A research team has demonstrated how advanced drone-based thermal imaging can be used to more accurately measure canopy temperature (CT) in wheat fields by disentangling experimental signals from environmental and technical noise.

Researchers have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that safeguards the chromosome ends from being mistakenly repaired by the cell. While DNA repair is vital for survival, attempts to repair the chromosome ends – called telomeres – can have catastrophic outcomes for cells. The research, published in Nature, increases the understanding of how cancer and certain rare diseases develop. It was led by researchers at Linköping University and the Institute of Cancer Research in the UK.

This study investigates the impact of synonymous gene recoding, specifically codon optimization (CO) and codon-pair optimization (CPO), on the properties of human ADAMTS13 protein. By comparing wild-type (WT) ADAMTS13 with CO and CPO variants, the researchers aimed to elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying the biogenesis of these recoded proteins and their implications for therapeutic applications.

This study investigates the susceptibility of African spiny mice (Acomys dimidiatus) to carcinogenesis induced by DMBA/TPA, a common two-stage chemical carcinogenesis model. The research reveals that despite their high regenerative capacity, Acomys exhibits resistance to skin carcinogenesis, showing delayed tumor formation and a distinct benign tumor profile compared to C57BL/6 mice. The study highlights the role of enhanced immune response, higher apoptosis, and inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in conferring this resistance.

EZH2, the catalytic core of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), silences gene expression through H3K27me3 modification and is emerging as a master epigenetic regulator beyond cancer. The review “EZH2 in Non-Cancerous Diseases: Expanding Horizons” by Prof. Lixiang Xue's team, published in Protein & Cell, systematically uncovers EZH2’s multifaceted roles in autoimmune, fibrotic, metabolic, and neurological diseases. The authors propose a CDE3 therapeutic model to advance targeted epigenetic therapy in chronic diseases.