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| Open AccessDynamics and stoichiometry of a regulated enhancer-binding protein in live Escherichia coli cells
Cellular adaptive responses require temporal and spatial control of key regulatory protein complexes. Mehta et al. describe the dynamic interaction of a transcriptional activator mediating membrane stress response in E. coliwith its negative regulator, the cell membrane and the transcription machinery.
- Parul Mehta
- , Goran Jovanovic
- & Martin Buck
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| Open AccessCarbon dioxide concentration dictates alternative methanogenic pathways in oil reservoirs
Deep subsurface formations are potential sites for carbon capture and storage but how subsurface microbial communities may respond to this is not clear. Here, Mayumi et al. construct microcosms and show that increasing CO2partial pressure via carbon capture and storage more than doubles the rate of methanogenesis.
- Daisuke Mayumi
- , Jan Dolfing
- & Yoichi Kamagata
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Deregulation of translation due to post-transcriptional modification of rRNA explains why erm genes are inducible
Erm methyltransferases confer antimicrobial drug resistance and their expression is induced by macrolides. Gupta et al.show that Erm-catalysed modification of rRNA affects synthesis of some proteins and reduces cell fitness, explaining why expression of Erm is deleterious in the absence of antibiotics.
- Pulkit Gupta
- , Shanmugapriya Sothiselvam
- & Alexander S. Mankin
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HSV-1 exploits the innate immune scavenger receptor MARCO to enhance epithelial adsorption and infection
Herpes simplex virus type 1 infects human skin and mucous membranes. MacLeod and colleagues identify MARCO as a novel cell-surface receptor bound by herpes simplex virus type 1, and show that this interaction enhances infection of keratinocytes and promotes the development of skin lesions in mice.
- Daniel T. MacLeod
- , Teruaki Nakatsuji
- & Richard L. Gallo
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Aerosol transmission is an important mode of influenza A virus spread
Influenza A viruses spread through contact, large and small respiratory droplets (aerosols), but the relative importance of these modes of transmission is unclear. Cowling et al. model data from community trials of face masks and hand hygiene and find that aerosol transmission accounts for half of influenza occurrences.
- Benjamin J. Cowling
- , Dennis K. M. Ip
- & James Mark Simmerman
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis is extraordinarily sensitive to killing by a vitamin C-induced Fenton reaction
New approaches to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis are required to improve TB therapy. Vilchèze et al. now demonstrate that vitamin C-derived reactive oxygen species lead to sterilization of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant M. tuberculosisoffering new possibilities for drug development.
- Catherine Vilchèze
- , Travis Hartman
- & William R. Jacobs Jr
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Toll-like receptor 3 recognizes incomplete stem structures in single-stranded viral RNA
Toll-like receptor 3 is a sensor of viral infection and sterile tissue necrosis, and is known to be activated by double-stranded RNA. Tatematsu et al. demonstrate that TLR3 also recognizes incomplete stem structures that form in single-stranded poliovirus RNA.
- Megumi Tatematsu
- , Fumiko Nishikawa
- & Misako Matsumoto
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Single-cell and metagenomic analyses indicate a fermentative and saccharolytic lifestyle for members of the OP9 lineage
OP9 is a yet-uncultivated bacterial lineage found in anaerobic environments. Dodsworth et al. use single-cell genomics and metagenomics to construct two near-complete OP9 genomes, revealing a fermentative metabolism and supporting the designation of OP9 as candidate phylum 'Atribacteria'.
- Jeremy A. Dodsworth
- , Paul C. Blainey
- & Brian P. Hedlund
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Article
| Open AccessTransmission-blocking interventions eliminate malaria from laboratory populations
Transmission-blocking interventions aim to interrupt progression of Plasmodium parasites from the vertebrate host to the mosquito. Blagborough et al. demonstrate that only partially reducing transmission can be sufficient to eliminate experimental Plasmodiuminfection in successive mosquito and mice populations when biting rates are low.
- A. M. Blagborough
- , T. S. Churcher
- & R. E. Sinden
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Characterization of salt-adapted secreted lignocellulolytic enzymes from the mangrove fungus Pestalotiopsis sp.
