A team of researchers has shed light on the mechanism of outer membrane protein assembly in bacteria, revealing key conformational changes made by a chaperone protein. The study's findings may help identify new targets for antibacterial agents and improve our understanding of Gram-negative bacteria's resistance to antibiotics.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology developed a practical, non-genetically modified brewing yeast that produces over nine times higher intracellular ornithine levels than the original yeast. The improved yeast retained normal brewing performance, making it suitable for value-added fermentation.
Researchers reveal a previously unrecognized form of actin self-organization that may help explain how cells spontaneously generate shape and movement. Live-cell imaging and computational modeling show that these self-propelled treadmilling actin filaments (SpTAs) drive cellular protrusions through a process powered by treadmilling.
Researchers discovered that high humidity induces the production of CYP707A3, breaking down ABA and promoting stomata opening to release water. Plants lacking this enzyme are more vulnerable to water-soaking. The study reveals a molecular defense mechanism against water accumulation in plants.
Researchers discovered Setd8 enzyme preserves retinal progenitor cell flexibility, enabling potential regenerative vision therapies. The study highlights a potential target for repairing damaged retinas, with implications for regenerative medicine and ophthalmology.
Researchers have discovered that vesicles generated from cell-surface protrusions can deliver active proteins and genome-editing enzymes far more efficiently than conventional extracellular vesicles. This natural delivery system may enable the development of safer and more precise strategies for genome editing, regenerative medicine, a...
Researchers created a computational model that combines physiological signals, sensory input, and word information to construct human emotions. The model achieved an agreement rate of about 75% when compared to participants' self-reported emotional evaluations.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology discovered that parasitic plants recognize
A team of Japanese researchers has identified shootin1b as a protein that promotes cell migration in glioblastoma, the most common and difficult-to-treat brain tumor. By suppressing abnormal activity of shootin1b, the study suggests a potential target for preventing glioblastoma spread.
A research team from Nara Institute of Science and Technology developed a dynamic microfluidic channel that adjusts to particle size, increasing impedance flow cytometry's sensitivity and accuracy. The platform also leverages clogging as a strategy to optimize performance.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology reveal the essential role of LptM in maturing and stabilizing the LptDE complex, a key component of Gram-negative bacteria's outer membrane. This finding provides fundamental insights that may support antibiotic design and advances understanding of bacterial virulence.
A recent study published in The EMBO Journal reveals that the Setd8 gene plays a critical role in the premature aging of the brain by controlling neural stem cell activity and proliferation. Artificially lowering Setd8 levels mimicked molecular signatures of aging, highlighting its potential as a biomarker for early aging.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology have found beneficial microbes in rice roots that can support plant growth and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers. The study reveals an increase in microbial diversity as plants mature, with nitrogen-fixing bacteria enriching the soil.
A collaborative research team has developed a novel mixed reality (MR) technology that uses real-world doors as natural transition points. The system allows users to select a door within their MR interface and seamlessly transition into a virtual space, creating an unprecedented sense of immersion.
Researchers discovered that cruciferous plants like cabbage and wasabi repurpose stomatal genes for defense, producing pungent compounds that deter herbivores. FAMA regulates both gas exchange and myrosin cell production, a key trigger for this defense mechanism.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology discovered five novel small molecules that can delay flowering in plants without heat treatment. These compounds, called devernalizers, reactivated the expression of a key gene suppressor of flowering, allowing for enhanced crop yield and resilience.
A recent study identifies 11 natural compounds that can inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, including caffeine, which exhibits high binding stability and excellent solubility. The discovery highlights the potential of natural products in combating COVID-19 and demonstrates the versatility of widely known compounds like caffeine.
A team of researchers from Japan directly visualized protein translocation across membranes for the first time, providing insights into the SecYEG-SecA complex dynamics and its role in facilitating protein movement. The study estimated a protein translocation rate of 2.2 amino acid residues per second.
A recent study by Nara Institute of Science and Technology reveals a new mechanism for dynamic gene silencing and reactivation, highlighting the intricate roles of proteins like SDG7. The research team identified a competitive interaction between SDGs and PRC2 at PREs, allowing for efficient gene activation through H3K36 methylation.
Researchers from Japan have discovered that Exportin-5 interacts with a broader spectrum of RNAs, including tRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and specific mRNAs. This study sheds light on the unique roles of Exp5 in RNA export within Drosophila cells.
A breakthrough discovery by Nara Institute of Science and Technology researchers identifies EPHA2 as a critical surface protein for preserving stem cell potency. This finding holds promise for safer regenerative medicine by reducing the risk of tumorigenesis, paving the way for organ repair and treatment of degenerative conditions.
Scientists at Nara Institute of Science and Technology create flexible wearable thermoelectric generators that produce electricity from body heat using high-performing carbon nanotube yarns. The yarns, developed through a low-cost and environmentally friendly method, show three times higher power factor than previous CNT yarns.
A new depth from focus/defocus approach, DDFS, combines model-based and learning-based strategies to achieve notable improvements in performance and applicability. The proposed method outperformed state-of-the-art methods in various metrics for several image datasets.
A team of researchers from Nara Institute of Science and Technology discovered a phytohormone-mediated switch controlling autophagy, leading to terminal cell differentiation for petal abscission. They found that jasmonic acid promotes petal abscission by activating autophagy at the base of petals.
A study by researchers from Japan has revealed that cysteine persulfide, produced by cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase, regulates cellular longevity in budding yeast. The study found that introducing supersulfides can reverse detrimental effects on mitochondrial energy metabolism and protein quality.
