Wang et al. systematically analyzed mitochondria-localized lncRNAs to reveal that RBP-motif recognition drives RNA mitochondrial translocation, leading to the engineering of an RNA mitochondrial targeting sequence (RMTS). Fusing RMTS with sgRNA promotes sgRNA mitochondrial entry, establishing a CRISPR-based mitochondrial DNA editing system that ameliorates heteroplasmic mtDNA mutation diseases.
Daily reflection is a way to apply this principle in our everyday lives. It shines a spotlight on the behavior itself. And when behavior is observed consistently, it solidifies into neural pathways in the brain. We start behaving differently, not because someone else is judging us, but because we are measuring ourselves. The simple act of asking ourselves reflective questions each day shapes the behaviors in our lives, which, in turn, make us the people who exhibit those behaviors.
Another principle from quantum theory, entanglement, might also be at play when we do daily reflection. Quantum entanglement describes how particles can become linked to one another so that a change in one results in a change in the other. In the same way, the effort we make to change in one part of our lives is rarely confined to that part. Instead, our behaviors extend outward and affect those in relationship to us and around us. For example, your attempt to speak in positive terms, rather than negative ones, can influence your colleagues at work. Your intention to control your emotional outbursts can affect your family. Your efforts to build positive relationships at work or in your community can change the dynamics of those relationships. And when you combine these intentions with daily reflection, you’re not only strengthening a positive personal trait within yourself, but also influencing the bigger, interpersonal systems around you.
Philosophers, physicians, and physicists are forever debating what consciousness is. Is who we are just a byproduct of biology and the brain’s physiology, or is who we are more fundamental and exists irrespective of the brain’s neural firing? We may never know. That said, one thing is true: Conscious awareness shapes who we are. Without reflection, behavior defaults to habit. With reflection, possibility re-enters the system. The practice of asking yourself daily reflective questions puts you in the role of an observer rather than an actor. And from there, you can be intentional about who you choose to be tomorrow.
To address this question, the researchers used mouse models undergoing repeated motor training tasks, including the rotarod test, which measures motor coordination and learning. Using advanced imaging tools that can track individual synaptic components, the team observed a marked increase in astrocyte-mediated synapse elimination as motor learning progressed. In contrast, other glial cell types, such as microglia and oligodendrocyte precursor cells, showed no significant changes under the same experimental conditions, indicating a specific role for astrocytes in this process.
The researchers identified MEGF10, a phagocytic receptor expressed in astrocytes, as a key molecular mediator of this remodeling. When MEGF10 was selectively deleted in astrocytes, mice exhibited impaired motor learning and significant disruptions in communication between the motor cortex and the striatum. In addition, both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD)—two fundamental mechanisms of synaptic plasticity—were compromised. These results demonstrate that astrocyte-mediated synapse elimination is not merely a housekeeping function, but a necessary component of functional circuit refinement during learning.
The team further investigated how astrocytes determine which synapses to remove and identified two major regulatory signals. First, increasing neuronal activity between the motor cortex and the striatum significantly enhanced astrocyte-mediated synaptic elimination (a process in which astrocytes engulf and remove synapses), indicating that circuit engagement promotes remodeling. Second, manipulating dopamine levels, a key neuromodulator for movement and reward, also strongly influenced astrocytic synapse elimination. ScienceMission sciencenewshighlights.
When we learn a new motor skill—whether mastering a piano passage or refining balance while walking—the brain must reorganize the circuits that control movement. For decades, this process of synaptic remodeling has been attributed primarily to neurons strengthening or weakening their connections. However, the new study reveals that another cell type in the brain called astrocytes actively participates in this rewiring process.
A research team has demonstrated that astrocytes actively eliminate synapses in the striatum, a brain region that plays a central role in controlling voluntary movement and learning. This process is regulated by dopamine signaling and neural activity and is critical for proper motor skill acquisition.
Although synapse formation and elimination have long been studied in the context of neuronal plasticity, increasing evidence suggests that glial cells—particularly astrocytes and microglia—also contribute to synapse turnover. Until now, however, the precise role of astrocytes in motor learning and the mechanisms underlying their synaptic remodeling remained unclear.
DNA is the blueprint of life. Genes encode proteins and serve as the body’s basic components. However, building a functioning organism also requires precise instructions about when, where, and how much those components should be produced. This layer of control is carried out by cis-regulatory elements (CREs), which are short stretches of DNA that serve as binding sites for transcription factors and help control the activity of nearby genes, hence are often described as the “switches” and “dials” of genes. Although CREs do not encode proteins themselves, they play a major role in shaping traits, guiding development, and influencing disease risk.