Fungi associated with the roots of mangroves are thought to turn-over significant quantities of organic matter including lignocellulose. Arfi et al. investigate the lignocellolytic potential of a fungal species isolated from mangrove roots and the adaptation of its enzymatic repertoire to a high salinity environment.
- Yonathan Arfi
- , Didier Chevret
- & Eric Record
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Interspecific bacterial sensing through airborne signals modulates locomotion and drug resistance
Microbes use small molecules to sense and communicate with other cells and species. Kim et al. now demonstrate that volatile compounds emitted by Bacillus subtilis can affect Escherichia colimotility and antibiotic resistance through activation of a conserved regulatory mechanism.
- Kwang-sun Kim
- , Soohyun Lee
- & Choong-Min Ryu
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The genome of a Mesozoic paleovirus reveals the evolution of hepatitis B viruses
With paleovirology it is possible to identify ancient endogenous viral elements within eukaryotic genomes. Here Suh and colleagues report a genomic record of hepatitis endogenizations through bird’s evolution; they find a complete hepatitis genome sequence, the first discovery of a Mesozoic paleovirus genome.
- Alexander Suh
- , Jürgen Brosius
- & Jan Ole Kriegs
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Visualization and genetic modification of resident brain microglia using lentiviral vectors regulated by microRNA-9
Microglia are specialized immune cells in the brain. Here Åkerblom and colleagues use a microRNA-9-regulated lentiviral vector for the targeted genetic modification of microglia in the rodent brain, presenting a tool that may facilitate functional studies of resident microglia.
- Malin Åkerblom
- , Rohit Sachdeva
- & Johan Jakobsson
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Identifying sources of tick blood meals using unidentified tandem mass spectral libraries
The identification of hosts of blood-sucking insects is important for studying ecological factors that affect pathogen distribution. Önder et al. report a proteomics-based methodology for the analysis of blood remnants in ticks that identifies the host species from which the tick has fed up to 6 months earlier.
- Özlem Önder
- , Wenguang Shao
- & Dustin Brisson
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| Open AccessAuto-production of biosurfactants reverses the coffee ring effect in a bacterial system
The coffee ring effect is commonly observed in drying droplets containing suspended matter leading to a deposition at the droplet edge. Sempels et al. show that self-generated biosurfactants in living bacterial systems reverse the coffee ring effect and result in a homogeneous deposition.
- Wouter Sempels
- , Raf De Dier
- & Jan Vermant
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| Open AccessGenomic deletions disrupt nitrogen metabolism pathways of a cyanobacterial diatom symbiont
Cyanobacterial symbionts of marine diatoms can localize intracellularly or externally to their host partners. Here Hilton et al. describe the genomes of two diazotroph cyanobacterial symbionts of diatoms and show that the location of the symbiont affects expression of nitrogen assimilation genes.
- Jason A. Hilton
- , Rachel A. Foster
- & Tracy A. Villareal
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Characterizing the interplay between multiple levels of organization within bacterial sigma factor regulatory networks
Sigma factors are proteins controlling gene expression that allow bacteria to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Qiu and colleagues investigate sigma factor regulatory networks in Geobacter sulfurreducens, providing insights into how sigma factors regulate bacterial growth and energy metabolism.
- Yu Qiu
- , Harish Nagarajan
- & Karsten Zengler
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Magnetic barcode assay for genetic detection of pathogens
Detecting and phenotyping Mycobacterium tuberculosis, especially in resource-limited settings, is important for global tuberculosis control. Here Liong et al. report a point-of-care diagnostic platform based on magnetic barcoding and nuclear magnetic resonance for the detection of mycobacterial nucleic acids.
- Monty Liong
- , Anh N. Hoang
- & Ralph Weissleder
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Calcium-dependent permeabilization of erythrocytes by a perforin-like protein during egress of malaria parasites
Malaria parasites exit erythrocytes by triggering permeabilization and rupture of the host plasma membrane. Here, the authors identify a perforin-like protein that is secreted by the parasite in a calcium-dependent manner and mediates permeabilization through its insertion into the host membrane.
