Maternal NAT10 orchestrates oocyte meiotic cell-cycle progression and maturation in mice.

In mammals, the production of mature oocytes necessitates rigorous regulation of the discontinuous meiotic cell-cycle progression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. However, the factors underlying this sophisticated but explicit process remain largely unclear. Here we characterize the function of N-acetyltransferase 10 (Nat10), a writer for N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) on RNA molecules, in mouse oocyte development. We provide genetic evidence that Nat10 is essential for oocyte meiotic prophase I progression, oocyte growth and maturation by sculpting the maternal transcriptome through timely degradation of poly(A) tail mRNAs. This is achieved through the ac4C deposition on the key CCR4-NOT complex transcripts. Importantly, we devise a method for examining the poly(A) tail length (PAT), termed Hairpin Adaptor-poly(A) tail length (HA-PAT), which outperforms conventional methods in terms of cost, sensitivity, and efficiency. In summary, these findings provide genetic evidence that unveils the indispensable role of maternal Nat10 in oocyte development.

Nucleolus assembly impairment leads to two-cell transcriptional repression via NPM1-mediated PRC2 recruitment.

The nucleolus is a compartmentalized organelle in eukaryotic cells known to form during embryogenesis, yet how its layered architecture is transformed from homogenous precursor bodies is unclear, and any impacts of this formation on embryonic cell fate determination remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that lncRNA LoNA tethers granular-component-enriched NPM1 to dense-fibrillar-component-enriched FBL and drives the formation of compartmentalized nucleolus via facilitating liquid-liquid phase separation of those two nucleolar proteins. Phenotypically, LoNA-deficient embryos show developmental arrest at the two-cell (2C) stage. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that LoNA deficiency leads to nucleolar formation failure, resulting in mislocalization and acetylation of NPM1 in the nucleoplasm. Acetylated NPM1 recruits and guides PRC2 complex to 2C genes, where PRC2 complex trimethylates H3K27, leading to transcriptional repression of these genes. Collectively, our findings reveal that lncRNA is required for the establishment of nucleolar structure, and this process has an impact on two-cell embryonic development via 2C transcriptional activation.

Characteristics of cognition impairment in patients after stroke based on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised in China.

We aimed to explore the cognitive characteristics of patients with post-stroke cognition impairment (PSCI) on the basis of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised in China (WAIS-RC) and the individual contribution of the subtests to WAIS score. We included 227 patients with PSCI who were assessed using the WAIS-RC. We described the characteristics and score distribution of the scale and subtests individually and compared them with those of the normal group to measure the damage degree of these patients. We performed item response theory analysis to explore the best criterion score for all dimensions that allowed ideal discrimination and difficulty for reflecting cognitive level. Finally, we analyzed the contribution of each dimension to the overall cognitive function. Patients with PSCI showed worse cognition levels than healthy individuals in terms of overall intelligence quotient (73.26-100, -1.78 SD), with a difference of 4.54-7.96 points in each dimension (-0.68 to -1.82 SD), and a range of 5-7 points is the appropriate range for reflecting cognitive ability in patients with PSCI. The average cognitive level of patients with PSCI was significantly inferior to normal people (-1.78 SD, 96.25%). Vocabulary contributes most to WAIS score.

Adenosine-rich extract of Ganoderma lucidum: A safe and effective lipid-lowering substance.

Ganoderma lucidum is a traditional Chinese medicine with a variety of active compounds and possesses adequate lipid-lowering and anti-atherosclerotic effects. However, its main active components and potential mechanisms still remain unclear. Here, we evaluated the anti-hyperlipidemic effect of the adenosine extract from Ganoderma lucidum (AEGL) in high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic ApoE-/- mice and explored the underlying biological mechanism by multi-omics analysis. Treatment with AEGL for 8 weeks significantly decreased the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) by 45.59%, 41.22%, and 39.02%, respectively, as well as reduced liver TC and TG by 44.15% and 76.23%, compared with the HFD-only group. We also observed significant amelioration of hepatic steatosis without liver and kidney damage after AEGL treatment. Regulating the expression and acetylation/crotonylation of proteins involved in the PPAR signaling pathway may be one of the potential mechanisms involved in the observed lipid-lowering effects of AEGL.

Assembling γ-graphyne surrounding TiO2 nanotube arrays: an efficient p-n heterojunction for boosting photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Photoelectrochemical water splitting is an excellent strategy for hydrogen generation and it is pivotal to the development of photoanodes with sufficient sunlight harvesting, rapid charge separation, and enhanced electron injection efficiency. In this work, we rationally constructed a γ-graphyne/TiO2 (GY/TiO2) p-n heterojunction in which p-type γ-graphyne nanosheets were distributed in the three-dimensional space surrounding TiO2 nanotube arrays. The GY/TiO2 photoanode achieves a photocurrent density of 0.75 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V (vs. RHE), 1.7 times that of bare TiO2, and extends the electron lifetime of TiO2 from 0.51 to 1.16 ms. The improvement arises from moderate γ-graphyne modification, contributing to broadened light absorption, the suppressed recombination of electron-hole pairs, an increase in charge transfer, and a higher injection efficiency of surface electrons. This work provides a reliable approach for the utilization and conversion of sustainable solar energy.

Mechanochemical Synthesis of γ-Graphyne with Enhanced Lithium Storage Performance.

γ-Graphyne is a new nanostructured carbon material with large theoretical Li+ storage due to its unique large conjugate rings, which makes it a potential anode for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, γ-graphyne-based high-capacity LIBs are demonstrated experimentally. γ-Graphyne is synthesized through mechanochemical and calcination processes by using CaC2 and C6 Br6 . Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, solid-state 13 C NMR and Raman spectra are conducted to confirm its morphology and chemical structure. The sample presents 2D mesoporous structure and is exactly composed of sp and sp2 -hybridized carbon atoms as the γ-graphyne structure. The electrode shows high Li+ storage (1104.5 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 ) and rate capability (435.1 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1 ). The capacity retention can be up to 948.6 (200 mA g-1 for 350 cycles) and 730.4 mAh g-1 (1 A g-1 for 600 cycles), respectively. These excellent electrochemical performances are ascribed to the mesoporous architecture, large conjugate rings, enlarged interplanar distance, and high structural integrity for fast Li+ diffusion and improved cycling stability in γ-graphyne. This work provides an environmentally benign and cost-effective mechanochemical method to synthesize γ-graphyne and demonstrates its superior Li+ storage experimentally.