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Background Proteins with novel functions or advanced activities developed by various protein engineering techniques must have sufficient solubility to retain their bioactivity. However, inactive protein aggregates are frequently produced during heterologous protein expression in Escherichia coli . To prevent the formation of inclusion bodies, fusion tag technology has been commonly employed, owing to its good performance in soluble expression of target proteins, ease of application, and purification feasibility. Thus, researchers have continuously developed novel fusion tags to expand the expression capacity of high-value proteins in E. coli . Results A novel fusion tag comprising carbohydrate-binding module 66 (CBM66) was developed for the soluble expression of heterologous proteins in E. coli . The target protein solubilization capacity of the CBM66 tag was verified using seven proteins that are poorly expressed or form inclusion bodies in E. coli : four human-derived signaling polypeptides and three microbial enzymes. Compared to native proteins, CBM66-fused proteins exhibited improved solubility and high production titer. The protein-solubilizing effect of the CBM66 tag was compared with that of two commercial tags, maltose-binding protein and glutathione-S-transferase, using poly(ethylene terephthalate) hydrolase (PETase) as a model protein; CBM66 fusion resulted in a 3.7-fold higher expression amount of soluble PETase (approximately 370 mg/L) compared to fusion with the other commercial tags. The intact PETase was purified from the fusion protein upon serial treatment with enterokinase and affinity chromatography using levan-agarose resin. The bioactivity of the three proteins assessed was maintained even when the CBM66 tag was fused. Conclusions The use of the CBM66 tag to improve soluble protein expression facilitates the easy and economic production of high-value proteins in E. coli .

With an increase in the obese population, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing in Korea. This study aimed to identify sex- and age-specific risk factors for metabolic syndrome. A secondary data analysis was performed using the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Participants comprised 6144 adults aged 20–79 years. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was high in the middle- and old-aged men (31.9% and 34.5%, respectively) and in old-aged women (39.1%). Risk factors for metabolic syndrome showed different patterns for men and women. In men, alcohol drinking was identified as the main risk factor for hypertension (odds ratio (OR); young = 3.3 vs. middle age = 2.0), high triglycerides (young = 2.4 vs. middle age = 2.2), and high fasting blood sugar (middle age = 1.6). In women, the main risk factors were household income and education level, showing different patterns in different age groups. In conclusion, the vulnerable groups at high risk of metabolic syndrome are those of middle-aged men and women. The pattern of risk factors is sex-specific.

DNA damage is a critical threat that poses significant challenges to all cells. To address this issue, cells have evolved a sophisticated molecular and cellular process known as the DNA damage response (DDR). Among the various cell types, mammalian oocytes, which remain dormant in the ovary for extended periods, are particularly susceptible to DNA damage. The occurrence of DNA damage in oocytes can result in genetic abnormalities, potentially leading to infertility, birth defects, and even abortion. Therefore, understanding how oocytes detect and repair DNA damage is of paramount importance in maintaining oocyte quality and preserving fertility. Although the fundamental concept of the DDR is conserved across various cell types, an emerging body of evidence reveals striking distinctions in the DDR between mammalian oocytes and somatic cells. In this review, we highlight the distinctive characteristics of the DDR in oocytes and discuss the clinical implications of DNA damage in oocytes. DNA Damage in Oocytes: A Key Player in Infertility and Birth Defects Understanding how our cells fix DNA damage is key to understanding why certain diseases, like cancer, happen. Researchers conducted a review, to create a clearer picture of DNA repair in oocytes. They discovered that oocytes have a unique method of handling DNA damage compared to other cell types. The study also noted that as women age, their oocytes become less skilled at repairing DNA, which can affect fertility. The researchers emphasized that oocytes have a strong system for fixing DNA damage, which is crucial for preventing chromosomal abnormalities in embryos. They concluded that understanding these repair mechanisms better could lead to advancements in fertility treatments and preserving reproductive health. Future research could further unravel these processes, potentially leading to new ways to help individuals facing fertility challenges. This summary was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then revised and fact-checked by the author.

Hydrotherapy is widely used for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients, but it can also be applied to prevent diseases in healthy people. This review investigates the health effects of water immersion, a form of hydrotherapy, and the mechanisms by which the properties of water elicit such an effect. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL to identify relevant articles, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria. Various factors of water immersion were investigated in the 13 selected articles, including water temperature, immersion height, and application area. With respect to health effects, warm and cold water immersion affects the cardiovascular and neuromuscular systems, respectively. Nine articles focused on the effects of warm water immersion, explaining its thermal effect in relation to changes in disease-related serum substance levels and hemodynamic changes. While the sample population in most studies comprised young adults, two articles applied partial water immersion to the legs of elderly subjects to assess its effect on sleep. Because the water immersion protocols applied in the 13 articles were inconsistent, the health benefits could not be clearly explained. However, we expect the present findings to be beneficial for providing research guidelines for studies on the application of water immersion.

Forest therapy involves visiting forests or conducting forest-based treatment activities to improve one’s health. Studies have investigated the health benefits of forests, but consensus has not been reached. This study comprised a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine how forest therapy affects the physiological and psychological health of adults. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, and Medline databases were searched on 31 August 2021. Systematic review and meta-analysis, risk evaluation, GRADE evaluation, and advertisement effect evaluation were performed for each article. The effect size was calculated by dividing blood pressure as a physiological indicator and depression as a psychological indicator. Of the 16,980 retrieved studies, 17 were selected based on the inclusion criteria. Of these, eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. The effect size of forest therapy on improving systolic and diastolic blood pressure was not significant; however, it significantly reduced depression. While the results have limited generalizability due to the inclusion of few studies, the effects of forest therapy on reducing depression have been confirmed. Since the application of forest therapy was heterogeneous in these studies, a moderator effect analysis or subgroup analysis in meta-analysis should be performed in the future.

