Close Association Research Articles

The adaptation of bumblebees to extremely high elevation associated with their gut microbiota.

Bumblebees are among the most abundant and important pollinators for sub-alpine and alpine flowering plant species in the Northern Hemisphere, but little is known about their adaptations to high elevations. In this article, we focused on two bumblebee species, Bombus friseanus and Bombus prshewalskyi, and their respective gut microbiota. The two species, distributed through the Hengduan Mountains of southwestern China, show species replacement at different elevations. We performed genome sequencing based on 20 worker bee samples of each species. Applying evolutionary population genetics and metagenomic approaches, we detected genes under selection and analyzed functional pathways between bumblebees and their gut microbes. We found clear genetic differentiation between the two host species and significant differences in their microbiota. Species replacement occurred in both hosts and their bacteria (Snodgrassella) with an increase in elevation. These extremely high-elevation bumblebees show evidence of positive selection related to diverse biological processes. Positively selected genes involved in host immune systems probably contributed to gut microbiota changes, while the butyrate generated by gut microbiota may influence both host energy metabolism and immune systems. This suggests a close association between the genomes of the host species and their microbiomes based on some degree of natural selection.IMPORTANCETwo closely related and dominant bumblebee species, distributed at different elevations through the Hengduan Mountains of southwestern China, showed a clear genomic signature of adaptation to elevation at the molecular level and significant differences in their respective microbiota. Species replacement occurred in both hosts and their bacteria (Snodgrassella) with an increase in elevation. Bumblebees' adaptations to higher elevations are closely associated with their gut microbiota through two biological processes: energy metabolism and immune response. Information allowing us to understand the adaptive mechanisms of species to extreme conditions is implicit if we are to conserve them as their environments change.

Bedtime routines in Greek families: characteristics, barriers, and facilitators for establishing and maintaining optimal routines

BackgroundBedtime routines are amongst the most common, recurrent family activities with close associations for child health, development and wellbeing especially sleep. Despite the importance of bedtime routines, no previous study has examined them within the context of a Greek family.MethodA mixed methods, stepped approach was used in this study. A cross-sectional study examined the prevalence and characteristics of bedtime routines (PRE) in families with young children and explored associations with parental mood (POMS) and child's sleep (CSHQ). A qualitative study using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) examined barriers and facilitators for achieving optimal routines.ResultsTotal of 54 parents with a mean age of 35.9 (SD = 5.95) completed the cross-sectional study while 20 parents participated in the interviews. There were strong positive correlations between total scores on the POMS and total scores on the CSHQ r = 0.482, p < 0.001 and strong negative correlation between total scores on the POMS and total scores on the PRE, r = −0.308, p = 0.023. In terms of barriers and facilitators, social desirability, social comparison, environmental factors and resistance from children were amongst the most common barriers to establishing a good bedtime routine.ConclusionBedtime routines are highly prevalent in Greek families with the quality of those routines varying between households. Addressing common barriers in achieving better bedtime routines could help families benefit in the short and long-term.

Effects of streamwise rotation on helicity and vortex in channel turbulence

Helicity plays a key role in the evolution of vortex structures and turbulent dynamics. The helicity dynamics and vortex structures in streamwise-rotating channel turbulence are discussed in this paper using the helicity budget equation and the differentiated second-order structure function equation of helicity. Generally, rotation and Reynolds numbers exhibit opposing effects on the interscale helicity dynamics and the vortices. Under the buffer layer, the positions of the helicity peaks are proportional to the ratio between the Reynolds and rotation numbers. The mechanism is related to the opposing effects of convection and rotation. Rotation directly affects the helicity balance through the Coriolis term and corresponding pressure term. In the buffer layer, the scale helicity is negative at small scales but positive at large scales, which is mainly induced by the spatial effects (the production and the spatial turbulent convection) but reduced by interscale cascades. Examination of structures reveals the close association between scale helicity and streaks, with streak lift angles exhibiting an increase with rotation and a decrease with Reynolds numbers. In the log-law layer, the Coriolis terms and corresponding pressure terms are proportional to the rotation numbers but remain independent of the Reynolds numbers. The negative scale helicity is forward cascaded towards small scales. Generally, spanwise vortices in the log-law layer are related to sweep events and forward cascades. Our findings indicate that these spanwise vortices are suppressed by rotation but recover with increasing Reynolds numbers, aligning with the effects observed in the scale helicity balance.

