Ultrastructural insights into cellular organization, energy storage and ribosomal dynamics of an ammonia-oxidizing archaeon from oligotrophic oceans.

Introduction: Nitrososphaeria, formerly known as Thaumarchaeota, constitute a diverse and widespread group of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) inhabiting ubiquitously in marine and terrestrial environments, playing a pivotal role in global nitrogen cycling. Despite their importance in Earth's ecosystems, the cellular organization of AOA remains largely unexplored, leading to a significant unanswered question of how the machinery of these organisms underpins metabolic functions. Methods: In this study, we combined spherical-chromatic-aberration-corrected cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to unveil the cellular organization and elemental composition of Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, a representative member of marine Nitrososphaeria. Results and Discussion: Our tomograms show the native ultrastructural morphology of SCM1 and one to several dense storage granules in the cytoplasm. STEM-EDS analysis identifies two types of storage granules: one type is possibly composed of polyphosphate and the other polyhydroxyalkanoate. With precise measurements using cryo-ET, we observed low quantity and density of ribosomes in SCM1 cells, which are in alignment with the documented slow growth of AOA in laboratory cultures. Collectively, these findings provide visual evidence supporting the resilience of AOA in the vast oligotrophic marine environment.

The gut microbiome promotes locomotion of Drosophila larvae via octopamine signaling.

The gut microbiome is a key partner of animals, influencing various aspects of their physiology and behaviors. Among the diverse behaviors regulated by the gut microbiome, locomotion is vital for survival and reproduction, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we reveal that the gut microbiome modulates the locomotor behavior of Drosophila larvae via a specific neuronal type in the brain. The crawling speed of germ-free (GF) larvae was significantly reduced compared to the conventionally reared larvae, while feeding and excretion behaviors were unaffected. Recolonization with Acetobacter and Lactobacillus can fully and partially rescue the locomotor defects in GF larvae, respectively, probably due to the highest abundance of Acetobacter as a symbiotic bacterium in the larval gut, followed by Lactobacillus. Moreover, the gut microbiome promoted larval locomotion, not by nutrition, but rather by enhancing the brain levels of tyrosine decarboxylase 2 (Tdc2), which is an enzyme that synthesizes octopamine (OA). Overexpression of Tdc2 rescued locomotion ability in GF larvae. These findings together demonstrate that the gut microbiome specifically modulates larval locomotor behavior through the OA signaling pathway, revealing a new mechanism underlying larval locomotion regulated by the gut microbiome.

Pulse Feature-Enhanced Classification of Microalgae and Cyanobacteria Using Polarized Light Scattering and Fluorescence Signals.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose a global threat to the biodiversity and stability of local aquatic ecosystems. Rapid and accurate classification of microalgae and cyanobacteria in water is increasingly desired for monitoring complex water environments. In this paper, we propose a pulse feature-enhanced classification (PFEC) method as a potential solution. Equipped with a rapid measurement prototype that simultaneously detects polarized light scattering and fluorescence signals of individual particles, PFEC allows for the extraction of 38 pulse features to improve the classification accuracy of microalgae, cyanobacteria, and other suspended particulate matter (SPM) to 89.03%. Compared with microscopic observation, PFEC reveals three phyla proportions in aquaculture samples with an average error of less than 14%. In this paper, PFEC is found to be more accurate than the pulse-average classification method, which is interpreted as pulse features carrying more detailed information about particles. The high consistency of the dominant and common species between PFEC and microscopy in all field samples also demonstrates the flexibility and robustness of the former. Moreover, the high Pearson correlation coefficient accounting for 0.958 between the cyanobacterial proportion obtained by PFEC and the cyanobacterial density given by microscopy implies that PFEC serves as a promising early warning tool for cyanobacterial blooms. The results of this work suggest that PFEC holds great potential for the rapid and accurate classification of microalgae and cyanobacteria in aquatic environment monitoring.

Research on the phase error of a Sagnac interferometer induced by modulation of a multifunctional integrated optical modulator.

