RESEARCH ARTICLES
- Atg9 is required for intraluminal vesicles in amphisomes and autolysosomes
Summary: The disappearance of intraluminal vesicles in amphisomes/autolysosomes upon Atg9 depletion suggests that Atg9 has a specific role in intraluminal vesicle formation in autophagic compartments.
- The zebrafish Kupffer's vesicle as a model system for the molecular mechanisms by which the lack of Polycystin-2 leads to stimulation of CFTR
Summary: Here, we tested the zebrafish Kupffer's vesicle (KV) as a model organ to study, through in vivo imaging of KV volume, the stimulation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease ADPKD.
- Loss of arylformamidase with reduced thymidine kinase expression leads to impaired glucose tolerance
Summary: Mice homozygous for a tm1b deleted allele have impaired glucose tolerance due to reduced insulin secretion associated with reduced islet mass, but no evidence of renal disease, suggesting a link between abnormal tryptophan metabolism and diabetes.
- Both ciliary and non-ciliary functions of Foxj1a confer Wnt/β-catenin signaling in zebrafish left-right patterning
Summary: Using a targeted overexpression platform, we showed that Wnt activation induces ectopic foxj1a expression and ectopic cilia formation, and revealed two distinct roles of Foxj1a in conferring Wnt-governed left-right patterning.
- Targeting of ribosomal protein S6 to dendritic spines by in vivo high frequency stimulation to induce long-term potentiation in the dentate gyrus
Summary: Induction of long-term potentiation, which is a cellular model of learning and memory, mediates the selective targeting of the translational machinery on activated dendritic spines in vivo.
- Inter- vs intra-individual variation and temporal repeatability of escape responses in the coral reef fish Amblyglyphidodon curacao
Summary: Quantification of the inter- and intra-individual variation in behavioural and kinematic components of escape performance of the tropical damselfish Amblyglyphidodon curacao found no evidence of habituation or fatigue due to repeated stimulations.
- α1B-Adrenergic receptor signaling controls circadian expression of Tnfrsf11b by regulating clock genes in osteoblasts
Summary: This study demonstrates that the circadian regulation of TNFRSF11B is regulated by the clock genes Nr1d1 and Arntl, which are components of the core loop of the circadian clock in osteoblasts, providing a molecular mechanism for the control of bone remodelling by circadian rhythms.
- Sexual dimorphism in an animal model of Sjögren's syndrome: a potential role for Th17 cells
Summary: Sjogren's syndrome (SjS) is the one of the most common sexual dimorphic autoimmune diseases. This study demonstrates that female C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mice develop earlier onset and more severe symptoms of SjS than male counterparts. Therefore, the C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mouse model could be an appropriate model to study sexual dimorphism in SjS.
- Cellular population dynamics control the robustness of the stem cell niche
Summary: Stem cell niche dynamics are very robust to external and physiological perturbations because proliferation and differentiation are naturally balanced and controlled by the reliance on a shared niche environment.
- E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain inhibits cell surface localization of endogenous cadherins and fusion of C2C12 myoblasts
Summary: This novel approach seeks to overcome the limitations of studying the role of individual cadherins in skeletal muscle fusion in vitro by selecting for myoblasts that express dominant-negative E-cadherin, and provides evidence that cadherins play an essential role in myoblast fusion.
- Genome-wide ChIP-seq analysis of human TOP2B occupancy in MCF7 breast cancer epithelial cells
Summary: Gene ontology enrichment analysis of genes associated with human TOP2B peaks, identified by whole genome ChIP seq used to identify regions of binding, highlighted a number of processes in neuronal development including axonogenesis and axon guidance.
- Depletion or over-expression of Sh3px1 results in dramatic changes in cell morphology
Summary: Proteins containing BAR domains are known to generate membrane curvature. Some BAR domains generate tubules upon over-expression in cells, whereas others generate membrane protrusions. We demonstrate that Sh3px1, the Drosophila ortholog of the Snx9 family, is capable of inducing both tubules and protrusions.
- Generation of tissue-engineered small intestine using embryonic stem cell-derived human intestinal organoids
Summary: HIO-seeded PGA/PLLA scaffolds thrive in vivo and develop into tissue that looks nearly identical to adult human intestinal tissue. These scaffolds appear to be suitable for further tissue engineering approaches to develop functional intestine.