Satellite Cell-Derived Exosomes: A Novel Approach to Alleviate Skeletal Muscle Atrophy and Fibrosis.

Skeletal muscle atrophy coincides with extensive fibrous tissue hyperplasia in muscle-atrophied patients, and fibrous tissue plays a vital role in skeletal muscle function and hinders muscle fiber regeneration. However, effective drugs to manage skeletal muscle atrophy and fibrosis remain elusive. This study isolated and characterized exosomes derived from skeletal muscle satellite cells (MuSC-Exo). The study investigated their effects on denervated skeletal muscle atrophy and fibrosis in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats via intramuscular injection. MuSC-Exo demonstrated the potential to alleviate skeletal muscle atrophy and fibrosis. The underlying mechanism using single-cell RNA sequencing data and functional analysis are analyzed. Mechanistic studies reveal close associations between fibroblasts and myoblasts, with the transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)-Smad3-Pax7 axis governing fibroblast activation in atrophic skeletal muscle. MuSC-Exo intervention inhibited the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway and improved muscle atrophy and fibrosis. In conclusion, MuSC-Exo-based therapy may represent a novel strategy to alleviate skeletal muscle atrophy and reduce excessive fibrotic tissue by targeting Pax7 through the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway.

Functional and Transcriptome Analysis Reveal Specific Roles of Dimocarpus longan DlRan3A and DlRan3B in Root Hair Development, Reproductive Growth, and Stress Tolerance.

Ran GTPases play essential roles in plant growth and development. Our previous studies revealed the nuclear localization of DlRan3A and DlRan3B proteins and proposed their functional redundancy and distinction in Dimocarpus longan somatic embryogenesis, hormone, and abiotic stress responses. To further explore the possible roles of DlRan3A and DlRan3B, gene expression analysis by qPCR showed that their transcripts were both more abundant in the early embryo and pulp in longan. Heterologous expression of DlRan3A driven by its own previously cloned promoter led to stunted growth, increased root hair density, abnormal fruits, bigger seeds, and enhanced abiotic stress tolerance. Conversely, constitutive promoter CaMV 35S (35S)-driven expression of DlRan3A, 35S, or DlRan3B promoter-controlled expression of DlRan3B did not induce the alterations in growth phenotype, while they rendered different hypersensitivities to abiotic stresses. Based on the transcriptome profiling of longan Ran overexpression in tobacco plants, we propose new mechanisms of the Ran-mediated regulation of genes associated with cell wall biosynthesis and expansion. Also, the transgenic plants expressing DlRan3A or DlRan3B genes controlled by 35S or by their own promoter all exhibited altered mRNA levels of stress-related and transcription factor genes. Moreover, DlRan3A overexpressors were more tolerant to salinity, osmotic, and heat stresses, accompanied by upregulation of oxidation-related genes, possibly involving the Ran-RBOH-CIPK network. Analysis of a subset of selected genes from the Ran transcriptome identified possible cold stress-related roles of brassinosteroid (BR)-responsive genes. The marked presence of genes related to cell wall biosynthesis and expansion, hormone, and defense responses highlighted their close regulatory association with Ran.

Effect of childhood maltreatment on internet addiction among college students: The mediators of social support and self-esteem

Many studies have determined the existence of a close association between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction; however, the internal mechanism has not been fully investigated. This study explored the effect of childhood maltreatment on internet addiction among college students, focusing on the mediating effects of social support and self-esteem. Respondents were 442 college students, who completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Internet Addiction Test. Results showed that childhood maltreatment, social support, and self-esteem were all significantly correlated with internet addiction. Structural equation modeling results indicated that social support and self-esteem partially mediated the effect of childhood maltreatment on internet addiction. Limitations and implications of the current study are discussed.

