Biology subjects

Dong, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Dong, P..

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

A single-cell atlas and aging clock define biological age and risk-associated stem cell states in human hematopoiesis

Aging of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) impairs regenerative capacity and predisposes to hematological diseases. Here, we constructed a comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic atlas comprising 186,123 CD34+ HSPCs spanning early prenatal development (6 post-conception weeks) to late adulthood (74 years). We identified two conserved core molecular programs (MPs) of inflammaging and RNA splicing / protein homeostasis. Leveraging these programs, we developed a machine learning-based stem cell aging clock from 84 donors. Applying this clock to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we define Transcriptional Age Deviation (TAD), a novel metric of biological age divergence. We found that a biologically "younger" state (low TAD), reflecting oncofetal reprogramming, is a powerful independent predictor of poor survival in two large AML cohorts. Low TAD was associated with high-risk genetics and therapy resistance, and critically, it re-stratified patient outcomes within each ELN 2022 risk category. Our work establishes a quantitative link between stem cell aging biology and AML prognosis, offering a robust tool to refine clinical risk assessment.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2025

RAFTER: a releasing factor tethered RNA editing system for quantifying mRNA translation

Measurement of mRNA translational efficiency has heavily relied on quantifying the amount of polysome-associated RNAs which would not always reflect the efficient translation. To address this, we developed RAFTER, which combined RNA editing enzyme with translation releasing factor to selectively label successfully translated RNAs. The translational efficiency estimated based on RAFTER correlated well with that by Ribo-seq and Polysome-seq, but with greatly simplified workflow, which enables it for single-cell analysis.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2025

Antifungal activity and mechanism of limonene against Fusarium oxysporum, a pathogen of potato dry rot

BACKGROUNDPotato dry rot (PDR), caused by Fusarium species, seriously threatens potato production and postharvest quality. Although limonene has demonstrated antifungal activity, previous studies have mainly focused on limonene-containing essential oils or phenotypic growth inhibition, while its cellular and molecular mechanisms and application potential against PDR remain insufficiently understood. RESULTSD-limonene inhibited the growth of Fusarium oxysporum in a concentration-dependent manner, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC) of 8.32 L/mL. It also altered hyphal morphology, reduced pathogenicity and spore germination, decreased spore viability, and changed the chitin-associated fluorescent brightener 28 staining pattern. Transcriptome analysis identified 1,884 differentially expressed genes, including 1,027 downregulated and 857 upregulated genes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis and targeted annotation screening revealed extensive remodeling of cell-wall-related processes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis further indicated suppression of ergosterol biosynthesis and ribosome biogenesis. D-limonene also increased sensitivity to temperature, salinity, and oxidative stresses and showed additive and synergistic interactions with mancozeb and hymexazol, respectively. CONCLUSIONOur results reveal that D-limonene shows potential as a bio-based component for the integrated management of PDR, providing a theoretical basis for its application.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2025

miR155 triplicated in Down syndrome regulates hippocampal GABAergic neurogenesis in Alzheimer's disease

MicroRNA dysregulation is implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimers disease (AD). The role of neuronal microRNA155 (miR155), elevated in both AD and Down syndrome (DS), remains unknown. We found that MIR155HG (miR155 host gene) colocalizes with APP (amyloid-beta precursor protein) in a neuron-specific, topologically-associated domain (TAD) within a regulatory network, in the obligate portion of chromosome 21 triplicated in DS which causes AD neuropathology and in most cases, dementia. We investigated miR155 role during neuron development and then validated these findings in an amyloidopathy model. In human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural stem cells (NSCs), cortical neurons and cortical organoids, MIR155 deletion enhanced NSC proliferation, ventral patterning and GABAergic interneuron generation. However, MIR155 overexpression inhibited NSC marker expression and GABAergic interneuron generation. MIR155 upregulates its mRNA targets, NR2F1/2, key modulators of hippocampal GABAergic interneuron development. In an amyloidopathy mouse model, miR155 deletion induced the expansion of hippocampal NSCs and increased hippocampal GABAergic interneurons. These findings reveal previously unrecognized miR155 roles in NSC dynamics and GABAergic interneuron development which directionally diverge from extensively studied microglial miR155 in their beneficial vs negative impact on AD mouse models, suggesting that approaching miR155 therapeutically may require balancing the effects in neurons and microglia.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

