S. Zhu

Mining the biosynthetic landscape of lactic acid bacteria unearths a new family of RiPPs assembled by a novel type of ThiF-like adenylyltransferases

The paper identifies a new family of RiPPs in lactic acid bacteria biosynthetic gene clusters, revealing a novel adenylyltransferase mechanism for macrocyclic imide formation.

Human CD29+/CD56+ myogenic progenitors display tenogenic differentiation potential and facilitate tendon regeneration

This study identifies human CD29+/CD56+ myogenic progenitors with tendon differentiation potential that improve tendon repair when transplanted.

Receptor binding and tissue architecture explain the morphogen local-to-global mobility transition

The paper shows that tissue architecture and receptor binding can explain the transition from local to global morphogen diffusion, without needing additional regulatory mechanisms.

Development of quantitative high-throughput screening assays to identify, validate, and optimize small-molecule stabilizers of misfolded β-glucocerebrosidase with therapeutic potential for Gaucher disease and Parkinson's disease

This paper develops high-throughput assays to identify and optimize small-molecule stabilizers of misfolded β-glucocerebrosidase, showing NCGC326 reverses pathological accumulation and synergizes with proteostasis regulators.

Functional evaluation of microdissected tumor 'cuboids': a microscale ex vivo cancer model that retains a complex tumor microenvironment

The paper develops a microscale ex vivo cancer model using tumor cuboids that retain a complex tumor microenvironment, enabling drug and immunotherapy testing.

Mechanical loading modulates AMPK and mTOR signaling in myblasts

This study investigates how mechanical loading affects AMPK and mTOR signaling in myoblasts, showing that 10% static loading activates AMPK and inhibits mTOR, alters RNA/protein synthesis, and impacts mitochondrial biogenesis.

A shade-responsive microprotein in ATHB2 regulates Arabidopsis growth and root development

The paper identifies a microprotein from ATHB2 that regulates Arabidopsis growth and root development by modulating DNA-binding activity and light responses.

Host-pathogen Coadaptation by running with PAR protein

The paper shows PAR-5 mediates host-pathogen co-evolution in C. elegans by enhancing embryo development and reducing pathogen virulence, while pathogens exploit PAR-5 to evade immunity.

Cbfβ regulates Wnt/β-catenin, Hippo/Yap, and TGFβ signaling pathways in articular cartilage homeostasis and protects from ACLT surgery-induced osteoarthritis

This study shows that Cbfβ deficiency leads to OA by altering Wnt/β-catenin, Hippo/Yap, and TGFβ signaling, and that local Cbfβ overexpression protects against OA in mice.

Imaging the structural connectome with hybrid diffusion MRI-microscopy tractography

This paper develops a hybrid diffusion MRI-microscopy tractography method to improve 3D brain connectivity reconstruction by combining high-resolution microscopy with diffusion MRI data.

Siderophore synthetase-receptor gene coevolution reveals habitat- and pathogen-specific bacterial iron interaction networks

The paper develops a co-evolution algorithm to predict bacterial iron interaction networks based on siderophore synthetase-receptor gene pairs across Pseudomonas genomes, revealing habitat- and pathogen-specific interactions.

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein induces the cytokine release syndrome by stimulating T cells to produce more IL-2

This study identifies that SARS-CoV-2 spike protein induces cytokine release syndrome by enhancing T cell production of IL-2, which drives inflammatory cytokine release through TLR4 and NF-κB activation.

Seed size control via phloem end by callose deposition/degradation of β-1,3-glucanase

The paper identifies a mechanism for seed size regulation through callose deposition/degradation at the phloem end of the ovule, mediated by β-1,3-glucanase genes.

Pancreatic islet cell stress induced by insulin-degrading enzyme deficiency promotes islet regeneration and protection from autoimmune diabetes

This study shows that IDE deficiency in mice causes a low-level UPR, enhances beta cell proliferation, and protects against autoimmune diabetes through an anti-inflammatory pathway.

