Rate Of Evolution Research Articles

ITSxpress version 2: software to rapidly trim internal transcribed spacer sequences with quality scores for amplicon sequencing.

The nuclear ribosomal RNA (rRNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions are commonly used to identify fungi and other eukaryotic taxa in amplicon sequencing. The highly conserved rRNA regions flanking the ITS are often trimmed before being used for taxonomic assignment. The Python software package ITSxpress rapidly trims single-end or paired-end sequences in FASTQ format for use in amplicon sequence variant clustering methods like DADA2. This new major release of ITSxpress improves the paired-end merging method, simplifies installation of the QIIME 2 ITSxpress plugin, removes major dependencies, adds use cases, and is compatible with newer compression formats. This article discusses the modifications to ITSxpress that improve the output and user experience, leading to a major version increase.IMPORTANCEITSxpress is a sequence trimming method applied to internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon sequences before calling amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). The ITS region is used to understand the composition of eukaryotic microbial communities. ITS sequences provide good taxonomic resolution due to their hypervariability, but are flanked by conserved regions that allow their primers to be more universal. Amplicons generated with such primers contain regions with different evolutionary rates, and trimming these conserved regions results in better taxonomic classification and a more valid set of ASVs. This package can be used for most amplicon sequencing methods including for newer long-read sequencing formats, such as PacBio. ITSxpress can be installed from Bioconda, used as a Docker image, or installed from source code. The package works well with high-performance computing clusters or laptops due to its low-resource requirements.

The diversity of glycan chains in jellyfish mucin of three Cubozoan species: the contrast in molecular evolution rates of the peptide chain and Glycans.

The O-glycan composition of jellyfish (JF) mucin (qniumucin: Q-mucin) extracted from three Cubozoan species was studied after the optimization of the purification protocol. Application of a stepwise gradient of ionic strength to anion exchange chromatography (AEXC) was effective for isolating Q-mucin from coexisting impurities. In the three species, the amino acid sequence of the tandem repeat (TR) region in Q-mucin in all three Cubozoans seemed to remain the same as that in all Scyphozoans, although their glycan chains seemed to exhibit clear diversity. In particular, the amounts of acidic moieties on the glycan chains of Q-mucin from the Cubozoans markedly varied even in these genetically close species. In two of the three Cubozoan species, the fraction of disaccharides was large, showing a sharp contrast to that of the glycans of Q-mucin in Scyphozoans. This study also indicates that the simple sequence of TR commonly inherited in all Cubozoan and Scyphozoan JF species after the long term of evolution over 500Myears. According to this research, the glycans and the TR of mucin-type glycoproteins (MTGPs), forming a hierarchical structure, appear to complement each other in the evolutionary changes because the time required for their hereditary conversion is considerably different. The cooperation of these mechanisms is a strategy to achieve the contradictory functions of biosystems, namely species conservation and diversity acquisition.

Photothermal Induced Dual-Interface: Accelerating Sustainable Hydrogen Evolution from Formic Acid.

Formic acid (FA), a liquid hydrogen storage carrier, can release hydrogen via photothermal catalysis, providing a clean and sustainable solution toward a carbon-neutral energy cycle. Despite recent advances in the design of efficient catalysts, the development of advanced systems with high H2 yield, stability, and durability remains challenging due to the inefficient photothermal conversion and mass transfer in the traditional liquid-solid bulk system, as well as the trade-off between hydrogen storage density and dehydrogenation rate. Here, we address these challenges by creating a photothermal-induced dual-interface characterized by high spectral absorption and low heat loss, a facile supply of FA, and vaporization of FA to minimize the energy barrier of the reaction. As a result, a record hydrogen evolution rate (200.9 mmol g-1 h-1) is achieved in a high concentration (26 M) of FA, which is about 15 times higher than the liquid-solid bulk system. In addition, it can be operated continuously for more than 192 h without additive addition and energy consumption, providing a strategy for accelerating interfacial mass transfer to improve catalytic activity, and also presents a reference for sustainable hydrogen production.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Dimorphopterus japonicus (Hidaka, 1959) (Hemiptera, Lygaeoidea) and phylogenetic relationships within the Lygaeoidea superfamily

