🧬 biology

Ticks and Pathogens: Molecular Profiling of Rhipicephalus microplus and Their Zoonotic Bacterial Carriage in Pakistani Cattle

This study reveals that *Rhipicephalus microplus* ticks infesting cattle in Punjab, Pakistan, frequently carry multiple zoonotic bacterial pathogens, particularly *Rickettsia massiliae*, *Anaplasma phagocytophilum*, and *Ehrlichia* species, with higher infection rates observed in female ticks and significant spatial variation for *Ehrlichia*.

Arusa Ejaz, Shakir Ullah, Kashif Iqbal, Muhammad Asif2026-07-16
🧬 biology

Nociceptive Responses and Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Human Midbrain Tegmentum

This study utilizes 7T fMRI and postmortem analysis to provide novel evidence that the human rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg) is activated during nociceptive processing and exhibits functional connectivity with key mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal circuits, while also confirming the presence of specific molecular markers in this region.

Amanda Cao, Kiely Morris, Hanne van der Heijden, Raquel van Gool, Shantel Rose Gregory, Joseph Gonzalez-Heydrich, Daniel (…)2026-07-16
🧬 biology

Identification and Characterization of Ovarian Extrachromosomal Circular Deoxyribonucleic Acid in Rats with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

This study characterizes the expression profile, structural features, and functional implications of ovarian extrachromosomal circular DNA in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome, revealing significantly reduced abundance and altered length distributions that offer new insights into the disease's pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.

Zhi Chen, Hao Song, Jun-jie Deng, Yuan-xue Wu, Tian-jiao Liu, Min Xia, Ao-lei Lin, Cheng Chen, Jun-yu Feng, Huan Yang2026-07-16
🧬 biology

PRMT1 mediated methylation of YBX1 promotes tumorigenicity of glioblastoma stem cells

This study reveals that PRMT1 drives glioblastoma stem cell tumorigenesis by asymmetrically dimethylating YBX1 at R69, which enhances its binding to and stabilization of cell cycle mRNAs to activate the AKT signaling cascade, thereby identifying this methylation axis as a promising therapeutic target for glioblastoma.

Ji Wang, Shiquan Shen, Dongshan Zhang, Zongyu Xiao, Tianran Chai, Nan Peng, Xuanzhi Wang, Jingpeng Guo, Honglong Zhou, L (…)2026-07-16
🧬 biology

A non-canonical androgen signaling pathway drives microglial activation and tau pathology in females

This study reveals that in female Alzheimer's disease models, the non-aromatizable androgen DHT exacerbates Tau pathology and neuroinflammation by activating a non-canonical TR4–Trem2 signaling axis in microglia, thereby elucidating a key mechanism behind the sex-specific vulnerability to the disease.

Xu Chen, Daniel Munoz-Mayorga, Xinchen Lyu, Suborno Jati, Jibin Zhang, Leigh-Ana Rossitto, Yuren Tao, Shanshan Zhao, Enf (…)2026-07-16
🧬 biology

Muscle spatial lipidomics identifies early ALS-associated lipid remodeling in presymptomatic SOD1G93A mice

This study utilizes spatial lipidomics to reveal that fiber-type-specific and sex-dependent lipid remodeling in skeletal muscle occurs as an early, presymptomatic event in ALS pathogenesis, offering promising tissue and serum biomarkers for early diagnosis.

Mikel García-Puga, Cristina Huergo, Ainhoa Vidal-Gil, María Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Oihane Pikatza-Menoio, María Levchuk, Ama (…)2026-07-16
🧬 biology

Discovery of a Functional Sequon for Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosylation

This study identifies a specific amino acid motif, termed the "CS-sequon," as the essential signal for chondroitin sulfate glycosylation, demonstrating that its insertion can confer CS modification to unmodified proteins and enhance their stability and activity across diverse species.

Kenji Uchimura, Yoshiko Takeda-Uchimura, Mayumi Ishihara-Aoki, Ayano Moriya, Kazuchika Nishitsuji, Shuji Mizumoto, Midor (…)2026-07-16