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Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) are promising electrochemical energy storage systems because of their low cost and high energy density. However, practical exploitation of KIBs is hampered by the lack of high-performance cathode materials. Here we report a potassium manganese hexacyanoferrate (K 2 Mn[Fe(CN) 6 ]) material, with a negligible content of defects and water, for efficient high-voltage K-ion storage. When tested in combination with a K metal anode, the K 2 Mn[Fe(CN) 6 ]-based electrode enables a cell specific energy of 609.7 Wh kg −1 and 80% capacity retention after 7800 cycles. Moreover, a K-ion full-cell consisting of graphite and K 2 Mn[Fe(CN) 6 ] as anode and cathode active materials, respectively, demonstrates a specific energy of 331.5 Wh kg −1 , remarkable rate capability, and negligible capacity decay for 300 cycles. The remarkable electrochemical energy storage performances of the K 2 Mn[Fe(CN) 6 ] material are attributed to its stable frameworks that benefit from the defect-free structure. Potassium-ion battery is a promising candidate for post-Li-ion energy storage but the lack of cathode materials hinders practical exploitation. Here the authors investigate defect-free potassium manganese hexacyanoferrate as cathode active material for high energy and long lifespan K-based cells.

Enzymatic reactions in living cells are highly dynamic but simultaneously tightly regulated. Enzyme engineers seek to construct multienzyme complexes to prevent intermediate diffusion, to improve product yield, and to control the flux of metabolites. Here we choose a pair of short peptide tags (RIAD and RIDD) to create scaffold-free enzyme assemblies to achieve these goals. In vitro, assembling enzymes in the menaquinone biosynthetic pathway through RIAD–RIDD interaction yields protein nanoparticles with varying stoichiometries, sizes, geometries, and catalytic efficiency. In Escherichia coli , assembling the last enzyme of the upstream mevalonate pathway with the first enzyme of the downstream carotenoid pathway leads to the formation of a pathway node, which increases carotenoid production by 5.7 folds. The same strategy results in a 58% increase in lycopene production in engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae . This work presents a simple strategy to impose metabolic control in biosynthetic microbe factories. Metabolic enzymes often form supramolecular complexes to improve product yield. Here the authors use short peptide tags to create scaffold-free assemblies and synthetic metabolic nodes.

Background Biomolecular condensates have been implicated in multiple cellular processes. However, the global role played by condensates in 3D chromatin organization remains unclear. At present, 1,6-hexanediol (1,6-HD) is the only available tool to globally disrupt condensates, yet the conditions of 1,6-HD vary considerably between studies and may even trigger apoptosis. Results In this study, we first analyzed the effects of different concentrations and treatment durations of 1,6-HD and found that short-term exposure to 1.5% 1,6-HD dissolved biomolecular condensates whereas long-term exposure caused aberrant aggregation without affecting cell viability. Based on this condition, we drew a time-resolved map of 3D chromatin organization and found that short-term treatment with 1.5% 1,6-HD resulted in reduced long-range interactions, strengthened compartmentalization, homogenized A-A interactions, B-to-A compartment switch and TAD reorganization, whereas longer exposure had the opposite effects. Furthermore, the long-range interactions between condensate-component-enriched regions were markedly weakened following 1,6-HD treatment. Conclusions In conclusion, our study finds a proper 1,6-HD condition and provides a resource for exploring the role of biomolecular condensates in 3D chromatin organization.

Understanding intracellular phase separation is crucial for deciphering transcriptional control, cell fate transitions, and disease mechanisms. However, the key residues, which impact phase separation the most for protein phase separation function have remained elusive. We develop PSPHunter, which can precisely predict these key residues based on machine learning scheme. In vivo and in vitro validations demonstrate that truncating just 6 key residues in GATA3 disrupts phase separation, enhancing tumor cell migration and inhibiting growth. Glycine and its motifs are enriched in spacer and key residues, as revealed by our comprehensive analysis. PSPHunter identifies nearly 80% of disease-associated phase-separating proteins, with frequent mutated pathological residues like glycine and proline often residing in these key residues. PSPHunter thus emerges as a crucial tool to uncover key residues, facilitating insights into phase separation mechanisms governing transcriptional control, cell fate transitions, and disease development. Understanding intracellular phase separation is essential for transcriptional control, cell fate, and disease. Here the authors report PSPHunter which accurately predicts key residues, aiding in disease-associated protein identification and mechanistic insights.

