Dwarf galaxies are found to have lost most of their metals via feedback processes; however, there still lacks consistent assessment on the retention rate of metals in their circumgalactic medium (CGM). Here we investigate the metal content in the CGM of 45 isolated dwarf galaxies with M * = 106.5-9.5 M circle dot (M 200m = 1010.0-11.5 M circle dot) using the Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. While H i (Ly alpha) is ubiquitously detected (89%) within the CGM, we find low detection rates (approximate to 5%-22%) in C ii, C iv, Si ii, Si iii, and Si iv, largely consistent with literature values. Assuming these ions form in the cool (T approximate to 104 K) CGM with photoionization equilibrium, the observed H i and metal column density profiles can be best explained by an empirical model with low gas density and high volume filling factor. For a typical galaxy with M 200m = 1010.9 M circle dot (median of the sample), our model predicts a cool gas mass of M CGM,cool similar to 108.4 M circle dot, corresponding to similar to 2% of the galaxy's baryonic budget. Assuming a metallicity of 0.3 Z circle dot, we estimate that the dwarf galaxy's cool CGM likely harbors similar to 10% of the metals ever produced, with the rest either in more ionized states in the CGM or transported to the intergalactic medium. We further examine the EAGLE simulation and show that H i and low ions may arise from a dense cool medium, while C iv arises from a diffuse warmer medium. Our work provides the community with a uniform data set on dwarf galaxies' CGM that combines our recent observations, additional archival data and literature compilation, which can be used to test various theoretical models of dwarf galaxies.

We report Nd and Sm isotopic compositions of four samples of Ryugu returned by the Hayabusa2 mission, including "A" (first touchdown) and "C" (second touchdown) samples, and several carbonaceous chondrites to evaluate potential genetic relationships between Ryugu and known chondrite groups and track the cosmic ray exposure history of Ryugu. We resolved Nd and Sm isotopic anomalies in small (<20 ng Nd and Sm) sample sizes via thermal ionization mass spectrometer using 10(13) Omega amplifiers. Ryugu samples exhibit resolvable negative mu Nd-142 values consistent with carbonaceous chondrite values, suggesting that Ryugu is related to the parent bodies of carbonaceous chondrites. Ryugu's negative mu Sm-149 values are the result of exposure to galactic cosmic rays, as demonstrated by the correlation between Sm-150/Sm-152 and Sm-149/Sm-152 ratios that fall along the expected neutron capture correlation line. The neutron fluence calculated in the "A" samples (2.75 +/- 1.94 x 10(15) n cm(-2)) is slightly higher compared to the "C" samples (0.95 +/- 2.04 x 10(15) n cm(-2)), though overlapping within measurement uncertainty. The Sm results for Ryugu, at this level of precision, thus are consistent with a well-mixed surface layer at least to the depths from which the "A" and "C" samples derive.

Protein O-glycosylation is a nutrient signaling mechanism that plays an essential role in maintaining cellular homeostasis across different species. In plants, SPINDLY (SPY) and SECRET AGENT (SEC) posttranslationally modify hundreds of intracellular proteins with O-fucose and O-linked N-acetylglucosamine, respectively. SPY and SEC play overlapping roles in cellular regulation, and loss of both SPY and SEC causes embryo lethality in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Using structure-based virtual screening of chemical libraries followed by in vitro and in planta assays, we identified a SPY O-fucosyltransferase inhibitor (SOFTI). Computational analyses predicted that SOFTI binds to the GDP-fucose-binding pocket of SPY and competitively inhibits GDP-fucose binding. In vitro assays confirmed that SOFTI interacts with SPY and inhibits its O-fucosyltransferase activity. Docking analysis identified additional SOFTI analogs that showed stronger inhibitory activities. SOFTI treatment of Arabidopsis seedlings decreased protein O-fucosylation and elicited phenotypes similar to the spy mutants, including early seed germination, increased root hair density, and defective sugar-dependent growth. In contrast, SOFTI did not visibly affect the spy mutant. Similarly, SOFTI inhibited the sugar-dependent growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings. These results demonstrate that SOFTI is a specific SPY O-fucosyltransferase inhibitor that can be used as a chemical tool for functional studies of O-fucosylation and potentially for agricultural management.

