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Journal articleHedger G, Lyman E, Rouse SL, 2026,
Ligand-like lipid interactions with membrane proteins: simulations and machine learning
, Current Opinion in Structural Biology, Vol: 97, ISSN: 0959-440XMembrane lipids can bind to specific sites on membrane proteins in a ligand-like manner and modulate protein structure and function. Molecular dynamics simulations encompass a suite of approaches to identify, characterise, and explain the atomic-level mechanisms that underlie the functional effects of ligand-like lipids on membrane proteins. Simulations have shown good agreement with available structural data on lipid-protein interactions. Building on successes, simulations are now used to identify new interactions and mechanisms de novo for a given membrane protein. In this age of abundance, it is increasingly possible to analyse patterns across large groups of proteins and in ever more complex membrane environments. The dawn of machine learning approaches in lipid-protein cofolding holds considerable promise to synergistically capitalise on this availability of simulation data and uncover new facets of ligand-like lipid biology.
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Journal articleMolpeceres-García FJ, García-Miró A, Mateos-García E, et al., 2026,
Pseudomonas putida JM37 as a novel bacterial chassis for ethylene glycol upcycling
, Bioresource Technology, Vol: 443, ISSN: 0960-8524Ethylene glycol (EG), one of the main monomers of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is an attractive target for microbial upcycling. Despite this interest, there is a limited number of described organisms that can efficiently metabolise EG. Here, we report the metabolic and biotechnological potential of Pseudomonas putida JM37 as a novel bacterial chassis for EG valorization. We show that JM37 efficiently grows on EG as the sole carbon and energy source, outperforming other Pseudomonas strains. Genome sequencing and directed mutagenesis revealed that genetic redundancies in the glyoxylate assimilation pathways underlie its robust EG metabolism. Beyond biomass generation, we demonstrated the biotechnological potential of JM37. This strain was able to accumulate medium-chain polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs), dominated by C10 monomers, directly from EG. Moreover, JM37 successfully expressed heterologous biosynthetic pathways, including a violacein biosynthetic operon and a PET-hydrolase which has been secreted actively into the extracellular medium. Together, our results support the use of P. putida JM37 as a versatile synthetic biology chassis for sustainable EG upcycling and as a promising platform for circular bioproduction.
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Journal articleRyan SJ, Huxley PJ, Lippi CA, et al., 2026,
MIReVTD, a Minimum Information Standard for Reporting Vector Trait Data.
, GigascienceVector-borne diseases pose a persistent and increasing challenge to human, animal, and agricultural systems globally. Mathematical modeling frameworks incorporating vector trait responses are powerful tools for assessing risk and predicting vector-borne disease impacts. Developing these frameworks and the reliability of their predictions hinge on the availability of experimentally derived vector trait data for model parameterization and inference of the biological mechanisms underpinning transmission. Trait experiments have generated data for many known and potential vector species, but the terminology used across studies is inconsistent, and accompanying publications may share data with insufficient detail for reuse or synthesis. The lack of data standardization can lead to information loss and prohibit analytical comprehensiveness. Here, we present MIReVTD, a Minimum Information standard for Reporting Vector Trait Data. Our reporting checklist balances completeness and labor intensity to make these important experimental data easier to find and reuse, without onerous effort for scientists generating the data. To illustrate the standard, we provide an example reproducing results from an Aedes aegypti mosquito study.
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Journal articleBiswas P, Matange N, Samanta S, et al., 2026,
The metallophosphoesterase Rv0805 regulates carbon flux and cell envelope homeostasis during growth of mycobacteria in propionate.
, J BacteriolMycobacterium tuberculosis relies on host-derived lipids, including cholesterol, for intracellular survival, generating propionyl-CoA-a metabolite that must be efficiently assimilated to prevent toxicity. The metallophosphoesterase Rv0805 is required for optimal growth on cholesterol, and an Rv0805 knockout strain exhibits impaired ability to colonize the murine lung. However, the mechanisms underlying the essential role of Rv0805 under host-relevant conditions remain unclear. The deletion of the rv0805 ortholog (bcg_0857) in Mycobacterium bovis BCG reveals that both its catalytic activity and membrane localization are essential for growth on propionate, a by-product of cholesterol metabolism. Loss of Rv0805 impaired propionate uptake, altered cell envelope lipid composition with an accumulation of methyl-branched lipids, and reduced carbon flux through the methylcitrate cycle, ultimately depleting key central carbon metabolites required for growth. Vitamin B12 supplementation activated the methylmalonyl pathway, restoring metabolic balance and rescuing growth. These findings demonstrate that Rv0805 links propionate metabolism with cell envelope integrity, identifying its activity and localization as metabolic vulnerabilities that could be exploited for tuberculosis therapy.IMPORTANCERv0805 links propionate metabolism with cell envelope homeostasis in mycobacteria, and its loss uncovers a metabolic vulnerability that could be exploited to restrict mycobacterial survival in lipid-rich host microenvironments.
