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PA14 domain of glycosyltransferase B4GALNT3 is a lectin that binds to sulfated glycan ligands
Periodontal health and disease
Recombinant haemostatic protein for therapeutic substitution of platelet function via tripartite haemostatic mechanisms in thrombocytopenic male mice
Mitotic spindle–organizing protein 2A (MZT2A) promotes cisplatin resistance through NEMO ubiquitination and NF-κB activation in lung adenocarcinoma
LPS-induced endometrial cell-derived exosomes suppress probiotic Lactobacillus growth
Quantifying yield losses from Bt resilience among maize cultivars in South Africa
Abstract Genetically modified crops have provided economic and social benefits since becoming commercially available. One of the most successful and widely used applications is the integration of genes from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis for protection against damaging pests. Here, we leverage a robust dataset of 85,133 field-trial maize observations spanning all major production regions in South Africa from 1980–2018 to estimate yield gains associated with the first wave of genetically modified cultivars and explore the potential dynamic erosion of these gains since resistance was reported among first wave of single gene Bacillus thuringiensis cultivars. Leveraging the cultivars commercial release year, we find that genetically modified yield gains increased dynamically from their initial introduction in 2000, peaking at approximately 0.55 MT/ha around 2006, after which they significantly eroded to near-zero by 2014. Interestingly, this erosion was followed by a dramatic rebound in gains, reaching an in-sample high of approximately 0.75 MT/ha.
PhuS conformational dynamics are essential for DNA binding and heme-responsive control of the prrF operon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
AdjLeafGNN: a hybrid deep learning and graph neural network framework for probabilistic modeling of adjacent leaf disease spread in precision agriculture
Immune-deficient bacteria serve as gateways to genetic exchange and microbial evolution
Abstract Horizontal gene transfer plays a key role in bacterial evolution, yet its efficiency under natural conditions, especially between genetically distinct strains, remains unclear. Using Staphylococcus aureus as a model, we found that gene transfer via various mechanisms is significantly restricted between strains from different clonal complexes (CCs), with the notable exception of lateral transduction, which occurs at high frequency. Interestingly, some strains exhibited a promiscuous ability to accept diverse mobile genetic elements. These strains were defective in key immune defences, specifically the Type I restriction-modification systems that normally protect against foreign DNA. A broader analysis revealed that such immune-deficient mutants are widespread within S. aureus populations. Our study uncovered a trade-off that may account for their persistence in nature: although these mutants are more susceptible to phage attack, they gain an evolutionary advantage by acquiring new genes - such as those conferring antibiotic resistance - which would enhance survival under selective pressure. These immune-deficient cells act as gateways for foreign DNA, which, once integrated and advantageous, can spread within the same CC. Our findings highlight the role of immune-deficient bacteria in facilitating the emergence of novel virulence factors and antibiotic resistance, emphasising their importance in shaping bacterial evolution.
The AAA-ATPase Yta4 inhibits the interaction between Ppa2 and Atg43 to promote Atg43 phosphorylation and mitophagy
Two years of SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance capacity development in Guinea
Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the development of genomic surveillance capabilities worldwide, though equitable access remains a challenge. On 12 March 2020, Guinea, a low-income country in West Africa, reported its first COVID-19 case; however, no local genomic infrastructure was available at the time. A year later, a long-term training program program was initiated to establish a SARS-CoV-2 nanopore sequencing unit at the Centre de Recherche en Virologie , Laboratoire des Fièvres Hémorragiques Virales de Guinée (CRV-LFHVG) in Conakry, Guinea. Here, we describe the establishment of this capacity and its role in uncovering SARS-CoV-2 circulation dynamics in the region. We established a local hub for comprehensive sequencing training (wet-lab and bioinformatics), where SARS-CoV-2-positive samples, collected as part of routine diagnostic activities from July 2020 to July 2022, were retrospectively and prospectively sequenced using the ONT MinION device. Consensus genomes were generated for variant typing and GISAID-submission. Retrospective phylodynamic analysis was performed. By July 2022, the laboratory had generated 238 SARS-CoV-2 consensus sequences with a median genomic recovery of 98.1% [range: 90.5–99.4], representing 0.64% of the 37,464 confirmed cases reported in the country as of 29 July 2022. These sequences encompassed four waves of infection, with the Delta (21 A, 21I and 21 J) and Omicron (21 K and 21 L) variants of concern (VOCs) accounting for 84% of all identified lineages. Phylogeographic reconstructions revealed introductions of Delta/B.1.617.2 and Delta/AY.37, as well as of Omicron/BA.1.1 and Omicron/BA.1.15.1, potentially from the neighboring Western, Eastern and Middle African regions. Retrospective and prospective sequencing output was > 0.5% of the total positive samples and the results were communicated to the health authorities during the pandemic as in two preliminary variant identification reports, followed by six official reports. This work underscores key findings during a global health crisis and offers operational guidance to support future genomic surveillance initiatives in low- and middle-income countries. Sustained financial investment, dedicated time, specialized expertise, efficient logistics, and local ownership are essential for long-term implementation of such capacities.