Engineered biosynthesis of plant heteroyohimbine and corynantheine alkaloids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) are a class of natural products comprised of thousands of structurally unique bioactive compounds with significant therapeutic values. Due to difficulties associated with isolation from native plant species and organic synthesis of these structurally complex molecules, microbial production of MIAs using engineered hosts are highly desired. In this work, we report the engineering of fully integrated Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that allow de novo access to strictosidine, the universal precursor to thousands of MIAs at 30-40 mg/L. The optimization efforts were based on a previously reported yeast strain that is engineered to produce high titers of the monoterpene precursor geraniol through compartmentalization of mevalonate pathway in the mitochondria. Our approaches here included the use of CRISPR-dCas9 interference to identify mitochondria diphosphate transporters that negatively impact the titer of the monoterpene, followed by genetic inactivation; the overexpression of transcriptional regulators that increase cellular respiration and mitochondria biogenesis. Strain construction included the strategic integration of genes encoding both MIA biosynthetic and accessory enzymes into the genome under a variety of constitutive and inducible promoters. Following successful de novo production of strictosidine, complex alkaloids belonging to heteroyohimbine and corynantheine families were reconstituted in the host with introduction of additional downstream enzymes. We demonstrate that the serpentine/alstonine pair can be produced at ∼5 mg/L titer, while corynantheidine, the precursor to mitragynine can be produced at ∼1 mg/L titer. Feeding of halogenated tryptamine led to the biosynthesis of analogs of alkaloids in both families. Collectively, our yeast strain represents an excellent starting point to further engineer biosynthetic bottlenecks in this pathway and to access additional MIAs and analogs through microbial fermentation. ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: An Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based microbial platform was developed for the biosynthesis of monoterpene indole alkaloids, including the universal precursor strictosidine and further modified heteroyohimbine and corynantheidine alkaloids.

NOD-like receptor protein 3 activation causes spontaneous inflammation and fibrosis that mimics human NASH.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a central contributor to human acute and chronic liver disease, yet the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which its activation precipitates injury remain incompletely understood. Here, we present single cell transcriptomic profiling of livers from a global transgenic tamoxifen-inducible constitutively activated Nlrp3A350V mutant mouse, and we investigate the changes in parenchymal and nonparenchymal liver cell gene expression that accompany inflammation and fibrosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Our results demonstrate that NLRP3 activation causes chronic extramedullary myelopoiesis marked by myeloid progenitors that differentiate into proinflammatory neutrophils, monocytes, and monocyte-derived macrophages. We observed prominent neutrophil infiltrates with increased Ly6gHI and Ly6gINT cells exhibiting transcriptomic signatures of granulopoiesis typically found in the bone marrow. This was accompanied by a marked increase in Ly6cHI monocytes differentiating into monocyte-derived macrophages that express transcriptional programs similar to macrophages of NASH models. NLRP3 activation also down-regulated metabolic pathways in hepatocytes and shifted hepatic stellate cells toward an activated profibrotic state based on expression of collagen and extracellular matrix regulatory genes. CONCLUSIONS: These results define the single cell transcriptomes underlying hepatic inflammation and fibrosis precipitated by NLRP3 activation. Clinically, our data support the notion that NLRP3-induced mechanisms should be explored as therapeutic target in NASH-like inflammation.

Comparison of two relative motion extension approaches (RME with versus without an additional overnight orthosis) following zones V-VI extensor tendon repairs: A randomized equivalence trial.

