Assembly Model Research Articles

Coupling sensor to enzyme in the voltage sensing phosphatase

Voltage-sensing phosphatases (VSPs) dephosphorylate phosphoinositide (PIP) signaling lipids in response to membrane depolarization. VSPs possess an S4-containing voltage sensor domain (VSD), resembling that of voltage-gated cation channels, and a lipid phosphatase domain (PD). The mechanism by which voltage turns on enzyme activity is unclear. Structural analysis and modeling suggest several sites of VSD-PD interaction that could couple voltage sensing to catalysis. Voltage clamp fluorometry reveals voltage-driven rearrangements in three sites implicated earlier in enzyme activation—the VSD-PD linker, gating loop and R loop—as well as the N-terminal domain, which has not yet been explored. N-terminus mutations perturb both rearrangements in the other segments and enzyme activity. Our results provide a model for a dynamic assembly by which S4 controls the catalytic site.

Changes in the transcriptomic profile of cumulus cells under the influence of cumulus-oocytes complex pre-incubation

Pre-incubation of the cumulus-oocyte complex (COCs) may lead to better function of cumulus cells (CCs) and higher oocyte quality by changing the transcriptomic profile of CCs. 140 cumulus cell samples were isolated from 12 participants and divided into two groups based on pre-incubation time. In the T0 group, the COCs were immediately dissected to separate the CCs from around the oocytes. In the T2 group, CCs were prepared after 2 h of incubation. Then, the transcriptomic profile of the CCs of the non pre-incubation group was compared to the 2-h pre-incubation group. Confirmation of RNA sequencing results was done via qRT‑PCR. The CCs transcriptome analysis showed 17 genes were downregulated and 22 genes upregulated in the T2 group compared to the T0 group. Also, the pathways related to ATP production (oxidative phosphorylation, electron transport chain, and Mitochondrial complex I assembly model OXPHOS system), TNF-alpha signaling pathway, and glucocorticoid receptor pathway increased in the T2 group compared to the T0 group. Also, the TGF-β pathway was decreased in the T2 group compared to the T0 group. This study showed that 2 h pre-incubation leads to changes in important pathways in CCs, which positively affects oocyte quality.

BCC0 collaborates with IMC32 and IMC43 to form the Toxoplasma gondii essential daughter bud assembly complex.

Toxoplasma gondii divides by endodyogeny, in which two daughter buds are formed within the cytoplasm of the maternal cell using the inner membrane complex (IMC) as a scaffold. During endodyogeny, components of the IMC are synthesized and added sequentially to the nascent daughter buds in a tightly regulated manner. We previously showed that the early recruiting proteins IMC32 and IMC43 form an essential daughter bud assembly complex which lays the foundation of the daughter cell scaffold in T. gondii. In this study, we identify the essential, early recruiting IMC protein BCC0 as a third member of this complex by using IMC32 as bait in both proximity labeling and yeast two-hybrid screens. We demonstrate that BCC0's localization to daughter buds depends on the presence of both IMC32 and IMC43. Deletion analyses and functional complementation studies reveal that residues 701-877 of BCC0 are essential for both its localization and function and that residues 1-899 are sufficient for function despite minor mislocalization. Pairwise yeast two-hybrid assays additionally demonstrate that BCC0's essential domain binds to the coiled-coil region of IMC32 and that BCC0 and IMC43 do not directly interact. This data supports a model for complex assembly in which an IMC32-BCC0 subcomplex initially recruits to nascent buds via palmitoylation of IMC32 and is locked into the scaffold once bud elongation begins by IMC32 binding to IMC43. Together, this study dissects the organization and function of a complex of three early recruiting daughter proteins which are essential for the proper assembly of the IMC during endodyogeny.

Fretting fatigue in dovetail assembly and bridge-flat model: Verification of a life prediction model based on stress gradient

The dovetail assembly and the bridge-flat model are two typical fretting fatigue tests. This article concentrates on the fretting fatigue of the dovetail assembly, utilizing a sub-scaled specimen tested under cyclic loading. Simultaneously, fretting tests on the bridge-flat and combined high and low cycle fatigue tests on the dovetail assembly were conducted. These tests were analyzed in conjunction with the dovetail assembly to understand the stress state characteristics in the contact region. The results from both tests and finite element analysis highlight that fretting leads to a significant reduction in fatigue life, primarily attributed to stress concentration at the edges of the contact area. Building upon the method of stress gradient correction, a life prediction model for fretting fatigue is proposed, demonstrating good accuracy in predicting fretting fatigue life.

