Biology subjects

Su, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Su, C..

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Dose-additive and dose-dependent fetal testis toxicity of a nine-phthalate mixture in the rat

Phthalates (ortho-phthalic acid diesters) are used in a variety of manufacturing processes, particularly as non-covalent plasticizers in flexible polyvinyl chloride. Phthalates are male reproductive toxicants that disrupt the development of the fetal testis, resulting in malformed seminiferous cords, multinucleated germ cells (MNGs), and decreased testosterone production. We previously reported that MNGs were a sensitive, dose-dependent marker of dipentyl phthalate (DPEP) germ cell toxicity. To test whether germ cell effects of phthalates are dose-additive, we measured the induction of MNGs by a phthalate mixture. We treated timed pregnant Sprague Dawley rats with an equipotent mixture of nine phthalates, spanning a two-log dose range, from GD 17-21. We found that the phthalate mixture effects on morphogenesis of the testis, assessed through histological analysis of MNGs and seminiferous cord diameter were dose-additive. Consistent with prior results, we also found that the testosterone-reducing effect of the phthalate mixture was dose-additive and dose-dependent. Induction of MNGs had the lowest effective dose of any endpoint that we measured, with a benchmark dose (BMD10) of 9.402 (6.093, 13.13) mg ({sum} all phthalates)/kg/d, which is equivalent to a BMD10 of 3.517 (2.275, 4.919) mg DPEP/kg/d, based on relative potency factors. Quantitative analysis of phthalate metabolites in dam serum showed that the metabolites were present in approximately the same relative concentrations as the parent compounds in the dosing mixture, but with lower levels of monocyclohexyl phthalate and monobenzyl phthalate. Proteomic and spatial transcriptomic analyses showed significant decreases in expression of Leydig cell genes and proteins involved in steroid hormone biosynthesis, as well as enrichment of proteins related to metabolism of lipids and amino acids. Proteomic BMD analysis produced a lowest BMDmedian of 2.156 (0.204, 27.830) mg ({sum} all phthalates)/kg/d, which was within a 4.36-fold margin of the lowest apical endpoint BMD.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2026

BpLAZY1A Mediates Transcriptional Polarity and Drives Adaxial Tension Wood Like Tissue Formation in Silver Birch (Betula pendula) Branches

A defining feature of most trees is the architectural distinction between a vertically growing main stem and laterally growing branches. This growth habit increases fitness by increasing photosynthetically active surface area and shading competitors. Here, we studied the weeping birch cultivar Betula pendula Youngii to uncover the mechanisms that maintain lateral branch growth. We identified a loss-of-function mutation in BpLAZY1A, a core component of the gravitropic signalling pathway, as the cause of the weeping phenotype. Forward genetic analysis demonstrated that the weeping phenotype is recessive in silver birch. Transgenic BpLAZY1A RNAi lines phenocopied Youngii, confirming the functional role of BpLAZY1A. Reporter analysis revealed that BpLAZY1A is expressed predominantly in gravity-sensing starch sheath cells, with occasional expression in the main stem phloem. Time lapse imaging revealed two distinct gravitropic responses during branch development - an early response associated with establishment of the branch apex gravitropic set-point angle, and a later response associated with polar reinforcement at the branch base. The main stem retained normal gravitropic responses in BpLAZY1A RNAi lines, indicating a branch-specific role for BpLAZY1A. Integrative analyses combining transcriptomics, chemical profiling, and histochemistry indicated that BpLAZY1A establishes adaxial-abaxial polarity during early branch development. In wild-type branches, pectin-rich tension wood-like tissue formed preferentially in the adaxial xylem, accompanied by adaxial expression of pectin- and tension wood-associated genes, including BpRRT1 and BpCOBRA-LIKE4. Auxin-related genes, including BpIAA29 and BpSAURs, were preferentially upregulated in the abaxial side. This transcriptional asymmetry was reduced in BpLAZY1A RNAi line 1, where tension wood-like tissue formed in both adaxial and abaxial sides of the xylem, indicating a loss of polarity. Together, these findings demonstrate that BpLAZY1A functions specifically in branch gravitropism and links spatially asymmetric gene expression with branch growth orientation and biomechanical reinforcement. Our results identify BpLAZY1A as a key regulator coordinating gravitropic signalling, tissue polarity, and the developmental biomechanics underlying lateral branch growth.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Systematic proteomics identifies a conserved mechanism for polar targeting of plant cortical proteins

