Bifunctional Interphase with Target-Distributed Desolvation Sites and Directionally Depositional Ion Flux for Sustainable Zinc Anode.

Aqueous zinc batteries (AZBs) feature high safety and low cost, but intricate anodic side reactions and dendrite growth severely restrict their commercialization. Herein, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) grafted metal organic framework (MOF-E) is proposed as a dually-functional anodic interphase for sustainable Zn anode. Specifically, the target-distributed EDTA serves as an ion-trapped tentacle to accelerate the desolvation and ionic transport by powerful chemical coordination, while the MOFs offer suitable ionic channels to induce oriented deposition. As a result, MOF-E interphase fundamentally suppresses side reactions and guides horizontally arranged Zn deposition with (002) preferred orientations. The Zn|MOF-E@Cu cell exhibits a markedly improved Coulombic efficiency of 99.7 % over 2500 cycles, and the MOF-E@Zn|KVOH (KV12 O30-y ⋅ nH2 O) cell yields a steady circulation of 5000 cycles@90.47 % at 8 A g-1 .

Current strategies employed in the manipulation of gene expression for clinical purposes.

Abnormal gene expression level or expression of genes containing deleterious mutations are two of the main determinants which lead to genetic disease. To obtain a therapeutic effect and thus to cure genetic diseases, it is crucial to regulate the host's gene expression and restore it to physiological conditions. With this purpose, several molecular tools have been developed and are currently tested in clinical trials. Genome editing nucleases are a class of molecular tools routinely used in laboratories to rewire host's gene expression. Genome editing nucleases include different categories of enzymes: meganucleses (MNs), zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)- CRISPR associated protein (Cas) and transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALENs). Transposable elements are also a category of molecular tools which includes different members, for example Sleeping Beauty (SB), PiggyBac (PB), Tol2 and TcBuster. Transposons have been used for genetic studies and can serve as gene delivery tools. Molecular tools to rewire host's gene expression also include episomes, which are divided into different categories depending on their molecular structure. Finally, RNA interference is commonly used to regulate gene expression through the administration of small interfering RNA (siRNA), short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and bi-functional shRNA molecules. In this review, we will describe the different molecular tools that can be used to regulate gene expression and discuss their potential for clinical applications. These molecular tools are delivered into the host's cells in the form of DNA, RNA or protein using vectors that can be grouped into physical or biochemical categories. In this review we will also illustrate the different types of payloads that can be used, and we will discuss recent developments in viral and non-viral vector technology.

Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography.

BACKGROUND: Liquid metal (LM) can be integrated into microfluidic channel, bringing new functionalities of microfluidics and opening a new window for soft microfluidic electronics, due to the superior advantages of the conductivity and deformability of LMs. However, patterning the LMs into microfluidic channels requires either selective surface wetting or complex fabrication process. RESULTS: In this work, we develop a method to pattern the LMs onto the soft elastomer via soft lithographic process for fabrication of soft microfluidic sensors without the surface modification, bulky facilities, and complicated processes. The combination of the interfacial hydrogen bond and surface tension enables the LM patterns transfer to the soft elastomer. The transferred LM patterns with an ellipse-like cross-section further improve the stability under the mechanical deformation. Three proof-of-concept experiments were conducted to demonstrate the utilization of this method for development of thermochromic sensors, self-powered capacity sensors and flexible biosensor for glucose detection. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the proposed method offers a new patterning method to obtain soft microfluidic sensors and brings new possibilities for microfluidics-related wearable devices.

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of full-length growth hormone cDNAs from six important economic fishes.

In this study,the full-length cDNAs of GH (Growth Hormone) gene was isolated from six important economic fishes, Siniperca kneri, Epinephelus coioides, Monopterus albus, Silurus asotus, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and Carassius auratus gibelio Bloch. It is the first time to clone these GH sequences except E. coioides GH. The lengths of the above cDNAs are as follows: 953 bp, 1 023 bp, 825 bp, 1 082 bp, 1 154 bp and 1 180 bp. Each sequence includes an ORF of about 600 bp which encodes a protein of about 200 amino acid: S. kneri, E. coioides and M. albus GHs of 204 amino acid, S. asotus GH of 200 amino acid, M. anguillicaudatus and C. auratus gibelio GHs of 210 amino acid. Then detailed sequence analysis of the six GHs with many other fish sequences was performed. The six sequences all showed high homology to other sequences, especially to sequences within the same order, and many conserved residues were identified, most localized in five domains. The phylogenetic trees (MP and NJ) of many fish GH ORF sequences (including the new six) with Amia calva as outgroup were generally resolved and largely congruent with the morphology-based tree though some incongruities were observed, suggesting GH ORF should be paid more attention to in teleostean phylogeny.

[Polymorphism in intron 2 of crucian carp GH I gene].

High length and nucleotide polymorphisms in intron2 of GH I gene were detected in 162 individuals,which were from seven wild crucian carp colonies, two goldfish colonies and one Fangzheng crucian carp colony. Using denaturating polyareylamide gel electrophoresis (DPAGE) and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), seven length variants and 15 haplotypes were identified in these fishes. The length types and haplotypes diversity was 4.32% and 9.26%, respectively. Sequence analysis of the 15 haplotypes indicated the following results: (1) The size of intron2 varied from 243 to 263 bp. In the 15 haplotypes,the average percentages of the four bases (A,T,G and C) were 34.13%, 37.36%, 15.13% and 13.38%, respectively; the frequency of G + C(28.51%) was much lower than that of A + T (71.49%). The GT/AG domain was found in exon-intron junctions,which was the 5' and 3' splice donor and acceptor sites in higher eukaryotic gene introns. The similarity sequence of GTAAGTA was located on the junction between exon2 and intron2. And there existed a richer pyrimidine region (TTTGCCTTTTGTTATC) near the 3' end of intron2. (2) The seven length variants (A, B, C, D, E, F and G) were determined to be 189, 196, 204, 205, 206, 207 and 209 bp, respectively. The polymorphism resulted from the variable repeat number of T (N = 0, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13) and the difference in one or two motifs deletions of TGAAAAC, TT and GAGTG. (3) Compared the sequences of the 15 haplotypes, 17 substitution sites were observed, of which two were of transversion sites and 15 were of transition sites. Obviously, the transition mutations (88.24%) were more frequent than transversion mutations (11.76%). Analysis of the distributions of the length types, haplotypes and composite genotypes suggested that genetic diversity was varied in different colonies. In the goldfish colonies, only one length type (A), two haplotypes (A1 and A2) and one composite genotype (A1A2) were observed. Two length types (C and D), four haplotypes (C1, C2, D2 and D5) and one composite genotype (C1C2D2D5) presented in the Fangzheng crucian carp colonies. The highest level of genetic diversity was exhibited in the seven wild crucian carp colonies: seven length types (A, B, C, D, E, F and G), 14 haplotypes (A1, A2, A3, B, C1, C2, D1, D2, D3, D4, E1, E2, F and G) and 14 composite genotypes (A1A2A3, A1A2A3B, A1C1C2D1D2D3, A1C1C2D2, A1C1C2D2D3, A1C1C2D3E2, BC1C2D2, BC1C2D3D4, C1C2D2, C1C2D2D3, C1C2D3D4, C1C2D3D4F, C1C2D4, D2E1G) were shared by the seven wild colonies. The numbers of observed length types, haplotypes and genotypes within the wild colonies ranged from 3 to 6, 6 to 10 and 2 to 6, respectively. Whether the length and nucleotide polymorphisms in the intron2 of crucian carp GH I gene were associated with gene expression and gene regulation remained unsolved and required further investigations.

PTK6/BRK is expressed in the normal mammary gland and activated at the plasma membrane in breast tumors.

Protein Tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6/BRK) is overexpressed in the majority of human breast tumors and breast tumor cell lines. It is also expressed in normal epithelial linings of the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and prostate. To date, expression of PTK6 has not been extensively examined in the normal human mammary gland. We detected PTK6 mRNA and protein expression in the immortalized normal MCF-10A human mammary gland epithelial cell line, and examined PTK6 expression and activation in a normal human breast tissue microarray, as well as in human breast tumors. Phosphorylation of tyrosine residue 342 in the PTK6 activation loop corresponds with its activation. Similar to findings in the prostate, we detect nuclear and cytoplasmic PTK6 in normal mammary gland epithelial cells, but no phosphorylation of tyrosine residue 342. However, in human breast tumors, striking PTK6 expression and phosphorylation of tyrosine 342 is observed at the plasma membrane. PTK6 is expressed in the normal human mammary gland, but does not appear to be active and may have kinase-independent functions that are distinct from its cancer promoting activities at the membrane. Understanding consequences of PTK6 activation at the plasma membrane may have implications for developing novel targeted therapies against this kinase.

Protein tyrosine kinase 6 directly phosphorylates AKT and promotes AKT activation in response to epidermal growth factor.

Protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6) is a nonmyristoylated Src-related intracellular tyrosine kinase. Although not expressed in the normal mammary gland, PTK6 is expressed in a majority of human breast tumors examined, and it has been linked to ErbB receptor signaling and AKT activation. Here we demonstrate that AKT is a direct substrate of PTK6 and that AKT tyrosine residues 315 and 326 are phosphorylated by PTK6. Association of PTK6 with AKT occurs through the SH3 domain of PTK6 and is enhanced through SH2 domain-mediated interactions following tyrosine phosphorylation of AKT. Using Src, Yes, and Fyn null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (SYF cells), we show that PTK6 phosphorylates AKT in a Src family kinase-independent manner. Introduction of PTK6 into SYF cells sensitized these cells to physiological levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and increased AKT activation. Stable introduction of active PTK6 into SYF cells also resulted in increased proliferation. Knockdown of PTK6 in the BPH-1 human prostate epithelial cell line led to decreased AKT activation in response to EGF. Our data indicate that in addition to promoting growth factor receptor-mediated activation of AKT, PTK6 can directly activate AKT to promote oncogenic signaling.

Cloning and characterization of a rice field eel vasa-like gene cDNA and its expression in gonads during natural sex transformation.

The vasa (vas)-related gene encodes an RNA helicase protein member of the DEAD-box family and plays key roles in germ-cell formation in higher metazoans. Using degenerate PCR and RACE, we cloned the vasa gene of the rice field eel (Monopterus albus), which is homologous to the Drosophila vasa gene. We named it ma-vas (Monopterus albus vas). Ma-vas encodes a protein of 618 amino acids, which contains all of the known characteristics of vasa homologs. RT-PCR analysis revealed that ma-vas was exclusively expressed in the gonads of the female, intersex, and male. During gonadal natural sex reversal, ma-vas is expressed in oocytes at all stages of oogenesis, in degenerating oocytes of ovotestis, and in spermatogonia and spermatocytes at early stages. The vasa positive signal was also observed in the peripheral layer of late ovary. It was not found, however, in that layer of the testis. Alkaline phosphatase (AKP) staining on the ovary and testis also indicated that some cells had differentiational potential in the peripheral layer of the ovary, suggesting that spermatogonia might arise from cells with AKP and vasa-positive staining in the peripheral layer of the female gonad.