- The action of mimetic peptides on connexins protects fibroblasts from the negative effects of ischemia reperfusion
Summary: Connexin mimetic peptides can reduce the levels of connexin proteins in cells and can prevent the spread of cell death that occurs following ischemia reperfusion injury, which has therapeutic potential.
- There are four dynamically and functionally distinct populations of E-cadherin in cell junctions
Summary: Four populations of E-cadherin are identified within cell junctions based on the molecular interactions which determine their size, mobility, and adhesive properties, and support association with the actin cytoskeleton as the first step in adhesion formation.
- Evolution of enlarged body size of coal tits Parus ater in geographic isolation from two larger competitors, the crested tit Parus cristatus and the willow tit Parus montanus, on six Scandinavian islands
Summary: On six widely separated Scandinavian islands, an enlarged food base and intraspecific competition has caused the coal tit Parus ater to evolve morphologically in the direction of two absent competitors.
- Generation and analysis of knock-in mice carrying pseudohypoaldosteronism type II-causing mutations in the cullin 3 gene
Summary: A knock-in mutation in intron 8 of Cul3 in mice led to decreased Cul3 protein expression. Decreased Cul3 protein expression alone did not cause pseudohypoaldosteronism type II (PHAII).
- Epigenetic regulator Lid maintains germline stem cells through regulating JAK-STAT signaling pathway activity
Summary: This study provides new insights into the biological functions of a histone demethylase and sheds light on the interaction between epigenetic mechanisms and signaling pathways in regulating stem cell activities.
- Do phages impact microbial dynamics, prokaryotic community structure and nutrient dynamics in Lake Bourget?
Summary: Phages can exert important control on the structure of the bacterial community. By contrast, neither the archaeal community nor the cycling of nutrients seems to be affected by phage abundance.
- Hox11 genes regulate postnatal longitudinal bone growth and growth plate proliferation
Summary: Hox genes are required for postnatal skeletal growth. Hox11 genes function in the zeugopod skeletal elements and regulate longitudinal growth through controlling chondrocyte maturation within the growth plate.
- Do circadian genes and ambient temperature affect substrate-borne signalling during Drosophila courtship?
Summary: We studied the effects of circadian genes and ambient temperature on the substrate-borne signals produced by fruit flies during courtship.
- Context-specific comparison of sleep acquisition systems in Drosophila
Summary: Multiple sleep acquisition systems provide efficient and accurate methods for measuring sleep duration in Drosophila, while video tracking and multibeam analysis allow for increased flexibility of behavioral paradigms and greater resolution of sleep architecture.
- Novel localization of formin mDia2: importin β-mediated delivery to and retention at the cytoplasmic side of the nuclear envelope
Summary: Formin mDia2 accumulates to the cytoplasmic side of the nuclear envelope and co-localizes with the nuclear pore complexes in an importin β-dependent manner.
- Mindbomb 2 is dispensable for embryonic development and Notch signalling in zebrafish
Summary: Mib2 is dispensable for embryonic development and does not have redundant functions with Mib1 in Notch signalling, at least during early development stages in zebrafish.
- The marbled crayfish as a paradigm for saltational speciation by autopolyploidy and parthenogenesis in animals
Summary: The triploid marbled crayfish is a rare animal example of speciation by autopolyploidisation and parthenogenesis. It seems to be a particularly suitable model to study how much genetic and epigenetic change is necessary to create a new species.
METHODS & TECHNIQUES
- Generation of primitive neural stem cells from human fibroblasts using a defined set of factors
Summary: A novel method for the generation of self-renewable, multipotent and neural lineage-restricted LIF-dependent induced primitive neural stem cells (LD-iNSCs) from human fibroblasts with the potential to facilitate human neuronal studies.
This issue
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Biology Open and COVID-19
We are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on researchers worldwide. The Editors of all The Company of Biologists’ journals have been considering ways in which we can alleviate concerns that members of our community may have around publishing activities during this time. Read about the actions we are taking at this time.
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Interview – Savant Thakur
Savant Thakur was a Ph.D. student in Professor Gordon S. Lynch’s lab (The University of Melbourne) working towards understanding the mechanisms of defective muscle repair in muscle diseases and wasting disorders. Sadly, Savant passed away on June 16, 2019 and so one of his supervisors, Professor Lynch, spoke to BiO about Savant's work and character.
A day in the life of a returning spider lab
Back in 2016, two PhD students in Alistair McGregor’s lab at Oxford Brookes shared a day in the life of a spider lab on the Node. Four years and one pandemic later, we caught up with Alistair to find out how his lab has responded to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.