- Metabolism does more than fuel embryonic growth; it also sends out signals that control the tempo of development.

- Metabolism consists of metabolic activities and signalling that occurs as a part of those activities, which makes it challenging to dissociate these functions. 

- EMBL scientists found that metabolism signals to control the tempo of development in a manner distinctly separate from its role in energy and biomass production. They identified a specific sugar molecule that can function as a signalling molecule to control the rhythm of the segmentation clock, which is essentially a ‘biological clock’ that controls the tempo of development.

- Future research will probe the importance of metabolism – not just for making energy and building blocks – but also for sending signals that guide cell fate, developmental timing, and even disease.

A collaborative research team from Peking University has developed a novel method to enhance the tumor-targeting efficiency of γδ T cells through chemical engineering. By conjugating or gluing the cancer cell-targeting antibodies to γδ T cells via fast metabolic glycan labeling and click chemistry, the team achieved improved anti-tumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. This innovative approach holds significant promise for advancing adoptive cell therapy in cancer treatment.

The AP2/ERF transcription factor SHAT2 positively regulates seed shattering and quality. SHAT2 mutation affects the expression of seed-shattering and quality-related genes. SHAT2 regulates the expression of seed development-related genes through interaction with the GCC-box.