<rdf:RDF xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:prism="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/prism/" xmlns:taxo="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/taxonomy/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:syn="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">
<channel rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org">
<admin:errorReportsTo rdf:resource="mailto:biorxiv@cshlpress.edu"/>
<title>bioRxiv Channel: Michigan State University</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org</link>
<description>
This feed contains articles for bioRxiv Channel "Michigan State University"
</description>

<items>
<rdf:Seq>
</rdf:Seq>
</items>
<prism:eIssn/>
<prism:publicationName>bioRxiv</prism:publicationName>
<prism:issn/>

<image rdf:resource=""/>
</channel>
<image rdf:about="">
<title>bioRxiv</title>
<url/>
<link>https://biorxiv.org</link>
</image>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.29.501749v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PML and PML-like exonucleases restrict retrotransposons in jawed vertebrates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.29.501749v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We have uncovered a novel role for the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) gene and novel PML-like DEDDh exonucleases in the maintenance of genome stability through the restriction of LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposition in jawed vertebrates. Although the PML tumour suppressor protein in mammals is SUMOylated and forms nuclear bodies, we found that the spotted gar PML ortholog and related proteins in fish are not SUMOylated and function as cytoplasmic DEDDh exonucleases. In contrast, more closely related avian and turtle PML proteins are predicted to be SUMOylated and localized both to the cytoplasm and to nuclear bodies. We also identified PML-like exon 9 (Plex9) genes in teleost fishes that encode exonucleases sharing homology to gar PML. In an example of convergent evolution and akin to TREX1, gar PML and zebrafish Plex9 proteins suppressed L1 retrotransposition and could complement TREX1 knockout in mammalian cells. We also characterized the first non-mammalian TREX1 homologs in axolotl. Following export to the cytoplasm, the human PML-I isoform also restricted L1 through its conserved C-terminus and suppressed CGAS activation. Thus, PML first emerged as a cytoplasmic suppressor of retroelements, and this function is retained in amniotes despite its role in the assembly of nuclear bodies and the acquisition of SUMO-modification.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mathavarajah, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vergunst, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maliougina, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Habib, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salsman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roy, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roger, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Langelaan, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dellaire, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.29.501749</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PML and PML-like exonucleases restrict retrotransposons in jawed vertebrates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.29.501847v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The impact of primary colonizers on the community composition of river biofilm 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.29.501847v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As a strategy for minimizing microbial infections in fish hatcheries, we have investigated how putatively probiotic bacterial populations influence biofilm formation on the surface of eggs. All surfaces that are exposed to the aquatic milieu develop a microbial community through the selective assembly of microbial populations into a surface-adhering biofilm. In the investigations reported herein, we describe laboratory experiments designed to determine how initial colonization of a surface by nonpathogenic isolates from sturgeon eggs influence the subsequent assembly of populations into the existing biofilm from a pelagic river community. All eight of the tested strains altered the assembly of river biofilm in a strain-specific manner. Previously formed isolate biofilm was challenged with natural river populations and after 24 hours, two strains and two isolate combinations proved highly resistant to invasion, comprising at least 80% of the biofilm community, four isolates were intermediate in resistance with at least 45% of the biofilm community and two isolates were reduced to 4% of the biofilm community. Founding biofilms of Serratia sp, and combinations of Brevundimonas sp.-Hydrogenophaga sp. and Brevundimonas sp.-Acidovorax sp. specifically blocked populations of Aeromonas and Flavobacterium, potential fish pathogens, from colonizing the biofilm. In addition, all isolate biofilms were effective at blocking invading populations of Arcobacter. Several strains, notably Deinococcus sp., recruited specific river populations into the biofilm. The experiments suggest that relatively simple measures can be used to control the assembly of biofilm on the eggs surface and perhaps offer protection from pathogens. In addition, the methodology provides a relatively rapid way to detect potentially strong ecological interactions between bacterial populations in the formation of biofilms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Angoshtari, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scribner, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marsh, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.29.501847</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The impact of primary colonizers on the community composition of river biofilm]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.29.502051v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Yield Prediction Through Integration of Genetic, Environment, and Management Data Through Deep Learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.29.502051v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Accurate prediction of the phenotypic outcomes produced by different combinations of genotypes, environments, and management interventions remains a key goal in biology with direct applications to agriculture, research, and conservation. The past decades have seen an expansion of new methods applied towards this goal. Here we predict maize yield using deep neural networks, compare the efficacy of two model development methods, and contextualize model performance using linear models, which are the conventional method for this task, and machine learning models We examine the usefulness of incorporating interactions between disparate data types. We find a deep learning model with interactions has the best average performance. Optimizing submodules for each datatype improved model performance relative to optimizing the whole model for all data types at once. Examining the effect of interactions in the best performing model revealed that including interactions altered the models sensitivity to weather and management features, including a reduction of the importance scores for timepoints expected to have limited physiological basis for influencing yield - those at the extreme end of the season, nearly 200 days post planting. Based on these results, deep learning provides a promising avenue for phenotypic prediction of complex traits in complex environments and a potential mechanism to better understand the influence of environmental and genetic factors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kick, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallace, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kolkman, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alaca, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beissinger, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ertl, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flint-Garcia, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gage, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knoll, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Leon, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lima, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moreta, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weldekidan, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Washburn, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.29.502051</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Yield Prediction Through Integration of Genetic, Environment, and Management Data Through Deep Learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/000265v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A genome wide dosage suppressor network reveals genetic robustness and a novel mechanism for Huntington&amp;#146;s disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/000265v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mutational robustness is the extent to which an organism has evolved to withstand the effects of deleterious mutations. We explored the extent of mutational robustness in the budding yeast by genome wide dosage suppressor analysis of 53 conditional lethal mutations in cell division cycle and RNA synthesis related genes, revealing 660 suppressor interactions of which 642 are novel. This collection has several distinctive features, including high co-occurrence of mutant-suppressor pairs within protein modules, highly correlated functions between the pairs, and higher diversity of functions among the co-suppressors than previously observed. Dosage suppression of essential genes encoding RNA polymerase subunits and chromosome cohesion complex suggest a surprising degree of functional plasticity of macromolecular complexes and the existence of degenerate pathways for circumventing potentially lethal mutations. The utility of dosage-suppressor networks is illustrated by the discovery of a novel connection between chromosome cohesion-condensation pathways involving homologous recombination, and Huntingtons disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Biranchi Patra</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoshiko Kon</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gitanjali Yadav</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anthony Sevold</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jesse P Frumkin</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravishankar R Vallabhajosyula</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arend Hintze</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bjørn Østman</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jory Schossau</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashish Bhan</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruz Marzolf</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenna K Tamashiro</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amardeep Kaur</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nitin S Baliga</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elizabeth J Grayhack</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christoph Adami</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>David J Galas</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alpan Raval</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eric M Phizicky</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Animesh Ray</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2013-11-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/000265</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A genome wide dosage suppressor network reveals genetic robustness and a novel mechanism for Huntington&amp;#146;s disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2013-11-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/000349v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Filling up the tree: considering the self-organization of avian roosting behavior 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/000349v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In this paper, models for understanding bird roosting will be considered for purposes of developing better Artificial Life models of complex behavior. Roosting involves multiple flocks of birds picking a single tree limb to rest on for the night, and can be considered an iterative, time-dependent process that unfolds over a 45-minute interval roughly corresponding to twilight. Two models will be used to better understand the main components of this behavior. The constrained dynamics model, which represents continuous random absorption on a one-dimensional lattice, will be used to characterize the dynamics of crowding in the tree structure over time. A second approach involves the relationships between complex networks and roosting behaviors, in particular the evolution of structured networks via rules of incorporation and interaction. Finally, the percolation model will be proposed as a way to bridge behaviors explained by the constrained dynamics and complex network models.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bradly J Alicea</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2013-11-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/000349</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Filling up the tree: considering the self-organization of avian roosting behavior]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2013-11-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/002493v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The roles of standing genetic variation and evolutionary history in determining the evolvability of anti-predator strategies 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/002493v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Standing genetic variation and the historical environment in which that variation arises (evolutionary history) are both potentially significant determinants of a populations capacity for evolutionary response to a changing environment. We evaluated the relative importance of these two factors in influencing the evolutionary trajectories in the face of sudden environmental change. We used the open-ended digital evolution software Avida to examine how historic exposure to predation pressures, different levels of genetic variation, and combinations of the two, impact anti-predator strategies and competitive abilities evolved in the face of threats from new, invasive, predator populations. We show that while standing genetic variation plays some role in determining evolutionary responses, evolutionary history has the greater influence on a populations capacity to evolve effective anti-predator traits. This adaptability likely reflects the relative ease of repurposing existing, relevant genes and traits, and the broader potential value of the generation and maintenance of adaptively flexible traits in evolving populations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jordan Fish</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daniel R O'Donnell</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abhijna Parigi</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ian Dworkin</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aaron P Wagner</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2014-02-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/002493</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The roles of standing genetic variation and evolutionary history in determining the evolvability of anti-predator strategies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2014-02-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/002683v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolutionary rates for multivariate traits: the role of selection and genetic variation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/002683v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A fundamental question in evolutionary biology is the relative importance of selection and genetic architecture in determining evolutionary rates. Adaptive evolution can be described by the multivariate breeders equation [Formula], which predicts evolutionary change for a suite of phenotypic traits [Formula] as a product of directional selection acting on them ({beta}) and the genetic variance-covariance matrix for those traits (G). Despite being empirically challenging to estimate, there are enough published estimates of G and {beta} to allow for synthesis of general patterns across species. We use published estimates to test the hypotheses that there are systematic differences in the rate of evolution among trait types, and that these differences are in part due to genetic architecture. We find evidence some evidence that sexually selected traits exhibit faster rates of evolution compared to life-history or morphological traits. This difference does not appear to be related to stronger selection on sexually selected traits. Using numerous proposed approaches to quantifying the shape, size and structure of G we examine how these parameters relate to one another, and how they vary among taxonomic and trait groupings. Despite considerable variation, they do not explain the observed differences in evolutionary rates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>William Pitchers</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jason B. Wolf</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tom Tregenza</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>John Hunt</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ian Dworkin</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2014-02-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/002683</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolutionary rates for multivariate traits: the role of selection and genetic variation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2014-02-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/005322v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adaptation to a novel predator in Drosophila melanogaster: How well are we able to predict evolutionary responses? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/005322v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Evolutionary theory is sufficiently well developed to allow for short-term prediction of evolutionary trajectories. In addition to the presence of heritable variation, prediction requires knowledge of the form of natural selection on relevant traits. While many studies estimate the form of natural selection, few examine the degree to which traits evolve in the predicted direction. In this study we examine the form of natural selection imposed by mantid predation on wing size and shape in the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster. We then evolve populations of D. melanogaster under predation pressure, and examine the extent to which wing size and shape have responded in the predicted direction. We demonstrate that wing form partially evolves along the predicted vector from selection, more so than for control lineages. Furthermore, we re-examined phenotypic selection after [~]30 generations of experimental evolution. We observed that the magnitude of selection on wing size and shape was diminished in populations evolving with mantid predators, while the direction of the selection vector differed from that of the ancestral population for shape. We discuss these findings in the context of the predictability of evolutionary responses, and the need for fully multivariate approaches.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Michael DeNieu</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>William Pitchers</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ian Dworkin</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2014-05-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/005322</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adaptation to a novel predator in Drosophila melanogaster: How well are we able to predict evolutionary responses?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2014-05-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/005793v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
How the tortoise beats the hare: Slow and steady adaptation in structured populations suggests a rugged fitness landscape in bacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/005793v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AbstractIn the context of Wrights adaptive landscape, genetic epistasis can yield a multipeaked or "rugged" topography. In an unstructured population, a lineage with selective access to multiple peaks is expected to rapidly fix on one, which may not be the highest peak. Contrarily, beneficial mutations in a population with spatially restricted migration take longer to fix, allowing distant parts of the population to explore the landscape semi-independently. Such a population can simultaneous discover multiple peaks and the genotype at the highest discovered peak is expected to fix eventually. Thus, structured populations sacrifice initial speed of adaptation for breadth of search. As in the Tortoise-Hare fable, the structured population (Tortoise) starts relatively slow, but eventually surpasses the unstructured population (Hare) in average fitness. In contrast, on single-peak landscapes (e.g., systems lacking epistasis), all uphill paths converge. Given such "smooth" topography, breadth of search is devalued, and a structured population only lags behind an unstructured population in average fitness (ultimately converging). Thus, the Tortoise-Hare pattern is an indicator of ruggedness. After verifying these predictions in simulated populations where ruggedness is manipulable, we then explore average fitness in metapopulations of Escherichia coli. Consistent with a rugged landscape topography, we find a Tortoise-Hare pattern. Further, we find that structured populations accumulate more mutations, suggesting that distant peaks are higher. This approach can be used to unveil landscape topography in other systems, and we discuss its application for antibiotic resistance, engineering problems, and elements of Wrights Shifting Balance Process.nnSignificance StatementAdaptive landscapes are a way of describing how mutations interact with each other to produce fitness. If an adaptive landscape is rugged, organisms achieve higher fitness with more difficulty because the mutations to reach high fitness genotypes may not be always beneficial. By evolving populations of Escherichia coli with different degrees of spatial structure, we identified a Tortoise-Hare pattern, where structured populations were initially slower, but overtook less structured populations in mean fitness. These results, combined with genetic sequencing and computational simulation, indicate this bacterial adaptive landscape is rugged. Our findings address one of the most enduring questions in evolutionary biology, in addition to, providing insight into how evolution may influence medicine and engineering.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Joshua R. Nahum</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peter Godfrey-Smith</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brittany N. Harding</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joseph H. Marcus</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jared Carlson-Stevermer</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benjamin Kerr</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2014-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/005793</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[How the tortoise beats the hare: Slow and steady adaptation in structured populations suggests a rugged fitness landscape in bacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2014-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/010330v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
How predator hunting-modes affect prey behaviour: Capture deterrence in Drosophila melanogaster 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/010330v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hunting mode, the distinct set of behavioural strategies that a predator employs while hunting, can be an important determinant of the prey organisms behavioural response. However, few studies have considered how a predators hunting mode influences anti-predatory behaviours of a prey species. Here we document the influence of active hunters (zebra jumping spiders, Salticus scenicus) and ambush predators (Chinese praying mantids, Tenodera aridifolia sinensis) on the capture deterrence anti-predatory behavioural repertoire of the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. We hypothesized that D. melanogaster would reduce overall locomotory activity in the presence of ambush predators, and increase activity with active hunters. First we observed and described the behavioural repertoire of D. melanogaster in the presence of the predators. We documented three previously undescribed behaviours-abdominal lifting, stopping and retreat-which were performed at higher frequency by D. melanogaster in the presence of predators, and may aid in capture deterrence. Consistent with our predictions, we observed an increase in the overall activity of D. melanogaster in the presence of jumping spiders (active hunter). However, counter to our prediction, mantids (ambush hunter) had only a modest influence on activity. We also observed considerable intra and inter-individual variation in response to both predator types. Given these new insights into Drosophila behaviour, and with the genetic tools available, dissecting the molecular mechanisms of anti-predator behaviours may now be feasible in this system.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Abhijna Parigi</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cody Porter</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Megan Cermak</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>William R. Pitchers</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ian Dworkin</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2014-10-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/010330</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[How predator hunting-modes affect prey behaviour: Capture deterrence in Drosophila melanogaster]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2014-10-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/011684v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adaptation to larval crowding in Drosophila ananassae and Drosophila nasuta nasuta: increased larval competitive ability without increased larval feeding rate 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/011684v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The standard view of adaptation to larval crowding in fruitflies, built on results from 25 years of multiple experimental evolution studies on D. melanogaster, is that enhanced competitive ability evolves primarily through increased larval feeding and foraging rate, at the cost of efficiency of food conversion to biomass, and increased larval tolerance to nitrogenous wastes. These results, moreover, were at odds from the predictions of classical K-selection theory, notably the expectation that selection at high density should result in the increase of efficiency of conversion of food to biomass, and were better interpreted through the lens of -selection. We show here that populations of D. ananassae and D. n. nasuta subjected to extreme larval crowding evolve greater competitive ability and pre-adult survivorship at high density primarily through a combination of reduced larval duration, faster attainment of minimum critical size for pupation, greater time efficiency of food conversion to biomass, increased pupation height with a relatively small role of increased urea/ammonia tolerance, if at all. This is a very different suite of traits than that seen to evolve under similar selection in D. melanogaster and seems to be closer to the expectations from the canonical theory of K-selection. We discuss possible reasons for these differences in results across the three species. Overall, the results reinforce the view that our understanding of the evolution of competitive ability in fruitflies needs to be more nuanced than before, with an appreciation that there may be multiple evolutionary routes through which higher competitive ability can be attained.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Archana Nagarajan</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharmila Bharathi Natarajan</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mohan Jayaram</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ananda Thammanna</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sudarshan Chari</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joy Bose</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shreyas V. Jois</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amitabh Joshi</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2014-11-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/011684</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adaptation to larval crowding in Drosophila ananassae and Drosophila nasuta nasuta: increased larval competitive ability without increased larval feeding rate]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2014-11-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/012260v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Synthesis of phylogeny and taxonomy into a comprehensive tree of life 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/012260v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Reconstructing the phylogenetic relationships that unite all lineages (the tree of life) is a grand challenge. The paucity of homologous character data across disparately related lineages currently renders direct phylogenetic inference untenable. To reconstruct a comprehensive tree of life we therefore synthesized published phylogenies, together with taxonomic classifications for taxa never incorporated into a phylogeny. We present a draft tree containing 2.3 million tips -- the Open Tree of Life. Realization of this tree required the assembly of two additional community resources: 1) a novel comprehensive global reference taxonomy; and 2) a database of published phylogenetic trees mapped to this taxonomy. Our open source framework facilitates community comment and contribution, enabling the tree to be continuously updated when new phylogenetic and taxonomic data become digitally available. While data coverage and phylogenetic conflict across the Open Tree of Life illuminate gaps in both the underlying data available for phylogenetic reconstruction and the publication of trees as digital objects, the tree provides a compelling starting point for community contribution. This comprehensive tree will fuel fundamental research on the nature of biological diversity, ultimately providing up-to-date phylogenies for downstream applications in comparative biology, ecology, conservation biology, climate change, agriculture, and genomics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cody Hinchliff</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stephen A Smith</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>James F Allman</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>J Gordon Burleigh</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruchi Chaudhary</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyndon M Cognill</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keith A Crandall</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiabin Deng</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryan T Drew</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romina Gazis</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karl Gude</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>David S Hibbett</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laura A Katz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>H Dail Laughinghouse IV</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emily Jane McTavish</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peter E. Midford</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christopher L Owen</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard Ree</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jonathan A Rees</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doug E Soltis</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiffani Williams</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karen Ann Cranston</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2014-12-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/012260</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Synthesis of phylogeny and taxonomy into a comprehensive tree of life]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2014-12-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/012807v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modeling and quantifying frequency-dependent fitness in microbial populations with cross-feeding interactions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/012807v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Coexistence of multiple populations by frequency-dependent selection is common in nature, and it often arises even in well-mixed experiments with microbes. If ecology is to be incorporated into models of population genetics, then it is important to represent accurately the functional form of frequency-dependent interactions. However, measuring this functional form is problematic for traditional fitness assays, which assume a constant fitness difference between competitors over the course of an assay. Here, we present a theoretical framework for measuring the functional form of frequency-dependent fitness by accounting for changes in abundance and relative fitness during a competition assay. Using two examples of ecological coexistence that arose in a long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli, we illustrate accurate quantification of the functional form of frequency-dependent relative fitness. Using a Monod-type model of growth dynamics, we show that two ecotypes in a typical cross-feeding interaction--such as when one bacterial population uses a byproduct generated by another--yields relative fitness that is linear with relative frequency.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Noah Ribeck</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E. Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2014-12-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/012807</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modeling and quantifying frequency-dependent fitness in microbial populations with cross-feeding interactions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2014-12-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/016121v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Comparison of Methods to Measure Fitness in Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/016121v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In order to characterize the dynamics of adaptation, it is important to be able to quantify how a populations mean fitness changes over time. Such measurements are especially important in experimental studies of evolution using microbes. The Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE) with Escherichia coli provides one such system in which mean fitness has been measured by competing derived and ancestral populations. The traditional method used to measure fitness in the LTEE and many similar experiments, though, is subject to a potential limitation. As the relative fitness of the two competitors diverges, the measurement error increases because the less-fit population becomes increasingly small and cannot be enumerated as precisely. Here, we present and employ two alternatives to the traditional method. One is based on reducing the fitness differential between the competitors by using a common reference competitor from an intermediate generation that has intermediate fitness; the other alternative increases the initial population size of the less-fit, ancestral competitor. We performed a total of 480 competitions to compare the statistical properties of estimates obtained using these alternative methods with those obtained using the traditional method for samples taken over 50,000 generations from one of the LTEE populations. On balance, neither alternative method yielded measurements that were more precise than the traditional method.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Michael J Wiser</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-03-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/016121</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Comparison of Methods to Measure Fitness in Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-03-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/017020v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adaptation, Clonal Interference, and Frequency-Dependent Interactions in a Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/017020v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Twelve replicate populations of Escherichia coli have been evolving in the laboratory for more than 25 years and 60,000 generations. We analyzed bacteria from whole-population samples frozen every 500 generations through 20,000 generations for one well-studied population, called Ara-1. By tracking 42 known mutations in these samples, we reconstructed the history of this populations genotypic evolution over this period. The evolutionary dynamics of Ara-1 show strong evidence of selective sweeps as well as clonal interference between competing lineages bearing different beneficial mutations. In some cases, sets of several mutations approached fixation simultaneously, often conveying no information about their order of origination; we present several possible explanations for the existence of these mutational cohorts. Against a backdrop of rapid selective sweeps both earlier and later, we found that two clades coexisted for over 6000 generations before one drove the other extinct. In that time, at least nine mutations arose in the clade that prevailed. We found evidence that the clades evolved a frequency-dependent interaction, which prevented the competitive exclusion of either clade, but which eventually collapsed as beneficial mutations accumulated in the clade that prevailed. Clonal interference and frequency dependence can occur even in the simplest microbial populations. Furthermore, frequency dependence may generate dynamics that extend the period of coexistence that would otherwise be sustained by clonal interference alone.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rohan Maddamsetti</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E. Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeffrey E. Barrick</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-03-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/017020</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adaptation, Clonal Interference, and Frequency-Dependent Interactions in a Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-03-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/017533v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phenotypic Covariation And Morphological Diversification In The Ruminant Skull 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/017533v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Differences among clades in their diversification patterns result from a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. In this study I examined the role of intrinsic factors in the morphological diversification of ruminants in general, and in the differences between bovids and cervids in particular. Using skull morphology, which embodies many of the adaptations that distinguish bovids and cervids, I examined 132 of the 200 extant ruminant species. As a proxy for intrinsic constraints I quantified different aspects of the phenotypic covariation structure within species, and compared them with the among-species divergence patterns, using phylogenetic comparative methods. My results show that for most species, divergence is well aligned with their phenotypic covariance matrix, and those that are better aligned have diverged further away from their ancestor. Bovids have dispersed into a wider range of directions in morphospace than cervids, and their overall disparity is higher. This difference is best explained by the lower eccentricity of bovids within-species covariance matrices. These results are consistent with the role of intrinsic constraints in determining amount, range, and direction of dispersion, and demonstrate that intrinsic constraints can influence macroevolutionary patterns even as the covariance structure evolves.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Annat Haber</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-04-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/017533</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phenotypic Covariation And Morphological Diversification In The Ruminant Skull]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-04-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/018606v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Selection for Intermediate Genotypes Enables a Key Innovation in Phage Lambda 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/018606v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The evolution of qualitatively new functions is fundamental for shaping the diversity of life. Such innovations are rare because they require multiple coordinated changes. We sought to understand the evolutionary processes involved in a particular key innovation, whereby phage {lambda} evolved the ability to exploit a novel receptor, OmpF, on the surface of Escherichia coli cells. Previous work has shown that this transition repeatedly evolves in the laboratory, despite requiring four mutations in specific regions of a single gene. Here we examine how this innovation evolved by studying six intermediate genotypes that arose during independent transitions to use OmpF. In particular, we tested whether these genotypes were favored by selection, and how a coevolved change in the hosts influenced the fitness of the phage genotypes. To do so, we measured the fitness of the intermediate types relative to the ancestral {lambda} when competing for either ancestral or coevolved host cells. All six intermediates had improved fitness on at least one host, and four had higher fitness on the coevolved host than on the ancestral host. These results show that the evolution of the phages new ability to use OmpF was repeatable because the intermediate genotypes were adaptive and, in many cases, because coevolution of the host favored their emergence.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Alita Burmeister</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Justin Meyer</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-04-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/018606</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Selection for Intermediate Genotypes Enables a Key Innovation in Phage Lambda]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-04-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/020958v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution and coexistence in response to a key innovation in a long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/020958v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Evolution of a novel function can greatly alter the effects of an organism on its environment. These environmental changes can, in turn, affect the further evolution of that organism and any coexisting organisms. We examine these effects and feedbacks following evolution of a novel function in the long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) with Escherichia coli. A characteristic feature of E. coli is its inability to consume citrate aerobically. However, that ability evolved in one of the LTEE populations. In this population, citrate-utilizing bacteria (Cit+) coexisted stably with another clade of bacteria that lacked the capacity to utilize citrate (Cit-). This coexistence was shaped by the evolution of a cross-feeding relationship in which Cit+ cells released the dicarboxylic acids succinate, fumarate, and malate into the medium, and Cit- cells evolved improved growth on these carbon sources, as did the Cit+ cells. Thus, the evolution of citrate consumption led to a flask-based ecosystem that went from a single limiting resource, glucose, to one with five resources either shared or partitioned between two coexisting clades. Our findings show how evolutionary novelties can change environmental conditions, thereby facilitating diversity and altering both the structure of an ecosystem and the evolutionary trajectories of coexisting organisms.nnEvolution does not produce novelties from scratch. It works on what already exists, either transforming a system to give it new functions or combining several systems to produce a more elaborate one.nn-Francois Jacob
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Caroline B. Turner</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zachary D. Blount</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daniel H. Mitchell</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E. Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/020958</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution and coexistence in response to a key innovation in a long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/021360v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of organismal stoichiometry in a 50,000-generation experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/021360v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Organismal stoichiometry refers to the relative proportion of chemical elements in the biomass of organisms, and it can have important effects on ecological interactions from population to ecosystem scales. Although stoichiometry has been studied extensively from an ecological perspective, little is known about rates and directions of evolutionary changes in elemental composition in response to nutrient limitation. We measured carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content of Escherichia coli evolved under controlled carbon-limited conditions for 50,000 generations. The bacteria evolved higher relative nitrogen and phosphorus content, consistent with selection for increased use of the more abundant elements. Total carbon assimilated also increased, indicating more efficient use of the limiting element. Altogether, our study shows that stoichiometry evolved over a relatively short time-period, and that it did so in a predictable direction given the carbon-limiting environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Caroline B. Turner</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brian D. Wade</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Justin R. Meyer</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E. Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-06-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/021360</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of organismal stoichiometry in a 50,000-generation experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-06-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/021915v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SPARTA: Simple Program for Automated reference-based bacterial RNA-seq Transcriptome Analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/021915v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
SummarySPARTA is a reference-based bacterial RNA-seq analysis workflow application for single-end Illumina reads. SPARTA is turnkey software that simplifies the process of analyzing RNA-seq data sets, making bacterial RNA-seq analysis a routine process that can be undertaken on a personal computer or in the classroom. The easy-to-install, complete workflow processes whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing data files by trimming reads and removing adapters, mapping reads to a reference, counting gene features, calculating differential gene expression, and, importantly, checking for potential batch effects within the data set. SPARTA outputs quality analysis reports, gene feature counts and differential gene expression tables and scatterplots. The workflow is implemented in Python for file management and sequential execution of each analysis step and is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, and Linux. To promote the use of SPARTA as a teaching platform, a web-based tutorial is available explaining how RNA-seq data are processed and analyzed by the software.nnAvailability and ImplementationTutorial and workflow can be found at sparta.readthedocs.org. Teaching materials are located at sparta-teaching.readthedocs.org. Source code can be downloaded at www.github.com/abramovitchMSU/, implemented in Python and supported on Mac OS X, Linux, and MS Windows.nnContactRobert B. Abramovitch (abramov5@msu.edu)nnSupplemental InformationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Benjamin K Johnson</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matthew B Scholz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tracy K Teal</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robert B Abramovitch</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-07-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/021915</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SPARTA: Simple Program for Automated reference-based bacterial RNA-seq Transcriptome Analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-07-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/022798v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Replaying Evolution to Test the Cause of Extinction of One Ecotype in an Experimentally Evolved Population 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/022798v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In a long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli, bacteria in one of twelve populations evolved the ability to consume citrate, a previously unexploited resource in a glucose-limited medium. This innovation led to the frequency-dependent coexistence of citrate-consuming (Cit+) and non-consuming (Cit-) ecotypes, with Cit- bacteria persisting on the exogenously supplied glucose as well as other carbon molecules released by the Cit+ bacteria. After more than 10,000 generations of coexistence, however, the Cit- lineage went extinct; cells with the Cit- phenotype dropped to levels below detection, and the Cit- clade could not be detected by molecular assays based on its unique genotype. We hypothesized that this extinction event was a deterministic outcome of evolutionary change within the population, specifically the appearance of a more-fit Cit+ ecotype that competitively excluded the Cit- ecotype. We tested this hypothesis by re-evolving the population from one frozen sample taken just prior to the extinction and from another sample taken several thousand generations earlier, in each case for 500 generations and with 20-fold replication. To our surprise, the Cit- type did not go extinct in any of these replays, and Cit- cells also persisted in a single replicate that was propagated for 3,000 generations. Even more unexpectedly, we showed that the Cit- ecotype could reinvade the Cit+ population after its extinction. Taken together, these results indicate that the extinction of the Cit- ecotype was not a deterministic outcome driven by competitive exclusion by the Cit+ ecotype. The extinction also cannot be explained by demographic stochasticity, as the population size of the Cit- ecotype should have been many thousands of cells even during the daily transfer events. Instead, we infer that the extinction must have been caused by a rare chance event in which some aspect of the experimental conditions was inadvertently perturbed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Caroline B. Turner</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zachary D. Blount</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E. Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-07-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/022798</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Replaying Evolution to Test the Cause of Extinction of One Ecotype in an Experimentally Evolved Population]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-07-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/022897v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Haplotype-phased synthetic long reads from short-read sequencing 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/022897v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Next-generation DNA sequencing has revolutionized the study of biology. However, the short read lengths of the dominant instruments complicate assembly of complex genomes and haplotype phasing of mixtures of similar sequences. Here we demonstrate a method to reconstruct the sequences of individual nucleic acid molecules up to 11.6 kilobases in length from short (150-bp) reads. We show that our method can construct 99.97%-accurate synthetic reads from bacterial, plant, and animal genomic samples, full-length mRNA sequences from human cancer cell lines, and individual HIV env gene variants from a mixture. The preparation of multiple samples can be multiplexed into a single tube, further reducing effort and cost relative to competing approaches. Our approach generates sequencing libraries in three days from less than one microgram of DNA in a single-tube format without custom equipment or specialized expertise.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>James A Stapleton</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeongwoon Kim</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>John P Hamilton</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ming Wu</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luiz C Irber</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rohan Maddamsetti</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryan Briney</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Linsey Newton</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dennis R Burton</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>C Titus Brown</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christina Chan</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>C Robin Buell</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Timothy A Whitehead</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-07-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/022897</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Haplotype-phased synthetic long reads from short-read sequencing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-07-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/023333v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dis-integrating the fly: A mutational perspective on phenotypic integration and covariation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/023333v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The structure of environmentally induced phenotypic covariation can influence the effective strength and magnitude of natural selection. Yet our understanding of the factors that contribute to and influence the evolutionary lability of such covariation is poor. Most studies have either examined environmental variation without accounting for covariation, or examined phenotypic and genetic covariation without distinguishing the environmental component. In this study we examined the effect of mutational perturbations on different properties of environmental covariation, as well as mean shape. We use strains of Drosophila melanogaster bearing well-characterized mutations known to influence wing shape, as well as naturally-derived strains, all reared under carefully-controlled conditions and with the same genetic background. We find that mean shape changes more freely than the covariance structure, and that different properties of the covariance matrix change independently from each other. The perturbations affect matrix orientation more than they affect matrix eccentricity or total variance. Yet, mutational effects on matrix orientation do not cluster according to the developmental pathway that they target. These results suggest that it might be useful to consider a more general concept of  decanalization, involving all aspects of variation and covariation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Annat Haber</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ian Dworkin</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-07-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/023333</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dis-integrating the fly: A mutational perspective on phenotypic integration and covariation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-07-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/023788v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Population genomic scans reveal novel genes underlie convergent flowering time evolution in the introduced range of Arabidopsis thaliana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/023788v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A long-standing question in evolutionary biology is whether the evolution of convergent phenotypes results from selection on the same heritable genetic components. Using whole genome sequencing and genome scans, we tested whether the evolution of parallel longitudinal flowering time clines in the native and introduced ranges of Arabidopsis thaliana has a similar genetic basis. We found that common variants of large effect on flowering time in the native range do not appear to have been under recent strong selection in the introduced range. Genes in regions of the genome that are under selection for flowering time are also not enriched for functions related to development or environmental sensing. We instead identified a set of 53 new candidate genes putatively linked to the evolution of flowering time in the species introduced range. A high degree of conditional neutrality of flowering time variants between the native and introduced range may preclude parallel evolution at the level of genes. Overall, neither gene pleiotropy nor available standing genetic variation appears to have restricted the evolution of flowering time in the introduced range to high frequency variants from the native range or to known flowering time pathway genes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Billie Gould</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>John R Stinchcombe</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-08-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/023788</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Population genomic scans reveal novel genes underlie convergent flowering time evolution in the introduced range of Arabidopsis thaliana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-08-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/027391v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sustained fitness gains and variability in fitness trajectories in the long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/027391v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many populations live in environments subject to frequent biotic and abiotic changes. Nonetheless, it is interesting to ask whether an evolving populations mean fitness can increase indefinitely, and potentially without any limit, even in a constant environment. A recent study showed that fitness trajectories of Escherichia coli populations over 50,000 generations were better described by a power-law model than by a hyperbolic model. According to the power-law model, the rate of fitness gain declines over time but fitness has no upper limit, whereas the hyperbolic model implies a hard limit. Here, we examine whether the previously estimated power-law model predicts the fitness trajectory for an additional 10,000 generations. To that end, we conducted more than 1100 new competitive fitness assays. Consistent with the previous study, the power-law model fits the new data better than the hyperbolic model. We also analysed the variability in fitness among populations, finding subtle, but significant, heterogeneity in mean fitness. Some, but not all, of this variation reflects differences in mutation rate that evolved over time. Taken together, our results imply that both adaptation and divergence can continue indefinitely-- or at least for a long time--even in a constant environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Richard E Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michael J Wiser</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noah Ribeck</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zachary D Blount</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joshua R Nahum</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>James Jeffrey Morris</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luis Zaman</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caroline B Turner</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brian D Wade</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rohan Maddamsetti</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alita R Burmeister</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elizabeth J Baird</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jay Bundy</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nkrumah A Grant</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kyle J Card</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maia Rowles</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiyana Weatherspoon</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spiridon E Papoulis</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rachel Sullivan</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colleen Clark</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joseph S Mulka</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neerja Hajela</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-09-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/027391</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sustained fitness gains and variability in fitness trajectories in the long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-09-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/033233v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome-wide and single-base resolution DNA methylomes of the Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Reveal Gradual Transition of the Genomic Methylation Pattern in Early Vertebrates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/033233v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In eukaryotes, cytosine methylation is a primary heritable epigenetic modification of the genome that regulates many cellular processes. While the whole-genome methylation pattern has been generally conserved in different eukaryotic groups, invertebrates and vertebrates exhibit two distinct patterns. Whereas almost all CpG sites are methylated in most vertebrates, with the exception of short unmethylated regions call CpG islands, the most frequent pattern in invertebrate animals is  mosaic methylation, comprising domains of heavily methylated DNA interspersed with domains that are methylation free. The mechanism by which the genome methylation pattern transited from a mosaic to a global pattern and the role of the one or two-round whole-genome duplication in this transition remain largely elusive, partly owing to the lack of methylome data from early vertebrates. In this study, we used the whole-genome bisulfite-sequencing technology to investigate the genome-wide methylation in three tissues (heart, muscle, and sperm) from the sea lamprey, an extant Agarthan vertebrate. Analyses of methylation level and the extent of CpG dinucleotide depletion of geneencoding, intergenic and promoter regions revealed a gradual increase in the methylation level from invertebrates to vertebrates, with the sea lamprey exhibiting an intermediate position. In addition, the methylation level of the majority of CpGs was intermediate in each sea lamprey tissue, indicating a high level of heterogeneity of methylation status between individual cells. In this regard, we defined the genomic methylation pattern of sea lamprey as "global genomic DNA intermediate methylation". The methylation features in different genomic regions, such as the transcription start site (TSS) region of the gene body, exon-intron boundaries, transposons, as well as genes grouping with different expression levels, supported the gradual methylation transition hypothesis. We further discussed that the copy number difference in DNA methylation transferases and the loss of the PWWP domain and/or DNTase domain in DNMT3 sub-family enzymes may have contributed to the methylation pattern transition in early vertebrates. These findings demonstrate an intermediate genomic methylation pattern between invertebrates and jawed vertebrates, providing evidence that supports the hypothesis that methylation patterns underwent a gradual transition from invertebrates (mosaic) to vertebrates (global).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhao Zhang</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gangbiao Liu</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yangyun Zhou</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>James P. B. Lloyd</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>David W. McCauley</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weiming Li</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xun Gu</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhixi Su</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2015-11-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/033233</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome-wide and single-base resolution DNA methylomes of the Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Reveal Gradual Transition of the Genomic Methylation Pattern in Early Vertebrates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2015-11-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/036806v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tempo and mode of genome evolution in a 50,000-generation experiment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/036806v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Adaptation depends on the rates, effects, and interactions of many mutations. We analyzed 264 genomes from 12 Escherichia coli populations to characterize their dynamics over 50,0 generations. The trajectories for genome evolution in populations that retained the ancestral mutation rate fit a model where most fixed mutations are beneficial, the fraction of beneficial mutations declines as fitness rises, and neutral mutations accumulate at a constant rate. We also compared these populations to lines evolved under a mutation-accumulation regime that minimizes selection. Nonsynonymous mutations, intergenic mutations, insertions, and deletions are overrepresented in the long-term populations, supporting the inference that most fixed mutations are favored by selection. These results illuminate the shifting balance of forces that govern genome evolution in populations adapting to a new environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Olivier Tenaillon</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeffrey E. Barrick</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noah Ribeck</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daniel E. Deatherage</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeffrey L. Blanchard</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aurko Dasgupta</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gabriel C. Wu</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sebastien Wielgoss</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stephane Cruveiller</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Claudine Medigue</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dominique Schneider</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E. Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-01-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/036806</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tempo and mode of genome evolution in a 50,000-generation experiment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-01-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/037630v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The sex-limited effects of mutations in the EGFR and TGF- β signaling pathways on shape and size sexual dimorphism and allometry in the Drosophila wing 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/037630v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Much of the morphological diversity in nature-including among sexes within a species-is a direct consequence of variation in size and shape. However, disentangling variation in sexual dimorphism for both shape (SShD), size (SSD) and their relationship with one another remains complex. Understanding how genetic variation influences both size and shape together, and how this in turn influences SSD and SShD is challenging. In this study we utilize Drosophila wing size and shape as a model system to investigate how mutations influence size and shape as modulated by sex. Previous work has demonstrated that mutations in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and Transforming Growth Factor - {beta} (TGF-{beta}) signaling components can influence both wing size and shape. In this study we re-analyze this data to specifically address how they impact the relationship between size and shape in a sex-specific manner, in turn altering the pattern of sexual dimorphism. While most mutations influence shape overall, only a subset have a genotypic specific effect that influences SShD. Furthermore, while we observe sex-specific patterns of allometric shape variation, the effects of most mutations on allometry tend to be small. We discuss this within the context of using mutational analysis to understand sexual size and shape dimorphism.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nick Testa</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ian Dworkin</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/037630</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The sex-limited effects of mutations in the EGFR and TGF- β signaling pathways on shape and size sexual dimorphism and allometry in the Drosophila wing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/042069v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Core Genes Evolve Rapidly in the Long-term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/042069v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteria can evolve rapidly under positive selection owing to their vast numbers, allowing their genes to diversify by adapting to different environments. We asked whether the same genes that are fast evolving in the long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli (LTEE) have also diversified extensively in nature. We identified ~2000 core genes shared among 60 E. coli strains. During the LTEE, core genes accumulated significantly more nonsynonymous mutations than flexible (i.e., noncore) genes. Furthermore, core genes under positive selection in the LTEE are more conserved in nature than the average core gene. In some cases, adaptive mutations appear to fine-tune protein functions, rather than merely knocking them out. The LTEE conditions are novel for E. coli, at least in relation to the long sweep of its evolution in nature. The constancy and simplicity of the environment likely favor the complete loss of some unused functions and the fine-tuning of others.nnCompeting Interests StatementWe, the authors, declare that we have no conflicts of interest.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rohan Maddamsetti</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Philip J Hatcher</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry L. Williams</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E. Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-03-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/042069</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Core Genes Evolve Rapidly in the Long-term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-03-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/042317v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Environmental gene regulatory influence networks in rice (Oryza sativa): response to water deficit, high temperature and agricultural environments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/042317v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Environmental Gene Regulatory Influence Networks (EGRINs) coordinate the timing and rate of gene expression in response to environmental and developmental signals. EGRINs encompass many layers of regulation, which culminate in changes in the level of accumulated transcripts. Here we infer EGRINs for the response of five tropical Asian rice cultivars to high temperatures, water deficit, and agricultural field conditions, by systematically integrating time series transcriptome data (720 RNA-seq libraries), patterns of nucleosome-free chromatin (18 ATAC-seq libraries), and the occurrence of known cis-regulatory elements. First, we identify 5,447 putative target genes for 445 transcription factors (TFs) by connecting TFs with genes with known cis-regulatory motifs in nucleosome-free chromatin regions proximal to transcriptional start sites (TSS) of genes. We then use network component analysis to estimate the regulatory activity for these TFs from the expression of these putative target genes. Finally, we inferred an EGRIN using the estimated TFA as the regulator. The EGRIN included regulatory interactions between 4,052 target genes regulated by 113 TFs. We resolved distinct regulatory roles for members of a large TF family, including a putative regulatory connection between abiotic stress and the circadian clock, as well as specific regulatory functions for TFs in the drought response. TFA estimation using network component analysis is an effective way of incorporating multiple genome-scale measurements into network inference and that supplementing data from controlled experimental conditions with data from outdoor field conditions increases the resolution for EGRIN inference.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Olivia Wilkins</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christoph Hafemiester</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anne Plessis</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meisha-Marika Holloway-Phillips</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gina M Pham</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Addrienne B. Nicotra</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glenn B. Gregorio</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>S. V. Krishna Jagadish</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Endang M. Septiningsih</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard Bonneau</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michael Purugganan</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-03-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/042317</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Environmental gene regulatory influence networks in rice (Oryza sativa): response to water deficit, high temperature and agricultural environments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-03-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/043083v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Effects of Evolution and Spatial Structure on Diversity in Biological Reserves 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/043083v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Conservation ecologists have long argued over the best way of placing reserves across an environment to maximize population diversity. Many have studied the effect of protecting many small regions of an ecosystem vs. a single large region, with varied results. However, this research tends to ignore evolutionary dynamics under the rationale that the spatiotemporal scale required is prohibitive. We used the Avida digital evolution research platform to overcome this barrier and study the response of phenotypic diversity to eight different reserve placement configurations. The capacity for mutation,and therefore evolution, substantially altered the dynamics of diversity in the population. When mutations were allowed, reserve configurations involving a greater number of consequently smaller reserves were substantially more effective at maintaining existing diversity and generating new diversity. However, when mutations were disallowed, reserve configuration had little effect on diversity generation and maintenance. While further research is necessary before translating these results into policy decisions, this study demonstrates the importance of considering evolution when making such decisions and suggests that a larger number of smaller reserves may have evolutionary benefits.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Emily Louise Dolson</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michael J Wiser</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charles A Ofria</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-03-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/043083</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Effects of Evolution and Spatial Structure on Diversity in Biological Reserves]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-03-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/049759v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Higher Plant Plastid Complex I (NDH) is a Reversible Proton Pump that increases ATP production by Cyclic Electron Flow Around Photosystem I 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/049759v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cyclic electron flow around photosystem I (CEF) is critical for balancing the photosynthetic energy budget of the chloroplast, by generating ATP without net production of NADPH. We demonstrate that the chloroplast NADPH dehydrogenase complex (NDH), a homolog to respiratory Complex I, pumps approximately two protons from the chloroplast stroma to the lumen per electron transferred from ferredoxin to plastoquinone, effectively increasing the efficiency of ATP production via CEF by two-fold compared to CEF pathways involving non-proton-pumping plastoquinone reductases. Under certain physiological conditions, the coupling of proton and electron transfer reactions within NDH should enable a non-canonical mode of photosynthetic electron transfer, allowing electron transfer from plastoquinol to NADPH to be driven by the thylakoid proton motive force possibly helping to sense or remediate mismatches in the photosynthetic budget.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Deserah D Strand</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicholas Fisher</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>David M. Kramer</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-04-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/049759</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Higher Plant Plastid Complex I (NDH) is a Reversible Proton Pump that increases ATP production by Cyclic Electron Flow Around Photosystem I]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-04-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/049767v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Different Evolutionary Paths to Complexity for Small and Large Populations of Digital Organisms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/049767v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A major aim of evolutionary biology is to explain the respective roles of adaptive versus non-adaptive changes in the evolution of complexity. While selection is certainly responsible for the spread and maintenance of complex phenotypes, this does not automatically imply that strong selection enhances the chance for the emergence of novel traits, that is, the origination of complexity. Population size is one parameter that alters the relative importance of adaptive and non-adaptive processes: as population size decreases, selection weakens and genetic drift grows in importance. Because of this relationship, many theories invoke a role for population size in the evolution of complexity. Such theories are difficult to test empirically because of the time required for the evolution of complexity in biological populations. Here, we used digital experimental evolution to test whether large or small asexual populations tend to evolve greater complexity. We find that both small and large--but not intermediate-sized--populations are favored to evolve larger genomes, which provides the opportunity for subsequent increases in phenotypic complexity. However, small and large populations followed different evolutionary paths towards these novel traits. Small populations evolved larger genomes by fixing slightly deleterious insertions, while large populations fixed rare beneficial insertions that increased genome size. These results demonstrate that genetic drift can lead to the evolution of complexity in small populations and that purifying selection is not powerful enough to prevent the evolution of complexity in large populations.nnAuthor SummarySince the early days of theoretical population genetics. scientists have debated the role of population size in shaping evolutionary dynamics. Do large populations possess an evolutionary advantage towards complexity due to the strength of natural selection in these populations? Or do small populations have the advantage, as genetic drift allows for the exploration of fitness landscapes inaccessible to large populations? There are many theories that predict whether large or small populations-those with strong selection or those with strong drift-should evolve the greatest complexity. Here, we use digital experimental evolution to examine the interplay between population size and the evolution of complexity. We found that genetic drift could lead to increased genome size and phenotypic complexity in very small populations. However, large populations also evolved similar large genomes and complexity. Small populations evolved larger genomes through the fixation of slightly deleterious insertions, while large populations utilized rare beneficial insertions. Our results suggest that both strong drift and strong selection can allow populations to evolve similar complexity, but through different evolutionary trajectories.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thomas LaBar</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christoph Adami</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-04-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/049767</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Different Evolutionary Paths to Complexity for Small and Large Populations of Digital Organisms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-04-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/053397v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
