Stress

Carianopol et al. construct a detailed protein interaction network for the SnRK1 kinase complex to investigate the interaction of SnRK1 and ABA during stress response. They identify 125 proteins that interact with SnRK1, which can be used further to characterise the role of SnRK1 in plant survival under stress.

Compressive stress is associated with tumour progression. Using an in vitro assay, Kim et al now find that compression induces glycolysis-related genes in cancer-associated fibroblasts. They also show that expression of PFKFB3 correlates with EMT- and angiogenesis-related genes in breast cancer tissue.

Ikeda et al. report that enteropathogen E. albertii, thought to be a non-motile microorganism, may form flagella and acquire swimming motility in a hypoosmotic environment and ambient temperatures. Further addition of glutamic acid, an amino acid known to regulate the internal cell osmolarity, augments the proportion of swimming cells.

Shuai Shao, Xiaoling Liao et al. present a new FRET biosensor for measuring the spatio-temporal activation of RhoGDIα upon binding Rho GTPases. They find that dissociation of the RhoGDIα-Rho GTPase complex is increased by shear stress and varies with subcellular location.

Using microfluidic systems, Michalaki et al show that lymphatic endothelial cells exposed to wall shear stress orient in the direction perpendicular to flow and show increased nuclear FOXC2 levels in a manner dependent on E-selectin, a transmembrane adhesion protein. These data provide insights into how lymphatic vessels respond to local flow-mediated mechanical cues.

Kenji Miura et al. investigate the role of the plant homeodomain (PHD) finger of the Arabidopsis SIZ1 protein. They show that the PHD finger is involved in hormone response and temperature sensitivity, and plays an important role in H3K4 methylation, thereby affecting recognition of histone code and transcriptional suppression.

Alborz Mazloomian et al. use small molecule inhibitors to disrupt EIF4A3’s ATPase and helicase function which affects alternative splicing and nonsense mediated decay of transcripts. They define a genome-wide pattern of motifs of RNA-binding proteins associated with EIF4A3 and find that stress granules are downregulated upon EIF4A3 inhibition.

Genki Kawamura et al. demonstrate that cells are protected against UV stress through cooperative interactions among circadian clock, heat shock response, and a tumor suppression mechanism. This study reports another protective role of circadian clock as an adaptation strategy against cellular stress.

Yu Liu, Zhiwei Xie et al. show that nucleoid-associated protein NapM enhances the survival of M. tuberculosis in macrophages under stress by inhibiting DNA synthesis as a DnaA antagonist. This study suggests NapM as a potential drug target for tuberculosis control.

Giuseppe Antonacci et al. present a method for non-contact and label-free imaging using Brillouin microscopy to examine intracellular biomechanics at the sub-micron level. They use this approach in an analysis of stress granules containing ALS-related FUS protein mutants.

Bart Rymen et al. looked at the correlation between histone modifications and gene expression at early time points after wounding. They show that histone acetylation rapidly marks a number of genes, including wound-inducible reprogramming genes.

Diankun Yu et al. show that deacetylase SIRT1 rapidly modulates synaptic properties of the dentate gyrus granule cells and anxiety behaviors through deacetylation of BK channel α subunits. This study provides mechanistic insight into how SIRT1 regulates fight-or-flight stress response.

Weizman and Levy look at chromatin dynamics and gene expression in the cnidarian-dinoflagellate model Exaiptasia pallida in response to thermal stress. They found 1309 genomic sites whose accessibility changes in response to thermal stress and symbiotic state, many of which are associated with immunological pathways.

Maillot et al. demonstrate that the environmental bacterium Shewanella oneidensis possesses a previously uncharacterized J‐ domain protein, AtcJ and that its interaction with the target protein AtcC is important for this bacterial adaptation to the cold. This study identifies a protein network that allows bacteria to survive cold stress.

Hulda R. Jonsdottir et al. examine the effects of non-volatile particulate matter from an aircraft turbine to cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells. They find that short-term exposures to exhaust particles cause cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and immune infiltration, highlighting the need for further study into the effects of jet fuel-derived pollution.

Sasha Tetu et al. have examined the effects of plastic leachate exposure on the marine bacteria Prochlorococcus, the most abundant photosynthetic organism on Earth. They find plastic leachates impair growth, photosynthetic capacity and cause global changes in transcription.

Qiushi Liu et al. study gene expression profiles of honey bees and a known honey bee-trypanosomatid parasite. They show that during infection both the host and the parasite modify their gene expression profiles, shedding light into the host–parasite interactions of infected bees.

Andrew Tilker, Jesse F. Abrams et al. assessed habitat degradation and hunting on tropical terrestrial mammals and birds in Southeast Asia. They find higher levels of functional extinction and consistently lower animal occupancy in hunted sites, suggesting that indiscriminate hunting is a more immediate threat for tropical animal communities.

Nadja Brun et al. examine the link between a polystyrene nanoplastic-induced distortion of energy metabolism and behavioural changes in zebrafish. They show that exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics results in the disruption of glucose homoeostasis with an increase in cortisol secretion, and hyperactivity.

Clare McCormack et al. explore the way in which breeding site fragmentation affects the fine-scale dynamics of mosquito populations. They show that fragmentation can lead to a reduction in population size when densities are low, with population persistence relying on adult dispersal.

Yuri Kono et al. show that drought-induced tree death is caused by initial hydraulic failure followed by carbon starvation. They find that the loss of the carbon sink-source balance in stem bases due to phloem transport failure is the key factor governing wilting, providing insight to developing adaptive measures to prevent forest die-offs under global warming conditions.

Sarah Benhaiem et al. present a model of demographic responses by the spotted hyena to an epidemic of canine distemper virus in 1993–1994.They find that recovery from the outbreak was slow despite initial moderate mortality, and that high-ranking females sped up recovery by increasing the ecological resistance of the population.

Sharon Wismer et al. report the effects of coral loss on the Great Barrier Reef on coral-dependent fish populations. They show that despite huge losses in coral cover, both adult and young fishes persisted by using a range of alternative reef habitats.