A Multimodal Adaptive Optical Microscope For In Vivo Imaging from Molecules to Organisms

Understanding biological systems requires observing features and processes across vast spatial and temporal scales, spanning nanometers to centimeters and milliseconds to days, often using multiple imaging modalities within complex native microenvironments. Yet, achieving this comprehensive view is challenging because microscopes optimized for specific tasks typically lack versatility due to inherent optical and sample handling trade-offs, and frequently suffer performance degradation from sample-induced optical aberrations in multicellular contexts. Here, we present MOSAIC, a reconfigurable microscope that integrates multiple advanced imaging techniques including light-sheet, label-free, super-resolution, and multi-photon, all equipped with adaptive optics. MOSAIC enables non-invasive imaging of subcellular dynamics in both cultured cells and live multicellular organisms, nanoscale mapping of molecular architectures across millimeter-scale expanded tissues, and structural/functional neural imaging within live mice. MOSAIC facilitates correlative studies across biological scales within the same specimen, providing an integrated platform for broad biological investigation.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Intracellular Delivery of Bone Nanoparticles to Mitigate Irradiation-Induced Damage in Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Ionizing radiation (IR)-induced bone damage presents a major clinical challenge by impairing bone marrow function and disrupting normal bone remodeling. Bone regeneration depends on bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), which are highly sensitive to IR that causes DNA damage, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and a shift from osteogenesis to adipogenesis, ultimately leading to bone loss and impaired healing. This study evaluated the therapeutic potential of intracellularly delivered bone-derived nanoparticles (BPs) in mitigating IR-induced BMSCs damage. We found that IR exposure caused significant BMSCs dysfunction, including reduced proliferation, increased apoptosis, persistent DNA damage, and a shift toward adipogenic differentiation. Treatment with BPs led to efficient intracellular uptake, improved cell morphology, enhanced proliferation, reduced apoptosis, and preservation of balanced differentiation capacity. Transcriptomic analysis via RNA sequencing revealed that BPs restored key molecular pathways disrupted by IR, particularly those involved in cell cycle regulation, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, and apoptosis. By reversing these transcriptional impairments, BPs supported genomic stability and the regenerat ive function of BMSCs. Overall, these findings suggest that BPs effectively counteract IR-induced cellular damage and enhance the regenerative capacity of BMSCs, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for radiation -induced skeletal injuries.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2025

Optimized upstream analytical workflow for single-nucleus transcriptomics in main metabolic tissues

Single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) has emerged as a powerful approach for studying cellular heterogeneity in metabolic tissues. However, snRNA-seq analysis remains challenging due to low gene expression and data complexity. Here, we introduce an optimized analytical workflow for snRNA-seq data from 67 samples across white adipose tissue, muscle, liver and the hypothalamus. We emphasized the importance of key steps including ambient RNA removal, doublet identification and data integration to ensure accurate downstream analysis. This workflow offers a valuable resource for researchers in metabolism, facilitating deeper insights into cellular diversity and metabolic function through rigorous snRNA-seq analysis.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2024

Encephalomyocarditis virus non-structural protein 2C degrades NDP52 autophagy protein to promote its own survival

Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) is an important zoonotic pathogen that causes encephalitis and myocarditis, primarily in pigs and in some mammals. Nuclear dot protein (NDP) 52 is an important autophagy adaptor protein that is known to target microbial pathogens, including viruses into autophagosomes to facilitate the selective autophagy process. Here, we wanted to investigate how an important zoonotic virus such as EMCV interacts with NDP52. We found that NDP52 negatively regulates the entry and replication phases of EMCV and interacts with EMCV VP1/VP2 proteins to mediate its autophagic degradation. EMCV counteracts this by exerting autophagy induction through its encoded 2C protein. The autophagy machinery then hijacks NDP52 and transports it to lysosomes for subsequent degradation via late endosomal molecules Rab7 and Rab9. Our study describes a novel mechanism by which EMCV escapes the hosts antiviral response to promote its survival by hijacking the autophagy pathway using the non-structural protein 2C of EMCV. ImportanceEMCV is an important zoonotic pathogen that can induce autophagy, but the regulatory role of autophagy receptors in EMCV infection has been rarely reported. Herein, we show that NDP52 is a novel host limiting factor for EMCV, which not only inhibits early EMCV endocytosis, but also restricts EMCV replication in vitro by controlling autophagic degradation of EMCV structural proteins VP1 and VP2. In order to counteract this, EMCV uses the N-terminal region of its non-structural protein 2C to interact with NDP52, and hijacks the autophagy machine to transport NDP52 to lysosomes for degradation, which weakens NDP52-mediated degradation of VP1 and VP2. Importantly, we reveal a novel mechanism by which EMCV evades the host antiviral response, contributing to a deeper understanding of the infectious mechanism of EMCV and providing new ideas for the design of antiviral drug targets.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Strong segregation promotes self-destructive cooperation