High-precision IFOG requires an optical sensitivity of up to 10-8 rads-1 for interferometers; noise and error are two of the main reasons limiting its accuracy improvement. Any potential source of the signal error is worth being studied. This article introduces work on the modulation signal error caused by the mechanical vibration energy loss of MIOC crystals. This article theoretically derives and simulates the frequency spectrum of an energy loss from the perspective of electromechanical coupling and verifies it through experiments. This article also verifies the influence of MIOC mechanical loss on the output of a Sagnac interferometer through experiments. This study is an indispensable part of the bottleneck for improving the accuracy of ultrahigh-precision closed-loop IFOG and has potential engineering application value.

Solid Wood Modification toward Anisotropic Elastic and Insulative Foam-Like Materials.

The methods used to date to produce compressible wood foam by top-down approaches generally involve the removal of lignin and hemicelluloses. Herein, we introduce a route to convert solid wood into a super elastic and insulative foam-like material. The process uses sequential oxidation and reduction with partial removal of lignin but high hemicellulose retention (process yield of 72.8%), revealing fibril nanostructures from the wood's cell walls. The elasticity of the material is shown to result from a lamellar structure, which provides reversible shape recovery along the transverse direction at compression strains of up to 60% with no significant axial deformation. The compressibility is readily modulated by the oxidation degree, which changes the crystallinity and mobility of the solid phase around the lumina. The performance of the highly resilient foam-like material is also ascribed to the amorphization of cellulosic fibrils, confirmed by experimental and computational (molecular dynamics) methods that highlight the role of secondary interactions. The foam-like wood is optionally hydrophobized by chemical vapor deposition of short-chained organosilanes, which also provides flame retardancy. Overall, we introduce a foam-like material derived from wood based on multifunctional nanostructures (anisotropically compressible, thermally insulative, hydrophobic, and flame retardant) that are relevant to cushioning, protection, and packaging.

Effects of Dietary Colostrum Basic Protein on Bone Growth and Calcium Absorption in Mice.

Colostrum basic protein (CBP) is a trace protein extracted from bovine colostrum. Previous studies have shown that CBP can promote bone cell differentiation and increase bone density. However, the mechanism by which CBP promotes bone activity remains unclear. This study investigated the mechanism of the effect of CBP on bone growth in mice following dietary supplementation of CBP at doses that included 0.015%, 0.15%, 1.5%, and 5%. Compared with mice fed a normal diet, feeding 5% CBP significantly enhanced bone rigidity and improved the microstructure of bone trabeculae. Five-percent CBP intake triggered significant positive regulation of calcium metabolism in the direction of bone calcium accumulation. The expression levels of paracellular calcium transport proteins CLDN2 and CLDN12 were upregulated nearly 1.5-fold by 5% CBP. We conclude that CBP promotes calcium absorption in mice by upregulating the expression of the calcium-transporting paracellular proteins CLND2 and CLND12, thereby increasing bone density and promoting bone growth. Overall, CBP contributes to bone growth by affecting calcium metabolism.

Ultrasoft and High-Adhesion Block Copolymers for Neuromorphic Computing.

The "von Neumann bottleneck" is a formidable challenge in conventional computing, driving exploration into artificial synapses. Organic semiconductor materials show promise but are hindered by issues such as poor adhesion and a high elastic modulus. Here, we combine polyisoindigo-bithiophene (PIID-2T) with grafted poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) to synthesize the triblock-conjugated polymer (PIID-2T-PDMS). The polymer exhibited substantial enhancements in adhesion (4.8-68.8 nN) and reductions in elastic modulus (1.6-0.58 GPa) while maintaining the electrical characteristics of PIID-2T. The three-terminal organic synaptic transistor (three-terminal p-type organic artificial synapse (TPOAS)), constructed using PIID-2T-PDMS, exhibits an unprecedented analog switching range of 276×, surpassing previous records, and a remarkable memory on-off ratio of 106. Moreover, the device displays outstanding operational stability, retaining 99.6% of its original current after 1600 write-read events in the air. Notably, TPOAS replicates key biological synaptic behaviors, including paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), short-term plasticity (STP), and long-term plasticity (LTP). Simulations using handwritten digital data sets reveal an impressive recognition accuracy of 91.7%. This study presents a polyisoindigo-bithiophene-based block copolymer that offers enhanced adhesion, reduced elastic modulus, and high-performance artificial synapses, paving the way for the next generation of neuromorphic computing systems.

