Utilizing solvent extraction to separate alkanes and olefins from catalytic light gasoline is an effective method for maximizing the utility of gasoline fractions.This study presents the determination of liquid-liquid...Utilizing solvent extraction to separate alkanes and olefins from catalytic light gasoline is an effective method for maximizing the utility of gasoline fractions.This study presents the determination of liquid-liquid equilibrium data for the ternary system of 1-hexene-n-hexane-3-methylsulfolane at 30℃,40℃,and 50℃under atmospheric pressure.The obtained data facilitated the construction of a ternary phase diagram for the system.The results showed that the extraction selectivity of 1-hexene/n-hexane exceeded 1.5 when using 3-methylsulfolane as the extraction solvent.Furthermore,the thermodynamic consistency of the experimental data was examined using Hand’s equation and the Othmer-Tobias method.The correlation coefficient,R^(2)≥0.9578,indicated the acceptable reliability of the phase equilibrium data.Subsequently,the NRTL(non-random two liquid)model was used to correlate the liquid-liquid phase equilibrium data and derive the binary interaction parameter.Notably,the results demonstrated that the root mean square deviation of the NRTL model correlation values from the experimental values did not exceed 2.5%.展开更多
Some proteins perform their biological functions by changing their material states through liquid-liquid phase separation.Upon phase separation,the protein condenses into a concentrated liquid phase and sometimes into...Some proteins perform their biological functions by changing their material states through liquid-liquid phase separation.Upon phase separation,the protein condenses into a concentrated liquid phase and sometimes into a gel phase,changing its dynamic properties and intermolecular interactions,thereby regulating cellular functions.Although the biological significance of this phenomenon has been widely recognized by researchers,there is still a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the structural and dynamic properties of the protein in the condensed phase.In this phase,molecules usually contain domains with varied dynamic properties and undergo intermediate exchanges.Magic angle spinning(MAS)solid-state NMR(SSNMR)experiments are very powerful in studying rigid protein polymers such as amyloid.The incorporation of solution-like experiments into SSNMR and the development of J-coupling based MAS SSNMR techniques extend its ability to study partially mobile segments of proteins in a condensed liquid or gel phase which are not visible by solution NMR or dipolar-coupling based SSNMR.Therefore,it has been applied in studying protein condensation and has provided very important information that is hard to obtain by other techniques.展开更多
Novel preparation method of microencapsules was developed on the basis of the liquid coalescence method followed by phase separation. Oil droplets of limonene dissolving expanded polystyrene as a shell material were f...Novel preparation method of microencapsules was developed on the basis of the liquid coalescence method followed by phase separation. Oil droplets of limonene dissolving expanded polystyrene as a shell material were forced to collide and coalesce with the Isopar oil droplets of core material in the continuous wates phase. When two kinds of oil droplets are collided and coalesced with each other, expanded polystyrene dissolved in the limonene oil may be phase-separated in the oil droplets newly formed to form the microcapsule shell, because the Isopar oil was a poor solvent for expanded polystyrene but a good solvent for the limonene oil. In the experiment, the diameter (or number) of limonene oil droplets dissolving expanded polystyrene was mainly changed, because the coalescence frequency between the droplets is strongly dependent on the number of droplets. Favorable core shell types of microcapsules with the shell thickness from 1.0 to 5.0 μm were able to be prepared under all the experimental conditions adopted here.展开更多
A numerical model has been developed to describe the microstructural evolution of Al In immiscible alloys through the miscibility gap. The model considers the common action of nucleation, diffusible growth, Brownian c...A numerical model has been developed to describe the microstructural evolution of Al In immiscible alloys through the miscibility gap. The model considers the common action of nucleation, diffusible growth, Brownian collision and motion collision between the second phase droplets. The simulation results are dynamically visualized and show that the volume fraction, distribution and size of the second phase droplets satisfactorily agree with the experimental results. So the model can be used to predict the microstructural evolution of Al In immiscible alloys during the cooling process.展开更多
Liquid-liquid equilibrium data of two ternary systems methyl palmitate+ethanol+glycerol and methyl stearate+ethanol+glycerol at(318.2 and 333.2)K and atmospheric pressure were measured. The values of distribution coef...Liquid-liquid equilibrium data of two ternary systems methyl palmitate+ethanol+glycerol and methyl stearate+ethanol+glycerol at(318.2 and 333.2)K and atmospheric pressure were measured. The values of distribution coefficient and selectivity were calculated, which indicates that glycerol can be separated from fatty acid ester by using ethanol as an extraction solvent. The consistency of the isothermal tie-line data were checked by the Othmer-Tobias equation. The correlation coefficients R2 are higher than 0.993,9 for all the fitted curves. The NRTL activity coefficient model was applied to the correlation of the measured tie-line data. The root mean square deviation(RMSD)values are less than 0.007 for all the systems, which shows a good predictive capability of this model for such systems.展开更多
