In situ structural studies of membrane protein megacomplexes.

Structural insights and bioactivity of silver(I) triazole complexes with selective anticancer and broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects

Spectroscopic, structural, and biological insights into novel naphthalene- and anthracene-based sulfonamides

Comprehensive analysis of friction stir deposited Inconel 600: Thermal, structural, and mechanical insights

A novel electrochemical synthesis of a potent bio-mineral amendment from solid waste modified sewage: Structural, molecular, and agronomical insights through advanced characterization

Structural and functional insights into Vitamin D receptor mutations: An in-silico investigation of polymorphism-induced resistance.

Gold nanoparticles decorated with fluorinated poly(ethylene oxide): structural and functional insights.

What lies beyond thioredoxin reductase? Cyclometallated gold compounds reveal Sec selectivity in glutathione peroxidases.

Next-generation cry proteins for climate-resilient mosquito control and antimicrobial strategies.

Efficacy of pumpkin seed oil on paclitaxel-induced tongue mucosal injury in rat: Structural and biochemical insights.

Multifunctional activities of Cu-, Ni-, and Co-metal–organic frameworks: structural, photocatalytic, and biological insights

Structural and mechanistic insights into the sulfur transfer protein SufU from Staphylococcus aureus.

In the present study, an inerter-based dynamic vibration absorber (DVA) with a rhombus amplification mechanism inerter-based dynamic vibration absorber (R-IVA) was proposed toward effective vibration mitigation of tower structures with time-varying dynamic characteristics (e.g., frequency variation). Firstly, the theoretical model of structures equipped with the R-IVA was established, and the closed-form expression of the amplitude frequency response was obtained. Then, the effectiveness of the R-IVA for mitigating the vibration of tower structures was validated by a test program, and the validity of the theoretical model was confirmed by the test data. A parametric analysis based on the verified theoretical model was then performed to explore the influence of essential parameters of the R-IVAs. Subsequently, based on the H∞ optimization approach, governing equations quantifying the optimal parameters of the proposed R-IVA were derived. Finally, the applicability of the R-IVA and the adequacy of the optimization approach were demonstrated by numerical analyses on prototype wind turbine towers under seismic excitations. The experimental results conclusively demonstrated the efficacy of the R-IVA in mitigating the detuning phenomenon induced by time-varying dynamic characteristics of a tower structure. The effectiveness of the proposed R-IVA can be adjusted by modulating the initial assembly angle of the rhombus mechanism. The derived closed-form expression of the amplitude frequency response and the governing equations quantifying the optimal parameters of the R-IV can be used in practical applications with satisfactory accuracy.

α-amylase-assisted spherical starch nanoparticles production from waxy rice starch by pullulanase debranching and nanoprecipitation: Structural and functional insights

Harnessing NIR-II-responsive Rh single-atom nanozymes for photothermal-catalytic immunomodulation and eradication of drug-resistant biofilms in deep tissues.

Electronic structure insights into 3-(2-carboxyethyl)-1-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium bromide ionic liquid (AFIL): A detailed DFT and topological study

The CRISPR-Cas9 system provides adaptive immunity against invading genetic elements through a dual-RNA-guided DNA cleavage mechanism. This system relies on the precise assembly of a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex composed of the Cas9 endonuclease, a CRISPR-derived RNA (crRNA), and a trans-activating CRISPR RNA (tracrRNA). Around 100 anti-CRISPR proteins that inhibit CRISPR-Cas systems have been identified, and the mechanisms by which they act are increasingly being elucidated. However, the inhibitory mechanisms of many Acrs, including AcrIIA7, remain poorly understood. Here, we present the structure of AcrIIA7 and uncover a previously unrecognized mechanism by which it inhibits Cas9 function. Structural and biochemical analyses reveal that AcrIIA7 specifically binds to tracrRNA, preventing its association with crRNA and thereby blocking formation of the active Cas9 RNP complex. This tracrRNA hijacking mechanism represents a unique strategy for CRISPR inhibition, in which an anti-CRISPR protein targets an RNA scaffold essential for Cas9 activation rather than interacting directly with the Cas9 protein. Our findings provide the first structural insight into tracrRNA-targeted anti-CRISPR activity and highlight RNA-RNA interaction interfaces as vulnerable nodes in CRISPR-Cas immunity.