Both high and low dispersal? Apparently contradictory genetic patterns in the Antarctic littorinid gastropod Laevilacunaria antarctica

How the near-shore marine benthic communities survived Quaternary glaciations in Antarctica is a major question for Southern Ocean biogeographers. Several hypotheses that consider life-history traits, such as bathymetric ranges and developmental modes, have been proposed. Near-shore species with high dispersive potential are expected to show star-like genealogies, with broadly distributed haplotypes surrounded by closely related variants at low frequencies, a consequence of rapid population post-glacial expansion mediated by larvae. By contrast, shallow-water taxa with low dispersal potential are expected to evidence marked genetic structure or even consist of separate cryptic species, due to their survival in small refugial populations subject to repeated bottlenecks. In this study we performed phylogeographic analyses on the high-latitude littorinid Laevilacunaria antarctica across its distribution from maritime Antarctica to South Georgia. This species is a highly abundant near-shore gastropod, commonly found on macroalgae, with low autonomous vagility and exhibits benthic protected development with no free-living dispersive stages. Such characteristics make this species a suitable model to test the above hypotheses. Contrary to low dispersal potential predictions, L. antarctica comprises a single unstructured unit across its distribution in maritime Antarctica, exhibiting a typical high-dispersal star-like, short-branched genealogy centered on a dominant broadly distributed haplotype. The South Georgia population, however, consists of a separate genetic unit, strongly differentiated from those of the maritime Antarctic. We estimate that these two genetic groups separated ~1.2 My, long before the Last Glacial Maximum and evolved independently in these areas. Our results thus provide partial support for the expected pattern for a near-shore marine benthic species with low innate dispersive potential. On a wider geographic scale (maritime Antarctica vs South Georgia), our results in L. antarctica provide support for the expected pattern for a near-shore marine benthic species with low innate dispersive potential. However, on a narrower scale (maritime Antarctica) life-history characters including the close association of the species with macroalgae, would allow dispersal and a species with low dispersal potential exhibits paradoxically an absence of genetic structure across hundreds of kilometers probably mediated by rafting.

What caused large ozone variabilities in three megacity clusters in eastern China during 2015–2020?

Abstract. Due to a robust emission control policy, significant reductions in major air pollutants, such as PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and CO, were observed in China between 2015 and 2020. On the other hand, during the same period, there was a notable increase in ozone (O3) concentrations, making it a prominent air pollutant in eastern China. The annual mean concentration of maximum daily 8 h average (MDA8) O3 exhibited alarming linear increases of 2.4, 1.1, and 2.0 ppb yr−1 (ppb is for parts per billion) in three megacity clusters: Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH), the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and the Pearl River Delta (PRD), respectively. Meanwhile, there was a significant 3-fold increase in the number of O3-exceeding days, defined as MDA8 O3 > 75 ppb. Our analysis indicated that the upward increases in the annual mean concentration of MDA8 were primarily driven by the rise in consecutive O3-exceeding days. There were expansions of high O3 in urban centers to rural areas accompanied by a saturation effect so that MDA8 O3 concentrations at the high-O3 stations in 2015 remained nearly constant at 100 ppb. Last, we found a close association between O3 episodes with 4 or more consecutive O3-exceeding days and the position and strength of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the northwest Pacific and the West Pacific subtropical high (WPSH). The TC and WPSH contributed to meteorological conditions characterized by clear skies, subsiding air motion, high vertical stability in the lower troposphere, increased solar radiation, and a positive temperature anomaly at the surface. These favorable meteorological conditions greatly facilitated the formation of O3. Thus, we propose that the worsening O3 increases observed in the BTH, YRD, and PRD regions from 2015 to 2020 can be mostly attributed to enhanced photochemical O3 production resulting from an increased occurrence of meteorological conditions with high solar radiation and positive temperature anomalies under the influence of the WPSH and TCs.