- Swati Garg
- , Shalini Agarwal
- & Shailja Singh
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A light-driven sodium ion pump in marine bacteria
Light-driven proton-pumping rhodopsins are widely distributed in microorganisms and convert sunlight energy into proton gradients. Inoue et al. report the discovery of a light-driven sodium ion pump from marine bacteria.
- Keiichi Inoue
- , Hikaru Ono
- & Hideki Kandori
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Expansion of host cellular niche can drive adaptation of a zoonotic malaria parasite to humans
The number of human infections caused by the primate malaria parasite P. knowlesi is increasing. Lim et al. demonstrate that host specificity is due to the preference of the parasite for young blood cells, and that the parasite can adapt to proliferate in human blood containing a range of differently aged cells.
- Caeul Lim
- , Elsa Hansen
- & Manoj T. Duraisingh
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| Open Accessβ-lactam antibiotics promote bacterial mutagenesis via an RpoS-mediated reduction in replication fidelity
Sub-lethal concentrations of antibiotics are known to promote mutagenesis of bacterial DNA. Here the authors show that β-lactam antibiotics trigger mutagenesis by upregulating the stress-response protein RpoS, which downregulates mismatch-repair activity.
- A. Gutierrez
- , L. Laureti
- & I. Matic
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Structure of the full-length HCV IRES in solution
The hepatitis C virus RNA genome is translated via an internal ribosome entry site. Pérard et al. present an atomic model of this site, and using molecular dynamics simulations, identify conformational flexibility that may underlie its function during translation initiation.
- Julien Pérard
- , Cédric Leyrat
- & Marc Jamin
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A novel metatranscriptomic approach to identify gene expression dynamics during extracellular electron transfer
Extracellular electron transfer is a ubiquitous process that occurs in natural microbial communities. Here, Ishii et al.identify specific microbial strains and genes involved in extracellular electron transfer in a biofilm community that is associated with a microbial fuel cell.
- Shun’ichi Ishii
- , Shino Suzuki
- & Orianna Bretschger
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The role and assembly mechanism of nucleoprotein in influenza A virus ribonucleoprotein complexes
The nucleoprotein of negative-strand RNA viruses forms a part of the ribonucleoprotein complex. Here Turrell et al.show that nucleoprotein does not regulate the initiation and termination of transcription and replication by the viral RNA polymerase, suggesting that nucleoprotein instead is an elongation factor.
- Lauren Turrell
- , Jon W. Lyall
- & Frank T. Vreede
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Engineering the type III secretion system in non-replicating bacterial minicells for antigen delivery
Bacterial type III secretion systems (T3SS) improve the delivery of vaccine antigens and antigen-specific immune responses but require the use of live vaccines. Carleton et al. report the assembly of a functional T3SS in replication-incompetent bacterial minicells that can deliver vaccine antigens in vitro and in vivo.
- Heather A. Carleton
- , María Lara-Tejero
- & Jorge E. Galán
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Actin-based confinement of calcium responses during Shigella invasion
Shigella triggers an increase in intracellular calcium during invasion of host cells. Here the authors show that increased actin polymerization at the invasion site slows the diffusion of signalling mediators, thus sustaining localized calcium influx at invasion sites.
- Guy Tran Van Nhieu
- , Bing Kai Liu
- & Laurent Combettes
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Article
| Open AccessSir2a regulates rDNA transcription and multiplication rate in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum
The factors that modulate growth rate of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum remain poorly understood. Here Scherf and collaborators demonstrate that the Plasmodiumsirtuin PfSir2a regulates the transcription of ribosomal DNA, thereby modulating parasite proliferation rate and virulence.
- Liliana Mancio-Silva
- , Jose Juan Lopez-Rubio
- & Artur Scherf
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A synthetic nanomaterial for virus recognition produced by surface imprinting
The recognition of viruses by synthetic materials is historically difficult. Here, a templating procedure using silica nanoparticles coated with organosilanes is used to form virus-imprinted particles, possessing both shape and chemical imprints, capable of virus recognition at picomolar concentrations.
