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James Dai et al. report the first whole-genome sequencing study of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in Chinese patients. They find distinct genomic alterations and signatures compared to EAC in patients from Western countries.
Shi Yu et al. show that the dynamics of fluorescently labeled DNA loci and cytoplasmic particles in E. coli respond differently to mechanical compression of the cell. These results suggest DNA elasticity is more important for determining the diffusivity of DNA loci in response to mechanical force than is cytoplasmic viscoelasticity.
Philip Miller et al. present an approach for extracting dermal interstitial fluid (ISF) using an array of hollow microneedles in a cylindrical substrate that minimizes skin compression and tissue damage. They extract larger volumes of ISF suitable for downstream analyses, compared to previous reports.
Kun Wang et al. present a genomic analysis identifying incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization in the mitochondrial DNA of the European bison (wisent). They find that incomplete lineage sorting is the most feasible explanation for the phylogenetic heterogeneity observed in Bovidae.
Marina Shenkman et al. show that the ERAD mannosidases EDEM1 and EDEM2 have bona fide mannosidase activity in vitro. The activity of these enzymes is substantially faster when their glycoprotein substrates are in the unfolded state, suggesting a mechanism for efficient ERAD targeting of unfolded or misfolded glycoproteins.
Dipali Mhaindarkar et al. examine the functional effects of a salt bridge loss in the active site of glycosyl hydrolase Bg1M-G1, found in the metagenome of a seasonally cold marine habitat. They show that the catalytic efficiency is overall higher with the lost salt bridge, trading off with lower thermal stability.
Tim Koopmans and Yuval Rinkevich review recent findings linking the mesothelium’s embryonic programs that drive epithelial-to-mesenchyme transition with adult pathologies, such as fibrosis, acute scarring, and cancer metastasis. They highlight new avenues for drug development that would target pathways of the mesothelium’s mesenchymal transition.
Omar Cornejo et al. report a genomic analysis of 200 cacao plants (Theobroma cacao L.) representing more than 10 genetically distinct populations. They identify metabolic and disease resistance genes as contributing to the domestication of cacao and show that domesticated populations maintain a high proportion of deleterious mutations.
Catherine Colas des Francs-Small et al. used an engineered pentatricopeptide repeat protein to induce cleavage of nad6 mRNA in the mitochondria of Arabidopsis thaliana, eliminating its expression. The approach has potential for use in functional characterization of mitochondrial genes and future agricultural applications.
Ragothaman Yennamalli is an Assistant Professor at Jaypee University of Information Technology in Waknaghat, India, where he uses computational tools to study protein structure and function. In this installment of our Q&A series with early-career researchers, Ragothaman tells us about his journey from microbiology to computational biology and the inspiration and challenges he experienced along the way.
Ritsuko Takada et al. show that Wnt3a assembles into high molecular weight complexes that restrict the diffusion of Wnt within Xenopus embryos. These results suggest that Wnt diffusion in cells is controlled by a balance between higher order complex assembly and dissociation by Wnt-binding proteins.
Simone de Jong et al. examine the balance of common and rare risk for psychiatric disorders in a large family with high incidence of Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. They find that increased polygenic risk over generations could be partially due to assortative mating, which may explain the observation of anticipation in mood disorders.
Stefan Reuscher et al. assembled the genome of an African wild rice species to facilitate breeding efforts and functional genomic studies. They used SMRT sequencing, chromosomal synteny between rice species, and a linkage map to assemble the 351 Mb genome into 12 chromosomes.
Luba Perry et al. report transplantation of engineered prevascularized human muscle into mice to repair an abdominal muscle defect. They show that genetically engineering smooth muscle cells to secrete VEGF and endothelial cells to secrete ANGPT1 significantly improves host neovascularization and myogenesis.
Roy et al. showed that activation of parvocellular pre-autonomic oxytocin neurons increased sympathetic nerve activity following myocardial infarction. This and other aberrant physiological changes induced by acute myocardial infarction were decreased by oxytocin receptor antagonists, hinting to their potential therapeutic role.
Hamid Noori et al. show that ethanol reduces muscle fatigue through its interaction with a negatively charged residue on the extracellular side of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. This work provides molecular insights on the ethanol effects on the peripheral nervous system.
Camacho et al. show detection of non-aggregated and aggregated α-synuclein in brain tissue from a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease using 2-dimensional polarization imaging. This fluorescence imaging method will allow for early detection of pathogenic α-synuclein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative illnesses.
Isakson et al. report a genetically engineered minipig model of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) that exhibits clinical hallmarks of the disease, including neurofibromas and optic pathway glioma. This model may expedite the development of imaging methods, biomarkers, and therapies for NF1 patients.
Sato et al. show that pinopsin, an extraocular opsin, is also expressed in a subpopulation of retinal photoreceptor cells in lower vertebrates. Its retinal expression coupled to its low thermal isomerization rate suggests that pinopsin can function as a visual pigment and provides some insights into the evolution of scotopic vision in vertebrates.
Anne Strigli et al. report that the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv7.1 undergoes caspase-mediated proteolytic cleavage, which reduces its cardiac activity. Their findings implicate caspases as regulators of the IKs channel complex, which may have implications for understanding drug-induced cardiotoxicity.