REVIEW
- Uncharted routes: exploring the relevance of auxin movement via plasmodesmata
Summary: The review discusses the occurrence and biological relevance of auxin transport via plasmodesmata in plants. Physical modes of transport of this hormone, feedbacks on its movement and evolutionary aspects are included.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- RhoGAP RGA-8 supports morphogenesis in C. elegans by polarizing epithelia
Summary: RGA-8, a protein with membrane binding and actin regulatory motifs, promotes embryonic morphogenesis by localizing active CDC-42 in developing epithelia, and controlling actin and actin motors during cell movements.
- Antibiotics in hives and their effects on honey bee physiology and behavioral development
Summary: Antibiotic treatments in bee colonies cause an increase or decrease in rate of behavioral development and lipid stores of workers, affecting fat body–interaction, likely through effects on microbiota.
- The role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in promoting benign prostatic hyperplasia epithelial cell growth by modulating COX-2 and P53 signaling
Summary: This study found high levels of MIF expression in BPH epithelium. MIF promoted BPH epithelial cell growth and participated in the progression of BPH by regulating COX-2 and P53 signaling
- Targeted inhibition of GRP78 by HA15 promotes apoptosis of lung cancer cells accompanied by ER stress and autophagy
Summary: GRP78 is highly expressed in the lung cancer tissue, and targeted inhibition of GRP78 by HA15 promotes apoptosis of lung cancer cells accompanied by endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy.
- Influence of maternal diet on offspring survivorship, growth, and reproduction in a sheetweb spider
Summary: A single meal immediately before oviposition is sufficient to influence offspring survival, growth, and daughters' reproduction in the sheetweb spider Hylyphantes graminicola.
- Royal jelly attenuates metabolic defects in a Drosophila mutant with elevated TORC1 activity
Summary: Royal jelly (RJ) modulates the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and some metabolic defects that associated with hyper TORC1 activity in a Drosophila model.
- Squids use multiple escape jet patterns throughout ontogeny
Summary: In this study, we examine the hydrodynamics and kinematics of escape jets in squids throughout ontogeny using 2D/3D velocimetry and high-speed videography.
- Amyloid-beta peptide and phosphorylated tau in the frontopolar cerebral cortex and in the cerebellum of toothed whales: aging versus hypoxia
Summary: Immunohistochemical analysis showed positive immunolabeling for amyloid-beta peptide and phosphorylated tau in the cerebral and cerebellar cortex of toothed whales. These findings could be linked to hypoxic phenomena.
METHODS & TECHNIQUES
- Fiji plugin for annotating movies with custom arrows
Summary: We present a user-friendly Fiji plugin to annotate movies with custom arrows, thereby providing biologists with no coding experience an easy tool to highlight dynamic processes in their movies.
- Assessing methods to quantitatively validate TGFβ-dependent autophagy
Summary: Using various tools including western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy, it was observed that autophagic flux probes are the most robust tools to quantitatively assess cellular autophagy.
- Efficient and crucial quality control of HAP1 cell ploidy status
Summary: Sharing an effective procedure to quality control the near-haploid HAP1 cells for standardized comparison to CRISPR/Cas9 modified versions and demonstrating the need for controlling the spontaneous diploidization of HAP1 cultures.
- Progressive tracking: a novel procedure to facilitate manual digitization of videos
Summary: Progressive tracking is a novel procedure for manual point digitization in markerless videos. It allows for tracking points efficiently without the need to click all individual frames.
- Inducible modulation of miR-204 levels in a zebrafish melanoma model
Summary: Sarti et al. describe miniCoopR-I inducible vectors, a refined tool to study the impact exerted by pigmentation on melanogenesis (during embryonic development) versus melanomagenesis (in adult zebrafish).
- An improved whole life cycle culture protocol for the hydrozoan genetic model Clytia hemisphaerica
Summary: We developed a reliable whole life cycle culture method for the hydrozoan jellyfish Clytia hemisphaerica, a model animal for genetics and developmental biology.
FIRST PERSON
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