Development
- A long lost key opens an ancient lock: Drosophila Myb causes a synthetic multivulval phenotype in nematodes
Summary: Despite nematodes having lost their animal-type Myb proteins 500 million years ago, the Caenorhabditis elegans MuvB complex still functionally interacts with the Drosophila melanogaster Myb protein in vitro and in vivo.
- Abnormal expression of GABAA receptor subunits and hypomotility upon loss of gabra1 in zebrafish
Summary: By coupling human medical genetics and in vivo functional analysis we show that GABRA1 regulates motility and the expression of specific subunits of the GABAA receptor during zebrafish development.
- Loss of Crb2b-lf leads to anterior segment defects in old zebrafish
Summary: Loss of the apico-basal polarity regulator Crb2b-lf does not affect retinal development but leads to ocular anterior segment defects in old zebrafish.
- Larval mannitol diets increase mortality, prolong development and decrease adult body sizes in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster)
Summary: Mannitol, a sugar polyol, decreases body size and survival and prolongs development in larval Drosophila melanogaster. The timing of introduction during development affects the magnitude of mannitol's impact on larvae.
- Characteristics and function of a novel cystatin gene in the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
Summary: Bx-cpi-1, a variant of a type II cystatin gene, was abundantly expressed in the reproductive organs of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, and involved in the development and pathogenicity of B. xylophilus.
- Accuracy of fruit-fly eclosion rhythms evolves by strengthening circadian gating rather than developmental fine-tuning
Summary: Fruit fly populations that have evolved greater accuracy of eclosion rhythms show enhanced gating of their eclosion by circadian clocks but not reduced variation in clock-independent developmental processes.
- 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.
- Ubiquitin A-52 residue ribosomal protein fusion product 1 (Uba52) is essential for preimplantation embryo development
Summary: Ubiquitin A-52 residue ribosomal protein fusion product 1 (Uba52), a ubiquitin-ribosomal fusion gene, is a major source of ubiquitin protein for covalent modification of proteinaceous substrates recycled by ubiquitin-proteasome system. Using CRISPR/cas9 gene editing tool, we demonstrate that that Uba52 gene is essential in early embryogenesis in mammals.
- High-throughput live-imaging of embryos in microwell arrays using a modular specimen mounting system
Summary: This Methods & Techniques article describes a customizable device for mounting and live-imaging a wide range of tissues and species; complete design files and instructions for assembly are included.
- The teneurin C-terminal domain possesses nuclease activity and is apoptogenic
Summary: Teneurins are transmembrane proteins found in the developing nervous system that are related to bacterial toxins. Teneurins also have cytotoxic properties that may help regulate apoptosis or pruning.