Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tomoaki Mizuno, Kenji Irie
Summary: Selective autophagy of the endoplasmic reticulum in yeast, known as ER-phagy, is regulated by multiple signaling pathways and transcription factors, with Atg39 and Atg40 serving as receptors and Msn2/4 transcription factors identified as regulators of ATG39 transcription.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessandra Mozzi, Rachele Cagliani, Chiara Pontremoli, Diego Forni, Irma Saulle, Marina Saresella, Uberto Pozzoli, Gioia Cappelletti, Chiara Vantaggiato, Mario Clerici, Mara Biasin, Manuela Sironi
Summary: This study investigates the adaptation of herpes simplex viruses to their human hosts and identifies several positively selected genes involved in immune escape mechanisms. It also reveals differences in the immunomodulatory effects of the encoded products between herpes simplex viruses and macacine herpesvirus 1, which may contribute to the severity of infection in humans.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tjasa Lukan, Florian Veillet, Maja Kriznik, Anna Coll, Tjasa Mahkovec Povalej, Karmen Pogacar, Katja Stare, Laura Chauvin, Jean-Eric Chauvin, Kristina Gruden
Summary: This study established a complete pipeline for CRISPR-Cas9-mediated modulation of miRNA expression in potato and found that miRNA editing can result in different types of mutations among transgenic lines and different alleles within the same plant.
HORTICULTURE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Dhanya Karipal Padinjare Veedu, Luke A. Connal, Lara R. Malins
Summary: In this study, we report the synthesis of second-generation glutamine building blocks with electroauxiliaries derived from 2,4-dimethoxythiophenyl and 2,4-dichlorothiophenyl. These building blocks improve the efficiency of solid-phase peptide synthesis and allow for fine-tuning of the electrochemical window for selective anodic oxidation reactions. The practical application of these new building blocks for iterative functionalizations is demonstrated by their installation onto a segment of involucrin, a protein component of human skin.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jong-Chan Park, Alex Luebbers, Maria Dao, Ana Semeano, Anh Minh Nguyen, Maria P. Papakonstantinou, Stefan Broselid, Hideaki Yano, Kirill A. Martemyanov, Mikel Garcia-Marcos
Summary: In this study, researchers uncover a new mechanism of G protein regulation involving the protein GINIP, which biases inhibitory GPCR responses towards Gbg signaling and dampens Gai-GTP signaling. This mechanism is crucial for maintaining balanced neurotransmission and preventing increased seizure susceptibility in mice.
Article
Plant Sciences
Miriam Fernandez-Calleja, Francisco J. Ciudad, Ana M. Casas, Ernesto Igartua
Summary: This study investigates the vernalization sensitivity and phenotypic characteristics of barley in order to adapt to future climate change. The results show that the vernalization response in barley is mainly concentrated in the phase before stem elongation, and is influenced by multiple major genes. Additionally, the duration of the late reproductive phase is also affected by other genes.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiayu Wang, Lijun Wang, Yan Yan, Shuxin Zhang, Han Li, Zheng Gao, Chen Wang, Xingqi Guo
Summary: The study found that GhWRKY21 plays a crucial role in regulating the intensity of the drought-induced ABA signaling pathway by facilitating the expression of GhHAB in cotton. Additionally, the drought tolerance mediated by GhWRKY21 is ABA-dependent.
PLANT CELL REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuan Ren, Jie Yang, Barbara Fujita, Huaizhou Jin, Yongli Zhang, Julien Berro
Summary: Forces play important roles in various cellular processes, but it is challenging to measure them at the molecular scale in vivo. In this study, new in vivo force sensors were used to measure the forces on the protein End4p at different locations, revealing their redistribution across the endocytic machinery.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sergio Parejo, Juan J. Cabrera, Andrea Jimenez-Leiva, Laura Tomas-Gallardo, Eulogio J. Bedmar, Andrew J. Gates, Socorro Mesa
Summary: FixK(2) is a transcription factor that plays a central role in a regulatory network for the anoxic, microoxic, and symbiotic lifestyles of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens in soybean endosymbiont. Its activity is controlled by multiple mechanisms, including the regulation of two transcription factors, proteolysis, and oxidation of a cysteine residue. A study found that a strain encoding a permanently oxidized FixK(2) showed similar expression to the wild type under microoxic conditions, indicating the existence of a regulatory strategy to counterbalance FixK(2) inactivation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
John M. Ryniawec, Gregory C. Rogers
Summary: This article describes a new mechanism of Plk4 regulation, which restricts its translation through competitive ribosome binding at upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in mRNA. This mechanism is especially critical in the development of primordial germ cells in mice.
