Featured
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Article
| Open AccessZNF827 is a single-stranded DNA binding protein that regulates the ATR-CHK1 DNA damage response pathway
Here, the authors characterise the zinc finger protein ZNF827 as a single stranded DNA binding protein that accumulates at stalled replication forks to activate the ATR-CHK1 pathway and engage homologous-recombination mediated DNA repair.
- Sile F. Yang
- , Christopher B. Nelson
- & Hilda A. Pickett
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Article
| Open AccessFunctionalized graphene-oxide grids enable high-resolution cryo-EM structures of the SNF2h-nucleosome complex without crosslinking
Nucleosome-protein complexes stick to the air-water interface and denature upon plunge freezing for cryoEM. Here, authors Chio and Palovcak et al. develop EM grids that protect such complexes and use these grids to study the ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler SNF2h.
- Un Seng Chio
- , Eugene Palovcak
- & Yifan Cheng
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-cell division tracing and transcriptomics reveal cell types and differentiation paths in the regenerating lung
This study uses single-cell transcriptomics to examine how lung cells respond to targeted damage. The authors employ genetically modified mouse models and cell sorting to enrich for rare, actively dividing cells, revealing cell types/states and alternative differentiation paths.
- Leila R. Martins
- , Lina Sieverling
- & Claudia Scholl
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Article
| Open AccessIdentifying regulators of aberrant stem cell and differentiation activity in colorectal cancer using a dual endogenous reporter system
Aberrant stem cell-like activity and impaired differentiation are central to the development of colorectal cancer. Here, authors develop a dual endogenous reporter system to identify functional regulators of aberrant stem cell and differentiation programs, showing that SMARCB1 restricts differentiation, and nominating other regulators with therapeutic potential.
- Sandor Spisak
- , David Chen
- & Nilay S. Sethi
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Article
| Open AccessdCas13-mediated translational repression for accurate gene silencing in mammalian cells
Current gene silencing tools can have drawbacks. Here the authors report CRISPRδ, an approach for translational silencing, harnessing catalytically inactive Cas13 proteins (dCas13): they also show that fusion of a translational repressor to dCas13 further improved the performance.
- Antonios Apostolopoulos
- , Naohiro Kawamoto
- & Shintaro Iwasaki
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Article
| Open AccessYTHDF2 governs muscle size through a targeted modulation of proteostasis
This study highlights the role of YTHDF2, a protein that recognizes m6A-modified RNA, in determining muscle size. The authors show a post-transcriptional mechanism regulating muscle catabolism and growth, prompting interest to address muscle wasting.
- Christopher J. Gilbert
- , Charles P. Rabolli
- & Federica Accornero
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Article
| Open AccessInterrogations of single-cell RNA splicing landscapes with SCASL define new cell identities with physiological relevance
RNA splicing serves as a critical layer of gene expression regulation. Here, authors introduce SCASL for investigating the heterogeneity of RNA splicing landscapes at single-cell resolution, offering a novel scheme for classifying cell identities with physiological relevance.
- Xianke Xiang
- , Yao He
- & Xuerui Yang
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Article
| Open AccessGWAS reveals determinants of mobilization rate and dynamics of an active endogenous retrovirus of cattle
Endogenous retroviruses constitute 5–10% of mammalian genome space. This study characterize the bovine ERVK[2-1- LTR] clade showing that its activity varies between individuals as a function of the number of inherited autonomous elements, yet that most de novo insertions are non-autonomous elements lacking functional genes.
- Lijing Tang
- , Benjamin Swedlund
- & Carole Charlier
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Article
| Open AccessGRB2 stabilizes RAD51 at reversed replication forks suppressing genomic instability and innate immunity against cancer
GRB2 is known for its role in Receptor Tyrosine Kinase and RAS signaling. Here the authors unveil a GRB2 function and mechanism for DNA replication fork protection. GRB2 alleviates oncogenic replication stress, and in doing so, averts cancer immune destruction by inhibiting cGAS/STING and pro-inflammatory cytokine production.
- Zu Ye
- , Shengfeng Xu
- & Zamal Ahmed
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Article
| Open AccessN-Acetyltransferase 10 represses Uqcr11 and Uqcrb independently of ac4C modification to promote heart regeneration
Here, Ma et al. investigate the translational profile of cardiac regeneration, pointing to Nat10 as a key regulator of cardiomyocyte proliferative potential, and describing how it regulates cardiac gene expression.