Cancer associated fibroblast subtypes modulate the tumor-immune microenvironment and are associated with skin cancer malignancy

This study identifies three CAF subtypes in skin cancers and shows their association with tumor malignancy and immune modulation.

Proline provides a nitrogen source in the retinal pigment epithelium to synthesize and export amino acids for the neural retina

This study shows the retinal pigment epithelium uses proline nitrogen to produce and export amino acids to the neural retina, highlighting its role in retinal metabolism.

Positive selection of somatically mutated clones identifies adaptive pathways in metabolic liver disease

The paper identifies adaptive pathways in metabolic liver disease by selecting somatically mutated clones in mice and humans, finding mutations that ameliorate lipotoxicity and promote clonal expansion.

Genetic Predisposition to Neuroblastoma Results from a Regulatory Polymorphism that Promotes the Adrenergic Cell State

The paper identifies a regulatory polymorphism in LMO1 that reduces neuroblastoma risk by preventing the adrenergic cell state in zebrafish and humans.

Ferroptosis is determined by chloride ions

This study identifies chloride ions as essential determinants of ferroptosis, showing that extracellular chloride levels influence lipid peroxidation and cell death.

Tissue-specific sex difference in mouse eye and brain metabolome under fed and fasted states

This study identifies tissue-specific and state-dependent sex differences in metabolomes of mouse eye and brain tissues under fed and fasted conditions.

Phase separation-mediated actin bundling by the postsynaptic density condensates

This study shows that PSD condensates mediate actin bundling through phase separation, involving Homer and other scaffolds, and is regulated by CaMKII and Homer1a.

Building Fluorescence Lifetime Maps Photon-by-photon by Leveraging Spatial Correlations

This paper introduces a doubly nonparametric framework for FLIM that learns fluorescent species and absolute lifetime maps while addressing spatial correlations and low photon counts.

Innate immune response to SARS-1 CoV-2 infection contributes to neuronal damage in human iPSC-derived peripheral neurons

This study infects human iPSC-derived CNS and PNS neurons with SARS-CoV-2 and finds that PNS neurons experience more severe neurodegeneration linked to innate immune activation.

Membrane-remodeling protein ESCRT-III homologs incarnate the evolution and morphogenesis of multicellular magnetotactic bacteria

This study identifies ESCRT-III homologs in magnetotactic bacteria, showing their role in membrane remodeling and multicellular morphogenesis through genomic and imaging analyses.

Structure of a G protein-coupled receptor with GRK2 and a biased ligand

The paper reports the structure of NTSR1 bound to GRK2, Gq, and a biased ligand, revealing how the ligand enhances GRK2 binding and enables arrestin-biased signaling.

Highly synchronized cortical circuit dynamics mediate spontaneous pain

This study shows that spontaneous pain induces synchronized neural dynamics in the primary somatosensory cortex, and reversing this synchronization alleviates pain.

An Integrated Physiological, Cytology and Proteomics Reveals Network of Sugarcane Protoplasts Responses to Enzymolysis

The paper investigates sugarcane protoplast responses to enzymolysis using physiological, cytological, proteomic, and transcriptomic analyses, revealing changes in antioxidant activity, cell structure, and gene expression.

Polymorphic KIR3DL3 expression modulates tissue-resident and innate-like T cells.

This study identifies KIR3DL3 expression in T cells, showing it is upregulated by unconventional stimulation and varies by individual genetic variants.

A multiplexed in vivo approach to identify driver genes in small cell lung cancer

The paper develops a multiplexed in vivo approach to identify driver genes in SCLC using CRISPR/Cas9 and lentiviral barcoding, finding TSC1 as a robust tumor suppressor.

Alternative 3' UTRs contributes to post-transcriptional gene expression regulation under high salt stress

The paper investigates how alternative 3' UTRs regulate gene expression in response to high salt stress in Spartina alterniflora, showing that 3' UTR lengthening enhances RNA stability and protein synthesis of stress-related genes.