Dimorphopterus japonicus is a kind of pest which seriously harms sorghum and millet. In this study, we sequenced the mitochondrial whole genome of D. japonicus (Hidaka, 1959), and characterized and analyzed the mitogenome. The D. japonicus genome length is 15,473 bp, and it exhibits a typical high A + T content (77.6%). The mitogenomic structure of D. japonicus is highly conservative and there are no gene rearrangements. The evolutionary rates of the PCGs are in the order of atp8 > nad3 > nad6 > nad2 > nad5 > atp6 > nad4 > nad4L > cox2 > nad1 > cytb > cox3 > cox1. By using the Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods, we inferred the phylogenetic relationships within Lygaeoidea and estimated their divergence times based on concatenated mitogenome genes. The stable clades of (Oxycarenidae + Piesmatidae), (Malcidae + Colobathristidae), (Meschiidae + Berytidae), and (Blissidae+(Cymidae + Ninidae)) were consistently recovered in all analyses. Estimated divergence times revealed that the divergence time of the Lygaeoidea was 99.4 Ma (95% HPD: 83.4-124.8 Ma), and most lygaeoid families diverged during the early Cretaceous to late Paleogene. Berytidae is the latest differentiation in the lygaeoid families, and the genus Dimorphopterus was differentiated in 45.9 Ma (95% HPD: 39.8–47.7 Ma). This study is of great significance for reconstructing the phylogeny of Lygaeoidea and providing insights into its evolutionary history.

13 C-MFA helps to identify metabolic bottlenecks for improving malic acid production in Myceliophthora thermophila

BackgroundMyceliophthora thermophila has been engineered as a significant cell factory for malic acid production, yet strategies to further enhance production remain unclear and lack rational guidance. 13C-MFA (13C metabolic flux analysis) offers a means to analyze cellular metabolic mechanisms and pinpoint critical nodes for improving product synthesis. Here, we employed 13C-MFA to investigate the metabolic flux distribution of a high-malic acid-producing strain of M. thermophila and attempted to decipher the crucial bottlenecks in the metabolic pathways.ResultsCompared with the wild-type strain, the high-Malic acid-producing strain M. thermophila JG207 exhibited greater glucose uptake and carbon dioxide evolution rates but lower oxygen uptake rates and biomass yields. Consistent with these phenotypes, the 13C-MFA results showed that JG207 displayed elevated flux through the EMP pathway and downstream TCA cycle, along with reduced oxidative phosphorylation flux, thereby providing more precursors and NADH for malic acid synthesis. Furthermore, based on the 13C-MFA results, we conducted oxygen-limited culture and nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) gene knockout experiments to increase the cytoplasmic NADH level, both of which were shown to be beneficial for malic acid accumulation.ConclusionsThis work elucidates and validates the key node for achieving high malic acid production in M. thermophila. We propose effective fermentation strategies and genetic modifications for enhancing malic acid production. These findings offer valuable guidance for the rational design of future cell factories aimed at improving malic acid yields.

Evolution mechanism of physical morphology of oxbow lake in the middle Yangtze River

Oxbow lakes, formed through river meandering cutoffs, are recognized as key components of river ecosystems, characterized by both fluvial and lacustrine features. The focus of previous research has been placed primarily on post-disconnection changes, leaving gaps in the understanding of their long-term morphological evolution. This gap is addressed through a comparative analysis of gate-controlled and naturally connected oxbow lakes over a 30-year period. In this study, Tian’ezhou Lake (gate-controlled) and Shangchewan Lake (naturally connected), located in the middle Yangtze River, are investigated. Key morphological parameters such as curvature, shoreline development index, and shrinkage rate were measured using Google Earth Engine (GEE). The influence of hydrological and meteorological factors on lake morphology was analyzed through Redundancy Analysis (RDA). Significant morphological changes were observed from 1990 to 2000. During this period, Tian’ezhou’s curvature was found to increase by 0.003/year, while Shangchewan’s curvature decreased by 0.011/year. After the construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), a reduction in the rate of morphological evolution was detected, particularly between 2000 and 2010, when Tian’ezhou’s curvature decreased by 0.071/year and Shangchewan’s increased by 0.04/year. Post-2010, no significant changes in planar morphology were recorded in either lake. It was revealed by RDA that annual precipitation from 1990 to 1999 played a dominant role in influencing the morphological evolution of both lakes. From 2000 to 2020, water level fluctuations and hydrological connectivity emerged as the primary drivers. Gate control at Tian’ezhou Lake mitigated extreme water level fluctuations, contributing to a more stable environment and a slower rate of morphological evolution compared to Shangchewan. The findings underscore the importance of balanced water management strategies, integrating both natural and engineered hydrological interventions. Practical guidance is provided for ecological restoration and river management, with an emphasis on maintaining stable habitats and ensuring ecosystem resilience in response to hydrological changes.