Biomolecular self-assembly based on peptides and proteins is a general phenomenon encountered in natural and synthetic systems.Liquid–liquid phase separation(LLPS)is intimately involved in biomolecular self-assembly,...Biomolecular self-assembly based on peptides and proteins is a general phenomenon encountered in natural and synthetic systems.Liquid–liquid phase separation(LLPS)is intimately involved in biomolecular self-assembly,yet the key factors at a molecular scale activating or modulating such a process remain largely elusive.Herein,we discovered in our experiments that multistep desolvation is fundamental to the formation and evolution of peptide-rich droplets:The first step was partial desolvation of peptides to form peptide clusters,and the second step was selective desolvation of hydrophobic groups within clusters to trigger LLPS and the formation of peptiderich droplets,followed by complete desolvation of droplets,initiating the nucleation of peptide selfassembly.Manipulation of the degree of desolvation at different stages was an effective strategy to control the self-assembly pathways and polymorphisms.This study sheds light on the molecular origin of LLPS-mediated self-assembly distinct from classical one-step self-assembly and paves the way for the precise control of supramolecular self-assembly.展开更多
The onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is usually characterized by focal death of both upper and/or lower motor neurons occurring in the motor cortex,basal ganglia,brainstem,and spinal cord,and commonly involves t...The onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is usually characterized by focal death of both upper and/or lower motor neurons occurring in the motor cortex,basal ganglia,brainstem,and spinal cord,and commonly involves the muscles of the upper and/or lower extremities,and the muscles of the bulbar and/or respiratory regions.However,as the disease progresses,it affects the adjacent body regions,leading to generalized muscle weakness,occasionally along with memory,cognitive,behavioral,and language impairments;respiratory dysfunction occurs at the final stage of the disease.The disease has a complicated pathophysiology and currently,only riluzole,edaravone,and phenylbutyrate/taurursodiol are licensed to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in many industrialized countries.The TAR DNA-binding protein 43 inclusions are observed in 97%of those diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.This review provides a preliminary overview of the potential effects of TAR DNAbinding protein 43 in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,including the abnormalities in nucleoplasmic transport,RNA function,post-translational modification,liquid-liquid phase separation,stress granules,mitochondrial dysfunction,oxidative stress,axonal transport,protein quality control system,and non-cellular autonomous functions(e.g.,glial cell functions and prion-like propagation).展开更多
Biomolecular aggregation within cellular environments via liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)spontaneously forms droplet-like structures,which play pivotal roles in diverse biological processes.These structures are c...Biomolecular aggregation within cellular environments via liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)spontaneously forms droplet-like structures,which play pivotal roles in diverse biological processes.These structures are closely associated with a range of diseases,including neurodegenerative disorders,cancer and infectious diseases,highlighting the significance of understanding LLPS mechanisms for elucidating disease pathogenesis,and exploring potential therapeutic interventions.In this review,we delineate recent advancements in LLPS research,emphasizing its pathological relevance,therapeutic considerations,and the pivotal role of bioinformatic tools and databases in facilitating LLPS investigations.Additionally,we undertook a comprehensive analysis of bioinformatic resources dedicated to LLPS research in order to elucidate their functionality and applicability.By providing comprehensive insights into current LLPS-related bioinformatics resources,this review highlights its implications for human health and disease.展开更多
Analysis of pesticide residue levels in juice beverages is important to ensure safe consumption and avoid global trade concerns associated to pesticide contaminations.A simple,inexpensive and effective method was deve...Analysis of pesticide residue levels in juice beverages is important to ensure safe consumption and avoid global trade concerns associated to pesticide contaminations.A simple,inexpensive and effective method was developed for the determination of organochlorine pesticides(OCPs)in bottled juice drinks using GC-MS.Sample pretreatment was performed using dispersive solid-phase microextraction(D-μ-SPE)for matrix desorption and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction(DLLME)for analyte enrichment.In this study,an affordable and effective sorbent for the adsorption of OCPs from juice samples was synthesized from avocado seeds mixed with magnetic precursors for D-μSPE.The ground avocado seeds combined with a magnetic precursor nanocomposite were characterized using various instruments including scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET)analysis.The solution obtained from D-μ-SPE desorption was used as a dispersant for the subsequent DLLME,which made the combination of D-μ-SPE with DLLME much easier.The