In a recent study, researchers have discovered that the genes related on extracellular matrix (ECM) and the Wnt signaling pathway characterize the independently acquired lip hypertrophy in cichlids of East African Great Lakes. Through advanced omics-based experiments and comparative histological analyses, they found that hypertrophied lips of cichlids had a larger proteoglycan-rich layer. This study provides vital insights into the evolutionary biology of lip hypertrophy in cichlids of East African Great Lakes.

Three dimensional immunohistochemistry (3D-IHC) reveals spatial and molecular details of biological tissues, but current methods are slow and limited in depth. Researchers from Japan have developed a fast, high-sensitivity 3D-IHC method using nanobodies fused with peroxidase and a novel signal amplification system. Their technique labels neurons and glia in 1-mm-thick brain tissue within three days, offering a powerful new tool for neuroscience and disease research, including Alzheimer’s pathology.

Bisphenol A, a synthetic chemical used in plastic production, is known to interfere with various cell signaling pathways affecting development processes. However, its signaling mechanism, especially in brain development, remains elusive. Researchers from Japan have now investigated the effect of co-exposure of bisphenol A and retinoic acid on brain development. They observed disruption in HOX gene expression and developmental abnormalities, highlighting effects detrimental to fetal health. 

A novel time-division MIMO technology enables phased-array receivers to operate faster with exceptional area efficiency and low power, as reported by researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo. The proposed system significantly reduces circuit complexity for 5G and 6G networks, including non-terrestrial nodes, by reusing signal paths through fast switching. It demonstrated a record-setting 38.4 Gbps data rate across eight streams in a 65 nm CMOS integrated circuit.

Currently, the main method of combatting CoTS outbreaks is by manually culling each starfish one-by-one, which is highly inefficient, labor-intensive, and costly. But now, a team of researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) in Japan have discovered that CoTS use their characteristic spines to ‘smell’ peptides and communicate with one another, even outside mating seasons. Building on this finding, the team has created a synthetic peptide that consistently attracts CoTS at very low concentrations and with no toxicity. The results are published in iScience. Their discovery could lead to the further development of potent pest-management peptides – dubbed Acanthaster attractins – that prompts the starfish to congregate at one spot, enabling the efficient removal of many CoTS in one sweep.

An international team of researchers including Kavli IPMU has for the first time observed a new class of exotic atomic systems—highly charged muonic ions.

A team of researchers from Toho University has uncovered a potential new use for a naturally occurring compound, schisandrin A, found in the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Schisandra chinensis. The study, recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, demonstrates that schisandrin A can effectively relax pig coronary arteries, potentially paving the way for new treatments to prevent heart attacks caused by vascular spasms.

A research team from The University of Osaka and Institute of Science Tokyo has developed a groundbreaking class of mRNA medicines that can sense changes in the body and autonomously adjust their therapeutic effect. This innovation paves the way for precision treatments that are not only more effective, but also safer—by producing just the right amount of medicine based on real-time biological signals.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that Oxr1 and Ncoa7 regulate the vacuolar-type proton pump ATPase on the membrane of the Golgi apparatus and trans-Golgi network to maintain their luminal pH. Inhibition of Oxr1 and Ncoa7 function disrupts glycosylation, a key enzymatic process that takes place in these organelles, providing new insight into the mechanisms underlying congenital disorders of glycosylation.

A research team at The University of Osaka has unveiled the molecular mechanism behind genome ejection from adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, a crucial delivery vehicle in gene therapy. The study reveals that the N-terminal region of the VP1 protein, a component of the AAV capsid, undergoes structural changes upon heating, facilitating the release of the therapeutic genetic material. This discovery offers new guidelines for vector design and stability assessment, promising more efficient and safer gene therapies.