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Journal articleCharalambous M, Hui L, Fox M, et al., 2026,
Investigating choice of and perceived efficacy of learning strategies used by STEM students
, Education Sciences, ISSN: 2227-7102The use of appropriate learning strategies that accommodate working memory capacity is crucial for successful long-term learning. To our knowledge, there is little evidence in the literature showing which learning strategies STEM students use and their perceivedeffectiveness of these strategies. This paper addresses this gap by applying a mixed methods design to gain insight into STEM students’ learning behaviour in terms of the use and perceived effectiveness of available learning strategies. Specifically, we collected quantitative scoping survey data, complemented by qualitative focus group data to gain a rich, holistic understanding of students’ perceptions and rationales for using learning strategies. Students rated content blocking and problem-solving attempts as more effective than interleaving and using worked examples, respectively. Students differentiated their use of different learning strategies, using more worked examples than problem-solving attempts and more rereading than retrieval practice. Additionally, the extent to which they used a strategy was positively correlated with their knowledge about its effectiveness. Our data also show that the use of both highly and moderately effective learning strategies positively predicted grades. The focus group findings highlighted the complexity of learning behaviour in that students used a variety of learning strategies, depending on their learning habits, the nature of their courses, their motivation and interests. Students evaluated the effectiveness of a strategy based on whether it improved their grades and by the combination of perceived and actual effort required to use it. Overall, STEM students have limited knowledge of learning strategies and ultimately need support to engage with theirlearning in an efficient and productive way.
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Journal articleStadinski BD, Mills EA, Humphries PA, et al., 2026,
Author Correction: Age-dependent Zap70 expression in thymocytes regulates selection of the neonatal regulatory T cell repertoire.
, Nat Immunol -
Journal articleSanchez Garrido J, Beis K, Frankel G, et al., 2026,
H pilin cyclisation and pilus biogenesis are promiscuous but electrostatic perturbations impair conjugation efficiency
, Nature Communications, ISSN: 2041-1723 -
Journal articleArnold MFF, Sankari S, Deutsch M, et al., 2026,
BacA(SbmA) importer of legume symbiotic NCR peptides: Protein architecture, function, and evolutionary implications.
, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, Vol: 123Some legumes encode families of NCR (Nodule-Cysteine-Rich) peptides that cause their rhizobial partners to terminally differentiate during the development of a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. Sinorhizobium meliloti, whose plant hosts Medicago truncatula and Medicago sativa express ca. 600 NCR peptides during root nodule development, possesses a symbiotically essential BacASm protein that imports certain NCR peptides into the cytoplasm. This import permits proteolytic degradation of the NCR peptides, thereby protecting the endocytosed bacteria from their antimicrobial peptide-like lethality, while also allowing certain NCR peptides to undergo their symbiotically critical interactions with cytoplasmic components, for example heme-sequestration in the case of NCR247. Our study employed 54 S. meliloti bacASm missense mutants (35 to cysteine and 19 to glycine) that we tested for protein production, ability to establish a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis, and their susceptibility to killing by higher levels of the NCR247 and the Bac7(1-35) peptides. We also used the Single Cysteine Accessibility Method to make topological inferences. Our detailed genetic, biochemical, structural, and physiological analyses have revealed that BacASm and SbmAhomodimers function as finely tuned transporters, whose structures can be relatively easily disrupted by single amino acid changes. Our finding that several mutations that differentially separate nitrogen-fixation, NCR247 import, and Bac7(1-35) import map to the lining of the peptide-binding cavity suggests a molecular explanation underlying the paradoxical observation that SbmA/BacAs from pathogens can fully replace BacASm, whereas BacAs from other rhizobia cannot.