effectiveness of the method was enhanced by optimizing the influential parameters in both D-μ-SPE and DLLME.Then after,the optimal values were determined for the real sample analysis.Accordingly,there was good linear dynamic range with a coefficient of determination(r2)≥0.9989.The limit of detection and quantification were 0.02–0.69 and 0.06–2.10 ng/L respectively.The method showed high enrichment factors ranging from 96 to 313 with recoveries of 87–100%.Intraday and interday precisions were≤4%.Compared with other reported methods,this method is a one-step,simple,cheap,fast,and environmentally friendly alternative and straightforward method for adsorbing organochlorine pesticides from sample solutions.These results demonstrates the high potential of the proposed method for the extraction and cleanup of contaminants in selected juices and other related samples.展开更多
A model has been developed to describe the microstructure evolution in the atomized droplets of Cu-Fe alloy during cooling through the metastable miscibility gap. Calculations have been performed for Cu85Fe15 alloy to...A model has been developed to describe the microstructure evolution in the atomized droplets of Cu-Fe alloy during cooling through the metastable miscibility gap. Calculations have been performed for Cu85Fe15 alloy to investigate the process of liquid-liquid phase transformation. The numerical results indicate that the minority phase droplets are nucleated in a temperature region around the peak of the supersaturation. The average radius of the Fe-rlch droplets decreases and the number density of the minority phase droplets increases with decreasing the atomized droplet size. The simulated results were compared with the experimental ones. The kinetic process of the liquid-liquid phase transformation was discussed in detail.展开更多
Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) and the spatial heterogeneity in A1-Pb monotectic alloys. The results reveal that homogeneous liquid AI-Pb alloy ...Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) and the spatial heterogeneity in A1-Pb monotectic alloys. The results reveal that homogeneous liquid AI-Pb alloy undergoes an LLPT, separating into Al-rich and Pb-rich domains, which is quite different from the isocompositional liquid water with a transition between low-density liquid (LDL) and high-density liquid (HDL). With spatial heterogeneity becoming large, LLPT takes place correspondingly. The relationship between the cooling rate, relaxation temperature and percentage of A1 and the spatial heterogeneity is also reported. This study may throw light on the relationship between the structure heterogeneity and LLPT, which provides novel strategies to control the microstructures in the fabrication of the material with high performance.展开更多
Ferroptosis, a unique type of non-apoptotic cell death resulting from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has a potential physiological function in tumor suppression, but its underlying mechanisms have not been fully e...Ferroptosis, a unique type of non-apoptotic cell death resulting from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has a potential physiological function in tumor suppression, but its underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that the long non-coding RNA(lncRNA) LncFASA increases the susceptibility of triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC) to ferroptosis. As a tumor suppressor, LncFASA drives the formation of droplets containing peroxiredoxin1(PRDX1), a member of the peroxidase family, resulting in the accumulation of lipid peroxidation via the SLC7A11-GPX4 axis. Mechanistically, LncFASA directly binds to the Ahpc-TSA domain of PRDX1, inhibiting its peroxidase activity by driving liquid-liquid phase separation, which disrupts intracellular ROS homeostasis. Notably, high LncFASA expression indicates favorable overall survival in individuals with breast cancer, and LncFASA impairs the growth of breast xenograft tumors by modulating ferroptosis. Together, our findings illustrate the crucial role of this lncRNA in ferroptosis-mediated cancer development and provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.展开更多
Fe-based metallic glasses are promising functional materials for advanced magnetism and sensor fields.Tailoring magnetic performance in amorphous materials requires a thorough knowledge of the correlation between stru...Fe-based metallic glasses are promising functional materials for advanced magnetism and sensor fields.Tailoring magnetic performance in amorphous materials requires a thorough knowledge of the correlation between structural disorder and magnetic order,which remains ambiguous.Two practical difficulties remain:the first is directly observing subtle magnetic structural changes on multiple scales,and the second is precisely regulating the various amorphous states.Here we propose a novel approach to tailor the amorphous structure through the liquid-liquid phase transition.In-situ synchrotron diffraction has unraveled a medium-range ordering process dominated by edge-sharing cluster connectivity during the liquid-liquid phase transition.Moreover,nanodomains with topological order have been found to exist in composition with liquid-liquid phase transition,manifesting as hexagonal patterns in small-angle neutron scattering profiles.The liquid-liquid phase transition can induce the nanodomains to be more locally ordered,generating stronger exchange interactions due to the reduced Fe–Fe bond length and the enhanced structural order,leading to the increment of saturation magnetization.Furthermore,the increased local heterogeneity at the medium-range scale enhances the magnetic anisotropy,promoting the permeability response under applied stress and leading to a better stress-impedance effect.These experimental results pave the way to tailor the magnetic structure and performance through the liquid-liquid phase transition.展开更多