Tips and Tricks in the Modeling of Supramolecular Peptide Assemblies.

Supramolecular peptide assemblies (SPAs) hold promise as materials for nanotechnology and biomedicine. Although their investigation often entails adapting experimental techniques from their protein counterparts, SPAs are fundamentally distinct from proteins, posing unique challenges for their study. Computational methods have emerged as indispensable tools for gaining deeper insights into SPA structures at the molecular level, surpassing the limitations of experimental techniques, and as screening tools to reduce the experimental search space. However, computational studies have grappled with issues stemming from the absence of standardized procedures and relevant crystal structures. Fundamental disparities between SPAs and protein simulations, such as the absence of experimentally validated initial structures and the importance of the simulation size, number of molecules, and concentration, have compounded these challenges. Understanding the roles of various parameters and the capabilities of different models and simulation setups remains an ongoing endeavor. In this review, we aim to provide readers with guidance on the parameters to consider when conducting SPA simulations, elucidating their potential impact on outcomes and validity.

Analytical Post-Embedding Immunogold-Electron Microscopy with Direct Gold-Labelled Monoclonal Primary Antibodies against RIBEYE A- and B-Domain Suggests a Refined Model of Synaptic Ribbon Assembly.

Synaptic ribbons are the eponymous specializations of continuously active ribbon synapses. They are primarily composed of the RIBEYE protein that consists of a unique amino-terminal A-domain and carboxy-terminal B-domain that is largely identical to the ubiquitously expressed transcriptional regulator protein CtBP2. Both RIBEYE A-domain and RIBEYE B-domain are essential for the assembly of the synaptic ribbon, as shown by previous analyses of RIBEYE knockout and knockin mice and related investigations. How exactly the synaptic ribbon is assembled from RIBEYE subunits is not yet clear. To achieve further insights into the architecture of the synaptic ribbon, we performed analytical post-embedding immunogold-electron microscopy with direct gold-labelled primary antibodies against RIBEYE A-domain and RIBEYE B-domain for improved ultrastructural resolution. With direct gold-labelled monoclonal antibodies against RIBEYE A-domain and RIBEYE B-domain, we found that both domains show a very similar localization within the synaptic ribbon of mouse photoreceptor synapses, with no obvious differential gradient between the centre and surface of the synaptic ribbon. These data favour a model of the architecture of the synaptic ribbon in which the RIBEYE A-domain and RIBEYE B-domain are located similar distances from the midline of the synaptic ribbon.

A colloidal model for the equilibrium assembly and liquid-liquid phase separation of the reflectin A1 protein

Reflectin is an intrinsically disordered protein known for its ability to modulate the biophotonic camouflage of cephalopods based on its assembly-induced osmotic properties. Its reversible self-assembly into discrete, size-controlled clusters and condensed droplets are known to depend sensitively on the net protein charge, making reflectin stimuli-responsive to pH, phosphorylation, and electric fields. Despite considerable efforts to characterize this behavior, the detailed physical mechanisms of reflectin’s assembly are not yet fully understood. Here, we pursue a coarse-grained molecular understanding of reflectin assembly using a combination of experiments and simulations. We hypothesize that reflectin assembly and phase behavior can be explained from a remarkably simple colloidal model whereby individual protein monomers effectively interact via a short-range attractive and long-range repulsive (SA-LR) pair potential. We parameterize a coarse-grained SA-LR interaction potential for reflectin A1 from small-angle x-ray scattering measurements, and then extend it to a range of pH values using Gouy-Chapman theory to model monomer-monomer electrostatic interactions. The pH-dependent SA-LR interaction is then used in molecular dynamics simulations of reflectin assembly, which successfully capture a number of qualitative features of reflectin, including pH-dependent formation of discrete-sized nanoclusters and liquid-liquid phase separation at high pH, resulting in a putative phase diagram for reflectin. Importantly, we find that at low pH size-controlled reflectin clusters are equilibrium assemblies, which dynamically exchange protein monomers to maintain an equilibrium size distribution. These findings provide a mechanistic understanding of the equilibrium assembly of reflectin, and suggest that colloidal-scale models capture key driving forces and interactions to explain thermodynamic aspects of native reflectin behavior. Furthermore, the success of SA-LR interactions presented in this study demonstrates the potential of a colloidal interpretation of interactions and phenomena in a range of intrinsically disordered proteins.

