Brian Rodemoyer, Ganesha Kariyawasam, Veena Subramanian, Kristina Schmidt
{"title":"Condensin II interacts with BLM helicase in S phase to maintain genome stability.","authors":"Brian Rodemoyer, Ganesha Kariyawasam, Veena Subramanian, Kristina Schmidt","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07916-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07916-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Vertebrates possess two condensins, I and II, that are essential for chromosome condensation and segregation. Condensin II has also been implicated in maintaining genome integrity outside of mitosis, though the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we found that condensin II interacts with a short linear motif in the disordered N-terminal tail of the Bloom syndrome helicase BLM, contributing to BLM association with nascent DNA and genome stability. Disrupting the BLM-condensin II interaction reduced replication speed, increased fork stalling and sister-chromatid exchanges, delayed repair of DNA double-strand breaks, and led to micronuclei. In S phase, interactions of SMC2 with other condensin II subunits and with BLM weakened temporarily, suggesting a conformational change followed by phosphorylation-induced disruption of BLM interactions with TOP2A and RPA. Our findings suggest a new way by which BLM contributes to genome integrity and implicates condensin II in interphase functions linked to genome stability.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"492"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11937517/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143708901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Weiwei Wang, Xuelan Zhou, Wenwen Li, Pei Zeng, Li Guo, Qisheng Wang, Jian Li
{"title":"Inhibitory efficacy and structural insights of Bofutrelvir against SARS-CoV-2 M<sup>pro</sup> mutants and MERS-CoV M<sup>pro</sup>.","authors":"Weiwei Wang, Xuelan Zhou, Wenwen Li, Pei Zeng, Li Guo, Qisheng Wang, Jian Li","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07929-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07929-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant global health and economic disruption. Mutations E166N, E166R, E166N, S144A and His163A in the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M<sup>pro</sup>) have been implicated in reducing the efficacy of certain antiviral treatments. Bofutrelvir, a promising inhibitor, has shown effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 M<sup>pro</sup>. This study aims to evaluate the inhibitory effects of Bofutrelvir on the E166N, E166R, His163A, E166V and S144A mutants of SARS-CoV-2 M<sup>pro</sup>, as well as on MERS-CoV M<sup>pro</sup>. Our findings indicate a substantial reduction in the inhibitory potency of Bofutrelvir against these mutants and MERS-CoV, with IC<sub>50</sub> values significantly higher than those for the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 M<sup>pro</sup>. Specifically, the E166N, E166R, E166V, S144A, and H163A mutations significantly reduce the binding affinity and inhibitory effectiveness of Bofutrelvir due to disrupted hydrogen bonds, altered binding site stability, and reduced enzyme activity. Structural analysis of the crystal complexes showed that changes in interactions at the S1 subsite in the mutants and the loss of hydrogen bonds at the S4 subsite in MERS-CoV M<sup>pro</sup> are critical factors contributing to the diminished inhibitory activity. These insights reveal the necessity of ongoing structural analysis to adapt therapeutic strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"493"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11937426/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143708903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana thylakoid lumen 7.6 protein functions in photosystem II assembly.","authors":"Pan Ren, Ruizi Li, Kai Chen, Chenchen Zheng, Zitian Li, Tao Wang, Cong Ma, Bingyao Li, Xu Wang, Fei Sun, Tengyue Zhang, Yike Xie, Xiaonuan Hao, Huiwen Li, Wenqiang Yang, Aigen Fu, Yaqi Hao","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07907-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07907-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cyclophilin 38 (CYP38) plays a crucial role in the assembly and stability of photosystem II (PSII), but its molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we identified thylakoid lumen protein 7.6 (TLP7.6) as an in vivo interactor of CYP38. Under normal growth conditions, the tlp7.6 single mutant exhibited no significant phenotypic differences compared to wild-type Col-0. However, the cyp38-2/tlp7.6-1 double mutant displayed severe developmental defects, including stunted growth, delayed flowering, yellowish leaf, short primary roots, abnormal chloroplast ultrastructure, and reduced biomass, which were more pronounced than those in either the tlp7.6 or cyp38-2 single mutant. Photosynthetic analysis revealed that PSII capacities in cyp38-2/tlp7.6-1 and cyp38-2 mutants were significantly reduced, consistent with their slow-growth phenotype. Blue native PAGE analysis demonstrated a substantial reduction in PSII supercomplexes and light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) in cyp38-2/tlp7.6-1, while PSII monomer (PSII-M) were significantly increased. Immunoblotting and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis further confirmed decreased levels of key components of PSII, PSI, and ATPase subunits in the double mutant. Altogether, these results highlight the role of TLP7.6 as an assistive factor in CYP38-mediated PSII assembly, and provide insights into thylakoid lumen protein function in photosynthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"490"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11937578/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143708900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhiyong Wang, Xinwei Qiao, Kaming Xue, Qianzhi Chen, Anshu Li
