Scientists observe water switching between 2 different molecular structures, boosting decades-old theory - Live Science

Submicron IR microscopy is opening new opportunities in biological sciences with the development of a new technique: optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy. Developments in life sciences research are playing an increasingly important role in global health, and advancements in technology have the potential to offer new and improved approaches to support the health and wellbeing of people worldwide.

We’re sharing this article early to provide faster access to peer-reviewed, accepted research. It is citable and carries a permanent DOI. This version is subject to further edits and will be replaced automatically by the final Version of Record. All legal disclaimers apply. AbstractErigeron breviscapus is a widely utilized medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine, characterized by high annual demand and notable pharmacological activities. Light intensity is a critical environmental factor influencing secondary metabolism in medicinal plants. However, the effects of light intensity on the accumulation of active ingredients in E. breviscapus remain largely unexplored. In this study, we examined the transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of E. breviscapus to five levels of light intensity (50, 100, 200, 400, 800 μmol·m−2·s−1). The results revealed that higher light intensity (EB-L800) significantly increased the accumulation of scutellarin, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, and isochlorogenic acid C. A total of 1,334 metabolites were detected, and 127.10 Gb of high-quality clean data were generated through transcriptomic sequencing.

The fusion of two cells is a decisive event in the sexual reproduction of many organisms. In fungi, cells must not only bring their membranes together and merge them, but also locally open their protective cell wall. A study conducted at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) shows how a mechanism that prevents cells from repairing their wall at the fusion site makes this process irreversible. Published in the journal Current Biology, these findings provide new insights into how cells coordinate fusion and repair mechanisms and could ultimately open new avenues for targeting the cell wall of pathogenic fungi. Unlike animal cells, fungal cells are surrounded by a rigid cell wall. This structure protects them and allows them to withstand the internal pressure exerted by their cellular contents. When two cells fuse, notably during sexual reproduction, this wall must be locally degraded to allow the membranes of the two cells to merge. Once this step has been completed, fusion normally proceeds until a single cell is formed.