GENES & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Yang Liu, Huanle Xu, Wing Cheong Lau
Summary: Cloud providers offer diverse VM instance types or clusters to cater for different Big Data analytic jobs. Choosing the best cloud configuration is challenging due to the large configuration space, time-varying cloud service cost, and job response time variation. To address this, Accordia is designed to optimize cloud configuration for recurring data-intensive applications. Leveraging Gaussian Process UCB techniques, Accordia can identify the cost-optimal configuration with a time-varying cost and achieve sub-linear increasing dynamic regret. Through simulations and empirical measurements, Accordia demonstrates significant speedup and cost savings compared to the state-of-the-art approach.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PARALLEL AND DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paraskevi Kritsiligkou, Karol Nowicki-Osuch, Zorana Carter, Chris J. Kershaw, Declan R. Creamer, Alan J. Weids, Chris M. Grant
Summary: The research discovers a direct protein interaction between Tsa1 and the PKA pathway in response to protein misfolding stress, leading to a targeted reprogramming of gene expression through oxidation-mediated regulation of PKA activity.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yajing Li, Peng Di, Jingfu Tan, Weixu Chen, Junfeng Chen, Wansheng Chen
Summary: Alternative splicing is an essential post-transcriptional process that significantly influences plant physiology. In this study, we found a large number of AS events during the development of Salvia miltiorrhiza roots, with the highest abundance observed in the early seedling stage. AS events were found to impact root development and the synthesis of tanshinones and phenolic acids pathways. Additionally, several proteins and kinases were identified to play regulatory roles in the AS process.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Wenchao Zhao, Jingjing Liang, Huang Huang, Jinshan Yang, Jiaping Feng, Lulu Sun, Rui Yang, Mengjia Zhao, Jianli Wang, Shaohui Wang
Summary: Jasmonic acid is involved in regulating defense and growth activities in plants, and it negatively regulates the susceptibility of root-knot nematodes in tomato plants. The presence of kaempferol, a type of flavonol, in root exudates has a negative effect on nematode infection. Transcriptional regulation mediated by SlMYB genes and the interaction between SlJAZs and SlMYBs contribute to the fine-tuning of kaempferol levels and the trade-off between lateral root development and nematode susceptibility.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kristaps Sars, Meldra Kemere, Aleksejs Karzin, Igors Klimenkovs, Agris Berzins, Anatolijs Sarakovskis, Toms Rekis
Summary: Solid solutions with fine-tunable photoluminescence have been obtained by replacing different proportions of molecules in a 4-iodothioxanthone-4-chlorothioxanthone system. The luminescence spectra show a composition-dependent response, with a considerable change even at low proportions. The unique behavior of the newly obtained solid phases is demonstrated through a comparison with mechanical mixtures of pure components.
CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ayelet Tashakory, Neeta Karjule, Liel Abisdris, Michael Volokh, Menny Shalom
Summary: A new method of using a spray-coated seeding layer composed of CN monomers has been introduced to direct the growth of a uniform and thick CN layer on a substrate, with strong adhesion. The influence of the seeding layer and vapor composition on the photoelectrochemical, optical, and structural properties has been studied in detail. The best-performing electrode, based on urea as the seeding layer, demonstrates good activity as a photoanode in photoelectrochemical cells.
ADVANCED SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Neeta Karjule, Chanderpratap Singh, Jesus Barrio, Jonathan Tzadikov, Itamar Liberman, Michael Volokh, Emilio Palomares, Idan Hod, Menny Shalom
Summary: By optimizing the charge separation and transfer process within carbon nitride layers, a highly active oxygen evolution reaction catalyst Ni/Fe-MIL-53 is deposited, along with reduced graphene oxide as an electron acceptor. This approach results in a uniform distribution of active catalysts on the CN surface, achieving high OER catalytic activity and long-term stability.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Noa Afik, Karam Shreteh, Helena Fridman, Michael Volokh, Vladimir Ezersky, Taleb Mokari
Summary: The solution-liquid-solid (SLS) mechanism was explored for the first time for the formation of metal oxides, successfully achieving one-dimensional nanostructures. Designing tailored catalysts with low melting points and high stability, as well as controlling the reactivity and oxidation of precursors, were key achievements that allowed for this synthesis. Characterization confirmed the formation of 1D In2O3 and SnO2 nanoscale heterostructures using AuIn2 and Au7Sn3 as catalysts, showcasing the potential for complex multicomponent metal-oxide nanostructures.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mahmud Diab, Karam Shreteh, Michael Volokh, Taleb Mokari
Summary: The study investigates the formation of copper oxide-based 3D structures using precipitation out of aqueous solutions method, with the counter anion affecting shape control. The Sorites@CuO structure obtained is examined for water treatment, showing effective removal of heavy metal cations and degradation of organic contaminant molecules.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiawei Xia, Neeta Karjule, Gabriel Mark, Michael Volokh, Haiqun Chen, Menny Shalom
Summary: The constant evolution of photocatalysis using polymeric carbon nitride materials has led to the improvement of activity by tackling intrinsic limitations. The controlled carbon-doped porous CN rods have shown enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction efficiency and demonstrated selective oxidation reaction of aromatic alcohols.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Gabriel Mark, Sanjit Mondal, Michael Volokh, Jiawei Xia, Menny Shalom
