Local F-actin network links synapse formation and axon branching.

Axonal branching and synapse formation are tightly linked developmental events during the establishment of synaptic circuits. Newly formed synapses promote branch initiation and stability. However, little is known about molecular mechanisms that link these two processes. Here, we show that local assembly of an F-actin cytoskeleton at nascent presynaptic sites initiates both synapse formation and axon branching. We further find that assembly of the F-actin network requires a direct interaction between the synaptic cell adhesion molecule SYG-1 and a key regulator of actin cytoskeleton, the WVE-1/WAVE regulatory complex (WRC). SYG-1 cytoplasmic tail binds to the WRC using a consensus WRC interacting receptor sequence (WIRS). WRC mutants or mutating the SYG-1 WIRS motif leads to loss of local F-actin, synaptic material, and axonal branches. Together, these data suggest that synaptic adhesion molecules, which serve as a necessary component for both synaptogenesis and axonal branch formation, directly regulate subcellular actin cytoskeletal organization.

The WAVE regulatory complex links diverse receptors to the actin cytoskeleton.

The WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) controls actin cytoskeletal dynamics throughout the cell by stimulating the actin-nucleating activity of the Arp2/3 complex at distinct membrane sites. However, the factors that recruit the WRC to specific locations remain poorly understood. Here, we have identified a large family of potential WRC ligands, consisting of ∼120 diverse membrane proteins, including protocadherins, ROBOs, netrin receptors, neuroligins, GPCRs, and channels. Structural, biochemical, and cellular studies reveal that a sequence motif that defines these ligands binds to a highly conserved interaction surface of the WRC formed by the Sra and Abi subunits. Mutating this binding surface in flies resulted in defects in actin cytoskeletal organization and egg morphology during oogenesis, leading to female sterility. Our findings directly link diverse membrane proteins to the WRC and actin cytoskeleton and have broad physiological and pathological ramifications in metazoans.

The NADPH oxidase 2 subunit p47phox binds to the WAVE regulatory complex and p22phox in a mutually exclusive manner.

The actin cytoskeleton and reactive oxygen species (ROS) both play crucial roles in various cellular processes. Previous research indicated a direct interaction between two key components of these systems: the WAVE1 subunit of the WAVE regulatory complex (WRC), which promotes actin polymerization and the p47phox subunit of the NADPH oxidase 2 complex (NOX2), which produces ROS. Here, using carefully characterized recombinant proteins, we find that activated p47phox uses its dual Src homology 3 domains to bind to multiple regions within the WAVE1 and Abi2 subunits of the WRC, without altering WRC's activity in promoting Arp2/3-mediated actin polymerization. Notably, contrary to previous findings, p47phox uses the same binding pocket to interact with both the WRC and the p22phox subunit of NOX2, albeit in a mutually exclusive manner. This observation suggests that when activated, p47phox may separately participate in two distinct processes: assembling into NOX2 to promote ROS production and engaging with WRC to regulate the actin cytoskeleton.

The Toxoplasma secreted effector TgWIP modulates dendritic cell motility by activating host tyrosine phosphatases Shp1 and Shp2.

The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes life-threatening toxoplasmosis to immunocompromised individuals. The pathogenesis of Toxoplasma relies on its swift dissemination to the central nervous system through a 'Trojan Horse' mechanism using infected leukocytes as carriers. Previous work found TgWIP, a protein secreted from Toxoplasma, played a role in altering the actin cytoskeleton and promoting cell migration in infected dendritic cells (DCs). However, the mechanism behind these changes was unknown. Here, we report that TgWIP harbors two SH2-binding motifs that interact with tyrosine phosphatases Shp1 and Shp2, leading to phosphatase activation. DCs infected with Toxoplasma exhibited hypermigration, accompanying enhanced F-actin stress fibers and increased membrane protrusions such as filopodia and pseudopodia. By contrast, these phenotypes were abrogated in DCs infected with Toxoplasma expressing a mutant TgWIP lacking the SH2-binding motifs. We further demonstrated that the Rho-associated kinase (Rock) is involved in the induction of these phenotypes, in a TgWIP-Shp1/2 dependent manner. Collectively, the data uncover a molecular mechanism by which TgWIP modulates the migration dynamics of infected DCs in vitro.