Multicellular development is tightly coupled to the polarization of individual cells, which partitions polar proteins along the cell cortex and can control asymmetric cell division, anisotropic growth, local differentiation or physiology. Mechanisms driving cell polarization have been described in fungi and animals, but these lack counterparts in plants. While several polarized proteins have been identified in plants, the overall mechanisms guiding their polar localization are poorly characterized. Through iterative affinity proteomics on the recently identified SOSEKI polar proteins, we discovered a network of polar proteins that is conserved in the flowering plant Arabidopsis and the liverwort Marchantia. We next used this collection of novel polarized proteins for systematic proximity ligation proteomics in these two species to map their global polar proteome. We identified a subfamily of polarized Protein S-acyl transferase (PAT) enzymes that are required for membrane targeting of Arabidopsis SOSEKI proteins. Using human and fruit fly models, we showed that PAT19 is sufficient for membrane targeting of SOSEKI1, likely through direct palmitoylation. This work demonstrates a conserved mechanism for polar protein targeting in plants and offers a resource for studying polar protein localization.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

The secreted elastase SjCE2b drives host skin penetration by Schistosoma japonicum

Cercarial elastase is the most abundant protease secreted by Schistosoma mansoni and plays a critical role in cercarial invasion. Although Schistosoma japonicum encodes only a single elastase, SjCE2b, its secretion by cercariae and its specific function in skin penetration have remained elusive. Here, we report the first proteomic analysis of S. japonicum cercarial excretory-secretory products (ESPs) induced by linoleic acid or mouse skin, confirming the presence of SjCE2b in both ESPs preparations. Recombinant SjCE2b expressed in Pichia pastoris was characterized as a trypsin-like serine protease whose activity is entirely abolished by the elastase inhibitor MeoSuc-AAPF-CMK. Furthermore, SjCE2b expression was detected exclusively in cercarial extracts and localized specifically to the cercarial acetabular glands and ducts. Subsequent proteomic analysis indicates that SjCE2b can degrade numerous human epidermal proteins, including ten isoforms of type I and type II keratins. In vitro digestion assays further demonstrated that SjCE2b can digest key structural components of the dermis, including elastin, collogen, and fibronectin. Additionally, the cleavage of complement component C3 and immunoglobulins (IgA and IgG) suggests that SjCE2b may facilitate immune evasion by newly transformed schistosomula. Critically, the incubation of cercariae with anti-rSjCE2b antibody reduced the worm burden by 80.85%, confirming the essential role of SjCE2b in the skin penetration of S. japonicum cercariae and highlighting it as a compelling candidate for vaccine or therapeutic development. Author SummarySchistosomiasis constitutes a major global health burden caused by parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. Proteolytic and histolytic enzymes secreted by cercarial pre- and post-acetabular glands facilitate disruption of the host skin barrier and protect the parasite from localized dermal inflammatory response. Although cercarial elastase is a well-characterized invasion enzyme in Schistosoma mansoni, its role in Schistosoma japonicum remains poorly defined; consequently, S. japonicum cercariae have been hypothesized to rely on distinct repertoire of proteolytic enzymes during skin penetration. In the present study, we showed that SjCE2b was localized to the cercarial acetabular glands and ducts, and was secreted upon stimulation with linoleic acid or mouse skin. Functionally, SjCE2b can disrupt host skin integrity by degrading epidermal and dermal components, and may promote immune evasion through cleavage of complement component and immunoglobins. Furthermore, the antibody-mediated neutralization of secreted SjCE2b significantly impaired parasite penetration by greater than 80%. Together, these findings establish SjCE2b as a critical enzyme required for S. japonicum cercariae invasion and highlight its potential as a promising target for novel therapeutic interventions.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