Evolving Prefigurative Politics in an Intentional Community: The Auroville Citizens’ Assembly Pilot

In this paper we explore how a Citizens’ Assembly project in Auroville – the largest intentional community in the world – sought to prefigure new practices in collective decision-making. A Citizens’ Assembly model is a democratic innovation that enacts a deliberative mode of political decision-making by everyday citizens. It has been used by diverse bodies, from social movements to nation-state governments around the world. Auroville’s 2021 Citizens’ Assembly pilot – concerning a water vision for Auroville – is a unique case study that enables us to make a distinctive contribution to the existing academic scholarship concerning Citizens’ Assemblies and prefigurative politics on two grounds. Firstly, Auroville is an intentional community shaped by specific spiritual and self-governance values – an uncommon setting for a Citizens’ Assembly that supports us to make specific empirical offerings not seen in the literature on Citizens’ Assemblies to date. Secondly, given that Auroville’s pilot Citizens’ Assembly sought to prefigure the community’s foundational ideals of “human unity” and “unending education” in its collective decision-making practice, we connect our analysis to the academic scholarship concerning prefigurative politics. In doing so, we uniquely draw together the scholarship concerning Citizens’ Assemblies and the literature concerning prefigurative politics to explore whether such democratic innovations have a transformative effect on the political contexts they are embedded in, which we freshly consider with a focus on local scale, and the role that institutionalisation might have in terms of ensuring the reproduction, and thereby lasting impact of such experiments, or conversely their nullification.

Research on the mechanism of acoustic radiation characteristics of granular assemblies

To study the acoustic radiation characteristics of forced vibration of granular assemblies, the acoustic radiation model of a single particle and the acoustic radiation model of granular assemblies are established. Combined with experimental verification, the variation law of radiated sound power in the process of forced vibration of granular assemblies is studied. The effects of vibration characteristics, material characteristics, mass characteristics, and distance characteristics on the acoustic radiation of forced vibration of granular assemblies are explored. The radiation range of radiated ultrasound in the process of forced vibration of granular assemblies is analyzed. The research results show that under the condition of forced vibration, the radiated sound power of the granular assemblies is obvious. The internal vibration of the granular assemblies will cause the granular particles to radiate the sound power of multiple frequencies outward. The granular particles will produce obvious ultrasonic sound power in the violent vibration state. The frequency of the sound wave will generally have a significant attenuation effect at 10 cm. Considering the relevant experimental research and engineering application of granular materials, the ultrasonic radiation characteristics should be analyzed to avoid the influence of ultrasonic radiation caused by its severe vibration.

Simulation and experimental benchmarking of a proton pencil beam scanning nozzle model for development of MR-integrated proton therapy.

MR-integrated proton therapy is under development. It consists of the unique challenge of integrating a proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) beam line nozzle with an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The magnetic interaction between these two components is deemed high risk as the MR images can be degraded if there is cross-talk during beam delivery and imageacquisition. To create and benchmark a self-consistent proton PBS nozzle model for empowering the next stages of MR-integrated proton therapy development, namely exploring and de-risking complete integrated prototype system designs including magnetic shielding of the PBS nozzle. Magnetic field (COMSOL ) and radiation transport (Geant4) models of a proton PBS nozzle located at OncoRay (Dresden, Germany) were developed according to the manufacturers specifications. Geant4 simulations of the PBS process were performed by using magnetic field data generated by the COMSOL simulations. In total 315 spots were simulated which consisted of a scan pattern with 5cm spot spacings and for proton energies of 70, 100, 150, 200, and 220MeV. Analysis of the simulated deflection at the beam isocenter plane was performed to determine the self-consistency of the model. The magnetic fringe field from a sub selection of 24 of the 315 spot simulations were directly compared with high precision magnetometer measurements. These focused on the maximum scanning setting of 20cm beam deflection as generated from the second scanning magnet in the PBS for a proton beam energy of 220MeV. Locations along the beam line central axis (CAX) were measured at beam isocenter and downstream of 22, 47, 72, 97, and 122cm. Horizontal off-axis positions were measured at 22cm downstream of isocenter ( 50, 100, and 150cm from CAX). The proton PBS simulations had good spatial agreement to the theoretical values in all 315 spots examined at the beam line isocenter plane (0-2.9mm differences or within 1.5% of the local spot deflection amount). Careful analysis of the experimental measurements were able to isolate the changes in magnetic fields due solely to the scanning magnet contribution, and showed 1.9 1.2 -9.4 1.2 changes over the range of measurement locations. Direct comparison with the equivalent simulations matched within the measurement apparatus and setup uncertainty in all but one measurementpoint. For the first time a robust, accurate and self-consistent model of a proton PBS nozzle assembly has been created and successfully benchmarked for the purposes of advancing MR-integrated proton therapy research. The model will enable confidence in further simulation based work on fully integrated designs including MRI scanners and PBS nozzle magnetic shielding in order to de-risk and realize the full potential of MR-integrated proton therapy.