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Journal articleGan W, Alizadeh N, Best M, et al., 2026,
An eco-evolutionary optimality model explains theacclimated temperature response of photosynthesis
, New Phytologist, ISSN: 0028-646XThe optimal temperature of net photosynthesis (Topt) generally increases with plant growth temperature. Changes in Topt are associated with changes in the maximum carboxylation capacity at 25 °C (Vcmax25) and the maximum electron transport rate at 25 °C (Jmax25). The ratio between Jmax25 and Vcmax25 declines with warming. Accurate representation of leaf-level photosynthetic responses to temperature is essential for realistic projections of the terrestrial carbon cycle and its response to ongoing climate changes. However, many land-surface models incorporate thermal acclimation through empirical approaches and through assigning distinct but static parameter values to plant functional types (PFTs). Eco-evolutionary optimality approaches provide a simpler way of modelling photosynthesis without recourse to PFTs. Here we use the sub-daily P model, an eco-evolutionary optimality-based model of photosynthesis that explicitly separates the instantaneous and acclimated responses of photosynthetic parameters to temperature to investigate how optimal temperature changes with growth temperature, as represented by leaf or air temperature. We show that the simulated responses are consistent with observations from both controlled experiments and eddy-covariance flux tower data. We show that changes in Topt, and in the assimilation rate at Topt, are caused by changes in carboxylation capacity and electron transport rate that follow directly from the hypotheses underlying the model.
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Journal articleHaas O, Prentice IC, Harrison SP, 2026,
Wildfires on a changing planet
, Nature Communications, ISSN: 2041-1723The distribution of wildfires on Earth will change as climate, land-use, and vegetation change. We use global empirical models of burnt area, fire size and fire intensity to explore future wildfire trajectories under ~1.5 and 3-4 °C warming with middle of the road future socio-economic conditions. Even under ~1.5 °C warming we find a change in wildfire patterns by the end of the 21st century with reduced burning in tropical regions driven by changes in human activity but larger and more intense wildfires in extra-tropical regions driven by changes in climate and CO2. With low climate change mitigation, burnt areas increase greatly across all vegetation types, overwhelming the current global decline. These findings suggest that even with ambitious climate change mitigation, current fire-suppression policies will fail in much of the world and mitigation scenarios that rely on expanding forest areas will be unrealistic unless they are designed with wildfire risks in mind.
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Journal articleBerazategui MA, Goodwin I, Lansink LIM, et al., 2026,
A factor integrating transcription and repression of surface antigen genes in African trypanosomes
, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol: 123, ISSN: 0027-8424Antigenic variation in Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) requires monoallelic expression of one variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) from one of the subtelomeric bloodstream form (BSF) expression sites (BESs). This transcription is unusually mediated by RNA polymerase I (RNA Pol I) and occurs in a specialized nuclear body, the expression site body (ESB). While factors promoting active BES transcription and silencing inactive BESs are known, how these opposing activities are integrated remains unknown. Here, we identify ESBX (Tb927.3.1660) as a BSF-specific ESB protein necessary for this coordination. We show that ESBX RNAi knockdown prevents RNA Pol I localizing to the ESB and reduces active BES transcription, while also derepressing inactive BESs with low processivity transcription. Conversely, ESBX overexpression weakly activates inactive BESs in a distinct manner from ESBX knockdown, leading to processive transcription, without disrupting the active BES or forming supernumerary ESBs. ESBX knockdown causes a similar transcriptomic defect to ESB1 and VEX2 knockdown combined, establishing ESBX as a key factor linking transcriptional activation of the active BES with inactive BES silencing through the VSG exclusion (VEX) phenomenon. This allows us to suggest models for understanding the establishment and maintenance of monoallelic expression critical for parasite immune evasion.
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Journal articleDavydova S, Liu J, Kandul NP, et al., 2026,
Generating cisgenic sexing strains in insect pests
, Communications Biology, ISSN: 2399-3642Insect pest population control via sterile insect technique markedly benefits from separation by sex prior to release. To simplify this process, traditional genetics has been deployed to develop genetic sexing strains (GSSs) for several disease vectors and agricultural pests of vast economic significance, although very few are applied in the field due to associated fitness costs and instability. In this study, we generated a method to engineer cisgenic GSS (CGSS) in insects. We use CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-directed repair to seamlessly translocate a sex-specific alternatively spliced intron into a dominant phenotypic gene generating a genetically stable strain that enables sex-sorting by eye. To achieve this feat, we use Ceratitis capitata as our model and relied on the sex-specifically spliced intron of its endogenous transformer gene, which we seamlessly inserted a copy into the pupal colouration white pupae gene. This minimal modification resulted in the generation of a homozygous strain we term IMPERIAL that was genetically and phenotypically stable where all female pupae are brown while male pupae are white with overall good fitness. By minimally editing the genome, our novel CGSS approach can be applied to other pests that may aid more efficient and economically suitable pest control.