RefSoil: A reference database of soil microbial genomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/053397v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A database of curated genomes is needed to better assess soil microbial communities and their processes associated with differing land management and environmental impacts. Interpreting soil metagenomic datasets with existing sequence databases is challenging because these datasets are biased towards medical and biotechnology research and can result in misleading annotations. We have curated a database of 922 genomes of soil-associated organisms (888 bacteria and 34 archaea). Using this database, we evaluated phyla and functions that are enriched in soils as well as those that may be underrepresented in RefSoil. Our comparison of RefSoil to soil amplicon datasets allowed us to identify targets that if cultured or sequenced would significantly increase the biodiversity represented within RefSoil. To demonstrate the opportunities to access these underrepresented targets, we employed single cell genomics in a pilot experiment to sequence 14 genomes. This effort demonstrates the value of RefSoil in the guidance of future research efforts and the capability of single cell genomics as a practical means to fill the existing genomic data gaps.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jinlyung Choi</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan Yang</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramunas Stepanauskas</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erick Cardenas</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aaron Garoutte</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ryan Williams</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jared Flater</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>James M Tiedje</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kirsten S. Hofmockel</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brian Gelder</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adina Howe</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/053397</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[RefSoil: A reference database of soil microbial genomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/053991v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Diagnostic assessments of student thinking about stochastic processes. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/053991v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A number of research studies indicate that students often have difficulties in understanding the presence and/or the implications of stochastic processes within biological systems. While critical to a wide range of phenomena, the presence and implications of stochastic processes are rarely explicitly considered in the course of formal instruction. To help instructors identify gaps in student understanding, we have designed and tested six open source activities covering a range of scenarios, from death rates to noise in gene expression, that can be employed, alone or in combination, as diagnostics to reveal student thinking as a prelude to the presentation of stochastic processes within a course or a curriculum.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Michael W. Klymkowsky</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Katja Koehler</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melanie Cooper</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-05-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/053991</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Diagnostic assessments of student thinking about stochastic processes.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-05-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/056572v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Breaking bud: probing the scalability limits of phylogenetic network inference methods 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/056572v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundBranching events in phylogenetic trees reflect strictly bifurcating and/or multifurcating speciation and splitting events. In the presence of gene flow, a phylogeny cannot be described by a tree but is instead a directed acyclic graph known as a phylogenetic network. Both phylogenetic trees and networks are typically reconstructed using computational analysis of multi-locus sequence data. The advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies has brought about two main scalability challenges:(1) dataset size in terms of the number of taxa and (2) the evolutionary divergence of the taxa in a study. The impact of both dimensions of scale on phylogenetic tree inference has been well characterized by recent studies; in contrast, the scalability limits of phylogenetic network inference methods are largely unknown. In this study, we quantify the performance of state-of-the-art phylogenetic network inference methods on large-scale datasets using empirical data sampled from natural mouse populations and synthetic data capturing a wide range of evolutionary scenarios.nnResultsWe find that, as in the case of phylogenetic tree inference, the performance of leading network inference methods is negatively impacted by both dimensions of dataset scale. In general, we found that topological accuracy degrades as the number of taxa increases; a similar effect was observed with increased sequence mutation rate. The most accurate methods were probabilistic inference methods which maximize either likelihood under coalescent-based models or pseudo-likelihood approximations to the model likelihood. Furthermore, probabilistic inference methods with optimization criteria which did not make use of gene tree root and/or branch length information performed best-a result that runs contrary to widely held assumptions in the literature. The improved accuracy obtained with probabilistic inference methods comes at a computational cost in terms of runtime and main memory usage, which quickly become prohibitive as dataset size grows past thirty taxa.nnConclusionsWe conclude that the state of the art of phylogenetic network inference lags well behind the scope of current phylogenomic studies. New algorithmic development is critically needed to address this methodological gap.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hussein A Hejase</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kevin J Liu</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-06-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/056572</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Breaking bud: probing the scalability limits of phylogenetic network inference methods]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-06-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/057042v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The PAS domain-containing protein HeuR regulates heme uptake in Campylobacter jejuni 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/057042v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of bacterial-derived gastroenteritis. A previous mutant screen demonstrated that the heme uptake system (Chu) is required for full colonization of the chicken gastrointestinal tract. Subsequent work found identified a PAS domain-containing regulator, termed HeuR, as required for chicken colonization. Here we confirmthat both the heme uptake system and HeuR are required for full chicken gastrointestinal tract colonization, with the heuR mutant being particularlyaffected during competition with wild-type C. jejuni. Transcriptomic analysis identified the chu genes-and those encoding other iron uptake systems-as likely regulatory targets of HeuR. Purified HeuR specifically bound the chuZA promoter region in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Consistentwith a role forHeuR in chu expression, heuR mutants wereunable to efficiently use heme asa source of iron in iron-limitingconditions and, mutants exhibited decreased levels of cell-associated ironby massspectrometry.Finally, we demonstrate that a heuR mutant of C. jejuni isresistant to hydrogen peroxide, and that this resistance correlates to elevated levels ofcatalase activity.nnAuthor SummaryCampylobacter jejuni causes millions of gastrointestinal infection every year. This is primarily due to the its ability to reside in the gastrointestinal tract of chickens. C.jejuni contaminates chicken meat during harvesting and processing. Following consumption of undercooked chicken or uncooked food that was contaminated with raw chicken juice, humans develop a debilitating illness that is characterized by diarrhea and abdominal cramps. As chickens are the source of most human infections, there is a need to understand how C. jejuni colonizes chickens so we can develop ways to reduce its presence in chickens and thereby improve food safety. Most organisms require iron to thrive and that some bacteria steal iron from host molecules, including hemoglobin. Here we demonstrate that C. jejuni may need to get iron from hemoglobin in order to colonize the chicken and that aregulatory protein, HeuR, controls the ability ofthe bacteria to do this. If we can understand how this protein works, we may be able to develop ways to inhibit its function and reduce the ability of C. jejuni to get iron during chicken colonization. This would limit theamount of C. jejuni in the chicken and make food safer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jeremiah Johnson</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jennifer Gaddy</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Victor DiRita</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/057042</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The PAS domain-containing protein HeuR regulates heme uptake in Campylobacter jejuni]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/061952v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tissue Resolved, Gene Structure Refined Equine Transcriptome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/061952v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundTranscriptome interpretation relies on a good-quality reference transcriptome for accurate quantification of gene expression as well as functional analysis of genetic variants. The current annotation of the horse genome lacks the specificity and sensitivity necessary to assess gene expression especially at the isoform level, and suffers from insufficient annotation of untranslated regions (UTR). We built an annotation pipeline for horse and used it to integrate 1.9 billion reads from multiple RNA-seq data sets into a new refined transcriptome.nnResultsThis equine transcriptome integrates eight different tissues from 59 individuals and improves gene structure and isoform resolution while providing considerable tissue-specific information. We utilized four levels of transcript filtration in our pipeline, aimed at producing several transcriptome versions that are suitable for different downstream analyses. Our most refined transcriptome includes 36,876 genes and 76,125 isoforms, with 6474 candidate transcriptional loci novel to the equine transcriptome.nnConclusionsWe have employed a variety of descriptive statistics and figures that demonstrate the quality and content of the transcriptome. The equine transcriptomes that are provided by this pipeline show the best tissue-specific resolution of any equine transcriptome to date and can serve several types of downstream analyses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tamer A. Mansour</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erica Y Scott</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carrie J Finno</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rebecca R Bellone</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michael J. Mienaltowski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>M Cecilia Penedo</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pablo J Ross</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stephanie J. Valberg</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>James D Murray</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>C. Titus Brown</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-07-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/061952</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tissue Resolved, Gene Structure Refined Equine Transcriptome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-07-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/062976v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Competition between continuously evolving lineages in asexual populations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/062976v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In an asexual population, the fate of a beneficial mutation depends on how its lineage competes against other mutant lineages in the population. With high beneficial mutation rates or large population sizes, competition between contending mutations is strong, and successful lineages can accumulate multiple mutations before any single one achieves fixation. Most current theory about asexual population dynamics either neglects this multiple-mutations regime or introduces simplifying assumptions that may not apply. Here, we develop a theoretical framework that describes the dynamics of adaptation and substitution over all mutation-rate regimes by conceptualizing the population as a collection of continuously adapting lineages. This model of "lineage interference" shows that each new mutants advantage over the rest of the population must be above a critical threshold in order to likely achieve fixation, and we derive a simple expression for that threshold. We apply this framework to examine the role of beneficial mutations with different effect sizes across the transition to the multiple-mutations regime.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Noah Ribeck</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joseph S. Mulka</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luis Zaman</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brian D. Connelly</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richard E. Lenski</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-07-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/062976</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Competition between continuously evolving lineages in asexual populations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-07-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/065128v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Understanding How Microbiomes Influence the Systems they Inhabit: Insight from Ecosystem Ecology 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/065128v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Translating the ever-increasing wealth of information on microbiomes (environment, host, or built environment) to advance the understanding of system-level processes is proving to be an exceptional research challenge. One reason for this challenge is that relationships between characteristics of microbiomes and the system-level processes they influence are often evaluated in the absence of a robust conceptual framework and reported without elucidating the underlying causal mechanisms. The reliance on correlative approaches limits the potential to expand the inference of a single relationship to additional systems and advance the field. We propose that research focused on how microbiomes influence the systems they inhabit should work within a common framework and target known microbial processes that contribute to the system-level processes of interest. Here we identify three distinct categories of microbiome characteristics (microbial processes, microbial community properties, and microbial membership) and propose a framework to empirically link each of these categories to each other and the broader system level processes they affect. We posit that it is particularly important to distinguish microbial community properties that can be predicted from constituent taxa (community aggregated traits) from and those properties that are currently unable to be predicted from constituent taxa (emergent properties). Existing methods in microbial ecology can be applied to more explicitly elucidate properties within each of these categories and connect these three categories of microbial characteristics with each other. We view this proposed framework, gleaned from a breadth of research on environmental microbiomes and ecosystem processes, as a promising pathway with the potential to advance discovery and understanding across a broad range of microbiome science.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ed Hall</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emily Bernhardt</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raven Bier</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mark Bradford</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Claudia Boot</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jim Cotner</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paul del Giorgio</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarah Evans</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emily Graham</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stuart Jones</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jay Lennon</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ken Locey</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diana Nemergut</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brooke Osborne</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenny Rocca</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josh Schimel</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matt Wallenstein</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-07-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/065128</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Understanding How Microbiomes Influence the Systems they Inhabit: Insight from Ecosystem Ecology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-07-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/067918v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Direct correlation between motile behavior and protein abundance in single cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/067918v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding how stochastic molecular fluctuations affect cell behavior requires the quantification of both behavior and protein numbers in the same cells. Here, we combine automated microscopy with in situ hydrogel polymerization to measure single-cell protein expression after tracking swimming behavior. We characterized the distribution of non-genetic phenotypic diversity in Escherichia coli motility, which affects single-cell exploration. By expressing fluorescently tagged chemotaxis proteins (CheR and CheB) at different levels, we quantitatively mapped motile phenotype (tumble bias) to protein numbers using thousands of single-cell measurements. Our results disagreed with established models until we incorporated the role of CheB in receptor deamidation and the slow fluctuations in receptor methylation. Beyond refining models, our central finding is that changes in numbers of CheR and CheB affect the population mean tumble bias and its variance independently. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the degree of phenotypic diversity of a population by adjusting the global level of expression of CheR and CheB while keeping their ratio constant, which, as shown in previous studies, confers functional robustness to the system. Since genetic control of protein expression is heritable, our results suggest that non-genetic diversity in motile behavior is selectable, supporting earlier hypotheses that such diversity confers a selective advantage.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yann S Dufour</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sébastien Gillet</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicholas W Frankel</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Douglas B Weibel</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thierry Emonet</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-08-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/067918</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Direct correlation between motile behavior and protein abundance in single cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-08-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/068130v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Synthetic Photosynthetic Consortia Define Interactions Leading to Robustness and Photoproduction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/068130v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundMicrobial consortia composed of autotrophic and heterotrophic species abound in nature, yet examples of synthetic communities with mixed metabolism are limited in the laboratory. We previously engineered a model cyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, to secrete the bulk of the carbon it fixes as sucrose, a carbohydrate that can be utilized by many other microbes. Here, we tested the capability of sucrose-secreting cyanobacteria to act as a flexible platform for the construction of synthetic, light-driven consortia by pairing them with three disparate heterotrophs: Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The comparison of these different co-culture dyads reveals general design principles for the construction of robust autotroph/heterotroph consortia.nnMain findingsWe observed heterotrophic growth dependent upon cyanobacterial photosynthate in each co-culture pair. Furthermore, these synthetic consortia could be stabilized over the long-term (weeks to months) and both species could persist when challenged with specific perturbations. Stability and productivity of autotroph/heterotroph co-cultures was dependent on heterotroph sucrose utilization, as well as other species-independent interactions that we observed across all dyads. One interaction we observed to destabilize consortia was that non-sucrose byproducts of photosynthesis negatively impacted heterotroph growth. Conversely, inoculation of each heterotrophic species enhanced cyanobacterial growth in comparison to axenic cultures Finally, these consortia can be flexibly programmed for photoproduction of target compounds and proteins; by changing the heterotroph in co-culture to specialized strains of B. subtilis or E. coli we demonstrate production of alpha-amylase and polyhydroxybutyrate, respectively.nnConclusionsEnabled by the unprecedented flexibility of this consortia design, we uncover species-independent design principles that influence cyanobacteria/heterotroph consortia robustness. The modular nature of these communities and their unusual robustness exhibits promise as a platform for highly-versatile photoproduction strategies that capitalize on multi-species interactions and could be utilized as a tool for the study of nascent symbioses. Further consortia improvements via engineered interventions beyond those we show here (i.e. increased efficiency growing on sucrose) could improve these communities as production platforms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stephanie G. Hays</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leo L.W. Yan</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pamela A. Silver</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daniel C. Ducat</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-08-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/068130</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Synthetic Photosynthetic Consortia Define Interactions Leading to Robustness and Photoproduction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-08-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/071894v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of Drift Robustness in Small Populations of Digital Organisms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/071894v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Most mutations are deleterious and cause a reduction in population fitness known as the mutational load. In small populations, weakened selection against slightly-deleterious mutations results in an additional fitness reduction. Many studies have established that populations can evolve a reduced mutational load by evolving mutational robustness, but it is uncertain whether small populations can evolve a reduced susceptibility to drift-related fitness declines. Here, using mathematical modeling and digital experimental evolution, we show that small populations do evolve a reduced vulnerability to drift, or "drift robustness". We find that, compared to genotypes from large populations, genotypes from small populations have a decreased likelihood of small-effect deleterious mutations, thus causing small-population genotypes to be drift-robust. We further show that drift robustness is not adaptive, but instead arises because small populations preferentially adapt to drift-robust fitness peaks. These results have implications for genome evolution in organisms with small population sizes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thomas LaBar</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christoph Adami</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-08-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/071894</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of Drift Robustness in Small Populations of Digital Organisms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-08-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/074260v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MathIOmica: An Integrative Platform for Dynamic Omics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/074260v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Multiple omics data are rapidly becoming available, necessitating the use of new methods to integrate different technologies and interpret the results arising from multimodal assaying. The MathIOmica package for Mathematica provides one of the first extensive introductions to the use of the Wolfram Language to tackle such problems in bioinformatics. The package particularly addresses the necessity to integrate multiple omics information arising from dynamic profiling in a personalized medicine approach. It provides multiple tools to facilitate bioinformatics analysis, including importing data, annotating datasets, tracking missing values, normalizing data, clustering and visualizing the classification of data, carrying out annotation and enumeration of ontology memberships and pathway analysis. We anticipate MathIOmica to not only help in the creation of new bioinformatics tools, but also in promoting interdisciplinary investigations, particularly from researchers in mathematical, physical science and engineering fields transitioning into genomics, bioinformatics and omics data integration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>George Mias</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tahir Yusufaly</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raeuf Roushangar</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lavida R.K. Brooks</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vikas Vikram Singh</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christina Christou</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/074260</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MathIOmica: An Integrative Platform for Dynamic Omics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/074633v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Thermally moderated firefly activity is delayed by precipitation extremes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/074633v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The timing of events in the life history of temperate insects is most typically primarily cued by one of two drivers: photoperiod or temperature accumulation over the growing season. However, an insects phenology can also be moderated by other drivers like rainfall or the phenology of its host plants. When multiple drivers of phenology interact, there is greater potential for phenological asynchronies to arise between an organism and those with which it interacts. We examined the phenological patterns of a highly seasonal group of fireflies (Photinus spp, predominantly P. pyralis) over a 12-year period (2004-2015) across 10 plant communities to determine if interacting drivers could explain the variability observed in the adult flight activity density (i.e. mating season) of this species. We found that temperature accumulation was the primary driver of phenology, with activity peaks usually occurring at a temperature accumulation of ~800 degree days (base 10{degrees}C), however, our model found this peak varied by nearly 180 degree day units among years. This variation could be explained by a quadratic relationship with the accumulation of precipitation in the growing season; in years with either high and low precipitation extremes at our study site, flight activity was delayed. More fireflies were captured in general in herbaceous plant communities with minimal soil disturbance (alfalfa and no-till field crop rotations), but only weak interactions occurred between within-season responses to climatic variables and plant community. The interaction we observed between temperature and precipitation accumulation suggests that, although climate warming has potential to disrupt phenology of many organisms, changes to regional precipitation patterns can magnify these disruptions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Elizabeth Davidson-Lowe</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahodir Eshchanov</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sara Hermann</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrew Myers</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Logan Rowe</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saisi Xue</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christie A Bahlai</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-09-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/074633</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Thermally moderated firefly activity is delayed by precipitation extremes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-09-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/075598v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evapotranspiration response to land cover and climate change in a Midwest U.S. watershed 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/075598v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In temperate humid catchments, evapotranspiration returns more than half of the annual precipitation to the atmosphere, thereby determining the balance available to recharge groundwaters and support stream flow and lake levels. Changes in evapotranspiration rates and therefore catchment hydrology could be driven by changes in land use or climate. Here we examine the catchment water balance over the past 50 y for a catchment in southwest Michigan covered by cropland, grassland, forest, and wetlands. Over the study period about 27% of the catchment has been abandoned from row-crop agriculture to perennial vegetation and about 20% of the catchment has reverted to deciduous forest, and the climate has warmed by 1.14{degrees}C. Despite these changes in land use, precipitation and stream discharge, and by inference catchment-scale evapotranspiration, have been stable over the study period. The remarkably stable rates of evapotranspirative water loss from the catchment across a period of significant land cover change suggest that rainfed annual crops and perennial vegetation do not differ greatly in evapotranspiration rates, and this is supported by measurements of evapotranspiration from various vegetation types based on soil water monitoring in the same catchment. Compensating changes in the other meteorological drivers of evaporative water demand besides air temperature--wind speed, atmospheric humidity, and net radiation--are also possible, but cannot be evaluated due to insufficient local data across the 50-y period. Regardless of the explanation, this study shows that the water balance of this landscape has been resilient in the face of both land cover and climate change over the past 50 y.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stephen K Hamilton</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mir Zaman Hussain</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christopher Lowrie</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruno Basso</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>G Philip Robertson</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-09-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/075598</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evapotranspiration response to land cover and climate change in a Midwest U.S. watershed]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-09-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/083758v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inhibition of microbial biofuel production in drought stressed switchgrass hydrolysate 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/083758v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundInterannual variability in precipitation, particularly drought, can affect lignocellulosic crop biomass yields and composition, and is expected to increase biofuel yield variability. However, the effect of precipitation on downstream fermentation processes has never been directly characterized. In order to investigate the impact of interannual climate variability on biofuel production, corn stover and switchgrass were collected during three years with significantly different precipitation profiles, representing a major drought year (2012) and two years with average precipitation for the entire season (2010 and 2013). All feedstocks were AFEX (ammonia fiber expansion)-pretreated, enzymatically hydrolyzed, and the hydrolysates separately fermented using xylose-utilizing strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis. A chemical genomics approach was also used to evaluate the growth of yeast mutants in the hydrolysates.nnResultsWhile most corn stover and switchgrass hydrolysates were readily fermented, growth of S. cerevisiae was completely inhibited in hydrolysate generated from drought stressed switchgrass. Based on chemical genomics analysis, yeast strains deficient in genes related to protein trafficking within the cell were significantly more resistant to the drought year switchgrass hydrolysate. Detailed biomass and hydrolysate characterization revealed that switchgrass accumulated greater concentrations of soluble sugars in response to the drought and these sugars were subsequently degraded to pyrazines and imidazoles during ammonia-based pretreatment. When added ex situ to normal switchgrass hydrolysate, imidazoles and pyrazines caused anaerobic growth inhibition of S. cerevisiae.nnConclusionsIn response to the osmotic pressures experienced during drought stress, plants accumulate soluble sugars that are susceptible to degradation during chemical pretreatments. For ammonia-based pretreatment these sugars degrade to imidazoles and pyrazines. These compounds contribute to S. cerevisiae growth inhibition in drought year switchgrass hydrolysate. This work discovered that variation in environmental conditions during the growth of bioenergy crops could have significant detrimental effects on fermentation organisms during biofuel production. These findings are relevant to regions where climate change is predicted to cause an increased incidence of drought and to marginal lands with poor water holding capacity, where fluctuations in soil moisture may trigger frequent drought stress response in lignocellulosic feedstocks.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ong, R. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Higbee, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bottoms, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickinson, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serate, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pohlmann, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coon, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sato, T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanford, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eilert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oates, L. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piotrowski, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bates, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cavalier, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-10-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/083758</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inhibition of microbial biofuel production in drought stressed switchgrass hydrolysate]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-10-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/087072v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Interpreting deep mutational scanning data resulting from selections on solid media 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/087072v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Deep mutational scanning is now used in directed evolution experiments to quantify the change in frequency of a cellular variant in a mixed population. A key concern is the extent to which the enrichment of a variant in a population corresponds to a fitness metric like relative growth rate or survival percentage. We present here analytical equations converting the enrichment of a variant to fitness metrics for plate-based selections. Using isogenic and mixed cultures we show that growth rates and survival percentages correlate for antibiotic plate-based selections. These results are important for proper interpretation of data resulting from deep sequencing.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Klesmith, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorwall, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitehead, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-11-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/087072</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Interpreting deep mutational scanning data resulting from selections on solid media]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-11-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/087718v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Determining causal genes from GWAS signals using topologically associating domains 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/087718v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have contributed significantly to the understanding of complex disease genetics. However, GWAS only report associated signals and do not necessarily identify culprit genes. As most signals occur in non-coding regions of the genome, it is often challenging to assign genomic variants to the underlying causal mechanism(s). Topologically associating domains (TADs) are primarily cell-type independent genomic regions that define interactome boundaries and can aid in the designation of limits within which an association most likely impacts gene function. We describe and validate a computational method that uses the genic content of TADs to discover candidate genes. Our method, called "TAD_Pathways," performs a Gene Ontology (GO) analysis over genes that reside within TAD boundaries corresponding to GWAS signals for a given trait or disease. We applied our pipeline to the GWAS catalog entries associated with bone mineral density (BMD), identifying  Skeletal System Development (Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted p=1.02x10-5) as the top ranked pathway. In many cases, our method implicated a gene other than the nearest gene. Our molecular experiments describe a novel example: ACP2, implicated at the canonical  ARHGAP1 locus. We found ACP2 to be an important regulator of osteoblast metabolism, whereas ARHGAP1 was not supported. Our results via the example of BMD demonstrate how basic principles of three-dimensional genome organization can define biologically informed association windows.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Way, G. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Youngstrom, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hankenson, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greene, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, S. F. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/087718</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Determining causal genes from GWAS signals using topologically associating domains]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/088815v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals First Locus for Anorexia Nervosa and Metabolic Correlations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/088815v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious eating disorder characterized by restriction of energy intake relative to requirements, resulting in abnormally low body weight. It has a lifetime prevalence of approximately 1%, disproportionately affects females1,2, and has no well replicated evidence of effective pharmacological or psychological treatments despite high morbidity and mortality2. Twin studies support a genetic basis for the observed aggregation of AN in families3, with heritability estimates of 48%-74%4. Although initial genome-wide association studies (GWASs) were underpowered5,6, evidence suggested that signals for AN would be detected with increased power5. We present a GWAS of 3,495 AN cases and 10,982 controls with one genome-wide significant locus (index variant rs4622308, p=4.3x10-9) in a region (chr12:56,372,585-56,482,185) which includes six genes. The SNP-chip heritability [Formula] of AN from these data is 0.20 (SE=0.02), suggesting that a substantial fraction of the twin-based heritability stems from common genetic variation. Using these GWAS results, we also find significant positive genetic correlations with schizophrenia, neuroticism, educational attainment, and HDL cholesterol, and significant negative genetic correlations with body mass, insulin, glucose, and lipid phenotypes. Our results support the reconceptualization of AN as a disorder with both psychiatric and metabolic components.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Duncan, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yilmaz, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walters, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goldstein, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Antilla, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bulik-Sullivan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ripke, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alfredsson, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ando, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andreassen, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aschauer, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrett, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bencko, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bergen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berrettini, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Birgegard, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boni, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boraska Perica, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandt, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bughardt, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carlberg, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cassina, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cesta, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cichon, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clementi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cohen-Woods, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coleman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cone, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Courtet, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crawford, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crow, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crowley, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Danner, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Zaan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dedoussis, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Degortes, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeSocio, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dick, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dikeos, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dina, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dmitrzak-Weglarz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Docampo</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-11-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/088815</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals First Locus for Anorexia Nervosa and Metabolic Correlations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-11-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/094797v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Subgenome dominance in an interspecific hybrid, synthetic allopolyploid, and a 140 year old naturally established neo-allopolyploid monkeyflower. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/094797v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The importance and applications of polyploidy have long been recognized, from shaping the evolutionary success of flowering plants to improving agricultural productivity. Recent studies have shown that one of the parental subgenomes in ancient polyploids is generally more dominant - having both retained more genes and being more highly expressed - a phenomenon termed subgenome dominance. How quickly one subgenome dominates within a newly formed polyploid, if immediate or after millions of years, and the genomic features that determine which genome dominates remain poorly understood. To investigate the rate of subgenome dominance emergence, we examined gene expression, gene methylation, and transposable element (TE) methylation in a natural less than 140 year old allopolyploid (Mimulus peregrinus), a resynthesized interspecies triploid hybrid (M. robertsii), a resynthesized allopolyploid (M. peregrinus), and diploid progenitors (M. guttatus and M. luteus). We show that subgenome expression dominance occurs instantly following the hybridization of two divergent genomes and that subgenome expression dominance significantly increases over generations. Additionally, CHH methylation levels are significantly reduced in regions near genes and within transposons in the first generation hybrid, intermediate in the resynthesized allopolyploid, and are repatterned differently between the dominant and submissive subgenomes in the natural allopolyploid. Our analyses reveal that the subgenome differences in levels of TE methylation mirror the increase in expression bias observed over the generations following the hybridization. These findings not only provide important insights into genomic and epigenomic shock that occurs following hybridization and polyploid events, but may also contribute to uncovering the mechanistic basis of heterosis and subgenomic dominance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Edgar, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKain, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooley, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vallejo-Marin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bewick, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ji, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platts, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowman, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Childs, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmitz, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Puzey, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-12-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/094797</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Subgenome dominance in an interspecific hybrid, synthetic allopolyploid, and a 140 year old naturally established neo-allopolyploid monkeyflower.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-12-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/095448v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Acidic pH-dependent depletion of  Mycobacterium tuberculosis  thiol pools potentiates antibiotics and oxidizing agents 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/095448v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) must sense and adapt to immune pressures such as acidic pH and reactive oxygen species (ROS) during pathogenesis. The goal of this study was to isolate compounds that inhibit acidic pH resistance, thus defining virulence pathways that are vulnerable to chemotherapy. Here we report that the acidic pH-dependent compound AC2P36 depletes intracellular thiol pools, sensitizes Mtb to killing by acidic pH, and potentiates the bactericidal activity of isoniazid, clofazimine, and oxidizing agents. We show that the pHdependent activity of AC2P36 is associated with metabolic stress at acidic pH and a pHdependent accumulation of intracellular ROS. Mechanism of action studies show that AC2P36 directly depletes Mtb thiol pools. These data support a model where chemical depletion of Mtb thiol pools at acidic pH enhances sensitivity to oxidative damage, resulting in bacterial killing and potentiation of antibiotics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Coulson, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, B. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colvin, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fillinger, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haiderer, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammer, N. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-12-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/095448</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Acidic pH-dependent depletion of  Mycobacterium tuberculosis  thiol pools potentiates antibiotics and oxidizing agents]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-12-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/096321v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evidence for Transcriptome-wide RNA Editing Among Sus scrofa PRE-1 SINE Elements 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/096321v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundRNA editing by ADAR (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) proteins is a form of transcriptional regulation that is widespread among humans and other primates. Based on high-throughput scans used to identify putative RNA editing sites, ADAR appears to catalyze a substantial number of adenosine to inosine transitions within repetitive regions of the primate transcriptome, thereby dramatically enhancing genetic variation beyond what is encoded in the genome.nnResultsHere, we demonstrate the editing potential of the pig transcriptome by utilizing DNA and RNA sequence data from the same pig. We identified a total of 8550 mismatches between DNA and RNA sequences across three tissues, with 75% of these exhibiting an A-to-G (DNA to RNA) discrepancy, indicative of a canonical ADAR-catalyzed RNA editing event. When we consider only mismatches within repetitive regions of the genome, the A-to-G percentage increases to 94%, with the majority of these located within the swine specific SINE retrotransposon PRE-1. We also observe evidence of A-to-G editing within coding regions that were previously verified in primates.nnConclusionsThus, our high-throughput evidence suggests that pervasive RNA editing by ADAR can exist outside of the primate lineage to dramatically enhance genetic variation in pigs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Funkhouser, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steibel, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bates, R. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raney, N. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schenk, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ernst, C. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-01-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/096321</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evidence for Transcriptome-wide RNA Editing Among Sus scrofa PRE-1 SINE Elements]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-01-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/096420v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Brain connectivity dynamics during social interaction reflect social network structure 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/096420v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social ties are crucial for humans. Disruption of ties through social exclusion has a marked effect on our thoughts and feelings; however, such effects can be tempered by broader social network resources. Here, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging data acquired from 80 male adolescents to investigate how social exclusion modulates functional connectivity within and across brain networks involved in social pain and understanding the mental states of others (i.e., mentalizing). Furthermore, using objectively logged friendship network data, we examine how individual variability in brain reactivity to social exclusion relates to the density of participants friendship networks, an important aspect of social network structure. We find increased connectivity within a set of regions previously identified as a mentalizing system during exclusion relative to inclusion. These results are consistent across the regions of interest as well as a whole-brain analysis. Next, examining how social network characteristics are associated with task-based connectivity dynamics, participants who showed greater changes in connectivity within the mentalizing system when socially excluded by peers had less dense friendship networks. This work provides novel insight to understand how distributed brain systems respond to social and emotional challenges, and how such brain dynamics might vary based on broader social network characteristics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmaelzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brook O'Donnell, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia, J. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cascio, C. N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bayer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vettel, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Falk, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2016-12-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/096420</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Brain connectivity dynamics during social interaction reflect social network structure]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2016-12-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/102160v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Synthetic OCP Heterodimers are Photoactive and Recapitulate the Fusion of Two Primitive Carotenoproteins in the Evolution of Cyanobacterial Photoprotection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/102160v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP) governs photoprotection in the majority of cyanobacteria. It is structurally and functionally modular, comprised of a C-terminal regulatory domain (CTD), an N-terminal effector domain (NTD) and a ketocarotenoid; the chromophore spans the two domains in the ground state and translocates fully into the NTD upon illumination. Using both the canonical OCP1 and the presumably more primitive OCP2 from Fremyella diplosiphon, we show that an NTD-CTD heterodimer forms when the domains are expressed as separate polypeptides. The carotenoid is required for the heterodimeric association, assembling an orange complex which is stable in the dark. Both OCP1 and OCP2 heterodimers are photoactive, undergoing light-driven heterodimer dissociation, but differ in their ability to reassociate in darkness, setting the stage for bioengineering photoprotection in cyanobacteria as well as for developing new photoswitches for biotechnology. Additionally, we reveal that homodimeric CTD can bind carotenoid in the absence of NTD, and name this truncated variant the C-terminal domain-like Carotenoid Protein (CCP). This finding supports the hypothesis that the OCP evolved from an ancient fusion event between genes for two different carotenoid-binding proteins ancestral to the NTD and CTD. We suggest that the CCP and its homologs constitute a new family of carotenoproteins within the NTF2-like superfamily found across all kingdoms of life.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lechno-Yossef, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melnicki, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerfeld, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/102160</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Synthetic OCP Heterodimers are Photoactive and Recapitulate the Fusion of Two Primitive Carotenoproteins in the Evolution of Cyanobacterial Photoprotection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/108308v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The power of a multivariate approach to genome-wide association studies: an example with Drosophila melanogaster wing shape 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/108308v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Due to the complexity of genotype-phenotype relationships, simultaneous analyses of genomic associations with multiple traits will be more powerful and more informative than a series of univariate analyses. In most cases, however, studies of genotype-phenotype relationships have analyzed only one trait at a time, even as the rapid advances in molecular tools have expanded our view of the genotype to include whole genomes. Here, we report the results of a fully integrated multivariate genome-wide association analysis of the shape of the Drosophila melanogaster wing in the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel. Genotypic effects on wing shape were highly correlated between two different labs. We found 2,396 significant SNPs using a 5% FDR cutoff in the multivariate analyses, but just 4 significant SNPs in univariate analyses of scores on the first 20 principal component axes. A key advantage of multivariate analysis is that the direction of the estimated phenotypic effect is much more informative than a univariate one. Exploiting this feature, we show that the directions of effects were on average replicable in an unrelated panel of inbred lines. Effects of knockdowns of genes implicated in the initial screen were on average more similar than expected under a null model. Association studies that take a phenomic approach in considering many traits simultaneously are an important complement to the power of genomics. Multivariate analyses of such data are more powerful, more informative, and allow the unbiased study of pleiotropy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pitchers, W. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nye, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marquez, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kowalski, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dworkin, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Houle, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-02-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/108308</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The power of a multivariate approach to genome-wide association studies: an example with Drosophila melanogaster wing shape]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-02-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/111823v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High variability impairs motor learning regardless of whether it affects task performance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/111823v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Motor variability plays an important role in motor learning, although the exact mechanisms of how variability affects learning is not well understood. Recent evidence suggests that motor variability may have different effects on learning in redundant tasks, depending on whether it is present in the task space (where it affects task performance), or in the null space (where it has no effect on task performance). Here we examined the effect of directly introducing null and task space variability using a manipulandum during the learning of a motor task. Participants learned a bimanual shuffleboard task for 2 days, where their goal was to slide a virtual puck as close as possible towards a target. Critically, the distance traveled by the puck was determined by the sum of the left and right hand velocities, which meant that there was redundancy in the task. Participants were divided into five groups - based on both the dimension in which the variability was introduced and the amount of variability that was introduced during training. Results showed that although all groups were able to reduce error with practice, learning was affected more by the amount of variability introduced rather than the dimension in which variability was introduced. Specifically, groups with higher movement variability during practice showed larger errors at the end of practice compared to groups that had low variability during learning. These results suggest that although introducing variability can increase exploration of new solutions, this may come at a cost of decreased stability of the learned solution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cardis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Casadio, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ranganathan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-03-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/111823</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High variability impairs motor learning regardless of whether it affects task performance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-03-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/111989v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
STPGA: Selection of training populations with a genetic algorithm 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/111989v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Optimal subset selection is an important task that has numerous algorithms designed for it and has many application areas. STPGA contains a special genetic algorithm supplemented with a tabu memory property (that keeps track of previously tried solutions and their fitness for a number of iterations), and with a regression of the fitness of the solutions on their coding that is used to form the ideal estimated solution (look ahead property) to search for solutions of generic optimal subset selection problems. I have initially developed the programs for the specific problem of selecting training populations for genomic prediction or association problems, therefore I give discussion of the theory behind optimal design of experiments to explain the default optimization criteria in STPGA, and illustrate the use of the programs in this endeavor. Nevertheless, I have picked a few other areas of application: supervised and unsupervised variable selection based on kernel alignment, supervised variable selection with design criteria, influential observation identification for regression, solving mixed integer quadratic optimization problems, balancing gains and inbreeding in a breeding population. Some of these illustrations pertain new statistical approaches.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Akdemir, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-02-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/111989</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[STPGA: Selection of training populations with a genetic algorithm]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-02-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/115345v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A modified GC-specific MAKER gene annotation method reveals improved and novel gene predictions of high and low GC content in Oryza sativa 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/115345v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Accurate structural annotation depends on well-trained gene prediction programs. Training data for gene prediction programs are often chosen randomly from a subset of high-quality genes that ideally represent the variation found within a genome. One aspect of gene variation is GC content, which differs across species and is bimodal in grass genomes. We find that gene prediction programs trained on genes with random GC content do not completely predict all grass genes with extreme GC content. We present a new GC-specific MAKER annotation protocol to predict new and improved gene models and assess the biological significance of this method in Oryza sativa.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bowman, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pulman, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Childs, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-03-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/115345</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A modified GC-specific MAKER gene annotation method reveals improved and novel gene predictions of high and low GC content in Oryza sativa]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-03-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/115857v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Asymmetric evolution of the transcription profiles and cis-regulatory sites contributes to the retention of transcription factor duplicates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/115857v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Transcription factors (TFs) play a key role in regulating plant development and response to environmental stimuli. While most genes revert to single copy after a duplication event, transcription factors are retained at a significantly higher rate. However, it is unclear why TF duplicates have higher rates of retention relative to other genes. In this study, we compared three types of features (expression, sequence, and conservation) of retained TFs following whole genome duplication (WGD) events to genes with other functions, using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model. We found that gene function groups with higher maximum expression but lower mean expression tended to have higher duplicate retention rate post WGD, though TFs in particular are retained more often than would be expected based on the features examined. Conversely, expression of individual genes was not associated with duplication, but sequence conservation was. Furthermore, we found that the evolution of TF expression patterns and cis-regulatory cites favors the partitioning of ancestral states among the resulting duplicates. In particular, we found that one duplicate retains the majority of ancestral expression and cis-regulatory sites, while the "non-ancestral" duplicate was enriched for novel regulatory sites. To investigate how this pattern of partitioning pattern evolved, we modeled the retention of ancestral states in duplicate pairs using a system of differential equations. Our findings indicate that duplicate pairs evolve to a partitioned state more often than away from it, which in combination with accumulation of new regulatory sites in non-ancestral duplicates, suggest that selection favors partitioning via neofunctionalization.nnAuthor SummaryGene expression is controlled by regulatory proteins known as transcription factors. These factors control how an organism develops and responds to its environment. The evolution of transcription factor functions also contributes to the emergence of new species and crop domestication. In plants, new transcription factors mainly arise due to polyploidy, multiplication of the genome. Although most duplicated copies are lost following a genome duplication event, transcription factors are exceptional because they are often kept. Furthermore, we found that transcription factor duplicates that tend to diverge in how they are expressed and regulated in an unusual way where one copy mirrors the original, pre-duplication functional states of the ancestral gene, while the other loses the ancestral status and instead accumulates novel regulatory sites. Our results suggest these duplicate transcription factors may have been kept because one copy preserve ancestral function while the other has evolved new ones.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Panchy, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azodi, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winship, E. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Malley, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-03-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/115857</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Asymmetric evolution of the transcription profiles and cis-regulatory sites contributes to the retention of transcription factor duplicates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-03-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/116301v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Accuracies Of Univariate And Multivariate Genomic Prediction Models In African Cassava. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/116301v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
List of abbreviationsnnAbstractO_ST_ABSBackgroundC_ST_ABSGenomic selection (GS) promises to accelerate genetic gain in plant breeding programs especially for long cycle crops like cassava. To practically implement GS in cassava breeding, it is useful to evaluate different GS models and to develop suitable models for an optimized breeding pipeline.nnMethodsWe compared prediction accuracies from a single-trait (uT) and a multi-trait (MT) mixed model for single environment genetic evaluation (Scenario 1) while for multi-environment evaluation accounting for genotype-by-environment interaction (Scenario 2) we compared accuracies from a univariate (uE) and a multivariate (ME) multi-environment mixed model. We used sixteen years of data for six target cassava traits for these analyses. All models for Scenario 1 and Scenario 2 were based on the one-step approach. A 5-fold cross validation scheme with 10-repeat cycles were used to assess model prediction accuracies.nnResultsIn Scenario 1, the MT models had higher prediction accuracies than the uT models for most traits and locations analyzed amounting to 32 percent better prediction accuracy on average. However for Scenario 2, we observed that the ME model had on average (across all locations and traits) 12 percent better predictive power than the uE model.nnConclusionWe recommend the use of multivariate mixed models (MT and ME) for cassava genetic evaluation. These models may be useful for other plant species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Okeke, U. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akdemir, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rabbi, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kulakow, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jannink, J.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-03-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/116301</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Accuracies Of Univariate And Multivariate Genomic Prediction Models In African Cassava.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-03-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/120378v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PHATE: A Dimensionality Reduction Method for Visualizing Trajectory Structures in High-Dimensional Biological Data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/120378v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
With the advent of high-throughput technologies measuring high-dimensional biological data, there is a pressing need for visualization tools that reveal the structure and emergent patterns of data in an intuitive form. We present PHATE, a visualization method that captures both local and global nonlinear structure in data by an information-geometric distance between datapoints. We perform extensive comparison between PHATE and other tools on a variety of artificial and biological datasets, and find that it consistently preserves a range of patterns in data including continual progressions, branches, and clusters. We define a manifold preservation metric DEMaP to show that PHATE produces quantitatively better denoised embeddings than existing visualization methods. We show that PHATE is able to gain unique insight from a newly generated scRNA-seq dataset of human germ layer differentiation. Here, PHATE reveals a dynamic picture of the main developmental branches in unparalleled detail, including the identification of three novel subpopulations. Finally, we show that PHATE is applicable to a wide variety of datatypes including mass cytometry, single-cell RNA-sequencing, Hi-C, and gut microbiome data, where it can generate interpretable insights into the underlying systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moon, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Dijk, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirn, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coifman, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ivanova, N. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolf, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnaswamy, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-03-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/120378</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PHATE: A Dimensionality Reduction Method for Visualizing Trajectory Structures in High-Dimensional Biological Data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-03-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/120808v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome Wide Association Analyses Based On Broadly Different Specifications For Prior Distributions, Genomic Windows, And Estimation Methods 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/120808v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A popular strategy (EMMAX) for genome wide association (GWA) analysis fits all marker effects as classical random effects (i.e., Gaussian prior) by which association for the specific marker of interest is inferred by treating its effect as fixed. It seems more statistically coherent to specify all markers as sharing the same prior distribution, whether it is Gaussian, heavy-tailed (BayesA), or has variable selection specifications based on a mixture of, say, two Gaussian distributions (SSVS). Furthermore, all such GWA inference should be formally based on posterior probabilities or test statistics as we present here, rather than merely being based on point estimates. We compared these three broad categories of priors within a simulation study to investigate the effects of different degrees of skewness for quantitative trait loci (QTL) effects and numbers of QTL using 43,266 SNP marker genotypes from 922 Duroc-Pietrain F2 cross pigs. Genomic regions were based either on single SNP associations, on non-overlapping windows of various fixed sizes (0.5 to 3 Mb) or on adaptively determined windows that cluster the genome into blocks based on linkage disequilibrium (LD). We found that SSVS and BayesA lead to the best receiver operating curve properties in almost all cases. We also evaluated approximate marginal a posteriori (MAP) approaches to BayesA and SSVS as potential computationally feasible alternatives; however, MAP inferences were not promising, particularly due to their sensitivity to starting values. We determined that it is advantageous to use variable selection specifications based on adaptively constructed genomic window lengths for GWA studies.nnSUMMARYGenome wide association (GWA) analyses strategies have been improved by simultaneously fitting all marker effects when inferring upon any single marker effect, with the most popular distributional assumption being normality. Using data generated from 43,266 genotypes on 922 Duroc-Pietrain F2 cross pigs, we demonstrate that GWA studies could particularly benefit from more flexible heavy-tailed or variable selection distributional assumptions. Furthermore, these associations should not just be based on single markers or even genomic windows of markers of fixed physical distances (0.5 - 3.0 Mb) but based on adaptively determined genomic windows using linkage disequilibrium information.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steibel, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tempelman, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-03-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/120808</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome Wide Association Analyses Based On Broadly Different Specifications For Prior Distributions, Genomic Windows, And Estimation Methods]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-03-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/123992v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Regulatory Divergence In Wound-Responsive Gene Expression In Domesticated And Wild Tomato 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/123992v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundThe evolution of cis- and trans-regulatory components of transcription is central to how stress response and tolerance differ across species. However, it remains largely unknown how divergence in TF binding specificity and cis-regulatory sites contribute to the divergence of stress-responsive gene expression between wild and domesticated species.nnResultsUsing tomato as model, we analyzed the transcriptional profile of wound-responsive genes in wild Solanum pennellii and domesticated S. lycopersicum. We found that extensive expression divergence of wound-responsive genes is associated with speciation. To assess the degree of trans-regulatory divergence between these two species, 342 and 267 putative cis-regulatory elements (pCREs) in S. lycopersicum and S. pennellii, respectively, were identified that were predictive of wound-induced gene expression. We found that 35-66% of pCREs were conserved across species, suggesting that the remaining proportion (34-65%) of pCREs are species specific. This finding indicates a substantially higher degree of trans-regulatory divergence between these two plant species, which diverged [~]3-7 million years ago, compared to that observed in mouse and human, which diverged [~]100 million years ago. In addition, differences in pCRE sites were significantly associated with differences in wound-responsive gene expression between wild and domesticated tomato orthologs, suggesting the presence of substantial cis-regulatory divergence.nnConclusionsOur study provides new insights into the mechanistic basis of how the transcriptional response to wounding is regulated and, importantly, the contribution of cis- and trans-regulatory components to variation in wound-responsive gene expression during species domestication.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, M.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sugimoto, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uygun, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panchy, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campbell, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yandell, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howe, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-04-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/123992</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Regulatory Divergence In Wound-Responsive Gene Expression In Domesticated And Wild Tomato]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-04-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/124438v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The role of Cdx2 as a lineage specific transcriptional repressor for pluripotent network during trophectoderm and inner cell mass specification 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/124438v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The first cellular differentiation event in mouse development leads to the formation of the blastocyst consisting of the inner cell mass (ICM) and an outer functional epithelium called trophectoderm (TE). The lineage specific transcription factor CDX2 is required for proper TE specification, where it promotes expression of TE genes, and represses expression of Pou5f1 (OCT4) by inhibiting OCT4 from promoting its own expression. However its downstream network in the developing early embryo is not fully characterized. Here, we performed high-throughput single embryo qPCR analysis in Cdx2 null embryos to identify components of the CDX2-regulated network in vivo. To identify genes likely to be regulated by CDX2 directly, we performed CDX2 ChIP-Seq on trophoblast stem (TS) cells, derived from the TE. In addition, we examined the dynamics of gene expression changes using an inducible CDX2 embryonic stem (ES) cell system, so that we could predict which CDX2-bound genes are activated or repressed by CDX2 binding. By integrating these data with observations of chromatin modifications, we were able to identify novel regulatory elements that are likely to repress gene expression in a lineage-specific manner. Interestingly, we found CDX2 binding sites within regulatory elements of key pluripotent genes such as Pou5f1 and Nanog, pointing to the existence of a novel mechanism by which CDX2 maintains repression of OCT4 in trophoblast. Our study proposes a general mechanism in regulating lineage segregation during mammalian development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Huang, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huss, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mistri, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pinello, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ng, H. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ji, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rossant, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robson, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-04-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/124438</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The role of Cdx2 as a lineage specific transcriptional repressor for pluripotent network during trophectoderm and inner cell mass specification]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-04-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/127035v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bacterial community composition and dynamics spanning five years in freshwater bog lakes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/127035v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteria play a key role in freshwater biogeochemical cycling, but long-term trends in freshwater bacterial community composition and dynamics are not yet well characterized. We used a multi-year time series of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data from eight bog lakes to census the freshwater bacterial community and observe annual and seasonal trends in abundance. Multiple sites and sampling events were necessary to begin to fully describe the bacterial communities. Each lake and layer contained a distinct bacterial community, with distinct levels of richness and indicator taxa that likely reflected the environmental conditions of each site. The community present in each year and site was also unique. Despite high interannual variability in community composition, we detected a core community of ubiquitous freshwater taxa. Although trends in abundance did not repeat annually, each freshwater lineage within the communities had a consistent lifestyle, defined by persistence, abundance, and variability. The results of our analysis emphasize the importance of long-term observations, as analyzing only a single year of data would not have allowed us to describe the dynamics and composition of these freshwater bacterial communities to the extent presented here.nnImportanceLakes are excellent systems for investigating bacterial community dynamics because they have clear boundaries and strong environmental gradients. The results of our research demonstrate that bacterial community dynamics operate on multi-year timescales, a finding which likely applies to other ecosystems, with implications for study design and interpretation. Understanding the drivers and controls of bacterial communities on long time scales would improve both our knowledge of fundamental properties of bacterial communities, and our ability to predict community states. In this specific ecosystem, bog lakes play a disproportionately large role in global carbon cycling, and the information presented here may ultimately help refine carbon budgets for these lakes. Finally, all data and code in this study are publicly available. We hope that this will serve as a resource to anyone seeking to answer their own microbial ecology questions using a multi-year time series.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Linz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crary, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Owens, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilbert, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knight, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McMahon, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-04-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/127035</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bacterial community composition and dynamics spanning five years in freshwater bog lakes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-04-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/127282v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Defining functional intergenic transcribed regions based on heterogeneous features of phenotype genes and pseudogenes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/127282v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
With advances in transcript profiling, the presence of transcriptional activities in intergenic regions has been well established in multiple model systems. However, whether intergenic expression reflects transcriptional noise or the activity of novel genes remains unclear. We identified intergenic transcribed regions (ITRs) in 15 diverse flowering plant species and found that the amount of intergenic expression correlates with genome size, a pattern that could be expected if intergenic expression is largely non-functional. To further assess the functionality of ITRs, we first built machine learning classifiers using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model that can accurately distinguish functional sequences (phenotype genes) and non-functional ones (pseudogenes and random unexpressed intergenic regions) by integrating 93 biochemical, evolutionary, and sequence-structure features. Next, by applying the models to ITRs, we found that 2,453 (21%) had features significantly similar to phenotype genes and thus were likely parts of functional genes, while an additional 17% resembled benchmark RNA genes. However, [~]60% of ITRs were more similar to nonfunctional sequences and should be considered transcriptional noise unless falsified with experiments. The predictive framework establish here provides not only a comprehensive look at how functional, genic sequences are distinct from likely non-functional ones, but also a new way to differentiate novel genes from genomic regions with noisy transcriptional activities.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lloyd, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsai, Z. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sowers, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panchy, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-04-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/127282</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Defining functional intergenic transcribed regions based on heterogeneous features of phenotype genes and pseudogenes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-04-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/127308v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Enhancing Multiplex Genome Editing by Natural Transformation (MuGENT) via inactivation of ssDNA exonucleases 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/127308v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recently, we described a method for multiplex genome editing by natural transformation (MuGENT). Mutant constructs for MuGENT require large arms of homology (>2000 bp) surrounding each genome edit, which necessitates laborious in vitro DNA splicing. In Vibrio cholerae, we uncover that this requirement is due to cytoplasmic ssDNA exonucleases, which inhibit natural transformation. In ssDNA exonuclease mutants, one arm of homology can be reduced to as little as 40 bp while still promoting integration of genome edits at rates of ~50% without selection in cis. Consequently, editing constructs are generated in a single PCR reaction where one homology arm is oligonucleotide encoded. To further enhance editing efficiencies, we also developed a strain for transient inactivation of the mismatch repair system. As a proof-of-concept, we used these advances to rapidly mutate 10 high-affinity binding sites for the nucleoid occlusion protein SlmA and generated a duodecuple mutant of 12 diguanylate cyclases in V. cholerae. Whole genome sequencing revealed little to no off-target mutations in these strains. Finally, we show that ssDNA exonucleases inhibit natural transformation in Acinetobacter baylyi. Thus, rational removal of ssDNA exonucleases may be broadly applicable for enhancing the efficacy and ease of MuGENT in diverse naturally transformable species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dalia, T. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoon, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Galli, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barre, F.-X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dalia, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-04-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/127308</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Enhancing Multiplex Genome Editing by Natural Transformation (MuGENT) via inactivation of ssDNA exonucleases]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-04-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/131284v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Relic DNA contributes minimally to estimates of microbial diversity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/131284v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extracellular or "relic" DNA is one of the largest pools of nucleic acids in the mbiosphere 1,2. Relic DNA can influence a number of important ecological and evolutionary processes, but it may also bias estimates of microbial abundance and diversity, which has implications for understanding environmental, engineered, and host-associated ecosystems. We developed models capturing the fundamental processes that regulate the size and composition of the relic DNA pools to identify scenarios leading to biased estimates of biodiversity. Our models predict that bias increases with relic DNA pool size, but only when the species abundance distributions (SAD) of relic and intact DNA are distinct from one another. We evaluated our model predictions by quantifying relic DNA and assessing its contribution to bacterial diversity using 16S rRNA gene sequences collected from different ecosystem types, including soil, sediment, water, and the mammalian gut. On average, relic DNA made up 33 % of the total bacterial DNA pool, but exceeded 80 % in some samples. Despite its abundance, relic DNA had no effect on estimates of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, even in ecosystems where processes such as the physical protection of relic DNA are common and predicted by our models to generate bias. Rather, our findings are consistent with the expectation that relic DNA sequences degrade in proportion to their abundance and therefore may contribute minimally to estimates of microbial diversity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lennon, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Placella, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muscarella, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-04-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/131284</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Relic DNA contributes minimally to estimates of microbial diversity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-04-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/132795v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
FastNet: Fast and accurate inference of phylogenetic networks using large-scale genomic sequence data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/132795v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
An emerging discovery in phylogenomics is that interspecific gene flow has played a major role in the evolution of many different organisms. To what extent is the Tree of Life not truly a tree reflecting strict "vertical" divergence, but rather a more general graph structure known as a phylogenetic network which also captures "horizontal"gene flow? The answer to this fundamental question not only depends upon densely sampled and divergent genomic sequence data, but also compu-tational methods which are capable of accurately and efficiently inferring phylogenetic networks from large-scale genomic sequence datasets. Re-cent methodological advances have attempted to address this gap. How-ever, in the 2016 performance study of Hejase and Liu, state-of-the-art methods fell well short of the scalability requirements of existing phy-logenomic studies.nnThe methodological gap remains: how can phylogenetic networks be ac-curately and efficiently inferred using genomic sequence data involving many dozens or hundreds of taxa? In this study, we address this gap by proposing a new phylogenetic divide-and-conquer method which we call FastNet. We conduct a performance study involving a range of evolu-tionary scenarios, and we demonstrate that FastNet outperforms state-of-the-art methods in terms of computational efficiency and topological accuracy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hejase, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VandePol, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-05-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/132795</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[FastNet: Fast and accurate inference of phylogenetic networks using large-scale genomic sequence data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-05-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/132951v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Coal-Miner: A Coalescent-Based Method For GWA Studies Of Quantitative Traits With Complex Evolutionary Origins 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/132951v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Association mapping (AM) methods are used in genome-wide association (GWA) studies to test for statistically significant associations between genotypic and phenotypic data. The genotypic and phenotypic data share common evolutionary origins - namely, the evolutionary history of sampled organisms - introducing covariance which must be distinguished from the covariance due to biological function that is of primary interest in GWA studies. A variety of methods have been introduced to perform AM while accounting for sample relatedness. However, the state of the art predominantly utilizes the simplifying assumption that sample relatedness is effectively fixed across the genome. In contrast, population genetic theory and empirical studies have shown that sample relatedness can vary greatly across different loci within a genome; this phenomena - referred to as local genealogical variation - is commonly encountered in many genomic datasets. New AM methods are needed to better account for local variation in sample relatedness within genomes.nnWe address this gap by introducing Coal-Miner, a new statistical AM method. The Coal-Miner algorithm takes the form of a methodological pipeline. The initial stages of Coal-Miner seek to detect candidate loci, or loci which contain putatively causal markers. Subsequent stages of Coal-Miner perform test for association using a linear mixed model with multiple effects which account for sample relatedness locally within candidate loci and globally across the entire genome.nnUsing synthetic and empirical datasets, we compare the statistical power and type I error control of Coal-Miner against state-of-theart AM methods. The simulation conditions reflect a variety of genomic architectures for complex traits and incorporate a range of evolutionary scenarios, each with different evolutionary processes that can generate local genealogical variation. The empirical benchmarks include a large-scale dataset that appeared in a recent high-profile publication. Across the datasets in our study, we find that Coal-Miner consistently offers comparable or typically better statistical power and type I error control compared to the state-of-art methods.nnCCS CONCEPTSApplied computing [-&gt;] Computational genomics; Computational biology; Molecular sequence analysis; Molecular evolution; Computational genomics; Systems biology; Bioinformatics; Population genetics;nnACM Reference formatHussein A. Hejase, Natalie Vande Pol, Gregory M. Bonito, Patrick P. Edger, and Kevin J. Liu. 2017. Coal-Miner: a coalescent-based method for GWA studies of quantitative traits with complex evolutionary origins. In Proceedings of ACM BCB, Boston, MA, 2017 (BCB), 10 pages. DOI: 10.475/123 4