Background Centromeres play a vital role in ensuring accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis by serving as the foundation for kinetochore assembly and microtubule attachment. In oocytes, maintaining centromere integrity is particularly critical due to the extended arrest period prior to meiotic resumption. However, the molecular safeguards that preserve centromere structure and function throughout oocyte maturation remain poorly understood. Results Here, we identify ZSCAN4 as an essential regulator of centromere integrity during mouse oocyte meiosis. ZSCAN4 depletion leads to a marked reduction in key centromeric and kinetochore proteins, including CENP-A, accompanied by aberrant centromere stretching under spindle tension. Mechanistically, ZSCAN4 promotes pericentromeric H3K9me3 enrichment, facilitating proper chromatin compaction and chromosome alignment. Moreover, ZSCAN4 contributes to genomic stability by mediating the chromosomal recruitment of the CIP2A complex in response to DNA damage during meiotic progression. Conclusions These findings establish ZSCAN4 as a critical factor in preserving centromere structure and function during oocyte meiosis, with potential implications for female reproductive health and developmental competence.

Although microtubule-associated serine/threonine kinase-like (MASTL) is a promising target for selective anticancer treatment, MASTL inhibitors with nano range potency and antitumor efficacy have not been reported. Here, we report a novel potent and selective MASTL inhibitor MASTL kinase inhibitor-2 (MKI-2) identified in silico through a drug discovery program. Our data showed that MKI-2 inhibited recombinant MASTL activity and cellular MASTL activity with IC50 values of 37.44 nM and 142.7 nM, respectively, in breast cancer cells. In addition, MKI-2 inhibited MASTL kinase rather than other AGC kinases, such as ROCK1, AKT1, PKACα, and p70S6K. Furthermore, MKI-2 exerted various antitumor activities by inducing mitotic catastrophe resulting from the modulation of the MASTL-PP2A axis in breast cancer cells. The MKI-2 treatment showed phenocopies with MASTL-null oocyte in mouse oocytes, which were used as a model to validate MKI-2 activity. Therefore, our study provided a new potent and selective MASTL inhibitor MKI-2 targeting the oncogenic MAST-PP2A axis in breast cancer cells.

Protein misfolding and aggregation are cardinal features of neurodegenerative disease (NDD) and they contribute to pathophysiology by both loss-of-function (LOF) and gain-of-function (GOF) mechanisms. This is well exemplified by TDP-43 which aggregates and mislocalizes in several NDDs. The depletion of nuclear TDP-43 leads to reduction in its normal function in RNA metabolism and the cytoplasmic accumulation of TDP-43 leads to aberrant protein homeostasis. A modifier screen found that loss of rad23 suppressed TDP-43 pathology in invertebrate and tissue culture models. Here we show in the TAR4 mouse model of TDP-43 pathology that genetic or antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-mediated reduction of rad23a confers benefits on survival and behavior, histological hallmarks of disease and reduction of mislocalized and aggregated TDP-43. This results in improved function of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and correction of transcriptomic alterations evoked by pathologic TDP-43. RAD23A-dependent remodeling of the insoluble proteome appears to be a key event driving pathology in this model. As TDP-43 pathology is prevalent in both familial and sporadic NDD, targeting RAD23A may have therapeutic potential. Mislocalized and aggregated TDP-43 drives neurodegeneration in several diseases. The current work shows that RAD23A contributes to TDP-43 toxicity by driving pathological re-distribution of key proteins into an insoluble fraction of cells and thereby leading to loss of function phenotypes.

Studies investigating the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and central adiposity are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate trends in type 2 diabetes mellitus stratified by central adiposity using waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Trends in type 2 diabetes mellitus were examined by central adiposity, using WHtR, with data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2022). Individuals aged 30 years and over who participated in the survey were selected. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was identified based on serum glucose or HbA1c levels, the use of diabetes medications, or a prior diagnosis by a physician. Weighted β-coefficients or odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess changes in disease prevalence. A total of 79,368 participants were included in the database (female: 45,163 [56.9%]). from 2005 to 2022, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus increased from 3.3 to 5.8% in the healthy central adiposity group, from 11.2 to 17.1% in the increased central adiposity group, and from 18.0 to 26.7% in the high central adiposity group. Males, older population, lower education level, lower household income, and smoking are associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. In the high central adiposity group, overweight and obese individuals had higher susceptibility than underweight or normal-weight individuals, with ORs of 5.85 (95% CI, 2.54–13.47) and 8.24 (3.79–17.94), respectively. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus has increased in all central adiposity groups in the past decade. This underscores the need for tailored interventions to address disparities and improve diabetes management in at-risk populations.

Increasingly detrimental effects of fine particulate matter (PM) have been observed in Northeast Asia owing to its rapid economic development. Previous studies have found that dust, combustion, and chemical reactions are the major sources of PM; nevertheless, the spatial configuration of land use and land cover, which is of most interest to planners and landscape architects, also influences the PM levels. Here, we attempted to unveil the relationship between PM and different types of land use cover (i.e., developed, agricultural, woody, grass, and barren lands) in 122 municipalities of Korea. Landscape ecology metrics were applied to measure the spatial configuration of land use pattern and spatial lag models by taking into account the transboundary nature of air pollution, allowing us to conclude the following regarding PM levels: (1) the size of land cover type matters, but their spatial configuration also determines the variations in PM levels; (2) the contiguity and proximity of landcover patches are important; (3) the patterns of grasslands (e.g., simple, compact, and cluster (with large patches) patterns) and woodlands (e.g., complex, contiguous, and cluster (with large patches) patterns) considered desirable for minimizing PM are dissimilar in terms of contiguity.