Immunoregulation of bovine lactoferrin together with osteopontin promotes immune system development and maturation.

The immune system of infants is partly weak and immature, and supplementation of infant formula can be of vital importance to boost the development of the immune system. Lactoferrin (LF) and osteopontin (OPN) are essential proteins in human milk with immunoregulation function. An increasing number of studies indicate that proteins have interactions with each other in milk, and our previous study found that a ratio of LF : OPN at 1 : 5 (w/w, denoted as LOP) had a synergistic effect on intestinal barrier protection. It remains unknown whether LOP can also exert a stronger effect on immunoregulation. Hence, we used an in vitro model of LPS-induced macrophage inflammation and in vivo models of LPS-induced intestinal inflammation and early life development. We showed that LOP increased the secretion of the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (132%), stem cell factor (167%) and interleukin-3 (176%) in bone marrow cells, as well as thymosin (155%) and interleukin-10 (161%) in the thymus, more than LF or OPN alone during development, and inhibited changes in immune cells and cytokines during the LPS challenge. In addition, analysis of the components of digested proteins in vitro revealed that differentially expressed peptides may provide immunoregulation. Lastly, LOP increased the abundance of Rikenellaceae, Muribaculum, Faecalibaculum, and Elisenbergiella in the cecum content. These results imply that LOP is a potential immunomodifier for infants and offers a new theoretical basis for infant formula innovation.

A Choline-Based Antifreezing Complexing Agent with Selective Compatibility for Zn-Br2 Flow Batteries.

The high freezing point of polybromides, charging products, is a significant obstacle to the rapid development of zinc-bromine flow batteries (Zn-Br2 FBs). Here, a choline-based complexing agent (CCA) is constructed to liquefy the polybromides at low temperatures. Depending on quaternary ammonium group, choline can effectively complex with polybromide anions and form dense oil-phase that has excellent antifreezing property. Benefiting from indispensable strong ion-ion interaction, the highly selectively compatible CCA, consisting of choline and N-methyl-N-ethyl-morpholinium salts (CCA-M), can be achieved to further enhance bromine fixing ability. Interestingly, the formed polybromides with CCA-M are able to keep liquid even at -40 °C. The CCA-M endows Zn-Br2 FBs at 40 mA cm-2 with unprecedented long cycle life (over 150 cycles) and high Coulombic efficiency (CE, average ≈98.8%) at -20 °C, but also at room temperature (over 1200 cycles, average CE: ≈94.7%). The CCA shows a promising prospect of application and should be extended to other antifreezing bromine-based energy storage systems.

Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Inclisiran in Patients With Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Results From the ORION-5 Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disease characterized by extremely high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and a high risk of premature cardiovascular events. The proof-of-concept study ORION-2 (A Study of Inclisiran in Participants With Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia) showed that inclisiran, a small interfering RNA that prevents production of the hepatic PCSK9 protein (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9), could lead to durable reductions in LDL-C levels when added to statins and ezetimibe in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: ORION-5 was a phase 3, 2-part, multicenter study in 56 patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and elevated LDL-C levels despite maximum tolerated doses of LDL-C-lowering therapies with or without lipoprotein apheresis. Patients eligible for part 1 (double-blind, 6 months) were randomized 2:1 to receive either 300 mg of inclisiran sodium (equivalent to 284 mg of inclisiran) or placebo. Placebo-treated patients from part 1 were transitioned to inclisiran in part 2 (open-label, 18 months). The primary end point was the percentage change in LDL-C levels from baseline to day 150. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 42.7 years, and 60.7% were women. The mean baseline LDL-C levels were 294.0 mg/dL and 356.7 mg/dL in the inclisiran and placebo groups, respectively. The placebo-corrected percentage change in LDL-C level from baseline to day 150 was -1.68% (95% CI, -29.19% to 25.83%; P=0.90), and the difference was not statistically significant between the inclisiran and placebo groups. The placebo-corrected percentage change in PCSK9 levels from baseline to day 150 was -60.6% with inclisiran treatment (P<0.0001); this was sustained throughout the study, confirming the effect of inclisiran on its biological target of PCSK9. No statistically significant differences between the inclisiran and placebo groups were observed in the levels of other lipids and lipoproteins (apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Adverse events and serious adverse events did not differ between the inclisiran and placebo groups throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS: Inclisiran treatment did not reduce LDL-C levels in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia despite substantial lowering of PCSK9 levels. Inclisiran was well-tolerated, and the safety findings were consistent with previously reported studies and the overall safety profile. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03851705.