STUDY DESIGN: Multi--center randomized controlled trial with two intervention parallel groups. An equivalence trial. INTRODUCTION: Relative motion extension (RME) orthoses are widely used in the postoperative management of finger extensor tendon repairs in zones V-VI. Variability in orthotic additions to the RME only (without a wrist orthosis) approach has not been verified in clinical studies. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To examine if two RME only approaches (with or without an additional overnight wrist-hand-finger orthosis) yields clinically similar outcomes. METHODS: Thirty-two adult (>18 years) participants (25 males, 7 females) were randomized to one of two intervention groups receiving either 1) a relative motion extension orthosis for day wear and an overnight wrist-hand-finger orthosis ('RME Day' group), or 2) a relative motion extension orthosis to be worn continuously ('RME 24-Hr' group); both groups for a period of four postoperative weeks. RESULTS: Using a series of linear mixed models we found no differences between the intervention groups for the primary (ROM including TAM, TAM as a percentage of the contralateral side [%TAM], and Millers Criteria) and secondary outcome measures of grip strength, QuickDASH and PRWHE scores. The models did identify several covariates that are correlated with outcome measures. The covariate 'Age' influenced TAM (P = .006) and %TAM (P = .007), with increasing age correlating with less TAM and recovery of TAM compared to the contralateral digit. 'Sex' and 'Contralateral TAM' are also significant covariates for some outcomes. DISCUSSION: With similar outcomes between both intervention groups, the decision to include an additional night orthosis should be individually tailored for patients rather than protocol-based. As the covariates of 'Age' and 'Sex' influenced outcomes, these should be considered in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: A relative motion extension only approach with or without an additional overnight wrist-hand-finger orthosis yielded clinically similar results whilst allowing early functional hand use, without tendon rupture.

The Power of Single-Cell Analysis for the Study of Liver Pathobiology.

Single cell transcriptomics has emerged as a powerful lens through which to study the molecular diversity of complex tissues such as the liver, during health and disease, both in animal models and in humans. The earliest gene expression methods measured bulk tissue RNA, but the results were often confusing because they derived from the combined transcriptomes of many different cell types in unknown proportions. To better delineate cell-type-specific expression, investigators developed cell isolation, purification, and sorting protocols, yet still, the RNA derived from ensembles of cells obscured recognition of cellular heterogeneity. Profiling transcriptomes at the single-cell level has opened the door to analyses that were not possible in the past. In this review, we discuss the evolution of single cell transcriptomics and how it has been applied for the study of liver physiology and pathobiology to date.

Thioesterase-Catalyzed Aminoacylation and Thiolation of Polyketides in Fungi.

Fungal highly reducing polyketide synthases (HRPKSs) biosynthesize polyketides using a single set of domains iteratively. Product release is a critical step in HRPKS function to ensure timely termination and enzyme turnover. Nearly all of the HRPKSs characterized to date employ a separate thioesterase (TE) or acyltransferase enzyme for product release. In this study, we characterized two fungal HRPKSs that have fused C-terminal TE domains, a new domain architecture for fungal HRPKSs. We showed that both HRPKS-TEs synthesize aminoacylated polyketides in an ATP-independent fashion. The KU42 TE domain selects cysteine and homocysteine and catalyzes transthioesterification using the side-chain thiol group as the nucleophile. In contrast, the KU43 TE domain selects leucine methyl ester and performs a direct amidation of the polyketide, a reaction typically catalyzed by nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) domains. The characterization of these HRPKS-TE enzymes showcases the functional diversity of HRPKS enzymes and provides potential TE domains as biocatalytic tools to diversify HRPKS structures.

A method for high-throughput production of sequence-verified DNA libraries and strain collections.

The low costs of array-synthesized oligonucleotide libraries are empowering rapid advances in quantitative and synthetic biology. However, high synthesis error rates, uneven representation, and lack of access to individual oligonucleotides limit the true potential of these libraries. We have developed a cost-effective method called Recombinase Directed Indexing (REDI), which involves integration of a complex library into yeast, site-specific recombination to index library DNA, and next-generation sequencing to identify desired clones. We used REDI to generate a library of ~3,300 DNA probes that exhibited > 96% purity and remarkable uniformity (> 95% of probes within twofold of the median abundance). Additionally, we created a collection of ~9,000 individually accessible CRISPR interference yeast strains for > 99% of genes required for either fermentative or respiratory growth, demonstrating the utility of REDI for rapid and cost-effective creation of strain collections from oligonucleotide pools. Our approach is adaptable to any complex DNA library, and fundamentally changes how these libraries can be parsed, maintained, propagated, and characterized.

