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Happy Hollidays!ArticleHolliday junctions were discovered in 1964 by geneticist Robin Holliday to describe how gene-conversion events occur during meiosis in fungi. Holliday junctions are a four-way DNA junction formed during replication fork regression, homology-dependent repair, and mitosis. Specifically, they are an intermediate of replication and form at the site of double-stranded DNA breaks.
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Understanding Neuronal Network Activity in Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy 9October 18, 2024ArticleDevelopmental and epileptic encephalopathy 9 is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a mutation in PCDH19. Because disease only occurs in heterozygous PCDH19 individuals, scientists developed a mosaic mouse model where some cells express PCDH19 and others do not. This model helped them understand that PCDH19-negative neurons are hyperexcitable in a DEE9 mouse model and how the brain responds as a result.
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From Cancer to Crops: How Antibody Engineering is Changing EverythingArticleThe discovery of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in 1975 heralded a remarkable breakthrough in precision medicine, opening up many doors for personalized diagnosis and care. Just over a decade later, in 1986, the FDA approved the first mAb product to prevent kidney transplant rejection.1 Since then, advances in mAb engineering have been monumental, fundamentally changing how we approach the treatment of cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmune conditions. Beyond healthcare, antibody technology is now essential for developing new tools to monitor the health of our environment, improve agricultural products, and build more resilient food sources.
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Clinically used broad-spectrum antibiotics compromise inflammatory monocyte-dependent antibacterial defense in the lungArticleHospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is the most common cause of hospital-acquired infections in the US and Europe. Antibiotic use is a significant risk factor for HAP but the mechanisms involved in this risk factor remain poorly understood. This recent study explored microbiome diversity and the impact of transplanting microbiota samples from antibiotic treated and antibiotic naive patients into wild type mice or those lacking short chain fatty acid (SCFA) receptors. These experiments highlighted the role of the naïve microbiota for inducing SCFAs that play a critical role in antimicrobial activity of inflammatory monocytes in the lung.
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Antibody-based sensors for multiplex point-of-care drug monitoringArticleTo improve point-of-care drug detection, scientists developed a multiplex drug monitoring sensor that uses antibodies to bind amphetamine, cocaine, or benzodiazepine1. The binding of these drugs reduces the oxidation current in a concentration dependent manner where higher concentrations of the drug cause a greater decrease in oxidation current. The sensor is selective for these drugs as interferences from analgesics and other illicit drugs had minimal effects on the current change.