Streptothricin (ST) antibiotics are promising agents against multidrug-resistant pathogens and are structurally classified into two groups, containing either a β-lysyl or a glycyl pendant moiety attached via an amide bond to an amino sugar core. These pendant moieties are essential determinants of the biological activity and selective toxicity of ST antibiotics. We previously demonstrated that during ST biosynthesis, the β-lysyl pendant moiety is installed by nonribosomal peptide synthetases, whereas the glycyl pendant moiety is generated by a Gly-tRNAGly-dependent amide-forming enzyme. Here, we present a chemoenzymatic approach to transform aminoacyl pendant moieties using the promiscuous tRNA-dependent amide-forming enzyme Sba18. Remarkably, Sba18 generates two new ST derivatives, alanylthricin and serylthricin, by utilizing Ala-tRNAAla and Ser-tRNASer, respectively. Moreover, Sba18 accepts aminoacyl-tRNA mimics prepared by flexizyme-mediated charging of chemically synthesized aminoacyl groups and produces additional 11 ST derivatives. Alanylthricin and serylthricin retain antibiotic activity, demonstrating that this tRNA-dependent chemoenzymatic approach provides a viable strategy for expanding the structural diversity of streptothricin antibiotics. Furthermore, structural comparison of Sba18 with its Gly-tRNAGly-specific orthologue Sbb17 elucidates the catalytic and substrate-recognition mechanisms underlying the broad specificity of Sba18. These structural insights provide a foundation for expanding the structural diversity not only of ST antibiotics but also of other peptide natural products biosynthesized using aminoacyl-tRNAs.

Sjögren's disease (SjD) is marked by dysfunction of the salivary gland (SG) caused by epithelial cell death. However, the mechanism remains unclear. Here we discovered that NRIP1 was abnormally upregulated in SjD and formed a protein complex with estrogen receptor α (ERα) to inhibit saliva secretion and lead to epithelial cell death. NRIP1 interacted with ERα and altered the estradiol (E2)-ERα downstream signal in the SG epithelium. In the context of SjD, NRIP1-ERα suppressed aquaporin-5 (AQP5) expression and promoted MYC expression. The NRIP1-ERα complex bound to the estrogen response elements of the AQP5 promoter, leading to the downregulation of AQP5 expression and reduced SG secretion. Conversely, the NRIP1-ERα complex bound to the estrogen response elements of the MYC promoter, resulting in the upregulation of MYC expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that elevated MYC levels promoted apoptosis and altered immune regulation and cell metabolism in SjD. Nrip1-knockout/ovariectomized mice did not develop the SjD phenotypes, confirming the role of NRIP1 in the pathophysiology of SjD. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed that NRIP1 competitively bound to ERα and masked the E2 binding site, providing structural insights into the disruption of hormonal signal. This study implicates NRIP1 as a potent diagnosis parameter and provides a putative target for SjD management.

Cypoviruses are insect-specific, double-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the genus Cypovirus within the family Spinareoviridae. Cypoviruses primarily infect insects of the orders Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera. These viruses replicate in midgut epithelial cells, forming polyhedrin-based occlusion bodies. Cypovirus genomes typically consist of 10-16 linear double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) segments that encodes distinct viral proteins; however, the number of genomic segments may vary among species. Each genomic segment encodes a functionally specialized distinct viral protein, with high intra-species conservation but notable divergence between species, reflecting genomic plasticity and evolutionary divergence. This review presents a comprehensive comparative genomic analysis of representative Cypovirus species, focusing on segment-wise assignments. Segment 1 universally encodes the major capsid protein, while segment 2 encodes the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) and segment 3 encodes the minor capsid protein. Segments 4 and 5 typically encode enzymes with methyltransferase and guanylyl transferase, which are essential for RNA capping. Segments 6 to 8 encodes for other structural or accessory proteins. Segment 9 frequently encodes a non-structural protein and segment 10 consistently encodes structural polyhedrin protein. Conserved protein domains and sequence motifs are identified across cypovirus genomic segments. Analysis of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions (Ka/Ks ratios) reveals evidence of both purifying and positive selection in viral genomic segments. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates lineage diversification and species-specific clustering. Genotypic and phenotypic variability among viral strains correlates with host insect species, co-infection and geographic isolation, whereas functional convergence in protein roles is observed across species. This study consolidates electrophoretic migration patterns and genomic demarcation criteria for Cypovirus species into a practical reference framework that enables rapid species identification without the need for complete genome sequencing. The current review provides structural, genomic, and evolutionary insights that collectively advance the current understanding of cypovirus biology and diversity.