RESEARCH ARTICLES
- REV-ERBα regulates Fgf21 expression in the liver via hepatic nuclear factor 6
Summary: The hepatokine Fgf21 is transcriptionally regulated by the nuclear receptor REV-ERBα with the hepatocyte-specific factor HNF6 to regulate metabolism and fertility.
- Involvement of BDNF/TrkB and ERK/CREB axes in nitroglycerin-induced rat migraine and effects of estrogen on these signals in the migraine
Summary: This study unveiled a positive correlation of BDNF/TrkB and CREB/ERK axes in NTG-induced migraine and the promoting effects of estrogen on their signals in the migraine.
- Casein kinase II is required for proper cell division and acts as a negative regulator of centrosome duplication in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos
Summary: The conserved protein kinase CK2 negatively regulates centrosome assembly and is required for proper cell cycle progression and cytokinesis in early C. elegans embryos.
- Knockdown of histidine-rich calcium-binding protein (HRC) suppresses liver fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells
Summary: We provide the first evidence to confirm that HRC is a factor in liver fibrosis, and we clarify the molecular mechanism of HRC in hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis.
- Ole1, fatty acid desaturase, is required for Atg9 delivery and isolation membrane expansion during autophagy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Summary: Isolation membrane expansion in yeast autophagy requires mono-unsaturated fatty acids generated by Ole1, fatty acid desaturase during delivery of Atg9 to the PAS/autophagosome from its cellular reservoir.
- Social signals and aversive learning in honey bee drones and workers
Summary: Alarms serve to focus attention and prioritize individual concerns. In honey bees, social alarm impairs appetitive learning. Here, we show that the effect on aversive learning depends on social role and signal intensity.
- Chicken muscle mitochondrial content appears co-ordinately regulated and is associated with performance phenotypes
Summary: We have detected variation in muscle mitochondrial content across chickens. This variation relates to phenotypes and also indicates coordinate regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis across the musculature.
- Gene silencing of Nox4 by CpG island methylation during hepatocarcinogenesis in rats
Summary: Many genes downregulated by DNA methylation are tumor suppressor genes. In the present study, DNA methylation of Nox4 is observed, with implications for Nox4 as a potential therapeutic target for liver or other cancers.
- Evidence toads may modulate landing preparation without predicting impact time
Summary: Coordination of landing in humans involves using sensory feedback to anticipate impact time. In contrast, when and how toads position forelimbs suggests that they may coordinate landing without predicting impact.
- Daily feeding and protein metabolism rhythms in Senegalese sole post-larvae
Summary: This manuscript provides new knowledge regarding Senegalese sole post-larvae daily feeding behavior and protein metabolism, which are essential for the adequate development of feeding strategies for this species.
- Metabolism and antioxidant defense in the larval chironomid Tanytarsus minutipalpus: adjustments to diel variations in the extreme conditions of Lake Magadi
Summary: Insect larvae display adjustments in metabolism and oxidative status to overcome the diel variations in the extreme and harsh physicochemical conditions of Lake Magadi, a saline and alkaline lake in Kenya.
- Cardiomyocyte-specific expression of the nuclear matrix protein, CIZ1, stimulates production of mono-nucleated cells with an extended window of proliferation in the postnatal mouse heart
Summary: An inducible mouse model was developed to show that CIZ1 extends the window of cardiomyocyte proliferation and reduces the impact of injury on cardiac function.
- Systematic evaluation of markers used for the identification of human induced pluripotent stem cells
Summary: The use of hESC-like morphology, retroviral transgene silencing and temporal expression of pluripotency markers are compared as methods to aid in the identification of hiPSC clones.
- The anti-bat strategy of ultrasound absorption: the wings of nocturnal moths (Bombycoidea: Saturniidae) absorb more ultrasound than the wings of diurnal moths (Chalcosiinae: Zygaenoidea: Zygaenidae)
Summary: Moth wings partly absorb the ultrasonic calls of bats to reduce predation. Different moths fly at night or day, and this work compares their absorption of ultrasound.
- Movement patterns of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in farmlands in Botswana
Summary: Cheetah movement patterns within farmlands revealed a preference for areas important for social interactions and avoidance of high risk areas. This knowledge can be useful for developing conflict mitigation strategies.
METHODS & TECHNIQUES
- Utilising polymorphisms to achieve allele-specific genome editing in zebrafish
Summary: Heterozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms in CRISPR/Cas9 target sites bias genome editing in favour of alleles with perfect complementarity to gRNAs, a feature which can be exploited for chromosome-specific editing.
This issue
Other journals from The Company of Biologists
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.