- Wenya Ma
- , Yanan Tian
- & Benzhi Cai
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Article
| Open AccessDeficiency of ASGR1 promotes liver injury by increasing GP73-mediated hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress
The genetic factors involved in liver injury remain largely unknown. Here, the authors show that ASGR1 deficiency induces liver injury by activating the GP73-mediated ER stress pathway, suggesting its role as a genetic determinant influencing susceptibility to liver injury.
- Zhe Zhang
- , Xiang Kai Leng
- & Jiang Wei Wu
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Article
| Open AccessA Protein Misfolding Shaking Amplification-based method for the spontaneous generation of hundreds of bona fide prions
To study neurodegenerative prion diseases, a method (PMSA) for generating prions spontaneously is presented. Applied to 380+ different prion proteins, their tendency to become pathogenic was ranked, illuminating their formation process.
- Hasier Eraña
- , Cristina Sampedro-Torres-Quevedo
- & Joaquín Castilla
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Article
| Open AccessKdm1a safeguards the topological boundaries of PRC2-repressed genes and prevents aging-related euchromatinization in neurons
Kdm1a is a histone demethylase implicated in intellectual disability. Here, the authors show that removing Kdm1a in neurons of the adult mouse forebrain disrupts silencing of nonneuronal genes and chromatin organization, emphasizing its role in preserving neuronal genome integrity.
- Beatriz del Blanco
- , Sergio Niñerola
- & Ángel Barco
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Article
| Open AccessEnhancing prime editor activity by directed protein evolution in yeast
Compared to traditional Cas9 nucleases prime editors (PEs) are less active. Here the authors use OrthoRep, a yeast-based platform for directed protein evolution to enhance the editing efficiency of PEs: they identify mutations that have a positive effect on kinetics and use this knowledge to generate an efficient in vivo PE.
- Yanik Weber
- , Desirée Böck
- & Gerald Schwank
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Article
| Open AccessDimerization-dependent serine protease activity of FAM111A prevents replication fork stalling at topoisomerase 1 cleavage complexes
FAM111A is a serine protease important for DNA replication and antiviral defense. Here, the authors report that the FAM111A dimerization is crucial for its proteolytic activity and for promoting DNA replication at trapped topoisomerase I.
- Sowmiya Palani
- , Yuka Machida
- & Yuichi J. Machida
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Article
| Open AccessCas9-assisted biological containment of a genetically engineered human commensal bacterium and genetic elements
Engineered biosensing bacteria can potentially probe the human gut microbiome to prevent, diagnose, or treat disease. Here the authors present a robust biocontainment assisted by Cas9 and an engineered gene expression control combined in a genetically engineered human commensal bacterium that successfully functioned in a mouse intestinal tract as well as cell culture condition.
- Naoki Hayashi
- , Yong Lai
- & Timothy K. Lu
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Article
| Open AccessRNA compaction and iterative scanning for small RNA targets by the Hfq chaperone
Small RNAs (sRNAs) turn bacterial genes on or off by base pairing with mRNAs. Here the authors employ single molecule fluorescence to show how sRNAs and their chaperone Hfq quickly locate the proper target by repeatedly scanning an mRNA until a stable match is found.
- Ewelina M. Małecka
- & Sarah A. Woodson
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Article
| Open AccessEvidence for immune activation in pathogenesis of the HLA class II associated disease, podoconiosis
Podoconiosis is triggered by long term barefoot exposure to volcanic red clay soil. Here, Negash et al characterise the immune profile of podoconiosis patients to show this disease is associated with high levels of immune activation and inflammation.
- Mikias Negash
- , Menberework Chanyalew
- & Melanie J. Newport
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Article
| Open AccessALKBH5-mediated m6A modification of IL-11 drives macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition and pathological cardiac fibrosis in mice
Cardiac macrophage contributes to the onset of cardiac fibrosis, but the underneath mechanisms remain unclear. Here the authors show that mouse cardiac macrophages from circulating monocytes may trans-differentiate into myofibroblast under hypertensive conditions for fibrosis development, with an AKLBH5/IL11 molecular axis modulating this macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition.