A Hypothalamic Inhibitory Circuit Encoding the Scalability of Stress Responses

An appropriate stress response is essential for properly responding to, coping with, and subsequently recovering from disturbing environmental stimuli. However, how the brain dynamically encodes the scalability of stress responses remains poorly understood. Here, we found that, GABAergic neurons in the arcuate nucleus (Arc, denoted as ArcGABA neurons) send direct inputs to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH, denoted as PVHCRH neurons), the primary regulators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Although PVHCRH neurons exhibited time-locked activation in response to various environmental stressors, both GABA release onto PVHCRH neurons and the activity of PVHCRH-projecting ArcGABA neurons were selectively reduced during exposure to prolonged, high-intensity stressors, but not following exposure to transient, low-intensity stressors. Notably, GABA release onto PVHCRH neurons was positively correlated with PVHCRH-projecting ArcGABA neuron activity, yet anticorrelated with PVHCRH neuronal activity in response to the same prolonged, high-intensity stressors. Selective silencing of PVHCRH-projecting ArcGABA neurons was sufficient to elevate HPA axis activity and stress levels, phenocopying the effect of direct of PVHCRH neuron activation. Conversely, selective activation of PVHCRH-projecting ArcGABA neurons reduced both HPA axis activity and stress levels, this effect was completely abolished by concurrent excitation of PVHCRH neurons. Molecular identity screening further revealed that these PVHCRH-projecting ArcGABA neurons are not subsets expressing agouti-related peptide (AgRP) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) markers. Collectively, these findings indicate that the non-AgRP/TH ArcGABA PVHCRH neurocircuit serves as a critical neural substrate that directly encodes the scalability of stress responses to environmental stressors by modulating inhibitory GABA release in a stimulus intensity-dependent manner.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Repurposing of the assembly chaperone PAC1-PAC2 defines a specialized proteasome landscape in mature mammalian sperm

Mature mammalian sperm rely on active proteasomes containing the testis-specific subunit 4s for capacitation, acrosomal exocytosis and fertilization, but how these proteasomes are structurally specialized remains unclear. We determine the endogenous proteasome landscape of mature bovine spermatozoa and testis using cryo-electron microscopy. We resolve five sperm proteasome assemblies: PA200-20S, free 20S, a previously unrecognized PA200-20S-PAC1/2 hybrid, and PAC1/2-20S complexes capped at one or both ends. Unexpectedly, the PAC1/2-bound complexes are mature and POMP-free, selectively incorporated for 4s, lack 2, and adopt a PAC1/2 orientation and gate configuration distinct from known assembly intermediates. Together with elevated proteolytic activity, these features indicate that PAC1/2 is repurposed from a transient assembly chaperone into a stable post-assembly regulator in mature sperm. 4s-containing proteasomes assemble through the canonical PAC1-PAC4/POMP pathway yet may follow {beta}2-{beta}3-{beta}1 incorporation ordering; functionally, 4s incorporation remodels the sCP surface and enhances peptidase activities, definining the spermatoproteasomes as a hyperactive 20S variant. PAC1/2-bound proteasomes are absent from testis, where PA200-20S and 26S proteasomes are present, while 26S proteasomes are nearly lost in mature sperm. Our findings define a sperm-specific, ATP-independent proteasome landscape, expand the functional repertoires of 4s and PAC1/2, and provide a structural framework for proteasome specialization in male fertility.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2026

The compartmentalized activity of a legume subtilase SBT12a allows symbiosome stabilization

The stabilization of rhizobia in specialized organelles, called symbiosomes, is an evolutionary hallmark for maintaining high rates of nitrogen fixation in legumes. This is achieved by releasing thousands of bacteria from nodular infection threads within in a single plant cell, which poses a great challenge for the host to keep control over these differentiated bacteria. Considering the importance of proteolytic degradation of antimicrobial proteins or generation of symbiosis-promoting peptides, proteolytic activity may represent a key regulatory system. Indeed, we identified the Medicago truncatula subtilisin-like protease (subtilase, SBT) 12a acting as a novel regulator of symbiosome functionality and maintenance. Loss-of-function mutations in SBT12a led to severe symbiotic defects with nodules of sbt12a being characterized by high level induction of defense/senescence-related genes. Using untargeted proteomic High-efficiency Undecanal-based N-Termini EnRichment (HUNTER) we identified and individually confirmed specific SBT12a target proteins that are involved in plant defense responses and symbiosome maintenance. This positions SBT12a as a central host factor controlling symbiosome performance.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Neural cell state modulation by PARK2 and dopaminergic neuroprotection by small molecule Parkin agonism

Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase encoded by PARK2, plays a key role in both hereditary and sporadic Parkinsons disease (PD), yet there are no therapies currently available that can target this important pathway. Here, we show that Parkin is critical for successful neuronal differentiation and survival, and we develop small-molecule Parkin agonists that can protect dopaminergic neurons. Upon differentiation of neural progenitor cells, loss of Parkin results in a reduced capacity to maintain neuronal cell state, dopaminergic neuronal phenotypes, and stress resistance. Moreover, Parkin loss disrupted cell morphology and the stability of neurites. Transcriptional and single-cell analyses reveal that Parkin controls critical pathways regulating stem-like cell transitions and is needed for stable neuronal maturation. We also examined the effects of FB231, a small molecule enhancer of Parkin E3 ligase activity, in models of PD. FB231 reduced pathological -synuclein and enhanced cell survival in human iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons treated with -synuclein preformed fibrils. Furthermore, FB231 attenuated -synuclein pathology and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in a gut -synuclein murine model of PD. Our findings support that Parkin plays a crucial role in maintaining neuronal homeostasis and that pharmacologic activation of Parkin may be a promising strategy to attenuate neurodegeneration in PD.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

CellPace: A temporal diffusion-forcing framework for simulation, interpolation and forecasting of single-cell dynamics

Single-cell omics technologies resolve cellular heterogeneity at high resolution but provide only static snapshots of continuous developmental processes. This makes it difficult to recover coherent temporal dynamics when developmental stages are irregularly sampled or missing. While recent generative models can simulate observed cell states, they often treat timepoints as discrete categories, hindering interpolation across gaps and extrapolation to unobserved future stages. We present CellPace, a generative model that learns and generates developmental dynamics by leveraging a transformer-based temporal diffusion backbone conditioned on continuous, gap-aware temporal encodings. Across diverse mouse developmental lineages, CellPace achieves state-of-the-art performance in simulation, interpolation, and forecasting tasks. Beyond recovering global population statistics, generated cells preserve fine-grained biological structure, retaining dynamic gene regulatory programs and mapping accurately to anatomical regions in spatial transcriptomics data. Furthermore, CellPace extends naturally to multi-modal data, modeling joint RNA-chromatin dynamics even when temporal ordering is inferred from pseudotime. Together, these results position CellPace as a robust framework for modeling and generating continuous developmental dynamics from sparse, cross-sectional single-cell data.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2026

Identification of a neural basis for anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe, often fatal, psychiatric disorder characterized by self-imposed food restriction, hyperactivity, and profound affective disturbances. Despite its high morbidity and mortality, the neural mechanisms underlying AN remain poorly defined, largely because no animal model has fully recapitulated its core behavioral manifestations. Here, we demonstrate that aberrant activation of glutamatergic neurons in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) is sufficient to induce AN-like phenotypes in mice, including self-starvation leading to death, hyperactivity, anhedonia, social avoidance, and heightened anxiety, which were reproduced by targeted activation of MBH neurons expressing steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)/ estrogen receptor (ER). Mechanistically, the AN-like phenotypes were rescued by ablating release of glutamate or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Conversely, BDNF overexpression in SF1/ER neurons was sufficient to promote AN-like behaviors through increasing glutamate release. Thus, BDNF-dependent enhancement of glutamatergic signaling from SF1/ER neurons drives AN-associated phenotypes, providing a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Proteotyping reactivant toxoplasmic encephalitis reveals virulence-associated dense granule protein GRA5 polymorphisms

A fatal case of toxoplasmic encephalitis, and others like it, has caused microbiologists and clinicians to question whether different strains of T. gondii have more pathogenic potential than others. This raises significant concern, as T. gondii is a widely spread parasitic organism that is presumed to lie dormant in a third of the worlds general population. In this study, we expand on a previously published proteomicanalysis reactivated toxoplasmic encephalitis and have been able to identify T. gondii-specific peptides in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of this patient and two additional cases of toxoplasmic reactivation. Multilocus PCR-restriction fragment-length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to genetically identify the T. gondii strain that resulted in this fatal case, which belonged to ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #7. Using other T. gondii strains of the same genotype, we performed bioassays to compare the pathogenicity of this genotype with that of a clinically relevant strain, ME49. Both of the tested genotype #7 strains appear to have a greater pathogenic potential, although through likely different mechanisms. Of the most abundant T. gondii-specific CSF peptides across multiple patients, we identified a polymorphic region of the dense granule protein GRA5 that appears to have strain specificity. This approach could represent a "proteotype" that allows for T. gondii strain risk stratification within clinical samples. Ultimately spinal fluid could be a valuable tool in distinguishing between T. gondii exposed individuals with no cyst forms in the brain versus those exposed individuals that harbor "clinically silent" but viable brain cysts. SIGNIFICANCEA third of the worlds population is exposed to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, residing in a dormant, encysted stage within neurons. T. gondii is a diverse microorganism with some strains having greater reactivation potential. There is no means of identifying which individuals are at risk of reactivation. Proteomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from patients with reactivated toxoplasmosis demonstrated a consistent pattern of T. gondii peptides, including GRA5, a secreted virulence factor. Postmortem analysis identified a ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #7 strain associated with a fatality. Cerebrospinal fluid could provide clues to persistent brain infection and may identify strains able to reactivate.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