Engineering the biocatalytic selectivity of iridoid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) represent a structurally diverse, medicinally essential class of plant derived natural products. The universal MIA building block strictosidine was recently produced in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, setting the stage for optimization of microbial production. However, the irreversible reduction of pathway intermediates by yeast enzymes results in a non-recoverable loss of carbon, which has a strong negative impact on metabolic flux. In this study, we identified and engineered the determinants of biocatalytic selectivity which control flux towards the iridoid scaffold from which all MIAs are derived. Development of a bioconversion based production platform enabled analysis of the metabolic flux and interference around two critical steps in generating the iridoid scaffold: oxidation of 8-hydroxygeraniol to the dialdehyde 8-oxogeranial followed by reductive cyclization to form nepetalactol. In vitro reconstitution of previously uncharacterized shunt pathways enabled the identification of two distinct routes to a reduced shunt product including endogenous 'ene'-reduction and non-productive reduction by iridoid synthase when interfaced with endogenous alcohol dehydrogenases. Deletion of five genes involved in α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl metabolism resulted in a 5.2-fold increase in biocatalytic selectivity of the desired iridoid over reduced shunt product. We anticipate that our engineering strategies will play an important role in the development of S. cerevisiae for sustainable production of iridoids and MIAs.

The conserved histone deacetylase Rpd3 and its DNA binding subunit Ume6 control dynamic transcript architecture during mitotic growth and meiotic development.

It was recently reported that the sizes of many mRNAs change when budding yeast cells exit mitosis and enter the meiotic differentiation pathway. These differences were attributed to length variations of their untranslated regions. The function of UTRs in protein translation is well established. However, the mechanism controlling the expression of distinct transcript isoforms during mitotic growth and meiotic development is unknown. In this study, we order developmentally regulated transcript isoforms according to their expression at specific stages during meiosis and gametogenesis, as compared to vegetative growth and starvation. We employ regulatory motif prediction, in vivo protein-DNA binding assays, genetic analyses and monitoring of epigenetic amino acid modification patterns to identify a novel role for Rpd3 and Ume6, two components of a histone deacetylase complex already known to repress early meiosis-specific genes in dividing cells, in mitotic repression of meiosis-specific transcript isoforms. Our findings classify developmental stage-specific early, middle and late meiotic transcript isoforms, and they point to a novel HDAC-dependent control mechanism for flexible transcript architecture during cell growth and differentiation. Since Rpd3 is highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed in many tissues, our results are likely relevant for development and disease in higher eukaryotes.

Ndt80 activates the meiotic ORC1 transcript isoform and SMA2 via a bi-directional middle sporulation element in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The origin of replication complex subunit ORC1 is important for DNA replication. The gene is known to encode a meiotic transcript isoform (mORC1) with an extended 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR), which was predicted to inhibit protein translation. However, the regulatory mechanism that controls the mORC1 transcript isoform is unknown and no molecular biological evidence for a role of mORC1 in negatively regulating Orc1 protein during gametogenesis is available. By interpreting RNA profiling data obtained with growing and sporulating diploid cells, mitotic haploid cells, and a starving diploid control strain, we determined that mORC1 is a middle meiotic transcript isoform. Regulatory motif predictions and genetic experiments reveal that the activator Ndt80 and its middle sporulation element (MSE) target motif are required for the full induction of mORC1 and the divergently transcribed meiotic SMA2 locus. Furthermore, we find that the MSE-binding negative regulator Sum1 represses both mORC1 and SMA2 during mitotic growth. Finally, we demonstrate that an MSE deletion strain, which cannot induce mORC1, contains abnormally high Orc1 levels during post-meiotic stages of gametogenesis. Our results reveal the regulatory mechanism that controls mORC1, highlighting a novel developmental stage-specific role for the MSE element in bi-directional mORC1/SMA2 gene activation, and correlating mORC1 induction with declining Orc1 protein levels. Because eukaryotic genes frequently encode multiple transcripts possessing 5'-UTRs of variable length, our results are likely relevant for gene expression during development and disease in higher eukaryotes.

A functional screen for copper homeostasis genes identifies a pharmacologically tractable cellular system.

