Lysosomes are considered as the major degradative site and were recently recognized as dynamic regulators of cellular homeostasis. Many diseases, including cancer, have been linked to functional changes in lysosomes. Natural products and their structural analogs have historically made major contributions to pharmacotherapy. By employing the natural small molecule isowalsuranolide as a chemical probe, the underlying mechanisms of its lysosome-inducing effects were investigated. This study revealed that isowalsuranolide targets TrxR1/2 and triggers lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy via the p53-TFEB/TFE3 axis. This study provides important insight into the lysosomal adaptation mechanism to redox signals and the application of lysosome-inducing agents in the treatment of lysosome-related diseases, including cancer.

The molecular world of bitter compounds has so far only been partially explored. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich in Freising and the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry in Halle (Saale) have now isolated three new bitter compounds from the mushroom Amaropostia stiptica and investigated their effect on human bitter taste receptors. In doing so, they discovered one of the potentially most bitter substances known to date. The study results expand our knowledge of natural bitter compounds and their receptors, thus making an important contribution to food and health research.

A team of researchers at Gladstone Institutes has released a novel computational tool called CHOIR that can improve the detection of "off-key" cells. CHOIR, short for “cluster hierarchy optimization by iterative random forests,” categorizes thousands or even millions of cells into separate, biologically distinct groups, helping home in on specific cell types or conditions that may underlie disease.

A new study from Tel Aviv University reveals that the Greater Mouse-Tailed Bat (Rhinopoma microphyllum) uses its long tail as a natural tactile sensor to navigate backward in dark caves. 

A new study by University of Maine researchers compares two scallop farming methods, ear-hanging and lantern net culture, over a complete grow-out cycle to determine which approach yields the best results for commercial growers. The study found that scallops grown with ear-hanging culture had slightly larger shell heights, about 1–4% greater than those in lantern nets. More significantly, ear-hanging scallops had up to 12% more adductor muscle weight. Researchers also found that ear-hanging scallops grew more quickly in optimal conditions, which are between 50 and 59 degrees Farhenheit, but were more affected by colder winter temperatures than those in lantern nets.