R. Lu

Enhanced Recognition of a Herbal Compound Epiberberine by a DNA Quadruplex-Duplex Structure

This paper investigates how epiberberine binds to a DNA quadruplex structure and shows how modifying the DNA structure enhances binding affinity, leading to a new method for extracting the compound from plant extracts.

Recognition of RNA secondary structures with a programmable peptide nucleic acid-based platform

This paper introduces daPNAs, a programmable platform combining dbPNAs and asPNAs to target RNA junctions, demonstrating their use in inhibiting Dicer and regulating ribosomal frameshifting.

Monocytes reprogrammed by 4-PBA potently contribute to the resolution of inflammation and atherosclerosis

This study shows that 4-PBA reprograms monocytes to resolve inflammation and atherosclerosis by altering adhesion and increasing anti-inflammatory markers.

Discovery of a new activator of Slack potassium channels with robust efficacy in models of histamine-independent and chronic itch

This study identifies compound 6 as a potent Slack potassium channel activator effective in treating histamine-independent and chronic itch without motor side effects.

Global and local adaptation to aridity in a desert plant Gymnocarpos przewalskii

This study identifies genes involved in global and local adaptation to aridity in Gymnocarpos przewalskii, finding limited overlap between the two processes.

Integrating EM and Patch-seq data: Synaptic connectivity and target specificity of predicted Sst transcriptomic types

The paper predicts MET-type identities from EM data and shows they have distinct connectivity patterns and synapse targets.

Molecular evolution of protein sequences and codon usage in monkeypox viruses

This study investigates the molecular evolution of protein sequences and codon usage in monkeypox viruses, identifying positive selection, accelerated evolution, and codon deoptimization patterns.

The Eyes Absent family members EYA4 and EYA1 promote PLK1 activation and successful mitosis through tyrosine dephosphorylation.

This study identifies PLK1 as a target of EYA4 and EYA1 phosphatases, showing that dephosphorylation of pY445 promotes PLK1 activation and mitosis, with implications for cancer therapy.

Human fetal cerebellar cell atlas informs medulloblastoma origin and oncogenesis

This study creates a human fetal cerebellar cell atlas to identify transitional progenitors linked to aggressive medulloblastoma subgroups and their oncogenic mechanisms.

Fc-engineered antibodies leverage neutrophils to drive control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

This study uses Fc-engineered antibodies to enhance Mtb control by leveraging neutrophils, showing restrictive Fc variants improve neutrophil survival and antimicrobial activity in a human whole blood model.

A Novel Oncogenic Function of PRC2 Heterogeneity in Medulloblastoma

This study shows that PRC2 heterogeneity in SHH medulloblastomas drives tumor growth through intrinsic and non-cell autonomous mechanisms involving IGF2.

In their sister's footsteps: Taxonomic divergence obscures substantial functional overlap among the metabolically diverse symbiotic gut communities of adult and larval turtle ants

This study compares the metabolic capabilities of gut symbionts in turtle ant larvae and adults, revealing functional overlap despite taxonomic divergence.

Development of novel in vitro human alveolar epithelial cell models to study distal lung biology and disease

The paper develops novel immortalized human alveolar epithelial cell lines that can form organoids and exhibit lineage memory, offering a new in vitro model for distal lung biology and disease.

Structural basis of bile acid receptor activation and Gs coupling

The paper reports cryo-EM structures of GPBAR-Gs complexes, revealing structural features of bile acid recognition, allosteric effects, and biased signaling.

Functional Interrogation of HOXA9 Regulome in MLLr Leukemia via Reporter-based CRISPR/Cas9 screen

The paper uses a HOXA9-mCherry reporter and CRISPR/Cas9 screens to identify USF1/USF2 as regulators of HOXA9 in MLLr leukemia, showing their role in leukemia cell proliferation.

Salmonella Enteritidis Effector AvrA suppresses autophagy by reducing Beclin-1 protein

This study shows that Salmonella Enteritidis effector AvrA suppresses autophagy by reducing Beclin-1 protein via the JNK pathway, promoting bacterial survival in host cells.

Scutellaria baicalensis extract and baicalein inhibit replication of SARS-CoV-2 and its 3C-like protease in vitro

This study shows that Scutellaria baicalensis extract and its compound baicalein inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and 3CLpro activity in vitro.

Mutations, Recombination and Insertion in the Evolution of 2019-nCoV

The paper analyzes 120 SARS-CoV-2 genomes to identify genetic subgroups, recombination events, and a unique spike protein insertion that may enhance infectivity.

Vitamin D receptor protects against dysbiosis and tumorigenesis via the JAK/STAT pathway in intestine

This study shows that intestinal VDR protects against dysbiosis and tumorigenesis by modulating the JAK/STAT pathway through microbiome interactions.

MOTS-c is an Exercise-Induced Mitochondrial-Encoded Regulator of Age-Dependent Physical Decline and Muscle Homeostasis

This study shows that MOTS-c, a mitochondrial-encoded peptide, improves physical performance and muscle homeostasis across ages in mice and humans, suggesting mitochondrial genes regulate aging.

Inhibiting the prostaglandin transporter PGT induces non-canonical thermogenesis at thermoneutrality

Inhibiting the prostaglandin transporter PGT reduces body fat and induces UCP1-independent thermogenesis in mice on a high-fat diet.

A general method to fine-tune fluorophores for live-cell and in vivo imaging

The paper introduces a method to fine-tune fluorophores for improved brightness and photostability in live-cell and in vivo imaging.