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USC researchers uncover biological circuit that protects plants from extreme conditions

Plants use their circadian clocks to regulate responses to changes in water and salinity levels, offering a new avenue for creating drought-resistant crops. The discovery of the ABF3 feedback loop reveals a delicate balance between boosting stress tolerance and maximizing growth and yield.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2024

Orchestrating plant organ symmetry in style

A recent study published in Nature Plants reveals that O-glycosylation of the transcription factor SPATULA promotes Arabidopsis style development. The experimental study sheds new light on the mechanisms underlying plant organ symmetry.

SourceJohn Innes Centre·JournalNature Plants·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 26, 2024

Breakthrough technology offers promising treatment for ischemic retinopathy

Researchers develop technology that alleviates retinal pathologies by targeting mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1, which is implicated in the breakdown of blood-retinal barrier and pathological neovascularization. This treatment approach holds great promise for revolutionizing the treatment landscape for ischemic retinopathy.

How ‘pioneers’ blaze the one trail that determines cell fate

Researchers have discovered how pioneer transcription factors, such as FOXA and OCT4, coordinate with epigenetic repressors to safeguard cell fate, enabling precise manipulation of cell fate in cellular programming and reprogramming. This breakthrough has important implications for scaling up organoid and tissue engineering technology.

SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalMolecular Cell·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 10, 2024

From infamy to ingenuity

Researchers have uncovered the intricate molecular mechanism used by parasitic phytoplasma bacteria to manipulate plants. The discovery sheds light on a peculiar phenomenon in nature, where plants exhibit 'zombie-like' effects due to bacterial infection.

SourceJohn Innes Centre·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 5, 2023

Hard to drug: Protein droplets reveal new ways to inhibit transcription factors in an aggressive form of prostate cancer

Researchers have discovered a new approach to targeting transcription factors in prostate cancer by exploiting the formation of protein droplets. This process can be used to inhibit androgen receptor activity, which is essential for the growth and survival of cancer cells.

SourceInstitute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)·JournalNature Structural & Molecular Biology·DateDec 4, 2023

Professor Tao Jun's team at Yangzhou University analyses the molecular mechanism of PoWRKY71 in response to drought stress of Paeonia ostii

PoWRKY71 transcription factor regulates drought tolerance in Paeonia ostii by directly activating the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein gene. Overexpression of PoWRKY71 enhances drought tolerance, while silencing reduces it.

SourceNanjing Agricultural University The Academy of Science·JournalHorticulture Research·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 22, 2023

Predicting the response of fungal genes using FUN-PROSE

The study used a machine learning approach called FUN-PROSE to predict how fungi react to different environmental conditions. The model was able to accurately predict the expression of genes in baker's yeast and two less studied fungi, with limitations noted for organisms with more complex gene regulation.

SourceCarl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 20, 2023

New insights into melanoma development and therapy

Researchers from Osaka University have identified a novel mechanism by which GREB1 Isoform4 is involved in pyrimidine synthesis and causes malignant melanoma. The study found that GREB1 Is4 promotes cancer cell proliferation and regulates pyrimidine metabolism, suggesting it as a new therapeutic target for melanoma.

SourceOsaka University·JournalOncogene·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 5, 2023

Gregarious locusts wear contrasting black-brown ‘clothes’ to warn predators

The study reveals the ability of organisms to achieve distinct body color patterns through precise control of pigment deposition. Gregarious locusts use their black-brown warning coloration to enhance aposematism by stimulating both visual and olfactory senses, facilitating recognition of conspecifics and maintaining large swarms.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalScience Advances·TypeObservational study·DateAug 23, 2023

Weaker transcription factors are better when they work together

Researchers developed a method to design weaker transcription factors that work together to activate genes without activating naturally occurring genes. This approach, called cooperative assembly, strengthens the factors as a group but weakens them individually, ensuring targeted gene activation and long-term circuit stability.

SourceRice University·JournalCell·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 15, 2023

Decades of research have left knowledge gaps about cells that regulate the immune system: Purdue and NIH

Researchers at Purdue University and NIH have identified 14 understudied T-reg proteins with molecular roles in disease onset, offering new avenues for understanding autoimmune diseases and cancer. Studying these proteins could lead to the development of cell-based therapies to modify their functions.

SourcePurdue University·JournalNature Reviews Immunology·TypeLiterature review·DateAug 1, 2023

Transcription factors contribute to subtypes of colorectal cancers

Researchers found that expression of transcription factors contributes to different subtypes of colorectal cancers. The degree of DNA methylation varies across tissue types, with some cancers having high and others low frequency of methylation gains. Studying transcription factor expression may help determine overall survival in patien...

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 27, 2023

Hitting reset to start a new embryo

Researchers identified OBOX genes as master regulators of zygote genome activation, enabling the newly formed embryo to develop according to its own genetic program. The study found that these genes facilitate Pol II locating to the correct genes, allowing for the activation of transcription factors and subsequent development.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 20, 2023

A multiomics approach provides insights into flu severity

Researchers used a multiomics approach to analyze changes in transposable elements after influenza A virus infection, identifying transcription factors contributing to individual responses. The study provides insights into the variable severity of illness among individuals infected with the same virus.

SourceKyoto University·JournalCell Genomics·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 22, 2023

The ABA-induced NAC transcription factor MdNAC1 interacts with a bZIP-type transcription factor to promote anthocyanin synthesis in red-fleshed apples

MdNAC1 significantly promotes anthocyanin accumulation, enhancing its transcriptional activation through interaction with MdbZIP23. ABA induction further enhances MdNAC1's ability to promote anthocyanin synthesis in red-fleshed apples.

SourceNanjing Agricultural University The Academy of Science·JournalHorticulture Research·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 24, 2023

Researchers associate early life stress with pro-inflammatory processes later in life during pregnancy

Research suggests that early life stress may increase pro-inflammatory processes during pregnancy, which can have long-term effects on maternal and child health. The study found that mothers who experienced higher levels of early life stress had increased pro-inflammatory factors but decreased immune cell development.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalBrain Behavior and Immunity·TypeObservational study·DateMar 28, 2023

Pluripotent stem cells take over from blood stem cells for future transplant therapies

Researchers have successfully converted pluripotent stem cells into hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells using optimized transcription factors. The resulting PSC-derived cells generated all types of white blood cells in mice without giving rise to tumors or leukemias, suggesting a promising future for PSC-based transplant therapies.

SourceInternational Society for Stem Cell Research·JournalStem Cell Reports·DateFeb 16, 2023

β-damascone: Aroma component of rose fragrance as a novel immunomodulator

Researchers from Tokyo University of Science discovered β-damascone, a natural aroma compound found in rose fragrance, modulates dendritic cell functions and reduces inflammatory cytokine production. The study showed β-damascone inhibits antigen-dependent activation and Th1 cell development, as well as ear inflammation in mice models.

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalFrontiers in Nutrition·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 10, 2023

Scientists find unlikely pairs of DNA elements and regulator proteins make small plant stem cells destined to become tiny mouths

Researchers have elucidated a mechanism that makes tiny plant stem cells destined to give rise to stomata, cellular valves of plants. The discovery reveals two DNA codes and regulator proteins working together to lock in the fate of a plant cell.

SourceInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University·JournalNature Plants·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 8, 2023

New zinc finger model shows promise for gene therapy

Researchers developed a novel technology to engineer proteins targeting specific DNA sequences, offering a new approach to gene therapies. The system generates engineered zinc fingers that bind to any given sequence of DNA, potentially treating diseases caused by genetic mutations.

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalNature Biotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 26, 2023