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Serra Ongun, Angela Sarkisian and David McKemy show that localized co-injection of lidocaine derivative QX-314 and receptor agonists is able to block cold sensitivity in mice in a targeted way, with implications for treating cold pain associated with injury and disease.
Jocelyn Colella et al. report whole-genome sequences of 10 stoats (Mustela erminea) from four regions of glacial refugia. They find evidence for two past introgressive events between lineages that coincide with interglacial periods, a pattern that may extend to other high–latitude species.
Craig Albertson et al. report a study of the genetic basis of scale shape variation in cichlids from Lake Malawi. They find 40 QTL for scale development, most of which are specific to distinct body locations, and a role for Fgf signaling in shaping cichlid scales.
Shinya Sugimoto et al. demonstrate how molecular chaperone DnaK regulates biofilm formation through the production of curli, which anchor enteric bacteria to the biofilm. This finding provides mechanistic insights into the development of anti-biofilm agents as antibiotics.
Krishnarjuna et al. show that multiple transient interactions mediate monoclonal antibody recognition of an epitope within a disordered malaria antigen, MSP2. These results explain the antibody’s differential affinities for two allelic forms of the antigen.
Yichen Ding et al. identify a novel integrative and conjugative element that confers Pseudomonas aeruginosa with resistance to carbapenem, the last-resort drug for susceptable Gram-negative bacterial infections. This study also shows how antivirulence treatment for P. aeruginosainfections can be challenged by horizontal gene transfer.
Konstantinos Hatzikotoulas et al. report the largest genome-wide association study to date for developmental dysplasia of the hip using national clinical audit data from the UK. They find a significant association with the GDF5 locus and evidence for shared genetic architecture with hip osteoarthritis.
Yoshitaka Kamimura and colleagues combine live-imaging technology with microfluidics to examine chloroplast DNA organization in nucleoids. They find that these structures form a network structure in dividing chloroplasts, and propose a mechanism for their inheritance in organelle replication.
Gudjon Oskarsson et al. report the association of a rare variant in the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor gene, EPOR, with serum EPO levels in the Icelandic population. The variant leads to a truncation of EPO-R without an effect on hemoglobin levels, indicating a possible feedback mechanism in the generation of red blood cells.
Jun Zhao, Evan S. Krystofiak, and colleagues identified a new cis interface (Cis-1) essential for the formation of normal tight junctions. This study suggests that Cis-1 contributes to maintaining structural flexibility of tight junction strands for proper ion balance and hearing.
Nicholas Perkons et al. investigate the mechanism by which electrolytic ablation induces cell death in the localized treatment of tumors. They find that electrolytic ablation alters the pH buffering capacity of the tumor microenvironment to induce cellular necrosis.
Rowan Whittle et al. present fossil evidence of new isocrinid (sea lily) species from Antarctica and Australia. They show that isocrinid migration from shallow to deep water occurred at different times across the globe, spanning the Cretaceous-Paleogene to the Eocene/Oligocene.
Through a MicroED structure of NaK ion channel, Shian Liu and Tamir Gonen identify a process of dilation coupled with Na+ movement, providing mechanistic insights into ion conduction and gating. This study lays the ground work for future studies using MicroED in membrane protein biophysics.
Chad Smith et al. show that dietary polyphenols, compounds found in grapes, enable mice to remember fearful events more effectively and map this function to the hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons. This study offers a way to identify the cellular subpopulations regulated by dietary polyphenols.
Sk. Kayum Alam et al. show that DARPP-32 isoforms, mediators of dopamine signaling, promote lung tumor growth through non-canonical NF-κB signaling. This study suggests a possibility of using DARPP-32 isoforms as a prognostic marker for lung cancer.
Elizabeth Egan and colleagues demonstrate that host ATP binding cassette transporter ABCB6, which encodes the Langereis blood group antigen, promotes erythrocyte invasion by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This study suggests that asymptomatic Langereis null individuals may be better protected from malaria.
Annamaria Mocciaro et al. present LACIS, a method for identifying and selecting gene-edited clones using a microfluidic device. The authors apply LACIS to primary T cells after CRISPR-Cas9 editing of CXCR4 and show that selection of edited clones was possible within 10 days from initiation of gene editing.
Lisa Lindström et al. find that the gamma-tubulin cellular network is required to maintain mitochondrial function and organization in the cell. Knockdown of gamma-tubulin or loss of its GTPase domain disrupts the mitochondrial network and alters respiratory capacity and expression of mitochondrial genes.
Thibault Viennet and colleagues gain structural insight into amyloid fibril formation from their innovative use of lipid bilayer nanodiscs. This study connects α-Synuclein membrane binding modes to its aggregation properties, furthering our understanding of the cause of neurodegerative diseases.
Emma Clifton et al. report a genome-wide association study of risk taking propensity amongst UK Biobank participants. They identify 26 loci, 24 of which are novel, and use Mendelian randomisation analysis to explore the relationship between risk-taking propensity and BMI.