Research progress on the mechanism of curcumin in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury: a narrative review.

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury can result in different levels of cerebral impairment, and in severe cases, death. Curcumin, an essential bioactive component of turmeric, has a rich history as a traditional medicine for various ailments in numerous countries. Experimental and clinical research has established that curcumin offers a protective effect against cerebral I/R injury. Curcumin exerts its protective effects by acting on specific mechanisms such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, inhibition of ferroptosis and pyroptosis, protection of mitochondrial function and structure, reduction of excessive autophagy, and improvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which ultimately help to preserve the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reducing apoptosis. There is currently a shortage of drugs undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of cerebral I/R injury, highlighting the pressing need for research and development of novel treatments to address this injury. The primary objective of this study is to establish a theoretical basis for future clinical applications of curcumin by delineating the mechanisms and protective effects of curcumin against cerebral I/R injury. Adapted with permission from [1].

Thinking more wisely: using the Socratic method to develop critical thinking skills amongst healthcare students.

BACKGROUND: In medicine, critical thinking is required for managing and tolerating medical uncertainty, as well as solving professional problems and treating diseases. However, the core of Confucianism, teacher-centered and exam-oriented settings in middle and high school education may pose challenges to developing critical thinking in Han Chinese or Taiwanese students. Students may be adversely affected by these pedagogies since student-centered settings were more effective in stimulating their critical and reflective thinking, as well as a sense of responsibility, in the ever-changing world. Therefore, guiding students with less stable foundations of critical thinking might require a different approach. A review article highlighted the potential utility of the Socratic method as a tool for teaching critical thinking in the healthcare field. The method involves posing a series of questions to students. More importantly, medical students and residents in clinical teaching are familiar with the method. Almost all healthcare students must complete a biochemistry laboratory course as part of their basic science training. Thus, we aimed to train students to develop critical thinking in the biochemistry laboratory course by using learning sheets and teacher guidance based on the Socratic method and questioning. METHOD: We recruited second-year students from a medical school, of whom 32 had medical science and biotechnology majors (MSB), 27 had pharmaceutical science majors (PS), and 85 were medical undergraduate (MU) students. An exercise in critical thinking was conducted during a biochemistry laboratory course, which consisted of five different biochemical experiments, along with learning sheets that contained three or four critical thinking questions. Then, the teacher evaluated the students' ability to think critically based on nine intellectual dimensions (clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, fairness, and significance) based on the universal intellectual standards developed by Prof. Linda Elder and Richard Paul. In the following analysis, regression models and multivariate analysis were used to determine how students improved over time, and trajectory analysis were carried out in order to observe the trends in students' critical thinking skills construction. RESULTS: Clarity and logic dimensions were identified as the key elements to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills through learning sheets and teacher guidance in students across all three different healthcare majors. The results showed that metacognitive monitoring via Socratic questioning learning sheets have demonstrated potential encourage students to develop critical thinking skills in all dimensions. Another unique contribution of current study was present the heterogeneous learning patterns and progress trajectories of clarity and logic dimensions within classes. CONCLUSION: Using the Socratic learning model could effectively develop students' critical thinking skills so they can more effectively care for their patients.

Profiling antibody signature of schizophrenia by Escherichia coli proteome microarrays.

Schizophrenia (SZ) is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, and associated with chronic neuroinflammation. If the symptoms express after adolescence, environmental impacts are more substantial, and the disease is defined as adult-onset schizophrenia (AOS). Effects of environmental factors on antibody responses such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) to immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) might increase the severity of symptoms in SZ via the gut-brain axis. The purpose of this study is to reveal antibody profiles of SZ against bacterial protein antigens. We analyzed the IgG and IgM antibodies using E. coli proteome microarrays from 80 SZ patients and 40 healthy controls (HC). Using support vector machine to select panels of proteins differentiating between groups and conducted enrichment analysis for those proteins. We identified that the groL, pldA, yjjU, livG, and ftsE can classify IgGs in AOS vs HC achieved accuracy of 0.7. The protein yjjU, livG and ftsE can form the best combination panel to classify IgG in AOS vs HC with accuracy of 0.8. The enrichment results are highly related to ABC (ATP binding cassette) transporter in the protein domain and cellular component. We further found that the human ATP binding cassette subfamily b member 1 (ABCB1) autoantibody level in AOS is significantly higher than in HC. The findings suggest that AOS had different immunoglobulin production compared to early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) and HC. We also identified potential antibody biomarkers of AOS and found their antigens are enriched in ABC transporter related domains, including human ABCB1 protein.