Two sample preparation methods were introduced and compared in this paper to establish a simple,quick and exact analysis of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol.LC-18 column was employed in solid phase extraction(SPE),1.0 m...Two sample preparation methods were introduced and compared in this paper to establish a simple,quick and exact analysis of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol.LC-18 column was employed in solid phase extraction(SPE),1.0 mL of hexane was adopted in liquid-liquid extraction(LLE),and the extracts were analyzed by gas chromatograph mass spectrum(GCMS)in selected ion mode.Mean recoveries of SPE were low for 2-methylisoborneol(2-MIB)and geosmin(GSM)with values below 50%.For LLE,the recoveries were satisfyingly above 50%for 2-MIB and 80%for GSM.Detection limits of the LLE method were as low as 1.0 ng/L for GSM and 5.0 ng/L for 2-MIB.A year-long investigation on odor chemicals of drinking water in Shanghai demonstrated that in the summer,there was a serious odor problem induced by a high concentration of 2-MIB.The highest concentration of 152.82 ng/L appeared in July in raw water,while GSM flocculation was minimal with concentrations below odor threshold.展开更多
Liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)or biomolecular condensation that leads to formation of membraneless organelles plays a critical role in many biochemical processes.Mechanism study of regulating LLPS is therefore c...Liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)or biomolecular condensation that leads to formation of membraneless organelles plays a critical role in many biochemical processes.Mechanism study of regulating LLPS is therefore central to the understanding of protein aggregation and disease-relevant process.We report a fused in sarcoma protein(FUS)-derived low complexity(LC)sequence that undergoes LLPS in the presence of metal ions.The LC protein was constructed by fusing a hexhistidine-tag to the N-terminal low complexity domain(the residues 1–165 in QGSY-rich segment)of FUS.Spontaneous condensation of the intrinsic disordered protein into coacervate droplets was observed in the presence of metal ions that chelate oligohistidine moieties to form protein matrix.We demonstrate the key role of metal ion-histidine coordination in governing LLPS behaviours and the fluidity of biomolecular condensates.By taking advantage of competitive binding using chelators,we show the possibility of regulating dynamic behaviors of disease-relevant protein droplets,and developing a potential approach towards controllable biological encapsulation/release.展开更多
Identification of environmental stress sensors is one of the most important research topics in plant abiotic stress research.Traditional strategies to identify stress sensors or early signaling components based on the...Identification of environmental stress sensors is one of the most important research topics in plant abiotic stress research.Traditional strategies to identify stress sensors or early signaling components based on the cell membrane as a primary site of sensing and calcium signal as a second messenger have had only limited successes.Therefore,the current theoretical framework underlying stress sensing in plants should be reconsidered and additional mechanisms need to be introduced.Recently,accumulating evidence has emerged to suggest that liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)is a major mechanism for environmental stress sensing and response in plants.In this review,we briefly introduce LLPS regarding its concept,compositions,and dynamics,and then summarize recent progress of LLPS research in plants,emphasizing the contribution of LLPS to the sensing of various environmental stresses,such as dehydration,osmotic stress,and low and high temperatures.Finally,we propose strategies to identify key proteins that sense and respond to environmental stimuli on the basis of LLPS,and discuss the research directions of LLPS in plant abiotic stress responses and its potential application in enhancing stress tolerance in crops.展开更多
Generally shortened 3′UTR due to alternative polyadenylation(APA)is widely observed in cancer,but its regulation mechanisms for cancer are not well characterized.Here,with profiling of APA in colorectal cancer tissue...Generally shortened 3′UTR due to alternative polyadenylation(APA)is widely observed in cancer,but its regulation mechanisms for cancer are not well characterized.Here,with profiling of APA in colorectal cancer tissues and poly(A)signal editing,we firstly identified that the shortened 3′UTR of CTNNIBP1 in colorectal cancer promotes cell proliferation and migration.We found that liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)of PABPN1 is reduced albeit with higher expression in cancer,and the reduction of LLPS leads to the shortened 3′UTR of CTNNBIP1and promotes cell proliferation and migration.Notably,the splicing factor SNRPD2 upregulated in colorectal cancer,can interact with glutamic-proline(EP)domain of PABPN1,and then disrupt LLPS of PABPN1,which attenuates the repression effect of PABPN1 on the proximal poly(A)sites.Our results firstly reveal a new regulation mechanism of APA by disruption of LLPS of PABPN1,suggesting that regulation of APA by interfering LLPS of 3′end processing factor may have the potential as a new way for the treatment of cancer.展开更多
基金The authors wish to acknowledge financial support by the project of SINOPEC(No.223039).
