Intracellular antibodies have become powerful tools for imaging, modulating and neutralizing endogenous target proteins. Here, we describe an optogenetically activated intracellular antibody ...(optobody) consisting of split antibody fragments and blue-light inducible heterodimerization domains. We expanded this optobody platform by generating several optobodies from previously developed intracellular antibodies, and demonstrated that photoactivation of gelsolin and β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) optobodies suppressed endogenous gelsolin activity and β2AR signaling, respectively.
Spatiotemporal control of gene expression or labeling is a valuable strategy for identifying functions of genes within complex neural circuits. Here, we develop a highly light-sensitive and efficient ...photoactivatable Flp recombinase (PA-Flp) that is suitable for genetic manipulation in vivo. The highly light-sensitive property of PA-Flp is ideal for activation in deep mouse brain regions by illumination with a noninvasive light-emitting diode. In addition, PA-Flp can be extended to the Cre-lox system through a viral vector as Flp-dependent Cre expression platform, thereby activating both Flp and Cre. Finally, we demonstrate that PA-Flp-dependent, Cre-mediated Ca
3.1 silencing in the medial septum increases object-exploration behavior in mice. Thus, PA-Flp is a noninvasive, highly efficient, and easy-to-use optogenetic module that offers a side-effect-free and expandable genetic manipulation tool for neuroscience research.
Abstract
The reversibly stable formation and rupture processes of electrical percolative pathways in organic and inorganic insulating materials are essential prerequisites for operating non-volatile ...resistive memory devices. However, such resistive switching has not yet been reported for dynamically cross-linked polymers capable of intrinsic stretchability and self-healing. This is attributable to the uncontrollable interplay between the conducting filler and the polymer. Herein, we present the development of the self-healing, stretchable, and reconfigurable resistive random-access memory. The device was fabricated via the self-assembly of a silver-gradient nanocomposite bilayer which is capable of easily forming the metal-insulator-metal structure. To realize stable resistive switching in dynamic molecular networks, our device features the following properties: i) self-reconstruction of nanoscale conducting fillers in dynamic hydrogen bonding for self-healing and reconfiguration and ii) stronger interaction among the conducting fillers than with polymers for the formation of robust percolation paths. Based on these unique features, we successfully demonstrated stable data storage of cardiac signals, damage-reliable memory triggering system using a triboelectric energy-harvesting device, and touch sensing via pressure-induced resistive switching.
Recently discovered Higgs particle is a key element in the standard model of elementary particles and its analogue in materials, massive Higgs mode, has elucidated intriguing collective phenomena in ...a wide range of materials with spontaneous symmetry breaking such as antiferromagnets, cold atoms, superconductors, superfluids, and charge density waves (CDW). As a straightforward extension beyond the standard model, multiple Higgs particles have been considered theoretically but not yet for Higgs modes. Here, we report the real-space observations, which suggest two Higgs modes coupled together with a soliton lattice in a solid. Our scanning tunneling microscopy reveals the 1D CDW state of an anisotropic transition metal monochalcogenide crystal CuTe is composed of two distinct but degenerate CDW structures by the layer inversion symmetry broken. More importantly, the amplitudes of each CDW structure oscillate in an out-of-phase fashion to result in a regular array of alternating domains with repeating phase-shift domain walls. This unusual finding is explained by the extra degeneracy in CDWs within the standard Landau theory of the free energy. The multiple and entangled Higgs modes demonstrate how novel collective modes can emerge in systems with distinct symmetries broken simultaneously.
Actin waves are filamentous actin (F-actin)-rich structures that initiate in the somato-neuritic area and move toward neurite ends. The upstream cues that initiate actin waves are poorly understood. ...Here, using an optogenetic approach (Opto-cytTrkB), we found that local activation of the TrkB receptor around the neurite end initiates actin waves and triggers neurite elongation. During actin wave generation, locally activated TrkB signaling in the distal neurite was functionally connected with preferentially localized Rac1 and its signaling pathways in the proximal region. Moreover, TrkB activity changed the location of ankyrinG––the master organizer of the axonal initial segment-and initiated the stimulated neurite to acquire axonal characteristics. Taken together, these findings suggest that local Opto-cytTrkB activation switches the fate from minor to major axonal neurite during neuronal polarization by generating actin waves.