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Journal articleLiu M, Prentice IC, Harrison SP, 2026,
A global analysis of pollen-based reconstructions of land climate changes during Dansgaard–Oeschger events
, Climate of the Past, ISSN: 1814-9324 -
Journal articleRansome E, 2026,
Autonomous reef monitoring structures (ARMS) as a tool for assessing UK marine benthic biodiversity
, Frontiers in Marine Science, ISSN: 2296-7745In benthic marine ecosystems, small organisms that dwell within the habitat matrix comprise the majority of species richness but are inherently difficult to sample. This limits our ability to document the biodiversity of these ecosystems. Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS), artificial reefs that mimic the three-dimensional complexity of benthic habitats, can alleviate this challenge. However, ARMS have been applied infrequently in many temperate locations, including the United Kingdom (UK). To showcase the applicability of ARMS to the UK, this paper applies standardized Smithsonian ARMS protocols for image analysis as well as DNA barcoding and metabarcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to 3 ARMS units deployed in the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) Nearshore Trawling Exclusion zone, a conservation area created in 2021 to facilitate the recovery of seabed habitats. We document 176 genera across 22 eukaryotic phyla as well as 1,920 > 2 mm motile specimens with a biomass of 312 g. We identify 15 notable species, including the 4th UK record of Cephalothrix simula, a non-native poisonous nemertean with the potential to enter the food supply. We also assess the complementarity of image analysis and DNA metabarcoding in describing sessile communities, finding that the two methods produce meaningfully different estimates of relative abundance for some phyla, particularly Cnidaria (77x difference) and Bryozoa (72x difference). As our oceans come increasingly under threat from global change, it is imperative that we can accurately describe their biodiversity. We advocate for ARMS as a critical tool for measuring UK marine benthic biodiversity and discuss the use of ARMS in closing gaps in reference databases as well as in assessing ecosystem function and environmental disturbance in benthic habitats.
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Journal articleWilliams JJ, Angelidou I, Cholvi M, et al., 2026,
Ethical and equitable approaches in AI for vector-borne disease management
, AI and Ethics, Vol: 6, ISSN: 2730-5961Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being incorporated into public health strategies for vector-borne disease (VBD) management, offering several advances in surveillance, prediction, and control. At the same time however, the integration of AI technologies raises critical ethical and equity concerns, particularly in regions disproportionately affected by VBDs. Here, we explore seven key ethical and equitable challenges in the use of AI for VBD management: (1) data quality and representativeness, (2) risk of discrimination and inequality reinforcement, (3) transparency and reproducibility, (4) privacy and data protection, (5) cybersecurity, (6) fair and equitable benefit-sharing, and (7) environmental considerations. Within each of these challenges, we highlight how unaddressed ethical and equity issues can exacerbate health disparities and undermine public trust. We then propose actionable pathways forward, including inclusive data governance, transparency-enhancing tools, and environmentally-conscious AI practices. By highlighting how accounting for these ethical and equity concerns during AI development and deployment can further progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, we advocate for a more responsible and inclusive approach to AI in VBD management.
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Journal articleBleidorn C, Sandberg F, Martin S, et al., 2026,
The untapped potential of short-read sequencing in biodiversity research.
, Trends Genet, Vol: 42, Pages: 137-149, ISSN: 0168-9525The power of short-read DNA sequencing in biodiversity research and evolutionary genomics is rapidly growing due to advances in technology and bioinformatics. Short-read sequencing offers powerful solutions for taxonomic identification, biomass estimation, and phylogenetic reconstruction. Moreover, short-read data enable robust estimation of genome size and repeat content, offering valuable insights into genome evolution. Though growing in popularity, long-read genome assemblies are often not feasible with material from museum collections or raw biodiversity samples. With the growing demand for DNA-based approaches in biodiversity research, short-read genomics provides an easily generated universal data source spanning all levels from individual genomes to ecosystems, and including all species on Earth, to achieve the objectives of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) for the preservation of biodiversity.