- Tao Zhuang
- , Mei-Hua Chen
- & Cheng-Chao Ruan
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Article
| Open AccessNeuronal miR-9 promotes HSV-1 epigenetic silencing and latency by repressing Oct-1 and Onecut family genes
Here, the authors identify neuron-specific miR-9 that potentially blocks HSV-1 neuronal replication by targeting host OCT-1 and ONECUT transcription factors involved in epigenetic activation of HSV-1 productive-cycle genes. Thus miR-9 promotes viral epigenetic silencing and latent infection in neurons.
- Yue Deng
- , Yuqi Lin
- & Dongli Pan
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Article
| Open AccessTrans-lesion synthesis and mismatch repair pathway crosstalk defines chemoresistance and hypermutation mechanisms in glioblastoma
Glioblastoma (GBM) is refractory to the chemotherapeutic genotoxin temozolomide (TMZ). Here, the authors show that GBM cells deploy RAD18-mediated Trans-Lesion Synthesis to promote error-free repair of TMZ-induced O6mG DNA lesions and avert lethality.
- Xing Cheng
- , Jing An
- & Yang Yang
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Article
| Open AccessRTF2 controls replication repriming and ribonucleotide excision at the replisome
Ribonucleotides are incorporated into DNA during every S phase. Here, the authors show that replisome protein RTF2 localizes RNase H2 to the replisome, promoting ribonucleotide removal by RNase H2 when replication is ongoing but interfering with PRIM1-dependent restart following fork stalling.
- Brooke A. Conti
- , Penelope D. Ruiz
- & Agata Smogorzewska
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Article
| Open AccessWidespread stable noncanonical peptides identified by integrated analyses of ribosome profiling and ORF features
By developing computational algorithms, the authors annotated translated open reading frames in five eukaryotes and found many stable peptides are encoded by putative ‘noncoding’ regions of genomes.
- Haiwang Yang
- , Qianru Li
- & Zhe Ji
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Article
| Open AccessThe Deinococcus protease PprI senses DNA damage by directly interacting with single-stranded DNA
Lu et al. show that single-stranded DNA produced as a result of DNA damage may directly activate PprI in Deinococcus species, triggering the DNA damage response.
- Huizhi Lu
- , Zijing Chen
- & Yuejin Hua
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Article
| Open AccessSpecificity, synergy, and mechanisms of splice-modifying drugs
Two small-molecule drugs, risdiplam and branaplam, have been developed for treating spinal muscular atrophy. Here the authors develop quantitative modeling methods for the sequence-specific and concentration-dependent effects of these and other splice-modifying drugs.
- Yuma Ishigami
- , Mandy S. Wong
- & Justin B. Kinney
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Article
| Open AccessTopBP1 utilises a bipartite GINS binding mode to support genome replication
Effective and regulated activation of the Mcm2-7 helicase underlies faithful genome replication. Here the authors reveal mechanistic detail how the pre-loading complex proteins TopBP1 and GINS interact and, thus, how the helicase activator GINS loads on Mcm2-7 during replication origin firing.
- Matthew Day
- , Bilal Tetik
- & Dominik Boos
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Article
| Open AccessDevelopment of pathophysiologically relevant models of sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia for therapeutic studies
Sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia (BT) are globally prevalent inherited blood disorders but, despite extensive research, no ex vivo system exists for SCD and BT. Here, the authors generate pathophysiologically relevant erythroid progenitor models of SCD and BT.
- Pragya Gupta
- , Sangam Giri Goswami
- & Sivaprakash Ramalingam
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Article
| Open AccessInterplay between coding and non-coding regulation drives the Arabidopsis seed-to-seedling transition
Seed germination in plants is a tightly controlled process relying on translation of stored RNAs. Here, Tremblay et al. show that nascent transcriptome and epigenome reprogramming are detected from initial stages of germination.
- Benjamin J. M. Tremblay
- , Cristina P. Santini
- & Julia I. Qüesta
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Article
| Open AccessA distinct class of pan-cancer susceptibility genes revealed by an alternative polyadenylation transcriptome-wide association study
Alternative polyadenylation (APA) can play a key role in cancer initiation and progression. Here, the authors conducted a comprehensive pan-cancer APA TWAS analysis and discovered a distinct class of APA-mediated cancer susceptibility genes across 22 cancer types.
- Hui Chen
- , Zeyang Wang
- & Lei Li
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Article
| Open AccessCellular reprogramming in vivo initiated by SOX4 pioneer factor activity
Upon physiological injury, hepatocytes transdifferentiate into biliary epithelial cells, a process involving molecular rewiring. Here, authors show that Sox4 organizes the early steps, acting as a pioneer factor to decommission hepatocyte enhancers and open chromatin around biliary genes.
