VCP's Nuclear Journey: Initiated by Interacting with KPNB1 to Repair DNA Damage

Academic Background DNA damage repair (DDR) is a core mechanism for maintaining genome stability, and its dysfunction is closely associated with cancer development. Valosin-containing protein (VCP/p97), a member of the AAA+ ATPase family, plays a critical role in DDR by recognizing ubiquitinated proteins and recruiting repair factors (e.g., 53BP1, ...

Coupling Between Electrons' Spin and Proton Transfer in Chiral Biological Crystals

Academic Background Proton transfer plays a central role in biological energy conversion (e.g., ATP synthesis) and signal transduction. Traditional theory posits that protons move via a “hopping mechanism” through water chains or amino acid side chains, while the recently proposed “proton-coupled electron transfer” (PCET) hypothesis suggests that e...

Molecular Insights into De Novo Small-Molecule Recognition by an Intron RNA Structure

Academic Background RNA, as a carrier of genetic information and functional molecule, has long been considered an “undruggable” target. In recent years, with advances in RNA structural biology, scientists have begun exploring the development of small-molecule drugs targeting RNA. However, this field faces three core challenges: (1) lack of systemat...

Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors Function as Molecular Glues to Stabilize Gq/11 Heterotrimers

Academic Background G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of membrane proteins in the human body, transmitting extracellular signals through heterotrimeric G proteins (composed of Gα and Gβγ subunits). G proteins function as molecular switches, with their activity states regulated by the GTP/GDP cycle: - Inactive state: Gα bind...

Cross-Feeding Creates Tipping Points in Microbiome Diversity

Academic Background Microbiomes are among the most diverse ecosystems on Earth, consisting of hundreds of functionally distinct microbial populations interacting through complex resource exchange networks. However, a long-standing unresolved question is: How is this extraordinary diversity maintained through metabolic interactions among populations...

GCduo: An Open-Source Software for GC × GC–MS Data Analysis

Academic Background and Research Motivation With the growing demand for the analysis of complex samples, chromatographic technologies—especially comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC×GC–MS)—have emerged as a powerhouse for untargeted metabolomics and related fields, demonstrating exceptional resolving p...

DockEM: An Enhanced Method for Atomic-Scale Protein–Ligand Docking Refinement Leveraging Low-to-Medium Resolution Cryo-EM Density Maps

Academic Background and Research Motivation In recent years, protein–ligand docking has rapidly developed as a core technology for virtual drug screening and structure-based drug discovery. Despite improvements in drug discovery efficiency through large-scale high-throughput screening technologies, new drug development still faces high costs, long ...

Enhancing Multi-Resonance Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emission via Through-Space Heavy-Atom Effect

Academic Background Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology has made remarkable progress in recent years, especially in the field of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials. TADF materials achieve high-efficiency emission by converting triplet excitons into singlet excitons through the reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) pr...

Beyond Natural Synthesis via Solar-Decoupled Biohybrid Photosynthetic System

Beyond Natural Synthesis via Solar-Decoupled Biohybrid Photosynthetic System

Academic Background Photosynthetic microorganisms can directly convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into high value-added long-chain chemicals by converting solar energy into chemical energy, providing a promising route for CO₂ sequestration and sustainable development. However, the key reducing power generated in photosynthetic reactions—nicotinamide aden...

Borohydride Oxidation-Water Reduction Fuel Cells Advanced by Local Hydroxyl Enrichment-Inhibited Borohydride Hydrolysis on Cu(0) Sites

Academic Background Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells (DBFCs), as a potential carbon-neutral energy source, have attracted considerable attention due to their use of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as the anode fuel. NaBH4 possesses advantages such as portability, non-toxicity, water solubility, and environmental stability, allowing DBFCs in theory to deliv...