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hejase, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vande Pol, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-05-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/132951</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Coal-Miner: A Coalescent-Based Method For GWA Studies Of Quantitative Traits With Complex Evolutionary Origins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-05-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/136937v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-omic analysis of a hyper-diverse plant metabolic pathway reveals evolutionary routes to biological innovation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/136937v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The diversity of life on Earth is a result of continual innovations in molecular networks influencing morphology and physiology. Plant specialized metabolism produces hundreds of thousands of compounds, offering striking examples of these innovations. To understand how this novelty is generated, we investigated the evolution of the Solanaceae family-specific, trichome-localized acylsugar biosynthetic pathway using a combination of mass spectrometry, RNA-seq, enzyme assays, RNAi and phylogenetics in non-model species. Our results reveal that hundreds of acylsugars are produced across the Solanaceae family and even within a single plant, revealing this phenotype to be hyper-diverse. The relatively short biosynthetic pathway experienced repeated cycles of innovation over the last 100 million years that include gene duplication and divergence, gene loss, evolution of substrate preference and promiscuity. This study provides mechanistic insights into the emergence of plant chemical novelty, and offers a template for investigating the [~]300,000 non-model plant species that remain underexplored.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moghe, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leong, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hurney, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-05-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/136937</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-omic analysis of a hyper-diverse plant metabolic pathway reveals evolutionary routes to biological innovation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-05-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/137141v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
LTR_retriever: A Highly Accurate And Sensitive Program For Identification Of LTR Retrotransposons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/137141v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Long terminal-repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) are prevalent in plant genomes. Identification of LTR-RTs is critical for achieving high-quality gene annotation. Based on the well-conserved structure, multiple programs were developed for de novo identification of LTR-RTs; however, these programs are associated with low specificity and high false discovery rate (FDR). Here we report LTR_retriever, a multithreading empowered Perl program that identifies LTR-RTs and generates high-quality LTR libraries from genomic sequences. LTR_retriever demonstrated significant improvements by achieving high levels of sensitivity (91.8%), specificity (94.7%), accuracy (94.3%), and precision (90.6%) in model plants. LTR_retriever is also compatible with long sequencing reads. With 40k self-corrected PacBio reads equivalent to 4.5X genome coverage in Arabidopsis, the constructed LTR library showed excellent sensitivity and specificity. In addition to canonical LTR-RTs with 5'-TG..CA-3' termini, LTR_retriever also identifies non-canonical LTR-RTs (non-TGCA), which have been largely ignored in genome-wide studies. We identified seven types of non-canonical LTRs from 42 out of 50 plant genomes. The majority of non-canonical LTRs are Copia elements, with which the LTR is four times shorter than that of other Copia elements, which may be a result of their target specificity. Strikingly, non-TGCA Copia elements are often located in genic regions and preferentially insert nearby or within genes, indicating their impact on the evolution of genes and potential as mutagenesis tools.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/137141</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[LTR_retriever: A Highly Accurate And Sensitive Program For Identification Of LTR Retrotransposons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/137554v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Core Transcriptome Of Mammalian Placentas And The Divergence Of Expression With Placental Shape 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/137554v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
IntroductionThe placenta is arguably the most anatomically variable organ in mammals even though its primary function is conserved.nnMethodUsing RNA-Seq, we measured the expression profiles of 55 term placentas of 14 species of mammals representing all major eutherian superordinal clades and marsupials, and compared the evolution of expression across clades.nnResultsWe identified a set of 115 core genes which is expressed (FPKM[&ge;] 10) in all eutherian placentas, including genes with immune-modulating properties (ANXA2, ANXA1, S100A11, S100A10, and LGALS1), cell-cell interactions (LAMC1, LUM, and LGALS1), invasion (GRB2 and RALB) and syncytialization (ANXA5 and ANXA1). We also identified multiple pre-eclampsia associated genes which are differentially expressed in Homo sapiens when compared to the other 13 species. Multiple genes are significantly associated with placenta morphology, including EREG and WNT5A which are both associated with placental shape.nnDiscussion115 genes are important for the core functions of the placenta in all eutherian species analyzed. The molecular functions and pathways enriched in the core placenta align with the evolutionarily conserved functionality of the placenta.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Armstrong, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGowen, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weckle, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pantham, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caravas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agnew, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benirschke, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Savage-Rumbaugh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nevo, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wagner, G. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romero, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wildman, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/137554</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Core Transcriptome Of Mammalian Placentas And The Divergence Of Expression With Placental Shape]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/139204v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Manuscript 101: A Data-Driven Writing Exercise For Beginning Scientists 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/139204v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Learning to write a scientific manuscript is one of the most important and rewarding scientific training experiences, yet most young scientists only embark on this experience relatively late in graduate school, after gathering sufficient data in the lab. Yet, familiarity with the process of writing a scientific manuscript and receiving peer reviews, often leads to a more focused and driven experimental approach. To jump-start this training, we developed a protocol for teaching manuscript writing and reviewing in the classroom, appropriate for new graduate or upper-level undergraduate students of developmental biology. First, students are provided one of four cartoon data sets, which are focused on genetic models of animal development. Students are instructed to use their creativity to convert evidence into argument, and then to integrate their interpretations into a manuscript, including an illustrated, mechanistic model figure. After student manuscripts are submitted, manuscripts are redacted and distributed to classmates for peer review. Here, we present our cartoon datasets, homework instructions, and grading rubrics as a new resource for the scientific community. We also describe methods for developing new datasets so that instructors can adapt this activity to other disciplines. Our data-driven manuscript writing exercise, as well as the formative and summative assessments resulting from the peer review, enables students to learn fundamental concepts in developmental genetics. In addition, students practice essential skills of scientific communication, including arguing from evidence, developing and testing models, the unique conventions of scientific writing, and the joys of scientific story telling.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Halbisen, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-05-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/139204</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Manuscript 101: A Data-Driven Writing Exercise For Beginning Scientists]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-05-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/139733v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
How Well Do You Know Your Mutation? Complex Effects Of Genetic Background On Expressivity, Complementation, And Ordering Of Allelic Effects 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/139733v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
For a given gene, different mutations influence organismal phenotypes to varying degrees. However, the expressivity of these variants not only depends on the DNA lesion associated with the mutation, but also on factors including the genetic background and rearing environment. The degree to which these factors influence related alleles, genes, or pathways similarly, and whether similar developmental mechanisms underlie variation in the expressivity of a single allele across conditions and variation across alleles is poorly understood. Besides their fundamental biological significance, these questions have important implications for the interpretation of functional genetic analyses, for example, if these factors alter the ordering of allelic series or patterns of complementation. We examined the impact of genetic background and rearing environment for a series of mutations spanning the range of phenotypic effects for both the scalloped and vestigial genes, which influence wing development in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetic background and rearing environment influenced the phenotypic outcome of mutations, including intra-genic interactions, particularly for mutations of moderate expressivity. We examined whether cellular correlates (such as cell proliferation during development) of these phenotypic effects matched the observed phenotypic outcome. While cell proliferation decreased with mutations of increasingly severe effects, surprisingly it did not co-vary strongly with the degree of background dependence. We discuss these findings and propose a phenomenological model to aid in understanding the biology of genes, and how this influences our interpretation of allelic effects in genetic analysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chandler, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chari, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kowalski, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tack, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeNieu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pitchers, W. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sonnenschein, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marvin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hummel, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marier, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Victory, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porter, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mammel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holms, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sivaratnam, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dworkin, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-05-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/139733</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[How Well Do You Know Your Mutation? Complex Effects Of Genetic Background On Expressivity, Complementation, And Ordering Of Allelic Effects]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-05-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/145805v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Gene Regulatory Landscape of Local Adaptation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/145805v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Local adaptation is a key driver of ecological specialization and the formation of new species. Despite its importance, the evolution of gene regulatory divergence among locally-adapted populations is poorly understood, especially how that divergence manifests in nature. Here, we evaluate gene expression divergence and allele-specific gene expression responses for locally-adapted coastal perennial and inland annual accessions of the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus, in a field reciprocal transplant experiment. Overall, 6765 (73%) of surveyed genes were differentially expressed between coastal and inland habitats, while 7213 (77%) were differentially expressed between the coastal perennial and inland annual accessions. Further, 18% of transcripts had significant genotype x site (GxE) effects. Habitat-specific differential expression was found for 62% of the GxE transcripts (differential expression in one habitat, but not the other), while only 94 ([~]5%) GxE transcripts had crossing reaction norms. Cis-regulatory variation was pervasive, affecting 79% (5532) of differentially expressed genes. We detected trans effects for 52% (3611) of differentially expressed genes. Consistent with the supergene hypothesis of chromosome inversion evolution, a locally adaptive inversion was enriched for cis-regulatory divergence. These results provide multiple new insights into the evolution of transcriptome-wide gene regulatory divergence and plasticity among locally adapted populations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gould, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/145805</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Gene Regulatory Landscape of Local Adaptation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/148429v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reciprocal control of motility and biofilm formation by the PdhS2 two-component sensor kinase of Agrobacterium tumefaciens 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/148429v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A core regulatory pathway that directs developmental transitions and cellular asymmetries in Agrobacterium tumefaciens involves two overlapping, integrated phosphorelays. One of these phosphorelays putatively includes four histidine sensor kinase homologues, DivJ, PleC, PdhS1, and PdhS2, and two response regulators, DivK and PleD. In several different alphaproteobacteria, this pathway influences a conserved downstream phosphorelay that ultimately controls the phosphorylation state of the CtrA master response regulator. The PdhS2 sensor kinase reciprocally regulates biofilm formation and swimming motility. In the current study the mechanisms by which the A. tumefaciens sensor kinase PdhS2 directs this regulation are delineated. PdhS2 lacking a key residue for phosphatase activity is markedly deficient in proper control of attachment and motility phenotypes, whereas a kinase-deficient PdhS2 mutant is only modestly affected. A genetic interaction between DivK and PdhS2 is revealed, unmasking one of several connections between PdhS2-dependent phenotypes and transcriptional control by CtrA. Epistasis experiments suggest that PdhS2 can function independently of the CckA sensor kinase, the cognate sensor kinase for CtrA which is inhibited by DivK. PdhS2 dynamically localizes to the daughter cell pole in dividing cells. Global expression analysis of the pdhS2 mutant reveals a restricted regulon, functioning through CtrA to separately control motility and regulate levels of the intracellular signal cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (cdGMP), thereby affecting production of adhesive polysaccharides and attachment. We hypothesize that in A. tumefaciens the CtrA regulatory circuit has expanded to include additional inputs through addition of PdhS-type sensor kinases, likely fine-tuning the response of this organism to the soil microenvironment.nnIMPORTANCEBacterial developmental processes, such as morphological transformations and behavioral transitions, are tightly regulated. In many alphaproteobacteria cell division and development are coordinated by a specific suite of conserved histidine kinases and their partnered regulatory proteins. Here we describe how the histidine kinase PdhS2 of Agrobacterium tumefaciens regulates complex phenotypes including biofilm formation and motility. PdhS2 genetically interacts with a single-domain response regulator, DivK, and the intracellular signal cyclic diguanylate monophosphate. PdhS2 dynamically localizes to the new pole of recently divided cells, contributing to the regulatory processes that dictate whether these cells remain motile or initiate biofilm formation. These findings expand our understanding of the complex network that integrates cell division and developmental control in A. tumefaciens and related alphaproteobacteria.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heindl, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosby, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merenich, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buechlein, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruger, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fuqua, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/148429</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reciprocal control of motility and biofilm formation by the PdhS2 two-component sensor kinase of Agrobacterium tumefaciens]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/148973v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Spatial resource heterogeneity increases diversity and evolutionary potential 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/148973v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spatial heterogeneity is believed to be an evolutionary driver of biodiversity. Variability in the distribution of resource patches can allow an environment to support a wider variety of phenotypes for selection to act upon at the ecosystem level, which may lead to more species. However, the generality of this principle has not been thoroughly tested, as the relevant adaptive dynamics occur on evolutionary timescales. We overcame this challenge by performing experiments on populations of digital organisms in the Avida Digital Evolution Platform, in which we investigated the impact of spatial resource heterogeneity on phenotypic diversity. Since an important benefit of diversity may be increased evolutionary potential, we also tracked the probability of a complex trait evolving in the context of various levels of spatial heterogeneity. We found that spatial entropy and phenotypic diversity have a strong positive correlation and this relationship is consistent across various spatial configurations. Diversity also increases evolutionary potential, but has a much smaller impact than other components of environmental composition. The most important of these components was the mean number of resources present in locations across the environment, likely owing to the importance of building blocks for the evolution of complex features. These results suggest that a general relationship exists between spatial heterogeneity and diversity, beyond the specific ecosystems and timescales in which it has previously been studied. By examining this relationship in the context of phenotypic evolution, we advance a mechanistic understanding of the resulting dynamics. Moreover, our results suggest that the likelihood of evolving various traits can be impacted by the spatial configuration of patches in which these traits are advantageous. These findings have implications for both evolutionary biology and evolutionary computation, as generating and maintaining diversity is critical to all forms of evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dolson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olson, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ofria, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/148973</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Spatial resource heterogeneity increases diversity and evolutionary potential]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/149179v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Patterns of divergence across the geographic and genomic landscape of a butterfly hybrid zone associated with a climatic gradient 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/149179v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hybrid zones are a valuable tool for studying the process of speciation and for identifying the genomic regions undergoing divergence and the ecological (extrinsic) and non-ecological (intrinsic) factors involved. Here, we explored the genomic and geographic landscape of divergence in a hybrid zone between Papilio glaucus and Papilio canadensis. Using a genome scan of 28,417 ddRAD SNPs, we identified genomic regions under possible selection and examined their distribution in the context of previously identified candidate genes for ecological adaptations. We showed that differentiation was genome-wide, including multiple candidate genes for ecological adaptations, particularly those involved in seasonal adaptation and host plant detoxification. The Z-chromosome and four autosomes showed a disproportionate amount of differentiation, suggesting genes on these chromosomes play a potential role in reproductive isolation. Cline analyses of significantly differentiated genomic SNPs, and of species diagnostic genetic markers, showed a high degree of geographic coincidence (81%) and concordance (80%) and were associated with the geographic distribution of a climate-mediated developmental threshold (length of the growing season). A relatively large proportion (1.3%) of the outliers for divergent selection were not associated with candidate genes for ecological adaptations and may reflect the presence of previously unrecognized intrinsic barriers between these species. These results suggest that exogenous (climate-mediated) and endogenous (unknown) clines may have become coupled and act together to reinforce reproductive isolation. This approach of assessing divergence across both the genomic and geographic landscape can provide insight about the interplay between the genetic architecture of reproductive isolation and endogenous and exogenous selection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ryan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fontaine, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scriber, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pfrender, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Neil, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hellmann, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/149179</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Patterns of divergence across the geographic and genomic landscape of a butterfly hybrid zone associated with a climatic gradient]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/149302v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Spatial resource heterogeneity creates local hotspots of evolutionary potential 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/149302v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Do local conditions influence evolutions ability to produce new traits? Biological data demonstrate that evolutionary processes can be profoundly influenced by local conditions. However, the evolution of novel traits has not been addressed in this context, owing in part to the challenges of performing the necessary experiments with natural organisms. We conduct in silico experiments with the Avida Digital Evolution Platform to address this question. We created eight different spatially heterogeneous environments and ran 100 replicates in each. Within each environment, we examined the distribution of locations where nine different focal traits first evolved. Using spatial statistics methods, we identified regions within each environment that had significantly elevated probabilities of containing the first organism with a given trait (i.e. hotspots of evolutionary potential). Having demonstrated the presence of many such hotspots, we explored three potential mechanisms that could drive the formation of these patterns: proximity of specific resources, variation in local diversity, and variation in the sequence of locations the members of an evolutionary lineage occupy. Resource proximity and local diversity appear to have minimal explanatory power. Lineage paths through space, however, show some promising preliminary trends. If we can understand the processes that create evolutionary hotspots, we will be able to craft environments that are more effective at evolving targeted traits. This capability would be useful both to evolutionary computation, and to efforts to guide biological evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dolson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ofria, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/149302</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Spatial resource heterogeneity creates local hotspots of evolutionary potential]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/151944v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of gene expression after whole-genome duplication: new insights from the spotted gar genome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/151944v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Whole genome duplications (WGD) are important evolutionary events. Our understanding of underlying mechanisms, including the evolution of duplicated genes after WGD, however remains incomplete. Teleost fish experienced a common WGD (teleost-specific genome duplication, or TGD) followed by a dramatic adaptive radiation leading to more than half of all vertebrate species. The analysis of gene expression patterns following TGD at the genome level has been limited by the lack of suitable genomic resources. The recent concomitant release of the genome sequence of spotted gar (a representative of holosteans, the closest lineage of teleosts that lacks the TGD) and the tissue-specific gene expression repertoires of over 20 holostean and teleostean fish species, including spotted gar, zebrafish and medaka (the PhyloFish project), offered a unique opportunity to study the evolution of gene expression following TGD in teleosts. We show that most TGD duplicates gained their current status (loss of one duplicate gene or retention of both duplicates) relatively rapidly after TGD (i.e. prior to the divergence of medaka and zebrafish lineages). The loss of one duplicate is the most common fate after TGD with a probability of approximately 80%. In addition, the fate of duplicate genes after TGD, including subfunctionalization, neofunctionalization, or retention of two  similar copies occurred not only before, but also after the radiation of species tested, in consistency with a role of the TGD in speciation and/or evolution of gene function. Finally, we report novel cases of TGD ohnolog subfunctionalization and neofunctionalization that further illustrate the importance of these processes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pasquier, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Batzel, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cabau, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montfort, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jouanno, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berthelot, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klopp, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Journot, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Postlethwait, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guiguen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bobe, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/151944</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of gene expression after whole-genome duplication: new insights from the spotted gar genome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/153866v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Widespread Negative Frequency-Dependent Selection Maintains Diversity in the Legume-Rhizobia Symbiosis: Balancing nodulation may explain the paradox of rhizobium diversity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/153866v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The evolutionary origin and ecological maintenance of biodiversity is a central problem in biology. For diversity to be stable through time, each genotype or species must have an advantage when rare. This negative frequency-dependence prevents deterministic extinction and mitigates the stochastic loss of diversity (1-4). However, models of mutualism typically generate positive frequency-dependence that reduces diversity (5-8). Here, we report empirical evidence for negative frequency-dependence in the legume-rhizobium mutualism within a single host generation, a phenomenon that we term balancing nodulation. Balancing nodulation increases rare rhizobia across all 13 legume genera investigated to date, at high and low inoculum densities, and with minimal genetic differentiation between rhizobia strains. While the mechanism generating this phenomenon is currently unknown, balancing nodulation could actively maintain variation in the rhizobia-legume symbiosis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Siler, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Friesen, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/153866</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Widespread Negative Frequency-Dependent Selection Maintains Diversity in the Legume-Rhizobia Symbiosis: Balancing nodulation may explain the paradox of rhizobium diversity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/154047v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Microevolutionary processes underlying macroevolutionary patterns of electric signal diversity in mormyrid fish 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/154047v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mormyrid fish species Paramormyrops kingsleyae emits an electric organ discharge (EOD) with a dual role in communication and electrolocation. Populations of P. kingsleyae have either biphasic or triphasic EODs, a feature which characterizes interspecific signal diversity among the Paramormyrops genus. We quantified variation in EODs of 327 P. kingsleyae from 9 populations throughout Gabon and compared it to genetic variation estimated from 5 neutral microsatellite loci. We found no correlation between electric signal and genetic distances, suggesting that EOD divergence between populations of P. kingsleyae cannot be explained by drift alone. An alternative hypothesis is that EOD differences are a cue for assortative mating, which would require P. kingsleyae be capable of differentiating between divergent EOD waveforms. Using a habituation-dishabituation assay, we found that P. kingsleyae can discriminate between triphasic and biphasic EOD types. Nonetheless, patterns of genetic and electric organ morphology divergence provide evidence for hybridization between signal types. Although reproductive isolation with respect to signal type is not absolute, our results suggest that EOD variation in P. kingsleaye has the potential to serve as a cue for assortative mating and point to selective forces rather than drift as important drivers of signal evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gallant, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sperling, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheng, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnegard, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carlson, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hopkins, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/154047</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Microevolutionary processes underlying macroevolutionary patterns of electric signal diversity in mormyrid fish]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/156539v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mapping Loci that Control Tuber and Foliar Symptoms Caused by PVY in Autotetraploid Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/156539v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease (PTNRD) is a tuber deformity associated with infection by the tuber necrotic strain of Potato virus Y (PVYNTN). PTNRD negatively impacts tuber quality and marketability and poses a serious threat to seed and commercial potato production worldwide. PVYNTN symptoms differ in the cultivars Waneta and Pike: Waneta expresses severe PTNRD and foliar mosaic with vein and leaf necrosis, whereas Pike does not express PTNRD and mosaic is the only foliar symptom. To map loci that influence tuber and foliar symptoms, 236 F1 progeny of a cross between Waneta and Pike were inoculated with PVYNTN isolate NY090029 and genotyped using 12,808 Potato SNPs. Foliar symptom type and severity were monitored for 10 weeks, while tubers were evaluated for PTNRD expression at harvest and again after 60 days in storage. Pairwise correlation analyses indicate a strong association between PTNRD and vein necrosis ({tau} = 0.4195). QTL analyses revealed major-effect QTLs on chromosomes 4 and 5 for mosaic, 4 for PTNRD, and 5 for foliar-necrosis symptoms. Locating QTLs associated with PVY-related symptoms provides a foundation for breeders to develop markers that can be used to screen out potato clones with undesirable phenotypes, e.g., those likely to develop PTNRD or to be symptomless carriers of PVY.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>da Silva, W. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ingram, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hackett, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coombs, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Douches, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Jong, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gray, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-06-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/156539</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mapping Loci that Control Tuber and Foliar Symptoms Caused by PVY in Autotetraploid Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-06-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/158188v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reliability of fMRI time series:Similarity of neural processing during movie viewing 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/158188v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Despite its widespread use in neuroscience, the reliability of fMRI remains insufficiently understood. One powerful way to tap into aspects of fMRI reliability is via the inter-subject correlation (ISC) approach, which exposes different viewers to the same time-locked naturalistic stimulus and assesses the similarity of neural time series. Here we examined the correlations of fMRI time series from 24 participants who watched the same movie clips across three repetitions. This enabled us to examine inter-subject correlations, intra-subject correlations, and correlations between aggregated time series, which we link to the notions of inter-rater reliability, stability, and consistency. In primary visual cortex we found average pairwise inter-subject correlations of about r = 0.3, and intra-subject correlations of similar magnitude. Aggregation across subjects increased inter-subject (inter-group) correlations to r = 0.87, and additional intra-subject averaging before cross-subject aggregation yielded correlations of r = 0.93. Computing the same analyses for parietal (visuospatial network) and cingulate cortices (saliency network) revealed a gradient of decreasing ISC from primary visual to higher visual to post-perceptual regions. These latter regions also benefitted most from the increased reliability due to aggregation. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this link between neural process similarity and psychometric conceptions of inter-rater reliability, stability, and internal consistency.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmaelzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Imhof, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grall, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flaisch, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schupp, H. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-07-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/158188</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reliability of fMRI time series:Similarity of neural processing during movie viewing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-07-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/163626v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparative genomic analyses highlight the contribution of pseudogenized protein-coding genes to human lincRNAs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/163626v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundThe regulatory roles of long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) in humans have been revealed through the use of advanced sequencing technology. Recently, three possible scenarios of lincRNA origin have been proposed: de novo origination from intergenic regions, duplication from long noncoding RNA, and pseudogenization from protein. The first two scenarios are largely studied and supported, yet few studies focused on the evolution from pseudo genized protein-coding sequence to lincRNA. Due to the non-mutually exclusive nature that these three scenarios have, accompanied by the need of systematic investigation of lincRNA origination, we conduct a comparative genomics study to investigate the evolution of human lincRNAs.nnResultsCombining with syntenic analysis and stringent Blastn e-value cutoff, we found that the majority of lincRNAs are aligned to the intergenic regions of other species. Interestingly, 193 human lincRNAs could have protein-coding orthologs in at least two of nine vertebrates. Transposable elements in these conserved regions in human genome are much less than expectation. Moreover, 19% of these lincRNAs have overlaps with or are close to pseudogenes in the human genome.nnConclusionsWe suggest that a notable portion of lincRNAs could be derived from pseudogenized protein-coding genes. Furthermore, based on our computational analysis, we hypothesize that a subset of these lincRNAs could have potential to regulate their paralogs by functioning as competing endogenous RNAs. Our results provide evolutionary evidence of the relationship between human lincRNAs and protein-coding genes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, W.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsai, Z. T.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsai, H.-K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-07-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/163626</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparative genomic analyses highlight the contribution of pseudogenized protein-coding genes to human lincRNAs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-07-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/166694v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
RECoN: Rice Environment Coexpression Network for Systems Level Analysis of Abiotic-Stress Response 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/166694v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Transcriptional profiling is a prevalent and powerful approach for capturing the response of crop plants to environmental stresses, e.g. response of rice to drought. However, functionally interpreting the resulting genome-wide gene expression changes is severely hampered by the large gaps in our genomic knowledge about which genes work together in cellular pathways/processes in rice. Here, we present a new web resource - RECoN - that relies on a network-based approach to go beyond currently limited annotations in delineating functional and regulatory perturbations in new rice stress transcriptome datasets generated by a researcher. To build RECoN, we first enumerated 1,744 stress-specific gene modules covering 28,421 rice genes (>72% of the genes in the genome). Each module contains a group of genes tightly coexpressed across a large number of environmental conditions and, thus, is likely to be functionally coherent. When a user provides a new differential expression profile, RECoN identifies modules substantially perturbed in their experiment and further suggests deregulated functional and regulatory mechanisms based on the enrichment of current annotations within the predefined modules. We demonstrate the utility of this resource by analyzing new drought transcriptomes of rice in three developmental stages, which revealed large-scale insights into the cellular processes and regulatory mechanisms involved in common and stage-specific drought responses. RECoN enables biologists to functionally explore new data from all abiotic stresses on a genome-scale and to uncover gene candidates, including those that are currently functionally uncharacterized, for engineering stress tolerance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gupta, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ambavaram, M. M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pereira, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-07-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/166694</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[RECoN: Rice Environment Coexpression Network for Systems Level Analysis of Abiotic-Stress Response]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-07-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/167817v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Temperature selection drives evolution of function-valued traits in a marine diatom 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/167817v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Rapid evolution in response to environmental change will likely be a driving force determining the distribution of species and the structure of communities across the biosphere in coming decades. This is especially true of microorganisms, many of which may be able to evolve in step with rising temperatures. An ecologically indispensable group of microorganisms with great potential for rapid thermal adaptation are the phytoplankton, the diverse photosynthetic microbes forming the foundation of most aquatic food webs. We tested the capacity of a globally important phytoplankton species, the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, for rapid evolution in response to temperature. Evolution of replicate populations at 16 and 31{degrees}C for 350-450 generations led to significant divergence in several traits associated with T. pseudonanas thermal reaction norm (TRN) for per-capita population growth, as well as in its competitive ability for nitrogen (commonly limiting in marine systems). Of particular interest were evolution of the optimum temperature for growth, the upper critical temperature, and the derivative of the TRN, an indicator of potential tradeoffs resulting from local adaptation to temperature. This study offers a broad examination of the evolution of the thermal reaction norm and how modes of TRN variation may govern a populations long-term physiological, ecological, and biogeographic response to global climate change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>O'Donnell, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamman, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klausmeier, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-07-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/167817</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Temperature selection drives evolution of function-valued traits in a marine diatom]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-07-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/170027v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cell cycle time series gene expression data encoded as cyclic attractors in Hopfield systems 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/170027v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Modern time series gene expression and other omics data sets have enabled unprecedented resolution of the dynamics of cellular processes such as cell cycle and response to pharmaceutical compounds. In anticipation of the proliferation of time series data sets in the near future, we use the Hopfield model, a recurrent neural network based on spin glasses, to model the dynamics of cell cycle in HeLa (human cervical cancer) and S. cerevisiae cells. We study some of the rich dynamical properties of these cyclic Hopfield systems, including the ability of populations of simulated cells to recreate experimental expression data and the effects of noise on the dynamics. Next, we use a genetic algorithm to identify sets of genes which, when selectively inhibited by local external fields representing gene silencing compounds such as kinase inhibitors, disrupt the encoded cell cycle. We find, for example, that inhibiting the set of four kinases BRD4, MAPK1, NEK7, and YES1 in HeLa cells causes simulated cells to accumulate in the M phase. Finally, we suggest possible improvements and extensions to our model.nnAuthor SummaryCell cycle - the process in which a parent cell replicates its DNA and divides into two daughter cells - is an upregulated process in many forms of cancer. Identifying gene inhibition targets to regulate cell cycle is important to the development of effective therapies. Although modern high throughput techniques offer unprecedented resolution of the molecular details of biological processes like cell cycle, analyzing the vast quantities of the resulting experimental data and extracting actionable information remains a formidable task. Here, we create a dynamical model of the process of cell cycle using the Hopfield model (a type of recurrent neural network) and gene expression data from human cervical cancer cells and yeast cells. We find that the model recreates the oscillations observed in experimental data. Tuning the level of noise (representing the inherent randomness in gene expression and regulation) to the "edge of chaos" is crucial for the proper behavior of the system. We then use this model to identify potential gene targets for disrupting the process of cell cycle. This method could be applied to other time series data sets and used to predict the effects of untested targeted perturbations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Szedlak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sims, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paternostro, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-07-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/170027</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cell cycle time series gene expression data encoded as cyclic attractors in Hopfield systems]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-07-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/171850v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/171850v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Across most Mediterranean-type climate regions, seasonal drought desiccates plants, facilitating ignition and the spread of wildfires. Along the California coast, summertime fog has the potential to ameliorate drought conditions and thus reduce plant flammability during a critical time of elevated fire risk. This study investigated the uptake of dry season fog and how it affects live fuel moisture in six dominant shrub species from chaparral and sage scrub plant associations. Fog water uptake was evaluated using stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen at several field sites in Santa Barbara County, California. Clear evidence of fog water uptake was identified only in Baccharis pilularis, from the sage scrub association. To determine the effects of fog on live fuel moisture, meteorological variables and indices including fog deposition were combined into principal components and the scores regressed against the live fuel moisture loss rate during the summer drought. Fog deposition slowed rates of live fuel moisture loss for all three sage scrub species tested, but it did not affect the chaparral species. Fog is a more regular occurrence in the sage scrub association and thus it is likely that fog ameliorates drought for species that experience consistent fog during the summer months. In coastal California, summer fog can be essential to plant water relations and reduce live fuel moisture loss rates during the summer drought. Understanding these effects is important in the context of changing climate in southern California and Mediterranean-type climate regions around the world.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Emery, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>D'Antonio, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Still, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-08-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/171850</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-08-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/173690v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome size and the extinction of small populations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/173690v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Although extinction is ubiquitous throughout the history of life, insight into the factors that drive extinction events are often difficult to decipher. Most studies of extinction focus on inferring causal factors from past extinction events, but these studies are constrained by our inability to observe extinction events as they occur. Here, we use digital evolution to avoid these constraints and study "extinction in action". We focus on the role of genome size in driving population extinction, as previous work both in comparative genomics and digital evolution has shown a correlation between genome size and extinction. We find that extinctions in small populations are caused by large genome size. This relationship between genome size and extinction is due to two genetic mechanisms that increase a populations lethal mutational burden: large genome size leads to both an increased lethal mutation rate and an increased likelihood of stochastic reproduction errors and non-viability. We further show that this increased lethal mutational burden is directly due to genome expansions, as opposed to subsequent adaptation after genome expansion. These findings suggest that large genome size can enhance the extinction likelihood of small populations and may inform which natural populations are at an increased risk of extinction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>LaBar, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adami, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-08-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/173690</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome size and the extinction of small populations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-08-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/179309v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Generation and validation of a floxed FosB mouse line 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/179309v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Expression of the FosB gene has been studied extensively in many fields using a variety of tools. However, previous techniques have had a variety of caveats, from potential off-target effects (e.g., overexpression of FosB, {Delta}FosB, or a dominant negative mutant of JunD, termed {Delta}JunD) or confounding developmental effects (e.g., the constitutive FosB knockout mouse). Therefore, we sought to create a floxed FosB mouse line that will allow true silencing of the FosB gene with both spatial and temporal control. Here, we detail the cloning strategy, production, and validation of the floxed FosB mouse. We demonstrate methodology for breeding and genotyping, and show that viral-mediated expression of Cre recombinase in a targeted, discrete brain region ablates expression of the FosB gene in floxed but not wild type mice. Thus, the floxed FosB mouse presented here represents an important new tool for the continued investigation of this critical gene.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ohnishi, Y. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eagle, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ohnishi, Y. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cahill, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wirtz, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nestler, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-08-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/179309</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Generation and validation of a floxed FosB mouse line]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-08-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/179572v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of Iridoid Synthases from Nepeta species: Iridoid cyclization does not determine nepetalactone stereochemistry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/179572v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Graphical AbstractnnO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=105 SRC="FIGDIR/small/179572_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">nView larger version (91K):norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@cc600dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b6240dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f8e1beorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1acb9dd_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG Iridoid synthase from Nepeta cateria (catnip) and Nepeta mussinii, have been cloned and characterized.nnC_FIG AbstractNepetalactones are iridoid monoterpenes with a broad range of biological activities produced by plants in the Nepeta genus. However, none of the genes for nepetalactone biosynthesis have been discovered. Here we report the transcriptomes of two Nepeta species, each with distinctive profiles of nepetalactone stereoisomers. As a starting point for investigation of nepetalactone biosynthesis in Nepeta, these transcriptomes were used to identify candidate genes for iridoid synthase homologs, an enzyme that has been shown to form the core iridoid skeleton in several iridoid producing plant species. Iridoid synthase homologs identified from the transcriptomes were cloned, heterologously expressed, and then assayed with the 8-oxogeranial substrate. These experiments revealed that catalytically active iridoid synthase enzymes are present in Nepeta, though there are unusual mutations in key active site residues. Nevertheless, these enzymes exhibit similar catalytic activity and product profile compared to previously reported iridoid synthases from other plants. Notably, four nepetalactone stereoisomers with differing stereochemistry at the 4 and 7 positions - which are generated during the iridoid synthase reaction - are observed at different ratios in various Nepeta species. This work strongly suggests that the variable stereochemistry at these 4 and 7 positions of nepetalactone diastereomers is established further downstream in the iridoid pathway in Nepeta. Overall, this work provides a gateway into the biosynthesis of nepetalactones in Nepeta.nnHighlightsO_LISpecies within the Nepeta genus (such as catnip) produce nepetalactone iridoidsnC_LIO_LIThe enzymes that produce the iridoid scaffold of nepetalactone were identified from two species of NepetanC_LIO_LIThe iridoid synthase enzymes are not responsible for the stereochemical variation in these iridoidsnC_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sherden, N. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lichman, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caputi, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kamileen, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Connor, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-08-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/179572</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of Iridoid Synthases from Nepeta species: Iridoid cyclization does not determine nepetalactone stereochemistry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-08-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/185355v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pervasive epistasis in cell proliferation pathways modulates neurodevelopmental defects of autism-associated 16p11.2 deletion 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/185355v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As opposed to syndromic CNVs caused by single genes, extensive phenotypic heterogeneity in variably-expressive CNVs complicates disease gene discovery and functional evaluation. Here, we propose a complex interaction model for pathogenicity of the autism-associated 16p11.2 deletion, where CNV genes interact with each other in conserved pathways to modulate expression of the phenotype. Using multiple quantitative methods in Drosophila RNAi lines, we identified a range of neurodevelopmental phenotypes for knockdown of individual 16p11.2 homologs in different tissues. We tested 565 pairwise knockdowns in the developing eye, and identified 24 interactions between pairs of 16p11.2 homologs and 46 interactions between 16p11.2 homologs and neurodevelopmental genes that suppressed or enhanced cell proliferation phenotypes compared to one-hit knockdowns. These interactions within cell proliferation pathways were also enriched in a human brain-specific network, providing translational relevance in humans. Our study indicates a role for genetic interactions within CNVs and identifies potential therapeutic targets for neurodevelopmental disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Iyer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jensen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patel, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pizzo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huber, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koerselman, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weiner, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lepanto, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vadodaria, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kubina, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Talbert, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yennawar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Badano, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manak, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rolls, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Girirajan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/185355</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pervasive epistasis in cell proliferation pathways modulates neurodevelopmental defects of autism-associated 16p11.2 deletion]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/186551v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic and metabolic regulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis acid growth arrest 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/186551v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) senses and adapts to acidic environments during the course of infection. Acidic pH-dependent adaptations include the induction of metabolic genes associated with anaplerosis and growth arrest on specific carbon sources. In this study, reverse and forward genetic studies were undertaken to define new mechanisms underlying pH-dependent adaptations. Here we report that deletion of isocitrate lyase (icl1/2) or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pckA) results in reduced growth at acidic pH and altered metabolite profiles, supporting that remodeling of anaplerotic metabolism is required for pH-dependent adaptation. Mtb cultured at pH 5.7 in minimal medium containing glycerol as a single carbon source exhibits an acid growth arrest phenotype, where the bacterium is non-replicating but viable and metabolically active. The bacterium uptakes and metabolizes glycerol and maintains ATP pools during acid growth arrest and becomes tolerant to detergent stress and the antibiotics isoniazid and rifampin. A forward genetic screen identified mutants that do not arrest their growth at acidic pH, including four enhanced acid growth (eag) mutants with three distinct mutations in the PPE gene MT3221. Overexpression of the MT3221(S211R) variant protein in wild type Mtb results in enhanced acid growth and reduced drug tolerance. Together, these findings provide new evidence for a genetic and physiological basis for acid growth arrest and support that growth arrest is an adaptive process and not simply a physiological limitation associated with acidic pH.nnAuthor SummaryThe bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) causes the disease tuberculosis in humans. During infection Mtb colonizes a variety of environments that have acidic environments and Mtb must adapt to these environments to cause disease. One of these adaptations is that Mtb slows and arrests its growth at acidic pH, and the goal of this study was to examine the genetics and physiology of these pH-dependent adaptations. We found that Mtb modifies its metabolism at acidic pH and that these adaptations are required for optimal growth. We also found that acidic pH and specific nutrient sources can promote the bacterium to enter a state of dormancy, called acid growth arrest, where the bacterium becomes tolerant to antibiotics. Mutants were identified that do not arrest their growth at acidic, revealing that acid growth arrest is a genetically controlled process. Overall, understanding how Mtb adapts to acidic pH has revealed pathway that are required for virulence and drug tolerance and thus may identify new targets for drug development that may function to shorten the course of TB therapy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Baker, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-09-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/186551</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic and metabolic regulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis acid growth arrest]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-09-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/186759v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Analysis of bacterial genomes from an evolution experiment with horizontal gene transfer shows that recombination can sometimes overwhelm selection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/186759v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We analyzed genomes from an experiment in which Escherichia coli K-12 Hfr donors were periodically introduced into 12 evolving populations of E. coli B. Previous work showed that recombination did not increase adaptation, despite increasing variation relative to asexual controls. The effects of recombination were highly variable: one lineage was mostly derived from the donors, while another acquired almost no donor DNA. In most lineages, some regions showed repeated introgression and others almost none. Regions with high introgression tended to be near the donors origin of transfer sites. To determine whether introgressed alleles imposed a genetic load, we extended the experiment for 200 generations without recombination and sequenced whole-population samples. Beneficial alleles in the recipient populations were occasionally driven extinct by maladaptive donor-derived alleles. On balance, our analyses indicate that the plasmid-mediated recombination was sufficiently frequent to drive donor alleles to fixation without providing much, if any, selective advantage.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maddamsetti, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/186759</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Analysis of bacterial genomes from an evolution experiment with horizontal gene transfer shows that recombination can sometimes overwhelm selection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/187732v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mitochondrial Dual-coding Genes in Trypanosoma brucei 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/187732v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Trypanosoma brucei is transmitted between mammalian hosts by the tsetse fly. In the mammal, they are exclusively extracellular, continuously replicating within the bloodstream. During this stage, the mitochondrion lacks a functional electron transport chain (ETC). Successful transition to the fly, requires activation of the ETC and ATP synthesis via oxidative phosphorylation. This life cycle leads to a major problem: in the bloodstream, the mitochondrial genes are not under selection and are subject to genetic drift that endangers their integrity. Exacerbating this, T. brucei undergoes repeated population bottlenecks as they evade the host immune system that would create additional forces of genetic drift. These parasites possess several unique genetic features, including RNA editing of mitochondrial transcripts. RNA editing creates open reading frames by the guided insertion and deletion of U-residues within the mRNA. A major question in the field has been why this metabolically expensive system of RNA editing would evolve and persist. Here, we show that many of the edited mRNAs can alter the choice of start codon and the open reading frame by alternative editing of the 5 end. Analyses of mutational bias indicate that six of the mitochondrial genes may be dual-coding and that RNA editing allows access to both reading frames. We hypothesize that dual-coding genes can protect genetic information by essentially hiding a non-selected gene within one that remains under selection. Thus, the complex RNA editing system found in the mitochondria of trypanosomes provides a unique molecular strategy to combat genetic drift in non-selective conditions.nnAuthor SummaryIn African trypanosomes, many of the mitochondrial mRNAs require extensive RNA editing before they can be translated. During this process, each edited transcript can undergo hundreds of cleavage/ligation events as U-residues are inserted or deleted to generate a translatable open reading frame. A major paradox has been why this incredibly metabolically expensive process would evolve and persist. In this work, we show that many of the mitochondrial genes in trypanosomes are dual-coding, utilizing different reading frames to potentially produce two very different proteins. Access to both reading frames is made possible by alternative editing of the 5 end of the transcript. We hypothesize that dual-coding genes may work to protect the mitochondrial genes from mutations during growth in the mammalian host, when many of the mitochondrial genes are not being used. Thus, the complex RNA editing system may be maintained because it provides a unique molecular strategy to combat genetic drift.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kirby, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koslowsky, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-09-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/187732</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mitochondrial Dual-coding Genes in Trypanosoma brucei]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-09-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/189688v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inferring Continuous and Discrete Population Genetic Structure Across Space 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/189688v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A classic problem in population genetics is the characterization of discrete population structure in the presence of continuous patterns of genetic differentiation. Especially when sampling is discontinuous, the use of clustering or assignment methods may incorrectly ascribe differentiation due to continuous processes (e.g., geographic isolation by distance) to discrete processes, such as geographic, ecological, or reproductive barriers between populations. This reflects a shortcoming of current methods for inferring and visualizing population structure when applied to genetic data deriving from geographically distributed populations. Here, we present a statistical framework for the simultaneous inference of continuous and discrete patterns of population structure. The method estimates ancestry proportions for each sample from a set of two-dimensional population layers, and, within each layer, estimates a rate at which relatedness decays with distance. This thereby explicitly addresses the "clines versus clusters" problem in modeling population genetic variation. The method produces useful descriptions of structure in genetic relatedness in situations where separated, geographically distributed populations interact, as after a range expansion or secondary contact. We demonstrate the utility of this approach using simulations and by applying it to empirical datasets of poplars and black bears in North America.nnAuthor summaryOne of the first steps in the analysis of genetic data, and a principal mission of biology, is to describe and categorize natural variation. A continuous pattern of differentiation (isolation by distance), where individuals found closer together in space are, on average, more genetically similar than individuals sampled farther apart, can confound attempts to categorize natural variation into groups. This is because current statistical methods for assigning individuals to discrete clusters cannot accommodate spatial patterns, and so are forced to use clusters to describe what is in fact continuous variation. As isolation by distance is common in nature, this is a substantial shortcoming of existing methods. In this study, we introduce a new statistical method for categorizing natural genetic variation - one that describes variation as a combination of continuous and discrete patterns. We demonstrate that this method works well and can capture patterns in population genomic data without resorting to splitting populations where they can be described by continuous patterns of variation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coop, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralph, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/189688</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inferring Continuous and Discrete Population Genetic Structure Across Space]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/190124v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Accurate Genomic Prediction Of Human Height 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/190124v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We construct genomic predictors for heritable and extremely complex human quantitative traits (height, heel bone density, and educational attainment) using modern methods in high dimensional statistics (i.e., machine learning). Replication tests show that these predictors capture, respectively, ~40, 20, and 9 percent of total variance for the three traits. For example, predicted heights correlate ~0.65 with actual height; actual heights of most individuals in validation samples are within a few cm of the prediction. The variance captured for height is comparable to the estimated SNP heritability from GCTA (GREML) analysis, and seems to be close to its asymptotic value (i.e., as sample size goes to infinity), suggesting that we have captured most of the heritability for the SNPs used. Thus, our results resolve the common SNP portion of the "missing heritability" problem - i.e., the gap between prediction R-squared and SNP heritability. The ~20k activated SNPs in our height predictor reveal the genetic architecture of human height, at least for common SNPs. Our primary dataset is the UK Biobank cohort, comprised of almost 500k individual genotypes with multiple phenotypes. We also use other datasets and SNPs found in earlier GWAS for out-of-sample validation of our results.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lello, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Avery, S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tellier, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, S. D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-09-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/190124</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Accurate Genomic Prediction Of Human Height]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-09-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/192641v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A model species for agricultural pest genomics: the genome of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/192641v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most challenging agricultural pests to manage. It has shown a spectacular ability to adapt to a variety of solanaceaeous plants and variable climates during its global invasion, and, notably, to rapidly evolve insecticide resistance. To examine evidence of rapid evolutionary change, and to understand the genetic basis of herbivory and insecticide resistance, we tested for structural and functional genomic changes relative to other arthropod species using genome sequencing, transcriptomics, and community annotation. Two factors that might facilitate rapid evolutionary change include transposable elements, which comprise at least 17% of the genome and are rapidly evolving compared to other Coleoptera, and high levels of nucleotide diversity in rapidly growing pest populations. Adaptations to plant feeding are evident in gene expansions and differential expression of digestive enzymes in gut tissues, as well as expansions of gustatory receptors for bitter tasting. Surprisingly, the suite of genes involved in insecticide resistance is similar to other beetles. Finally, duplications in the RNAi pathway might explain why Leptinotarsa decemlineata has high sensitivity to dsRNA. The L. decemlineata genome provides opportunities to investigate a broad range of phenotypes and to develop sustainable methods to control this widely successful pest.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schoville, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andersson, M. N. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benoit, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhandari, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowsher, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brevik, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cappelle, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, M.-J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Childers, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Childers, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christiaens, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clements, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elpidina, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Engsontia, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Friedrich, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia-Robles, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goswami, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grapputo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gruden, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grynberg, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henrissat, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jennings, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kalsi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khan, S. A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lombard, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martynov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, N. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, R. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munoz-Torres, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muszewska, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oppert, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palli, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panfilio, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pauchet, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perkin, L. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petek, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poelch</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-09-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/192641</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A model species for agricultural pest genomics: the genome of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-09-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/195743v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Desert Tortoises in the Genomic Age: Population Genetics and the Landscape 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/195743v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) provided research funds to study the conservation genomics and landscape genomics of the Mojave desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, in response to the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). To do this, we consolidated tissue samples of the desert tortoise from across the species range within California and southern Nevada, generated a DNA dataset consisting of full genomes of 270 tortoises, and analyzed the way in which the environment of the desert tortoise has determined modern patterns of relatedness and genetic diversity across the landscape. Here we present the implications of these results for the conservation and landscape genomics of the desert tortoise. Our work strongly indicates that several well-defined genetic groups exist within the species, including a primary north-south genetic discontinuity at the Ivanpah Valley and another separating western from eastern Mojave samples. We also use existing desert tortoise habitat modeling data with a novel extension of genetic "resistance distance" using geographic maps of continuous space to predict the relative impacts of five proposed development alternatives within the DRECP and rank them with respect to their likely impacts on desert tortoise gene flow and connectivity in the Mojave. Finally, we analyzed the impacts of each of the 214 distinct proposed development area "chunks," derived from the proposed development polygons, and ranked each chunk in terms of its range-wide impacts on desert tortoise gene flow.nnnnO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=150 SRC="FIGDIR/small/195743_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">nView larger version (147K):norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b60416org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c649f2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@120e625org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@e59b34_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG PrefaceO_ST_ABSContextC_ST_ABSThe following document is a report that was submitted to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, describing a series of analyses to help understand the impacts of several alternative spatial configurations of renewable energy development on gene flow of the federally threatened Mojave desert tortoise. These development alternatives were the centerpiece of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), a landscape-level land use planning initiative undertaken by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Energy Commission (CEC), and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). We were tasked by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with providing a detailed analysis of these alternative plans on desert tortoise gene flow, and submitted the report for the public comment period for the initial implementation of the DRECP.nnFuture PlansO_ST_ABSCurrent state of landscape-level planning for the Mojave desert tortoiseC_ST_ABSThe five proposed land use configuration alternatives analyzed in the subsequent report include public and private lands spread across several counties in California. Shortly after the end of the DRECPs public comment period, the government agencies that developed the DRECP announced that they would be splitting its implementation into two phases: one that deals with land use decisions on BLM-controlled lands and one that deals with non-BLM areas (Sahagun 2015).nnPhase I of the DRECP was approved by the Bureau of Land Management on September 14, 2016 (U.S. Bureau of Land Management 2016). This phase includes land use planning decisions for BLM-administered lands. Specifically, 388,000 acres of public lands were designated as development focus areas (DFAs). In applications for leasing lands for renewable energy development, DFAs will not require the same degree of environmental evaluation prior to permitting, as theyve already been evaluated in the context of the DRECP. The application process for renewable energy development within DFAs will be streamlined to encourage development in these areas. Phase I also designated a total of 6,527,000 acres for natural resource conservation. This includes California Desert National Conservation Lands, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, and Wildlife Allocations. A further 2,691,000 acres were designated for recreation under Phase I. Phase II of the DRECP is currently under development in conjunction with county-level governments to extend this landscape-level planning beyond BLM-administered lands.nnAuthor ContributionsThis was a collaborative report. Evan McCartney-Melstad performed the simulations of the low-coverage full genome approach (see Figure 2); conducted all of the laboratory work to generate the genome sequences; performed all of the bioinformatic analyses to bring the raw sequence data to the various stages required for different analyses; wrote the software to quickly estimate pairwise genetic relationships between individuals using read count data in low coverage sequence data (www.github.com/atcg/cPWP); performed some of the population genetic analyses; and wrote and edited several sections of the report.nnO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=122 SRC="FIGDIR/small/195743_fig2.gif" ALT="Figure 2">nView larger version (16K):norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@30a49forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@187c3d8org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@4abe98org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@126febe_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG O_FLOATNOFigure 2.C_FLOATNO Comparison of two different sequencing approaches in their ability to differentiate very slightly differentiated populations (Fst=0.001)nnC_FIG Peter Ralph (in collaboration with Gideon Bradburd and Erik Lundgren) invented and implemented the random walk-based gene flow model that we used to estimate reductions in gene flow due to development, and also developed the theory behind the read-based pairwise pi and genetic covariance estimation used here, in addition to writing and editing several sections of the report. Gideon Bradburd also performed some of the population genetic analyses and wrote and edited several sections of the report. Jannet Vu collected and curated the spatial environmental data and generated the maps that are included in the report (Figures 10, A10-A13), and also wrote Appendices I and IV. Bridgette Hagerty, Fran Sandmeier, Chava Weitzman, and C. Richard Tracy contributed approximately 1,000 desert tortoise blood samples that they collected (at great effort), in addition to knowledge of tortoise ecology and conservation, as well as the results of previous microsatellite-based genetic analyses and editing of the report. H. Bradley Shaffer wrote and edited several sections of the report, and is listed as the lead author for his role in conceiving of and obtaining funding support for the project.nnO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=154 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/195743_fig10.gif" ALT="Figure 10">nView larger version (82K):norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@11e99acorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1faf2f5org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@64c440org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1907837_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG O_FLOATNOFigure 10.C_FLOATNO Spatial configuration of the proposed development chunks (see Appendix 4).nnC_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shaffer, H. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCartney-Melstad, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralph, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundgren, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hagerty, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sandmeier, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weitzman, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tracy, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-09-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/195743</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Desert Tortoises in the Genomic Age: Population Genetics and the Landscape]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-09-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/197780v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Improved management facilitates return of an iconic fish species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/197780v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Species declines and losses of biota are often associated with shifting baselines in perceived historical abundances, and/or neglect or abandonment of recovery actions aimed at ecological restoration. Such declines are frequently accompanied by contractions in the geographical distribution of the species, with associated negative ecological impacts and diminishing socio-economic benefits. Here we show using citizen science and other data that after 50-60 years of near total absence, the iconic top predator and highly migratory species bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, returned by the hundreds if not thousands in waters near Denmark, Norway and Sweden during August-October 2015-2017. The re-utilisation of this former habitat is part of a geographically more widespread expansion of the summer foraging area to the northern part of the northeast Atlantic Ocean, encompassing waters from east Greenland to west Sweden. The remarkable return to the Skagerrak, Kattegat and North Sea has been facilitated by improved fishery management for bluefin tuna and its prey. Bluefin tuna biomass in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean has been increasing since a recovery plan was implemented in the late 2000s, and biomasses of two key prey species (herring, Clupea harengus; mackerel, Scomber scombrus) recovered during the late 1980s-1990s. The reappearance of bluefin tuna in the Skagerrak-Kattegat and other waters of northern Europe, despite a recent history of mismanagement and illegal fishing in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean which led to a critical population decline, offers hope that other marine ecological recoveries are possible under improved management of fisheries and ecosystems.

