vetigastropoda, shedding light on the evolutionary history of molluscs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bing Zhang, Lina Hou, Hongli Qi, Lingling Hou, Tiancheng Zhang, Fangqing Zhao, Miao Miao
Summary: The study assembled a near-complete macronuclear genome of Fabrea salina, an ancient ciliate, which has an extremely minimized genome. It reveals the expanded gene families involved in stress resistance, DNA replication, and mitochondrial biogenesis, as well as the potential role of phosphatidic acid in high osmotic pressure resistance. The study also investigates the changes in the macronucleus during sexual reproduction and highlights the contribution of macronuclear residuals to this process.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Volodymyr Gvozdetskyi, Shannon J. Lee, Bryan Owens-Baird, Juli-Anna Dolyniuk, Tori Cox, Renhai Wang, Zijing Lin, Kai-Ming Ho, Julia Zaikina
Summary: Three new sodium zinc antimonides were successfully synthesized by utilizing NaH as a reactive sodium source, leading to fast screening and high-purity preparation of new compounds with complex structures and semimetallic electrical properties.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Scott Lidgard, Emma Kitchen
Summary: The concept of living fossils has been continuously driving integrative research since Darwin used the term in 1859. This concept has been applied to a wide range of biological entities and has led to the emergence of primary criteria for designating living fossil status. In this paper, the authors conduct a comprehensive analysis of the use of the term 'living fossil' from 1860 to the present, examining patterns of change in phylogenetic diversity, taxonomic ranks and groups, subject areas, and criteria used. Their analyses reveal the expanding and diversifying nature of living fossils, as well as the increasing complexity of challenges faced in this field.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Cun Li, Li Han, Hongyuan Bai, Xuefei Wang, Yu Yin, Hong Yan, Xiaolu Zhang, Zheng Yang, Pibo Liu, Hongwei Ma
Summary: This study presents a significant example of modulating molecular weight distributions (MWDs) in living anionic polymerization (LAP) based on the locked-unlocked feature. Two strategies, intermittent and continuous, were proposed to flexibly adjust MWDs and control the symmetry of monomodal curves. Additionally, a series of Si-H functionalized block copolymers were successfully synthesized by taking advantage of the unlocked feature.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Norbert Juergens, Imke Oncken, Jens Oldeland, Felicitas Gunter, Barbara Rudolph
Summary: Welwitschia mirabilis, a unique plant species, is found in northern Namib Desert in Angola and Namibia, with high genetic divergence and possibly two subspecies. The study reveals the presence of multiple unique gene pools within the species, indicating the evolution of diversity within the refuge of the northern Namib Desert.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nicholas D. Ball
Summary: In this issue of Chem, Zhang and Willis present a study on a new class of S(VI) compounds, sulfondiimidamides, and explore their synthesis, derivation, and potential as sulfonamide bioisosteres.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jianbang Wang, Zhixin Zhou, Zhenzhen Li, Itamar Willner
Summary: This study introduces a method to unlock DNA origami tiles using appropriate triggers, forming nanocavities, and demonstrates the reversible opening and closure mechanism. Upon unlocking, Mg2+-ion-dependent DNAzymes can self-assemble in the nanocavities, showcasing reversible activation of the DNAzymes. Taking it further, different Mg2+-ion-dependent subunits can be programmed to catalytically operate in confined nanocavities associated with origami tiles.