Endolysosomal trafficking controls yolk granule biogenesis in vitellogenic Drosophila oocytes.

Endocytosis and endolysosomal trafficking are essential for almost all aspects of physiological functions of eukaryotic cells. As our understanding on these membrane trafficking events are mostly from studies in yeast and cultured mammalian cells, one challenge is to systematically evaluate the findings from these cell-based studies in multicellular organisms under physiological settings. One potentially valuable in vivo system to address this challenge is the vitellogenic oocyte in Drosophila, which undergoes extensive endocytosis by Yolkless (Yl), a low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), to uptake extracellular lipoproteins into oocytes and package them into a specialized lysosome, the yolk granule, for storage and usage during later development. However, by now there is still a lack of sufficient understanding on the molecular and cellular processes that control yolk granule biogenesis. Here, by creating genome-tagging lines for Yl receptor and analyzing its distribution in vitellogenic oocytes, we observed a close association of different endosomal structures with distinct phosphoinositides and actin cytoskeleton dynamics. We further showed that Rab5 and Rab11, but surprisingly not Rab4 and Rab7, are essential for yolk granules biogenesis. Instead, we uncovered evidence for a potential role of Rab7 in actin regulation and observed a notable overlap of Rab4 and Rab7, two Rab GTPases that have long been proposed to have distinct spatial distribution and functional roles during endolysosomal trafficking. Through a small-scale RNA interference (RNAi) screen on a set of reported Rab5 effectors, we showed that yolk granule biogenesis largely follows the canonical endolysosomal trafficking and maturation processes. Further, the data suggest that the RAVE/V-ATPase complexes function upstream of or in parallel with Rab7, and are involved in earlier stages of endosomal trafficking events. Together, our study provides s novel insights into endolysosomal pathways and establishes vitellogenic oocyte in Drosophila as an excellent in vivo model for dissecting the highly complex membrane trafficking events in metazoan.

Spiritual meal, identity and community in Bohemia 1400–1650: historical anthropology and the reformation of religious food and textual practices

ABSTRACT The article explores the early Bohemian reformation (Utraquism) as an alternative Central European project of church reform that has not been as closely connected with the Western European civilizational narrative as the Lutheran reformation. The authors build on cultural anthropological approaches and on the recent ‘material turn’. They draw attention to the close historical associations between holy food and holy texts and look into the reformation of religious food and textual practices. They explore how the chalice functioned as a symbol of inclusivity and collective identity and how this became manifest in material culture. The authors analyse innovations in chalice shape (lips and tubes) and provide evidence of private or family chalices, arguing that such chalices re-introduced elements of social hierarchy in the Utraquist communion. In relation to holy food, the authors also focus on fasting, distinguishing two main lines of discourse: 1) the continuation of the medieval religious discourse of gluttony; and 2) difficulties connected with observing fasting regulations north of the Alps. Finally, they point out that the Bohemian reformation lends itself to a study of changing symbols, as suggested by Peter Burke, and they explore the model-like process through which book(s) largely replaced chalice(s) as the main symbol(s) and source(s) of identity among reformed non-Catholic Christians in the new religious situation in Bohemia after 1620.

Ursonic acid attenuates spermatogenesis in oligozoospermia mice through inhibiting ferroptosis