- Alessandro Cumbo
- , Bernard Lorber
- & Patrick Shahgaldian
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| Open AccessCell wall elongation mode in Gram-negative bacteria is determined by peptidoglycan architecture
Bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan is essential for viability and shape determination. Using high-resolution microscopy, Foster and colleagues elucidate the peptidoglycan architecture and insertion pattern in Escherichia coliand other Gram-negative bacteria, and propose a new model for cell wall elongation.
- Robert D. Turner
- , Alexander F. Hurd
- & Simon J. Foster
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Influenza neuraminidase operates via a nucleophilic mechanism and can be targeted by covalent inhibitors
New influenza neuramidase inhibitors may increase preparedness against influenza outbreaks. Vavricka et al.confirm the catalytic mechanism of neuramidase and show that it can be inhibited irreversibly with covalent inhibitors.
- Christopher J. Vavricka
- , Yue Liu
- & George F. Gao
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Mechanism of tetracycline resistance by ribosomal protection protein Tet(O)
The bacterial tetracycline resistance protein Tet(O) binds to the ribosome, preventing tetracycline from inhibiting translation. Using cryo-electron microscopic reconstruction, the authors present an atomic model of Tet(O) bound to the 70S ribosome, and reveal how Tet(O) promotes antibiotic resistance.
- Wen Li
- , Gemma C. Atkinson
- & Joachim Frank
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Bacteroides fragilis polysaccharide A is necessary and sufficient for acute activation of intestinal sensory neurons
Commensal bacteria in gut lumen are known to interact with the enteric nervous system. Mao and colleagues test the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bacteroides fragilis ex vivo, in the myenteric plexus, and find that the polysaccharide A is necessary for intestinal sensory neuron sensitization.
- Yu-Kang Mao
- , Dennis L. Kasper
- & Wolfgang A. Kunze
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Cytotoxicity of botulinum neurotoxins reveals a direct role of syntaxin 1 and SNAP-25 in neuron survival
Botulinum toxins can cause substantial neurodegeneration. Peng et al. study cultured rat hippocampal neurons and find that botulinum toxin-induced cytotoxicity occurs only when there is effective cleavage of the SNARE proteins, syntaxin 1 or SNAP-25, by type C and type E botulinum toxins.
- Lisheng Peng
- , Huisheng Liu
- & Min Dong
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Self-organization of the vesicular stomatitis virus nucleocapsid into a bullet shape
The bullet shape of Rhabdoviruses is thought to depend on their matrix protein, which stabilizes the nucleocapsid coil. Desfosses and colleagues show that the nucleoprotein of the vesicular stomatitis virus can fold the genome into a bullet-shaped skeleton in the absence of other viral components.
- Ambroise Desfosses
- , Euripedes A. Ribeiro Jr
- & Irina Gutsche
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Strong bias in the bacterial CRISPR elements that confer immunity to phage
Bacterial CRISPR–Cas systems provide adaptive immunity against phage by transcribing interfering RNA from phage DNA inserted into the bacterial genome. Using deep-sequencing, the authors detect a bias in the phage genome locations sampled, suggestive of selection.
- David Paez-Espino
- , Wesley Morovic
- & Jillian F. Banfield
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Turnover of soil bacterial diversity driven by wide-scale environmental heterogeneity
In microbial biogeography, little is known about processes involved in soil bacterial diversity turnover. By conducting a wide-scale investigation, this study shows that dispersal limitation and environmental selection of bacteria are not mutually exclusive, highlighting the importance of landscape diversity.
- L. Ranjard
- , S. Dequiedt
- & P. Lemanceau
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The microbiome extends to subepidermal compartments of normal skin
Microbes living in human skin are known to influence the immune system; however, the deeper layers in which immune cells reside were thought to be largely impervious to bacteria. Nakatsuji et al.show that the skin microbiome extends into the dermis, enabling contact with cells below the basement membrane.
- Teruaki Nakatsuji
- , Hsin-I. Chiang
- & Richard L. Gallo
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Article
| Open AccessMethylotrophic methanogenic Thermoplasmata implicated in reduced methane emissions from bovine rumen
Rumen methanogenic archaea are major sources of methane emissions and potential targets for methane mitigation strategies. Poulsen et al.now show that dietary rapeseed oil (RSO) supplementation can reduce the abundance of methanogenic Thermoplasmata archaea inhabiting the bovine rumen.
