Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are pervasive cis-regulatory elements in the 5'untranslated regions (UTRs) of eukaryotic mRNAs that modulate translation of downstream main open reading frames (mORFs) by shaping ribosome scanning, initiation, and reinitiation. By operating downstream of transcription, uORFs enable fine-scale control of protein abundance, offering a distinctive regulatory layer for precise tuning of gene expression in plants. Recent advances in ribosome profiling, translation initiation-site mapping, peptidomics, computational annotation, and genome editing have expanded the discovery, functional validation, and targeted manipulation of plant uORFs. In this review, we summarize current understanding of uORF-mediated translational regulation, discuss computational and experimental approaches for candidate identification and functional validation, and highlight genome-editing strategies used to modify endogenous uORFs in crops. We further synthesize representative studies in which uORF editing has been used to modulate metabolic traits, plant development, nutritional quality, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Collectively, available evidence suggests that uORF manipulation can support quantitative and context-dependent trait modulation, in some cases preserving basal gene function and reducing growth fitness penalties. We further discuss outstanding challenges, including transcript isoform complexity, context-dependent translational effects, and the need for validation across diverse genetic and environmental backgrounds. Overall, uORF engineering represents a promising strategy for translational fine-tuning of plant gene expression, with potential implications for crop improvement and sustainable agriculture.

Solenogastres and Caudofoveata are vermiform, shell-less molluscs, with the mantle covered by calcareous scales or spines (sclerites) embedded in a cuticle secreted by the mantle epithelium. Molecular studies recover them as a single clade (Aplacophora), sister of Polyplacophora, and together, they form the sister group to all other molluscs. Within this phylogenetic framework, sclerites emerge as potentially informative characters for reconstructing early molluscan evolution. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying sclerite formation in Aplacophora remain poorly resolved. Previous work has raised two partially independent questions regarding solenogaster sclerite formation (1) whether each sclerite is produced by a single epithelial cell or through several epithelial cells, and (2) whether biomineralization occurs intracellularly or extracellularly (within a crystallization chamber formed by invagination of an epithelial cell membrane). Here, we investigate sclerite formation in five species of Solenogastres and two species of Caudofoveata. In four solenogaster species, sclerites originate extracellularly inside a microvillous crystallization chamber formed by membrane invagination of a single epithelial cell. In contrast, a minute, unidentified solenogaster exhibits microvilli-free crystallization chambers located below the epithelium and originated from prolongation of the intercellular spaces. In the examined Caudofoveata, sclerites also form within microvilli-free chambers situated below the basal lamina but within the muscular layer. The microvillous wall of the crystallization chambers in Solenogastres resembles the formation of the sclerites in Polyplacophora and the shell-forming mantle epithelium of other molluscan classes, like Bivalvia, Gastropoda or Cephalopoda, suggesting retention of a plesiomorphic condition. Conversely, crystallization chamber internalization in Caudofoveata would represent a derived state.

Marine mussels fabricate durable underwater adhesives through coordinated precursor production, secretion, and metal-mediated assembly, yet the organization of these events within the foot remains poorly understood. In this study, anatomical, transcriptional, histochemical, and PBS-extractable protein analyses were integrated to characterize the foot of Mytilus coruscus under contrasting high- and low-concentration FeCl3 conditions (Fe1 and Fe2). The foot exhibited regional specialization. Plaque glands were concentrated distally, several Mfp transcripts were enriched in distal layers, PTMP transcript abundance was highest proximally, and preCOL-P showed its highest basal abundance in the middle region. Fe2 elicited a broad preCOL-P response across most regions and a localized increase in nitroblue tetrazolium-glycinate-positive area in the middle foot, whereas Fe1 was associated with distinct regional changes in collagen distribution and PBS-extractable band profiles. Foot tissues and collected secreted fractions also showed non-equivalent banding patterns, demonstrating that the secreted material did not simply mirror the tissue-extractable pool. Together, the divergence among transcriptional, histochemical, and protein-extractability patterns supports a working model in which early precursor-related processes are spatially separated yet functionally coordinated along the foot prior to final byssal assembly. These findings suggest testable design principles for bioinspired underwater adhesives based on spatial precursor management and controlled activation, while providing a framework for future studies to determine how early regional processing is translated into mature byssus composition and performance. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Marine mussel adhesion is well characterized at the level of mature byssal chemistry, but the spatial organization of precursor processing within the foot remains unclear. Using the non-model marine mussel Mytilus coruscus, this study integrates regional anatomy, targeted transcription, histochemistry, and PBS-extractable protein profiling to identify organ-scale spatial differentiation of early byssus-related processing. The middle foot emerges as a candidate zone for precursor conditioning and protein-state reorganization, while contrasting FeCl3 conditions reveal region-dependent responses shaped by physicochemical context and tissue organization. Beyond providing a spatial framework for byssal processing in a non-model biomaterials system, these findings suggest testable principles for precursor compartmentalization and controlled activation, and provide a basis for future validation in mature byssus.