Effects of lower limb resistance exercise on muscle strength, physical fitness, and metabolism in pre-frail elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Few studies examined interventions in frail elderly in China, while the awareness of applying interventions to prevent frailty in pre-frail elderly is still lacking. This study aimed to explore the effects of lower limb resistance exercise in pre-frail elderly in China. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial of patients with pre-frailty. The control group received routine care, while the exercise group received a 12-week lower limb resistance exercise based on routine care. The muscle strength in the lower limbs, physical fitness, and energy metabolism of the patients was evaluated at admission and after 12 weeks of intervention. RESULTS: A total of 60 pre-frail elderly were included in this study. The patients were divided into the exercise group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30) by random grouping. There were 17 men and 13 women aged 65.3 ± 13.4 in the exercise group, and 15 men and 15 women aged 67.6 ± 11.9 years in the control groups. The Barthel index was 80.3 ± 10.6 and 85.1 ± 11.6, respectively. The characteristics of the two groups were not significantly different before intervention (all p > 0.05). The results of repeated measurement ANOVA showed that there was statistically significant in crossover effect of group * time (all p < 0.05), that is, the differences of quadriceps femoris muscle strength, 6-min walking test, 30-s sit-to-stand test, 8-ft "up & go" test, daily activity energy expenditure and metabolic equivalent between the intervention group and the control group changed with time, and the variation ranges were different. The main effects of time were statistically significant (all p < 0.05), namely, femoris muscle strength, 6-min walking test, 30-s sit-to-stand test, 8-ft "up & go" test, daily activity energy expenditure and metabolic equivalent of the intervention group and the control group were significantly different before and after intervention. The main effects of groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05), namely, femoris muscle strength, 6-min walking test, 30-s sit-to-stand test, daily activity energy expenditure and metabolic equivalent before and after intervention were significantly different between the intervention group and the control group, while there was no significant differences in 8-ft "up & go" test between groups. CONCLUSION: Lower limb resistance exercise used for the frailty intervention could improve muscle strength, physical fitness, and metabolism in pre-frail elderly. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR, ChiCTR2000031099. Registered 22 March 2020, http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=51221&htm=4.

Endosomal receptor trafficking: Retromer and beyond.

The tubular endolysosomal network is a quality control system that ensures the proper delivery of internalized receptors to specific subcellular destinations in order to maintain cellular homeostasis. Although retromer was originally described in yeast as a regulator of endosome-to-Golgi receptor recycling, mammalian retromer has emerged as a central player in endosome-to-plasma membrane recycling of a variety of receptors. Over the past decade, information regarding the mechanism by which retromer facilitates receptor trafficking has emerged, as has the identification of numerous retromer-associated molecules including the WASH complex, sorting nexins (SNXs) and TBC1d5. Moreover, the recent demonstration that several SNXs can directly interact with retromer cargo to facilitate endosome-to-Golgi retrieval has provided new insight into how these receptors are trafficked in cells. The mechanism by which SNX17 cargoes are recycled out of the endosomal system was demonstrated to involve a retromer-like complex termed the retriever, which is recruited to WASH positive endosomes through an interaction with the COMMD/CCDC22/CCDC93 (CCC) complex. Lastly, the mechanisms by which bacterial and viral pathogens highjack this complex sorting machinery in order to escape the endolysosomal system or remain hidden within the cells are beginning to emerge. In this review, we will highlight recent studies that have begun to unravel the intricacies by which the retromer and associated molecules contribute to receptor trafficking and how deregulation at this sorting domain can contribute to disease or facilitate pathogen infection.

Myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) mediates doxorubicin-induced PERP transcription in colon cancer cells.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a cytotoxic compound capable of instigating apoptosis in cancer cells. TP53 apoptosis effector (PERP) is a key mediator of apoptosis in multiple cell types. PERP transcription is activated by a range of pro-apoptotic stimuli. In the present study, we investigated the regulation of DOX-induced PERP transcription in colon cancer cells (SW480) by the transcriptional modulator myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A). We report that DOX treatment up-regulated MRTF-A expression paralleling PERP activation. DOX also promoted nuclear translocation of MRTF-A. On the contrary, MRTF-A depletion or inhibition attenuated DOX-induced apoptosis as evidenced by the MTT assay and caspase 3 cleavage. In accordance, MRTF-A depletion or inhibition dampened PERP transcription. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that DOX treatment promoted the binding of MRTF-A on the PERP promoter. Mechanistically, MRTF-A was recruited to the PERP promoter by activator protein 1 (AP-1). AP-1 interacted and cooperated with MRTF-A to activate PERP transcription. AP-1 silencing weakened PERP trans-activation by DOX presumably by compromising MRTF-A recruitment to the PERP promoter. In conclusion, our data suggest that MRTF-A might be a key regulator of DOX-induced PERP transcription in colon cancer cells.

Phase transitions in the assembly of multivalent signalling proteins.

Cells are organized on length scales ranging from ångström to micrometres. However, the mechanisms by which ångström-scale molecular properties are translated to micrometre-scale macroscopic properties are not well understood. Here we show that interactions between diverse synthetic, multivalent macromolecules (including multi-domain proteins and RNA) produce sharp liquid-liquid-demixing phase separations, generating micrometre-sized liquid droplets in aqueous solution. This macroscopic transition corresponds to a molecular transition between small complexes and large, dynamic supramolecular polymers. The concentrations needed for phase transition are directly related to the valency of the interacting species. In the case of the actin-regulatory protein called neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) interacting with its established biological partners NCK and phosphorylated nephrin, the phase transition corresponds to a sharp increase in activity towards an actin nucleation factor, the Arp2/3 complex. The transition is governed by the degree of phosphorylation of nephrin, explaining how this property of the system can be controlled to regulatory effect by kinases. The widespread occurrence of multivalent systems suggests that phase transitions may be used to spatially organize and biochemically regulate information throughout biology.

Recombinant protein, AlnA, combined with transgenic alfalfa remediates polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated soils: efficiency and rhizosphere microbial community response.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the remediation efficiency of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated soils by the combination of a bioemulsifying protein, AlnA, and alfalfa expressing bphC. RESULT: The combination of AlnA and transgenic alfalfa promoted PCB soil remediation through the pot experiments. The removal rates of tri-PCBs (PCB 16/PCB 32 and PCB 31/PCB 28) and tetra-PCB (PCB 49) in transgenic alfalfa/AlnA treatment were 3.6-, 1.1-, and 2-fold higher than in transgenic alfalfa treatment alone. Analysis of gene copy number revealed that the PCB-degrading gene, bphC, of Pseudomonas-like bacterial populations in transgenic alfalfa/AlnA treatment increased 1.5-fold compared with that of unplanted soils. Bacterial community Illumina sequencing showed Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, and Sphingomonas positively correlated with the removal rates of PCBs. CONCLUSIONS: PCB removal was unrelated to bacterial community diversity but positively correlated with their specific degraders and bphC gene expression.

Application of multimodal standardized analgesia under the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery in laparoscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery.

Aims: To observe the efficacy and safety of multimodal standardized analgesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery. Methods: A prospective, double-blind, randomized study of patients who were admitted to our hospital between December 2020 and March 2022 with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer and who intended to undergo elective laparoscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery was conducted. The participants were randomly divided into two intervention groups, namely, a multimodal standardized analgesia group and a routine analgesia group. In both groups, the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores while resting at 6 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h and during movement at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h; the number of patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) pump button presses and postoperative recovery indicators within 3 days after surgery; the interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on the 1st and 4th days after surgery; and the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions and complications were recorded. Results: Compared with the control group, the multimodal standardized analgesia group had significantly lower VAS pain scores at different time points while resting and during movement (P<0.05), significantly fewer PCIA pump button presses during the first 3 postoperative days (P<0.05), and significantly lower IL-6 and CRP levels on the 1st postoperative day (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the time to out-of-bed activity, the time to first flatus, the IL-6 and CRP levels on the 4th postoperative day or the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions and complications between the two groups (P >0.05). Conclusion: For patients undergoing laparoscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery, multimodal standardized analgesia with ropivacaine combined with parecoxib sodium and a PCIA pump had a better analgesic effect, as it effectively inhibited early postoperative inflammatory reactions and promoted postoperative recovery and did not increase the incidence of adverse reactions and complications. Therefore, it is worthy of widespread clinical practice.