One Sentence SummaryImproved management promotes the return of an ocean icon to northern Europe.

Significance StatementCommercial fisheries are often perceived being in a state of decline and collapse, putting food and economic security at risk. Such declines are frequently accompanied by contractions in stock distribution, negative ecological impacts and diminishing socio-economic benefits. Here we present an example based on one of the worlds most valuable and iconic fish species, bluefin tuna, which demonstrates that effective management of both bluefin tuna and its prey has been a key factor leading to a remarkable reoccupation of formerly lost habitat. This reappearance, following decades of absence, occurred despite the bluefin tuna stock having had a recent, long history of unsustainable and illegal exploitation. Marine ecological recovery actions can be successful, even in situations which may initially appear intractable.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>MacKenzie, B. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aarestrup, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christoffersen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Payne, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sorensen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lund, H. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Casini, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-10-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/197780</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Improved management facilitates return of an iconic fish species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-10-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/200725v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Compensatory evolution via cryptic genetic variation: Distinct trajectories to phenotypic and fitness recovery 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/200725v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Populations are constantly exposed to deleterious alleles, most of which are purged via natural selection. However, deleterious fitness effects of alleles can also be suppressed by compensatory adaptation. Compensatory mutations can act directly to reduce deleterious effects of an allele. Alternatively, compensation may also occur by altering other aspects of an organisms phenotype or performance, without suppressing the phenotypic effects of the deleterious allele. Moreover, the origin of allelic variation contributing to compensatory adaptation remains poorly understood. Compensatory evolution driven by mutations that arise during the selective process are well studied. However less is known about the role standing (cryptic) genetic variation plays in compensatory adaptation. To address these questions, we examined evolutionary trajectories of natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster fixed for mutations that disrupt wing morphology, resulting in deleterious effects on several components of fitness. Lineages subjected only to natural selection, evolved modifications to courtship behavior and several life history traits without compensation in wing morphology. Yet, we observed rapid phenotypic compensation of wing morphology under artificial selection, consistent with segregating variation for compensatory alleles. We show that alleles contributing to compensation of wing morphology have deleterious effects on other fitness components. These results demonstrate the potential for multiple independent avenues for rapid compensatory adaptation from standing genetic variation, which ultimately may reveal novel adaptive trajectories.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chari, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marier, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porter, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Northrop, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Belinky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dworkin, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-10-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/200725</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Compensatory evolution via cryptic genetic variation: Distinct trajectories to phenotypic and fitness recovery]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-10-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2019.12.10.871905v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Revisiting microbe-metabolite interactions: doing better than random 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2019.12.10.871905v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
I.Recently, Quinn and Erb et al [1] made the case that when used correctly, correlation and proportionality can outperform MMvec when identifying microbe-metabolite interactions. We revisit this comparison and show that the proposed correlation and proportionality are outperformed by MMvec on real data due to their inability to deal with sparsity commonly observed in microbiome and metabolome datasets.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Morton, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonald, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aksenov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nothias-Scaglia, L.-F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Foulds, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Badri, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swenson, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Goethem, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Northen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez-Baeza, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bokulich, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Watters, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonneau, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorrestein, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knight, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2019.12.10.871905</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Revisiting microbe-metabolite interactions: doing better than random]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2019.12.19.882092v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Robust Stability of Multicomponent Membranes: theRole of Glycolipids 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2019.12.19.882092v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We present the multicomponent functionalized free energies that characterize the low-energy packings of amphiphilic molecules within a membrane through a correspondence to connecting orbits within a reduced dynamical system. To each connecting orbits we associate a manifold of low energy membrane-type configurations parameterized by a large class of admissible interfaces. The normal coercivity of the manifolds is established through criteria depending solely on the structure of the associated connecting orbit. We present a class of examples that arise naturally from geometric singular perturbation techniques, focusing on a model that characterizes the stabilizing role of cholesterol-like glycolipids within phospholipid membranes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doelman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Promislow, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veerman, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2019.12.19.882092</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Robust Stability of Multicomponent Membranes: theRole of Glycolipids]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.07.897835v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Carbamazepine restores neuronal signaling, protein synthesis and cognitive function in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.07.897835v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a leading genetic disorder of intellectual disability caused by the loss of the functional fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). To date, there is no efficacious mechanism-based medication for FXS. With regard to potential disease mechanisms in FXS, it is widely accepted that the lack of FMRP causes elevated protein synthesis and deregulation of neuronal signaling. Abnormal enhancement of the ERK[1/2] (extracellular signal-regulated kinase [1/2]) and PI3K-Akt (Phosphoinositide 3 kinase-protein kinase B) signaling pathways has been identified in both FXS patients and FXS mouse models. In this study, we show that carbamazepine, which is an FDA-approved drug and has been mainly used to treat seizure and neuropathic pain, corrects cognitive deficits including passive avoidance and object location memory in FXS mice. Carbamazepine also rescues hyper locomotion and social deficits. At the cellular level, carbamazepine dampens the elevated level of ERK[1/2] and Akt signaling as well as protein synthesis in FXS mouse neurons. Together, these results advocate repurposing carbamazepine for FXS treatment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ding, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feng, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.07.897835</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Carbamazepine restores neuronal signaling, protein synthesis and cognitive function in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.08.897009v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sucrose promotes etiolated stem branching through activation of cytokinin accumulation followed by vacuolar invertase activity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.08.897009v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber is a swollen stem. Sprouts growing from the tuber nodes represent dormancy release and loss of apical dominance. We recently identified sucrose as a key player in triggering potato stem branching. To decipher the mechanisms by which sucrose induces stem branching, we investigated the nature of the inducing molecule and the involvement of vacuolar invertase (VInv) and the plant hormone cytokinin (CK) in this process. Sucrose was more efficient at enhancing lateral bud burst and elongation than either of its hexose moieties (glucose and fructose), or a slowly metabolizable analog of sucrose (palatinose). Sucrose feeding induced expression of the sucrose transporter gene SUT2, followed by enhanced expression and activity of VInv in the lateral bud prior to its burst. We observed a reduction in the number of branches on stems of VInv-RNA interference lines during sucrose feeding, suggesting that sucrose breakdown is needed for lateral bud burst. Sucrose feeding led to increased CK content in the lateral bud base prior to bud burst. Inhibition of CK synthesis or perception inhibited the sucrose-induced bud burst, suggesting that sucrose induces stem branching through CK. Together, our results indicate that sucrose is transported to the bud, where it promotes bud burst by inducing CK accumulation and VInv activity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Salam, B. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barbier, F. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Danieli, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ziv, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spichal, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teper-Bamnolker, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ori, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beveridge, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eshel, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.08.897009</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sucrose promotes etiolated stem branching through activation of cytokinin accumulation followed by vacuolar invertase activity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.13.112102v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Within and cross species predictions of plant specialized metabolism genes using transfer learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.13.112102v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant specialized metabolites mediate interactions between plants and the environment and have significant agronomical/pharmaceutical value. Most genes involved in specialized metabolism (SM) are unknown because of the large number of metabolites and the challenge in differentiating SM genes from general metabolism (GM) genes. Plant models like Arabidopsis thaliana have extensive, experimentally derived annotations, whereas many non-model species do not. Here we employed a machine learning strategy, transfer learning, where knowledge from A. thaliana is transferred to predict gene functions in cultivated tomato with fewer experimentally annotated genes. The first tomato SM/GM prediction model using only tomato data performs well (F-measure=0.74, compared with 0.5 for random and 1.0 for perfect predictions), but from manually curating 88 SM/GM genes, we found many mis-predicted entries were likely mis-annotated. When the SM/GM prediction models built with A. thaliana data were used to filter out genes where the A. thaliana-based model predictions disagreed with tomato annotations, the new tomato model trained with filtered data improved significantly (F-measure=0.92). Our study demonstrates that SM/GM genes can be better predicted by leveraging cross-species information. Additionally, our findings provide an example for transfer learning in genomics where knowledge can be transferred from an information-rich species to an information-poor one.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moore, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leong, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lou, Y.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schenck, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sugimoto, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.13.112102</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Within and cross species predictions of plant specialized metabolism genes using transfer learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.13.905091v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Algorithmic Learning for Auto-deconvolution of GC-MS Data to Enable Molecular Networking within GNPS. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.13.905091v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) represents an analytical technique with significant practical societal impact. Spectral deconvolution is an essential step for interpreting GC-MS data. No public GC-MS repositories that also enable repository-scale analysis exist, in part because deconvolution requires significant user input. We therefore engineered a scalable machine learning workflow for the Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) analysis platform to enable the mass spectrometry community to store, process, share, annotate, compare, and perform molecular networking of GC-MS data. The workflow performs auto-deconvolution of compound fragmentation patterns via unsupervised non-negative matrix factorization, using a Fast Fourier Transform-based strategy to overcome scalability limitations. We introduce a "balance score" that quantifies the reproducibility of fragmentation patterns across all samples. We demonstrate the utility of the platform with breathomics analysis applied to the early detection of oesophago-gastric cancer, and by creating the first molecular spatial map of the human volatilome.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aksenov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laponogov, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Belluomo, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veselkov, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bittremieux, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nothias, L. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nothias-Esposito, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maloney, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Misra, B. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melnik, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorrestein, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panitchpakdi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ernst, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van der Hooft, J. J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carazzone, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amézquita, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Callewaert, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morton, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bouslimani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albarracin Orio, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petras, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smania, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Couvillion, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burnet, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicora, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zink, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Metz, T. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Artaev, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Humston-Fulmer, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gregor, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meijler, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mizrahi, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eyal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dutton, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.13.905091</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Algorithmic Learning for Auto-deconvolution of GC-MS Data to Enable Molecular Networking within GNPS.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.20.912477v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Application of Pedimap -- a pedigree visualization tool -- to facilitate the decisioning of rice breeding in Sri Lanka 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.20.912477v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The development of rice cultivars with desirable traits is essential. The decision-making is a crucial step in rice breeding programs. The breeders can make efficient and pragmatic decisions if an organized pedigree visualization platform is available for the material of the rice breeding germplasm. The staple food in Sri Lanka is rice, and there is a great demand for improved varieties with high yield and other promising traits. In the present study, the available data of all the rice varieties released by Rice Research and Development Institute, Sri Lanka, and the related landraces and genotypes were arranged in Pedimap, a pedigree visualization tool. Pedimap can showcase pedigree relationships, phenotypic, and molecular data. The Identity by Descent (IBD) probabilities were calculated using FlexQTL software and included in the Pedimap database. The parentage selection based on the variations of phenotypic traits, selection of marker alleles for molecular breeding, and detection of the founders of genetic effects can be swiftly conducted using Pedimap. However, the power of harnessing the value of Pedimap for making breeding decisions relies on the availability of data for the traits, markers, and genomic sequences. Thus, it is imperative to characterize the breeding germplasms using standard phenomic and genomic characterization procedures before organized into Pedimap. Thereby, the worldwide breeding programs can benefit from each other to produce improved varieties to meet global challenges.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rathnayake, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sahibdeen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Udawela, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weebadde, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weerakoon, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sooriyapathirana, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.20.912477</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Application of Pedimap -- a pedigree visualization tool -- to facilitate the decisioning of rice breeding in Sri Lanka]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.20.913202v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Discovery of a spatially and temporally persistent core microbiome of the common bean rhizosphere 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.20.913202v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants recruit soil microbes that provide nutrients, promote growth and protect against pathogens1-3. However, the full potential of microbial communities for supporting plant health and agriculture is unrealized4-6, in part because rhizosphere members key for plant health are difficult to prioritize7. Microbes that ubiquitously associate with a plant species across large spatial scales and varied soil conditions provide a practical starting point for discovering beneficial members7. Here, we quantified the structures of bacterial/archaeal and fungal communities in the common bean rhizosphere (Phaseolus vulgaris), and assessed its core membership across space and time. To assess a spatial core, two divergent bean genotypes were grown in field conditions across five major growing regions in the United States, and then also compared to eight genotypes grown in Colombian soil. To assess a temporal core, we conducted a time course of rhizosphere and rhizoplane microbiome members over bean development in the field. Surprisingly, there were 48 persistent bacterial taxa that were detected in all samples, inclusive of U.S. and Colombian-grown beans and over plant development, suggesting cosmopolitan enrichment and time-independence. Neutral models of abundance-occupancy relationships and co-occurrence networks show that many of these core taxa are deterministically selected and likely in intimate relationships with the plant. Many of the core taxa were yet-uncultured and affiliated with Proteobacteria; these taxa are prime targets in support of translational plant-microbiome management. More generally, this work reveals that core members of the plant microbiome can have both broad ranges and temporal persistence with their host, suggesting intimate, albeit possibly opportunistic, interactions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stopnisek, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.20.913202</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Discovery of a spatially and temporally persistent core microbiome of the common bean rhizosphere]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.21.914127v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Membrane-mediated ligand unbinding of the PK-11195 ligand from the translocator protein (TSPO) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.21.914127v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The translocator protein (TSPO), previously known as the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor, is of longstanding medical interest as both a biomarker for neuroinjury and a potential drug target for neuroinflammation and other disorders. Recently it was shown that ligand residence time is a key factor determining steroidogenic efficacy of TSPO-binding compounds. This spurs interest in simulations of (un)binding pathways of TSPO ligands, which could reveal the molecular interactions governing ligand residence time. In this study, we use a weighted ensemble algorithm to determine the unbinding pathway for different poses of PK-11195, a TSPO ligand used in neuroimaging. In contrast with previous studies, our results show that PK-11195 does not dissociate directly into the solvent but instead dissociates via the lipid membrane by going between the transmembrane helices. We analyze this path ensemble in detail, constructing descriptors that can facilitate a general understanding of membrane-mediated ligand binding. We construct a Markov state model using additional straightforward simulations to determine pose stability and kinetics of ligand unbinding. Together we combine over 40 {micro}s of trajectory data to form a coherent picture of the ligand binding landscape. We find that all poses are able to interconvert before unbinding, leading to single mean first passage time estimate for all starting poses which roughly agrees with the experimental quantity. The ligand binding transition state predicted by our combined model occurs when PK-11195 is already in the membrane and does not involve direct ligand-protein interactions. This has implications for the design of new long residence-time TSPO ligands.