Conjunctival pigmentation is a multifactorial condition that may be associated with occupational exposure to airborne organic compounds, but clinical reports of such cases remain limited. A 40-year-old Han Chinese male presented with scattered black deposits on the conjunctiva and lacrimal caruncle after prolonged occupational exposure to airborne organic compounds (phenylenediamine) without personal protective equipment. He was advised to avoid further exposure. At the 3-month follow-up, the pigmentation in both eyes had partially improved. The patient requested surgical treatment for cosmetic concerns in one eye; selective excision of the pigmented conjunctiva combined with amniotic membrane transplantation was performed, achieving satisfactory outcomes. The contralateral eye was kept under observation, and after 1 year of continued avoidance of exposure, the pigmentation in the unoperated eye had further decreased substantially. Histopathology of the excised tissue revealed increased melanocytes within the conjunctival epithelial basal layer without atypia, confirming a benign reactive process and excluding malignancy. Occupationally acquired conjunctival pigmentation may partially and progressively resolve after removal of the causative agent. For patients with persistent lesions or cosmetic requests, partial conjunctival resection combined with amniotic membrane transplantation can be an effective treatment option.

Human pregnancy unfolds in a unique mosaic tissue context. Embryonic/fetal placental and maternal uterine cells (decidua basalis) coalesce, forming the basal plate where immune tolerance is coordinated and the utero-placental circulation is initiated. The remaining approximately 70% of the maternal-fetal interface is comprised of the chorionic membranes, an epithelial-like layer of placental cells that lies adjacent to but does not coalesce with the overlying decidua capsularis and parietalis. It is unknown how these two regions of the maternal-fetal interface, which are comprised of seemingly similar cell types, diverge anatomically and functionally. Likewise, it is unknown whether the molecular characteristics of the maternal-fetal interface vary across human populations, potentially contributing to population disparities in pregnancy complications. Here, we generated large-scale paired single-nucleus RNA-seq and chromatin-accessibility profiles of the basal plate and chorionic membranes-associated decidual compartments from diverse-ancestry pregnancies, integrated with spatial transcriptomics and multiplexed protein imaging. We show that the two interfaces share a conserved cytotrophoblast differentiation hierarchy, which is deployed differently resulting in the observed distinct architectures. In the chorionic membranes, progenitor, early, and mature extravillous cytotrophoblast (EVT) states form an epithelial-like laminar shell. In the basal plate, this hierarchy is elaborated upon to enable deep placentation: EVTs that arise early in pregnancy invade the farthest into the uterus, while mature EVTs accumulate superficially to sculpt the local maternal immune microenvironment. Comparative analysis identified DSC4, a decidual stromal cell subtype, as an anti-invasive barrier that is densely enriched adjacent to the chorionic membranes but substantially reduced at the basal plate. Population-resolved analysis further identified the DSC4 marker NID2 , which encodes the basement-membrane glycoprotein nidogen-2, as an ancestry-associated rheostat of EVT invasion. A specific NID2 promoter haplotype arose on the modern-human lineage, is absent from available archaic-human genomes, and shows evidence of positive selection in Eurasian populations. This haplotype is associated with reduced local chromatin accessibility and lower NID2 expression in DSC4 cells. Consistent with this genetic association, extracellular NID2 directly suppressed the invasion of primary human cytotrophoblasts in vitro . Together, these findings reveal how a shared developmental program is spatially reconfigured across distinct regions of the maternal-fetal interface and identify a recent modern-human regulatory innovation that modulates maternal decidual restraint of fetal trophoblast invasion across populations.