- Takeshi Katsuda
- , Jonathan H. Sussman
- & Ben Z. Stanger
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Article
| Open AccessTransient disome complex formation in native polysomes during ongoing protein synthesis captured by cryo-EM
Direct visualization of short-lived intermediates during active protein synthesis remains challenging. Here, the authors structurally capture transient translation intermediates to uncover temporary disome formation during ribosome collisions.
- Timo Flügel
- , Magdalena Schacherl
- & Christian M. T. Spahn
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-molecule RNA sizing enables quantitative analysis of alternative transcription termination
The development of RNA technologies demands accurate assessment of transcript size and heterogeneity. Here, authors report a nanopore-based approach to study full-length RNA transcripts at the single-molecule level, identify premature transcription termination and study rolling-circle transcription.
- Gerardo Patiño-Guillén
- , Jovan Pešović
- & Ulrich Felix Keyser
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Article
| Open AccessImplications of the three-dimensional chromatin organization for genome evolution in a fungal plant pathogen
The spatial organization of eukaryotic genomes is linked to their biological functions. Here, the authors study the 3D genome organization of the phytopathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae, revealing links to evolutionary features conserved throughout the Verticillium genus.
- David E. Torres
- , H. Martin Kramer
- & Bart P. H. J. Thomma
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Article
| Open AccessBacteria employ lysine acetylation of transcriptional regulators to adapt gene expression to cellular metabolism
The mechanisms underlying adaptation of bacteria to changing environmental conditions remain poorly understood. Here, the authors show bacteria using lysine acetylation of transcriptional regulators to adjust gene expression to changing conditions.
- Magdalena Kremer
- , Sabrina Schulze
- & Michael Lammers
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Article
| Open AccessCbp1 and Cren7 form chromatin-like structures that ensure efficient transcription of long CRISPR arrays
CRISPR arrays form the physical memory of prokaryotic adaptive immune systems by incorporating viral DNA sequences as spacers. Here, Blombach et al. show that transcription factor Cbp1 recruits chromatin protein Cren7 at CRISPR arrays, forming ‘chimeric’ chromatin-like structures that regulate expression of long CRISPR arrays in Sulfolobales archaea.
- Fabian Blombach
- , Michal Sýkora
- & Finn Werner
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Article
| Open AccessStalled translation by mitochondrial stress upregulates a CNOT4-ZNF598 ribosomal quality control pathway important for tissue homeostasis
Ribosome associated quality control (RQC) is a new area of biological investigation with emerging connection to a broad range of diseases. Here authors show that mitochondrial stress can upregulate a new RQC pathway important for tissue homeostasis.
- Ji Geng
- , Shuangxi Li
- & Bingwei Lu
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Article
| Open AccessDecryption of sequence, structure, and functional features of SINE repeat elements in SINEUP non-coding RNA-mediated post-transcriptional gene regulation
Here the authors elucidate structure-function relationships of SINEUPs, antisense long non-coding RNAs that through SINE repeat elements positively regulate protein translation of mRNAs they pair with. SINEUP’s functional domains do not share common ancestors.
- Harshita Sharma
- , Matthew N. Z. Valentine
- & Piero Carninci
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Article
| Open AccessOncogenic c-Myc induces replication stress by increasing cohesins chromatin occupancy in a CTCF-dependent manner
Here the authors report that oncogenic c-Myc induces replication stress via increasing the amount of cohesins bound to chromatin at CTCF sites.
- Silvia Peripolli
- , Leticia Meneguello
- & Robertus A. M. de Bruin
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Article
| Open AccessOrthogonal inducible control of Cas13 circuits enables programmable RNA regulation in mammalian cells
The lack of control over Cas13 activity has limited its utility. Here the authors report Control of RNA with Inducible SpliT CAs13 Orthologs and Exogenous Ligands (CRISTAL), controlled by orthogonal split inducible Cas13 effectors that can be turned ON or OFF, providing precise temporal control.
- Yage Ding
- , Cristina Tous
- & Wilson W. Wong
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Article
| Open AccessStructure of the recombinant RNA polymerase from African Swine Fever Virus
Pilotto and colleagues produce recombinant and catalytically active RNA polymerase (RNAP) from African Swine Fever Virus. Cryo-EM structures of RNAP with closed and open clamp conformations are presented along with in vitro transcription assays, yielding distinct functional conclusions.