{"title":"PTOV1 interacts with ZNF449 to promote colorectal cancer development.","authors":"Zhiyong Wang, Xinwei Qiao, Kaming Xue, Qianzhi Chen, Anshu Li","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07930-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07930-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>PTOV1 is recognized to have a significant role in various human cancers, including prostate cancer. However, it remains unclear what its clinical significance and biological role are in colorectal cancer (CRC). TCGA, NCBI/GEO, and Kaplan-Meier plot database mining provided important clues into the function and clinical importance of PTOV1 in CRC. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence were utilized to discover PTOV1 protein levels in CRC cell lines and tissues. To explore the involvement of PTOV1 in the development of CRC and the underlying mechanisms, several in-vitro and in-vivo studies were executed, such as CCK-8 assays, colony formation, transwell assays, qRT-PCR, Co-IP, GST pull-down, immunostaining, and mouse xenograft assays. It was shown that PTOV1 expression level was upregulated in the tissues and cells of human CRC. PTOV1 high-expression level was associated with short survival. ZNF449 interacted with PTOV1 and accelerated CRC development in vitro and in vivo. Through Co-IP and GST pull-down studies, the physical interaction of PTOV1/ZNF449 was demonstrated. Furthermore, PTOV1 directly bound ZNF449, and this complex synergistically promoted the transcription of MYC. In addition, the PTOV1/ZNF449 interaction was disrupted by the TAT- PTOV1 (125-283 aa) protein leading to inhibit the CRC development in a xenografted mouse model. According to these findings, PTOV1 has an essential role in CRC progression, and PTOV1/ZNF449 interaction could be a possible therapeutic target for CRC.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"489"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11937480/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143708905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sophia M Frangos, Sebastian Damrich, Daniele Gueiber, Cecilia P Sanchez, Philipp Wiedemann, Ulrich S Schwarz, Fred A Hamprecht, Michael Lanzer
{"title":"Deep learning image analysis for continuous single-cell imaging of dynamic processes in Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes.","authors":"Sophia M Frangos, Sebastian Damrich, Daniele Gueiber, Cecilia P Sanchez, Philipp Wiedemann, Ulrich S Schwarz, Fred A Hamprecht, Michael Lanzer","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07894-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07894-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Continuous high-resolution imaging of the disease-mediating blood stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum faces challenges due to photosensitivity, small parasite size, and the anisotropy and large refractive index of host erythrocytes. Previous studies often relied on snapshot galleries from multiple cells, limiting the investigation of dynamic cellular processes. We present a workflow enabling continuous, single-cell monitoring of live parasites throughout the 48-hour intraerythrocytic life cycle with high spatial and temporal resolution. This approach integrates label-free, three-dimensional differential interference contrast and fluorescence imaging using an Airyscan microscope, automated cell segmentation through pre-trained deep-learning algorithms, and 3D rendering for visualization and time-resolved analyses. As a proof of concept, we applied this workflow to study knob-associated histidine-rich protein (KAHRP) export into the erythrocyte compartment and its clustering beneath the plasma membrane. Our methodology opens avenues for in-depth exploration of dynamic cellular processes in malaria parasites, providing a valuable tool for further investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"487"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11937545/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143708902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
John F O'Grady, Gillian P McHugo, James A Ward, Thomas J Hall, Sarah L Faherty O'Donnell, Carolina N Correia, John A Browne, Michael McDonald, Eamonn Gormley, Valentina Riggio, James G D Prendergast, Emily L Clark, Hubert Pausch, Kieran G Meade, Isobel C Gormley, Stephen V Gordon, David E MacHugh
{"title":"Integrative genomics sheds light on the immunogenetics of tuberculosis in cattle.","authors":"John F O'Grady, Gillian P McHugo, James A Ward, Thomas J Hall, Sarah L Faherty O'Donnell, Carolina N Correia, John A Browne, Michael McDonald, Eamonn Gormley, Valentina Riggio, James G D Prendergast, Emily L Clark, Hubert Pausch, Kieran G Meade, Isobel C Gormley, Stephen V Gordon, David E MacHugh","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07846-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07846-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mycobacterium bovis causes bovine tuberculosis (bTB), an infectious disease of cattle that represents a zoonotic threat to humans. Research has shown that the peripheral blood (PB) transcriptome is perturbed during bTB disease but the genomic architecture underpinning this transcriptional response remains poorly understood. Here, we analyse PB transcriptomics data from 63 control and 60 confirmed M. bovis-infected animals and detect 2592 differently expressed genes perturbing multiple immune response pathways. Leveraging imputed genome-wide SNP data, we characterise thousands of cis-expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and show that the PB transcriptome is substantially impacted by intrapopulation genomic variation during M. bovis infection. Integrating our cis-eQTL data with bTB susceptibility GWAS summary statistics, we perform a transcriptome-wide association study and identify 115 functionally relevant genes (including RGS10, GBP4, TREML2, and RELT) and provide important new omics data for understanding the host response to mycobacterial infections that cause tuberculosis in mammals.