Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Alexandre Pron, Christine Deruelle, Olivier Coulon
Summary: This study investigated the spatial organization of U-shape fibers along the central sulcus using diffusion MRI data, identifying five major U-shape fiber bundles. It found a significant relationship between the position of three hand-related U-shape fiber bundles and the handedness score of subjects.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Josephine Solowiej-Wedderburn, Carina M. Dunlop
Summary: Tissue stiffness plays a crucial role in cell behavior, and the arrangement of adhesions between cells and substrate is also important in determining the effective substrate stiffness experienced by cells. Different adhesion patterns result in equivalent mean cell deformations but different gel stiffnesses. Energy considerations can explain the observed focal adhesion growth and elongation on stiff substrates, as well as the absence of focal adhesions on soft substrates. The simulations suggest that fewer and larger adhesions, randomly placed, are preferred and result in realistic cell shapes.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Johannes Werner, Kim E. Boonekamp, Tianzuo Zhan, Michael Boutros
Summary: Wnt ligands are secreted signaling proteins with a wide range of biological effects. Dysregulation of Wnt signaling is associated with cancer, and genetic alterations result in pathway hyperactivation. Recent research focuses on the interaction of Wnt signaling with tumor micro-environment. The review outlines the function of Wnt ligands in different tumors and their impact on key phenotypes, as well as approaches to target them in cancer therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
E. Silberstein, G. Makov
Summary: The structure of liquid methanol has been investigated using experimental and computational methods. The quasi-crystalline model is applied to analyze the short-range order of methanol, and molecular dynamics simulations are used to obtain the radial distribution functions. The results suggest that methanol at different temperatures and pressures can have different structures, with open chains and cyclic tetramers being the dominant structures at certain conditions.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Siyu Chen, Linda Lee, Tasmin Naila, Susan Fishbain, Annie Wang, Alan E. Tomkinson, Susan P. Lees-Miller, Yuan He
Summary: In this study, single-particle cryo-electron microscopy was used to visualize two key DNA-protein complexes formed by human NHEJ factors, revealing their structure and interactions.
Article
Biology
Pius Kern, Micha Heilbron, Floris P. de Lange, Eelke Spaak
Summary: Expectations have a significant impact on our music experience. This study investigates the internal model that shapes melodic predictions during naturalistic music listening. They used various computational models of music, including a state-of-the-art transformer neural network, to quantify melodic surprise and uncertainty. The results suggest that neural surprise primarily reflects short-range musical contexts.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Gelson T. S. T. da Silva, Osmando F. Lopes, Ariadne C. Catto, Antonio Otavio T. Patrocinio, Alexandre Mesquita, Caue Ribeiro, Waldir Avansi Jr, Luis F. da Silva
Summary: In this study, the influence of hydrothermal treatment temperature on the structures of SnO2 nanoparticles as photocatalysts and photoanodes was investigated. The results showed that the structural order of SnO2 NPs increased with the hydrothermal temperature. The hydrothermal treatment also increased the amount of hydroxyl groups on the SnO2 NPs surface. The photocatalytic activity of the NPs was affected by the hydrothermal treatment temperature, with crystallinity and surface hydroxyl groups playing a significant role.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shenghua Ye, Jingpeng Wang, Jing Hu, Zhida Chen, Lirong Zheng, Yonghuan Fu, Yaqi Lei, Xiangzhong Ren, Chuanxin He, Qianling Zhang, Jianhong Liu
Summary: In this study, low-crystalline CoOOH nanosheet arrays were prepared on carbon fiber cloth for the oxygen evolution reaction using an electrochemical strategy. The nanosheets had abundant edge sites of CoOOH and oxygen vacancies, leading to improved OER activity compared to high-crystallinity samples. This research presents a new approach for synthesizing defective materials with a short-range ordered structure and contributes to the understanding of OER catalysts.
Article
Mechanics
Yongliang Yang, Zhe Feng, Mengqi Zhang
Summary: This paper presents the results of numerical simulations and linear stability analyses on the flow past a cylinder. The effects of aspect ratios and Reynolds numbers on vortex shedding are investigated, and a new steady wake pattern is discovered.
JOURNAL OF FLUID MECHANICS
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Clara Wong, Maria Carmen Mulero, Erika I. Barth, Katherine Wang, Xiying Shang, Sanika Tikle, Catherine Rice, Dennis Gately, Stephen B. Howell
Summary: LGR5 and LGR6 are markers for epithelial stem cells in normal tissues and tumors. By conjugating the cytotoxin MMAE to the Fu1-Fu2 domains of RSPO1, researchers successfully targeted cancer cells expressing stem cell markers.
JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Ke Wang, Tingting Song, Yitong Wang, Chengwei Fang, Jiayuan He, Ampalavanapillai Nirmalathas, Christina Lim, Elaine Wong, Sithamparanathan Kandeepan
Summary: The optical wireless communication (OWC) technology uses unregulated optical spectrum to provide high-speed wireless communications. Compared to conventional radio frequency (RF) systems, OWC systems have less congestion and lower interference. The OWC technology offers enhanced physical layer security and is considered a promising candidate in future communications. This paper introduces the fundamentals and recent developments of short-range OWC systems, including applications in indoor, underwater, data center, and vehicular communications, as well as advanced techniques to improve system performance.
JOURNAL OF LIGHTWAVE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shuwen Yue, Maria Carolina Muniz, Marcos F. Calegari Andrade, Linfeng Zhang, Roberto Car, Athanassios Z. Panagiotopoulos
Summary: This study explores the impact of long-range interactions on atomistic machine-learning models, revealing that while short-range models are sufficient for predicting condensed liquid phases, they fall short in representing cluster and vapor phase properties. The findings provide an improved understanding of the role and necessity of long-range interactions in machine learning models.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lizhong Liu, Anastasiia Nemashkalo, Luisa Rezende, Ji Yoon Jung, Sapna Chhabra, M. Cecilia Guerra, Idse Heemskerk, Aryeh Warmflash
Summary: This study visualizes the activity of endogenous Nodal protein in living cells using a human gastruloid model and reveals that Nodal activity spreads through a relay mechanism, with timing controlled by the Nodal inhibitor Lefty. This study provides insights into how morphogen gradients are formed and interpreted during mammalian embryogenesis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
M. N. Najafi, S. Tizdast, J. Cheraghalizadeh, H. N. Dashti
Summary: This paper investigates invasion percolation (IP) with impermeable regions and pore structures modeled by different types of site percolation. The critical exponents change considerably only near the critical points for Ising-correlated cases, while remaining robust for ordinary percolation. Long-range interactions show completely different properties from normal IP, with distinct fractal dimensions and time dependencies in the thermodynamic limit.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wenxian Gou, Xiaoming Wang, Mengqiang Zhu, Dong-Xing Guan, Xinxin Mo, Hongtao Wang, Wei Li
Summary: Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), a type of anionic clays, have wide applications in environmental remediation, catalysis, and nanocomposite materials. This study characterized the cation arrangement of multiple multimetallic LDHs using advanced techniques and found that Co, Ni, and/or Zn are randomly distributed with Al in the LDHs.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Shivohum Bahuguna, Magda Atilano, Marcus Glittenberg, Dohun Lee, Srishti Arora, Lihui Wang, Jun Zhou, Siamak P. Redhai, Michael P. Boutros, Petros P. Ligoxygakis
Summary: The immune system of fruit flies recognizes gut bacteria and activates a metabolic pathway to regulate lipid breakdown, which is important for the retention of intestinal bacteria. The TOR pathway inhibits lipid breakdown in fly mutants with reduced immune recognition, leading to increased gut fat accumulation. Blocking the TOR pathway restores both lipid levels and the density of gut bacteria to normal levels.
Article
Biology
Giulia Ambrosi, Oksana Voloshanenko, Antonia F. Eckert, Dominique Kranz, G. Ulrich Nienhaus, Michael Boutros
Summary: Wnt signaling is important in various biological processes, and mutations in beta-catenin can activate this signaling pathway. In this study, fluorescently tagged alleles of wild-type and mutant beta-catenin were engineered and analyzed to understand their properties. The results revealed distinct biophysical properties between the two alleles, and the wild-type allele could be manipulated to mimic the properties of the mutant allele through specific treatments.