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Journal articleMurphy EJ, Williams JJ, MyersSmith IH, et al., 2026,
Ecological Feedbacks in the Earth System
, Earth's Future, Vol: 14, ISSN: 2328-4277<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Ecological feedbacks are fundamental features of the Earth system, affecting physical processes and chemical cycles. Our understanding of the interactions underlying these feedbacks at different spatial and temporal scales and the extent to which feedbacks affect Earth system functioning remains limited. Climate change and other anthropogenic pressures are already negatively affecting ecological processes in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. These will most likely be amplified in the coming decades under our current warming and socioeconomic pathways. The knock‐on impacts on ecological feedbacks have the potential to cause rapid perturbations to the Earth system, and may significantly impact the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Yet, the role of our planet's diverse ecological feedbacks in Earth system processes and the impacts of perturbations are major knowledge gaps. Here we review and synthesize current understanding of ecological feedbacks and how they affect physical and chemical processes. We then consider the implications of ecological feedbacks for analyses of anthropogenically‐driven change, development of scientific understanding and models, and provision of scientific advice for policymakers. Finally, we identify three priority future research areas for the rapid assessment and integration of ecological feedbacks in Earth system science: (a) including ecological feedbacks in assessments of global change and Earth system models, (b) incorporating ecological feedbacks across scales, and (c) producing projections suitable for policy advice. Overall, this review presents an urgent call to the scientific community for the rapid development of understanding of ecological feedbacks and integrated ecosystem—Earth system research.</jats:p>
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Journal articleXu H, Wang H, Prentice IC, et al., 2026,
Global variation in the ratio of sapwood to leaf area explained by optimality principles
, New Phytologist, ISSN: 0028-646X• The sapwood area supporting a given leaf area (Huber value, vH) reflects the coupling between carbon uptake and water transport and loss at a whole-plant level. Geographic variation in vH presumably reflect plant strategic adaptations but the lack of a general explanation for such variation hinders its representation in vegetation models and assessment of how its impact on the global carbon and water cycles. • Here we develop a simple hydraulic trait model to predict optimal vH by matching stem water supply and leaf water loss, and test its performance against two extensive plant hydraulic datasets. • We show that our eco-evolutionary optimality-based model explains nearly 60% of global vH variation in response to light, vapour pressure deficit, temperature and sapwood conductivity. Enhanced hydraulic efficiency with warmer temperatures reduces the sapwood area required to support a given leaf area, whereas high irradiance (supporting increased photosynthetic capacity) and drier air increase it. • This study thus provides a route to modelling variation in functional traits through the coordination of carbon uptake and water transport processes.
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Journal articleBurton VJ, Jones AG, Robinson LD, et al., 2026,
Who watches the worms? Motivation and (non-)participation in a contributory citizen science project
, BMC Ecology and Evolution, Vol: 26, ISSN: 2730-7182BackgroundCitizen science projects rely on public participation to generate data and promote engagement with science. However, little is known about the motivations of individuals who register for citizen science projects but ultimately do not participate. Understanding non-participation is important for improving recruitment and engagement strategies. This study used Earthworm Watch, a UK-based soil biodiversity citizen science project that ran from April 2016 to August 2018, to explore the motivations of both participants and non-participants, and to examine how these relate to demographic factors and survey completion rates.ResultsA total of 1,678 participants registered for Earthworm Watch. The overall survey return rate was 12.75%, with no significant differences by age or gender. The provision of physical survey packs did not significantly affect completion rates. Direct contact with project staff was the only recruitment method associated with a significantly higher survey return rate. Significantly more registrants were female than male across all age groups. Motivations related to understanding and values were most reported, with participants often expressing a desire to learn more or to contribute to the topic, but these participants contributed fewer surveys than those without those motivations. Social motivations were mentioned less frequently but were more commonly reported by women. Younger participants were more likely to cite career-related motivations.ConclusionsThe limited impact of physical materials on participation suggests that designing projects for immediate and accessible involvement could be more cost-effective. The significant influence of meeting project members and hands-on experiences at events strengthens the case for including these activities in engagement plans. Motivations to participate in Earthworm Watch varied by demographic factors such as age and gender; however, when significant, they influenced only the number of surveys sub
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Journal articleAdams G, Tissot F, Liu C, et al., 2026,
PACESS: Practical AI-based Cell Extraction and Spatial Statistics for large 3D bone marrow tissue images
, Cell Reports: Methods, ISSN: 2667-2375Although the molecular regulation of hematopoiesis is well characterized, the spatial organization of hematopoietic cells within bone marrow (BM) remains unclear. Advances in microscopy have produced increasingly detailed images of murine BM, yet accurate and scalable methods to extract and analyze these complex datasets are limited. The high cellular density of the BM complicates image segmentation, and current spatial analyses are often restricted to pairwise comparisons, unsuitable for investigating interactions between more than two cell types simultaneously. To overcome these limitations, we developed PACESS, a readily applicable neural network-based framework that classifies hundreds of thousands of cells in 3D BM samples and applies spatial statistical methods to evaluate multicellular interactions. Using PACESS, we investigate the spatial organization of T cells, megakaryocytes and leukemic cells, revealing that distinct leukemic clusters generate diverse, previously unrecognized neighborhood within the same BM cavity. PACESS thus provides a powerful tool to dissect BM architecture.
