RESEARCH ARTICLES
- Endodermal pouch-expressed dmrt2b is important for pharyngeal cartilage formation
Summary: Transcription factor dmrt2b facilitates cxcl12b expression in endodermal pouches to accelerate cranial neural crest cell condensation, but suppresses crossveinless 2 expression for supporting cell growth and chondrogenic differentiation.
- Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle
Summary: While yeast Asn1p/ASN2p forms cytoplasmic filaments in response to nutrient limitation, hASNS is associated with centrosomes and mitotic spindles in actively dividing cells, suggesting its additional role in cell division.
- Potassium fertilization arrests malate accumulation and alters soluble sugar metabolism in apple fruit
Summary: Optimized potassium levels not only reduce malate levels but also improve fructose and sucrose accumulation in apple fruit.
- Characterization of interaction and ubiquitination of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase by E3 ligase UBR5
Summary: Identification of the recruit function of the N-terminal lobe of the UBR5 HECT domain and ubiquitination site(s) of PEPCK1.
- Dynamic microtubules drive fibroblast spreading
Summary: Cell spreading is a non-linear process. The fast spreading phase depends on dynamic microtubules (MTs). Rapid growth of MTs towards the cell membrane promotes the temporal relaxation of acto-myosin contractility.
- Effect of temperature change on synaptic transmission at crayfish neuromuscular junctions
Summary: Studies were conducted in the model invertebrate, the crayfish, to determine the effects of the acute change from 20°C to 10°C and vice versa on synaptic transmission.
- Low cholesterol is not always good: low cholesterol levels are associated with decreased serotonin and increased aggression in fish
Summary: Fish treated with statin exhibited reduced plasma cholesterol, reduced telencephalic indexes of 5-HIAA/5-HT and increased aggressive behavior compared with control fish. Such mechanisms may be important for the control of aggression in many vertebrate species.
- Monitoring and evaluation of the immune status of female Kunming mice maintained in different biosafety level laboratories
Summary: Mice maintained in ABSL-3 and ABSL-4 labs are under normal and stable physiology and immune status.
- A Gata4 nuclear GFP transcriptional reporter to study endoderm and cardiac development in the mouse
Summary: Generation of a Gata4H2B-GFP reporter mouse that labels primitive endoderm, visceral endoderm and cardiac lineages during embryonic development suitable for single cell and live imaging analyses.
- The role of personality variation, plasticity and social facilitation in cockroach aggregation
Summary: We used the American cockroach to show that individuals displaying low behavioural plasticity entrain the behaviour of other individuals through social interactions and change the aggregation dynamics of the group.
- Neural activation following offensive aggression in Japanese quail
Summary: The manuscript describes the pronounced activation of the immediate early gene ZENK in the pallium of male Japanese quails following offensive aggressive behaviour.
- Seasonal variations in cellular and humoral immunity in male striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis)
Summary: Seasonal changes in immunity, body fat, blood glucose, leptin and corticosterone and their correlations in striped hamsters.
- Promoter-enhancer looping and shadow enhancers of the mouse αA-crystallin locus
Summary: The αA-crystallin ranks amongst the most highly expressed tissue-specific genes. It is an advantageous model system to probe both promoter-enhancer looping and to identify distal enhancers and their temporal/spatial activities.
- IRS-1 increases TAZ expression and promotes osteogenic differentiation in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells
Summary: Stem cell therapy has become a promising approach for bone tissue engineering. Our study reveals that IRS-1 gene modification of stem cells upregulates TAZ expression and osteogenesis.
- Live imaging of cortical granule exocytosis reveals that in vitro matured mouse oocytes are not fully competent to secrete their content
Summary: Live imaging of cortical granule exocytosis reveals that in vitro matured mouse oocytes have a severely reduced response to strontium chloride.
- Auditory perception exhibits sexual dimorphism and left telencephalic dominance in Xenopus laevis
Summary: Investigation of auditory neural mechanisms in the South African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) indicates that auditory perception exhibits sexual dimorphism and left telencephalic advantage.
- Short-term cortisol exposure alters cardiac hypertrophic and non-hypertrophic signalling in a time-dependent manner in rainbow trout
Summary: Here we indicate that short-term cortisol exposure can induce cardiac hypertrophic and non-hypertrophic remodelling and that certain pro-hypertrophic effects of cortisol are time-dependent in rainbow trout.
- Daily changes in the electric behavior of weakly electric fish naturally persist in constant darkness and are socially synchronized
Summary: The nocturnal increase of electric behavior in Gymnotus omarorum is analyzed in the wild, in constant darkness and social isolation. This daily trait is independent of locomotor activity and modulated by social context.
- Characterization and in ovo vascularization of a 3D-printed hydroxyapatite scaffold with different extracellular matrix coatings under perfusion culture
Summary: Depending on the culture media, ECM coating of 3D-printed hydroxyapatite evokes different functional vascularization as assessed by CAM assay in ovo. ECM coating enhances vascularization compared to ECM-free hydroxyapatite.
METHODS & TECHNIQUES
- An in vivo translation-reporter system for the study of protein synthesis in zebrafish embryos
Summary: We describe a transgene-based method, SPoT, that reveals subcellular sites of protein synthesis in neurons of wholemount zebrafish embryos.
- Model-based serial blood sampling protocol for minimal mortality and better recovery in small to medium sized tilapia
Summary: A model-based repeated blood sampling protocol retained tolerable levels of anaemia, minimised mortality, assured recovery and made repeated blood sampling feasible in small to medium sized tilapia.
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.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the Editorial Office if you have any questions or concerns.
2020 at The Company of Biologists
Despite 2020’s challenges, we achieved a lot at The Company of Biologists. In the midst of the pandemic, we have seen long-term projects and new ventures come to fruition. Read our full lowdown of 2020.
Interview- Sebastian Markert
Sebastian Markert is first author of a paper in BiO using C. elegans to model amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In an interview, he talks about the potential implications of his work and his future plans.
Three communities to support biologists to everywhere
Online communities have never been more important. If you’re looking for somewhere to meet fellow scientists, take part in topical discussions and find virtual events in your field, take a look at each of our community sites:
- The Node: the community site for and by developmental biologists
- preLights: the preprint highlights service run by the biological community
- FocalPlane: the community site for microscopists and biologists alike