Morphological complexity promotes origination and extinction rates in ammonoids.

The causes of heterogeneity in evolutionary rates are a key question in macroevolution. Origination and extinction rates are closely related to abiotic factors, such as climate1,2 and geography,3,4 as well as biotic factors such as taxonomic richness5,6 and morphology,7 which are influenced by phylogeny.8,9 Studies on the relationship between morphology and macroevolution have focused on morphological traits, including body size,6,7,9 shape,10 color,11,12 and complexity,13,14,15 and have proposed biological laws, such as the zero-force evolutionary law16 and Cope's rule.17 However, the relationship between morphological complexity and turnover rates remains poorly defined because of the lack of suitable measures for various subjects.18,19 Here, we establish a quantitative method, the two-dimensional ornamentation index (2D-OI), which allows the description of the ornamental complexity of ammonoids. Ammonoids are one of the most abundant and well-studied fossil groups, with complex conch structures.20 Ammonoids display some similarities with trilobites and mammals21,22 in terms of their high evolutionary rates; however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Moreover, ammonoids exhibit marked heterogeneity in turnover rates across spatiotemporal scales23 and clades,23,24 making them key clades for investigating the relationship between turnover rates and morphological complexity. The results show that morphologically complex genera and species often have higher origination and extinction rates than morphologically simple taxa. Diversity fluctuations of taxa with complex ornamentation generally overimprint and control the overall net diversification rates of ammonoids. This double-edged sword of rapid evolution and increased extinction risk driven by complex morphologies has significant implications for our understanding of how species survive over geological timescales.

Evolutionary integration of forelimb and hindlimb proportions within the bat wing membrane inhibits ecological adaptation.

Bats and birds are defined by their convergent evolution of flight, hypothesized to require the modular decoupling of wing and leg evolution. Although a wealth of evidence supports this interpretation in birds, there has been no systematic attempt to identify modular organization in the bat limb skeleton. Here we present a phylogenetically representative and ecologically diverse collection of limb skeletal measurements from 111 extant bat species. We compare this dataset with a compendium of 149 bird species, known to exhibit modular evolution and anatomically regionalized skeletal adaptation. We demonstrate that, in contrast to birds, morphological diversification across crown bats is associated with strong trait integration both within and between the forelimb and hindlimb. Different regions of the bat limb skeleton adapt to accommodate variation in distinct ecological activities, with flight-style variety accommodated by adaptation of the distal wing, while the thumb and hindlimb play an important role facilitating adaptive responses to variation in roosting habits. We suggest that the wing membrane enforces evolutionary integration across the bat skeleton, highlighting that the evolution of the bat thumb is less correlated with the evolution of other limb bone proportions. We propose that strong limb integration inhibits bat adaptive responses, explaining their lower rates of phenotypic evolution and relatively homogeneous evolutionary dynamics in contrast to birds. Powered flight, enabled by the membranous wing, is therefore not only a key bat innovation but their defining inhibition.

