An Epigenetics-Inspired DNA-Based Data Storage System.

Biopolymers are an attractive alternative to store and circulate information. DNA, for example, combines remarkable longevity with high data storage densities and has been demonstrated as a means for preserving digital information. Inspired by the dynamic, biological regulation of (epi)genetic information, we herein present how binary data can undergo controlled changes when encoded in synthetic DNA strands. By exploiting differential kinetics of hydrolytic deamination reactions of cytosine and its naturally occurring derivatives, we demonstrate how multiple layers of information can be stored in a single DNA template. Moreover, we show that controlled redox reactions allow for interconversion of these DNA-encoded layers of information. Overall, such interlacing of multiple messages on synthetic DNA libraries showcases the potential of chemical reactions to manipulate digital information on (bio)polymers.C.M. is grateful for the financial support by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant number P2EZP2_152216). G.R.M. was supported by funding from Trinity College, Cambridge, the Herchel Smith fund and the Wellcome Trust. P.M. was funded by the Wellcome Trust and is currently supported by an ERC Advanced grant. P.V.D was funded by the Wellcome Trust and a Marie Curie Fellow of the European Union (grant number FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF/624885). The S.B. lab is supported by a program grant and core funding from Cancer Research UK (C9681/A18618), an ERC Advanced grant (339778) and by a Senior Investigator Award of the Wellcome Trust (099232/Z/12/Z). We thank Eun-Ang Raiber and Dario Beraldi for stimulating discussions and proofreading the manuscript.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Wiley at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201605531

Biophysical analysis of the plant-specific GIPC sphingolipids reveals multiple modes of membrane regulation

The plant plasma membrane (PM) is an essential barrier between the cell and the external environment, controlling signal perception and transmission. It consists of an asymmetrical lipid bilayer made up of three different lipid classes: sphingolipids, sterols, and phospholipids. The glycosyl inositol phosphoryl ceramides (GIPCs), representing up to 40% of total sphingolipids, are assumed to be almost exclusively in the outer leaflet of the PM. However, their biological role and properties are poorly defined. In this study, we investigated the role of GIPCs in membrane organization. Because GIPCs are not commercially available, we developed a protocol to extract and isolate GIPC-enriched fractions from eudicots (cauliflower and tobacco) and monocots (leek and rice). Lipidomic analysis confirmed the presence of trihydroxylated long chain bases and 2-hydroxylated very long-chain fatty acids up to 26 carbon atoms. The glycan head groups of the GIPCs from monocots and dicots were analyzed by gas chromatograph–mass spectrometry, revealing different sugar moieties. Multiple biophysics tools, namely Langmuir monolayer, ζ-Potential, light scattering, neutron reflectivity, solid state 2H-NMR, and molecular modeling, were used to investigate the physical properties of the GIPCs, as well as their interaction with free and conjugated phytosterols. We showed that GIPCs increase the thickness and electronegativity of model membranes, interact differentially with the different phytosterols species, and regulate the gel-to-fluid phase transition during temperature variations. These results unveil the multiple roles played by GIPCs in the plant PM.Vers un modèle intégratif de la bicouche lipidique de la membrane plasmique végétaleDéveloppement d’une infrastructure française distribuée pour la métabolomique dédiée à l’innovatio

Revival of pure titanium for dynamically loaded porous implants using additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing techniques are getting more and more established as reliable methods for producing porous metal implants thanks to the almost full geometrical and mechanical control of the designed porous biomaterial. Today, Ti6Al4V ELI is still the most widely used material for porous implants, and none or little interest goes to pure titanium for use in orthopedic or load-bearing implants. Given the special mechanical behavior of cellular structures and the material properties inherent to the additive manufacturing of metals, the aim of this study is to investigate the properties of selective laser melted pure unalloyed titanium porous structures. Therefore, the static and dynamic compressive properties of pure titanium structures are determined and compared to previously reported results for identical structures made from Ti6Al4V ELI and tantalum. The results show that porous Ti6Al4V ELI still remains the strongest material for statically loaded applications, whereas pure titanium has a mechanical behavior similar to tantalum and is the material of choice for cyclically loaded porous implants. These findings are considered to be important for future implant developments since it announces a potential revival of the use of pure titanium for additively manufactured porous implants.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Revival of pure titanium for dynamically loaded porous implants using additive manufacturing journaltitle: Materials Science and Engineering: C articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2015.05.001 content_type: article copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.status: publishe

2 2009 Expérience pilote PIT : mise en œuvre d’équipes infirmières dans 10 ambulances participant à l’aide médicale urgente en Belgique. Bilan au terme de la 2e année d’activité

peer reviewedL'article fait le bilan de l'expérience de moyens de secours à accompagnement infirmier sur base de deux ans de données d'intervention. Il conclut de l'analyse statistique que le temps d'intervention est réduit, que les actes posés sont comparables, et que la gestion de la douleur est améliorée

Pre-hatching fluoxetine-induced neurochemical, neurodevelopmental, and immunological changes in newly hatched cuttlefish