Summary: This study successfully synthesized porous carbon nitride (CN) materials with high dispersibility in water and excellent photocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by designing supramolecular assemblies. The type of hydrohalogenic acid used in the synthesis played a crucial role in determining the morphology, optical, and electronic properties of the CN materials. The presence of hydrohalogenic acids resulted in a larger amount of free NH2 groups in the CN, which enhanced its dispersibility in water and acted as linking groups to a photodeposited Pt cocatalyst.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael Volokh, Menny Shalom
Summary: In this article, the use of polymeric carbon nitride (CN) materials as light absorbers in photoelectrochemical cells for water-splitting is described. The deposition techniques and procedures for CN in the laboratory are discussed, along with the merits and shortcomings of resulting layers. The development of high photoelectrochemical water-splitting activity in photoanodes using CN as photoabsorbers is demonstrated, and the future prospects of this field are presented.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Biswajit Mondal, Soumitra Dinda, Neeta Karjule, Sanjit Mondal, Alagar Raja Kottaichamy, Michael Volokh, Menny Shalom
Summary: Electrolysis of water is a sustainable method to produce clean hydrogen, but it requires a high applied potential due to the pH-dependency of the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. By combining proton-coupled electron transfer and single-electron transfer processes, we have achieved hydrogen production from water at low cell potentials by pH adjustment.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sanjit Mondal, Gabriel Mark, Liel Abisdris, Junyi Li, Tirza Shmila, Jonathan Tzadikov, Michael Volokh, Lidan Xing, Menny Shalom
Summary: We report a general method to synthesize highly dispersed porous CN materials for photocatalysis and photoelectronic devices. This method provides a convenient way to fabricate homogenous CN layers strongly bound to a given substrate.
MATERIALS HORIZONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tirza Shmila, Sanjit Mondal, Shmuel Barzilai, Neeta Karjule, Michael Volokh, Menny Shalom
Summary: A sodium- and boron-doped carbon nitride layer with excellent activity as a photoanode in a water-splitting photoelectrochemical cell is synthesized. The doping process results in a dense CN layer with improved charge separation and extended visible light response. The optimized photoanode exhibits state-of-the-art performance in terms of photocurrent densities, external quantum efficiencies, and onset potential.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Junyi Li, Jesus Barrio, Yuanxing Fang, Yongxin Pan, Michael Volokh, Sanjit Mondal, Jonathan Tzadikov, Liel Abisdris, Ayelet Tashakory, Xinchen Wang, Xirui Zhang, Menny Shalom
Summary: The crystal structure of Poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) polymers has been found to directly correlate with their photocatalytic production of hydrogen (H-2). By synthesizing polymeric carbon nitride materials with different crystal plane ratios, high specific surface area, and enhanced light response, and co-polymerizing organic monomers in a KCl/LiBr molten salt medium, it was discovered that charge carrier dynamics and electron mobility govern the photoactivity of PHI.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Neeta Karjule, Ravindra S. Phatake, Shmuel Barzilai, Biswajit Mondal, Adi Azoulay, Alexander Shames, Michael Volokh, Josep Albero, Hermenegildo Garcia, Menny Shalom
Summary: Researchers have developed a new photoelectrochemical method using a polymeric carbon nitride (CN) as the photoanode to synthesize value-added aldehydes and carboxylic acids in water, while simultaneously producing clean hydrogen gas. This technology exhibits excellent stability and high efficiency.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Neeta Karjule, Liel Abisdris, Adi Azoulay, Michael Volokh, Menny Shalom
Summary: This study proposes a straightforward approach to adjust the electronic properties and morphology of polymeric carbon nitride (CN) materials by fine tuning their carbon content while preserving their high surface area. The modified CN samples exhibit excellent catalytic activity and photoelectric performance, along with enhanced charge carrier transfer efficiency and tunable energy band structure.
ADVANCED ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rotem Geva, Natasha Ronith Levy, Jonathan Tzadikov, Reut Cohen, Michal Weitman, Lidan Xing, Liel Abisdris, Jesus Barrio, Jiawei Xia, Michael Volokh, Yair Ein-Eli, Menny Shalom
Summary: This work demonstrates the optimized nickel phosphides as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic media and as anode materials in Li-ion batteries, showing a clear composition-activity trend. The synthesis method allows for fine-tuned particles of nickel phosphide phases ranging from Ni3P to Ni2P, achieved through a direct thermal reaction of nickel nitrate hexahydrate and triphenylphosphine.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiawei Xia, Gabriel Mark, Michael Volokh, Yuanxing Fang, Haiqun Chen, Xinchen Wang, Menny Shalom
Summary: The photocatalytic performance of carbon nitride (CN) materials is influenced by intrinsic defects and structural properties. The fabrication of photoactive porous CN rods through thermal condensation of melem-based hexagonal supramolecular assemblies results in a well-ordered structure with fewer defects. The new CN materials exhibit high specific surface area, good light-harvesting properties, enhanced charge separation and migration, and excellent photocatalytic activity and durability towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR).