Phase separation drives RNA virus-induced activation of the NLRP6 inflammasome.

NLRP6 is important in host defense by inducing functional outcomes including inflammasome activation and interferon production. Here, we show that NLRP6 undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) upon interaction with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in vitro and in cells, and an intrinsically disordered poly-lysine sequence (K350-354) of NLRP6 is important for multivalent interactions, phase separation, and inflammasome activation. Nlrp6-deficient or Nlrp6K350-354A mutant mice show reduced inflammasome activation upon mouse hepatitis virus or rotavirus infection, and in steady state stimulated by intestinal microbiota, implicating NLRP6 LLPS in anti-microbial immunity. Recruitment of ASC via helical assembly solidifies NLRP6 condensates, and ASC further recruits and activates caspase-1. Lipoteichoic acid, a known NLRP6 ligand, also promotes NLRP6 LLPS, and DHX15, a helicase in NLRP6-induced interferon signaling, co-forms condensates with NLRP6 and dsRNA. Thus, LLPS of NLRP6 is a common response to ligand stimulation, which serves to direct NLRP6 to distinct functional outcomes depending on the cellular context.

The relationship between activated H2 bond length and adsorption distance on MXenes identified with graph neural network and resonating valence bond theory.

Motivated by the recent experimental study on hydrogen storage in MXene multilayers [Liu et al., Nat. Nanotechnol. 16, 331 (2021)], for the first time we propose a workflow to computationally screen 23 857 compounds of MXene to explore the general relation between the activated H2 bond length and adsorption distance. By using density functional theory we generate a dataset to investigate the adsorption geometries of hydrogen on MXenes, based on which we train physics-informed atomistic line graph neural networks (ALIGNNs) to predict adsorption parameters. To fit the results, we further derived a formula that quantitatively reproduces the dependence of H2 bond length on the adsorption distance from MXenes within the framework of Pauling's resonating valence bond theory, revealing the impact of transition metal's ligancy and valence on activating dihydrogen in H2 storage.

Fluorescent recognition and selective detection of nitrite ions with carbon quantum dots.

The nitrite ion (NO2-) is a vital inorganic species that occurs both in natural ecological systems and human bodies. The high concentration of NO2- can be harmful for animal and human health. It is important to develop a simple, sensitive, reliable, and economic methodology to precisely monitor NO2- in various environmental and biological fields. Thus, a novel nitrite biosensor based on carbon quantum dots (PA-CDs) has been constructed and prepared via a high-efficiency, one-pot hydrothermal route using primary arylamines (PA) such as m-phenylenediamine. The device exhibits bright green fluorescence and a high quantum yield of 20.1% in water. In addition, the PA-CDs also possess two broad linear ranges: 0.05-1.0 µM and 1.0-50 µM with a low detection limit of 7.1 nM. The classical diazo reaction is firstly integrated into the PA-CD system by primary arylamines, which endows the system with high sensitivity and specific selectivity towards nitrite. Importantly, the nanosensor can detect NO2- in environmental water and serum samples with high fluorescence recoveries, demonstrating its feasibility in practical applications. This work broadens a new method to fabricate novel nanosensors and provides a prospective application for fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CDs). Graphical abstract.

GapA, a potential vaccine candidate antigen against Streptococcus agalactiae in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Streptococcosis due to the bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) has resulted in enormous economic losses in aquaculture worldwide, especially in the tilapia culture industry. Previously, there were limited vaccines that could be employed against streptococcosis in tilapia. This study aimed to develop a vaccine candidate using the glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase protein (GapA) of S. agalactiae encoded by the gapA gene. Tilapia were intraperitoneally injected with PBS, PBS + Freund's adjuvant, PBS + Montanide's adjuvant, GapA + Freund's adjuvant, GapA + Montanide's adjuvant, killed S. agalactiae whole cells (WC)+Freund's adjuvant, or killed S. agalactiae whole cells (WC)+ Montanide's adjuvant. They were then challenged with S. agalactiae, and the relative percentage survival (RPS) was monitored 14 days after the challenge. The highest RPSs were observed in the WC groups, with 76.7% in WC + Freund's adjuvant and 74.4% in WC + Montanide's adjuvant groups; these were followed by the GapA groups, with 63.3% in GapA + Freund's adjuvant and 45.6% in GapA + Montanide's adjuvant groups. The RPS of the PBS group was 0%, and those of PBS + Freund's adjuvant and PBS + Montanide's adjuvant groups were 6.7% and 3.3%, respectively. Additionally, the IgM antibody responses elicited in GapA groups and WC groups were significantly higher than those in PBS groups. Furthermore, the expressions of cytokine (IL-1ß and TNF-α) mRNAs in the GapA groups and WC groups were significantly higher than those in the PBS groups. Taken together, these results reveal that the GapA protein is a promising vaccine candidate that could be used to prevent streptococcosis in tilapia.

Hydrogen Adsorption on Type-5 Penta-MgN8 Sheet, Nanotube, and 3D Porous Structure.

Motivated by the recent report on penta-MgN8 sheet [Mater. Today Phys. 2023, 38, 101259] that is the first realization of type-5 pentagonal 2D tessellation with exposed regularly distributed Mg ions, we carried out density functional theory studies on the interactions of H2 molecules with 1D penta-nanotube, 2D penta-sheet, and 3D porous structures based on penta-MgN8. We found that when the penta-MgN8 sheet is assembled to a 3D porous structure or curved to a nanotube, the bandgap increases from 1.18 to 1.35 and 1.88 eV, and the resulting derivatives are stable dynamically. When H2 molecules are introduced, the nanotube behaves best in adsorption, where each Mg ion can adsorb three H2 molecules: two on the outer surface and one on the inner surface. The curved geometry of the nanotube makes the Mg ion on the outer surface more exposed as compared with the situations of the 2D sheet and 3D porous structure, resulting in stronger adsorptions to H2. The gravimetric capacity (volumetric capacity) is 4.25 wt % (63 g/L) and 4.25 wt % (65 g/L) for the studied penta-sheet and penta-nanotube, and the corresponding desorption temperature is 115 and 162 K at 1 atm pressure, respectively, while for the 3D porous structure, the adsorption performance is poor due to the limited space and the less curvature, leading to strong steric hindrance and less exposed configuration for Mg ions. Moreover, the effects of temperature and pressure on adsorption are also discussed.

Draft Genome Sequence of an Attenuated Streptococcus agalactiae Strain Isolated from the Gut of a Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Streptococcus agalactiae is a pathogen that causes severe anthropozoonosis within a broad range of hosts from aquatic animals to mammals, including human beings. Here, we describe the draft genome of S. agalactiae HZAUSC001, a low-virulent strain isolated from the gut of a moribund tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in China.