3D-Printed Biomimetic Structural Colors.

Resolution control and expansibility have always been challenges to the fabrication of structural color materials. Here, a facile strategy to print cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs) into complex structural color patterns with variable resolution and enhanced expansibility is reported. A volatile solvent is introduced into the synthesized CLC oligomers, modifying its rheological properties and allowing direct-ink-writing (DIW) under mild conditions. The combination of printing shear flow and anisotropic deswelling of ink drives the CLC molecules into an ordered cholesteric arrangement. The authors meticulously investigate the influence of printing parameters to achieve resolution control over a wide range, allowing for the printing of multi-sized 1D or 2D patterns with constant quality. Furthermore, such solvent-cast direct-ink-writing (DIW) strategy is highly expandable and can be integrated easily into the DIW of bionic robots. Multi-responsive bionic butterfly and flower are printed with biomimetic in both locomotion and coloration. Such designs dramatically reduced the processing difficulty of precise full-color printing and expanded the capability of structural color materials to collaborate with other systems.

Microplastic size-dependent biochemical and molecular effects in alga Heterosigma akashiwo.

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are increasingly prevalent contaminants in marine ecosystems and have a variety of negative impacts on marine organisms. While their toxic impact on freshwater microalgae has been well-documented, limited research has been conducted on the influence of MNPs on marine red tide algae, despite their significant implications for human health and coastal ecological stability. This study investigated the physiological, biochemical and molecular reactions of the common harmful algal species, Heterosigma akashiwo, when exposed to polystyrene (PS) MNPs of 80 nm and 1 µm in size with the concentrations of 0, 1, 10, and 20 mg L-1 in 12 days. The results showed that 80 nm-sized MNPs (at concentrations of 10 mg L-1 and 20 mg L-1) inhibited algal growth. Despite the increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and up-regulation of glutathione metabolism, exposure-induced oxidative stress remained the main cause of the inhibition. Up-regulation of aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and amino acid biosynthesis pathways provide the necessary amino acid feedstock for the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD. 1 µm sized PS MNPs increased chlorophyll a (Chl-a) content without significant effects on other parameters. In addition, H. akashiwo have an effective self-regulation ability to defend against two sized MNPs stress at concentrations of 1 mg L-1 by upregulating gene expression related to endocytosis, biotin metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation. These results provided evidence that H. akashiwo was able to resist exposure to 1 µm MPs, whereas 80 nm NPs exerted a toxic effect on H. akashiwo. This study deepens our understanding of the interaction between MNPs and marine harmful algal at the transcriptional level, providing valuable insights for further evaluating the potential impact of PS MNPs on harmful algal blooms in marine ecosystems.

Recovery of carbon from spent carbon cathode by alkaline and acid leaching and thermal treatment and exploration of its application in lithium-ion batteries.

The spent carbon cathode (SCC) is a hazardous solid waste from aluminum production. It has an abundant carbon source and a unique graphitic carbon layer structure, making it a valuable waste for recycling. This paper uses alkaline and acid leaching methods to report a straightforward way of extracting recovered carbon (RC) from SCC as anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The results show that alkaline and acid leaching conditions at 70 °C with 1 M NaOH and HCl solution individually in 6 h and a liquid-solid ratio of 20:1 can result in RC with up to 94.63% carbon content than 49.38% in SCC, exhibiting a typical graphite structure. SCC and RC materials are obtained after calcination at 400 °C in an inert atmosphere and used as anode materials (SCC-400 and RC-400). In this paper, The initial charging specific capacities are 490.0 mA h g-1, 195.4 mA h g-1, and 423.2 mA h g-1and initial coulombic efficiencies (ICE) are 67.8%, 78.9%, and 72.0% of RC-400, SCC, and SCC-400. RC-400 also shows excellent capacity retention and impedance values. This exciting finding provides a viable, non-hazardous, and resourceful method for treating and disposing of SCC from aluminum electrolysis.