Experimental, analytical, and numerical quantification of the Marangoni effect in static refractory finger test

This study investigated the local corrosion of alumina and magnesia refractory in CaO–Al2O3–SiO2–MgO slag due to the Marangoni effect, which is a key factor for localized wear in different industrial processes, using experimental, analytical, and numerical approaches. The objective is to explore the Marangoni effect using computational fluid dynamics simulation aiming to provide insights into the dominant slag flow patterns influencing refractory corrosion and to determine whether the observed corrosion groove can be attributed solely to the Marangoni effect. Static finger tests were conducted at temperatures of 1500 and 1550 °C employing a continuous wear testing device. A two-dimensional axisymmetrical section model of the test assembly was created, incorporating concentration-dependent surface tension gradients and surface tension forces to replicate the Marangoni flow. As the surface-tension simulation required time steps in the order of 10−5 s, modeling up to the experimental time scale cannot be realized. Consequently, the simulation outcomes were extrapolated to anticipate the groove radii of the experimental corrosion steps. Corrosion rates were derived from measurements and analytical methodologies. Established analytical equations for corrosion under surface-tension-flows were adapted to enhance the accuracy of corrosion rate estimation. However, the analytical considerations yielded poor estimates. Meanwhile, the employed simulation model successfully generated plausible predictions of the Marangoni flow. Drawing from the extrapolated simulation outcomes, the projected groove radii exhibited a close correspondence to the measured values, demonstrating a relative error of approximately 3 %, 11 %, and 15 % for the magnesia system at 1500 °C and alumina systems at 1500 and 1550 °C, respectively. Taking into account the uncertainties inherent in the methodological approach, the disparities in the alumina values suggest the involvement of mechanisms beyond the Marangoni effect in the localized wear. Consequently, this study effectively clarifies the impact of the Marangoni effect on the local wear of the examined material systems.

Hub stability in the calcium calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

The calcium calmodulin protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a multi-subunit ring assembly with a central hub formed by the association domains. There is evidence for hub polymorphism between and within CaMKII isoforms, but the link between polymorphism and subunit exchange has not been resolved. Here, we present near-atomic resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures revealing that hubs from the α and β isoforms, either standalone or within an β holoenzyme, coexist as 12 and 14 subunit assemblies. Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy of Venus-tagged holoenzymes detects intermediate assemblies and progressive dimer loss due to intrinsic holoenzyme lability, and holoenzyme disassembly into dimers upon mutagenesis of a conserved inter-domain contact. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show the flexibility of 4-subunit precursors, extracted in-silico from the β hub polymorphs, encompassing the curvature of both polymorphs. The MD explains how an open hub structure also obtained from the β holoenzyme sample could be created by dimer loss and analysis of its cryo-EM dataset reveals how the gap could open further. An assembly model, considering dimer concentration dependence and strain differences between polymorphs, proposes a mechanism for intrinsic hub lability to fine-tune the stoichiometry of αβ heterooligomers for their dynamic localization within synapses in neurons.

Mode selection for component mode synthesis with guaranteed assembly accuracy

In this work, a modular approach is introduced to select the most important eigenmodes for each component of a composed structural dynamics system to obtain the required accuracy of the reduced-order assembly model. To enable the use of models of complex (structural) dynamical systems in engineering practice, e.g., in a design, optimization and/or control context, the complexity of the models needs to be reduced. When the model consist of an assembly of multiple interconnected structural components, component mode synthesis is often the preferred model reduction method. The standard approach to component mode synthesis for such system is to select the eigenmodes of a component that are most important to accurately model the dynamic behaviour of this component in a certain frequency range of interest. However, often, a more relevant goal is to obtain, in this frequency range, an accurate model of the assembly. In the proposed approach, accuracy requirements on the level of the assembly are translated to accuracy requirements on component level, by employing techniques from the field of systems and control. With these component-level requirements, the eigenmodes that are most important to accurately model the dynamic behaviour of the assembly can be selected in a modular fashion. We demonstrate with two structural dynamics benchmark systems that this method based on assembly accuracy allows for a computationally efficient selection of eigenmodes that (1) guarantees satisfaction of the assembly accuracy requirements and (2) results in most cases in reduced-order models of significantly lower order with respect to the industrial standard approach in which component eigenmodes are selected using a frequency criterion.