SIGNIFICANCEKinetics-oriented drug design is an emerging objective in drug discovery. However, while ligand binding affinity (or the binding free energy) is purely a function of the bound and unbound states, the binding kinetics depends on the nature of the paths by which the (un)binding occurs. This underscores the importance of approaches that can reveal information about the ensemble of (un)binding paths. Here we used advanced molecular dynamics approaches to study the unbinding of PK-11195 from TSPO and find it dissociates from the protein by dissolving into the membrane, and that the transition state occurs after the PK-11195 molecule has already separated from TSPO. These results motivate the design of future long-residence time TSPO ligands that destabilize the membrane-solvated transition state.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dixon, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uyar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferguson-Miller, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.21.914127</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Membrane-mediated ligand unbinding of the PK-11195 ligand from the translocator protein (TSPO)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.22.915942v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A universal chromosome identification system for maize and wild Zea species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.22.915942v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Maize was one of the first eukaryotic species in which individual chromosomes can be identified cytologically, which made maize one of the oldest models for genetics and cytogenetics research. Nevertheless, consistent identification of all 10 chromosomes from different maize lines as well as from wild Zea species remains a challenge. We developed a new technique for maize chromosome identification based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We developed two oligonucleotide-based probes that hybridize to 24 chromosomal regions. Individual maize chromosomes show distinct FISH signal patterns, which allow universal identification of all chromosomes from different Zea species. We developed karyotypes from three Zea mays subspecies and two additional wild Zea species based on individually identified chromosomes. A paracentric inversion was discovered on the long arm of chromosome 4 in Z. nicaraguensis and Z. luxurians based on modifications of the FISH signal patterns. Chromosomes from these two species also showed distinct distribution patterns of terminal knobs compared to other Zea species. These results support that Z. nicaraguensis and Z. luxurians are closely related species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tomaz Braz, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>do Vale Martins, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>S. Albert, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>A. Birchler, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.22.915942</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A universal chromosome identification system for maize and wild Zea species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.22.915975v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genomic and phenotypic evolution of Escherichia coli in a novel citrate-only resource environment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.22.915975v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Evolutionary innovations allow populations to colonize new, previously inaccessible ecological niches. We previously reported that aerobic growth on citrate (Cit+) evolved in a population of Escherichia coli during adaptation to a minimal glucose medium containing citrate (DM25). Cit+ can grow in citrate-only medium (DM0), which is a novel environment for E. coli. To study adaptation to this new niche, we evolved one set of Cit+ populations for 2,500 generations in DM0 and a control set in DM25. We identified numerous parallel mutations, many mediated by transposable elements. Several lineages evolved multi-copy amplifications containing the maeA gene, constituting up to [~]15% of the genome. We also found substantial cell death in ancestral and evolved clones. Our results demonstrate the importance of copy-number variation and transposable elements in the refinement of the Cit+ trait. However, the observed mortality suggests a persistent evolutionary mismatch between E. coli physiology and a citrate-only environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Blount, Z. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maddamsetti, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmed, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jagdish, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sommerfeld, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tillman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Slonczewski, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrick, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.22.915975</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genomic and phenotypic evolution of Escherichia coli in a novel citrate-only resource environment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.28.923839v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Neural Circuit Dynamics for Sensory Detection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.28.923839v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We consider the question of how sensory networks enable the detection of sensory stimuli in a combinatorial coding space. We are specifically interested in the olfactory system, wherein recent experimental studies have reported the existence of rich, enigmatic response patterns associated with stimulus onset and offset. This study aims to identify the functional relevance of such response patterns, i.e., what benefits does such neural activity provide in the context of detecting stimuli in a natural environment. We study this problem through the lens of normative, optimization-based modeling. Here, we define the notion of a low dimensional latent representation of stimulus identity, which is generated through action of the sensory network. The objective of our optimization framework is to ensure high fidelity tracking of a nominal representation in this latent space in an energy efficient manner. It turns out that the optimal motifs emerging from this framework possess morphological similarity with prototypical onset and offset responses observed in vivo. Furthermore, this objective can be exactly achieved by a network with reciprocal excitatory-inhibitory competitive dynamics, similar to interactions between principal neurons (PNs) and local neurons (LNs) in the early olfactory system of insects. The derived model also makes several predictions regarding maintenance of robust latent representations in the presence of confounding background information and tradeoffs between the energy of sensory activity and resultant behavioral measures such as speed and accuracy of stimulus detection.