Ursonic acid (UNA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpene found in some medicinal plants and foods. The reproductive protective effect of UNA was evaluated in a mouse model of oligozoospermia induced by busulfan (BUS) at 30 mg/kg b.w.. The mice were initially divided into groups with UNA concentrations of 10, 30, 50, 100 mg/kg. Subsequently, based on sperm parameters, the optimal concentration of 50 mg/kg was identified. As a control, an additional group was supplemented with ursolic acid at a concentration of 50 mg/kg. The results indicated that BUS caused the loss of spermatogenic cells in testis, the decrease of sperm in epididymis, the disorder of testicular cytoskeleton, the decrease of serum sex hormones such as testosterone which induced an increase in feedback of androgen receptor and other testosterone-related proteins, the increase of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species levels and the increase of ferroptosis in testis while UNA successfully reversed these injuries. High-throughput sequencing revealed that UNA administration significantly upregulated the expression of genes associated with spermatogenesis, such as Tnp1, Tnp2, Prm1, among others. These proteins are crucial in the histone to protamine transition during sperm chromatin remodeling. Network pharmacology analysis reveals a close association between UNA and proteins related to the transformation of histones to protamine. Molecular docking studies reveal that UNA can interact with the ferroptosis-inhibiting gene SLC7A11, thereby modulating ferroptosis. Taken together, UNA alleviated BUS-induced oligozoospermia by regulating hormone secretion, mitigating oxidative stress and promoting recovery of spermatogenesis by inhibiting the ferroptosis.

Primary Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumor/Carcinoid of the Prostate: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Primary well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor (WDNT)/carcinoid of the genitourinary tract is rare. Many WDNT reported in the prostate gland have been seen in close association with conventional prostatic adenocarcinoma and/or label for prostate-specific immunohistochemical markers and are best considered prostatic adenocarcinomas with "carcinoid-like" features. We present a case of primary WDNT/carcinoid incidentally detected in a 67-year-old man who underwent radical prostatectomy for Grade group 2 prostatic adenocarcinoma. Morphologically, the neuroendocrine (NE) lesion appeared distinct from the prostatic adenocarcinoma, labeled for NE markers, was negative for prostatic markers (NKX3.1, PSA, and ERG), and showed an overall low Ki-67 proliferation index (<1%). Follow-up was uneventful with no evidence of residual disease or metastasis.

Evidence for the gut-skin axis: Common genetic structures in inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and psoriasis (Ps) are common immune-mediated diseases that exhibit clinical comorbidity, possibly due to a common genetic structure. However, the exact mechanism remains unknown. The study population consisted of IBD and Ps genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. Genetic correlations were first evaluated. Then, the overall evaluation employed LD score regression (LDSC), while the local assessment utilized heritability estimation from summary statistics (HESS). Causality assessment was conducted through two-sample Mendelian randomization (2SMR), and genetic overlap analysis utilized the conditional false discovery rate/conjunctional FDR (cond/conjFDR) method. Finally, LDSC applied to specifically expressed genes (LDSC-SEG) was performed at the tissue level. For IBD and Ps-specific expressed genes, genetic correlation, causality, shared genetics, and trait-specific associated tissues were methodically examined. At the genomic level, both overall and local genetic correlations were found between IBD and Ps. MR analysis indicated a positive causal relationship between Ps and IBD. The conjFDR analysis with a threshold of<0.01 identified 43 loci shared between IBD and Ps. Subsequent investigations into disease-associated tissues indicated a close association of IBD and Ps with whole blood, lung, spleen, and EBV-transformed lymphocytes. The current research offers a novel perspective on the association between IBD and Ps. It contributes to an enhanced comprehension of the genetic structure and mechanisms of comorbidities in both diseases.

Screening of diagnostic biomarkers for ferroptosis-related osteoarthritis and construction of a risk-prognosis model