- Morten Poulsen
- , Clarissa Schwab
- & Tim Urich
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Article
| Open AccessInterferon-induced transmembrane protein-3 genetic variant rs12252-C is associated with severe influenza in Chinese individuals
A variant in the IFITM3gene increases the risk of severe influenza, but homozygosity is rare in Caucasians. The authors show that the variant gene is homozygous in 25% of healthy Chinese people, and 69% of those with severe pandemic influenza, suggesting that this gene influences the epidemiology of influenza in South-East Asia.
- Yong-Hong Zhang
- , Yan Zhao
- & Tao Dong
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Article
| Open AccessThe evolution and pathogenic mechanisms of the rice sheath blight pathogen
The rice sheath blight pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani, is an important fungal pathogen that can devastate rice and maize crops. Zheng and colleagues sequence and assemble the R. solani AG1 IA genome—the first to be sequenced from the Rhizoctoniagenus—using Illumina sequencing technology.
- Aiping Zheng
- , Runmao Lin
- & Ping Li
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Article
| Open AccessSpatial association with PTEX complexes defines regions for effector export into Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes
During red blood cell infection, malaria parasites export hundreds of proteins that remodel the host cell surface. Cowman and colleagues identify a putative protein translocator complex spatially associated with exported proteins, revealing the cellular domains involved in protein export.
- David T. Riglar
- , Kelly L. Rogers
- & Alan F. Cowman
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Modular optimization of multi-gene pathways for fatty acids production in E. coli
Microbial fatty acid-derived fuels represent promising alternatives to the traditionally used fossil fuels. Koffas and colleagues report that E. colicentral metabolism can be modified to produce large quantities of fatty acids through a modular pathway engineering strategy.
- Peng Xu
- , Qin Gu
- & Mattheos A.G. Koffas
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Environmental conditions and community evenness determine the outcome of biological invasion
Biological invasion varies under different environmental stressors. Here, using a fully controlled system of bacterial communities, De Roy et al. find that community evenness affects the level of invasion, and that the community’s response depends on specific environmental conditions as well as the community evenness.
- Karen De Roy
- , Massimo Marzorati
- & Nico Boon
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Article
| Open AccessTransgenerational gene silencing causes gain of virulence in a plant pathogen
Plant pathogens encode effector proteins that trigger immunity in plants carrying appropriate resistance genes. Here Qutob et al. show non-Mendelian interactions between naturally occurring Phytophthora sojaealleles that result in transgenerational gene silencing and gain of virulence in soybean plants.
- Dinah Qutob
- , B. Patrick Chapman
- & Mark Gijzen
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Different types of synchrony in chaotic and cyclic communities
Natural populations are complex systems where interactions can lead to chaotic dynamics. This study tests how cyclic and chaotic microbial predator–prey communities synchronize, showing different phase-locking responses for cyclic and chaotic systems.
- Lutz Becks
- & Hartmut Arndt
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A structural basis for streptomycin-induced misreading of the genetic code
The antibiotic streptomycin increases errors in protein translation, but it is unclear how streptomycin exerts its effect on the ribosome. Demirci et al. present X-ray crystal structures that reveal conformational changes induced by streptomycin, which may inspire future efforts in antibiotics design.
- Hasan Demirci
- , Frank Murphy IV
- & Gerwald Jogl
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Functional genomics identifies type I interferon pathway as central for host defense against Candida albicans
Systemic infection with the fungal pathogenC. albicans is characterized by high mortality, and the precise antifungal defence mechanisms in humans are poorly defined. Using a systems approach, Smeekens et al. describe a previously unknown role for type I interferons in human anti-Candidadefence.
- Sanne P. Smeekens
- , Aylwin Ng
- & Ramnik J. Xavier
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In vivo imaging of virological synapses
In vitro, retroviruses spread between cells via structures resembling synapses. Sewaldet al. now demonstrate that virological synapses can also be observed in living mice by intravital microscopy, validating this concept in vivo.
- Xaver Sewald
- , David G. Gonzalez
- & Walther Mothes
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