Systematic profiling and analysis of growth and development responsive DE-lncRNAs in cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba)

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial role in regulating genes involved in various processes including growth & development, flowering, and stress response in plants. The study aims to identify and characterize tissue-specific, growth & development and floral responsive differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) in cluster bean from a high-throughput RNA sequencing data. We have identified 3309 DE-lncRNAs, with an average length of 818 bp. Merely, around 4 % of DE-lncRNAs across the tissues were found to be conserved as rate of evolution of lncRNAs is high. Among the identified DE-lncRNAs, 204 were common in leaf vs. shoot, leaf vs. flower and flower vs. shoot. A total of 60 DE-lncRNAs targeted 10 protein-coding genes involved in flower development and initiation processes. We investigated 179 tissue-specific DE-lncRNAs based on tissue specificity index. Three DE-lncRNAs: Cb_lnc_0820, Cb_lnc_0430, Cb_lnc_0260 and their targeted genes shown their involvement in floral development and stress mechanisms, which were validated by Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The identified DE-lncRNAs were expressed higher in flower bud than in leaf and similar expression pattern was observed in both RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR analyses. Notably, 362 DE-lncRNAs were predicted as eTM-lncRNAs with the participation of 84 miRNAs. Whereas 46 DE-lncRNAs were predicted to possess the internal ribosomal entry sites (IRES) and can encode for small peptides. The regulatory networks established between DE-lncRNAs, mRNAs and miRNAs have provided an insight into their association with plant growth & development, flowering, and stress mechanisms. Comprehensively, the characterization of DE-lncRNAs in various tissues of cluster bean shed a light on interactions among lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs and help understand their involvement in growth & development and floral initiation processes. The information retrieved from the analyses was shared in the public domain in the form of a database: Cb-DElncRNAdb, and made available at http://backlin.cabgrid.res.in/Cb-DElncRNA/index.php, which may be useful for the scientific community engaged in future breeding programs of cluster bean.

Electrochemically activated calcium sulfite for atrazine degradation: Performance, mechanism and kinetics

The conventional use of Na2SO3 in advanced oxidation processes leads to excessive dissolved SO32−, limiting the utilization of oxysulfur species. This study introduced an electrochemically activated CaSO3 (EC-CaSO3) process that exploited the slow-release property of CaSO3. The results showed that the removal ratios of several micropollutants were over 90 % within 10 min, with SO4•− as the primary oxidant. A mathematic model was further developed to simulate the radical conversion, analyze the degradation kinetics and optimize the operational parameters, using atrazine (ATZ) as the target pollutant. The continuous low concentration of SO32− promoted O2 evolution for oxysulfur species transformation and reduced SO4•− quenching. This resulted in 74 % of SO3•− converting to SO5•− and 84 % of SO32− contributing to SO4•− formation. In the initial 2 min, the matched electro-generation of SO3•− and O2 remarkably accelerated SO4•− generation, leading to 82 % removal of ATZ. As electrolysis continued, the reduced release rate of SO32− prevented excessive accumulation of SO32− and maintained high O2 evolution rate to drive SO4•− generation. Consequently, complete degradation of ATZ was achieved within 5 min, with the contribution of SO4•− exceeding 99 %. By investigating the influence of operational parameters on ATZ degradation and energy consumption, the cost-effective conditions (EE/O values < 2.2 kWh/m3/order) occurred at pH above 7, current densities of 60 to 90 A/m2 and initial CaSO3 dosages of 2 to 4 mM. Additionally, density functional calculation and LC-MS analysis confirmed the formation of less toxic intermediates through dealkylation and dechlorination-hydroxylation. These findings suggested that EC-CaSO3 process was a promising technology for oxidizing micropollutants.

Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution via yolk–heteroshell TiO2@TiO2/SiO2 nanoreactor with confined Pt nanoparticles

