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Why is flu so bad this year? Highly mutated variant offers answers
Trapping of single atoms in metasurface optical tweezer arrays
Global subsidence of river deltas
Abstract River deltas sustain dense human populations, major economic centres and vital ecosystems worldwide 1,2 . Rising sea levels and subsiding land threaten the sustainability of these valuable landscapes with relative sea-level rise and associated flood, land loss and salinization hazards 1–3 . Despite these risks, vulnerability assessments are impeded by the lack of contemporary, high-resolution, delta-wide subsidence observations 4 . Here we present spatially variable surface-elevation changes across 40 global deltas using interferometric synthetic aperture radar. Using this dataset, we quantify delta surface-elevation loss and show the prevalence and severity of subsidence in river deltas worldwide. Our analysis of three key anthropogenic drivers of delta elevation changes shows that groundwater storage has the strongest relative influence on vertical land motion in 10 of the 40 deltas. The other deltas are either influenced by multiple drivers or dominated by sediment flux or urban expansion. Furthermore, we find that contemporary subsidence surpasses absolute (geocentric) sea-level rise as the dominant driver of relative sea-level rise for most deltas over the twenty-first century. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions addressing subsidence as an immediate and localized challenge, in parallel with broader efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change-driven global sea-level rise.
Fasting boosts breast cancer therapy efficacy via glucocorticoid activation
Sub-zero Celsius elastocaloric cooling via low-transition-temperature alloys
Do their ears hang low? The genetics of dogs’ adorable floppy ears
Vectorial noncovalent synthesis of bendable organic crystals through dynamic dislocation
A comprehensive catalogue of receptor-binding domains in extracellular contractile injection systems
Abstract Extracellular contractile injection systems (eCISs) are bacteriophage tail-derived toxin delivery complexes in prokaryotes. They play roles in microbial interactions with hosts, using tail fiber proteins for target cell binding. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of eCIS tail fiber genes in bacterial and archaeal genomes, providing insights into their remarkable diversity, target cells, functional adaptations, and evolutionary dynamics. We identified 3445 eCIS tail fiber proteins encoded in 2585 eCIS loci from 1069 microbes. These fibers can be categorized by five new N-terminal domains responsible for tail fiber attachment to eCIS baseplates. We use structure prediction to classify fibers into 276 structural clusters and 1177 domain fold families, which likely mediate glycan and protein binding on the cell surface of eukaryotes or bacterial targets. DNA sequences encoding these rapidly evolving domains may have been acquired from diverse eukaryotes, bacteria, and viruses. Finally, we experimentally show that a candidate tail fiber from a Paenibacillus eCIS can bind and direct effector injection into THP-1 human monocyte-like cells, possibly binding D-mannose on the cell surface. This study reveals the exceptional diversity of eCIS receptor binding domains, suggests new eCIS target cells, and provides thousands of proteins that can adhere to different cell types.
How to improve vaccine uptake: a huge study offers clues
Synaptic and intrinsic membrane defects disrupt early neural network dynamics in Down syndrome
Abstract Down syndrome, caused by trisomy 21, affects around six million people worldwide and features learning, memory and language deficits. However, the mechanisms underlying trisomy 21 neurophenotypes involving human cortical circuitry are unknown. By characterising developing neural network dynamics and single cell excitability profiles, from synaptic and voltage-dependent ion channel behaviour using an isogenic induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neuronal model, we show that trisomy 21 impairs the activity and development of cortical circuitry. This is caused by deficient glutamatergic synaptic connectivity and by aberrant intrinsic membrane properties involving K + and Na + channels culminating in spike firing defects that weaken neural network activity and disrupt the synchrony of developing neurons. We also identify transiently activated A-type K + channels, specifically Kv4.3 channels, as a key orchestrator for Down syndrome during neurodevelopment. Overall, these excitability changes will significantly contribute towards the aberrant neurophenotypes observed later on in life.
Phosphorothioate DNA modification by BREX type 4 systems in the human gut microbiome
Antibody-conjugated mesenchymal stromal cell drug delivery system for the treatment of autoimmune diseases in mice
A trans-synaptic IgLON adhesion molecular complex directly contacts and clusters a nicotinic receptor
Abstract The clustering of neurotransmitter receptors at appropriate postsynaptic sites is essential for controlling synaptic transmission. While most known mechanisms involve receptor binding with cytoplasmic scaffolds, recent evidence highlights the importance of extracellular interactions that directly target receptors. Using Caenorhabditis elegans , we identified a trans-synaptic complex that involves RIG-5 and ZIG-8, two adhesion molecules of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily and orthologous to Drosophila DIPs and Dprs, and mammalian IgLONs. Our results show that RIG-5 and ZIG-8 are anchored in the pre- and postsynaptic membranes, respectively, and interact in vivo via their first Ig domains. Furthermore, ZIG-8 directly binds a α7-like acetylcholine receptor (AChR), known as ACR-16, via a cis- interaction between its Ig2 domain and the base of the extracellular AChR domain. This study provides direct evidence that trans-synaptic IgLON interactions can organize neurochemical synapses and suggests that the IgLONs may directly interact with ionotropic receptors in the mammalian nervous system.
AIs are biased towards some Indian castes — how can researchers fix this?
Scalable and programmable topological transitions in plasmonic Moiré superlattices
Abstract Topological transitions are fundamental phenomena in electronics, photonics, and quantum technologies. However, their scalability and tunability are constrained by material properties or structural rigidities. Here, we demonstrate that plasmonic Moiré superlattices offer a platform for programmable, large-range topological transitions via wavefront engineering. By tailoring the phases of elementary evanescent waves in hexagonal systems, we create Moiré lattices of optical skyrmions, whose topological invariants evolution is programmable and scalable. Theoretical calculations indicate that the topological invariants span a range of values going from −58 to +58, extendable by tuning the Moiré angle. Remarkably, these values are constrained by symmetry to exclude integer multiples of 3/2, revealing an intrinsic link between symmetry and topological quantization. Our work establishes a versatile control platform of real-space topology for exploring topological transitions mechanisms and studying critical topological phenomena, further promoting breakthroughs in structured light, photonic computing, and condensed matter physics.
Effect of a behavioral counseling for adoption and maintenance of a physically active lifestyle on long-term mortality in people with type 2 diabetes: post hoc analysis of the Italian Diabetes and Exercise Study_2
Breaking the cell wall for efficient DNA delivery to diatoms
Abstract Diatoms produce 20% of the world’s fixed organic carbon yet remain underutilized as cell factories due to limited genetic engineering tools. Here, we present optimized electroporation and polyethylene glycol (PEG) transformation methods for the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum , enabling delivery of DNA and Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes with high efficiency. Transformants are recovered with as little as 1 ng of DNA, and linear or circular episomes as large as 55.6 kb are successfully introduced. The optimized electroporation protocol also reveals an unexpected capability: episomes can be assembled directly in the algal cell through non-homologous or homology-driven repair mechanisms, a process we term diatom in vivo assembly (DIVA). In addition, the PEG approach is adapted to successfully transform Thalassiosira pseudonana , demonstrating the applicability of our methods for engineering other diatom species. These tools could be used to accelerate diatom synthetic biology projects and, therefore, the development of sustainable technologies.