The structure of the praesoma in the acanthocephalan Arhythmorhynchus teres Van Cleave, 1920 at the middle acanthella I stage has been examined by light and transmission electron microscopy methods. Acanthocephalan specimens were retrieved from naturally infected intermediate hosts, Bulychevia ochotensis (Brandt, 1851) (Amphipoda, Talitridae). In the studied acanthellae, the primordia of the proboscis receptacle, proboscis, circular muscles, proboscis retractor, and cerebral ganglion are clearly differentiated in the praesoma. The tegument contained giant nuclei arranged into annular rows oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the body. At the anterior pole of the acanthellae, three apical nuclei were present; they were densely grouped and considerably smaller than the giant nuclei. The proboscis primordium consisted of vertical cytoplasmic strands (hook primordia) that, together with the basal cytoplasm of the anterior pole tegument, formed an outgrowth protruding into the acanthella's body cavity. Thus, similar to the other members of the class Palaeacanthocephala, the proboscis of acanthocephalan A. teres is initially formed in an inverted state. Two layers of muscles surround the proboscis: the proboscis retractor and a layer of circular musculature that closely surrounds the developing proboscis, forming a muscular sheath. Six nuclei are found in certain areas of the cytoplasm of the circular muscles. The tubular proboscis retractor surrounds the proboscis together with the primordium of circular musculature, extends around the cerebral ganglion, and attaches to the base of the proboscis receptacle. Four nuclei at the apex of the inverted proboscis were located in the cytoplasm of the hook primordia, while another two nuclei were in the cytoplasm of the circular musculature primordium.

Sanicula fengjiensis (Apiaceae), a new species discovered in Fengjie County, Chongqing Municipality, southwestern China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically most similar to S. caerulescens in having pseudo-racemose inflorescences, but differs in having predominantly white petals (vs. blue to purple) and distinctive fruit ornamentation, with prickles absent, the ribs basally fused into a thin layer, and the valleculae occasionally bearing sparse scales or tubercles (vs. fruits sparsely to densely covered with short, straight spinous bristles). Quantitative morphological analyses further distinguished S. fengjiensis from S. caerulescens and the phylogenetically proximate S. lamelligera and S. orthacantha. In particular, the maximum height of fruit-surface appendages in S. fengjiensis (0.033-0.101 mm) showed no overlap with the observed ranges of the other three species. The complete plastomes of four sampled accessions of S. fengjiensis were all 155,501 bp in length and exhibited the typical quadripartite structure. Plastome and nrDNA phylogenies based on complete plastome sequences and combined ITS and ETS sequences, respectively, consistently recovered the sampled accessions of S. fengjiensis as a clade, although its relationships with other Sanicula species differed between the two datasets. In addition to the extant population in Fengjie, a historical herbarium specimen collected from Yichang, Hubei Province, in 1963 is attributable to the new species. The combined morphological and phylogenetic evidence supports the recognition of S. fengjiensis as a distinct species.

Background.Energy absorption in the skin caused by photobiomodulation therapy is highly dependent on the presence of epidermal melanin pigmentation. Accurate determination of the spatial energy distribution is vital for dosimetric purposes based on pigmentation.Methods.A voxel-based numerical model that utilizes the ASAP software package was created to model light scattering and absorption in the skin, comprised of a three-layer system (stratum corneum, epidermis, dermis). The absorbed power density (W mm[3]) was determined from the voxel-based absorbed energy for an input laser power of 2-20 MW at a wavelength of 635 nm. Low and high pigmentation models were considered using epidermal absorption coefficients selected to represent conditions associated with Fitzpatrick skin types I-II and V-VI, respectively.Results.Power density was shown to have pronounced depth dependence, with maximum power absorption observed at a depth of about 0.02-0.04 mm in the basal epidermis. High pigmentation was accompanied by higher absorption within the superficial epidermal region, with the increased absorption remaining concentrated near the epidermis. The energy-balance check showed agreement between total absorbed and incident power within 5%-8% under the modeled conditions.Conclusion.Skin pigmentation considerably affects spatial power deposition in 635 nm irradiation. The proposed approach represents a physically consistent framework to study effects related to skin pigmentation in optical dosimetry, while its physiological implications need experimental verification.

