Multidimensional chemical control of CRISPR–Cas9

Cas9-based technologies have transformed genome engineering and the interrogation of genomic functions, but methods to control such technologies across numerous dimensions-including dose, time, specificity, and mutually exclusive modulation of multiple genes-are still lacking. We conferred such multidimensional controls to diverse Cas9 systems by leveraging small-molecule-regulated protein degron domains. Application of our strategy to both Cas9-mediated genome editing and transcriptional activities opens new avenues for systematic genome interrogation

Molecular mechanisms of cell death: recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2018.

Over the past decade, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) has formulated guidelines for the definition and interpretation of cell death from morphological, biochemical, and functional perspectives. Since the field continues to expand and novel mechanisms that orchestrate multiple cell death pathways are unveiled, we propose an updated classification of cell death subroutines focusing on mechanistic and essential (as opposed to correlative and dispensable) aspects of the process. As we provide molecularly oriented definitions of terms including intrinsic apoptosis, extrinsic apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, entotic cell death, NETotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, autophagy-dependent cell death, immunogenic cell death, cellular senescence, and mitotic catastrophe, we discuss the utility of neologisms that refer to highly specialized instances of these processes. The mission of the NCCD is to provide a widely accepted nomenclature on cell death in support of the continued development of the field

Truffle-Associated Bacteria: Extrapolation from Diversity to Function

A third partner in the symbiosis between the fungus and plant root is represented by natural bacterial communities, which seem to play pivotal role in the complex biological processes of exchange involving nutrients and signaling from the soil hyphae, ectomycorrhizas, ascomata, and stromata. This review summarizes the recent evidence reported in literature showing that ascoma provides a habitat to complex microbial communities that are clearly differentiated from those of the soil and the ectomycorrhizosphere. Although the traditional plate isolation and the culture of microbes are indispensable for vegetative compatibility and/or functional assays, these techniques do not let a real in vivo picture the truffle ecosystem. Advent of the next-generation sequencing methods and recent advances in microarray technologies have increased culture-independent studies. Indeed, most microbiota remains uncultivable in laboratory conditions, and these novel technologies have greatly improved the understanding of microbial diversity and its functioning. This is particularly important for the ectomycorrhizal fungi of Tuber genus, since specific uncultivable-associated prokaryotes may play important roles in the biological system and ontogenetic cycle of these fungi. Success of truffle cultivation may be achieved with co-inoculum of specific bacteria with Tuber spp. upon establishment of commercial plantations; this is particularly relevant to the Tuber species with a high agronomic value

Genetic variants associated with cancer therapy-induced cardiomyopathy

BackgroundCancer therapy-induced cardiomyopathy (CCM) is associated with cumulative drug exposures and pre-existing cardiovascular disorders. These parametersincompletely account for substantial inter-individual susceptibility to CCM. We hypothesized that rare variants in cardiomyopathy genes contribute to CCM.MethodsWe studied 213 CCM patients from three cohorts: retrospectively recruited adults with diverse cancers (n=99), prospectively phenotyped breast cancer adults (n=73) and prospectively phenotyped children with acute myeloid leukemia (n=41). Cardiomyopathy genes, including nine pre-specified genes were sequenced. The prevalence of rare variants was compared between CCM cohorts and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) participants(n=2053), healthy volunteers(n=445), and ancestry-matchedreference population. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were assessed, stratified by genotypes. A prevalent CCM genotype was modeled in anthracycline-treated mice.ResultsCCM was diagnosed 0.4-9 years after chemotherapy; 90% of these patients received anthracyclines. Adult CCM patients had cardiovascular risk factors similar to the U.S. population. Among nine prioritized genes CCM patients had more rare protein-altering variants than comparative cohorts (p≤1.98e-04). Titin-truncating variants (TTNtv) predominated, occurring in 7.5% CCM patients versus 1.1% TCGA participants (p=7.36e-08), 0.7% healthy volunteers (p=3.42e-06), and 0.6% reference population (p=5.87e-14). Adult CCM patients with TTNtv experienced more heart failure and atrial fibrillation (p=0.003)and impaired myocardial recovery (p=0.03) than those without.Consistent with human data, anthracycline-treated TTNtv mice and isolated TTNtv cardiomyocytes showed sustained contractile dysfunction unlike wildtype (p=0.0004 and p<0.002, respectively).ConclusionsUnrecognized rare variants in cardiomyopathy-associated genes, particularly TTNtv, increased the risk for CCM in children and adults, and adverse cardiac events in adults. Genotype, along with cumulative chemotherapy dosage and traditional cardiovascular risk factors improves identification of cancer patients at highest risk for CCM