文摘Utilizing solvent extraction to separate alkanes and olefins from catalytic light gasoline is an effective method for maximizing the utility of gasoline fractions.This study presents the determination of liquid-liquid equilibrium data for the ternary system of 1-hexene-n-hexane-3-methylsulfolane at 30℃,40℃,and 50℃under atmospheric pressure.The obtained data facilitated the construction of a ternary phase diagram for the system.The results showed that the extraction selectivity of 1-hexene/n-hexane exceeded 1.5 when using 3-methylsulfolane as the extraction solvent.Furthermore,the thermodynamic consistency of the experimental data was examined using Hand’s equation and the Othmer-Tobias method.The correlation coefficient,R^(2)≥0.9578,indicated the acceptable reliability of the phase equilibrium data.Subsequently,the NRTL(non-random two liquid)model was used to correlate the liquid-liquid phase equilibrium data and derive the binary interaction parameter.Notably,the results demonstrated that the root mean square deviation of the NRTL model correlation values from the experimental values did not exceed 2.5%.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32171185,No.31770790)the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFA0504804).
文摘Some proteins perform their biological functions by changing their material states through liquid-liquid phase separation.Upon phase separation,the protein condenses into a concentrated liquid phase and sometimes into a gel phase,changing its dynamic properties and intermolecular interactions,thereby regulating cellular functions.Although the biological significance of this phenomenon has been widely recognized by researchers,there is still a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the structural and dynamic properties of the protein in the condensed phase.In this phase,molecules usually contain domains with varied dynamic properties and undergo intermediate exchanges.Magic angle spinning(MAS)solid-state NMR(SSNMR)experiments are very powerful in studying rigid protein polymers such as amyloid.The incorporation of solution-like experiments into SSNMR and the development of J-coupling based MAS SSNMR techniques extend its ability to study partially mobile segments of proteins in a condensed liquid or gel phase which are not visible by solution NMR or dipolar-coupling based SSNMR.Therefore,it has been applied in studying protein condensation and has provided very important information that is hard to obtain by other techniques.
文摘Novel preparation method of microencapsules was developed on the basis of the liquid coalescence method followed by phase separation. Oil droplets of limonene dissolving expanded polystyrene as a shell material were forced to collide and coalesce with the Isopar oil droplets of core material in the continuous wates phase. When two kinds of oil droplets are collided and coalesced with each other, expanded polystyrene dissolved in the limonene oil may be phase-separated in the oil droplets newly formed to form the microcapsule shell, because the Isopar oil was a poor solvent for expanded polystyrene but a good solvent for the limonene oil. In the experiment, the diameter (or number) of limonene oil droplets dissolving expanded polystyrene was mainly changed, because the coalescence frequency between the droplets is strongly dependent on the number of droplets. Favorable core shell types of microcapsules with the shell thickness from 1.0 to 5.0 μm were able to be prepared under all the experimental conditions adopted here.
文摘A numerical model has been developed to describe the microstructural evolution of Al In immiscible alloys through the miscibility gap. The model considers the common action of nucleation, diffusible growth, Brownian collision and motion collision between the second phase droplets. The simulation results are dynamically visualized and show that the volume fraction, distribution and size of the second phase droplets satisfactorily agree with the experimental results. So the model can be used to predict the microstructural evolution of Al In immiscible alloys during the cooling process.
基金Supported by Tianjin Natural Science Foundation(No.13JCYBJC19300)
文摘Liquid-liquid equilibrium data of two ternary systems methyl palmitate+ethanol+glycerol and methyl stearate+ethanol+glycerol at(318.2 and 333.2)K and atmospheric pressure were measured. The values of distribution coefficient and selectivity were calculated, which indicates that glycerol can be separated from fatty acid ester by using ethanol as an extraction solvent. The consistency of the isothermal tie-line data were checked by the Othmer-Tobias equation. The correlation coefficients R2 are higher than 0.993,9 for all the fitted curves. The NRTL activity coefficient model was applied to the correlation of the measured tie-line data. The root mean square deviation(RMSD)values are less than 0.007 for all the systems, which shows a good predictive capability of this model for such systems.
基金supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China(grant no.22025207)National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant nos.22172172 and 22232006)+3 种基金Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS(grant no.2022049)China Scholarship Council(CSC,grant no.202104910187)IPE Project for Frontier Basic Research(grant no.QYJC-2022-011)Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province(grant nos.B2020103036 and B2020103025).
