The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of reliable molecular diagnostics in outbreak response and the vulnerabilities of existing systems to delays and reagent instability. Armored RNA technology, which packages RNA within bacteriophage-derived capsids, offers a robust solution by combining nuclease resistance, safety, and versatility into a single platform. Armored RNA has become a trusted internal and external control for RT-qPCR and RT-LAMP, enabling accurate detection across a wide range of viral pathogens. Also, recent advances in alternative expression systems, such as plant-based and cell-free platforms, as well as the use of more stable scaffolds from bacteriophage Qβ, are enhancing yield, stability, and accessibility of armored RNA. Engineering innovations, including capsid polymorphism and optimized downstream purification, further improve efficiency and broaden possible applications. Looking ahead, armored RNA holds promise not only as a diagnostic standard but also as a delivery vehicle for vaccines and therapeutics. Encapsulation of self-amplifying RNA, small interfering RNA, or microRNA could open new pathways for rapid-response vaccines and targeted therapies, aligning this technology with the future of precision medicine. By uniting stability, scalability, and adaptability, armored RNA represents a critical component of global health preparedness, with the potential to strengthen diagnostic resilience and accelerate biomedical countermeasures in future pandemics.

Two Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strains, designated IMCC43444^T and IMCC44478^T, were isolated from surface seawater collected off Deokjeok Island and Jangbong Island, respectively, in the Yellow Sea. The two strains shared 100% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with each other but exhibited ≤ 96.2% similarity to validly published species of the genus Robiginitalea. Complete whole-genome sequences of IMCC43444^T and IMCC44478^T were 3.21 Mb and 3.30 Mb in size, with DNA G + C contents of 46.5% and 46.4%, respectively. Genome-based relatedness analyses revealed average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values of 90.7% and 42.9% between the two strains, which are well below the accepted species-level thresholds. Furthermore, ANI (≤ 70.2%) and dDDH (≤ 17.8%) values relative to type strains of Robiginitalea species supported the conclusion that strains IMCC43444^T and IMCC44478^T each represent novel species within the genus. Chemotaxonomic characterization showed that iso-C_15:0, iso-C_17:0 3-OH and iso-C_15:1 G were the major fatty acids of both strains; menaquinone-6 (MK-6) was the sole isoprenoid quinone; and the major polar lipids comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, glycolipids, aminolipids, phospholipids, and other unidentified lipids. Based on phylogenetic, genomic, and phenotypic evidence, strains IMCC43444^T and IMCC44478^T are proposed as two novel species, Robiginitalea rubriflava sp. nov. and Robiginitalea insularis sp. nov., respectively. The type strains are IMCC43444^T (= KCTC 102397^T = JCM 37893^T) and IMCC44478^T (= KCTC 102398^T = JCM 37894^T).

Fucoxanthin has gained attention for its beneficial effects, including anti-cancer, anti-obesity, and anti-inflammatory activities. A benthic marine diatom Melosira nummuloides is a promising candidate for fucoxanthin production. Nevertheless, industrial-scale cultivation remains constrained by suboptimal growth performance and the lack of species-tailored media. This study aimed to develop a cost-effective medium for enhancing biomass and fucoxanthin production in M. nummuloides by modifying the conventional F/2 medium based on species-specific intracellular nutrient stoichiometry. The cellular molar N:P:Si ratio of M. nummuloides was identified as 13:1:12.3. Despite nitrogen reduction by 36.13% relative to F/2 medium, M. nummuloides cultivated in the Melosira-Optimized Medium using Fumed Silica (MOM-FS) was well grown, achieving biomass concentration of 261 mg/L on day 4—approximately 1.21-fold higher than that obtained with F/2. In addition, MOM-FS enhanced biomass-associated fucoxanthin yield by 10.3% and biogenic silica yield by 20.8% relative to the F/2. The use of MOM-FS reduced total medium costs by 28.3%, fucoxanthin production cost by 36.8%, and bio-silica production cost by 28.3%. Overall, these findings indicate that the cost-effective medium developed here provides a practical, efficient, and economically viable framework for large-scale cultivation of M. nummuloides and the co-production of fucoxanthin and bio-silica.

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the primary causative agent of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare but highly aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. Large T antigen (LT), one of two oncoproteins encoded by MCPyV, sustains the proliferation of MCPyV-infected tumor cells. LT contains multiple protein-binding motifs that mediate interactions with diverse host proteins essential for its function. Among these, ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (Usp7), a deubiquitinase that regulates the stability of multiple substrates, including p53, is a recently identified LT-interacting protein. In the present study, we characterized the intermolecular interaction between Usp7 and MCPyV LT using biochemical analyses and AlphaFold-based structural modeling. Our results demonstrate that MCPyV LT directly interacts with the TRAF domain of Usp7 via a unique binding motif that is distinct from the canonical sequence. Moreover, MCPyV LT attenuates the p53-deubiquitinating activity of Usp7, providing insights into the molecular function of this viral oncoprotein.