The upper limit of photocatalytic efficiency is largely determined by the light-harvesting capability of a semiconductor. To address this challenge, we developed a yolk-heteroshell TiO2@TiO2/SiO2 (T@T/S) nanoreactor, leveraging a novel design based on an in-depth understanding and innovative utilization of light-matter interactions. The T@T/S nanoreactor significantly enhances solar light capture and utilization efficiency through total internal reflection mechanisms facilitated by the heterogeneous shell. This heteroshell, consisting of an outer SiO2 shell an inner monolayer of TiO2 nanoparticles, maximizes light confinement due to the different refractive indices of SiO2 and TiO2, while also minimizing mass transfer resistance due to the thin inner shell layer. These unique structural features result in high photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light. Additionally, we successfully applied a “ship-in-a-bottle” strategy for the confined growth of platinum nanoparticles within T@T/S nanoreactor. The Pt0.5-T@T/S nanoreactors demonstrated excellent hydrogen production, achieving a hydrogen evolution rate of 24.43 mmol g−1h−1 under simulated sunlight and an apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 7.8 % at 350 nm. This study highlights the importance of nano-engineered designs in optimizing semiconductor photocatalysts and shows the significant potential of our approach for sustainable energy conversion and environmental protection.

Does Clade Density Constrain Geographical Range Evolution?

The role of biotic interactions, such as interspecific competition, in driving geographical range evolution is still poorly understood. For instance, lineages distributed across regions with a large number of potential competitors might experience some level of geographical packing of their range limits, so that changes in their geographical distributions are hampered. Conversely, a large number of competitors could instead lead to accelerated rates of geographical range evolution, with lineages shifting their ranges to avoid competition. We recently introduced the concept of clade density (CD; the sum of the areas of overlap between a species and other members of its higher taxon, weighted by their phylogenetic distance) as a proxy of the potential for interspecific competition across the geographical distribution of a given species. In this study, we used a large dataset with 5936 terrestrial vertebrate species to test whether CD is significantly associated with variation in the rate of geographical range evolution using two alternative approaches. First, we tested if there is a significant relationship between CD and the geographical distance between sister species. In addition, we estimated tip rates of geographical range evolution and tested if they were consistently associated with variation in CD. We found no evidence for an effect of CD on geographical range evolution in either of the tested approaches, even after accounting for phylogenetic uncertainty. These results are inconsistent with equilibrial models of species diversification and suggest that interspecific competition might not play a pervasive role in geographical range evolution of terrestrial vertebrates.

Evolutionary Dynamics and Pathogenicity Analysis of Feline Panleukopenia Virus in Xinjiang, China

Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), a globally pervasive and highly pathogenic pathogen, has garnered significant attention recently due to the cross-species transmission of its variants. Despite the vast body of research conducted on FPV, studies exploring its evolutionary history, dynamics, and the factors driving its evolution remain scarce. The pathogenicity of strains with the prevalent mutations (A91S and I101T) in the VP2 protein has also not been fully elucidated. This study conducted a comparative analysis of FPV VP2 sequences sourced from Xinjiang province in China, other provinces in China, and other countries. It was confirmed that the evolutionary rate of FPV approached that of RNA viruses, at approximately 1.13 × 10−4 substitutions/site/year. The study reconstructed molecular models of the VP2 protein with the A91S and I101T mutations and used viral strains carrying these mutations to perform the animal regression experiment. It was confirmed that isolates with the A91S and I101T mutations could cause typical leukopenia and acute enteritis symptoms, suggesting that the mutant strains still possess certain pathogenicity. This is the first study to report on the evolutionary dynamics of FPV in Xinjiang, China, and it emphasized the importance of continuously monitoring FPV evolutionary dynamics.

Engineering Ag-Modified BiOCl as an Efficient and Effective Catalyst for Solar Light-Driven Organic Pollutant Degradation and Hydrogen Production.

The direct conversion of solar energy into clean fuels has emerged as an effective approach for future energy production and addressing environmental challenges. This research focuses on the synthesis of BiOCl using a straightforward hydrothermal method with Ag modification achieved through green synthesis. These materials were applied to enhance photocatalytic processes and hydrogen (H2) evolution. Comprehensive characterization of the synthesized photocatalysts was performed by using techniques, such as XRD, SEM, BET, XPS, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The Ag/BiOCl composite demonstrated impressive photocatalytic performance, achieving degradation rates of 96% for RhB, 87.7% for TC, and 85% for HQ under 18 min of solar irradiation. Additionally, a high mineralization rate of 92% was observed through Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis. Furthermore, the Ag/BiOCl composite exhibited a significant H2 evolution rate of 565 μmol g-1 h-1, which is nearly double that of pure BiOCl. The interaction between Ag and BiOCl was found to enhance the generation of O2- radicals, as confirmed by radical trapping experiments, with the underlying mechanism elucidated using LC-HRMS. The nanoparticles also demonstrated excellent degradation of industrial waste, highlighting the potential of Ag/BiOCl for use in the purification and sterilization of industrial effluents.