CREs control gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, such as whether DNA is open and accessible and whether it carries markers associated with active gene regulation. Even small changes in CRE sequences can have substantial effect on gene expression. Until now, scientists have relied on separate experimental methods to study these processes. Some methods identify DNA regions that appear to function as regulatory elements, while others test whether a DNA sequence can activate gene expression. Because these approaches are usually performed independently in different experiments, it has been difficult to directly connect cause and effect or to systematically evaluate the impact of individual changes in the sequence.
To overcome these limitations, the researchers developed an enrichment followed by epigenomic profiling massively parallel reporter assay (e2MPRA), a new technique that builds on their earlier lentiMPRA platform, which enables simultaneous analysis of thousands of CREs by tagging them with unique DNA barcodes that track their activity. e2MPRA takes this technique a step further by also capturing epigenetic states, allowing researchers to directly link what a CRE does with how it does it under identical experimental conditions.
E2MPRA was validated using two large libraries totaling approximately 10,000 sequences: one consisted of synthetic CREs with systematically arranged transcription factor binding sites, and the other contained known CREs in which small DNA changes were introduced to examine how each alteration affected function. For each CRE, the researchers measured three key features: how strongly it activates genes (regulatory activity), whether the surrounding DNA is open and accessible (chromatin accessibility), and whether it carries a chemical “active” mark (H3K27ac modification).
Using this approach, the team demonstrated that different CREs regulate genes in distinct ways. Some primarily boost gene activity without substantially altering DNA structure, while others mainly increase DNA accessibility. The researchers also found that the arrangement and order of the binding sites within a CRE can strongly influence its activity, much like word order can change the meaning of a sentence.
The team then used e2MPRA to examine how tiny DNA changes (as tiny as a single “letter” difference) can disrupt gene regulation. In regions containing the POU5F1::SOX2 binding site, which plays a key role in maintaining stem cell identity, mutations altered not only gene activity but also DNA accessibility and H3K27ac levels.
In contrast, changes in the YY1 binding site showed a more complex behavior: mutations reduced gene activity but increased DNA accessibility. These findings show that DNA variants can influence gene regulation through multiple, overlapping layers rather than through a simple on–off mechanism. ScienceMission sciencenewshighlights.
Characterizing molecular aging features is crucial for understanding systemic and local factors contributing to the aging process. Here Costa, Chen et al. performed RNA sequencing on 13 tissues across six ages in male and female African turquoise killifish. This sex-balanced killifish aging atlas provides a comprehensive resource for studying aging dynamics across tissues in the killifish—a powerful, short-lived vertebrate model of aging.
A new study from the University of Helsinki reveals how plant mitochondria draw molecular oxygen away from chloroplasts, an interaction not previously documented. The discovery sheds new light on how plants regulate oxygen inside their tissues, with implications for understanding plant metabolism and stress acclimation. The research, led by Dr. Alexey Shapiguzov (Ph. D., Docent) from the University’s Centre of Excellence in Tree Biology on the Viikki campus, has been published in Plant Physiology.
Oxygen gas is central to plant metabolism, growth, stress acclimation and immunity. Recent research at the University of Helsinki has shown that oxygen triggers wound healing in plants. Yet, despite its importance, scientists still lack an understanding of how oxygen levels inside plant tissues are controlled.
In plant cells, oxygen dynamics are dominated by two organelles: mitochondria that consume oxygen during respiration, and chloroplasts that produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis.
Kanabar SS, Pavord ID, Hinks TSC. Respir Med. 2026 Feb 26:108736. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2026.108736. Highlights • Asthma is a heterogeneous condition due to multiple biological processes. • Individual treatable traits are identifiable and responsive to treatment. • Extra-pulmonary traits are important to consider and address. Abstract In the era of personalised medicine, approaches to asthma assessment
Learn more about this fascinating technique which is coming to cardiovascular medicine:
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Photon-counting CT (PCCT) represents a transformative advancement in cardiac imaging, addressing key limitations of conventional CT. This review synthesises current evidence to demonstrate how PCCT’s superior spatial resolution, enhanced tissue characterisation and multienergy capabilities broaden the diagnostic potential of cardiac CT. Applications include the precise detection and quantification of coronary artery calcifications, evaluation of coronary plaque burden and composition, improved assessment of coronary stents, and comprehensive myocardial tissue characterisation and perfusion analysis. By offering high-quality spectral information and detailed tissue characterisation, PCCT provides a non-invasive alternative for assessing coronary artery disease and myocardial pathology, reducing the need for invasive coronary angiography and cardiac MRI.