Display omitted
•The photoactivatable TrkB receptors initiate actin waves in developing neurons•Activated TrkB generates actin waves through the PI3K/AKT pathway•Activated TrkB at the neurite end mediates Rac1 signaling from the cell body•Local TrkB activation recruits key axonal proteins to the stimulated neurite
Actin waves are the drivers to transport axon-promoting factors, yet its upstream regulator remains elusive. Using Opto-cytTrkB system, Woo et al. delineate the role of TrkB signaling on actin waves. They report that axonal molecules relocate to the TrkB-activated neurite, allowing that neurite to acquire an axonal property.
An organic UV absorber, cinnamic acid, was intercalated into the interlayer gallery of layered yttrium hydroxynitrate (LYH) via the anion-exchange reaction. The complete replacement of interlayer ...nitrate by cinnamate was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis of the obtained intercalation compound (cin-LYH). FT-IR spectra and powder X-ray diffraction patterns before and after intercalation reaction of LYH provided an information on the interaction of cinnamate anions with the inorganic host layer. Measured chemical composition and interlayer distance of cin-LYH and van der Waals dimensions of cinnamate proposed partially interdigitated bilayer arrangement of cinnamate anions in the interlayer space of LYH. The intercalation of cinnamate into the inorganic LYH layers highly improved its thermal stability in comparison with pure cinnamic acid. The comparison of reflectance spectra of pure cinnamic acid and cin-LYH before and after exposure to solar-simulated radiation showed that the trans- to cis- photoisomerization of cinnamate accompanied with a significant change of the molecular packing is not facilitated in the interlayer space of LYH. In contrast, only a slight variation in width and position of absorption band indicated no strong interaction between aromatic groups of cinnamate in the interlayer space of LYH. Quartz glasses coated with cin-LYH could be readily obtained by a simple dip-coating method in colloidal solutions and showed effective UV-filtering ability particularly in UV-B region (280–320 nm) without significant loss of the transparency of quartz glass. The release studies revealed that the interlayer space of LYH is effective for the retention of cinnamate for long time and this release reaching an equilibrium state at low concentration is suitable for long-term UV-screening service.
Display omitted
•UV absorption can lead to significant photochemical reactions of organic UV filters themselves.•The use of biocompatible inorganic materials improves the photostability of organic UV filters.•Layered yttrium hydroxide can be easily loaded with cinnamate, UV absorbing organic anion.•Layered rare earth hydroxide series is promising for protective coatings for glass and other UV-sensitive materials.
Change of conformation or polarization of molecules is an expression of their functionality. If the two correlate, electric fields can change the conformation. In the case of endofullerene ...single‐molecule magnets the conformation is linked to an electric and a magnetic dipole moment, and therefore magnetoelectric effects are envisoned. The interface system of one monolayer Sc2TbN@C80 on hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) on Ni(111) has been studied. The molecular layer is hexagonally close packedbut incommensurate. With photoemission the polarization and the conformation of the molecules are addressed by the work function and angular intensity distributions. Valence band photoemission (ARPES) shows a temperature‐induced energy shift of the C80 molecular orbitals that is parallel to a change in work function of 0.25 eV without charging the molecules. ARPES indicates a modification in molecular conformations between 30 and 300 K. This order–disorder transition involves a polarization change in the interface and is centered at 125 K as observed with high‐resolution X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The temperature dependence is described with a thermodynamic model that accounts for disordering with an excitation energy of 74 meV into a high entropy ensemble. All experimental results are supported by density functional theory (DFT).
The degrees of freedom of endofullerene molecules open a plethora of functionalities, like magnetoelectric applications. For monolayer paramagnetic Sc2TbN@C80 molecules on a single layer of hexagonal boron nitride on nickel, an order–disorder transition is reported at 125 K that connects the molecular conformation with a change in work function due to a change of polarization in the interface.