An obligatory role for AgRP neurons in maintaining body temperature during time-restricted feeding

Homeotherms maintain a steady body temperature through thermoregulation, a process critical for survival during fasting, in which the brain has to defend energy-costly body temperature while reducing energy expenditure to conserve energy reserve; however, the neural basis for defending body temperature remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that AgRP neuron lesion led to lethality during time-restricted feeding but no obvious impact on HFD-induced obesity or obesity-reducing responses to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonism. The lesion disrupted adaptive feeding behaviors during time-restricted feeding and reduced motivational feeding. Notably, the lethality was caused by hypothermia instead of reduced food intake. The lesion also caused failure in body temperature maintenance during acute fasting in cold. Fasting-induced activation in AgRP neurons was abrogated when mice were placed in a warm environment. Our results identify the physiological role for AgRP neurons in defending body temperature during restricted feeding but dispensable for body weight regulation with food ad libitum.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

An ultra-long acting insulin enables glucose-synchronised release

Delayed and weak glucose-responsive kinetics, coupled with short plasma exposure and complicated formulation, remain major obstacles to the clinical translation of glucose-responsive insulin formulations. Here we report a rapidly absorbable, ultra-long acting, and glucose-responsive insulin analogue via engineering recombinant human insulin with two phenylboronic acids. The insulin analogue has a long circulating half-life (t1/2{beta} [~]150 h) due to its unique, unprecedented, glucose-responsive binding to blood circulation-associated proteins. This interaction drives the formation of a unique systemic reservoir that allows synchronised dynamic response in insulin levels to glucose fluctuations. In type 1 diabetic mice and minipigs, a single subcutaneous dose can maintain normoglycaemia for over one week (47.5-fold compared to insulin glargine). After the last injection of four consecutive weekly administrations in mice, the glucose-lowering effect can last 800 hours. Administering this glucose-responsive insulin analogue with a fully automated insulin delivery system can leverage dual closed loops and achieve a glucose time in range of over 85% and a coefficient of variation of approximately 30%, better than the recommended targets for human therapy. Importantly, no toxicity was identified in the study.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2025

Differential Impact of Lymphocytes on Radiation Response in Autochthonous versus Transplant Sarcomas in Syngeneic Mice

Preclinical studies in transplant tumor models showing high cure rates with combined radiotherapy (RT) and immunotherapy have rarely translated to clinical success, and studies in autochthonous tumor models are limited. We hypothesized that lymphocytes differentially affect RT response in transplant versus autochthonous tumor models. Here, we compared tumor onset and growth delay after 0 or 20 Gy for autochthonous versus transplant soft tissue sarcomas in Rag2-/- mice lacking an adaptive immune system versus immune-intact Rag2+/- mice. While time to tumor onset did not differ between Rag2-/- and Rag2+/- mice in the autochthonous model, transplant tumor onset was significantly slower in immunocompetent mice. No transplant tumors in Rag2-/- mice or autochthonous tumors were cured by RT, whereas 30.4% of Rag2+/- mice with transplant tumors were cured. These results highlight the importance of including autochthonous tumors as complementary model systems to study the interplay between the immune system and RT response.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Organelle membrane-associated proteins recruit cGAS via phase separation to facilitate its membrane localization