Effects of target tree management on understory regeneration in Pinus massoniana plantations.

To clarify the effects of target tree management on natural forest regeneration, with Pinus massoniana plantations in the low mountainous regions of eastern Sichuan with target tree densities of 100, 150 and 200 trees·hm-2 as test object, we analyzed the effects of management densities on canopy structure, plant diversity, and soil physicochemical properties on understory regeneration. The results showed that the regeneration index increased with management density, which increased 0.08-0.10 in the managed plantations compared with unmanaged sites. When the density of the target trees was 150 trees·hm-2, an increase of 9 regeneration tree species and an increase of 800 trees·hm-2 in quantity were observed. The dominance of herbaceous species was not prominent, but canopy structure was improved, and the regeneration ability of understory plants was enhanced. The impact of habitat factors on the regeneration index ranked as soil total porosity (0.591) > leaf area index (-0.536) > Shannon index (-0.085) > available P (0.053) > total N (-0.007) > Pielou index (-0.005). Target tree management facilitated understory regeneration in the P. massoniana plantations by improving soil pore conditions, reducing leaf area index, and decreasing herbaceous plant diversity index. A management density of 150 trees·hm-2 was more sui-table for target tree management in P. massoniana plantations.

3D-Printed Intrinsically Stretchable Organic Electrochemical Synaptic Transistor Array.

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) for skin-like bioelectronics require mechanical stretchability, softness, and cost-effective large-scale manufacturing. However, developing intrinsically stretchable OECTs using a simple and fast-response technique is challenging due to limitations in functional materials, substrate wettability, and integrated processing of multiple materials. In this regard, we propose a fabrication method devised by combining the preparation of a microstructured hydrophilic substrate, multi-material printing of functional inks with varying viscosities, and optimization of the device channel geometries. The resulting intrinsically stretchable OECT array with synaptic properties was successfully manufactured. These devices demonstrated high transconductance (22.5 mS), excellent mechanical softness (Young's modulus ∼ 2.2 MPa), and stretchability (∼30%). Notably, the device also exhibited artificial synapse functionality, mimicking the biological synapse with features such as paired-pulse depression, short-term plasticity, and long-term plasticity. This study showcases a promising strategy for fabricating intrinsically stretchable OECTs and provides valuable insights for the development of brain-computer interfaces.

Association of the Stroke Ready Community-Based Participatory Research Intervention With Incidence of Acute Stroke Thrombolysis in Flint, Michigan.

Importance: Acute stroke treatment rates in the US lag behind those in other high-income nations. Objective: To assess whether a hospital emergency department (ED) and community intervention was associated with an increased proportion of patients with stroke receiving thrombolysis. Design, Setting, and Participants: This nonrandomized controlled trial of the Stroke Ready intervention took place in Flint, Michigan, from October 2017 to March 2020. Participants included adults living in the community. Data analysis was completed from July 2022 to May 2023. Intervention: Stroke Ready combined implementation science and community-based participatory research approaches. Acute stroke care was optimized in a safety-net ED, and then a community-wide, theory-based health behavior intervention, including peer-led workshops, mailers, and social media, was conducted. Main Outcomes and Measures: The prespecified primary outcome was the proportion of patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack from Flint who received thrombolysis before and after the intervention. The association between thrombolysis and the Stroke Ready combined intervention, including the ED and community components, was estimated using logistic regression models, clustering at the hospital level and adjusting for time and stroke type. In prespecified secondary analyses, the ED and community intervention were explored separately, adjusting for hospital, time, and stroke type. Results: In total, 5970 people received in-person stroke preparedness workshops, corresponding to 9.7% of the adult population in Flint. There were 3327 ischemic stroke and TIA visits (1848 women [55.6%]; 1747 Black individuals [52.5%]; mean [SD] age, 67.8 [14.5] years) among patients from Flint seen in the relevant EDs, including 2305 in the preintervention period from July 2010 to September 2017 and 1022 in the postintervention period from October 2017 to March 2020. The proportion of thrombolysis usage increased from 4% in 2010 to 14% in 2020. The combined Stroke Ready intervention was not associated with thrombolysis use (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.13; 95% CI, 0.74-1.70; P = .58). The ED component was associated with an increase in thrombolysis use (adjusted OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.04-2.56; P = .03), but the community component was not (adjusted OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.96-1.01; P = .30). Conclusions and Relevance: This nonrandomized controlled trial found that a multilevel ED and community stroke preparedness intervention was not associated with increased thrombolysis treatments. The ED intervention was associated with increased thrombolysis usage, suggesting that implementation strategies in partnership with safety-net hospitals may increase thrombolysis usage. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT036455900.