Highly Active Photoreduction of Atmospheric‐Concentration CO2 into CH3COOH over Palladium Particles on Nb2O5 Nanosheets

AbstractThe endeavor to drive CO2 photoreduction towards the synthesis of C2 products is largely thwarted by the colossal energy hurdle inherent in C−C coupling. Herein, we load active metal particles on metal oxide nanosheets to build the dual metal pair sites for steering C−C coupling to form C2 products. Taking Pd particles anchored on the Nb2O5 nanosheets as an example, the high‐angle annular dark‐field image and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrate the presence of Pd−Nb metal pair sites on the Pd‐Nb2O5 nanosheets. Density functional theory calculations reveal these sites exhibit a low reaction energy barrier of only 1.02 eV for C−C coupling, implying that the introduction of Pd particles effectively tailors the reaction step to form C2 products. Therefore, the Pd‐Nb2O5 nanosheets achieve a CH3COOH evolution rate of 13.5 μmol g−1 h−1 in photoreduction of atmospheric‐concentration CO2, outshining all other single photocatalysts reported to date under analogous conditions.

Dual Electric Field Coupling with Tunable Schottky Barrier Synergistically Regulating Electronic Configuration in CoP@Ni‐CdS Heterojunction for Efficient Photocatalytic H2 Evolution

AbstractDesigning and exploiting visible‐light‐responsive materials that converts solar into chemical energy is promising in achieving green energy sustainability, but addressing low electron–hole separation efficiency and sluggish surface kinetic process remains formidable challenges. Herein, a novel CoP@Ni‐CdS Schottky junction composed of Ni‐doped CdS nanorods and quasi‐metallic CoP nanoparticles is constructed via a simple hydrothermal–calcination method. Experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrate that magnetic Ni‐doping not only induces a spin‐polarized electric field and enhances the built‐in interfacial electric field strength, but also rises the Schottky barrier height at the heterointerface, which synergistically accelerates the separation efficiency of photoinduced charges and modulates the electronic configuration of the active site to optimize the adsorption–desorption behaviors for H2O molecules and H* intermediates. Therefore, the designed CoP@Ni‐CdS catalyst exhibits an exceptional photocatalytic performance with H2 evolution rate of 42.14 mmol g−1 h−1 with the apparent quantum efficiencies of 16.8% at 420 nm, which is 14.14 and 2.21 times higher than that of pristine CdS and Ni‐CdS, respectively. This work provides in‐depth insights into fabricating dual electric fields, tuning the Schottky barrier and modulating the electronic configuration of active sites in Schottky heterojunction for ameliorative photocatalytic activity.

Binary Iron-Manganese Cocatalyst for Simultaneous Activation of C-C and C-O Bonds to Maximally Utilize Lignin for Syngas Generation over InGaN.

Solar-powered lignin reforming offers a carbon-neutral route for syngas production. This study explores a dual non-precious iron-manganese cocatalyst to simultaneously activate both C-C and C-O bonds for maximizing the utilization of various substituents of native lignin to yield syngas. By assembling with InGaN nanowires on a Si wafer, the as-designed dual FeMn cocatalyst affords a measurable syngas evolution rate of 42.4 mol·gcat-1·h-1 from native lignin in distilled water with a high selectivity of 93% and tunable H2/CO ratios under concentrated light, leading to a considerable light-to-fuel efficiency of 11.8%. The high FeMn atom efficiency arising from the 1-dimensional nanostructure of InGaN enables the achievement of a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 220896 mol syngas per mol FeMn per hour. By correlating explorationexperiments,the critical role of the dual FeMn cocatalyst in the evolving mechanism of lignin and water toward syngas is disclosed at the atomic level. It is discovered that the synergetic iron-manganese cocatalyst supported by InGaN nanowires enables simultaneous activation of C-C and C-O bonds with comparable minimized dissociation energies.This work demonstrates a new and earth-abundant bifunctional cocatalyst for utilizing various substituents of lignin to produce syngas powered by sunlight beyond fossil fuels.