Zinc plays a critical role in β-cell physiology by regulating insulin storage, crystallization, and secretion. However, uncontrolled exposure to zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) can cause cytotoxic and inflammatory responses. Here, we investigated whether incorporation of ZnO-NPs within a hydrated carbohydrate-based nanocoating modifies their short-term biological effects. Five chitosan/hyaluronic acid (Cs/HA) bilayers containing ZnO-NPs in the HA deposition layers were assembled on MIN6 β-cell spheroids. Physicochemical characterization supported the formation of continuous Cs/HA multilayers and incorporation of ZnO-associated domains. A cell-free alginate-capsule model showed size-dependent transport of FITC-dextran probes, with high relative permeability to 4-10 kDa dextrans and reduced permeability to 40-70 kDa dextrans. Compared with dispersed ZnO-NPs, multilayer-incorporated ZnO-NPs produced lower acute cytotoxicity, DCFDA fluorescence following tert-butyl hydroperoxide challenge, and macrophage-derived TNF-α secretion under the conditions tested. At a formulation concentration of 25 μg mL-1, ZnO-NP incorporation altered basal insulin secretion while maintaining glucose responsiveness and increased the abundance of transcripts associated with zinc transport and buffering. These findings establish a proof of concept that incorporating ZnO-NPs within Cs/HA multilayers changes their short-term presentation to β-cell spheroids and macrophages. Further studies are required to quantify ZnO retention and zinc release, establish long-term stability and function, and validate the platform using primary or human islet models.

Covalent organic framework (COF)/graphene hybrids are promising electrode materials for next-generation supercapacitors, yet critical challenges persist: the structure-property relationship of the molecular structure of COFs governing the COF/graphene interface remains poorly understood. Herein, we employ electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EG) as a soft template that combines high crystalline quality with solution processability to direct the uniform in situ growth of structurally distinct COFs along its two-dimensional (2D) basal plane. This strategy ensures high composite conductivity, promotes efficient charge transfer via π-π interactions between graphene and COF layers, and enhances the accessibility of redox-active sites, which are key aspects for achieving superior electrochemical performance. We synthesized four different COFs: Tp-TAPT, Tp-TAPB, Tb-TAPT, and Tb-TAPB, using 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp) or 1,3,5-triformylbenzene (Tb) with 2,4,6-tris(4-aminophenyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TAPT) or 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenyl)benzene (TAPB), which are systematically constructed to introduce two structural variables: β-ketoenamine versus imine linkages and triazine versus non-triazine aromatic units. They were subsequently grown in situ on EG to achieve the corresponding hybrids (denoted Tp-TAPT@G, Tb-TAPT@G, Tp-TAPB@G, and Tb-TAPB@G, respectively). Among them, Tp-TAPT@G, which combines β-ketoenamine and triazine units, exhibits pronounced multiple redox features, favorable interfacial π-π interactions with EG, and a more uniform and continuous 2D growth morphology. Tp-TAPT@G delivers a volumetric capacitance of 261.31 F/cm3 at a current density of 0.3 mA/cm2 and retains 76.38% of this value at 5.0 mA/cm2, portraying excellent rate capability. Moreover, a planar supercapacitor device assembled from this composite demonstrates outstanding high-rate performance, underscoring its promise for fast-charging applications. This study elucidates how the COF structure regulates interfacial behavior in COF/graphene composites, providing a foundation for the rational design of high-performance energy storage materials.

Salinization of freshwater ecosystems poses an escalating threat to amphibian populations worldwide, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac responses to salt stress remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed DIA-based quantitative proteomics and phosphoproteomics to systematically investigate the dynamic protein expression and phosphorylation profiles in the heart of Pelophylax nigromaculatus across low-salt, high-salt, and recovery stages. A total of 3747 proteins and 623 phosphopeptides were identified. Kinase prediction analysis revealed that ERK2, along with AGC, TKL, TK, and STE kinase families, may serve as key upstream regulators of salt-stress signaling. Cluster analysis classified the proteins shared among all treatment groups into six expression patterns, among which cluster 3 (metabolism-related) and cluster 5 (stress-responsive) emerged as two core responsive protein populations. Functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction analyses demonstrated that high-salt stress suppressed mitochondrial aerobic respiration via down-regulation of TCA cycle enzymes, while compensatorily activating glycolysis to sustain basal energy supply-a metabolic reprogramming strategy that was largely reversed upon stress relief. Concurrently, RNA-binding proteins and stress granule assembly factors formed tight interaction networks, suggesting that RNA homeostasis maintenance serves as an auxiliary protective mechanism against salt-induced cellular damage. These findings reveal a multi-layered regulatory framework encompassing kinase-driven signal transduction, energy metabolic reprogramming, and RNA homeostasis maintenance, providing novel molecular insights into the salt tolerance and reversible repair capacity of the amphibian heart. This study not only advances our understanding of osmotic adaptation in amphibians but also establishes a foundational proteomic resource for assessing the ecological impacts of freshwater salinization on amphibian biodiversity.