Heterozygous Kctd5 knockout mice exhibit abnormal lipid metabolism.

The KCTD gene family is conserved across species, yet the knowledge of its function is limited. Recently, increasing studies focused on KCTD5 emerged. The functions of KCTD5 and its associations with various diseases were revealed.

RNF138 regulates skeletal muscle differentiation via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Myogenesis is a strictly regulated process driven by signaling pathways activating muscle-specific gene expression. During myogenesis, muscle stem cells exhibit DNA damage response (DDR) features, which are essential for myoblast differentiation and skeletal muscle regeneration. However, the specific roles of DDR-associated proteins in these processes are not yet fully understood.

ORF8 protein of SARS-CoV-2 reduces male fertility in mice.

As one of the most rapidly evolving proteins of the genus Betacoronavirus, open reading frames (ORF8's) function and potential pathological consequence in vivo are still obscure. In this study, we show that the secretion of ORF8 is dependent on its N-terminal signal peptide sequence and can be inhibited by reactive oxygen species scavenger and endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi transportation inhibitor in cultured cells. To trace the effect of its possible in vivo secretion, we examined the plasma samples of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent patients and found that the patients aged from 40 to 60 had higher antibody titers than those under 40.