Significance StatementA key area of study in olfactory coding involves understanding the transformation from high-dimensional sensory stimulus to low-dimensional decoded representation. Here, we treat not only the dimensionality reduction of this mapping but also its temporal dynamics, with specific focus on stimuli that are temporally continuous. We examine through optimization-based synthesis how sensory networks can track representations without prior assumption of discrete trial structure. We show that such tracking can be achieved by canonical network architectures and dynamics, and that the resulting responses resemble observations from neurons in the insect olfactory system. Thus, our results provide hypotheses regarding the functional role of olfactory circuit activity at both single neuronal and population scales.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mallik, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nizampatnam, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nandi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raman, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ching, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.28.923839</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Neural Circuit Dynamics for Sensory Detection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.30.926634v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Improving Heart disease risk through quality-focused diet logging: pre-post study of a diet quality tracking app 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.30.926634v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Diet-tracking mobile apps have been effective in behavior change. At the same time, quantity-focused diet tracking (e.g., calorie counting) can be time-consuming and tedious, leading to unsustained adoption. Diet Quality--focusing on high-quality dietary patterns rather than quantifying diet into calories--has shown effectiveness in improving heart disease risk. Healthy Heart Score (HHS) predicts 20-year cardiovascular risks based on quality-focused food category consumptions, rather than detailed serving sizes. No studies have examined how mobile health apps focusing on diet quality can bring promising results on health outcomes and ease of adoption. We designed a mobile app to support the HHS informed quality-focused dietary approach by enabling users to log simplified diet quality and view its real-time impact on future heart disease risks. Users were asked to log food categories that are the main predictors of HHS. We measured the apps feasibility and efficacy on improving individuals clinical and behavioral factors affecting future heart disease risks and app use. We recruited 38 overweight or obese participants at high heart disease risk, who used the app for 5 weeks and measured weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure, HHS, and Diet Score (DS) measuring diet quality at baseline and the fifth week of the intervention. The majority used the application every week (84%) and significantly improved DS and HHS at the fifth week (p<0.05), although only 10 participants (31%) checked their risk scores more than once. Other outcomes did not show significant changes. Our study showed logging simplified diet quality significantly improved dietary behavior. The participants were not interested in seeing HHS, and the participants perceived logging diet categories irrelevant to improving HHS as important. We discuss the complexities of addressing health risks, quantity vs. quality-based health monitoring, and incorporating secondary behavior change goals that matter to users when designing mobile health.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanDam, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwon, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chiuve, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, H.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Entler, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tan, P.-N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huh-Yoo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-01-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.30.926634</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Improving Heart disease risk through quality-focused diet logging: pre-post study of a diet quality tracking app]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-01-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.30.927889v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Machine intelligence design of 2019-nCoV drugs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.30.927889v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Wuhan coronavirus, called 2019-nCoV, is a newly emerged virus that infected more than 9692 people and leads to more than 213 fatalities by January 30, 2020. Currently, there is no effective treatment for this epidemic. However, the viral protease of a coronavirus is well-known to be essential for its replication and thus is an effective drug target. Fortunately, the sequence identity of the 2019-nCoV protease and that of severe-acute respiratory syndrome virus (SARS-CoV) is as high as 96.1%. We show that the protease inhibitor binding sites of 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV are almost identical, which means all potential anti-SARS-CoV chemotherapies are also potential 2019-nCoV drugs. Here, we report a family of potential 2019-nCoV drugs generated by a machine intelligence-based generative network complex (GNC). The potential effectiveness of treating 2019-nCoV by using some existing HIV drugs is also analyzed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.01.30.927889</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Machine intelligence design of 2019-nCoV drugs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.02.931063v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Build a Better Bootstrap and the RAWR Shall Beat a Random Path to Your Door: Phylogenetic Support Estimation Revisited 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.02.931063v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationThe standard bootstrap method is used throughout science and engineering to perform general-purpose non-parametric resampling and re-estimation. Among the most widely cited and widely used such applications is the phylogenetic bootstrap method, which Felsenstein proposed in 1985 as a means to place statistical confidence intervals on an estimated phylogeny (or estimate "phylogenetic support"). A key simplifying assumption of the bootstrap method is that input data are independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.). However, the i.i.d. assumption is an over-simplification for biomolecular sequence analysis, as Felsenstein noted. Special-purpose fully parametric or semi-parametric methods for phylogenetic support estimation have since been introduced, some of which are intended to address this concern.

ResultsIn this study, we introduce a new sequence-aware non-parametric resampling technique, which we refer to as RAWR ("RAndom Walk Resampling"). RAWR consists of random walks that synthesize and extend the standard bootstrap method and the "mirrored inputs" idea of Landan and Graur. We apply RAWR to the task of phylogenetic support estimation. RAWRs performance is compared to the state of the art using synthetic and empirical data that span a range of dataset sizes and evolutionary divergence. We show that RAWR support estimates offer comparable or typically superior type I and type II error compared to phylogenetic bootstrap support as well as GUIDANCE2, a state-of-the-art purpose-built fully parametric method. Additional simulation study experiments help to clarify practical considerations regarding RAWR support estimation. We conclude with thoughts on future research directions and the untapped potential for sequence-aware non-parametric resampling and re-estimation.

AvailabilityData and software are publicly available under open-source software and open data licenses at: https://gitlab.msu.edu/liulab/RAWR-study-datasets-and-scripts.

Contactkjl@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.02.931063</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Build a Better Bootstrap and the RAWR Shall Beat a Random Path to Your Door: Phylogenetic Support Estimation Revisited]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.03.932475v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Changes in the tumor microenvironment and treatment outcome in glioblastoma: A pilot study 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.03.932475v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Glioblastoma (GBM) is a hypervascular and aggressive primary malignant tumor of the central nervous system. Recent investigations showed that traditional therapies along with antiangiogenic therapies failed due to the development of post-therapy resistant and recurrent GBM. Our investigations show that there are changes in the cellular and metabolic compositions in the tumor microenvironment (TME). It can be said that tumor cell-directed therapies are ineffective and we need to rethink how to treat GBM.

We hypothesize that the composition of TME-associated cells will be different based on the therapy and therapeutic agents, and TME-targeting therapy will be better to decrease recurrence and improve survival. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the changes in the TME in respect of T-cell population, M1 and M2 macrophage polarization status, and MDSC population following different treatments in a syngeneic model of GBM. In addition to these parameters, tumor growth and survival were also studied following different treatments.