- Simona Pilotto
- , Michal Sýkora
- & Finn Werner
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Article
| Open AccessMeiotic protein SYCP2 confers resistance to DNA-damaging agents through R-loop-mediated DNA repair
Aberrant expression of Synaptonemal complex protein 2 (SYCP2) in breast and ovarian cancers is associated with resistance to drugs targeting the DNA damage response. Here the authors show that SYCP2 confers drug resistance by promoting R-loop formation during transcription-coupled homologous recombination.
- Yumin Wang
- , Boya Gao
- & Li Lan
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Article
| Open AccessIdentification of HDV-like theta ribozymes involved in tRNA-based recoding of gut bacteriophages
The diverse functional roles of ribozymes (RNAs with enzymatic activity) continue to be uncovered. Here, the authors identify and characterize a subgroup of minimal hepatitis delta virus (HDV)-like ribozymes – termed Theta ribozymes -, which they show process viral tRNA transcripts, and appearing crucial for lytic gene expression in recoded phages.
- Kasimir Kienbeck
- , Lukas Malfertheiner
- & Roland K. O. Sigel
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Article
| Open AccessA transient protein folding response targets aggregation in the early phase of TDP-43-mediated neurodegeneration
The etiology of TDP-43 proteinopathy in ALS and FTD is complex. Here, the authors show that prior to disease onset in the rNLS8 mouse model, cortex neurons elicit a transient increase in protective chaperones that combat TDP-43 aggregation.
- Rebecca San Gil
- , Dana Pascovici
- & Adam K. Walker
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Article
| Open AccessDomain-inlaid Nme2Cas9 adenine base editors with improved activity and targeting scope
Nme2Cas9 has been well established as a genome editing platform. Here the authors engineer Nme2Cas9 to further increase the activity and targeting scope of compact Nme2Cas9 base editors and validate domain-inlaid Nme2-ABEs for single-AAV delivery in vivo.
- Nathan Bamidele
- , Han Zhang
- & Erik J. Sontheimer
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Article
| Open AccessChp1 is a dedicated chaperone at the ribosome that safeguards eEF1A biogenesis
Here the authors discover a dedicated ribosome-associated chaperone, Chp1, that assists in the challenging biogenesis of eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) by cotranslationally stabilizing the growing GTPase domain of eEF1A.
- Melania Minoia
- , Jany Quintana-Cordero
- & Claes Andréasson
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Article
| Open AccessTrabectedin derails transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair to induce DNA breaks in highly transcribed genes
The antitumor drug trabectedin is more toxic to DNA-repair-proficient cells. Here the authors show that this is caused by persistent DNA breaks induced from an abortive repair reaction and develop “TRABI-Seq” to map the breaks to transcribed regions of the genome. Trabectedin may thus be used as a diagnostic and therapeutic in precision oncology.
- Kook Son
- , Vakil Takhaveev
- & Orlando D. Schärer
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Article
| Open AccessHigh resolution spatial profiling of kidney injury and repair using RNA hybridization-based in situ sequencing
Advancements in spatial transcriptomics technologies have enabled the analysis of gene expression at cellular resolution in situ. The authors applied direct RNA hybridization-based in situ sequencing (dRNA HybISS) and developed a computational tool, CellScopes, to study gene expression in mouse kidneys, identifying cellular changes and interactions during injury and repair.
- Haojia Wu
- , Eryn E. Dixon
- & Benjamin D. Humphreys
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Article
| Open AccessAdipocyte p53 coordinates the response to intermittent fasting by regulating adipose tissue immune cell landscape
Adipose tissue (AT) inflammation is strongly associated with obesity and constitutes an obesogenic memory upon weight loss. Here, the authors show that intermittent fasting leads to an adipocyte p53-signaling dependent emergence of lipid-associated macrophages in visceral AT of obese mice which limits the systemic fasting response.
- Isabel Reinisch
- , Helene Michenthaler
- & Andreas Prokesch
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Article
| Open AccessMultigenerational paternal obesity enhances the susceptibility to male subfertility in offspring via Wt1 N6-methyladenosine modification
The mechanisms through which multigenerational paternal obesity affects spermatogenesis in offspring remain poorly understood. Here, the authors show that it affects Wt1 m6A modifications, decreasing the fertility of offspring.
- Yong-Wei Xiong
- , Hua-Long Zhu
- & Hua Wang
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