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent and commonly chronic joint disease that frequently develops among the elderly population. It is not just a single tissue that is affected, but rather a pathology involving the entire joint. Among them, synovitis is a key pathological change in OA. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of cell death that results from the buildup of lipid peroxidation. However, the role and impact of it in OA are yet to be explored. Objective: The key to this work is to uncover the mechanisms of ferroptosis-related OA pathogenesis and develop more novel diagnostic biomarkers to facilitate the diagnostic and therapeutic of OA. Materials and methods: Download ferroptosis-related genes and OA synovial chip datasets separately from the FerrDB and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Identify ferroptosis differentially expressed genes using R software, obtain the intersection genes through two machine learning algorithms, and obtain diagnostic biomarkers after logistic regression analysis. Verify the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of specific genes for OA through the construction of clinical risk prognostic models using ROC curves and nomogram. Simultaneously, correlations between specific genes and OA immune cell infiltration co-expression were constructed. Finally, verify the differential presentation of specific genes in OA and health control synovium. Results: Obtain 38 ferroptosis differentially expressed genes through screening. Based on machine learning algorithms and logistic regression analysis, select AGPS, BRD4, RBMS1, and EGR1 as diagnostic biomarker genes. The diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of the four specific genes for OA has been validated by ROC curves and nomogram of clinical risk prognostic models. The analysis of immune cell infiltration and correlation suggests a close association between specific genes and OA immune cell infiltration. Further revealing the diagnostic value of specific genes for OA by the differential presentation analysis of their differential presentation in synovial tissue from OA and health control. Conclusion: This study identified four diagnostic biomarkers for OA that are associated with iron death. The establishment of a risk-prognostic model is conducive to the premature diagnosis of OA, evaluating functional recovery during rehabilitation, and guidance for subsequent treatment.

RTCB deficiency triggers colitis in mice by influencing the NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways.

RNA terminal phosphorylase B (RTCB) has been shown to play a significant role in multiple physiological processes. However, the specific role of RTCB in the mouse colon remains unclear. In this study, we employ a conditional knockout mouse model to investigate the effects of RTCB depletion on the colon and the potential molecular mechanisms. We assess the efficiency and phenotype of Rtcb knockout using PCR, western blot analysis, histological staining, and immunohistochemistry. Compared with the control mice, the Rtcb-knockout mice exhibit compromised colonic barrier integrity and prominent inflammatory cell infiltration. In the colonic tissues of Rtcb-knockout mice, the protein levels of TNF-α, IL-8, and p-p65 are increased, whereas the levels of IKKβ and IκBα are decreased. Moreover, the level of GSK3β is increased, whereas the levels of Wnt3a, β-catenin, and LGR5 are decreased. Collectively, our findings unveil a close association between RTCB and colonic tissue homeostasis and demonstrate that RTCB deficiency can lead to dysregulation of both the NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways in colonic cells.

أداة التعريف في العربية من منظور لغوي مقارن

The formation of definiteness in Arabic is achieved through various methods, one of which involves the application of the definite article "al-" at the beginning of an indefinite noun, thus transitioning it from an indefinite to a definite state. This phenomenon has prompted an investigation into the origin of this definite article in light of other Semitic languages, where the presence of morphemes indicating definiteness is observed. These morphemes differ in their placement, being either at the beginning or the end of the word. Given the prevailing hypothesis that the origin of the definite morphemes in Semitic languages lies in the letters "H" (هـ) and "L" (ل), and the close association between the concept of demonstratives and definiteness, this research aims to examine this relationship by comparing Arabic with its Semitic counterparts. The goal is to trace the origin of the definite article in Arabic and to understand how it has evolved from its root to its current form.

Living at the Fence – Navigating Complexities While Settling in New Country: Lived Experiences of South Sudanese Refugees in Australia

ABSTRACT Australia welcomes significant numbers of humanitarian arrivals every year. Over 24,000 South Sudanese have come to Australia in the last two decades, and most faced difficulties during the settlement process. The aim of this study was to understand the barriers and challenges that have impacts on settlement and integration experiences among South Sudanese refugees in Australia. Further, this explored the factors influencing the social and cultural integration of South Sudanese refugees living in Australia for more than five years. This study used a phenomenological approach with purposive and snowball sampling to recruit 26 participants who self-identified as South Sudanese refugees. Participants were recruited via community networks and were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. The interviews were conducted by a bilingual interviewer and were analysed thematically. Participants’ experiences portrayed the complexities of integrating into a new society and experienced multiple challenges and barriers. Despite this identity dilemma, they showed a consensus about the experiences of coming to and living in Australia with close association with a group identity. While there are positive elements of the integration experience, inter-generational conflicts require further investigation. Government and settlement organisations need to make an effort to understand the context while developing appropriate processes.