BACKGROUND: Copper is essential for the survival of aerobic organisms. If copper is not properly regulated in the body however, it can be extremely cytotoxic and genetic mutations that compromise copper homeostasis result in severe clinical phenotypes. Understanding how cells maintain optimal copper levels is therefore highly relevant to human health. RESULTS: We found that addition of copper (Cu) to culture medium leads to increased respiratory growth of yeast, a phenotype which we then systematically and quantitatively measured in 5050 homozygous diploid deletion strains. Cu's positive effect on respiratory growth was quantitatively reduced in deletion strains representing 73 different genes, the function of which identify increased iron uptake as a cause of the increase in growth rate. Conversely, these effects were enhanced in strains representing 93 genes. Many of these strains exhibited respiratory defects that were specifically rescued by supplementing the growth medium with Cu. Among the genes identified are known and direct regulators of copper homeostasis, genes required to maintain low vacuolar pH, and genes where evidence supporting a functional link with Cu has been heretofore lacking. Roughly half of the genes are conserved in man, and several of these are associated with Mendelian disorders, including the Cu-imbalance syndromes Menkes and Wilson's disease. We additionally demonstrate that pharmacological agents, including the approved drug disulfiram, can rescue Cu-deficiencies of both environmental and genetic origin. CONCLUSIONS: A functional screen in yeast has expanded the list of genes required for Cu-dependent fitness, revealing a complex cellular system with implications for human health. Respiratory fitness defects arising from perturbations in this system can be corrected with pharmacological agents that increase intracellular copper concentrations.

IpO: plasmids and methods for simplified, PCR-based DNA transplant in yeast.

Many yeast experiments require strains modified by recombinant DNA methods. Some experiments require precise insertion of a DNA segment into the genome without a selectable marker remaining. For these applications, we developed a new PCR-based method for marker-free DNA transplant. The current PCR-based method requires the labour-intensive construction of a PCR template plasmid with repeats of the DNA segment flanking URA3. The design of a new vector, IpO, reduces the work in cloning a single copy of the DNA segment between overlapping URA3 fragments present in the vector. Two PCRs are performed that capture the DNA segment and one or the other URA3 fragment. When the PCR products are co-transformed into yeast, recombination between the overlapping URA3 fragments restores URA3 and transposes the cloned DNA segment inside out, creating a repeat-URA3-repeat cassette. Sequences designed into the PCR primers target integration of the cassette into the genome. Subsequent selection with 5-fluoro-orotic acid yields strains that have 'popped out' URA3 via recombination between the DNA repeats, with the result being the precise insertion of the DNA segment minus the selectable marker. An additional advantage of the IpO method is that it eliminates PCR artifacts that can plague the current method's repeat-containing templates.

Execution of the meiotic noncoding RNA expression program and the onset of gametogenesis in yeast require the conserved exosome subunit Rrp6.

Budding yeast noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are pervasively transcribed during mitosis, and some regulate mitotic protein-coding genes. However, little is known about ncRNA expression during meiotic development. Using high-resolution profiling we identified an extensive meiotic ncRNA expression program interlaced with the protein-coding transcriptome via sense/antisense transcript pairs, bidirectional promoters, and ncRNAs that overlap the regulatory regions of genes. Meiotic unannotated transcripts (MUTs) are mitotic targets of the conserved exosome component Rrp6, which itself is degraded after the onset of meiosis when MUTs and other ncRNAs accumulate in successive waves. Diploid cells lacking Rrp6 fail to initiate premeiotic DNA replication normally and cannot undergo efficient meiotic development. The present study demonstrates a unique function for budding yeast Rrp6 in degrading distinct classes of meiotically induced ncRNAs during vegetative growth and the onset of meiosis and thus points to a critical role of differential ncRNA expression in the execution of a conserved developmental program.

Self-Reported Factors Involved in Attrition and Retention of Pharmacy Faculty.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate factors associated with pharmacy faculty attrition and retention. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was developed that consisted of 33 closed- and open-ended items related to reasons or potential reasons for leaving academia, motivating factors for staying in academia, and personal and professional demographic characteristics. The survey was distributed via Qualtrics to all current pharmacy faculty using the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy email listserv and posted in American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy online communities to recruit participants who were no longer in academia. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data using SPSS. RESULTS: A total of 1011 current and 79 former pharmacy faculty completed the survey, with the majority being female, white, full-time, nontenure track, pharmacy practice, and at associate rank. Of the current faculty, 21.5% intend to leave their current position within the next year and 37.4% of respondents think about leaving either daily or weekly. Faculty who are no longer in academia or potentially will leave their position cited an unmanageable workload as the most impactful reason, with other risk factors, including unsupportive/inadequate direct supervisors or senior leadership and inadequate work-life balance, compensation, and resources. The top reasons for staying in academia included having an adequate work-life balance, manageable workload, and meaningful relationships with students. CONCLUSIONS: The Academy and individual institutions must evaluate and address risk factors contributing to faculty attrition. Simultaneously, they should actively encourage conditions such as maintaining a manageable workload and promoting work-life balance to retain faculty members.