Self-destructive cooperator (SDC), where individuals sacrifice themselves for others, poses significant personal costs yet is widespread in nature. Traditional group selection theory struggles to explain its persistence, as the extreme cost of self-destruction typically exceeds the benefit to these individuals. Here, we predict that this behavior can endure in structured environments with strong segregation, where populations are divided into homogenous groups originating from one or two founding members. In such contexts, the benefits derived from SDC are primarily confined within the homogenous SDC groups, thus preserving the value of this altruistic sacrifice and ensuring its maintenance. To validate our hypothesis, we employ a synthetic system with engineered bacteria to mimic both SDC and non-sacrificing cheaters. We then conduct automated experiments facilitated by biofoundry technology to monitor and operate the subgroups with diverse growth behaviors stemming from a restricted number of initial cells because of strong segregation. Eventually, we demonstrate that SDC indeed maintains under strong segregation, and high stress benefits SDC because it reduces the benefits received by cheaters in heterogenous subgroups. This study extends the group selection theory to encompass even the most extreme manifestations of altruism and highlights the potential of automation in evolutionary research.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Fat body-derived cytokine Upd2 controls disciplined migration of tracheal stem cells in Drosophila

Coordinated activation and directional migration of adult stem cells are essential for maintaining tissue homeostasis. Drosophila tracheal progenitors are adult stem cells that migrate posteriorly along the dorsal trunk to replenish degenerating branches that disperse the FGF mitogen. However, it is currently unknown how the overall anterior-to-posterior directionality of such migration is controlled. Here we show that individual progenitor cells migrate together in a concerted, disciplined manner, a behavior that is dependent on the neighboring fat body. We identify the fat body-derived cytokine, Upd2, in targeting and inducing JAK/STAT signaling in tracheal progenitors to maintain their directional migration. Perturbation of either Upd2 production in fat body or JAK/STAT signaling in trachea causes aberrant bidirectional migration of tracheal progenitors. We show that JAK/STAT signaling promotes the expression of genes involved in planar cell polarity leading to asymmetric localization of Fat in progenitor cells. We provide evidence that Upd2 transport requires Rab5- and Rab7-mediated endocytic sorting and Lbm-dependent vesicle trafficking. Our study thus uncovers an inter-organ communication in the control of disciplined migration of tracheal progenitor cells, a process that requires vesicular trafficking of fat body-derived cytokine Upd2 and JAK/STAT signaling-mediated activation of PCP genes.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2024

A series of spontaneously blinking dyes for super-resolution microscopy

Spontaneously blinking fluorophores permit the detection and localization of individual molecules without reducing buffers or caging groups, thus simplifying single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). The intrinsic blinking properties of such dyes are dictated by molecular structure and modulated by environment, which can limit utility. We report a series of tuned spontaneously blinking dyes with duty cycles that span two orders of magnitude, allowing facile SMLM in cells and dense biomolecular structures.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Chromosome segment scanning for gain- or loss-of-function screening (CHASING) and its application in metabolic engineering