Article
Biology
Christopher J. Neufeldt, Berati Cerikan, Mirko Cortese, Jamie Frankish, Ji-Young Lee, Agnieszka Plociennikowska, Florian Heigwer, Vibhu Prasad, Sebastian Joecks, Sandy S. Burkart, David Y. Zander, Baskaran Subramanian, Rayomand Gimi, Seetharamaiyer Padmanabhan, Radhakrishnan Iyer, Mathieu Gendarme, Bachir El Debs, Niels Halama, Uta Merle, Michael Boutros, Marco Binder, Ralf Bartenschlager
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to severe symptoms and long-lasting lung damage or death. This is often associated with high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and low antiviral responses. A specific activation of NF-kappa B and block of IRF3 nuclear translocation were observed in infected cells. The inflammatory response is mediated by cGAS-STING activation and can be attenuated through STING-targeting drugs.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Antonio Sorrentino, Ayse Nur Menevse, Tillmann Michels, Valentina Volpin, Franziska Christine Durst, Julian Sax, Maria Xydia, Abir Hussein, Slava Stamova, Steffen Spoerl, Nicole Heuschneider, Jasmin Muehlbauer, Katharina Marlene Jeltsch, Anchana Rathinasamy, Melanie Werner-Klein, Marco Breinig, Damian Mikietyn, Christian Kohler, Isabel Poschke, Sabrina Purr, Olivia Reidell, Catarina Martins Freire, Rienk Offringa, Claudia Gebhard, Rainer Spang, Michael Rehli, Michael Boutros, Christian Schmidl, Nisit Khandelwal, Philipp Beckhove
Summary: This study reveals a molecular mechanism that protects tumor cells from cytotoxic T-cell attack and demonstrates the feasibility of pharmacological inhibition of this pathway.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
A. Echle, N. Ghaffari Laleh, P. Quirke, H. Grabsch, H. S. Muti, O. L. Saldanha, S. F. Brockmoeller, P. A. van den Brandt, G. G. A. Hutchins, S. D. Richman, K. Horisberger, C. Galata, M. P. Ebert, M. Eckardt, M. Boutros, D. Horst, C. Reissfelder, E. Alwers, T. J. Brinker, R. Langer, J. C. A. Jenniskens, K. Offermans, W. Mueller, R. Gray, S. B. Gruber, J. K. Greenson, G. Rennert, J. D. Bonner, D. Schmolze, J. Chang-Claude, H. Brenner, C. Trautwein, P. Boor, D. Jaeger, N. T. Gaisa, M. Hoffmeister, N. P. West, J. N. Kather
Summary: This study developed an AI-based system to identify microsatellite instability/mismatch repair deficiency in colorectal cancer, achieving high accuracy. The system can be used to rule out MSI/dMMR, reducing the cost and time for molecular profiling.
Article
Oncology
Leonhard Valentin Bamberg, Florian Heigwer, Anna Maxi Wandmacher, Ambika Singh, Johannes Betge, Niklas Rindtorff, Johannes Werner, Julia Josten, Olga Valerievna Skabkina, Isabel Hinsenkamp, Gerrit Erdmann, Christoph Roecken, Matthias P. Ebert, Elke Burgermeister, Tianzuo Zhan, Michael Boutros
Summary: Epigenetic dysregulation plays an important role in colorectal cancer (CRC), and combining histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors with Euchromatic Histone Lysine N-Methyltransferases 1 and 2 (EHMT1/2) inhibitors has shown promising results in reducing CRC growth. Low expression of EHMT2 protein is associated with advanced CRC and poor clinical outcomes. Cotargeting HDAC and EHMT1/2 synergistically reduces proliferation of CRC cell lines through mechanisms such as cell cycle arrest and modulation of autophagy. This combination therapy strategy also decreases tumor viability in advanced models of CRC.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katharina Imkeller, Giulia Ambrosi, Nancy Klemm, Ainara Claveras Cabezudo, Luisa Henkel, Wolfgang Huber, Michael Boutros
Summary: Wnt pathways regulate tissue homeostasis and their dysfunction is associated with cancer development. This study integrates whole-genome CRISPR/Cas9 screens with multi-omic data to identify functional subtypes of cancer. By engineering cells to hyperactivate Wnt signaling, the authors demonstrate that the resulting cells have an unfavorable metabolic equilibrium compared to naturally occurring Wnt hyperactivation. This study expands our understanding of oncogenic signaling modulation in tumorigenesis.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Antonia Schubert, Oksana Voloshanenko, Franziska Ragaller, Philipp Gmach, Dominique Kranz, Christian Scheeder, Thilo Miersch, Matthias Schulz, Lorenz Truemper, Claudia Binder, Marko Lampe, Ulrike Engel, Michael Boutros
Summary: Dishevelled proteins play a crucial role in Wnt signaling pathways, and their formation of supramolecular condensates is coordinated dynamically and dependent on cellular state and Wnt signaling levels.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Johannes Betge, Niklas Rindtorff, Jan Sauer, Benedikt Rauscher, Clara Dingert, Haristi Gaitantzi, Frank Herweck, Kauthar Srour-Mhanna, Thilo Miersch, Erica Valentini, Kim E. Boonekamp, Veronika Hauber, Tobias Gutting, Larissa Frank, Sebastian Belle, Timo Gaiser, Inga Buchholz, Ralf Jesenofsky, Nicolai Haertel, Tianzuo Zhan, Bernd Fischer, Katja Breitkopf-Heinlein, Elke Burgermeister, Matthias P. Ebert, Michael Boutros
Summary: Patient-derived organoids can be used to model human diseases and tumors, and understanding their morphology can provide insights into treatment response. This study uses high-throughput imaging analysis to quantify the phenotypes of colorectal cancer organoids after treatment with small molecules, and identifies the underlying biological mechanisms and drug interventions that can influence their morphology.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Mendaluk, Emmanuel Caussinus, Michael Boutros, Christian F. Lehner
Summary: A change in ambient temperature affects cellular processes non-uniformly, with enzymes being more sensitive than diffusion. The molecular-level effects of temperature variation on cells are still poorly understood. A genome-wide RNA interference screen identified genes with physiological significance at different temperatures. Validation experiments confirmed the importance of the gene ballchen at lower temperatures.