Macrophage MKL1 contributes to cardiac fibrosis in a mouse model of myocardial infarction.

AIMS: Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by aberrant collagen deposition in the heart. Macrophage polarization or infiltration is the main reason to accelerate the collagen deposition. We attempted to investigate the involvement of MKL1 in macrophages during the development of cardiac fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cardiac fibrosis is induced by myocardial infarction (MI). The MKL1f/f mice were crossed to the Lyz2-cre mice to generate macrophage conditional MKL1 knockout mice (MKL1ΔMφ). In addition, macrophage conditional MKL1 overexpression mice (MKL1Mϕ-OE) were constructed by crossing Lyz2-cre mice to MKL1ΔN200-Rosa26 mice. KEY FINDINGS: MKL1 expression was significantly increased in macrophages of both ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) patients and mice induced to develop myocardial infarction. Deletion of MKL1 in macrophages improved the heart function after MI-induced cardiac fibrosis. Consistently, MKL1Mϕ-OE mice displayed more severe cardiac fibrosis and worsened heart function than the control mice after MI. Moreover, administration of a small-molecule MKL1 inhibitor CCG-1423 also decreased the collagen deposition after MI. SIGNIFICANCE: Our data demonstrate that MKL1 in macrophages contributes to cardiac fibrosis pathogenesis and reinforce the notion that targeting MKL1 may yield effective antifibrotic therapeutics in the heart.

The Toxoplasma secreted effector TgWIP modulates dendritic cell motility by activating host tyrosine phosphatases Shp1 and Shp2.

The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes life-threatening toxoplasmosis to immunocompromised individuals. The pathogenesis of Toxoplasma relies on its swift dissemination to the central nervous system through a 'Trojan Horse' mechanism using infected leukocytes as carriers. Previous work found TgWIP, a protein secreted from Toxoplasma, played a role in altering the actin cytoskeleton and promoting cell migration in infected dendritic cells (DCs). However, the mechanism behind these changes was unknown. Here, we report that TgWIP harbors two SH2-binding motifs that interact with tyrosine phosphatases Shp1 and Shp2, leading to phosphatase activation. DCs infected with Toxoplasma exhibited hypermigration, accompanying enhanced F-actin stress fibers and increased membrane protrusions such as filopodia and pseudopodia. By contrast, these phenotypes were abrogated in DCs infected with Toxoplasma expressing a mutant TgWIP lacking the SH2-binding motifs. We further demonstrated that the Rho-associated kinase (Rock) is involved in the induction of these phenotypes, in a TgWIP-Shp1/2 dependent manner. Collectively, the data uncover a molecular mechanism by which TgWIP modulates the migration dynamics of infected DCs in vitro.

Correlation of slow-wave sleep with motor and nonmotor progression in Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between slow-wave sleep and the progression of motor and nonmotor symptoms in patients with PD. METHODS: Data were collected from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative study. Slow-wave sleep, also known as deep non-rapid eye movement (DNREM) sleep, was objectively assessed using the Verily Study Watch. Motor function was assessed using the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III score, Hoehn and Yahr stage, freezing of gait, motor fluctuations, and dyskinesia severity. Comprehensive assessments were conducted on nonmotor symptoms, including depression, anxiety, global cognitive function, and autonomic dysfunction. Statistical analyses involved repeated-measures analysis of variance and linear regression. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients with PD were included in the study, with a median follow-up duration of 3.4 years. In the long DNREM sleep duration group (n = 55), better motor function (DNREM × time interaction: F(1,100) = 4.866, p = 0.030), less severe sexual dysfunction (p = 0.026), and improved activities of daily living (p = 0.033) were observed at the last follow-up visit compared with the short DNREM sleep duration group (n = 47). Reduced DNREM sleep duration is a risk factor for motor progression (ß = -0.251, p = 0.021; 95% confidence interval = -0.465 to -0.038). INTERPRETATION: The findings suggest an association between longer DNREM sleep duration and slower motor and nonmotor progression in patients with PD.

Predictors for early-onset psychotic symptoms in patients newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease without psychosis at baseline: A 5-year cohort study.