Binary Iron‐Manganese Cocatalyst for Simultaneous Activation of C‐C and C‐O Bonds to Maximally Utilize Lignin for Syngas Generation over InGaN

Solar‐powered lignin reforming offers a carbon‐neutral route for syngas production. This study explores a dual non‐precious iron‐manganese cocatalyst to simultaneously activate both C‐C and C‐O bonds for maximizing the utilization of various substituents of native lignin to yield syngas. By assembling with InGaN nanowires on a Si wafer, the as‐designed dual FeMn cocatalyst affords a measurable syngas evolution rate of 42.4 mol·gcat‐1·h‐1 from native lignin in distilled water with a high selectivity of 93% and tunable H2/CO ratios under concentrated light, leading to a considerable light‐to‐fuel efficiency of 11.8%. The high FeMn atom efficiency arising from the 1‐dimensional nanostructure of InGaN enables the achievement of a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 220896 mol syngas per mol FeMn per hour. By correlating exploration experiments, the critical role of the dual FeMn cocatalyst in the evolving mechanism of lignin and water toward syngas is disclosed at the atomic level. It is discovered that the synergetic iron‐manganese cocatalyst supported by InGaN nanowires enables simultaneous activation of C‐C and C‐O bonds with comparable minimized dissociation energies. This work demonstrates a new and earth‐abundant bifunctional cocatalyst for utilizing various substituents of lignin to produce syngas powered by sunlight beyond fossil fuels.

Number of human protein interactions correlates with structural, but not regulatory conservation of the respective genes

IntroductionThe differential ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitutions (dN/dS) is a common measure of the rate of structural evolution in proteincoding genes. In addition, we recently suggested that the proportion of transposable elements in gene promoters that host functional genomic sites serves as a marker of the rate of regulatory evolution of genes. Such functional genomic regions may include transcription factor binding sites and modified histone binding loci.MethodsHere, we constructed a model of the human interactome based on 600,136 documented molecular interactions and investigated the overall relationship between the number of interactions of each protein and the rate of structural and regulatory evolution of the corresponding genes.ResultsBy evaluating a total of 4,505 human genes and 1,936 molecular pathways we found a general correlation between structural and regulatory evolution rate metrics (Spearman 0.08–0.16 and 0.25–0.37 for gene and pathway levels, respectively, p &amp;lt; 0.01). Further exploration revealed in the established human interactome model lack of correlation between the rate of gene regulatory evolution and the number of protein interactions on gene level, and weak negative correlation (∼0.15) on pathway level. We also found a statistically significant negative correlation between the rate of gene structural evolution and the number of protein interactions (Spearman −0.11 and −0.3 for gene and pathway levels, respectively, p &amp;lt; 0.01).DiscussionOur result suggests stronger structural rather than regulatory conservation of genes whose protein products have multiple interaction partners.

Study on the causes and coping strategies of adolescent mental illness

In recent years, especially since the epidemic, there has been an explosive increase in the incidence of adolescent mental disorders, which has aroused the attention of the whole society. From the perspectives of evolution, humanism, and psychodynamics, this paper analyzes the deep-rooted causes of the increasing incidence of psychological disorders in adolescents and explores various dilemmas adolescents face. From an evolutionary point of view, the current rate of social progress exceeds the rate of human evolution and the rate of cognitive improvement of young people, making it difficult for young people to adapt to complex social environments. In humanitarian terms, excessive academic pressure places a heavy burden on young people. From the perspective of psychodynamics, the conflict between standard, ego, and superego can cause mental illness in adolescents. In addition, this paper points out that adolescent mental illness marks the evolution of social awareness of mental health, and all parties in society need to build a supportive policy framework to foster widespread awareness of mental health.