The results showed that changes in the TME-associated cells were dependent on the therapeutic agents and the TME-targeting therapy improved the survival of the GBM bearing animals.

The current GBM therapies should be revisited to add agents to prevent the accumulation of bone marrow-derived cells in the TME or to prevent the effect of immune-suppressive myeloid cells in causing alternative neovascularization, the revival of glioma stem cells, and recurrence. Instead of concurrent therapy, a sequential strategy would be best to target TME-associated cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ali, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borin, T. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piranlioglu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ara, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lebedyeva, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angara, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Achyut, B. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arbab, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rashid, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.03.932475</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Changes in the tumor microenvironment and treatment outcome in glioblastoma: A pilot study]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.03.932681v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Developmental exposure to the organochlorine pesticide dieldrin causes male-specific exacerbation of α-synuclein-preformed fibril-induced toxicity and motor deficits 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.03.932681v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human and animal studies have shown that exposure to the organochlorine pesticide dieldrin is associated with increased risk of Parkinsons disease (PD). Previous work showed that developmental dieldrin exposure increased neuronal susceptibility to MPTP toxicity in male C57BL/6 mice, possibly via changes in dopamine (DA) packaging and turnover. However, the relevance of the MPTP model to PD pathophysiology has been questioned. We therefore studied dieldrin-induced neurotoxicity in the -synuclein (-syn)-preformed fibril (PFF) model, which better reflects the -syn pathology and toxicity observed in PD pathogenesis. Specifically, we used a "two-hit" model to determine whether developmental dieldrin exposure increases susceptibility to -syn PFF-induced synucleinopathy. Dams were fed either dieldrin (0.3 mg/kg, every 3-4 days) or vehicle corn oil starting 1 month prior to breeding and continuing through weaning of pups at postnatal day 22. At 12 weeks of age, male and female offspring received intrastriatal PFF or control saline injections. Consistent with the male-specific increased susceptibility to MPTP, our results demonstrate that developmental dieldrin exposure exacerbates PFF-induced toxicity in male mice only. Specifically, in male offspring, dieldrin exacerbated PFF-induced motor deficits on the challenging beam and increased DA turnover in the striatum 6 months after PFF injection. However, male offspring showed neither exacerbation of phosphorylated -syn (pSyn) aggregation in the substantia nigra (SN) at 1 or 2 months post-PFF injection, nor exacerbation of PFF-induced TH and NeuN loss in the SN 6 months post-PFF injection. Collectively, these data indicate that developmental dieldrin exposure produces a male-specific increase in neuronal vulnerability to synucleinopathy. This sex-specific result is consistent with both previous work in the MPTP model, our previously reported sex-specific effects of this exposure paradigm on the male and female epigenome, and the higher prevalence and more severe course of PD in males. The novel two-hit environmental toxicant/PFF exposure paradigm established in this project can be used to explore the mechanisms by which other PD-related exposures alter neuronal vulnerability to synucleinopathy in sporadic PD.

HighlightsO_LIDevelopmental dieldrin exposure increases -syn-PFF-induced motor deficits
C_LIO_LIDevelopmental dieldrin exposure increases PFF-induced deficits in DA handling
C_LIO_LIDevelopmental dieldrin exposure does not affect PFF-induced loss of nigral neurons
C_LIO_LIThis is a novel paradigm modeling how environmental factors increase risk of PD
C_LIO_LIFemale mice show PFF-induced pathology, but no PFF-induced motor deficits.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gezer, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kochmanski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanOeveren, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole-Strauss, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kemp, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herman, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McIntyre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipton, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luk, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fleming, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sortwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernstein, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.03.932681</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Developmental exposure to the organochlorine pesticide dieldrin causes male-specific exacerbation of α-synuclein-preformed fibril-induced toxicity and motor deficits]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.05.936013v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Potentially highly potent drugs for 2019-nCoV 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.05.936013v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection outbreak a global health emergency. Currently, there is no effective anti-2019-nCoV medication. The sequence identity of the 3CL proteases of 2019-nCoV and SARS is 96%, which provides a sound foundation for structural-based drug repositioning (SBDR). Based on a SARS 3CL protease X-ray crystal structure, we construct a 3D homology structure of 2019-nCoV 3CL protease. Based on this structure and existing experimental datasets for SARS 3CL protease inhibitors, we develop an SBDR model based on machine learning and mathematics to screen 1465 drugs in the DrugBank that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We found that many FDA approved drugs are potentially highly potent to 2019-nCoV.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.05.936013</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Potentially highly potent drugs for 2019-nCoV]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.06.937219v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Shape matters: cell geometry determines phytoplankton diversity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.06.937219v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Size and shape profoundly influence an organisms ecophysiological performance and evolutionary fitness, suggesting a link between morphology and diversity. However, not much is known about how body shape is related to taxonomic richness, especially in microbes. Here we analyse global datasets of unicellular marine phytoplankton, a major group of primary producers with an exceptional diversity of cell sizes and shapes and, additionally, heterotrophic protists. Using two measures of cell shape elongation, we quantify taxonomic diversity as a function of cell size and shape. We find that cells of intermediate volume have the greatest shape variation, from oblate to extremely elongated forms, while small and large cells are mostly compact (e.g., spherical or cubic). Taxonomic diversity is strongly related to cell elongation and cell volume, together explaining up to 92% of total variance. Taxonomic diversity decays exponentially with cell elongation and displays a log-normal dependence on cell volume, peaking for intermediate-volume cells with compact shapes. These previously unreported broad patterns in phytoplankton diversity reveal selective pressures and ecophysiological constraints on the geometry of phytoplankton cells which may improve our understanding of marine ecology and the evolutionary rules of life.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ryabov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerimoglu, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olenina, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roselli, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basset, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stanca, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blasius, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.06.937219</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Shape matters: cell geometry determines phytoplankton diversity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.10.942656v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modeling How Community Assembly Alters the Functioning of Ecosystems 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.10.942656v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Although the effects of species richness on ecosystem functioning have been extensively studied, there is increased interest in understanding how community assembly in general might alter the functioning of ecosystems. We focus on two complementary approaches for evaluating how community assembly influences ecosystem function (here, productivity). The first quantifies the relative importance of complementarity and selection by contrasting monocultures with polycultures. The second identifies the effects of species losses and/or gains relative to the baseline polyculture, as well as the indirect effects on other species productivity. We evaluate and contrast these two approaches, using simulated communities structured by different, known competition mechanisms, where species compete for different resources and experience varying levels of environmental heterogeneity. We find that the metrics provided by these approaches can jointly discriminate the mechanisms of competition driving productivity. We then apply our methods to data from a long-term biodiversity-ecosystem experiment (the Jena Experiment) and find that the data do not correspond to any of the competition scenarios we modeled. We address two additional possible complications: facilitation by nitrogen fixing plants, and non-equilibrium behavior during community assembly, and find that a combination of resource competition and facilitation by nitrogen fixing plants is the more likely explanation for the results obtained at Jena.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Koffel, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kremer, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bannar-Martin, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ernest, M. S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eisenhauer, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roscher, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarmento Cabral, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leibold, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.10.942656</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modeling How Community Assembly Alters the Functioning of Ecosystems]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.11.942292v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Selective LXR agonist, DMHCA, corrects the retina-bone marrow axis in type 2 diabetes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.11.942292v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In diabetic dyslipidemia, cholesterol accumulates in the plasma membrane, decreasing fluidity and thereby suppressing the ability of cells to transduce ligand-activated signaling pathways. Liver X receptors (LXRs) are the main cellular mechanism by which intracellular cholesterol is regulated and play important roles in inflammation and disease pathogenesis. N,N-dimethyl-3{beta}-hydroxy-cholenamide (DMHCA), a selective LXR agonist, specifically activates the cholesterol efflux arm of the LXR pathway without stimulating triglyceride synthesis. Thus, DMHCA possesses superior clinical potential as a cholesterol lowering agent than current LXR pan-agonist. In this study, we use a multi-systems approach to understand the effects and molecular mechanisms of DMHCA treatment in type 2 diabetic db/db mice and human -derived circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), which are vascular reparative cells. We find that DMHCA is sufficient to correct the retina-bone marrow (BM) axis in diabetes, thereby restoring retinal structure, function, and cholesterol homeostasis, rejuvenating membrane fluidity in circulating vascular reparative cells, hampering systemic inflammation, and correcting BM dysfunction. Using single-cell RNA-seq on lineage-sca1+cKit+ (LSK) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from untreated and DMHCA-treated diabetic mice, we provide novel insights into hematopoiesis and reveal DMHCAs mechanism of action in correcting diabetic HSCs by reducing myeloidosis and increasing CACs and erythrocyte progenitors. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the broad and pleiotropic effects of DMHCA treatment, which has exciting potential to correct the retina-BM axis in diabetic subjects.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vieira, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fortmann, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hossain, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Longhini, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammer, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Asare-Bediako, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crossman, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sielski, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adu-Agyeiwaah, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dupont, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Floyd, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li Calzi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lydic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welner, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blanchard, G. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Busik, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.11.942292</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Selective LXR agonist, DMHCA, corrects the retina-bone marrow axis in type 2 diabetes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.12.946608v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits and Disease Risk Predictors 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.12.946608v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genomic prediction of complex human traits (e.g., height, cognitive ability, bone density) and disease risks (e.g., breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease, atrial fibrillation) has advanced considerably in recent years. Predictors have been constructed using penalized algorithms that favor sparsity: i.e., which use as few genetic variants as possible. We analyze the specific genetic variants (SNPs) utilized in these predictors, which can vary from dozens to as many as thirty thousand. We find that the fraction of SNPs in or near genic regions varies widely by phenotype. For the majority of disease conditions studied, a large amount of the variance is accounted for by SNPs outside of coding regions. The state of these SNPs cannot be determined from exome-sequencing data. This suggests that exome data alone will miss much of the heritability for these traits - i.e., existing PRS cannot be computed from exome data alone. We also study the fraction of SNPs and of variance that is in common between pairs of predictors. The DNA regions used in disease risk predictors so far constructed seem to be largely disjoint (with a few interesting exceptions), suggesting that individual genetic disease risks are largely uncorrelated. It seems possible in theory for an individual to be a low-risk outlier in all conditions simultaneously.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yong, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raben, T. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lello, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, S. D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.12.946608</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits and Disease Risk Predictors]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.15.950949v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Analysis of variance when both input and output sets are high-dimensional 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.15.950949v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationModern genomic data sets often involve multiple data-layers (e.g., DNA-sequence, gene expression), each of which itself can be high-dimensional. The biological processes underlying these data-layers can lead to intricate multivariate association patterns.

ResultsWe propose and evaluate two methods for analysis variance when both input and output sets are high-dimensional. Our approach uses random effects models to estimate the proportion of variance of vectors in the linear span of the output set that can be explained by regression on the input set. We consider a method based on orthogonal basis (Eigen-ANOVA) and one that uses random vectors (Monte Carlo ANOVA, MC-ANOVA) in the linear span of the output set. We used simulations to assess the bias and variance of each of the methods, and to compare it with that of the Partial Least Squares (PLS)-an approach commonly used in multivariate-high-dimensional regressions. The MC-ANOVA method gave nearly unbiased estimates in all the simulation scenarios considered. Estimates produced by Eigen-ANOVA and PLS had noticeable biases. Finally, we demonstrate insight that can be obtained with the of MC-ANOVA and Eigen-ANOVA by applying these two methods to the study of multi-locus linkage disequilibrium in chicken genomes and to the assessment of inter-dependencies between gene expression, methylation and copy-number-variants in data from breast cancer tumors.

AvailabilityThe Supplementary data includes an R-implementation of each of the proposed methods as well as the scripts used in simulations and in the real-data analyses.

Contactgustavoc@msu.edu

Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torsten, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez-Raymundez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simianer, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.15.950949</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Analysis of variance when both input and output sets are high-dimensional]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.18.946541v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI with clinical hepatospecific MRI contrast agents in pigs: initial experience 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.18.946541v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pigs are an important translational research model for biomedical imaging studies, and especially for modeling diseases of the liver. Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI is experimentally used to measure liver function in humans, but has never been characterized in pig liver. Here we performed DCE-MRI of pig liver following the delivery of two FDA approved hepato-specific MRI contrast agents, Gd-EOB-DTPA (Eovist) and Gd-BOPTA (Multihance), and the non-hepatospecific agent Magnevist, and optimized the anesthesia and animal handling protocol to acquire robust data. A single pig underwent 5 scanning sessions over six weeks, each time injected at clinical dosing either with Eovist (twice), Multihance (twice) or Magnevist (once). DCE-MRI was performed at 1.5T for 60 minutes. DCE-MRI showed rapid hepatic MRI signal enhancement following IV injection of Eovist or Multihance. Efflux of contrast agent from liver exhibited kinetics similar to that in humans, except for one hyperthermic animal where efflux was very fast. As expected, Magnevist was non-enhancing in the liver. The hepatic signal enhancement from Eovist matched that seen in humans and primates, while the hepatic signal enhancement from Multihance was different, similar to rodents and dogs, likely the result of differential hepatic organic anion transport polypeptides. This first experience with these agents in pigs provides valuable information on contrast agent dynamics in normal pig liver. Given the disparity in contrast agent uptake kinetics with humans for Multihance, Eovist should be used in porcine models for biomedical imaging. Proper animal health maintenance, especially temperature, seems essential for accurate and reproducible results.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hix, J. M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallett, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Latourette, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munoz, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.18.946541</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI with clinical hepatospecific MRI contrast agents in pigs: initial experience]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.22.960948v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SimpylCellCounter: An Automated Solution for Quantifying Cells in Brain Tissue 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.22.960948v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Rationale & ObjectiveManual quantification of activated cells can provide valuable information about stimuli-induced changes within brain regions; however, this analysis remains time intensive. Therefore, we created SimpylCellCounter (SCC), an automated method to quantify cells that express Cfos protein, an index of neuronal activity, in brain tissue and benchmarked it against two widely-used methods: OpenColonyFormingUnit (OCFU) and ImageJ Edge Detection Macro (IMJM).

MethodsIn Experiment 1, manually-obtained counts were compared to those detected via OCFU, IMJM and SCC. The absolute error in counts (manual versus automated method) was calculated, and error types were categorized as false positives or negatives. In Experiment 2, performance analytics of OCFU, IMJM and SCC were compared. In Experiment 3, SCC performed analysis on images it was not trained on, to assess its general utility.

Results & ConclusionsWe found SCC to be highly accurate and efficient in quantifying both cells with circular morphologies and those expressing Cfos. Additionally, SCC utilizes a new approach for counting overlapping cells with a pretrained convolutional neural network classifier. The current study demonstrates that SCC is a novel, automated tool to quantify cells in brain tissue, complementing current, open-sourced quantification methods designed to detect cells in vitro.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bal, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maureira, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arguello, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.22.960948</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SimpylCellCounter: An Automated Solution for Quantifying Cells in Brain Tissue]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.23.961300v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Lower Soil Carbon Loss Due to Persistent Microbial Adaptation to Climate Warming 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.23.961300v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Soil microbial respiration is an important source of uncertainty in projecting future climate and carbon (C) cycle feedbacks. Despite intensive studies for two decades, the magnitude, direction, and duration of such feedbacks are uncertain, and their underlying microbial mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here we examined the responses of soil respiration and microbial community structure to long-term experimental warming in a temperate grassland ecosystem. Our results indicated that the temperature sensitivity of soil microbial respiration (i.e., Q10) persistently decreased by 12.0{+/-}3.7% across 7 years of warming. Integrated metagenomic and functional analyses showed that microbial community adaptation played critical roles in regulating respiratory acclimation. Incorporating microbial functional gene abundance data into a microbially-enabled ecosystem model significantly improved the modeling performance of soil microbial respiration by 5-19%, compared to the traditional non-microbial model. Model parametric uncertainty was also reduced by 55-71% when gene abundances were used. In addition, our modeling analyses suggested that decreased temperature sensitivity could lead to considerably less heterotrophic respiration (11.6{+/-}7.5%), and hence less soil C loss. If such microbially mediated dampening effects occur generally across different spatial and temporal scales, the potential positive feedback of soil microbial respiration in response to climate warming may be less than previously predicted.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Guo, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feng, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hale, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tian, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gyo Jung, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Escalas, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Nostrand, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ning, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schuur, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Konstantinidis, K. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Penton, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiedje, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.23.961300</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Lower Soil Carbon Loss Due to Persistent Microbial Adaptation to Climate Warming]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.24.962464v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Kinetics characterization of ASXL1/2-mediated allosteric regulation of BAP1 deubiquitinase 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.24.962464v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BAP1 is a ubiquitin hydrolase whose deubiquitinase activity is mediated by polycomb group-like protein ASXL2. Cancer-related mutations/deletions of BAP1 lead to loss-of-function either by directly targeting the catalytic (UCH) or ULD domains of BAP1, the latter disrupts binding to ASXL2, an obligate partner for BAP1 enzymatic activity. However, the biochemical and biophysical properties of the domains involved in forming the enzymatically active complex are unknown. Here we investigate the molecular dynamics, kinetics and stoichiometry of these interactions. We demonstrate that the BAP1 and ASXL2 domain/proteins or protein complexes produced in either bacteria or baculovirus are structurally and functionally active. The interaction between BAP1 and ASXL2 is direct, specific, and stable to in vitro biochemical and biophysical manipulations as detected by isothermal titration calorimetry, GST association, and optical biosensor assays. Association of the ASXL2-AB box greatly stimulates BAP1 deubiquitinase activity. A stable ternary complex can be formed comprised of the BAP1-UCH, BAP1-ULD, and ASXL2-AB domains. Binding of the BAP1-ULD domain to the ASXL2-AB box is rapid, with fast association and slow dissociation rates. Stoichiometric analysis revealed that one molecule of the ULD domain directly interacts with one molecule of the AB Box. Real-time kinetics analysis of ULD/AB protein complex to the UCH domain of BAP1, based on SPR, indicated that formation of the ULD/AB complex with the UCH domain is a single-step event with fast association and slow dissociation rates. These structural and dynamic parameters implicate the possibility for future small-molecule approaches to reactivate latent wild-type UCH activity in BAP-mutant malignancies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Peng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cassel, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCracken, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collop, P. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Polo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joshi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mandell, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ayyanathan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hinds, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malkowicz, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harbour, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowcock, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salvino, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kennedy, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Testa, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rauscher, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.24.962464</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Kinetics characterization of ASXL1/2-mediated allosteric regulation of BAP1 deubiquitinase]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.25.964783v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Lanthanide-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases require an essential aspartate residue for metal coordination and function 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.25.964783v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The presence of lanthanide elements (Ln3+) and pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) containing cofactors in XoxF methanol dehydrogenases (MDHs) and ExaF ethanol dehydrogenases (EDHs) has expanded the list of biological elements and opened novel areas of metabolism and ecology. Other MDHs known as MxaFIs are related in sequence and structure to these proteins, yet they instead possess a Ca2+-PQQ cofactor. An important missing piece of the Ln3+ puzzle is defining what protein features distinguish enzymes using Ln3+-PQQ cofactors from those that do not. In this study, we investigated the functional importance of a proposed lanthanide-coordinating aspartate using XoxF1 MDH from the model methylotrophic bacterium Methylorubrum extorquens AM1. We report two crystal structures of XoxF1, one containing PQQ and the other free of this organic molecule, both with La3+ bound in the active site region and coordinated by Asp320. Using constructs to produce either recombinant XoxF1 or its D320A variant, we show Asp320 is needed for in vivo catalytic function, in vitro activity of purified enzyme, and coordination of La3+. XoxF1 and XoxF1 D320A, when produced in the absence of La3+, coordinate Ca2+, but exhibit little or no catalytic activity. In addition, we generated the parallel substitution to produce ExaF D319S, and showed the enzyme loses the capacity for efficient ethanol oxidation with La3+. These results provide empirical evidence of an essential Ln3+-coordinating aspartate for the function of XoxF MDHs and ExaF EDHs; thus, supporting the suggestion that sequences of these enzymes, and the genes that encode them, are markers for Ln3+ metabolism.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Good, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fellner, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demirer, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hausinger, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Gomez, N. C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.25.964783</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Lanthanide-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases require an essential aspartate residue for metal coordination and function]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.28.969261v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The cis-regulatory codes of response to combined heat and drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.28.969261v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants respond to their environment by dynamically modulating gene expression. A powerful approach for understanding how these responses are regulated is to integrate information about cis-regulatory elements (CREs) into models called cis-regulatory codes. Transcriptional response to combined stress is typically not the sum of the responses to the individual stresses. However, cis-regulatory codes underlying combined stress response have not been established. Here we modeled transcriptional response to single and combined heat and drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. We grouped genes by their pattern of response (independent, antagonistic, synergistic) and trained machine learning models to predict their response using putative CREs (pCREs) as features (median F-measure = 0.64). We then developed a deep learning approach to integrate additional omics information (sequence conservation, chromatin accessibility, histone modification) into our models, improving performance by 6.2%. While pCREs important for predicting independent and antagonistic responses tended to resemble binding motifs of transcription factors associated with heat and/or drought stress, important synergistic pCREs resembled binding motifs of transcription factors not known to be associated with stress. These findings demonstrate how in silico approaches can improve our understanding of the complex codes regulating response to combined stress and help us identify prime targets for future characterization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Azodi, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lloyd, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-02-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.02.28.969261</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The cis-regulatory codes of response to combined heat and drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-02-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.02.973263v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Visibility Graph Based Community Detection for Biological Time Series 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.02.973263v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationTemporal behavior is an essential aspect of all biological systems. Time series have been previously represented as networks. Such representations must address two fundamental problems: (i) How to create the appropriate network to reflect the characteristics of biological time series. (ii) How to detect characteristic temporal patterns or events as network communities. General methods to detect communities have used metrics to compare the connectivity within a community to the connectivity one would expect in a random model, or assumed a known number of communities, or are based on the betweenness centrality of edges or nodes. However, such methods were not specifically designed for network representations of time series. We introduce a visibility-graph-based method to build networks from different kinds of biological time series and detect temporal communities within these networks.

ResultsTo characterize the uneven sampling of typical experimentally obtained biological time series, and simultaneously capture events associated to peaks and troughs, we introduce the Weighted Dual-Perspective Visibility Graph (WDPVG) for time series. To detect communities, we first find the shortest path of the network between start and end nodes to identify nodes which have high intensities. This identifies the main stem of our community detection algorithm. Then, we aggregate nodes outside the shortest path to the nodes found on the main stem based on the closest path length. Through simulation, we demonstrate the validity of our method in detecting community structures on various networks derived from simulated time series. We also confirm its effectiveness in revealing temporal communities in experimental biological time series. Our results suggest our method of visibility graph based community detection can be effective in detecting temporal biological patterns.

AvailabilityThe methods of building WDPVG and visibility graph based community detection are available as a module of the open source Python package PyIOmica (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3691912) with documentation at https://pyiomica.readthedocs.io/en/latest/. The dataset and codes we used in this manuscript are publicly available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3693984.

Contactgmias@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zheng, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Domanskyi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.02.973263</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Visibility Graph Based Community Detection for Biological Time Series]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.04.976654v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Within-Family Validation of Polygenic Risk Scores and Complex Trait Prediction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.04.976654v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We test a variety of polygenic predictors using tens of thousands of genetic siblings for whom we have SNP genotypes, health status, and phenotype information in late adulthood. Siblings have typically experienced similar environments during childhood, and exhibit negligible population stratification relative to each other. Therefore, the ability to predict differences in disease risk or complex trait values between siblings is a strong test of genomic prediction in humans. We compare validation results obtained using non-sibling subjects to those obtained among siblings and find that typically most of the predictive power persists in within-family designs. In the case of disease risk we test the extent to which higher polygenic risk score (PRS) identifies the affected sibling, and also compute Relative Risk Reduction as a function of risk score threshold. For quantitative traits we examine between-sibling differences in trait values as a function of predicted differences, and compare to performance in non-sibling pairs. Example results: Given 1 sibling with normal-range PRS score (<84 percentile) and 1 sibling with high PRS score (top few percentiles), the predictors identify the affected sibling about 70-90% of the time across a variety of disease conditions, including Breast Cancer, Heart Attack, Diabetes, etc. For height, the predictor correctly identifies the taller sibling roughly 80 percent of the time when the (male) height difference is 2 inches or more.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lello, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raben, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, S. D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.04.976654</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Within-Family Validation of Polygenic Risk Scores and Complex Trait Prediction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.04.977181v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Solanaceae specialized metabolism in a non-model plant: trichome acylinositol biosynthesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.04.977181v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants make hundreds of thousands of biologically active specialized metabolites varying widely in structure, biosynthesis and the processes that they influence. An increasing number of these compounds are documented to protect plants from harmful insects, pathogens, or herbivores, or mediate interactions with beneficial organisms including pollinators and nitrogen fixing microbes. Acylsugars - one class of protective compounds - are made in glandular trichomes of plants across the Solanaceae family. While most described acylsugars are acylsucroses, published examples also include acylsugars with hexose cores. The South American fruit crop Solanum quitoense (Naranjilla) produces acylsugars that contain a myo-inositol core. We identified an enzyme that acetylates triacylinositols, a function homologous to the last step in the Solanum lycopersicum acylsucrose biosynthetic pathway. Our analysis reveals parallels between S. lycopersicum acylsucrose and S. quitoense acylinositol biosynthesis, suggesting a common evolutionary origin.

Material availabilityThe author responsible for distribution of materials integral to the findings presented in this article in accordance with the policy described in the Instructions for Authors (www.plantphysiol.org) is: Robert L. Last (lastr@msu.edu).

One sentence summaryEvidence that the final step in Solanum quitoense acylinositol biosynthesis evolved from an acylsucrose acetyltransferase enzyme.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Leong, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hurney, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiesel, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moghe, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.04.977181</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Solanaceae specialized metabolism in a non-model plant: trichome acylinositol biosynthesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.04.977231v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of a plant gene cluster in Solanaceae and emergence of metabolic diversity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.04.977231v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants produce phylogenetically and spatially restricted, as well as structurally diverse specialized metabolites via multistep metabolic pathways. Hallmarks of specialized metabolic evolution include enzymatic promiscuity, recruitment of primary metabolic enzymes and genomic clustering of pathway genes. Solanaceae plant glandular trichomes produce defensive acylsugars, with aliphatic sidechains that vary in length across the family. We describe a tomato gene cluster on chromosome 7 involved in medium chain acylsugar accumulation due to trichome specific acyl-CoA synthetase and enoyl-CoA hydratase genes. This cluster co-localizes with a tomato steroidal alkaloid gene cluster forming a  supercluster, and is syntenic to a chromosome 12 region containing another acylsugar pathway gene. We reconstructed the evolutionary events leading to emergence of this gene cluster and found that its phylogenetic distribution correlates with medium chain acylsugar accumulation across the Solanaceae. This work reveals dynamics behind emergence of novel enzymes from primary metabolism, gene cluster evolution and cell-type specific metabolite diversity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lou, Y.-R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leong, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schenck, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Combs, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cao, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandizzi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.04.977231</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of a plant gene cluster in Solanaceae and emergence of metabolic diversity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.05.977009v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ebony affects pigmentation divergence and cuticular hydrocarbons in Drosophila americana and D. novamexicana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.05.977009v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
1Drosophila pigmentation has been a fruitful model system for understanding the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying phenotypic evolution. For example, prior work has shown that divergence of the tan gene contributes to pigmentation differences between two members of the virilis group: Drosophila novamexicana, which has a light yellow body color, and D. americana, which has a dark brown body color. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and expression analysis has suggested that divergence of the ebony gene might also contribute to pigmentation differences between these two species. Here, we directly test this hypothesis by using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate ebony null mutants in D. americana and D. novamexicana and then using reciprocal hemizygosity testing to compare the effects of each species ebony allele on pigmentation. We find that divergence of ebony does indeed contribute to the pigmentation divergence between species, with effects on both the overall body color as well as a difference in pigmentation along the dorsal abdominal midline. Motivated by recent work in D. melanogaster, we also used the ebony null mutants to test for effects of ebony on cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles. We found that ebony affects CHC abundance in both species, but does not contribute to qualitative differences in the CHC profiles between these two species. Additional transgenic resources for working with D. americana and D. novamexicana, such as white mutants of both species and yellow mutants in D. novamexicana, were generated in the course of this work and are also described. Taken together, this study advances our understanding of loci contributing to phenotypic divergence and illustrates how the latest genome editing tools can be used for functional testing in non-model species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lamb, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simmer, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wittkopp, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.05.977009</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ebony affects pigmentation divergence and cuticular hydrocarbons in Drosophila americana and D. novamexicana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.06.981381v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Molecular structure of a prevalent amyloid-β fibril polymorph from Alzheimer's disease brain tissue 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.06.981381v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Amyloid-{beta} (A{beta}) fibrils exhibit self-propagating, molecular-level polymorphisms that may underlie variations in clinical and pathological characteristics of Alzheimers disease. We report the molecular structure of a specific brain-derived polymorph that has been identified as the most prevalent polymorph of 40-residue A{beta} fibrils in cortical tissue of Alzheimers disease patients. This structure, developed from cryo-electron microscopy and supported by solid state NMR data, differs qualitatively from all previously described A{beta} fibril structures, both in its molecular conformation and its organization of cross-{beta} subunits. Knowledge of this brain-derived fibril structure may contribute to the development of structure-specific amyloid imaging agents and aggregation inhibitors with greater diagnostic and therapeutic utility.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ghosh, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thurber, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yau, W.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tycko, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.06.981381</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Molecular structure of a prevalent amyloid-β fibril polymorph from Alzheimer's disease brain tissue]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.10.986612v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Machine Learning to Identify Flexibility Signatures of Class A GPCR Inhibition 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.10.986612v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We show that machine learning can pinpoint features distinguishing inactive from active states in proteins, in particular identifying key ligand binding site flexibility transitions in GPCRs that are triggered by biologically active ligands. Our analysis was performed on the helical segments and loops in 18 inactive and 9 active class A GPCRs. These 3-dimensional structures were determined in complex with ligands. However, considering the flexible versus rigid state identified by graph-theoretic ProFlex rigidity analysis for each helix and loop segment with the ligand removed, followed by feature selection and k-nearest neighbor classification, was sufficient to identify four segments surrounding the ligand binding site whose flexibility/rigidity accurately predicts whether a GPCR is in an active or inactive state. GPCRs bound to inhibitors were similar in their pattern of flexible versus rigid regions, whereas agonist-bound GPCRs were more flexible and diverse. This new ligand-proximal flexibility signature of GPCR activity was identified without knowledge of the ligand binding mode or previously defined switch regions, while being adjacent to the known transmission switch. Following this proof of concept, the ProFlex flexibility analysis coupled with pattern recognition and activity classification may be useful for predicting whether newly designed ligands behave as activators or inhibitors, based on the pattern of flexibility they induce in the protein.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bemister-Buffington, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolf, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raschka, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.10.986612</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Machine Learning to Identify Flexibility Signatures of Class A GPCR Inhibition]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.11.987412v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Early-life microbial intervention reduces colitis risk promoted by antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.11.987412v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Perturbations in the early life gut microbiome are associated with increased risk to complex immune disorder like inflammatory bowel diseases. We previously showed maternal antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis vertically passed to offspring increases experimental colitis risk in IL-10 gene deficient (IL-10-/-) mice. While this could arise from emergence of pathobionts or loss/lack of essential microbes needed for appropriate immunological education, our findings suggest the latter. A dominant Bacteroides strain absent following antibiotic-induced perturbation was cultivated from murine fecal samples. Addition of this strain into mice with antibiotic-induced dysbiosis significantly promoted immune tolerance and reduced incidence of colitis in IL-10-/- mice, but only if engrafted early in life, and not during adulthood. Thus, key members of the gut microbiome are essential for development of immune tolerance to commensal microbes in early life and their addition in presence of gut dysbiosis during this period can reduce colitis risk in genetically prone hosts.