Constructing a library of thousands of single-gene knockout or interference strains is a powerful tool to understand the relation between genotype and phenotype, but it is labor and cost intensive. Powered by the computer-aided gene annotation and functional grouping of non-essential genes, we showed that targeting a single gene directly to a specific observed phenotype could be quickly achieved for a specific microorganism via constructing a library of strains containing single chromosome-segment-deletion per strain. As a proof-of-concept, a genome-scale library consisting of 70 chromosome-segment-deletion strains for B. subtilis was constructed by CRISPR-based methods and strains with six loss-of- and gain-of-function phenotypes were screened out. To facilitate the rapid genotyping, we developed a web tool to visualize the potential targets of each chromosome segment associated with a particular function, successfully identifying the genes for valuable representative phenotypes. To apply the library to metabolic engineering, the hosts with improved production capacity of acetoin and lycopene were screened in the presence of pathway genes. This work demonstrated the significance of our strategy of chromosome segment scanning for gain- or loss-of-function screening (CHASING) on functional genomics investigation, robust chassis engineering, and chemical overproduction. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=159 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/578163v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (36K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19b4938org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1e41d2eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@137d4b3org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6d4bfc_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG TOC C_FIG

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2023

Attenuating midline thalamus bursting to mitigate absence epilepsy

Advancing the mechanistic understanding of absence epilepsy is crucial for developing new therapeutics, especially for patients unresponsive to current treatments. Utilizing a recently developed mouse model of absence epilepsy carrying the BK gain-of-function channelopathy D434G, here we report that attenuating the burst firing of midline thalamus (MLT) neurons effectively prevents absence seizures. We found that enhanced BK channel activity in the BK-D434G MLT neurons promotes synchronized bursting during the ictal phase of absence seizures. Modulating MLT neurons through pharmacological reagents, optogenetic stimulation, or deep brain stimulation effectively attenuates burst firing, leading to reduced absence seizure frequency and increased vigilance. Additionally, enhancing vigilance by amphetamine, a stimulant medication, or physical perturbation also effectively suppresses MLT bursting and prevents absence seizures. These findings suggest that the MLT is a promising target for clinical interventions. Our diverse approaches offer valuable insights for developing new therapeutics to treat absence epilepsy. HighlightsThe midline thalamus (MLT) is a key thalamic region for absence seizure pathogenesis MLT neurons exhibit synchronized bursting during ictal phase. BK channel contributes to MLT burst firing Attenuating MLT bursting increases vigilance and suppresses absence seizures

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Endothelial TMEM16F lipid scramblase regulates angiogenesis

Dynamic loss of lipid asymmetry through the activation of TMEM16 Ca2+-activated lipid scramblases (CaPLSases) has been increasingly recognized as an essential membrane event in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes, including blood coagulation, microparticle release, bone development, pain sensation, cell-cell fusion, and viral infection. Despite the recent implications of TMEM16F CaPLSase in vascular development and endothelial cell-mediated coagulation, its signaling role in endothelial biology remains to be established. Here, we show that endothelial TMEM16F regulates in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis through intracellular signaling. Developmental retinal angiogenesis is significantly impaired in TMEM16F deficient mice, as evidenced by fewer vascular loops and larger loop areas. Consistent with our in vivo observation, TMEM16F siRNA knockdown in human umbilical vein endothelial cells compromises angiogenesis in vitro. We further discovered that TMEM16F knockdown enhances VE-cadherin phosphorylation and reduces its expression. Moreover, TMEM16F knockdown also promotes Src kinase phosphorylation at tyrosine 416, which may be responsible for downregulating VE-cadherin expression. Our study thus uncovers a new biological function of TMEM16F in angiogenesis and provides a potential mechanism for how the CaPLSase regulates angiogenesis through intracellular signaling.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2023

A pro-inflammatory stem cell niche drives myelofibrosis through a targetable galectin 1 axis