WOS:000373609300007International audienceEmbryonic and early postembryonic development of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (a cephalopod mollusk) occurs in coastal waters, an environment subject to considerable pressure from xenobiotic pollutants such as pharmaceutical residues. Given the role of serotonin in brain development and its interaction with neurodevelopmental functions, this study focused on fluoxetine (FLX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI, antidepressant). The goal was to determine the effects of subchronic waterborne FLX exposure (1 and 10 mu g L-1) during the last 15 days of embryonic development on neurochemical, neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and immunological endpoints at hatching. Our results showed for the first time that organic contaminants, such as FLX, could pass through the eggshell during embryonic development, leading to a substantial accumulation of this molecule in hatchlings. We also found that FLX embryonic exposure (1 and 10 mu g L-1) (1) modulated dopaminergic but not serotonergic neurotransmission, (2) decreased cell proliferation in key brain structures for cognitive and visual processing, (3) did not induce a conspicuous change in camouflage quality, and (4) decreased lysozyme activity. In the long term, these alterations observed during a critical period of development may impair complex behaviors of the juvenile cuttlefish and thus lead to a decrease in their survival. Finally, we suggest a different mode of action by FLX between vertebrate and non-vertebrate species and raise questions regarding the vulnerability of early life stages of cuttlefish to the pharmaceutical contamination found in coastal waters

Predictive metabolomics of multiple Atacama plant species unveils a core set of generic metabolites for extreme climate resilience

Current crop yield of the best ideotypes is stagnating and threatened by climate change. In this scenario, understanding wild plant adaptations in extreme ecosystems offers an opportunity to learn about new mechanisms for resilience. Previous studies have shown species specificity for metabolites involved in plant adaptation to harsh environments. ●Here, we combined multi-species ecological metabolomics and machine learning-based generalised linear model predictions to link the metabolome to the plant environment in a set of 24 species and belonging to 14 families growing along an altitudinal gradient in the Atacama Desert. ●Thirty-nine common compounds predicted the plant environment with 79% accuracy, thus establishing the plant metabolome as an excellent integrative predictor of environmental fluctuations. These metabolites were independent of the species and validated both statistically and biologically using an independent dataset from a different sampling year. Thereafter, using multiblock predictive regressions, metabolites were linked to climatic and edaphic stressors like freezing temperature, water deficit and high solar irradiance. ●These findings indicate that plants from different evolutionary trajectories use a generic metabolic toolkit to face extreme environments. These core metabolites, also present in agronomic species, provide a unique metabolic goldmine for improving crop performances under abiotic pressure.Développement d'une infrastructure française distribuée pour la métabolomique dédiée à l'innovationCentre français de phénomique végétal

Spatially Addressable Multiplex Biodetection by Calibrated Micro/Nanostructured Surfaces

A challenge of any biosensing technology is the detection of very low concentrations of analytes. The fluorescence interference contrast (FLIC) technique improves the fluorescence-based sensitivity by selectively amplifying, or suppressing, the emission of a fluorophore-labeled biomolecule immobilized on a transparent layer placed on top of a mirror basal surface. The standing wave of the reflected emission light means that the height of the transparent layer operates as a surface-embedded optical filter for the fluorescence signal. FLIC extreme sensitivity to wavelength is also its main problem: small, e.g., 10 nm range, variations of the vertical position of the fluorophore can translate in unwanted suppression of the detection signal. Herein, we introduce the concept of quasi-circular lenticular microstructured domes operating as continuous-mode optical filters, generating fluorescent concentric rings, with diameters determined by the wavelengths of the fluorescence light, in turn modulated by FLIC. The critical component of the lenticular structures was the shallow sloping side wall, which allowed the simultaneous separation of fluorescent patterns for virtually any fluorophore wavelength. Purposefully designed microstructures with either stepwise or continuous-slope dome geometries were fabricated to modulate the intensity and the lateral position of a fluorescence signal. The simulation of FLIC effects induced by the lenticular microstructures was confirmed by the measurement of the fluorescence profile for three fluorescent dyes, as well as high-resolution fluorescence scanning using stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. The high sensitivity of the spatially addressable FLIC technology was further validated on a diagnostically important target, i.e., the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-Cov2 via the detection of RBD:anti-S1-antibody

BioStatFlow -Statistical Analysis Workflow for "Omics" Data

BioStatFlow is a free web application, useful to facilitate the performance of statistical analyses of "omics", including metabolomics, data using R packages. It is a fast and easy on-line tool for biologists who are not experts in univariate and multivariate statistics, do not have time to learn R language, and only have basic notions in biostatistics. It guides the biologist through the different steps of a statistical workflow, from data normalization and imputation of missing data to univariate and multivariate analyses. It also includes tools to reconstruct and visualize networks based on correlations. All outputs are easily saved in a session or downloaded. New analytical modules can be easily included upon request. BioStatFlow is available online: http://biostatflow.or

Biomass composition explains fruit relative growth rate and discriminates climacteric from non-climacteric species

To understand the mechanisms that link metabolism to phenotypes, which would help to target breeding strategies, eight fleshy fruit species were compared during development and ripening. Three herbaceous (eggplant, pepper, cucumber), three tree (apple, peach, clementine) and two vine (kiwifruit, grape) species were selected for their diversity. Fruit fresh weight and biomass composition including the major soluble and insoluble components were determined throughout fruit development and ripening. Best fitting models of fruit weight were used to estimate relative growth rate (RGR), which was significantly correlated with several biomass components, especially protein content (R=84) stearate (R=0.72), palmitate (R=0.72) and lignocerate (R=0.68). Moreover, the strong link between biomass composition and RGR was further evidenced by generalised linear models that predicted RGR with R-values exceeding 0.9. Fruit comparison also showed that climacteric fruit (apple, peach, kiwifruit) contained more non-cellulosic cell-wall-glucose and -fucose and starch than non-climacteric fruit. The rate of starch net accumulation was also higher in climacteric fruit. These results suggest that the way biomass is constructed has a major influence on performance, especially growth rate.Centre français de phénomique végétaleDéveloppement d'une infrastructure française distribuée pour la métabolomique dédiée à l'innovationModélisation intégrative du fruit pour un système de sélection unifi