Organs that pump fluids by the coordinated beat of motile cilia through the lumen are integral to animal physiology. Such organs include the human airways, brain ventricles, and reproductive tracts. Although cilia organization and duct morphology vary drastically in the animal kingdom, ducts are typically classified as either carpet or flame designs. The reason behind this dichotomy and how duct design relates to fluid pumping remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that two structural parameters -- lumen diameter and cilia-to-lumen ratio -- organize the observed duct diversity into a continuous spectrum that connects carpets to flames across all animal phyla. Using a unified fluid model, we show that carpet and flame designs maximize flow rate and pressure generation, respectively. We propose that convergence of ciliated organ designs follows functional constraints rather than phylogenetic distance, along with universal design rules for ciliary pumps.

Oxygen (O2), a dominant element in the atmosphere and an essential molecule for most life on Earth, is produced by the photosynthetic oxidation of water. However, metabolic activity can cause the generation of reactive O2 species (ROS) that can damage lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and threaten cell viability. To identify and characterize mechanisms that allow cells to cope with the potentially negative effects of O2 reactivity, we performed a high-throughput O2 sensitivity screen on a genome-wide insertional mutant library of the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This screen led to the identification of several genes that, when disrupted, alter the cell’s sensitivity to O2 in the light. One of these genes encodes a protein designated Rubisco methyltransferase 2 (RMT2). Although this protein has homology to methyltransferases, it has not yet been demonstrated to catalyze methyltransferase reactions. Furthermore, the rmt2 mutant has not been observed to be compromised for the level of Rubisco (first enzyme of Calvin Benson Cycle; CBC), although the mutant cells were light sensitive, which is reflected by a marked decrease in the level of photosystem I (PSI), with much less of an impact on the other photosynthetic complexes; this mutant also shows upregulation of genes encoding the Ycf3 and Ycf4 proteins, which are associated with the biogenesis of PSI. The RMT2 protein has a chloroplast targeting sequence predicted by PredAlgo and PB-Chlamy1,2, and rescue of the mutant with a wild-type (WT) copy of the gene fused to the mNeonGreen fluorophore indicates that the protein is within the chloroplast and appears to be enriched in/around the pyrenoid (an intrachloroplast compartment, potentially hypoxic, that is found in many algae that contain the CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco), but we also observe it more dispersed throughout the stroma. These results suggest that RMT2 may serve an important role in the biogenesis of PSI and that PSI biogenesis may be enriched around or within the pyrenoid, which may reflect the impact of O2/reactive O2 species on the efficiency with which PSI can assemble.

The GMT-Consortium Large Earth Finder (G-CLEF) is the first instrument for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). G-CLEF is a fiber feed, optical band echelle spectrograph that is capable of extremely precise radial velocity measurement. G-CLEF Flexure Control Camera (FCC) is included as a part in G-CLEF Front End Assembly (GCFEA), which monitors the field images focused on a fiber mirror to control the flexure and the focus errors within GCFEA. FCC consists of an optical bench on which five optical components are installed. The order of the optical train is: a collimator, neutral density filters, a focus analyzer, a reimager and a detector (Andor iKon-L 936 CCD camera). The collimator consists of a triplet lens and receives the beam reflected by a fiber mirror. The neutral density filters make it possible a broad range star brightness as a target or a guide. The focus analyzer is used to measure a focus offset. The reimager focuses the beam from the collimator onto the CCD detector focal plane. The detector module includes a linear translator and a field de-rotator. We performed thermoelastic stress analysis for lenses and their mounts to confirm the physical safety of the lens materials. We also conducted the global structure analysis for various gravitational orientations to verify the image stability requirement during the operation of the telescope and the instrument. In this article, we present the opto-mechanical detailed design of G-CLEF FCC and describe the consequence of the numerical finite element analyses for the design.