Myeloproliferative neoplasms are stem cell-driven cancers associated with a large burden of morbidity and mortality. The majority of patients present with early-stage disease, but a substantial proportion progress to myelofibrosis and/or secondary leukemia, advanced cancers with a poor prognosis and high symptom burden. Currently, it remains difficult to predict progression, and we lack therapies that reliably prevent or reverse fibrosis development. A major bottleneck to the discovery of disease-modifying therapies has been an incomplete understanding of the interplay between perturbed cellular and molecular states. Several cell types have individually been implicated, but a comprehensive analysis of myelofibrotic bone marrow is lacking. We therefore mapped the crosstalk between bone marrow cell types in myelofibrotic bone marrow. We found that inflammation and fibrosis are orchestrated by a quartet of immune and stromal cell lineages - with basophils and mast cells creating a TNF signaling hub, communicating with megakaryocytes, mesenchymal stromal cells and pro-inflammatory fibroblasts. We identified the y-galactoside binding protein galectin 1 as a striking biomarker of progression to myelofibrosis and poor survival in multiple patient cohorts, and as a promising therapeutic target, with reduced myeloproliferation and fibrosis in vitro and in vivo and improved survival following galectin 1 inhibition. In human bone marrow organoids, TNF increased galectin 1 expression, suggesting a feedback loop wherein the pro-inflammatory MPN clone creates a self-reinforcing niche, fueling progression to advanced disease. This study provides a valuable resource for studying hematopoietic cell-niche interactions, with broad relevance for cancer-associated inflammation and disorders of tissue fibrosis.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Distinct Local and Global Functions of Aβ Low-Threshold Mechanoreceptors in Mechanical Pain Transmission

The roles of A{beta} low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) in transmitting mechanical hyperalgesia and in alleviating chronic pain have been of great interest but remain contentious. Here we utilized intersectional genetic tools, optogenetics, and high-speed imaging to specifically examine functions of SplitCre labeled A{beta}-LTMRs in this regard. Genetic ablation of SplitCre-A{beta}-LTMRs increased mechanical pain but not thermosensation in both acute and chronic inflammatory pain conditions, indicating their modality-specific role in gating mechanical pain transmission. Local optogenetic activation of SplitCre-A{beta}-LTMRs triggered nociception after tissue inflammation, whereas their broad activation at the dorsal column still alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity of chronic inflammation. Taking all data into consideration, we propose a new model, in which A{beta}-LTMRs play distinctive local and global roles in transmitting and alleviating mechanical hyperalgesia of chronic pain, respectively. Our model suggests a new strategy of global activation plus local inhibition of A{beta}-LTMRs for treating mechanical hyperalgesia.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Spatial organization of the 3D genome encodes gene co-expression programs in single cells

Deconstructing the mechanism by which the 3D genome encodes genetic information to generate diverse cell types during animal development is a major challenge in biology. The contrast between the elimination of chromatin loops and domains upon Cohesin loss and the lack of downstream gene expression changes at the cell population level instigates intense debates regarding the structure-function relationship between genome organization and gene regulation. Here, by analyzing single cells after acute Cohesin removal with sequencing and spatial genome imaging techniques, we discover that, instead of dictating population-wide gene expression levels, 3D genome topology mediated by Cohesin safeguards long-range gene co-expression correlations in single cells. Notably, Cohesin loss induces gene co-activation and chromatin co-opening between active domains in cis up to tens of megabase apart, far beyond the typical length scale of enhancer-promoter communication. In addition, Cohesin separates Mediator protein hubs, prevents active genes in cis from localizing into shared hubs and blocks intersegment transfer of diverse transcriptional regulators. Together, these results support that spatial organization of the 3D genome orchestrates dynamic long-range gene and chromatin co-regulation in single living cells.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2022

Transcriptome and chromatin accessibility landscapes across 25 distinct human brain regions expand the susceptibility gene set for neuropsychiatric disorders

Brain region- and cell-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic molecular features are associated with heritability for neuropsychiatric traits, but a systematic view, considering cortical and subcortical regions, is lacking. Here, we provide an atlas of chromatin accessibility and gene expression in neuronal and non-neuronal nuclei across 25 distinct human cortical and subcortical brain regions from 6 neurotypical controls. We identified extensive gene expression and chromatin accessibility differences across brain regions, including variation in alternative promoter-isoform usage and enhancer-promoter interactions. Genes with distinct promoter-isoform usage across brain regions are strongly enriched for neuropsychiatric disease risk variants. Using an integrative approach, we characterized the function of the brain region-specific chromatin co-accessibility and gene-coexpression modules that are robustly associated with genetic risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, we identified a novel set of genes that is enriched for disease risk variants but is independent of cell-type specific gene expression and known susceptibility pathways. Our results provide a valuable resource for studying molecular regulation across multiple regions of the human brain and suggest a unique contribution of epigenetic modifications from subcortical areas to neuropsychiatric disorders.

neuroscience↗