Waterborne polyurethane, renowned for its lightweight properties, excellent insulation capabilities, and corrosion resistance, has found extensive application in fields such as construction, automotive, leather, and thermal insulation. Nevertheless, during operational usage, waterborne polyurethane materials, akin to other polymeric substances, are susceptible to oxidative aging manifestations like yellowing, cracking, and diminished mechanical performance, significantly curtailing their utility. Consequently, the synthesis of yellowing-resistant polyurethane assumes pivotal significance. This study integrates dynamic reversible reactions into the synthesis process of polyurethane by introducing the dynamic reversible compound 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide as a chain extender, alongside the incorporation of a UV absorber to enhance the polyurethane’s resistance to yellowing. When the disulfide bonds absorb heat, they undergo cleavage, yielding thiols that spontaneously recombine into disulfide bonds at ambient temperatures, allowing for the continuous breaking and reformation of disulfide bonds to absorb heat. Concurrently, in collaboration with the UV absorber, the detrimental effects of ultraviolet radiation on the polyurethane material are mitigated, thereby augmenting its resistance to yellowing. This study scrutinizes the positioning of UV absorber addition, the quantity of UV absorber, and the molar ratio of 1,4-butanediol to 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide, characterizing the functional groups of polyurethane through infrared and Raman spectroscopy. It is observed that the successful preparation of yellowing-resistant polyurethane is achieved, and evaluations on the modified polyurethane through color difference, tensile, and centrifugal tests reveal that the optimal yellowing resistance is attained by adding a UV absorber at a mass fraction of 1% to 3% prior to chain extension, resulting in a color change grade of 2, denoting slight discoloration. Simultaneously, the other properties of polyurethane exhibit relative stability. Notably, when the molar ratio of 1,4-butanediol to 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide is 3:2, the overall performance of the polyurethane remains stable, with exceptional yellowing resistance capabilities attaining a color change grade of 2.

Immune responses play an important role in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the characteristics of T lymphocyte subsets in PCOS remain insufficiently understood. In this study, lymphocytes of follicular fluid (FF) were obtained from oocyte retrieval before in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in infertile women with or without PCOS. The levels of cluster of differentiation 25 (CD25), CD69, programmed death 1 (PD-1), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and IL-10 in T lymphocytes were determined by flow cytometry. Our results showed that the percentage of FF CD8 + T cells was significantly decreased in infertile patients with PCOS ( P  < 0.05). Furthermore, the levels of CD69 and IFN-γ were significantly decreased and the level of PD-1 was increased in both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells from infertile patients with PCOS ( P  < 0.05). Moreover, the expression of PD-1 on CD4 + or CD8 + T cells was positively correlated with the estradiol (E2) levels in the serum and reversely correlated with the expression of IFN-γ in CD4 + or CD8 + T cells in infertile patients with PCOS. These results suggested that T cell dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS.

B cells played an important role in Schistosoma infection-induced diseases. TLR7 is an intracellular member of the innate immune receptor. The role of TLR7 on B cells mediated immune response is still unclear. Here, C57BL/6 mice were percutaneously infected by S . japonicum for 5–6 weeks. The percentages and numbers of B cells increased in the infected mice ( p < 0.05), and many activation and function associated molecules were also changed on B cells. More splenic cells of the infected mice expressed TLR7, and B cells were served as the main cell population. Moreover, a lower level of soluble egg antigen (SEA) specific antibody and less activation associated molecules were found on the surface of splenic B cells from S . japonicum infected TLR7 gene knockout (TLR7 KO) mice compared to infected wild type (WT) mice ( p < 0.05). Additionally, SEA showed a little higher ability in inducing the activation of B cells from naive WT mice than TLR7 KO mice ( p < 0.05). Finally, the effects of TLR7 on B cells are dependent on the activation of NF-κB p65. Altogether, TLR7 was found modulating the splenic B cell responses in S . japonicum infected C57BL/6 mice.