Gut microbiome imbalance can induce inflammatory responses via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling pathways. Lactobacillus spp., popularly applied as probiotics in both humans and animals, have come into the spotlight for their strong immunomodulatory effects. We aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory potential of live or pasteurized Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (L. paracasei) KBL382, isolated from healthy Korean individuals, in an in vitro monocytic THP-1 cell model. Live L. paracasei KBL382 significantly increased TLR2 and MyD88 expressions and induced IRAK1 expression, irrespective of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation (p < 0.05). Under LPS stimulation, THP-1 cells treated with live L. paracasei KBL382 showed significantly increased interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 levels (p < 0.05). Pasteurized L. paracasei exhibited a decrease in IL-12 levels (p < 0.05). Moreover, live L. paracasei KBL382 also markedly elevated A20 and SOCS1 expressions, the critical negative regulators of inflammation, regardless of LPS stimulation (p < 0.05). The expression of IRAK3, another negative regulator of inflammation, was increased in THP-1 cells with live L. paracasei KBL382 under LPS stimulation (p < 0.05). Our findings demonstrate that L. paracasei KBL382 contributes to the immunomodulation in THP-1 cells by coordinating both positive and negative regulatory signaling. L. paracasei KBL382 could be used as a promising probiotic strain for attenuating chronic inflammation through the gut-immune axis mechanisms.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer, with ultraviolet radiation recognized as the primary environmental driver; however, the potential contribution of alterations in the skin microbiota remains incompletely understood, particularly in Asian populations. This exploratory pilot study describes bacterial community patterns in BCC lesions compared with contralateral clinically normal skin in 20 Korean patients. Lesional and contralateral samples were obtained using paired skin swabs and punch biopsies and analyzed by full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with targeted quantitative PCR (qPCR) of the roxP antioxidant gene of Cutibacterium acnes. Given the low-biomass nature of skin samples and the exploratory design, analyses focused on descriptive trends rather than confirmatory inference. Across available samples, C. acnes was the dominant taxon, with a trend toward lower relative abundance in BCC lesions, particularly in biopsy-derived datasets. Microbial evenness appeared higher in lesions than controls. Predictive functional profiling suggested reduced representation of vitamin B6 metabolism pathways in lesions, while qPCR analysis of swab samples showed a trend toward lower roxP/16S rRNA ratios in BCC-associated microbiota. These findings should be interpreted cautiously in light of methodological constraints, including sample heterogeneity, lidocaine exposure prior to biopsy, absence of sequencing-based negative controls, and reliance on predictive functional inference. Overall, this pilot study highlights potential differences in skin bacterial community structure between BCC lesions and contralateral skin in a Korean cohort. Larger, methodologically optimized studies incorporating metagenomic and functional validation will be required to determine whether these microbiota shifts contribute to, or result from, BCC-associated changes in the cutaneous environment.

Truncal acne represents a biologically distinct manifestation of acne vulgaris, yet its fungal ecology remains incompletely characterized. Previous work using internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequencing suggested that truncal acne is associated with altered fungal richness and Malassezia species composition; however, fungal marker choice may influence ecological inference, particularly in sebaceous skin dominated by Malassezia. In this study, we characterized the truncal skin mycobiome of patients with truncal acne and healthy controls using internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) amplicon sequencing. Skin swabs were collected from the upper back, and fungal communities were analyzed using QIIME 2 with taxonomic assignment against the UNITE v10.0 database. Baseline acne–control differences and doxycycline-associated patterns were evaluated using alpha- and beta-diversity metrics and differential abundance analyses. Doxycycline-associated patterns were assessed using paired, within-patient pre- and post-exposure comparisons. ITS1 profiling demonstrated that truncal acne was associated with altered baseline fungal ecology compared with controls, characterized by reduced alpha diversity and ASV-level differences within Malassezia-dominated communities. Beta-diversity analyses showed substantial overlap between acne and control samples, indicating limited global separation. Following doxycycline exposure, fungal communities remained Malassezia-dominant and did not demonstrate uniform convergence toward control profiles; instead, species- and ASV-level differences were heterogeneous across individuals and exposure durations. Together with prior ITS2-based findings, these results underscore the importance of marker-dependent perspectives when interpreting fungal ecology in sebaceous skin.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) commonly infects humans and non-human primates, generally inducing mild or even asymptomatic outcomes. AAVs have been shaped and diversified by evolutionary pressures, resulting in the identification of 13 serotypes thus far. Each serotype of AAV exhibits distinct tissue tropisms, targeting various organs, including the lung, central nervous system (CNS), liver, and skeletal muscle, thereby establishing AAVs as widely utilized vectors for therapeutic gene delivery. Bioinformatics analysis of specific viruses enables the inference of evolutionary patterns and offers valuable insights for predicting the emergence of novel viruses. While DNA sequence-based analysis has effectively facilitated the observation of mutation patterns accumulating within specific genes, it often provides limited insight into the actual impact of these mutations on proteins, the fundamental functional units. Utilizing proteotyping, an amino acid sequence-based comparative analysis, we identified hypervariable regions (HVR) within the AAV Cap gene and revealed concentrated evolutionary pressures in serotypes 4, 5, 11, and 12. Furthermore, we found that AAV-5 proteins exhibited considerable amino acid sequence divergence compared to those of other serotypes. Despite divergence, all AAV-5 proteins maintained a noticeable structural similarity to their counterparts in other serotypes. Our findings provide sequence-based insights into the evolutionary processes of AAV, facilitating the efficient identification of novel viruses.