Microbiota-dependent metabolites - New engine for T cell warriors.

Microbiota-dependent metabolites (MDMs) are small bioactive molecules produced or modified through microbial metabolic processes, playing an essential role in the communication between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. One of their most important roles is their regulatory effects on the immune system, particularly in shaping the development, differentiation, and function of T cells, which are key players in the adaptive immune response. Emerging research highlights those microbial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), tryptophan-derived metabolites, and bile acids (BAs), modulate T cell responses in both health and disease contexts, impacting conditions ranging from autoimmune disorders to cancer.

Base-resolution mC profiling across the mammalian transcriptome by bisulfite-free enzyme-assisted chemical labeling approach.

5-methylcytosine (mC) is a prevalent RNA modification crucial for gene expression regulation. However, accurate and sensitive mC sites identification remains challenging due to severe RNA degradation and reduced sequence complexity during bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq). Here, we report mC-TAC-seq, a bisulfite-free approach combining TET-assisted mC-to-fC oxidation with selective chemical labeling, therefore enabling direct base-resolution mC detection through pre-enrichment and C-to-T transitions at mC sites.

Kelch-like proteins in the gastrointestinal tumors.

Gastrointestinal tumors have become a worldwide health problem with high morbidity and poor clinical outcomes. Chemotherapy and surgery, the main treatment methods, are still far from meeting the treatment needs of patients, and targeted therapy is in urgent need of development. Recently, emerging evidence suggests that kelch-like (KLHL) proteins play essential roles in maintaining proteostasis and are involved in the progression of various cancers, functioning as adaptors in the E3 ligase complex and promoting the specific degradation of substrates.