Thermal analysis for evaluating the required cooling time of the emergency plan exemption for the Maanshan PWR units

The Maanshan plant is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2025. Taiwan Power Company, the owner of the plant, plans to apply exemption from the emergency plan (EP) while the plant is in decommissioning. One requirement for this exemption is that the fuel rod peak cladding temperature (PCT) must be below 565 °C for the postulated complete loss-of-coolant accident in the spent fuel pool (SFP), assuming cooled by air only. In this study, accident analysis models for the Maanshan SFP are developed. First, the decay heat power is calculated based on the specified cooling time. Second, air temperature entering the fuel assemblies is calculated using GOTHIC code, and then is provided as a boundary condition to the following PCT calculation. Finally, the PCT is calculated from the assembly model using Ansys Fluent code. The specified cooling time is acceptable or not is determined by the criterion that whether the PCT is below the limit. With the cooling time of 54 months, the calculated PCT is about 537 °C. Thus, the shortest cooling time allowed for applying EP exemption would be 54 months for the Maanshan units, which is much longer than that of the reference plants. This is because all the spent fuel assemblies are still stored in the SFP, resulting in a higher total decay power. A suggestion of removing the spent fuel assemblies to the dry storage facility is proposed if the Maanshan plant intends to apply the EP exemption while the plant is in decommissioning.

Research on thermodynamic modeling and temperature prediction of double flapper-nozzle servo valves

The thermal characteristic design of the aerospace servo valve is of significant importance due to the high temperature operating conditions. This paper aims to study the law of temperature variation of the internal chambers and shell of the servo valve while it is driven dynamically, in order to ensure that the components inside the servo valve work within an acceptable temperature range and avoid failure. This paper establishes thermodynamic models of the nozzle flapper assembly and the spool valve, as well as the whole servo valve, using the control volume method. The models consider the throttling heating generation of each throttling component in the servo valve and heat exchange between the shell and air. Based on these models, the temperature curves of the shell and oil in each chamber in the servo valve are simulated and analyzed, given a specified input signal. Finally, a test is conducted, and the results demonstrate that the temperature curve trend obtained through simulation and test is reasonable and more accurately reflects the internal temperature characteristics of servo valves. This research provides a reference for further studies on the internal heating mechanism of servo valves and the fault diagnosis of servo valves at high temperatures.

Transcription templated assembly of the nucleolus in the C. elegans embryo.

The nucleolus is a multicomponent structure made of RNA and proteins that serves as the site of ribosome biogenesis within the nucleus. It has been extensively studied as a prototype of a biomolecular condensate whose assembly is driven by phase separation. While the steady-state size of the nucleolus is quantitatively accounted for by the thermodynamics of phase separation, we show that experimental measurements of the assembly dynamics are inconsistent with a simple model of a phase-separating system relaxing to its equilibrium state. Instead, we show that the dynamics are well described by a model in which the transcription of ribosomal RNA actively drives nucleolar assembly. We find that our model of active transcription-templated assembly quantitatively accounts for the rapid kinetics observed in early embryos at different developmental stages, and for different RNAi perturbations of embryo size. Our model predicts a scaling of the time to assembly with the volume of the nucleus to the one-third power, which is confirmed by experimental data. Our study highlights the role of active processes such as transcription in controlling the placement and timing of assembly of membraneless organelles.

Origami of multi-layered spaced sheets

Two-dimensional (2D) origami tessellations such as the Miura-ori are often generalized to build three-dimensional (3D) architected materials with sandwich or cellular structures. However, such 3D blocks are densely packed with continuity of the internal material, while for many engineering structures with multi-physical functionality, it is necessary to have thin sheets that are separately spaced and sparsely connected. This work presents a framework for the design and analysis of multi-layered spaced origami, which provides an origami solution for 3D structures where multiple flat sheets are intentionally spaced apart. We connect Miura-ori sheets with sparsely installed thin-sheet parallelogram-like linkages. To explore how this connectivity approach affects the behavior of the origami system, we model the rigid-folding kinematics using analytic trigonometry and rigid-body transformations, and we characterize the elastic-folding mechanics by generalizing a reduced order bar and hinge model for these 3D assemblies. The orientation of the linkages in the multi-layered spaced origami determines which of three folding paths the system will follow including a flat foldable type, a self-locking type, and a double-branch type. When the origami is flat foldable, a maximized packing ratio and a uniform in-plane shear stiffness can be achieved by strategically choosing the link orientation. We show possible applications by demonstrating how the multi-layered spaced origami can be used to build deployable acoustic cloaks and heat shields.

