海洋微生物铁载体的研究进展

铁是影响初级生产力的主要限制性因子之一,其在海洋环境中的分布具有空间异质性。由于铁在海洋中主要以溶解度较低、易沉降的三价态(Fe³⁺)形式存在,因此溶解铁对海洋生物而言是一种稀缺资源。为了获得生命代谢所需的铁,微生物进化出多种铁摄取的策略来满足需求,其中铁载体(siderophores)是最典型的代表。铁载体作为重要的代谢辅因子,除了铁循环以外,也强烈影响着其他元素的循环。基于铁载体的重要性,深入理解它的合成、转运和调控机制是系统认识海洋铁循环和生命过程的重要环节之一。本文以近20年的研究为重点,总结了铁载体的最新进展,包括其类型、合成/运输系统、获取途径、调控机制以及铁载体的功能与应用,旨在更好地认识铁载体在海洋微生物生态学过程中的作用,加深对海洋铁循环动力学机制的理解。     

Airway secretory cell fate conversion via YAP‐mTORC1‐dependent essential amino acid metabolism

Tissue homeostasis requires lineage fidelity of stem cells. Dysregulation of cell fate specification and differentiation leads to various diseases, yet the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing these processes remain elusive. We demonstrate that YAP/TAZ activation reprograms airway secretory cells, which subsequently lose their cellular identity and acquire squamous alveolar type 1 (AT1) fate in the lung. This cell fate conversion is mediated via distinctive transitional cell states of damage‐associated transient progenitors (DATPs), recently shown to emerge during injury repair in mouse and human lungs. We further describe a YAP/TAZ signaling cascade to be integral for the fate conversion of secretory cells into AT1 fate, by modulating mTORC1/ATF4‐mediated amino acid metabolism in vivo. Importantly, we observed aberrant activation of the YAP/TAZ‐mTORC1‐ATF4 axis in the altered airway epithelium of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, including substantial emergence of DATPs and AT1 cells with severe pulmonary fibrosis. Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of mTORC1 activity suppresses lineage alteration and subepithelial fibrosis driven by YAP/TAZ activation, proposing a potential therapeutic target for human fibrotic lung diseases.     

Apoptin induces pyroptosis of colorectal cancer cells via the GSDME-dependent pathway

Apoptin is a small molecular weight protein encoded by the VP3 gene of chicken anemia virus (CAV). It can induce apoptosis of tumor cells and play anti-tumorigenic functions. In this study, we identified a time-dependent inhibitory role of apoptin on the viability of HCT116 cells. We also demonstrated that apoptin induces pyroptosis through cleaved caspase 3, and with a concomitant cleavage of gasdermin E (GSDME) rather than GSDMD. GSDME knockdown switched the apoptin-induced cell death from pyroptosis to apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the effect of apoptin on GSDME-dependent pyroptosis could be mitigated by caspase-3 and caspase-9 siRNA knockdown. Additionally, apoptin enhanced the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing aggregation of the mitochondrial membrane protein Tom20. Moreover, bax and cytochrome c were released to the activating caspase-9, eventually triggering pyroptosis. Therefore, GSDME mediates the apoptin-induced pyroptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Finally, using nude mice xenografted with HCT116 cells, we found that apoptin induces pyroptosis and significantly inhibits tumor growth. Based on this mechanism, apoptin may provide a new strategy for colorectal cancer therapy.     

Selective Laser Melting Molding of Individualized Femur Implant:Design,Process,Optimization

Efective Selective Laser Melting(SLM)molding methods for femur implant design and molding can improve femur implant surgerysucess rates and enhance patients quality of life.In this study,an individualized femur implant and individualized biological fixed-typefenur implant were designed using the parametric modeling method.The implants were then directly manufactured via SLM moldingtechnology as the forming process was carefuly analyzed.The results indicate that the proposed implant allows for favorable conjunctionof the reconstructed implant model with the surrounding bone tissues under the premise of a relatively small amount of bone-cutting.Theproposed implant also shows even pore distribution,good overall connectivity,relatively high bearing capacity,favorable overlappingbetween supports,and strong inter-pore connectivity.Only a small amount of powder adheres onto the surface and can be directly usedafter simple sand blasting and polishing.The comprehensive analyses of fenur implant modeling and molding methods given in this papermay provide a sound foundation for the design and direct manufacture of individualized femur implants in the future.     

NKG2D discriminates diverse ligands through selectively mechano‐regulated ligand conformational changes

Stimulatory immune receptor NKG2D binds diverse ligands to elicit differential anti‐tumor and anti‐virus immune responses. Two conflicting degeneracy recognition models based on static crystal structures and in‐solution binding affinities have been considered for almost two decades. Whether and how NKG2D recognizes and discriminates diverse ligands still remain unclear. Using live‐cell‐based single‐molecule biomechanical assay, we characterized the in situ binding kinetics of NKG2D interacting with different ligands in the absence or presence of mechanical force. We found that mechanical force application selectively prolonged NKG2D interaction lifetimes with the ligands MICA and MICB, but not with ULBPs, and that force‐strengthened binding is much more pronounced for MICA than for other ligands. We also integrated steered molecular dynamics simulations and mutagenesis to reveal force‐induced rotational conformational changes of MICA, involving formation of additional hydrogen bonds on its binding interface with NKG2D, impeding MICA dissociation under force. We further provided a kinetic triggering model to reveal that force‐dependent affinity determines NKG2D ligand discrimination and its downstream NK cell activation. Together, our results demonstrate that NKG2D has a discrimination power to recognize different ligands, which depends on selective mechanical force‐induced ligand conformational changes.     

Structural insights into the specific interaction between Geobacillus stearothermophilus tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase and antimicrobial Chuangxinmycin

The potential antimicrobial compound Chuangxinmycin (CXM) targets the tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. However, the specific steric recognition mode and interaction mechanism between CXM and TrpRS is unclear. Here, we studied this interaction using recombinant GsTrpRS from Geobacillus stearothermophilus by X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The crystal structure of the recombinant GsTrpRS in complex with CXM was experimentally determined to a resolution at 2.06 Å. After analysis using a complex-structure probe, MD simulations, and site-directed mutation verification through isothermal titration calorimetry, the interaction between CXM and GsTrpRS was determined to involve the key residues M129, D132, I133, and V141 of GsTrpRS. We further evaluated binding affinities between GsTrpRS WT/mutants and CXM; GsTrpRS was found to bind CXM through hydrogen bonds with D132 and hydrophobic interactions between the lipophilic tricyclic ring of CXM and M129, I133, and V141 in the substrate-binding pockets. This study elucidates the precise interaction mechanism between CXM and its target GsTrpRS at the molecular level and provides a theoretical foundation and guidance for the screening and rational design of more effective CXM analogs against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.