Membrane protein solubilization and structure determination using de novo–designed proteins - Science | AAAS

AcknowledgementsWe thank Yukiko Banzai, Yuko Ishiyama, Asami Ogawa, and Yingda Xiao of the University of Tokyo for their assistance with animal experiments and laboratory work. We are grateful to Yuriko Sakamaki of the Ochanomizu Research Facility, Institute of Science Tokyo, for her technical support with electron microscopy sample preparation and imaging. FundingThis work was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Japan [grant Nos. 24K19023 to S. B. and 22K08174 to H. T.]; Sakakibara Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Research Program 2023 (to S. B.); Japan Foundation for Applied Enzymology (to S. B.). I. K. was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and by the Japan Agency for Medical Research, Development (JP20ek0210152, JP18gm6210010, JP20ek0210141, JP20ek0109440, JP20ek0109487, JP17gm0810013, JP18km0405209, JP21ek0109543, JP21ek0109569, JP21tm0724601, JP22ama121016, JP22ek0210172, JP22ek0210167, JP22bm1123011). Author informationAuthor notesThese authors contributed equally: Satoshi Bujo, Takayuki Fujiwara, Masayuki Kubota.

AcknowledgementsWe thank Yukiko Banzai, Yuko Ishiyama, Asami Ogawa, and Yingda Xiao of the University of Tokyo for their assistance with animal experiments and laboratory work. We are grateful to Yuriko Sakamaki of the Ochanomizu Research Facility, Institute of Science Tokyo, for her technical support with electron microscopy sample preparation and imaging. FundingThis work was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Japan [grant Nos. 24K19023 to S. B. and 22K08174 to H. T.]; Sakakibara Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Research Program 2023 (to S. B.); Japan Foundation for Applied Enzymology (to S. B.). I. K. was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and by the Japan Agency for Medical Research, Development (JP20ek0210152, JP18gm6210010, JP20ek0210141, JP20ek0109440, JP20ek0109487, JP17gm0810013, JP18km0405209, JP21ek0109543, JP21ek0109569, JP21tm0724601, JP22ama121016, JP22ek0210172, JP22ek0210167, JP22bm1123011). Author informationAuthor notesThese authors contributed equally: Satoshi Bujo, Takayuki Fujiwara, Masayuki Kubota.

A pair of jackdaws foraging together. Credit: Céline Giorgetti. Close social relationships are known to contribute to the survival of many animals, including humans. Maintaining social bonds over time, however, can also require effort and sacrifices.

Male rats exposed to simulated cosmic radiation had roughly twice as much collagen around heart blood vessels at long-term follow-up. Simulated weightlessness produced persistent changes in immune signaling, but combining the two stressors did not consistently worsen their effects. The findings raise questions for astronaut health, while small tissue samples, preliminary DNA results and compressed radiation delivery limit direct human predictions. Heart tissue examined nearly a year after simulated cosmic-radiation exposure carried a warning for long-distance space exploration. Male rats had accumulated roughly twice as much collagen around small coronary blood vessels as unexposed controls. The finding suggests that assessing radiation hazards requires attention to what happens long after exposure ends. The experiments were conducted on Earth, not during astronaut missions. They provide evidence about biological responses in a particular rat model, while leaving important questions about human risk unanswered. John Baker, PhD, lead researcher on the study and a professor of surgery at MCW.