Double-stranded DNA is recognized as a danger signal by cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS), triggering innate immune responses in mammals. As a DNA sensor, cGAS is generally believed to distribute in the cytoplasm, whereas alternative subcellular localization of cGAS, including cytoplasmic membrane and nucleus, is important to regulate its activity. However, it remains obscure whether cGAS could localized to organelle membrane and the mechanism has yet to be uncovered. Our study reveals that cGAS could localize to the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and endosomes upon DNA challenge. We identified that the post-translational modification enzymes ZDHHC18 and MARCH8, through their intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), facilitate the binding of cGAS to the Golgi and endosome, respectively. These IDRs phase separated to recruit cGAS and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) into biomolecular condensates, suppressing cGAS activity and downstream signaling pathways. These findings highlight the regulatory mechanisms of cGAS activity through the spatial organization, providing new insights into the modulation of innate immune responses.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2025

A novel machine learning-based algorithm for eQTL identification reveals complex pleiotropic effects in the MHC region

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) are regulatory variants that affect the expression level of their target genes and have significant impact on disease biology. However, eQTL mapping has been done mostly in one tissue at a time, despite the known prevalence of correlations among tissues. Multivariate analyses incorporating multiple phenotypes are available, but they emphasize linear combinations of phenotypes. We present MTClass, a machine learning framework that attempts to classify an individuals genotype based on a vector of multi-phenotype expression levels of a given gene. We conduct simulation studies and multiple case studies using real and imputed data, and we demonstrate that MTClass detects more functionally relevant variants and genes compared to existing single-tissue approaches as well as multi-phenotype association tests. Our results suggest that the importance of expression regulation at the MHC region may have been underestimated, and they provide fresh biological insights into genetic variants that have pleiotropic effects, influencing gene expression in a complex manner. Key pointsO_LIMTClass is a machine learning-based approach that classifies genotypes based on multi-phenotype expression data, providing a novel method for identifying eQTLs. C_LIO_LIMTClass outperforms traditional linear methods like MultiPhen and MANOVA in detecting eQTLs with greater functional impact and in capturing complex genotype-phenotype relationships. C_LIO_LIMTClass identified immune-related variants in the HLA region, suggesting that existing approaches may have underestimated the complexity of these variants effects across tissues. C_LIO_LIMTClass is more flexible and reliable than linear multivariate methods, handling multicollinearity, zero-expressed features, and various input values with greater ease. C_LI

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2025

Specialized high-capacity mitochondria fuel cell invasion

Cell invasion through basement membrane (BM) is energetically intensive, and how an invading cell produces high ATP levels to power invasion is understudied. By generating 20 endogenously tagged mitochondrial proteins, we identified a specialized mitochondrial subpopulation within the C. elegans anchor cell (AC) that localizes to the BM breaching site and generates elevated ATP to fuel invasion. These ETC-enriched high-capacity mitochondria are compositionally unique, harboring increased protein import machinery and dense cristae enriched with ETC components. High-capacity mitochondria emerge at the time of AC specification and depend on the AC pro-invasive transcriptional program. Finally, we show that netrin signaling through a Src kinase directs microtubule polarization, which facilitates metaxin adaptor complex dependent ETC-enriched mitochondrial trafficking to the AC invasive front. Our studies reveal that an invasive cell produces high ATP by generating and localizing high-capacity mitochondria. This might be common strategy used by other cells to meet energy demanding processes.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Catastrophic drought effects on water quality and phytoplankton biomass in Nanwan Reservoir (Xinyang, China)

Climate change has led to increasingly frequent and unpredictable droughts and high-temperature events, creating extreme conditions that profoundly impact the productivity of freshwater ecosystems. This study investigates the Nanwan Reservoir, a large and deep reservoir in Xinyang, China, to evaluate the effects of extreme drought events on water quality and phytoplankton production. Field investigations were conducted during both high-temperature and drought (HTD) conditions in 2019, and during non-high-temperature and drought (NHTD) conditions in 2020. Results showed that HTD conditions significantly disrupted the thermocline and oxycline structures, leading to prolonged stratification during the HTD period. Although phosphorus concentrations remained relatively stable across both periods, nitrogen levels were markedly lower during HTD events--likely due to uptake by phytoplankton--indicating a shift in nutrient limitation from phosphorus to nitrogen. Additionally, a complex relationship between environmental variables and phytoplankton biomass was observed under HTD conditions. These findings advance our understanding of primary production responses to extreme weather events in the Nanwan Reservoir and highlight the importance of incorporating such knowledge into water resource management and ecological conservation strategies.

ecology↗