The nucleosynthetic isotope composition of planetary materials provides a record of the heterogeneous distribution of stardust within the early solar system. In 2020 December, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Hayabusa2 spacecraft returned to Earth the first samples of a primitive asteroid, namely, the Cb-type asteroid Ryugu. This provides a unique opportunity to explore the kinship between primitive asteroids and carbonaceous chondrites. We report high-precision mu 26Mg* and mu 25Mg values of Ryugu samples together with those of CI, CM, CV, and ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites. The stable Mg isotope composition of Ryugu aliquots defines mu 25Mg values ranging from -160 +/- 20 ppm to -272 +/- 30 ppm, which extends to lighter compositions relative to Ivuna-type (CI) and other carbonaceous chondrite groups. We interpret the mu 25Mg variability as reflecting heterogeneous sampling of a carbonate phase hosting isotopically light Mg (mu 25Mg similar to -1400 ppm) formed by low temperature equilibrium processes. After correcting for this effect, Ryugu samples return homogeneous mu 26Mg* values corresponding to a weighted mean of 7.1 +/- 0.8 ppm. Thus, Ryugu defines a mu 26Mg* excess relative to the CI and CR chondrite reservoirs corresponding to 3.8 +/- 1.1 and 11.9 +/- 0.8 ppm, respectively. These variations cannot be accounted for by in situ decay of 26Al given their respective 27Al/24Mg ratios. Instead, it requires that Ryugu and the CI and CR parent bodies formed from material with a different initial 26Al/27Al ratio or that they are sourced from material with distinct Mg isotope compositions. Thus, our new Mg isotope data challenge the notion that Ryugu and CI chondrites share a common nucleosynthetic heritage.

This paper is focused on the characterization of the thermal history of C-type asteroid Ryugu through the structure of the polyaromatic carbonaceous matter in the returned samples determined by Raman spectroscopy. Both intact particles and extracted Insoluble Organic Matter (IOM) from the two sampling sites on Ryugu have been characterized. The main conclusions are that (i) there is no structural difference of the polyaromatic component probed by Raman spectroscopy between the two sampling sites, (ii) in a manner similar to type 1 and 2 chondrites, the characterized Ryugu particles did not experience significant long-duration thermal metamorphism related to the radioactive decay of elements such as 26Al; (iii) some structural variability is nevertheless observed within our particle set. It can be interpreted as some particles having experienced some short duration and weak heating (R3 in the scale defined by Quirico et al. 2018 and TII or lower according to the scale defined by Nakamura, 2005).

Stem cells regenerate differentiated cells to maintain and repair tissues and organs. They also replenish themselves, i.e. self-renewal, for the regenerative process to last a lifetime. How stem cells renew is of critical biological and medical significance. Here we use the skeletal muscle stem cell (MuSC) to study this process. Using a combination of genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches, we show that MPP7, AMOT, and TAZ/YAP form a complex that activates a common set of target genes. Among these targets, Carm1 can direct MuSC renewal. In the absence of MPP7, TAZ can support regenerative progenitors and activate Carm1 expression, but not to a level needed for self-renewal. Facilitated by the actin polymerization-responsive AMOT, TAZ recruits the L27 domain of MPP7 to up-regulate Carm1 to the level necessary to drive MuSC renewal. The promoter of Carm1, and those of other common downstream genes, also contain binding site(s) for YY1. We further demonstrate that the L27 domain of MPP7 enhances the interaction between TAZ and YY1 to activate Carm1. Our results define a renewal transcriptional program embedded within the progenitor program, by selectively up-regulating key gene(s) within the latter, through the combination of protein interactions and in a manner dependent on the promoter context.