Variational inference for detecting differential translation in ribosome profiling studies.

Translational efficiency change is an important mechanism for regulating protein synthesis. Experiments with paired ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) and mRNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) allow the study of translational efficiency by simultaneously quantifying the abundances of total transcripts and those that are being actively translated. Existing methods for Ribo-seq data analysis either ignore the pairing structure in the experimental design or treat the paired samples as fixed effects instead of random effects. To address these issues, we propose a hierarchical Bayesian generalized linear mixed effects model which incorporates a random effect for the paired samples according to the experimental design. We provide an analytical software tool, "riboVI," that uses a novel variational Bayesian algorithm to fit our model in an efficient way. Simulation studies demonstrate that "riboVI" outperforms existing methods in terms of both ranking differentially translated genes and controlling false discovery rate. We also analyzed data from a real ribosome profiling experiment, which provided new biological insight into virus-host interactions by revealing changes in hormone signaling and regulation of signal transduction not detected by other Ribo-seq data analysis tools.

NDUFC2 deficiency exacerbates endothelial mesenchymal transformation during ischemia-reperfusion via NLRP3.

Ischemic stroke is the main type of cerebrovascular disease. Emergency thrombectomy combined with medication therapy is currently the primary treatment for stroke. Inflammation and oxidative stress induced by ischemia-reperfusion cause secondary damage to blood vessels, especially endothelial mesenchymal transformation (EndoMT). However, much is still unclear about the role of EndoMT in ischemia-reperfusion. In this study, an in vivo ischemia-reperfusion model was established by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) in wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice and NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3) knockout (KO) C57BL/6 mice. An in vitro ischemia-reperfusion model was established by oxygen glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). α-SMA (alpha smooth muscle actin), CD31 (platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, PECAM-1/CD31), NDUFC2 (NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit C2), and NLRP3 were used to evaluate EndoMT and inflammation. Real-time PCR measured superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and catalase (CAT) mRNA expression to evaluate oxidative stress levels. NLRP3 was activated by ischemia-reperfusion injury and NLRP3 inactivation inhibited the EndoMT in tMCAO mice. Further experiments demonstrated that OGD/R treatment induced NLRP3 activation and EndoMT in HBMECs, which resulted in NDUFC2 deficiency. NDUFC2 overexpression suppressed NLRP3 activation and EndoMT in HBMECs induced by OGD/R. Moreover, NDUFC2 overexpression rescued SOD1 and CAT mRNA expression. These results demonstrated that NDUFC2 deficiency decreased the antioxidant levels, leading to NLRP3 activation and EndoMT during ischemia-reperfusion injury and suggesting that NDUFC2 is a potential drug target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Enhancement of arsenic uptake and accumulation in green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii through heterologous expression of the phosphate transporter DsPht1.

Arsenate (AsV) is a predominant arsenic contaminant in aerobic water. Microalgae have been recently used in the phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated water. However, the amount of AsV uptake in microalgae is limited, which hinders the application of microalgae in arsenic-contaminated water treatment. Here, we found that the expression of a novel phosphate transporter DsPht1 in Dunaliella salina was highly upregulated after AsV exposure. Fluorescent protein-tagging analysis showed the plasma membrane location of DsPht1. Furthermore, DsPht1 was overexpressed in a model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The DsPht1 transgenetic lines accumulated up to 6.4-fold higher total arsenic than the untransformed line, and the AsV amount in total arsenic increased by 8.3-fold. Moreover, the organoarsenic content was also higher in the transgenetic lines. Overall, the DsPht1 transformants generated in this study increased arsenate uptake and transformation, which are promising for the effective phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated water.