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Journal articleDeliard S, Barbieri E, Trizzino M, et al., 2026,
An EGR1-dependent cascade modulates genome architecture at the CSF1R locus
, Nucleic Acids Research, Vol: 54, ISSN: 0305-1048The organization and dynamics of chromatin are key to regulating gene expression during myeloid cell differentiation. Sequence-specific transcription factors initiate and maintain a complex network of enhancer-promoter contacts, which is supported by insulating elements and genome folding organizers such as CTCF and Cohesin. The spatial arrangement of enhancers and promoters, as well as their epigenetic state, drives cell and tissue-specific transcriptomes. Here we dissect the spatial, transcriptional, and epigenetic landscape of the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) locus in monocytes and macrophages. CSF1R is a receptor tyrosine kinase that triggers the signaling cascade required for macrophage differentiation. Previous work showed that CSF1R expression is regulated by multiple enhancers, including the fms-intronic regulatory element (FIRE). Here, we find that a single EGR-1 binding motif dictates activation of CSF1R. We also discover that the CSF1R entire locus folds into a hub of gene regulation, affecting an extended network of myeloid and inflammatory genes. Globally, EGR1 may have an expanded role as a macrophage-specific boundary element, supporting enhancer-promoter looping at several genes. In sum, we describe a novel 3D chromatin network that is critical for macrophage development and function.
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Journal articlevan Thor J, 2026,
Coherent two dimensional electronic-X-ray spectroscopy
, Journal of Chemical Physics, ISSN: 0021-9606Ultrafast pump-probe time resolved X-ray spectroscopy carries information on the valence-core dynamics of molecular systems. Here, a coherent two-dimensional nonlinear electronic-X-ray spectroscopy (2DEX) application is proposed in order to reveal the frequency-frequency correlations for the valence and the core transition excitations. 2DEX is in the class of extreme-cross peak correlation spectroscopy and is experimentally straightforward to measure as an adaptation of the conventional optical pump – X-ray probe technique by creating a phase-locked pulse pair of the ultrafast laser for the valence excitation. Theoretical evaluation of the coherences and populations for several applications of ultrafast valence-core spectroscopy experiments is shown. Using a response function approach, 2DEX four wave signals are calculated and evaluated with respect to frequency separation in the electronic and X-ray ranges as well as the lineshape characteristics. It is shown that stationary and oscillatory contributions to the rephasing, non-rephasing and absorptive signals can be resolved depending on pulse shaping and phase cycling, phase matching, X-ray spectrometer and material response parameters. Calculations are shown for examples that include the valence-core coherences for a vibrational monomer and for Frenkel and charge transfer (CT)electronic exciton states, which in the X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectral region have the potential to resolve the population and coherence contributions in the atomic localised basis.
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Journal articleJimenez Zarco J, 2026,
Engineering whole-cell catalysts to use plastic waste as a feedstock
, Current Opinion in Biotechnology, ISSN: 0958-1669The extensive production, durability and waste mismanagement of plastic polymers have led to a highly concerning environmental problem. Recycling methods aim to reduce the amount of plastic pollution and, among them, biological processes have emerged as an interesting alternative for the management of plastic waste that is difficult to collect or can not be recycled by other methods. While there has been significant progress in the field, in particular related to the enzymatic hydrolysis of polyesters, most biological methods rely on the use of enzymes in vitro, using collected plastics. In this review we explore the status of technologies using whole-cell catalysts that could be used for in vivo upcycling of plastic waste – with plastic becoming a microbial feedstock – and for the development of biodegradation strategies in relevant environments. We have identified a number of barriers related to polymer bioavailability, enzyme activity and secretion, and the use of strains and microbial communities that need to be overcome to materialise a much-needed solution to plastic pollution.