Researchers successfully created a rat-derived lung in mouse model using reverse-blastocyst complementation and tetraploid-based organ complementation. The study identified crucial factors required for functional lung formation, including fibroblast growth factor 10 (Fgf10) and its interaction with Fgfr2b.
Researchers have provided new details on structures resulting from 3D domain swapping in antibody light chains, shedding light on mechanisms of protein aggregation. The study suggests that the formation of tetramers may prevent protein aggregation by decreasing flexibility.
Researchers developed an AI-based method to estimate BMD from plain X-ray images using a hierarchical learning framework. The approach showed high performance and reliability in estimating BMD, with correlation coefficients of 0.88 and 0.92 compared to DXA and QCT.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology identified the WOX13 gene as a key negative regulator of shoot regeneration in plants. The study found that WOX13 inhibits a subset of shoot meristem regulators while directly activating cell wall modifier genes involved in cell expansion and differentiation.
A Japanese research team identified two critical signaling pathways regulating stem cell differentiation in the stomach, promoting healthy homeostasis and protecting against gastric diseases. The study, published in Nature Communications, sheds light on the mechanisms behind cellular renewal and differentiation.
A study reveals a unique epigenetic biotimer mechanism controlling floral meristem termination and stamen development in Arabidopsis thaliana. The team discovered that AGAMOUS serves as a master conductor orchestrating gene expression through cell cycle-coupled H3K27me3 dilution.
Researchers from Nara Institute of Science and Technology developed a fluorescence-based monitoring system to study BAR protein assembly. The study found that WASP, Cdc42, and other proteins facilitate GAS7 assembly on lipid membranes, promoting cellular shape formation and protein signaling.
Researchers discovered unique 'pulvinar slits' in the cell walls of cortical motor cells in legume pulvini, which enable flexible control of leaf movement. The slits allowed for anisotropic extension and contraction, facilitating plant cell wall flexing in response to osmotic changes.
Researchers discover a mechanism for shaping tissue boundaries during Arabidopsis root vascular tissue development. Positionally biased cell proliferation generates anisotropic compressive stress field, symmetrizing the boundary between xylem and procambium cells.
A new study develops an algorithm to decode the coordinated regulation of cell-edge velocity by Rho GTPases, revealing specific characteristics of each enzyme. The model predicts edge velocity from activity time series with high accuracy.
Researchers from Nara Institute of Science and Technology have developed a straightforward means of fabricating high-quality soft semiconductors for advanced electrical circuits. The new method offers superior control over the resulting semiconductor film morphology, critical to its electrical properties.
Researchers from Nara Institute of Science and Technology found that alveolar macrophages act as antigen-presenting cells to prime CD8+ T cell expansion in the lungs. This process involves the production of interleukin 18, leading to the development of resident memory-type cell populations.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology have developed a method to measure the congruence between contributor networks and library dependencies in open-source software ecosystems. By analyzing over 5.3 million change commits across 107,242 libraries, they found that libraries with high levels of matching contributions a...
Researchers have developed a novel method for antibiotic resistance testing that can analyze bacterial cells in real-time, allowing for faster identification of susceptible and resistant bacteria. This breakthrough technology has the potential to transform microbial screening in clinical and research labs.
Researchers from Nara Institute of Science and Technology have discovered a high fill factor in all-polymer blend solar cells, exceeding 60%, which is higher than previously reported values. This breakthrough could help solve the environmental issue of silicon-based solar cell waste.
Researchers from NAIST found that searches related to vaccine side effects positively correlated with vaccination rates in Japan. The 'vaccine concern index' captured searches of terms indicating vaccine hesitancy, revealing lower concerns among older people and female users.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology developed a new model of obsessive-compulsive disorder based on principles of reinforcement learning. The model suggests that imbalanced learning between reinforcement and punishment can lead to disordered behavior in OCD. This work helps explain how OCD develops and may be used t...
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology found that the circadian clock regulates cell cycle progression and differentiation in Arabidopsis. The study used single-cell analysis to show that clock genes directly trigger cell differentiation, revealing a guiding role for the plant circadian clock in cell fate determination.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology used AFM and finite element simulations to describe plant cell wall stiffness in relation to elasticity and turgor pressure. Their findings suggest that tension from turgor pressure regulates cell stiffness, providing a better understanding of how plants resist stress.
A new study by Nara Institute of Science and Technology researchers has identified the crucial role of autophagy in plant cell differentiation, particularly in Arabidopsis roots. Autophagy is necessary for root cap cells to transition from gravity sensors to secretory cells and undergo organized separation.
A new method using four frequencies of applied voltage improves impedance cytometry for measuring cell size and shape, enabling faster and more accurate biological experiments. The technique reveals specific characteristics of living single cells without damaging them.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology create a lab-on-a-chip that separates spherical from elongated bacteria, enabling standardized biological research and improved medical testing. The device can sort samples into sub-populations based on shape to diagnose patient health or assess environmental contamination.
A single allele deletion in Zbtb38 leads to decreased epiblast cell growth and increased apoptosis after implantation, causing early embryonic death. Heterozygous loss of Zbtb38 also suppresses Nanog and Sox2 expression, affecting epiblast proliferation and differentiation.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology developed a new calibration method to compensate for variations in illumination while scanning stained-glass windows. This approach can help capture the colors of cultural artifacts in a lifelike way, even with long scanning times.
The study found that trace solvent additives enhance ordering and crystallization of polymer microstructure, increasing power conversion and photocurrent density by up to 3 times. This improvement helps form a network that efficiently transports photogenerated charges, increasing local photocurrents.