Background Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is susceptible to abiotic factors during its growth period, such as salt and drought. The germination stage is the initial growth stage of wheat growth, when wheat is particularly sensitive to salt and drought stress. Results In this study, the genetic basis of salt and drought tolerance in wheat was explored using a recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population consisting of 188 lines derived from a cross between the cultivars Kenong9204 (KN9204) and Jing411 (J411). The KJ-RIL lines and their parents were evaluated under 100 mM NaCl salt stress and 10% polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG-6000) induced drought stress. A principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the cumulative contribution rate of the four principal components was 87.16% and 85.62% under salt and drought stress, respectively. A total of 16 salt-tolerant and five drought-tolerant lines were selected using the membership function and 52 putative additive quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and 251 epistatic QTLs (eQTLs) for eight traits were detected in the KJ-RILs. Among the 251 eQTLs, 19, 32, 67, 21, 27, 29, 32, and 24 pairwise eQTLs were observed for sheath length, seedling length, maximum root length, root number, seedling fresh weight, root fresh weight, seedling dry weight, and root dry weight, respectively. The 52 putative additive QTLs were found in all of the 21 wheat chromosomes except 1A, 2D, and 4A. The QTLs accounted for 3.92–13.26% of the phenotypic variation with logarithm of the odds values ranging from 2.52–6.91. A total of seven stable QTLs were detected: qShl-1D , qShl-3B , qSl-4D , qMrl-1D , qRn-2A.3 , qRn-4B , and qRdw-7D , and three major QTLs were detected: qShl-4B , qRn-3B , and qRfw-7D . Among them, qShl-3B was a stable major QTL that explained 10.96%–12.02% of the variation rate and the most favorable allele came from KN9204. In addition, an InDel marker closely linked to qShl-3B was developed and validated in 188 RILs. Conclusion Different putative additive QTLs and epistatic QTLs (eQTLs) located on most of the 21 wheat chromosomes were detected for the studied traits. Of which, a total of seven stable QTLs and three major QTLs were detected. In addition, an InDel marker closely linked to the stable major QTL, qShl-3B was developed and validated in 188 RILs, providing important information for the genetic improvement and development of salt and drought tolerance wheat varieties.

The accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) is one of the major obstacles to achieve an appropriate anti-tumor immune response and successful tumor immunotherapy. MDSCs in tumor-bearing hosts are primarily polymorphonuclear (PMN-MDSCs). However, the mechanisms regulating the development of MDSCs remain poorly understood. In this report, we showed that interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) plays a key role in the development of PMN-MDSCs, but not monocytic MDSCs. IRF4 deficiency caused a significant elevation of PMN-MDSCs and enhanced the suppressive activity of PMN-MDSCs, increasing tumor growth and metastasis in mice. Mechanistic studies showed that c-Myc was up-regulated by the IRF4 protein. Over-expression of c-Myc almost abrogated the effects of IRF4 deletion on PMN-MDSCs development. Importantly, the IRF4 expression level was negatively correlated with the PMN-MDSCs frequency and tumor development but positively correlated with c-Myc expression in clinical cancer patients. In summary, this study demonstrated that IRF4 represents a novel regulator of PMN-MDSCs development in cancer, which may have predictive value for tumor progression.

Liver granulomatous inflammation and fibrosis were the primary pathological changes observed during Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) infection. In the present study, the characteristics of IL-9 were investigated in the liver of S. japonicum infection C57BL/6 mice. Immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and ELISA results demonstrated that the expression of IL-9 significantly increased after infection ( P  < 0.01). FACS results indicated that the peak of IL-9 + Th9 cells in the liver mononuclear cells appeared at the early phase of infection (week 5), except that Th9 cells, CD8 + Tc cells, NKT and γδT cells could secrete IL-9 in this model. Although IL-9 neutralization has a limited effect on liver granulomatous inflammation, it could decrease the level of fibrosis-associated factor, PC-III, in the serum of infected mice ( P  < 0.05). Taken together, our results indicated that IL-9 was an important type of cytokine involved in the progression of S. japonicum infection-induced hepatic damage.