Systematic screen for human disease genes in yeast.

High similarity between yeast and human mitochondria allows functional genomic study of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to be used to identify human genes involved in disease. So far, 102 heritable disorders have been attributed to defects in a quarter of the known nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins in humans. Many mitochondrial diseases remain unexplained, however, in part because only 40-60% of the presumed 700-1,000 proteins involved in mitochondrial function and biogenesis have been identified. Here we apply a systematic functional screen using the pre-existing whole-genome pool of yeast deletion mutants to identify mitochondrial proteins. Three million measurements of strain fitness identified 466 genes whose deletions impaired mitochondrial respiration, of which 265 were new. Our approach gave higher selection than other systematic approaches, including fivefold greater selection than gene expression analysis. To apply these advantages to human disorders involving mitochondria, human orthologs were identified and linked to heritable diseases using genomic map positions.

Recommitting to AACP Engaged Governance for the Common Good: Report of the 50th Anniversary Commission to Reimagine the AACP House of Delegates.

The 50th Anniversary Commission to Reimagine the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) House of Delegates (HOD Commission) was charged to consider and recommend changes to the AACP Board of Directors and AACP HOD regarding a broad range of issues related to the HOD. The 2021-2022 HOD Commission met virtually many times throughout the year as 2 sub-groups and a full commission, using Basecamp for shared documents and timelines, and it provided interim reports to the Board of Directors in November and February. A survey of 2022 delegates was developed and administered; responses from 163 delegates informed final recommendations as described in the report. The HOD Commission affirms the need for and purpose of AACP's HOD and urges that all schools/colleges of pharmacy recommit to engaged governance for the common good.

Evaluating the effects of a mindfulness mobile application on student pharmacists' stress, burnout, and mindfulness.

PURPOSE: Pharmacists report high levels of burnout. Mindfulness approaches have been demonstrated to have positive results in the general population and in other healthcare professions. However, limited studies have been performed evaluating mindfulness approaches in student pharmacists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of daily use of a mindfulness mobile application in improving student pharmacists' perceived stress, burnout, and mindfulness. METHODS: This study was a randomized, longitudinal, waitlist-controlled trial. The intervention group was asked to meditate using the mindfulness application Headspace daily for at least 6 weeks. The waitlist control group was asked to abstain from using the application for the entire study. Stress, burnout, and mindfulness were assessed using validated survey instruments at baseline, 6 weeks, and 10 weeks. A secondary outcome was to assess the persistence of application use after the intervention period. RESULTS: Fifty-six participants completed the study. The intervention group reported significantly lower scores on stress and burnout at 6 weeks compared to the control group. The intervention group also reported significantly higher scores on mindfulness. The differences in stress, burnout, and mindfulness persisted at follow-up. The mean percentage of students in the intervention group who used the application each day was 90% over the intervention period and 62% over the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: A mindfulness mobile application significantly improved student pharmacists' stress, burnout, and mindfulness with daily use. Most participants continued to use the application for 4 weeks after the end of the intervention. Positive effects on stress and mindfulness persisted even with decreased use.

Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior to determine the intentions to receive the influenza vaccine during COVID-19: A cross-sectional survey of US adults.