AIMS: To investigate the risk factors for early-onset psychosis in Parkinson's disease (PD) in a cohort of patients from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative. METHODS: Longitudinal data on motor and non-motor features, dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measurements were collected. The survival probability of psychotic symptoms, potential risk factors for psychosis development over a 5-year follow-up period, and the performance of the prediction model were evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 338 newly diagnosed patients with PD, 83 developed psychotic symptoms. Gastrointestinal autonomic dysfunction, presence of probable rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder, and the ratio Aß42: total-tau could independently predict onset of psychosis in PD (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.157, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.022-1.309, p = 0.021, HR = 2.596, 95% CI 1.287-5.237, p = 0.008, and HR = 0.842, 95% CI 0.723-0.980, p = 0.027, respectively). The combined model integrating baseline clinical predictors, DAT imaging, and CSF measurements achieved better sensitivity than the clinical predictors alone (area under the curve = 0.770 [95% CI 0.672-0.868] vs. 0.714 [95% CI 0.625-0.802], p = 0.098). CONCLUSION: We identified clinical and CSF predictors of early-onset psychosis in patients with PD. Our study provides evidence and implications for prognostic stratification and therapeutic approaches for PD psychosis.

Preparation and characterization of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol antibacterial sponge materials.

This study utilized the freeze-drying method to create a chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sponge. To enhance its antibacterial properties, curcumin and nano silver (Cur@Ag) were added for synergistic antibacterial. After adding curcumin and nano silver, the mechanical properties of the composite sponge dressing (CS-PVA-Cur@Ag) were improved. The porosity of the composite sponge dressing was closed to 80%, which was helpful for drug release, and it had good water absorption and water retention rate. The nano silver diameter was 50-80 nm, which was optimal for killing bacteria. Antibacterial tests usedEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureusdemonstrated that little nano silver was required to eliminate bacteria. Finally, in the rat full-thickness skin wound model, the composite sponge dressing can promote wound healing in a short time. In summary, CS-PVA-Cur@Ag wound dressing could protect from bacterial infection and accelerate wound healing. Thus, it had high potential application value for wound dressing.

Structural basis for Retriever-SNX17 assembly and endosomal sorting.

During endosomal recycling, Sorting Nexin 17 (SNX17) facilitates the transport of numerous membrane cargo proteins by tethering them to the Retriever complex. Despite its importance, the mechanisms underlying this interaction have remained elusive. Here, we report the structure of the Retriever-SNX17 complex determined using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Our structure reveals that the C-terminal tail of SNX17 engages with a highly conserved interface between the VPS35L and VPS26C subunits of Retriever. Through comprehensive biochemical, cellular, and proteomic analyses, we demonstrate that disrupting this interface impairs the Retriever-SNX17 interaction, subsequently affecting the recycling of SNX17-dependent cargos and altering the composition of the plasma membrane proteome. Intriguingly, we find that the SNX17-binding pocket on Retriever can be utilized by other ligands that share a consensus acidic C-terminal tail motif. By showing how SNX17 is linked to Retriever, our findings uncover a fundamental mechanism underlying endosomal trafficking of critical cargo proteins and reveal a mechanism by which Retriever can engage with other regulatory factors.

Synthetic control of actin polymerization and symmetry breaking in active protocells.

Nonlinear biomolecular interactions on membranes drive membrane remodeling crucial for biological processes including chemotaxis, cytokinesis, and endocytosis. The complexity of biomolecular interactions, their redundancy, and the importance of spatiotemporal context in membrane organization impede understanding of the physical principles governing membrane mechanics. Developing a minimal in vitro system that mimics molecular signaling and membrane remodeling while maintaining physiological fidelity poses a major challenge. Inspired by chemotaxis, we reconstructed chemically regulated actin polymerization inside vesicles, guiding membrane self-organization. An external, undirected chemical input induced directed actin polymerization and membrane deformation uncorrelated with upstream biochemical cues, suggesting symmetry breaking. A biophysical model incorporating actin dynamics and membrane mechanics proposes that uneven actin distributions cause nonlinear membrane deformations, consistent with experimental findings. This protocellular system illuminates the interplay between actin dynamics and membrane shape during symmetry breaking, offering insights into chemotaxis and other cell biological processes.