In crop production, which is largely dependent on environmental conditions, various attempts at environmental or social changes have been highlighted, and many field experiments are needed for them. ...However, since field experiments in agricultural production are constrained by high labor and time consumption, alternative methods to respond to these constraints are required. In this study, to establish a new method for application to field experiments, we proposed the evaluation of the leaf area index (LAI) of all individual plants in an experimental sweetcorn field using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Small-scale field experiments were conducted over two years. In the first year, the nitrogen fertilizer level was changed, and the plant density and additional nitrogen fertilizer application time were changed in the next year. Three vegetation indices (VIs), namely, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index 2 (EVI2), and simple ratio (SR), were validated to quantify the LAI estimation using a UAV for individual plants. For the evaluation of the individual plants, we used a plant-based method, which created all of the plant buffers based on the points of existing plants and the plant distance. To confirm the impact of the method, we additionally demonstrated the relationship between the LAI and yield, the results of statical analyses, and the difference of the center and the border of the field. Among the three VIs, index SR was found the most promising in the estimation of the LAI of the individual sweetcorn plants, providing the strongest correlation of yield with SR. Because a lot of data were obtained using the plant-based method, the statical differences in the LAI and yield were more easily detected for the plant density and fertilizer treatments. Furthermore, interesting differences between the center and the border of the field were found. These results indicate the availability and impact of plant-based evaluations using UAVs in near future field experiments.
The use of rare earths (REs) provides various advantages for removal and recovery of phosphate from water because they have high affinity to form stable complexes with phosphates even at low ...concentrations. Very low solubility of rare earth phosphate REPO4 in water was expected to induce a high phosphate adsorption rate and capacity. In this study, layered rare earth hydroxides, l-RE(OH)3 (RE = Sm, Gd, Er, and Y), have been employed to remove or recover phosphate from aqueous solution. This layered polymorph of l-RE(OH)3, which is composed of hydroxocation layers, exhibited a high point of zero charge (pHpzc > 10) and significantly enhanced adsorptive ability for phosphates over a wide pH range. The isotherm and kinetics of phosphate adsorption on l-RE(OH)3 were explained dominantly by the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, respectively. A strong dependence of isotherm and kinetic parameters on RE demonstrated that the adsorption of phosphate on l-RE(OH)3 is a chemisorption dominated process involving the replacement of –OH by phosphate ion to be included into the coordination polyhedra of RE. The desorption of phosphate from l-RE(OH)3 was slow but the desorption efficiency for all RE members was higher than 97% in a 1.0 M NaOH solution after 4 days at room temperature. Considering high capacity and stability as well as no significant interference in recovery of phosphate from waters containing common competing anions, this rare earth adsorbent series is proposed as a promising alternative for efficient and sensitive phosphate recovery from natural and wastewaters.
Display omitted
•The use of rare earths provides various advantages for removal and recovery of phosphate from water.•A high point of zero charge (pHpzc > 10) and highly positive surface charge of l-RE(OH)3.•l-RE(OH)3 show high capacity and stability as well as no significant interference by competing anions.•This adsorbent series is promising for efficient and sensitive phosphate recovery from natural and wastewaters.
BackgroundWhile Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade is a potent antitumor treatment strategy, it is effective in only limited subsets of patients ...with cancer, emphasizing the need for the identification of additional immune checkpoints. Butyrophilin 1A1 (BTN1A1) has been reported to exhibit potential immunoregulatory activity, but its ability to function as an immune checkpoint remains to be systematically assessed, and the mechanisms underlying such activity have yet to be characterized.MethodsBTN1A1 expression was evaluated in primary tumor tissue samples, and its ability to suppress T-cell activation and T cell-dependent tumor clearance was examined. The relationship between BTN1A1 and PD-L1 expression was further characterized, followed by the development of a BTN1A1-specific antibody that was administered to tumor-bearing mice to test the amenability of this target to immune checkpoint inhibition.ResultsBTN1A1 was confirmed to suppress T-cell activation in vitro and in vivo. Robust BTN1A1 expression was detected in a range of solid tumor tissue samples, and BTN1A1 expression was mutually exclusive with that of PD-L1 as a consequence of its inhibition of Janus-activated kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling-induced PD-L1 upregulation. Antibody-mediated BTN1A1 blockade suppressed tumor growth and enhanced immune cell infiltration in syngeneic tumor-bearing mice.ConclusionTogether, these results confirm that the potential of BTN1A1 is a bona fide immune checkpoint and a viable immunotherapeutic target for the treatment of individuals with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 refractory or resistant disease, opening new avenues to improving survival outcomes for patients with a range of cancers.
PDF
