Group 1 - The article highlights nine research papers published in the journal Cell, with seven authored by Chinese scholars, covering various topics in biology and genetics [2] - A study on the mechano-resistance mechanism in skin adaptation to terrestrial locomotion was published, revealing insights into the SLURP1 gene and its implications for palmoplantar keratoderma [4][7] - A new programmable chromosome engineering technology (PCE) was introduced, enabling precise manipulation of DNA at kilobase to megabase scales, which could enhance crop traits and genetic disease treatments [9][12] Group 2 - Research on composite transposons revealed their role as enhancers in cell fate regulation, highlighting the significance of bivalent chromatin in hematopoietic differentiation and aging [14][17] - A study demonstrated that vagal nerve blockade can alleviate cancer-associated cachexia in mouse models, restoring appetite and extending survival [19][22] - A novel model of mouse embryogenesis was developed using chemically induced embryonic founder cells, providing new tools for studying organ development and regenerative medicine [23][26] Group 3 - A genetic history study of the Southern Caucasus revealed 5,000 years of genetic continuity despite high population mobility, based on ancient DNA analysis from archaeological sites [28][31] - An AI-assisted pipeline was created to identify gut microbial bile acid metabolic enzymes, expanding knowledge of microbial metabolism and its implications for gut health [33][36]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the significant role of bile acids produced by gut microbiota in regulating host health and disease, highlighting a recent study that identifies gut microbial bile acid metabolic enzymes using an AI-assisted pipeline [2][3]. Group 1: Research Development - The research team developed an AI-assisted workflow named BEAUT, predicting over 600,000 candidate bile acid metabolic enzymes and discovering the first bile acid with unique skeletal modifications, 3-acetoDCA, and its synthesizing enzyme, ADS [3][7]. - The study reveals that 3-acetoDCA is widely present in the population and can regulate gut microbiota composition by increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus at physiological concentrations [8][12]. Group 2: Methodology and Findings - The study addresses the gap in identifying bile acid biosynthetic pathways in bacteria, with fewer than 10 enzymes characterized, which limits the development of engineered bacteria and targeted interventions for related diseases [5]. - BEAUT utilizes a protein language model to classify bile acid metabolic enzymes from metagenomic data, learning from known enzyme sequences to identify those capable of modifying bile acids [6][10]. Group 3: Implications and Future Directions - The application of BEAUT and the identification of previously unreported bile acid metabolic enzymes significantly expand the understanding of microbial bile acid metabolism and chemical diversity [10]. - This research provides a top-down approach to studying microbial-derived metabolites, offering a scalable framework for investigating other microbial metabolic enzymes [10].