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"479"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11933339/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143699850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Toxic bait abandonment by an invasive ant is driven by aversive memories.","authors":"Daniel Zanola, Tomer J Czaczkes, Roxana Josens","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07818-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07818-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Social insects such as ants possess a battery of behavioural mechanisms protecting their colonies against pathogens and toxins. Recently, active abandonment of poisoned food was described in the invasive ant Linepithema humile. During this abandonment, foraging declines by 80% within 6-8 h after baits become toxic-a reduction not due to satiety, diminished motivation, or mortality. Here we explore the mechanisms behind this behaviour, testing two hypotheses: (1) the presence of 'no entry' pheromones near toxic food, and (2) the formation of aversive memories linked to the toxic food site. In field trials, we placed bridges leading to sucrose, nothing, or poisoned sucrose on an active trail. Within hours, 80% of ants abandoned poisoned bait bridges. By swapping bridges strategically, we confirmed that aversive memories formed at toxic bait sites, while no evidence of a 'no entry' pheromone was found. Then, in the laboratory, we asked how ants may be sensing the toxicity of the bait, hypothesising poison-induced malaise. Motility, used as a proxy for malaise, was 29% lower in toxicant-exposed ants after 3 h, linking malaise to abandonment. Developing toxicants with delayed malaise, not just delayed mortality, may improve toxic bait control protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"486"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11933468/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143699852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cagri Yuksel, Dan Denis, James Coleman, Boyu Ren, Angela Oh, Roy Cox, Alexandra Morgan, Erina Sato, Robert Stickgold
{"title":"Both slow wave and rapid eye movement sleep contribute to emotional memory consolidation.","authors":"Cagri Yuksel, Dan Denis, James Coleman, Boyu Ren, Angela Oh, Roy Cox, Alexandra Morgan, Erina Sato, Robert Stickgold","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07868-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07868-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sleep supports memory consolidation, but the specific roles of different sleep stages in this process remain unclear. While rapid eye movement sleep (REM) has traditionally been linked to the processing of emotionally charged material, recent evidence suggests that slow wave sleep (SWS) also plays a role in strengthening emotional memories. Here, we use targeted memory reactivation (TMR) during REM and SWS in a daytime nap to directly examine which sleep stage is primarily involved in consolidating emotional declarative memories. Contrary to our hypothesis, reactivating emotional stimuli during REM impairs memory. Meanwhile, TMR benefit in SWS is strongly correlated with the product of time spent in REM and SWS. The emotional valence of cued items modulates both delta/theta power and sleep spindles. Furthermore, emotional memories benefit more from TMR than neutral ones. Our findings suggest that SWS and REM have complementary roles in consolidating emotional memories, with REM potentially involved in forgetting them. These results also expand on recent evidence highlighting a connection between sleep spindles and emotional processing.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"485"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11930935/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143691374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dániel Vörös, Tamás Czárán, András Szilágyi, Balázs Könnyű
{"title":"The dynamics of prebiotic take-off: the transfer of functional RNA communities from mineral surfaces to vesicles.","authors":"Dániel Vörös, Tamás Czárán, András Szilágyi, Balázs Könnyű","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07841-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07841-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, we propose a two-phase scenario for the origin of the first protocellular form of life, linking two RNA-world models by an explicit dynamical interface that simulates the transition of a metabolically cooperating RNA-replicator community from a mineral surface into a population of membrane vesicles. The two agent-based models: the Metabolically Coupled Replicator System (MCRS) and the Stochastic Corrector Model (SCM), are built on principles of systems chemistry, molecular biology, ecology and evolutionary biology. We show that the MCRS is easier to initiate from random RNA communities, while the SCM is more efficient at reducing the genetic assortment load during system growth and preadapted to later evolutionary transitions like chromosome formation, suggesting the former as a stepping stone to the later, protocellular stage. The switching between the two scenarios is shown to be dynamically feasible under a wide range of the parameter space of the merged model, allowing for the emergence of complex cooperative behaviours in metabolically coupled communities of RNA enzymes.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"484"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11930959/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143691381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Open-transmit and flexible receiver array for high resolution ultrahigh-field fMRI of the human sensorimotor cortex.","authors":"Zidong Wei, Zhilin Zhang, Qiaoyan Chen, Cuiting Wang, Shuyue Fu, Haifeng Wang, Xiaoliang Zhang, Xin Liu, Hairong Zheng, Jinglong Wu, Ye Li","doi":"10.1038/s42003-025-07866-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-025-07866-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, we developed an open-transmit and 24-channel flexible receiver head coil assembly tailored for high-resolution ultrahigh-field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the human somatosensory and motor cortex. Leveraging the increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spatial resolution of ultrahigh field MRI, we address the technical challenges inherent in fMRI coil design. The open-birdcage transmit coil enhances patient comfort and enables visual task implementation, demonstrating superior performance in transmit efficiency and specific absorption rate distribution compared to conventional coils. Furthermore, the 24-channel flexible receiver head coil offers enhanced SNR and image quality, facilitating sub-millimeter vascular-space-occupancy imaging for precise functional mapping. These advancements provide valuable tools for unraveling the intricacies of somatosensory and motor cortex function. By enriching human brain functional studies, they contribute significantly to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying somatosensory and motor cortex function and may have valuable clinical applications in neurology and neuroscience research.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"8 1","pages":"482"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11929792/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143691378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}