Vaccine hesitancy, especially in the setting of an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and upcoming flu season, may pose a significant burden on US healthcare systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the intentions of US adults to receive the influenza vaccine this flu season (2020-2021). A cross-sectional, population-based survey study of US adults age 18 years and older was distributed in early September 2020. The primary outcome was the intention to receive the flu vaccine assessed with a survey instrument based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Three-hundred sixty-four adults (59.1% female, 66.5% white), completed the survey. Twenty percent of participants had already received the flu vaccine, 54.3% indicated high probability of getting the flu vaccine this flu season, and 49% would get it at a doctor's office. Concerns regarding adverse effects from the flu vaccine was a major barrier to vaccination and family (58.1%) was the primary influencer in participants' decision to get vaccinated. Participants who indicated that getting the vaccine was beneficial to them and that their doctor thinks they should get the flu vaccine were significantly more likely to have the intent of getting vaccinated. Approximately half of US adults believed that the flu vaccine was beneficial to them and indicated intent to receive the vaccine this flu season. Doctors can help educate patients regarding the limited adverse effects of flu vaccines, and include patients and their families in vaccination discussions - because families are influential in the decision-making process - to increase flu vaccination uptake.

Hyperammonemia in patients receiving valproic acid in the hospital setting: A retrospective review.

INTRODUCTION: Valproic acid (VPA) is widely used for the treatment of epilepsy, migraine, and a variety of psychiatric conditions. The reported incidences of hyperammonemia induced by VPA use is variable. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence of VPA-induced hyperammonemia in the general adult inpatient population. METHODS: Adult patients who received at least 1 dose of VPA and derivatives between June 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 were included. Patients were excluded if they did not have VPA administered during their inpatient stay or if they had elevated ammonia levels (>33 µmol/L) prior to initiation of VPA. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of liver cirrhosis were also excluded. The primary endpoint was the incidence of hyperammonemia. Secondary outcomes included symptoms of hyperammonemia, diagnosis of VPA-induced hyperammonemia, and treatment of VPA-induced hyperammonemia. RESULTS: A total of 162 patients were included in this study. A total of 33 (20.4%) patients were identified as having the primary outcome of hyperammonemia; 26 (16.0%) patients had symptoms of hyperammonemia, and 13 (8.0%) patients were diagnosed with VPA-induced hyperammonemia. Treatment modalities included administration of lactulose, levocarnitine, discontinuing VPA, or decreasing the VPA dose. DISCUSSION: The administration of VPA in the general adult inpatient population resulted in a 20.4% incidence of hyperammonemia, with a lower rate of diagnosed VPA-induced hyperammonemia. Clinicians should be encouraged to obtain ammonia levels in patients receiving VPA if symptoms of altered mental status or encephalopathy develop.

Using the health belief model to assess the impact of student pharmacist-led health outreach events.

INTRODUCTION: This study sought to assess the impact student pharmacist-led health outreach events had on participants in the Health Belief Model domains of perceived severity of disease, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy. METHODS: This study was an observational pre-/post-survey design conducted between January and December 2019 at student pharmacist-led community health outreach events in the Salt Lake City, Utah metropolitan area. The survey was developed partially based on the Health Belief Model and consisted of seven items with a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). The survey was completed by participants before and immediately after engaging in the outreach event. RESULTS: A total of 31 participants across a variety of demographics and educational backgrounds completed the study. The surveys from the outreach events showed statistically significant increases in the participants' perceived severity of disease, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy. Perceived benefits was not significantly changed. CONCLUSIONS: Student pharmacist-led community health outreach events significantly increase participants' perceived severity of disease, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy, which may indicate increased willingness to adopt the recommended health behavior.

A Comprehensive Examination of Severely Ill ME/CFS Patients.

One in four myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients are estimated to be severely affected by the disease, and these house-bound or bedbound patients are currently understudied. Here, we report a comprehensive examination of the symptoms and clinical laboratory tests of a cohort of severely ill patients and healthy controls. The greatly reduced quality of life of the patients was negatively correlated with clinical depression. The most troublesome symptoms included fatigue (85%), pain (65%), cognitive impairment (50%), orthostatic intolerance (45%), sleep disturbance (35%), post-exertional malaise (30%), and neurosensory disturbance (30%). Sleep profiles and cognitive tests revealed distinctive impairments. Lower morning cortisol level and alterations in its diurnal rhythm were observed in the patients, and antibody and antigen measurements showed no evidence for acute infections by common viral or bacterial pathogens. These results highlight the urgent need of developing molecular diagnostic tests for ME/CFS. In addition, there was a striking similarity in symptoms between long COVID and ME/CFS, suggesting that studies on the mechanism and treatment of ME/CFS may help prevent and treat long COVID and vice versa.