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The heat shock response is a conserved defense mechanism that protects cells from physiological stress, including thermal stress. Besides the activation of heat-shock-protein genes, the heat shock response is also known to bring about global suppression of transcription; however, the mechanism by which this occurs is poorly understood. One of the intriguing aspects of the heat shock response in human cells is the transcription of satellite-III (Sat3) long non-coding RNAs and their association with nuclear stress bodies (nSBs) of unknown function. Besides association with the Sat3 transcript, the nSBs are also known to recruit the transcription factors HSF1 and CREBBP, and several RNA-binding proteins, including the splicing factor SRSF1. We demonstrate here that the recruitment of CREBBP and SRSF1 to nSBs is Sat3-dependent, and that loss of Sat3 transcripts relieves the heat-shock-induced transcriptional repression of a few target genes. Conversely, forced expression of Sat3 transcripts results in the formation of nSBs and transcriptional repression even without a heat shock. Our results thus provide a novel insight into the regulatory role for the Sat3 transcripts in heatshock-dependent transcriptional repression.

This work reports the assembly of thin films of a silica (SiO2)-modified copper-metal organic framework, Cu3(BTC)2 [Cu3(BTC)2@SiO2, BTC = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid] on a conducting substrate of NH2-BDC [NH2-BDC = 2-aminobenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid] doped polyaniline (PANI). Assembled Cu3(BTC)2@SiO2/BDC-PANI thin films displayed electrical conductivity in the range of 35 μA. These thin films were conjugated with antiatrazine antibodies to create a novel immunosensing platform. Various structural and spectral characteristics of the synthesized material and its bioconjugate were investigated. The developed immunosensor was used for the conductometric sensing of atrazine. The detection of atrazine was achieved with a high sensor sensitivity (limit of detection = 0.01 nM) and specificity in the presence of diverse pesticides (e.g., endosulfan, parathion, paraoxon, malathion, and monochrotophos).

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Combination therapy with the use of nanomaterials and antibiotics is an effective approach to combat increasing antimicrobial resistance. Herein, the synthesis and antimicrobial activity of core‐shell Zinc oxide ‐ Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework‐8 (ZnO@ZIF‐8) particles loaded with ampicillin is reported. The efficacy of the above system has been evaluated against Gram‐negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram‐positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains. The entrapment of ampicillin within the ZIF‐8 shell of the particles allowed its controlled and pH‐responsive release under in vitro conditions. Ampicillin loaded ZnO@ZIF‐8 particles have exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity as reflected by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 12.50 and 48 μg mL−1 against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. This was also evident by a several‐fold reduction observed in the bacterial population during the time‐kill assays. The values of fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICI), assessed for different components, have revealed the ZnO@ZIF‐8/ampicillin system inflicts a synergistic activity against E. coli and an additive activity against S. aureus. Cell membrane disruption is attributed to cell death. Finally, cytotoxicity study against mammalian cell lines has indicated the safety profiles of the particles.