文摘Biomolecular self-assembly based on peptides and proteins is a general phenomenon encountered in natural and synthetic systems.Liquid–liquid phase separation(LLPS)is intimately involved in biomolecular self-assembly,yet the key factors at a molecular scale activating or modulating such a process remain largely elusive.Herein,we discovered in our experiments that multistep desolvation is fundamental to the formation and evolution of peptide-rich droplets:The first step was partial desolvation of peptides to form peptide clusters,and the second step was selective desolvation of hydrophobic groups within clusters to trigger LLPS and the formation of peptiderich droplets,followed by complete desolvation of droplets,initiating the nucleation of peptide selfassembly.Manipulation of the degree of desolvation at different stages was an effective strategy to control the self-assembly pathways and polymorphisms.This study sheds light on the molecular origin of LLPS-mediated self-assembly distinct from classical one-step self-assembly and paves the way for the precise control of supramolecular self-assembly.
基金in part supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.30560042,81160161,81360198,and 82160255Education Department of Jiangxi Province,Nos.GJJ13198 and GJJ170021+1 种基金Jiangxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology,No.20192BAB205043Health and Family Planning Commission of Jiangxi Province,Nos.20181019 and 202210002(all to RX)。
文摘The onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is usually characterized by focal death of both upper and/or lower motor neurons occurring in the motor cortex,basal ganglia,brainstem,and spinal cord,and commonly involves the muscles of the upper and/or lower extremities,and the muscles of the bulbar and/or respiratory regions.However,as the disease progresses,it affects the adjacent body regions,leading to generalized muscle weakness,occasionally along with memory,cognitive,behavioral,and language impairments;respiratory dysfunction occurs at the final stage of the disease.The disease has a complicated pathophysiology and currently,only riluzole,edaravone,and phenylbutyrate/taurursodiol are licensed to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in many industrialized countries.The TAR DNA-binding protein 43 inclusions are observed in 97%of those diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.This review provides a preliminary overview of the potential effects of TAR DNAbinding protein 43 in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,including the abnormalities in nucleoplasmic transport,RNA function,post-translational modification,liquid-liquid phase separation,stress granules,mitochondrial dysfunction,oxidative stress,axonal transport,protein quality control system,and non-cellular autonomous functions(e.g.,glial cell functions and prion-like propagation).
基金funded by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,China(No.2023A1515010148)the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF(No.GZC20241143)+2 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2024M752202)the National Natural Youth Science Foundation of China(No.32100927)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81970481).
文摘Biomolecular aggregation within cellular environments via liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)spontaneously forms droplet-like structures,which play pivotal roles in diverse biological processes.These structures are closely associated with a range of diseases,including neurodegenerative disorders,cancer and infectious diseases,highlighting the significance of understanding LLPS mechanisms for elucidating disease pathogenesis,and exploring potential therapeutic interventions.In this review,we delineate recent advancements in LLPS research,emphasizing its pathological relevance,therapeutic considerations,and the pivotal role of bioinformatic tools and databases in facilitating LLPS investigations.Additionally,we undertook a comprehensive analysis of bioinformatic resources dedicated to LLPS research in order to elucidate their functionality and applicability.By providing comprehensive insights into current LLPS-related bioinformatics resources,this review highlights its implications for human health and disease.
基金This work was financially supported by the College of Natural Sciences,Jimma University through the grand research project(CNS-Chem-11-2020/21-SP1).
文摘Analysis of pesticide residue levels in juice beverages is important to ensure safe consumption and avoid global trade concerns associated to pesticide contaminations.A simple,inexpensive and effective method was developed for the determination of organochlorine pesticides(OCPs)in bottled juice drinks using GC-MS.Sample pretreatment was performed using dispersive solid-phase microextraction(D-μ-SPE)for matrix desorption and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction(DLLME)for analyte enrichment.In this study,an affordable and effective sorbent for the adsorption of OCPs from juice samples was synthesized from avocado seeds mixed with magnetic precursors for D-μSPE.The ground avocado seeds combined with a magnetic precursor nanocomposite were characterized using various instruments including scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET)analysis.The solution obtained from D-μ-SPE desorption was used as a dispersant for the subsequent DLLME,which made the combination of D-μ-SPE with DLLME much easier.The effectiveness of the method was enhanced by optimizing the influential parameters in both D-μ-SPE and DLLME.Then after,the optimal values were determined for the real sample analysis.Accordingly,there was good linear dynamic range with a coefficient of determination(r2)≥0.9989.The limit of detection and quantification were 0.02–0.69 and 0.06–2.10 ng/L respectively.The method showed high enrichment factors ranging from 96 to 313 with recoveries of 87–100%.Intraday and interday precisions were≤4%.Compared with other reported methods,this method is a one-step,simple,cheap,fast,and environmentally friendly alternative and straightforward method for adsorbing organochlorine pesticides from sample solutions.These results demonstrates the high potential of the proposed method for the extraction and cleanup of contaminants in selected juices and other related samples.
