Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zachary A. Manzer, Ekaterina Selivanovitch, Alexis R. Ostwalt, Susan Daniel
Summary: Despite the challenges, cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a promising technique for synthesizing and studying membrane proteins (MPs). This technique utilizes reconstituted components of the cellular transcription and translation machinery to directly synthesize MPs in a membrane environment. Various strategies, including different synthesis methods and folding environments, are highlighted to demonstrate how CFPS techniques can advance the study of MPs.
TRENDS IN BIOCHEMICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Yu Tang, Qianli Dong, Tianya Wang, Lei Gong, Yangnan Gu
Summary: PNET2 is an inner nuclear membrane component of the nuclear lamina in Arabidopsis, which interacts with chromatin and plays a critical role in gene expression and chromatin organization in plants.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mahmoud M. Elguindy, Joshua T. Mendell
Summary: Liquid-liquid phase separation is a key mechanism through which long noncoding RNA controls RNA-binding proteins and maintains genomic stability in mammalian cells. The study shows that RNA-driven phase separation competitively sequesters RNA-binding proteins by nucleating the formation of phase-separated condensates, influencing RBP activity and genome maintenance. The repetitive sequence architecture of lncRNAs suggests that phase separation may be a widely used mechanism of lncRNA-mediated regulation.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Hannah E. Zenker, Malgorzata Teodorowicz, Harry J. Wichers, Kasper A. Hettinga
Summary: The binding of heated cow's milk casein to receptors sRAGE and CD36 was measured using inhibition ELISA and dot blot, showing that the binding is independent of heat treatment but related to the physicochemical characteristics of the casein. After passage through the intestinal phase, the binding decreased.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryuki Shimada, Yuzuru Kato, Naoki Takeda, Sayoko Fujimura, Kei-ichiro Yasunaga, Shingo Usuki, Hitoshi Niwa, Kimi Araki, Kei-ichiro Ishiguro
Summary: In mice, female germ cells initiate meiosis within a limited period of time in the fetal ovary, and the interaction between STRA8 and RB ensures precise timing of meiosis initiation, highlighting the regulatory mechanisms underlying female-specific meiotic initiation in mice.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Allison K. Daitch, Benjamin C. Orsburn, Zan Chen, Laura Alvarez, Colten D. Eberhard, Kousik Sundararajan, Rilee Zeinert, Dale F. Kreitler, Jean Jakoncic, Peter Chien, Felipe Cava, Sandra B. Gabelli, Erin D. Goley
Summary: Proper regulation of the bacterial cell envelope is crucial for cell survival. In this study, a novel enzyme called EstG was identified, which protects cells from various lethal assaults. EstG is genetically connected to the periplasmic enzymes OpgH and BglX, and it demonstrates esterase activity and acts on cyclic OPGs, providing resistance to cellular stresses.
Article
Cell Biology
Si Hui Tan, Phyllis Phuah, Liang Thing Tan, Swathi Yada, Jasmine Goh, Lucian B. Tomaz, Magdalene Chua, Esther Wong, Bernett Lee, Nick Barker
Summary: The study demonstrates that intestinal homeostasis requires a constant pool of Lgr5(+) ISCs, which is supplied by rapidly reprogrammed non-Lgr5(+) crypt populations when preexisting Lgr5(+) ISCs are ablated.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
William M. Moore, Candace Chan, Toshiki Ishikawa, Emilie A. Rennie, Heidi M-L Wipf, Veronica Benites, Maki Kawai-Yamada, Jenny C. Mortimer, Henrik Scheller
Summary: This study identified a sphingolipid glycosyltransferase GINT1 highly expressed in root nodules and roots colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, demonstrating its role in synthesizing specific glycosyl inositol phosphoryl ceramides in plants. The results show that local reprogramming of glycosylation by MtGINT1 is essential for the persistence of endosymbionts within plant cells.
Article
Cell Biology
Rocio Mora-Molina, Daniela Stoehr, Markus Rehm, Abelardo Lopez-Rivas
Summary: Protein misfolding or unfolding and the resulting endoplasmic reticulum stress commonly occur in highly proliferative tumors. The role of caspase-8 inhibitor cFLIP in regulating the balance between apoptosis and survival in colon cancer cells undergoing ER stress has been investigated. Maintaining high cFLIP levels during ER stress can inhibit caspase-8 activation and apoptosis, while cFLIP knockdown accelerates caspase-8 activation and apoptosis during ER stress. The resistance of multicellular tumor spheroids to ER stress-induced apoptosis correlates with sustained cFLIP(L) expression.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Honglei Ren, Benjamin L. Walker, Zixuan Cang, Qing Nie
Summary: This study introduces a deep learning framework, SpaceFlow, to analyze spatial transcriptomic data by integrating spatial and transcriptional information and unraveling the spatiotemporal organization of cells. The method produces robust domain segmentation and identifies biologically meaningful spatiotemporal patterns.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Cesar Bernat-Silvestre, Judit Sanchez-Simarro, Yingxuan Ma, Javier Montero-Pau, Kim Johnson, Fernando Aniento, Maria Jesus Marcote
Summary: Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins are crucial for various plant processes, and lipid remodeling is essential for their export to the cell surface. Arabidopsis PGAP1 acts as a GPI inositol-deacylase, facilitating the efficient ER export and transport of GPI-APs.
Article
Biology
Naokazu Inoue, Yoshihisa Hagihara, Ikuo Wada
Summary: The study demonstrates the essential role of evolutionarily conserved factors DCST1 and DCST2 in sperm-egg fusion in mice, and how the protein stability of SPACA6 is regulated differently by DCST1/2 and IZUMO1. This suggests that spermatozoa ensure proper fertilization in mammals by integrating various molecular pathways, including an evolutionarily conserved system developed over nearly one billion years of evolution.
Article
Fisheries
Mo-fei Li, Yu-ting Du, Cheng-dong Jin, Xue-peng Li, Yuan-yuan Sun
Summary: The study found that Ail1 protein in Edwardsiella piscicida plays a crucial role in its pathogenicity, affecting the survival and infection abilities of the bacteria as well as its virulence in hosts. This suggests that Ail1 may be explored as a potential subunit vaccine in aquaculture.
Article
Biology
Taichi Noda, Andreas Blaha, Yoshitaka Fujihara, Krista R. Gert, Chihiro Emori, Victoria E. Deneke, Seiya Oura, Yonggang Lu, Sara Berent, Mayo Kodani, Karin Panser, Luis Enrique Cabrera-Quio, Andrea Pauli, Masahito Ikawa
Summary: DCST1 and DCST2 are essential factors for successful fertilization in vertebrates, playing a crucial role in male fertility.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hossein Moghimianavval, Chintan Patel, Sonisilpa Mohapatra, Sung-Won Hwang, Tunc Kayikcioglu, Yashar Bashirzadeh, Allen P. Liu, Taekjip Ha
Summary: InterSpy is introduced as a synthetic biology tool for engineering membrane-membrane interfaces. It allows tracking and reconstitution of functional fluorescent protein between apposing synthetic or cell membranes, demonstrating the potential for designing non-native cellular communication pathways and creating synthetic tissues. The technology is tested using a mammalian cell-free expression system and shows promising results.