Review
Developmental Biology
Lucie Wolf, Michael Boutros
Summary: Intercellular communication by Wnt proteins is crucial for development, tissue homeostasis, and disease. The secretion of Wnt proteins depends on Evi/Wntless and Porcupine, which are transmembrane proteins. This review summarizes the transportation of Wnt proteins from the ER to the plasma membrane, the role of SNX3-retromer in this process, the regulation of Wnt secretion, and the importance of Wnt secretion in organ development and cancer.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Johannes Werner, Kim E. Boonekamp, Tianzuo Zhan, Michael Boutros
Summary: Wnt ligands are secreted signaling proteins with a wide range of biological effects. Dysregulation of Wnt signaling is associated with cancer, and genetic alterations result in pathway hyperactivation. Recent research focuses on the interaction of Wnt signaling with tumor micro-environment. The review outlines the function of Wnt ligands in different tumors and their impact on key phenotypes, as well as approaches to target them in cancer therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Michael Baumann, Julio Celis, Ulrik Ringborg, Manuel Heitor, Anton Berns, Tit Albreht, Jeliazko Arabadjiev, Michael Boutros, Mario Brandenburg, Helena Canhao, Fatima Carneiro, Christine Chomienne, Francesco De Lorenzo, Alexander M. M. Eggermont, Angel Font, Elena Garralda, Margarida Goulart, Rui Henrique, Mark Lawler, Lena Maier-Hein, Francoise Meunier, Simon Oberst, Pedro Oliveira, Maria Papatriantafyllou, Joachim Schuez, Eric Solary, Alfonso Valencia, Rosalia Vargas, Elisabete Weiderpass, Nils Wilking
Summary: European cancer research stakeholders gathered in Heidelberg, Germany, for the 5(th) Gago conference on European Cancer Policy in October 2022. The meeting focused on the current state of cancer research and care policy in Europe, identifying gaps in existing programs and proposing priorities for the future through the Heidelberg Manifesto for cancer research. The discussions in the meeting covered various aspects of cancer research, including infrastructure, digitalization, and collaboration, with an emphasis on implementation and sustainability.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sara Kassel, Alison J. Hanson, Hassina Benchabane, Kenyi Saito-Diaz, Carly R. Cabel, Lily Goldsmith, Muhammad Taha, Aksheta Kanuganti, Victoria H. Ng, George Xu, Fei Ye, Julia Picker, Fillip Port, Michael Boutros, Vivian L. Weiss, David J. Robbins, Curtis A. Thorne, Yashi Ahmed, Ethan Lee
Summary: The Wnt-beta-catenin signal transduction pathway is crucial for embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. The deubiquitylase USP47 has been identified as a positive regulator of Wnt signaling by counteracting the E3 ligase activity of XIAP on the transcriptional corepressor Groucho/TLE. This mechanism helps to ensure that the expression of Wnt target genes continues only as long as the upstream signal is present.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Florian Heigwer, Christian Scheeder, Josephine Bageritz, Schayan Yousefian, Benedikt Rauscher, Christina Laufer, Sergi Beneyto-Calabuig, Maja Christina Funk, Vera Peters, Maria Boulougouri, Jana Bilanovic, Thilo Miersch, Barbara Schmitt, Claudia Blass, Fillip Port, Michael Boutros
Summary: This article reports a study that utilizes synthetic genetic interaction and cell morphology data to investigate gene function. They used machine learning to assign functions to genes in 47 modules and identified an interaction between Cdk2 and the Cop9 signalosome complex. These data provide a genome-scale resource for uncovering the mechanisms underlying genetic interactions and their plasticity at the single-cell level.