基金the finan cial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.50271076,50371092 , 50395104)the Sino-Germany Science Foundation(GZ032/1) the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province of China.
文摘A model has been developed to describe the microstructure evolution in the atomized droplets of Cu-Fe alloy during cooling through the metastable miscibility gap. Calculations have been performed for Cu85Fe15 alloy to investigate the process of liquid-liquid phase transformation. The numerical results indicate that the minority phase droplets are nucleated in a temperature region around the peak of the supersaturation. The average radius of the Fe-rlch droplets decreases and the number density of the minority phase droplets increases with decreasing the atomized droplet size. The simulated results were compared with the experimental ones. The kinetic process of the liquid-liquid phase transformation was discussed in detail.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51271100)the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2012CB825702)the Special Funding in the Project of the Taishan Scholar Construction Engineering
文摘Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) and the spatial heterogeneity in A1-Pb monotectic alloys. The results reveal that homogeneous liquid AI-Pb alloy undergoes an LLPT, separating into Al-rich and Pb-rich domains, which is quite different from the isocompositional liquid water with a transition between low-density liquid (LDL) and high-density liquid (HDL). With spatial heterogeneity becoming large, LLPT takes place correspondingly. The relationship between the cooling rate, relaxation temperature and percentage of A1 and the spatial heterogeneity is also reported. This study may throw light on the relationship between the structure heterogeneity and LLPT, which provides novel strategies to control the microstructures in the fabrication of the material with high performance.
基金supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(32225014)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFC2700903)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81672791,81872300,82071567)Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China(LR18C060002)“Lingyan”R&D Research and Development Project(2023C03023)。
文摘Ferroptosis, a unique type of non-apoptotic cell death resulting from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has a potential physiological function in tumor suppression, but its underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that the long non-coding RNA(lncRNA) LncFASA increases the susceptibility of triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC) to ferroptosis. As a tumor suppressor, LncFASA drives the formation of droplets containing peroxiredoxin1(PRDX1), a member of the peroxidase family, resulting in the accumulation of lipid peroxidation via the SLC7A11-GPX4 axis. Mechanistically, LncFASA directly binds to the Ahpc-TSA domain of PRDX1, inhibiting its peroxidase activity by driving liquid-liquid phase separation, which disrupts intracellular ROS homeostasis. Notably, high LncFASA expression indicates favorable overall survival in individuals with breast cancer, and LncFASA impairs the growth of breast xenograft tumors by modulating ferroptosis. Together, our findings illustrate the crucial role of this lncRNA in ferroptosis-mediated cancer development and provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2021YFB3802800)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20200019)+6 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52222104,12261160364,51871120,and 51520105001)support from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Neutron Scattering Science and Technologysupport of the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee(No.JCYJ20170413140446951)partial support by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,Project N_CityU173/22support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12275154)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(No.2021B1515140028)supported by the US DOE Office of Science,Office of Basic Energy Sciences.
文摘Fe-based metallic glasses are promising functional materials for advanced magnetism and sensor fields.Tailoring magnetic performance in amorphous materials requires a thorough knowledge of the correlation between structural disorder and magnetic order,which remains ambiguous.Two practical difficulties remain:the first is directly observing subtle magnetic structural changes on multiple scales,and the second is precisely regulating the various amorphous states.Here we propose a novel approach to tailor the amorphous structure through the liquid-liquid phase transition.In-situ synchrotron diffraction has unraveled a medium-range ordering process dominated by edge-sharing cluster connectivity during the liquid-liquid phase transition.Moreover,nanodomains with topological order have been found to exist in composition with liquid-liquid phase transition,manifesting as hexagonal patterns in small-angle neutron scattering profiles.The liquid-liquid phase transition can induce the nanodomains to be more locally ordered,generating stronger exchange interactions due to the reduced Fe–Fe bond length and the enhanced structural order,leading to the increment of saturation magnetization.Furthermore,the increased local heterogeneity at the medium-range scale enhances the magnetic anisotropy,promoting the permeability response under applied stress and leading to a better stress-impedance effect.These experimental results pave the way to tailor the magnetic structure and performance through the liquid-liquid phase transition.