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Journal articleHassan A, Prentice IC, Liang X, 2026,
Insights into evapotranspiration partitioning based on hydrological observations using the generalized proportionality hypothesis
, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS), Vol: 30, Pages: 317-341, ISSN: 1027-5606Evapotranspiration comprises transpiration, soil evaporation, and interception. The partitioning of evapotranspiration is challenging due to the lack of direct measurements and uncertainty of existing evapotranspiration partitioning methods. We propose a novel method to estimate long-term mean transpiration to evapotranspiration (Et/E) ratios based on the generalized proportionality hypothesis using long-term mean hydrological observations at the watershed scale. We tested the method using 648 watersheds in the United States classified into six vegetation types. We mitigated impacts of the variability associated with different Ep data products by rescaling their original Ep values using the product E/Ep ratios in combination with the observed E calculated from watershed water balance. With Ep thus rescaled, our method produced consistent Et/E across six widely used Ep products. Shrubs (0.33) and grasslands (0.32) showed lower mean Et/E than croplands (0.48) and forests (respectively 0.69, 0.60, and 0.70 for evergreen needleleaf, deciduous broadleaf, and mixed forests). Et/E showed significant dependence on aridity, leaf area index, and other hydrological and environmental conditions. Using Et/E estimates, we calculated transpiration to precipitation ratios (Et/P) ratios and revealed a bell-shaped curve at the watershed scale, which conformed to the bell-shaped relationship with the aridity index (AI) observed at the field and remote-sensing scales (Good et al., 2017). This relationship peaked at an Et/P between 0.5 and 0.6, corresponding to an AI between 2 and 3 depending on the Ep dataset used. These results strengthen our understanding of the interactions between plants and water and provide a new perspective on a long-standing challenge for hydrology and ecosystem science.
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Journal articleNeu CT, Antonopoulos A, Dell A, et al., 2026,
Gne-Depletion in C2C12 Myoblasts Leads to Alterations in Glycosylation and Myopathogene Expression.
, Cells, Vol: 15GNE myopathy is a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in the GNE gene. The respective gene product, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE), is a bifunctional enzyme that initiates endogenous sialic acid biosynthesis. Sialic acids are important building blocks for the glycosylation machinery of cells and are typically found at the terminal ends of glycoprotein N- and O-glycans. The exact pathomechanism of GNE myopathy remains elusive, and a better understanding of the disease is urgently needed for the development of therapeutic strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hyposialylation on glycan structures and subsequent downstream effects in the C2C12 Gne knockout cell model. No overall remodeling of N-glycans was observed in the absence of Gne, but differences in glycosaminoglycan expression and O-GlcNAcylation were detected. Expression analysis of myopathogenes revealed concomitant down-regulation of muscle-specific genes. Among the top candidates were the sodium channel protein type 4 subunit α (Scn4a), voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel subunit α-1s (Cacna1s), ryanodine receptor 1 (Ryr1), and glycogen phosphorylase (Pygm), which are associated with excitation-contraction coupling and energy metabolism. The results suggest that remodeling of the glycome could have detrimental effects on intracellular signaling, excitability of skeletal muscle tissue, and glucose metabolism.
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Journal articleCui Y, Peng S, Delgado-Baquerizo M, et al., 2026,
Productivity-driven decoupling of microbial carbon use efficiency and respiration across global soils.
, Sci Adv, Vol: 12Despite extensive research on soil microbial carbon (C) use efficiency (CUE), its linkage to actual soil C storage remains ambiguous. A key uncertainty is that CUE estimates from short-term labeling incubations assume a linear negative relationship with respiration rates, overlooking nonlinear interactions and long-term microbial acclimation. Here, we use a stoichiometry-based approach to estimate CUE (CUEST), which links soil resource availability to microbial demand and captures microbial adaptability under resource constraints. We synthesized 1094 paired observations of CUEST and heterotrophic respiration rate (Rh) across natural ecosystems and found a nonlinear relationship between them governed by ecosystem productivity. In low-productivity arid and cold regions, CUEST declined with increasing Rh, whereas in productive tropical and temperate regions, CUEST stabilized at a low level (0.27 ± 0.11) as Rh exceeded 340 ± 10.8 grams of C per square meter per year. This shift reflects microbial trade-offs between C assimilation and stoichiometric homeostasis, revealing a decoupling of microbial growth from respiration that limits the capacity of productive ecosystems to store additional soil C.
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Journal articleCator L, 2026,
A tiger is not always a satyr: role of male mating behaviour in interspecific mating interactions between Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus
, Parasites and Vectors, ISSN: 1756-3305Background: Interspecific mating between Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which act as vectors of a wide range of arboviruses, is predicted to have an important influence on their future distributions and disease control efforts. While interspecific insemination has been documented in a range of laboratory and field studies, rates vary between populations. It has been suggested that the outcome of mating interactions is driven by evolved variation in both the male ability to mate interspecific females and ability of females to resist interspecific males. However, there has been relatively little dissection of the behaviours that underlie interspecific insemination rates. Methods: We compared insemination rates between sympatric, allopatric, and lab-adapted strains of Ae. aegypti (Colombia, Arizona, and Liverpool, respectively) and allopatric and sympatric strains of Ae. albopictus (Montpellier and Colombia, respectively). We then used both live observations and high-speed videography to compare intraspecific and interspecific mating interactions. Results: We found very low rates of interspecific mating across all strains used. Both behavioural observations and high-speed videography suggested that female resistance behaviours were not responsible for low interspecific mating. Interestingly, we documented male Ae. albopictus consistently aborting interspecific mating attempts. Conclusions: This study provides additional evidence for strong pre-copulatory species barriers between Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus species and adds male avoidance as a possible mechanism to maintain these barriers. Considering female resistance, the ability of males to overcome that resistance, and male avoidance of interspecific matings together will be important for informing understanding of how we expect interspecific mating rates to vary across populations and respond to selective pressures such as mass-release strategies.