High-efficiency triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion microemulsion with facile preparation and decent air tolerance.

Current research of triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) faces difficulty such as overuse of organic solvents and quenching of excited triplet sensitizers by molecular oxygen. Herein, we propose an efficient and facile preparation strategy of TTA-UC microemulsion to overcome these issues. With simple device and short preparation process, air-stable TTA-UC with a high upconversion efficiency of 16.52% was achieved in microemulsion coassembled from TritonX114, tetrahydrofuran and upconverting chromophores (platinum octaethyl-porphyrin and 9,10-diphenylanthracene). This is comparable to the highest UC efficiency ever reported for TTA-UC microemulsion systems. The excellent UC performance of TX114-THF could be attributed to two perspectives. Firstly, small-size micelle accommodated chromophores up to high concentrations in organic phase, which promoted efficient molecular collision. Additionally, high absorbance at 532nm ensured full use of excitation light, getting more long wavelength photons involved in the TTA-UC process. Moreover, air-stable TTA-UC also performed well in microemulsion with various surfactants, including nonionic surfactants (Tween 20, Tween 80, Triton X-110, Triton X-114), ionic surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulfate, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide) and block copolymers (pluronic F127, pluronic P123), through three conjectural assembly models according to the structural characteristics of surfactant molecules (concentrated, uncompacted and scattered). These discoveries could provide estimable reference for selection of surfactants in relevant fields of TTA-UC.

The molecular architecture of Lactobacillus S-layer: Assembly and attachment to teichoic acids

S-layers are crystalline arrays found on bacterial and archaeal cells. Lactobacillus is a diverse family of bacteria known especially for potential gut health benefits. This study focuses on the S-layer proteins from Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus amylovorus common in the mammalian gut. Atomic resolution structures of Lactobacillus S-layer proteins SlpA and SlpX exhibit domain swapping, and the obtained assembly model of the main S-layer protein SlpA aligns well with prior electron microscopy and mutagenesis data. The S-layer's pore size suggests a protective role, with charged areas aiding adhesion. A highly similar domain organization and interaction network are observed across the Lactobacillus genus. Interaction studies revealed conserved binding areas specific for attachment to teichoic acids. The structure of the SlpA S-layer and the suggested incorporation of SlpX as well as its interaction with teichoic acids lay the foundation for deciphering its role in immune responses and for developing effective treatments for a variety of infectious and bacteria-mediated inflammation processes, opening opportunities for targeted engineering of the S-layer or lactobacilli bacteria in general.

Variation of the stellar initial mass function in semi-analytical models

Context. In our previous work, we derived the CR-IGIMF, which is a new scenario for a variable stellar initial mass function (IMF) that combines numerical results on the role played by cosmic rays (CR) in setting the thermal state of star-forming gas with the analytical approach of the integrated galaxy-wide IMF (IGIMF). Aims. In this work, we study the implications of this scenario for the properties of local early-type galaxies (ETG) as inferred from dynamical, photometric, and spectroscopic studies. Methods. We implemented a library of CR-IGIMF shapes in the framework of the galaxy evolution and assembly (GAEA) model. GAEA provides predictions for the physical and photometric properties of model galaxies and for their chemical composition. Our realization includes a self-consistent derivation of the synthetic spectral energy distribution for each model galaxy, which allows a direct derivation of the mass fraction in the mean IMF of low-mass stars (i.e., the dwarf-to-giant ratio, fdg) and a comparison with IMF-sensitive spectral features. Results. The predictions of the GAEA model implementing the CR-IGIMF confirm our previous findings: It correctly reproduces both the observed excess of z ∼ 0 dynamical mass (mass-to-light ratio) with respect to spectroscopic (photometric) estimates assuming a universal MW-like IMF, and the observed increase in [α/Fe] ratios with stellar mass in spheroidal galaxies. Moreover, this realization reproduces the increasing trends of fdg and IMF-sensitive line strengths with velocity dispersion, although the predicted relations are significantly shallower than the observed ones. Conclusions. Our results show that the CR-IGIMF is a promising scenario that reproduces at the same time dynamical, photometric, and spectroscopic indications of a varying IMF in local ETGs. The shallow relations found for spectral indices suggest that either a stronger variability as a function of galaxy properties or additional dependences (e.g., as a function of star forming gas metallicity) might be required to match the strength of the observed trends.