基金This study was supported by the National High-Tech Research and Development(863)Program of China(Grant No.2002AA601130)the Key Technologies Research and Development Program(No.2003BA808A17)of China.
文摘Two sample preparation methods were introduced and compared in this paper to establish a simple,quick and exact analysis of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol.LC-18 column was employed in solid phase extraction(SPE),1.0 mL of hexane was adopted in liquid-liquid extraction(LLE),and the extracts were analyzed by gas chromatograph mass spectrum(GCMS)in selected ion mode.Mean recoveries of SPE were low for 2-methylisoborneol(2-MIB)and geosmin(GSM)with values below 50%.For LLE,the recoveries were satisfyingly above 50%for 2-MIB and 80%for GSM.Detection limits of the LLE method were as low as 1.0 ng/L for GSM and 5.0 ng/L for 2-MIB.A year-long investigation on odor chemicals of drinking water in Shanghai demonstrated that in the summer,there was a serious odor problem induced by a high concentration of 2-MIB.The highest concentration of 152.82 ng/L appeared in July in raw water,while GSM flocculation was minimal with concentrations below odor threshold.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22072159 and 22172007)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No. buctrc202015)
文摘Liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)or biomolecular condensation that leads to formation of membraneless organelles plays a critical role in many biochemical processes.Mechanism study of regulating LLPS is therefore central to the understanding of protein aggregation and disease-relevant process.We report a fused in sarcoma protein(FUS)-derived low complexity(LC)sequence that undergoes LLPS in the presence of metal ions.The LC protein was constructed by fusing a hexhistidine-tag to the N-terminal low complexity domain(the residues 1–165 in QGSY-rich segment)of FUS.Spontaneous condensation of the intrinsic disordered protein into coacervate droplets was observed in the presence of metal ions that chelate oligohistidine moieties to form protein matrix.We demonstrate the key role of metal ion-histidine coordination in governing LLPS behaviours and the fluidity of biomolecular condensates.By taking advantage of competitive binding using chelators,we show the possibility of regulating dynamic behaviors of disease-relevant protein droplets,and developing a potential approach towards controllable biological encapsulation/release.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32270283 and 32070295)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(Grant no.22ZR1469600).
文摘Identification of environmental stress sensors is one of the most important research topics in plant abiotic stress research.Traditional strategies to identify stress sensors or early signaling components based on the cell membrane as a primary site of sensing and calcium signal as a second messenger have had only limited successes.Therefore,the current theoretical framework underlying stress sensing in plants should be reconsidered and additional mechanisms need to be introduced.Recently,accumulating evidence has emerged to suggest that liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)is a major mechanism for environmental stress sensing and response in plants.In this review,we briefly introduce LLPS regarding its concept,compositions,and dynamics,and then summarize recent progress of LLPS research in plants,emphasizing the contribution of LLPS to the sensing of various environmental stresses,such as dehydration,osmotic stress,and low and high temperatures.Finally,we propose strategies to identify key proteins that sense and respond to environmental stimuli on the basis of LLPS,and discuss the research directions of LLPS in plant abiotic stress responses and its potential application in enhancing stress tolerance in crops.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFA1103900,2017YFC1308800)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31971332,32000450,91942301,81430099)+5 种基金the National Basic Research Program of China(2013CB917801)the National High-tech Research and Development Program of China(863 Program)(2012AA02A520)Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province(2020A1515010293)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,Sun Yat-sen University(2021qntd26)the National Key Clinical Discipline([2012]649)the Program of Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases(2020B1111170004)。
文摘Generally shortened 3′UTR due to alternative polyadenylation(APA)is widely observed in cancer,but its regulation mechanisms for cancer are not well characterized.Here,with profiling of APA in colorectal cancer tissues and poly(A)signal editing,we firstly identified that the shortened 3′UTR of CTNNIBP1 in colorectal cancer promotes cell proliferation and migration.We found that liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)of PABPN1 is reduced albeit with higher expression in cancer,and the reduction of LLPS leads to the shortened 3′UTR of CTNNBIP1and promotes cell proliferation and migration.Notably,the splicing factor SNRPD2 upregulated in colorectal cancer,can interact with glutamic-proline(EP)domain of PABPN1,and then disrupt LLPS of PABPN1,which attenuates the repression effect of PABPN1 on the proximal poly(A)sites.Our results firstly reveal a new regulation mechanism of APA by disruption of LLPS of PABPN1,suggesting that regulation of APA by interfering LLPS of 3′end processing factor may have the potential as a new way for the treatment of cancer.