A dynamic bactofilin cytoskeleton cooperates with an M23 endopeptidase to control bacterial morphogenesis

Bactofilins have emerged as a widespread family of cytoskeletal proteins with important roles in bacterial morphogenesis, but their precise mode of action is still incompletely understood. In this study, we identify the bactofilin cytoskeleton as a key regulator of cell growth in the stalked budding alphaproteobacterium Hyphomonas neptunium. We show that, in this species, bactofilin polymers localize dynamically to the stalk base and the bud neck, with their absence leading to unconstrained growth of the stalk and bud compartments, indicating a central role in the spatial regulation of cell wall biosynthesis. Database searches reveal that bactofilin genes are often clustered with genes for cell wall hydrolases of the M23 peptidase family, suggesting a functional connection between these two types of proteins. In support of this notion, we find that the H. neptunium M23 peptidase homolog LmdC interacts directly with bactofilin in vitro and is required for proper cell shape in vivo. Complementary studies in the spiral-shaped alphaproteobacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum again reveal a close association of its bactofilin and LmdC homologs, which co-localize at the inner curve of the cell, modulating the degree of cell curvature. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that bactofilins and M23 peptidases form a conserved functional module that promotes local changes in the mode of cell wall biosynthesis, thereby driving cell shape determination in morphologically complex bacteria.

Top 100 most-cited articles on tau protein: a bibliometric analysis and evidence mapping.

Tau, a microtubule-associated protein extensively distributed within the central nervous system (CNS), exhibits close associations with various neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we aimed to conduct a qualitative and quantitative bibliometric study of the top 100 most-cited publications on tau protein and reveal the current research hotspots and future perspectives. The relevant literature was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace (v6.2.R4) and VOSviewer (1.6.19) were adopted for bibliometric analysis with statistical and visual analysis. Citations per article ranged from 615 to 3,123, with a median number of 765.5 times. "Neuroscience" emerged as the most extensively researched subject in this field. The USA has emerged as the leading country, with a publication record (n = 65), total citations (n = 66,543), strong centrality (0.29), and extensive international collaborations. Harvard University (n = 11) and the University of California, San Francisco (n = 11) were the top two institutions in terms of publications. Neuron dominated with 13 articles in the 37 high-quality journals. M. Goedert from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology was the most productive (n = 9) and top co-cited (n = 179) author. The most frequently studied keywords were Alzheimer's disease (n = 38). Future research is anticipated to intensify its focus on the pathogenesis of various tau-related diseases, emphasizing the phosphorylation and structural alterations of tau protein, particularly in Alzheimer's disease. The pathogenesis of various tau-related diseases, including the phosphorylation and structural alterations of the tau protein, will be the primary focus of future research, with particular emphasis on Alzheimer's disease as a central area of investigation.

A dynamic bactofilin cytoskeleton cooperates with an M23 endopeptidase to control bacterial morphogenesis.

Bactofilins have emerged as a widespread family of cytoskeletal proteins with important roles in bacterial morphogenesis, but their precise mode of action is still incompletely understood. In this study, we identify the bactofilin cytoskeleton as a key regulator of cell growth in the stalked budding alphaproteobacterium Hyphomonas neptunium. We show that, in this species, bactofilin polymers localize dynamically to the stalk base and the bud neck, with their absence leading to unconstrained growth of the stalk and bud compartments, indicating a central role in the spatial regulation of cell wall biosynthesis. Database searches reveal that bactofilin genes are often clustered with genes for cell wall hydrolases of the M23 peptidase family, suggesting a functional connection between these two types of proteins. In support of this notion, we find that the H. neptunium M23 peptidase homolog LmdC interacts directly with bactofilin in vitro and is required for proper cell shape in vivo. Complementary studies in the spiral-shaped alphaproteobacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum again reveal a close association of its bactofilin and LmdC homologs, which co-localize at the inner curve of the cell, modulating the degree of cell curvature. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that bactofilins and M23 peptidases form a conserved functional module that promotes local changes in the mode of cell wall biosynthesis, thereby driving cell shape determination in morphologically complex bacteria.