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Journal articleLodhiya T, Palande A, Veeram A, et al., 2026,
ATP burst is the dominant driver of antibiotic lethality in Mycobacterium smegmatis
, eLife, Vol: 13<jats:p> Antibiotic-tolerant bacteria, due to their unique physiology, are refractory to antimicrobial killing and pose challenges for infection control. Incomplete knowledge of how bactericidal antibiotics work limits our understanding of partial resistance due to phenotypic tolerance in mycobacteria, a driver for developing genetic resistance. Using proteomics, <jats:sup>13</jats:sup> C isotopomer analysis, genetic and biochemical assays, we investigated the physiological response of <jats:italic>M. smegmatis</jats:italic> challenged with aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Two distinct classes of antibiotics elicited remarkably similar responses and increased flux through the TCA cycle, causing enhanced respiration, ROS generation, and ATP burst. We observed that excessive ATP levels and not ROS dominantly contribute to cidality, which may in part be conferred by sequestration of divalent metal ions by ATP. Consequently, <jats:sup>13</jats:sup> C isotope tracing indicated TCA cycle flux deviation from its oxidative arm as a bacterial adaptive mechanism, which also included activated intrinsic resistance and a higher propensity to develop antibiotic resistance. Our study provides a new understanding of the intricate mechanisms of antibiotic-induced cell death and expands the current paradigm for antibiotic action. </jats:p>
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Journal articleLodhiya T, Palande A, Veeram A, et al., 2026,
ATP burst is the dominant driver of antibiotic lethality in Mycobacterium smegmatis.
, Elife, Vol: 13Antibiotic-tolerant bacteria, due to their unique physiology, are refractory to antimicrobial killing and pose challenges for infection control. Incomplete knowledge of how bactericidal antibiotics work limits our understanding of partial resistance due to phenotypic tolerance in mycobacteria, a driver for developing genetic resistance. Using proteomics, 13C isotopomer analysis, genetic and biochemical assays, we investigated the physiological response of M. smegmatis challenged with aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Two distinct classes of antibiotics elicited remarkably similar responses and increased flux through the TCA cycle, causing enhanced respiration, ROS generation, and ATP burst. We observed that excessive ATP levels and not ROS dominantly contribute to cidality, which may in part be conferred by sequestration of divalent metal ions by ATP. Consequently, 13C isotope tracing indicated TCA cycle flux deviation from its oxidative arm as a bacterial adaptive mechanism, which also included activated intrinsic resistance and a higher propensity to develop antibiotic resistance. Our study provides a new understanding of the intricate mechanisms of antibiotic-induced cell death and expands the current paradigm for antibiotic action.
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Journal articleCoxshall C, Nesbit M, Hodge J, et al., 2026,
Ecological and social pressures drive same-sex sexual behaviour in non-human primates
, Nature Ecology and Evolution, ISSN: 2397-334XSame-sex sexual behaviour (SSB) is widespread across animal species; however, its evolutionary origins and ecological underpinnings remain poorly understood. In social animals, SSB is likely shaped by both genetic and environmental factors. For instance, a recent study in rhesus macaques indicate that while SSB is partially heritable and genetically based, it is also strongly influenced by environmental and social conditions. Here, we compiled species-level data on 491 non-human primate species, documenting SSB occurrence and prevalence in 59 species, and examined its associations with 15 environmental, life history, and social traits using phylogenetic regression and structural equation modelling. SSB occurrence was more likely in species inhabiting drier environments with increased food scarcity and predation pressure, in species with greater size dimorphism and longer lifespans, and in those with more complex social structures and hierarchies. Structural equation modelling further indicated that environmental and life history traits influence SSB mainly indirectly, whereas social complexity directly promotes its occurrence. Together, these findings highlight SSB as a context-dependent behaviour shaped by interactions among ecological, life history, and social factors, offering insights into the sexual diversity and social evolution of primates.
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