HighlightsO_LISpecific gut microbes promote early life immune tolerance to key commensal microbes
C_LIO_LILoss of early life keystone microbes increases colitis risk in genetically prone hosts
C_LIO_LIEmergence of absent commensal microbes late in life worsened colitis outcome
C_LIO_LIEarly life exposure to a missing keystone Bacteroides strain reduced colitis risk
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Miyoshi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miyoshi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delmont, T. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cham, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, S. T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sakatani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shan, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiefl, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yousef, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sogin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Antonopoulos, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eren, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leone, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.11.987412</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Early-life microbial intervention reduces colitis risk promoted by antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.12.988568v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TGF-β Family Inhibitors Blunt Adipogenesis Via Non-Canonical Regulation Of SMAD Pathways 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.12.988568v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Adipose tissues (AT) expand in response to energy surplus through adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia (i.e., adipogenesis). The latter is a process by which multipotent precursors differentiate into mature adipocytes. This process is directed by growth factors and cytokines, including members of the TGF-{beta} family, which regulate intracellular signaling pathways that control adipogenic transcriptional programs. As ectopic adipogenesis has been linked with metabolic syndrome and other pathological conditions, we undertook to establish how TGF-{beta} family growth factors and their inhibitors regulate this process in a 3T3-L1 adipogenesis model. We found that intracellular SMAD1/5/8 signaling pathways are activated while SMAD2/3 pathways are suppressed in differentiating cells. Addition of SMAD1/5/8 pathway activating ligands promoted cell proliferation, while SMAD2/3 pathway activating ligands suppressed adipocyte formation. We identified several ligand traps that blunted 3T3-L1 adipogenesis. Strikingly, anti-adipogenic traps and ligands exploited the same mechanism of regulation involving a negative feedback loop that links SMAD2/3 activation with SMAD1/5/8 hyper-phosphorylation, cytoplasmic retention, and reduced signaling. The identified anti-adipogenic traps could be used to control hyperplastic AT expansion and its associated pathological conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aykul, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maust, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Floer, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Hackert, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.12.988568</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TGF-β Family Inhibitors Blunt Adipogenesis Via Non-Canonical Regulation Of SMAD Pathways]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.13.990143v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Differential TAM receptor regulation of hepatic physiology and injury 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.13.990143v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The TAM receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) Mer and Axl have been implicated in liver disease, yet our understanding of their roles in liver homeostasis and injury is limited. We therefore examined the performance of Mer and Axl mutant mice during aging, and in four models of liver injury. We find that Mer and Axl are most prominently expressed in Kupffer and hepatic endothelial cells, and that as Axl-/-Mertk-/- mice normally age, they develop profound liver disease. We further find that Mer signaling is critical to the phagocytosis of apoptotic hepatocytes that are generated during acute hepatic injury, and that Mer and Axl act in concert to inhibit injury-triggered cytokine production. TAM expression in Kupffer cells is crucial for these effects. In contrast, we show that Axl is uniquely important in mitigating liver damage during acute acetaminophen intoxication. Finally, we demonstrate that Axl exacerbates the fibrosis that develops in a model of chronic hepatic injury. These divergent effects have important implications for the design and implementation of TAM-directed therapeutics that target these RTKs in the liver.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lemke, G. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zagorska, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Traves, P. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jimenez-Garcia, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strickland, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tapia, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mayoral Monibas, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burrola, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Copple, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.13.990143</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Differential TAM receptor regulation of hepatic physiology and injury]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.13.991349v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Phenomenon Elucidated by Cryo-EM Reveals the Genuine Impact of Calcium Overload on Mitochondrial Structure and Function 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.13.991349v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mitochondria have a remarkable ability to uptake and store massive amounts of calcium. However, the consequences of massive calcium accumulation remain enigmatic. In the present study, we analyzed a series of time-course experiments to identify the sequence of events that occur in a population of guinea pig cardiac mitochondria exposed to excessive calcium overload that cause mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT). By analyzing coincident structural and functional data, we determined that excessive calcium overload is associated with large calcium phosphate granules and inner membrane fragmentation, which explains the extent of mitochondrial dysfunction. This data also reveals a novel mechanism for cyclosporin A, an inhibitor of MPT, in which it preserves inner membrane architecture despite the presence of massive calcium phosphate granules in the matrix. Overall, these findings establish a mechanism of calcium-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and the impact of calcium regulation on mitochondrial structure and function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Strubbe, J. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schrad, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pavlov, E. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conway, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bazil, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.13.991349</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Phenomenon Elucidated by Cryo-EM Reveals the Genuine Impact of Calcium Overload on Mitochondrial Structure and Function]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.20.001016v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CryoGAN: A New Reconstruction Paradigm for Single-particle Cryo-EM Via Deep Adversarial Learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.20.001016v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We present CryoGAN, a new paradigm for single-particle cryo-EM reconstruction based on unsupervised deep adversarial learning. The major challenge in single-particle cryo-EM is that the imaged particles have unknown poses. Current reconstruction techniques are based on a marginalized maximum-likelihood formulation that requires calculations over the set of all possible poses for each projection image, a computationally demanding procedure. CryoGAN sidesteps this problem by using a generative adversarial network (GAN) to learn the 3D structure that has simulated projections that most closely match the real data in a distributional sense. The architecture of CryoGAN resembles that of standard GAN, with the twist that the generator network is replaced by a model of the cryo-EM image acquisition process. CryoGAN is an unsupervised algorithm that only demands projection images and an estimate of the contrast transfer function parameters. No initial volume estimate or prior training is needed. Moreover, CryoGAN requires minimal user interaction and can provide reconstructions in a matter of hours on a high-end GPU. In addition, we provide sound mathematical guarantees on the recovery of the correct structure. CryoGAN currently achieves a 8.6 [A] resolution on a realistic synthetic dataset. Preliminary results on real {beta}-galactosidase data demonstrate CryoGANs ability to exploit data statistics under standard experimental imaging conditions. We believe that this paradigm opens the door to a family of novel likelihood-free algorithms for cryo-EM reconstruction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gupta, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCann, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Donati, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Unser, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.20.001016</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CryoGAN: A New Reconstruction Paradigm for Single-particle Cryo-EM Via Deep Adversarial Learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.25.006916v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ibrutinib blocks YAP1 activation and reverses BRAFi resistance in melanoma cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.25.006916v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Most BRAF-mutant melanoma tumors respond initially to BRAFi/MEKi therapy, although few patients have durable long-term responses to these agents. The goal of this study was to utilize an unbiased computational approach to identify inhibitors which reverse an experimentally derived BRAFi resistance gene expression signature. Using this approach, we found that ibrutinib effectively reverses this signature and we demonstrate experimentally that ibrutinib re-sensitizes a subset of BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells to vemurafenib. Ibrutinib is used clinically as a BTK inhibitor; however, neither BTK deletion nor treatment with acalabrutinib, another BTK inhibitor with reduced off-target activity, re-sensitized cells to vemurafenib. These data suggest that ibrutinib acts through a BTK-independent mechanism in vemurafenib re-sensitization. To better understand this mechanism, we analyzed the transcriptional profile of ibrutinib-treated BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells and found that the transcriptional profile of ibrutinib was highly similar to that of multiple SRC kinase inhibitors. Since ibrutinib, but not acalabrutinib, has significant off-target activity against multiple SRC family kinases, it suggests that ibrutinib may be acting through this mechanism. Furthermore, genes either upregulated or downregulated by ibrutinib treatment are enriched in YAP1 target genes and we showed that ibrutinib, but not acalabrutinib, reduces YAP1 activity in BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells. Taken together, these data suggest that ibrutinib, or other SRC family kinase inhibitors, may be useful for treating some BRAFi/MEKi-refractory melanoma tumors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Misek, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newbury, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chekalin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doseff, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallo, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.25.006916</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ibrutinib blocks YAP1 activation and reverses BRAFi resistance in melanoma cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.25.008904v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modeling of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Proteins by Machine Learning and Physics-Based Refinement 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.25.008904v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Protein structures are crucial for understanding their biological activities. Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there is an urgent need to understand the biological behavior of the virus and provide a basis for developing effective therapies. Since the proteome of the virus was determined, some of the protein structures could be determined experimentally, and others were predicted via template-based modeling approaches. However, tertiary structures for several proteins are still not available from experiment nor they could be accurately predicted by template-based modeling because of lack of close homolog structures. Previous efforts to predict structures for these proteins include efforts by DeepMind and the Zhang group via machine learning-based structure prediction methods, i.e. AlphaFold and C-I-TASSER. However, the predicted models vary greatly and have not yet been subjected to refinement. Here, we are reporting new predictions from our in-house structure prediction pipeline. The pipeline takes advantage of inter-residue contact predictions from trRosetta, a machine learning-based method. The predicted models were further improved by applying molecular dynamics simulation-based refinement. We also took the AlphaFold models and refined them by applying the same refinement method. Models based on our structure prediction pipeline and the refined AlphaFold models were analyzed and compared with the C-I-TASSER models. All of our models are available at https://github.com/feiglab/sars-cov-2-proteins.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.25.008904</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modeling of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Proteins by Machine Learning and Physics-Based Refinement]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.26.010645v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A second hybrid-binding domain modulates the activity of Drosophila ribonuclease H1 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.26.010645v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In eukaryotes, ribonuclease H1 (RNase H1) is involved in the processing and removal of RNA/DNA hybrids in both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. The enzyme comprises a C-terminal catalytic domain and an N-terminal hybrid-binding domain (HBD), separated by a linker of variable length, which in Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) is exceptionally long, 115 amino acids. Molecular modeling predicted this extended linker to fold into a structure similar to the conserved HBD. We measured catalytic activity and substrate binding by EMSA and biolayer interferometry, using a deletion series of protein variants. Both the catalytic domain and the conserved HBD were required for high-affinity binding to heteroduplex substrates, whilst loss of the novel HBD led to a [~]90% drop in K[cat] with a decreased K[M], and a large increase in the stability of the RNA/DNA hybrid-enzyme complex. The findings support a bipartite binding model for the enzyme, whereby the second HBD facilitates dissociation of the active site from the product, allowing for processivity. We used shotgun proteomics to identify protein partners of the enzyme involved in mediating these effects. Single-stranded DNA-binding proteins from both the nuclear and mitochondrial compartments, respectively RpA-70 and mtSSB, were prominently detected by this method. However, we were not able to document direct interactions between mtSSB and Dm RNase H1 when co-overexpressed in S2 cells, or functional interactions in vitro. Further studies are needed to determine the exact reaction mechanism of Dm RNase H1, the nature of its interaction with mtSSB and the role of the second HBD in both.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez de Cozar, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carretero-Junquera, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ciesielski, G. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miettinen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Varjosalo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaguni, L. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dufour, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobs, H. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.26.010645</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A second hybrid-binding domain modulates the activity of Drosophila ribonuclease H1]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.30.016675v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Flexible, Interpretable, and Accurate Approach for Imputing the Expression of Unmeasured Genes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.30.016675v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While there are >2 million publicly-available human microarray gene-expression profiles, these profiles were measured using a variety of platforms that each cover a pre-defined, limited set of genes. Therefore, key to reanalyzing and integrating this massive data collection are methods that can computationally reconstitute the complete transcriptome in partially-measured microarray samples by imputing the expression of unmeasured genes. Current state-of-the-art imputation methods are tailored to samples from a specific platform and rely on gene-gene relationships regardless of the biological context of the target sample. We show that sparse regression models that capture sample-sample relationships (termed SampleLASSO), built on-the-fly for each new target sample to be imputed, outperform models based on fixed gene relationships. Extensive evaluation involving three machine learning algorithms (LASSO, k-nearest-neighbors, and deep-neural-networks), two gene subsets (GPL96-570 and LINCS), and three imputation tasks (within and across microarray/RNA-seq) establishes that SampleLASSO is the most accurate model. Additionally, we demonstrate the biological interpretability of this method by showing that, for imputing a target sample from a certain tissue, SampleLASSO automatically leverages training samples from the same tissue. Thus, SampleLASSO is a simple, yet powerful and flexible approach for harmonizing large-scale gene-expression data.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mancuso, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Canfield, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singla, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.30.016675</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Flexible, Interpretable, and Accurate Approach for Imputing the Expression of Unmeasured Genes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.31.016717v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Culture conditions antagonize lineage-promoting signaling in the mouse blastocyst 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.31.016717v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mouse preimplantation embryo is a paradigm for discovery of the molecular principles governing formation of specific cell types during development. We show that conditions commonly used for ex vivo culture of preimplantation development are themselves antagonistic to a pathway that is critical for blastocyst lineage commitment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Frum, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.31.016717</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Culture conditions antagonize lineage-promoting signaling in the mouse blastocyst]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.31.018226v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Overexpression of the chloroplastic 2-oxoglutarate/malate transporter in rice disturbs carbon and nitrogen homeostasis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.31.018226v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The chloroplastic oxaloacetate/malate transporter (OMT1 or DiT1) takes part in the malate valve that protects chloroplasts from excessive redox poise through export of malate and import of oxaloacetate (OAA). Together with the glutamate/malate transporter (DCT1 or DiT2), it connects carbon with nitrogen assimilation, by providing -ketoglutarate for the GS/GOGAT reaction and exporting glutamate to the cytoplasm. OMT1 further plays a prominent role in C4 photosynthesis. OAA resulting from PEP-carboxylation is imported into the chloroplast, reduced to malate by plastidic NADP-MDH, and then exported for transport to bundle sheath cells. Both transport steps are catalyzed by OMT1, at the rate of net carbon assimilation. Therefore, to engineer C4 photosynthesis into C3 crops, OMT1 must be expressed in high amounts on top of core C4 metabolic enzymes. We report here high-level expression of ZmOMT1 from maize in rice (Oryza sativa ssp. indica IR64). Increased activity of the transporter in transgenic rice was confirmed by reconstitution of transporter activity into proteoliposomes. Unexpectedly, over-expression of ZmOMT1 in rice negatively affected growth, CO2 assimilation rate, total free amino acid contents, TCA cycle metabolites, as well as sucrose and starch contents. Accumulation of high amounts of aspartate and the impaired growth phenotype of OMT1 rice lines could be suppressed by simultaneous over-expression of ZmDiT2. Implications for engineering C4-rice are discussed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zamani Nour, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, H.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mettler-Altmann, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khoshravesh, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karki, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bagunu, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sage, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quick, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-03-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.03.31.018226</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Overexpression of the chloroplastic 2-oxoglutarate/malate transporter in rice disturbs carbon and nitrogen homeostasis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-03-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.030478v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Application of singe nuclei RNA sequencing to assess the hepatic effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.030478v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cell-specific transcriptional responses are lost in the averages of bulk RNA sequencing. We performed single nuclei RNA sequencing (snSeq) on frozen liver samples from male C57BL/6 mice in response to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Approximately 19,907 hepatic genes were detected across 16,015 sequenced nuclei from control and treated samples. Eleven cell-(sub)types were identified including distinct hepatocyte sub-populations, consistent with the cell diversity of the liver. TCDD increased macrophages from 0.5% to 24.7%, while neutrophils were only present in treated samples. The number of differentially expressed genes correlated with the basal expression level of Ahr. In addition to expected functional enrichments within each cell-(sub)type, RAS signaling was enriched in nonparenchymal cells. snSeq also identified a Kupffer cell subtype highly expressing Gpnmb, consistent with a dietary NASH model. Overall, snSeq distinguished cell-specific transcriptional changes and population shifts consistent with the hepatotoxicity of TCDD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fader, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.07.030478</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Application of singe nuclei RNA sequencing to assess the hepatic effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.030569v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Single-Objective Light-Sheet Microscope with 200 nm-Scale Resolution. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.030569v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We present an Oblique Plane Microscope that uses a bespoke glass-tipped tertiary objective to improve the resolution, field of view, and usability over previous variants. Owing to its high numerical aperture optics, this microscope achieves lateral and axial resolutions that are comparable to the square illumination mode of Lattice Light-Sheet Microscopy, but in a user friendly and versatile format. Given this performance, we demonstrate high-resolution imaging of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, vimentin, the endoplasmic reticulum, membrane dynamics, and Natural Killer-mediated cytotoxicity. Furthermore, we image biological phenomena that would be otherwise challenging or impossible to perform in a traditional light-sheet microscope geometry, including cell migration through confined spaces within a microfluidic device, subcellular photoactivation of Rac1, diffusion of cytoplasmic rheological tracers at a volumetric rate of 14 Hz, and large field of view imaging of neurons, developing embryos, and centimeter-scale tissue sections.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sapoznik, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, B.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ju, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welf, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broadbent, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carisey, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stehbens, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, K.-m.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanker, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arteaga, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kruithoff, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Millett-Sikking, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>York, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dean, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiolka, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.07.030569</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Single-Objective Light-Sheet Microscope with 200 nm-Scale Resolution.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.030734v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reversal of Infected Host Gene Expression Identifies Repurposed Drug Candidates for COVID-19 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.030734v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The repurposing of existing drugs offers the potential to expedite therapeutic discovery against the current COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We have developed an integrative approach to predict repurposed drug candidates that can reverse SARS-CoV-2-induced gene expression in host cells, and evaluate their efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. We found that 13 virus-induced gene expression signatures computed from various viral preclinical models could be reversed by compounds previously identified to be effective against SARS- or MERS-CoV, as well as drug candidates recently reported to be efficacious against SARS-CoV-2. Based on the ability of candidate drugs to reverse these 13 infection signatures, as well as other clinical criteria, we identified 10 novel candidates. The four drugs bortezomib, dactolisib, alvocidib, and methotrexate inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced cytopathic effect in Vero E6 cells at < 1 {micro}M, but only methotrexate did not exhibit unfavorable cytotoxicity. Although further improvement of cytotoxicity prediction and bench testing is required, our computational approach has the potential to rapidly and rationally identify repurposed drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2. The analysis of signature genes induced by SARS-CoV-2 also revealed interesting time-dependent host response dynamics and critical pathways for therapeutic interventions (e.g. Rho GTPase activation and cytokine signaling suppression).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xing, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shankar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drelich, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chekalin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dexheimer, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rajasekaran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tseng, C.-T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.07.030734</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reversal of Infected Host Gene Expression Identifies Repurposed Drug Candidates for COVID-19]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.09.034033v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Triclosan depletes the membrane potential in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms inhibiting aminoglycoside induced adaptive resistance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.09.034033v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biofilm-based infections are difficult to treat due to their inherent resistance to antibiotic treatment. Discovering new approaches to enhance antibiotic efficacy in biofilms would be highly significant in treating many chronic infections. Exposure to aminoglycosides induces adaptive resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Adaptive resistance is primarily the result of active antibiotic export by RND-type efflux pumps, which use the proton motive force as an energy source. We show that the protonophore uncoupler triclosan depletes the membrane potential of biofilm growing P. aeruginosa, leading to decreased activity of RND-type efflux pumps. This disruption results in increased intracellular accumulation of tobramycin and enhanced antimicrobial activity in vitro. In addition, we show that triclosan enhances tobramycin effectiveness in vivo using a mouse wound model. Combining triclosan with tobramycin is a new anti-biofilm strategy that targets bacterial energetics, increasing the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa biofilms to aminoglycosides.

Author summaryAdaptive resistance is a phenotypic response that allows P. aeruginosa to transiently survive aminoglycosides such as tobramycin. To date, few compounds have been identified that target adaptive resistance. Here, we show the protonophore uncoupler triclosan disrupts the membrane potential of P. aeruginosa. The depletion of the membrane potential reduces efflux pump activity, which is essential for adaptive resistance, leading to increased tobramycin accumulation and a shorter onset of action. Our results demonstrate that in addition to its canonical mechanism inhibiting membrane biosynthesis, triclosan can exert antibacterial properties by functioning as a protonophore that targets P. aeruginosa energetics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maiden, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.09.034033</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Triclosan depletes the membrane potential in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms inhibiting aminoglycoside induced adaptive resistance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.09.034900v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The regulation of a pigmentation gene in the formation of complex color patterns in Drosophila abdomens 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.09.034900v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Changes in cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) that control developmental gene expression patterns have been implicated in the evolution of animal morphology1-6. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying complex morphological traits remain largely unknown. Here we investigated the molecular mechanisms that induce the pigmentation gene yellow (y) in a complex spot and shade pattern on the abdomen of the quinaria group species Drosophila guttifera. We show that the y expression pattern is controlled by only one CRM, which contains a stripe-inducing CRM at its core. We identified several developmental genes that may collectively interact with the CRM to orchestrate the patterning in the pupal abdomen of D. guttifera. We further show that the core CRM is conserved among D. guttifera and the closely related quinaria group species Drosophila deflecta, which displays a similarly spotted abdominal pigment pattern. Our data suggest that besides direct activation of patterns in distinct spots, abdominal spot patterns in Drosophila species may have evolved through partial repression of an ancestral stripe pattern, leaving isolated spots behind. Abdominal pigment patterns of extant quinaria group species support the partial repression hypothesis and further emphasize the modularity of the D. guttifera pattern.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raja, K. K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shittu, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nouhan, P. M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steenwinkel, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bachman, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kokate, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McQueeney, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mundell, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Armentrout, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peabody, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Werner, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.09.034900</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The regulation of a pigmentation gene in the formation of complex color patterns in Drosophila abdomens]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.10.031294v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pattern-recognition receptors are required for NLR-mediated plant immunity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.10.031294v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The plant immune system is fundamental to plant survival in natural ecosystems and productivity in crop fields. Substantial evidence supports the prevailing notion that plants possess a two-tiered innate immune system, called pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). PTI is triggered by microbial patterns via cell surface-localized pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), whereas ETI is activated by pathogen effector proteins via mostly intracellularly-localized receptors called nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat proteins (NLRs)1-4. PTI and ETI are initiated by dist 30 inct activation mechanisms and are considered to act independently and have evolved sequentially5,6. Here we show that, contrary to the perception of PTI and ETI being separate immune signaling pathways, Arabidopsis PRR/co-receptor mutants, fls2/efr/cerk1 and bak1/bkk1/cerk1 triple mutants, are greatly impaired in ETI responses when challenged with incompatible Pseudomonas syrinage bacteria. We further show that the NADPH oxidase (RBOHD)-mediated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a critical early signaling event connecting PRR and NLR cascades and that PRR-mediated phosphorylation of RBOHD is necessary for full activation of RBOHD during ETI. Furthermore, NLR signaling rapidly augments the transcript and protein levels of key PTI components at an early stage and in a salicylic acid-independent manner. Our study supports an alternative model in which PTI is in fact an indispensable component of ETI during bacterial infection, implying that ETI halts pathogen infection, in part, by directly co-opting the anti-pathogen mechanisms proposed for PTI. This alternative model conceptually unites two major immune signaling pathways in the plant kingdom and mechanistically explains the long-observed similarities in downstream defense outputs between PTI and ETI.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yuan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bi, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nomura, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, J.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xin, X.-F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.10.031294</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pattern-recognition receptors are required for NLR-mediated plant immunity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.10.036087v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rank-dependent social inheritance determines social network structure in a wild mammal population 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.10.036087v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The structure of animal social networks influences survival and reproductive success, as well as pathogen and information transmission. However, the general mechanisms determining social structure remain unclear. Using data on 73,767 social interactions among wild spotted hyenas over 27 years, we show that a process of social inheritance determines how offspring relationships are formed and maintained. The relationships of offspring with other hyenas are similar to those of their mothers over up to six years, and the degree of similarity increases with maternal social rank. The strength of mother-offspring relationship affects social inheritance and is positively correlated with offspring longevity. These results confirm the hypothesis that social inheritance of relationships can structure animal social networks and be subject to adaptive tradeoffs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ilany, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akcay, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.10.036087</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rank-dependent social inheritance determines social network structure in a wild mammal population]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.15.043257v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
VIBRIO CHOLERAE ADAPTS TO SESSILE AND MOTILE LIFESTYLES BY CYCLIC DI-GMP REGULATION OF CELL SHAPE 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.15.043257v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The cell morphology of rod-shaped bacteria is determined by the rigid net of peptidoglycan forming the cell wall. While V. cholerae grows into a curved shape under most conditions, straight rods have been observed. However, the signals and regulatory pathways controlling cell shape transitions in V. cholerae and the benefits of switching between rod and curved shape have not been determined. We demonstrate that cell shape in V. cholerae is regulated by the bacterial second messenger cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) by repressing expression of crvA, a gene encoding an intermediate filament-like protein necessary for curvature formation in V. cholerae. This regulation is mediated by the transcriptional cascade that also induces production of biofilm matrix components, indicating that cell shape is coregulated with V. choleraes induction of sessility. Wild-type V. cholerae cells adhering to a surface lose their characteristic curved shape to become as straight as cells lacking crvA while genetically engineering cells to maintain high curvature reduced microcolony formation and biofilm density. Conversely, straight V. cholerae mutants have reduced speed when swimming using flagellar motility in liquid. Our results demonstrate regulation of cell shape in bacteria is a mechanism to increase fitness in planktonic or biofilm lifestyles.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fernandez, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nhu, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsueh, B. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franklin, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dufour, Y. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.15.043257</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[VIBRIO CHOLERAE ADAPTS TO SESSILE AND MOTILE LIFESTYLES BY CYCLIC DI-GMP REGULATION OF CELL SHAPE]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.19.049577v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Targeting subtype-specific metabolic preferences in nucleotide biosynthesis inhibits mouse mammary tumor growth 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.19.049577v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Investigating metabolic rewiring in cancer can lead to the discovery of new treatment strategies for breast cancer subtypes that currently lack targeted therapies. Using MMTV-Myc driven tumors to model breast cancer heterogeneity, we investigated metabolic differences between two histological subtypes, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the papillary subtypes, using a combination of genomic and metabolomic techniques. We identified differences in nucleotide metabolism between EMT and papillary subtypes: EMT tumors preferentially use the nucleotide salvage pathway, while papillary tumors prefer de novo nucleotide biosynthesis. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and mass spectrometry-based methods, we determined that targeting the preferred pathway in each subtype resulted in greater metabolic impact than targeting the non-preferred pathway. We further show that knocking out the preferred nucleotide pathway in each subtype has a deleterious effect on in vivo tumor growth. In contrast, knocking out the non-preferred pathway has a lesser effect or results in increased tumor growth.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ogrodzinski, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teoh, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.19.049577</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Targeting subtype-specific metabolic preferences in nucleotide biosynthesis inhibits mouse mammary tumor growth]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.20.051094v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanical and signaling mechanisms that guide pre-implantation embryo movement. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.20.051094v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
How a mammalian embryo determines and arrives at its site of attachment is a mystery that has puzzled researchers for decades. Additionally, in multiparous species, embryos face a unique challenge of achieving adequate spacing to avoid competition for maternal resources. Using our enhanced confocal imaging and 3D image reconstruction technology, we evaluate murine embryo location in the uterus along the longitudinal oviductal-cervical axis. Our analysis reveals three distinct pre-implantation stages: a) Embryo entry; b) Unidirectional movement of embryo clusters; and c) Bidirectional scattering and spacing of embryos. We show that unidirectional movement of embryo clusters is facilitated by a mechanical stimulus of the embryo as a physical object and is regulated by adrenergic uterine smooth muscle contractions. Embryo scattering, on the other hand, relies on embryo-uterine communication reliant on the LPAR3 signaling pathway and is independent of adrenergic muscle contractions. We propose that the presence of embryo clusters in the uterine horn provides an opportunity for the uterus to sense and count the embryos, followed by scattering and spacing these embryos along the given length of the horn. Thus, uterine implantation sites in mice are neither random nor predetermined but are guided by the number of embryos entering the uterine lumen. These studies have implications for understanding how embryo-uterine communication is key to determining an optimal implantation site, which is necessary for the success of a pregnancy.

Significance StatementIn mammals that carry multiple offspring in one gestation, embryos seemingly acquire even embryo spacing. Such even distribution would imply a guided interaction between the mother and the fetus very early on in pregnancy to allow favorable pregnancy outcomes. Thus, it is essential to understand quantitatively if and when such a uniform distribution of embryos is established. Further, uncovering the physical and biological mechanisms that allow for such equal distribution of embryos, will improve our understanding of early pregnancy events and provide for novel targets for improving pregnancy success in case of infertility and artificial reproductive technologies as well as to develop non-hormonal therapies for contraception.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Flores, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madhavan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wright, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.20.051094</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanical and signaling mechanisms that guide pre-implantation embryo movement.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.21.053157v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Redesigned Reporter Gene for Improved Proton Exchange-based Molecular MRI Contrast 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.21.053157v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Reporter gene imaging allows for non-invasive monitoring of molecular processes in living cells, providing insights on the mechanisms underlying pathology and therapy. A lysine-rich protein (LRP) chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI reporter gene has previously been developed and used to image tumor cells, cardiac viral gene transfer, and oncolytic virotherapy. However, the highly repetitive nature of the LRP reporter gene sequence leads to DNA recombination events and the expression of a range of truncated LRP protein fragments, thereby greatly limiting the CEST sensitivity. Here we report the use of a redesigned LRP reporter (rdLRP), aimed to provide excellent stability and CEST sensitivity. The rdLRP contains no DNA repeats or GC rich regions and 30% less positively charged amino-acids. RT-PCR of cell lysates transfected with rdLRP demonstrated a stable reporter gene with a single distinct band corresponding to full-length DNA. A distinct increase in CEST-MRI contrast was obtained in cell lysates of rdLRP transfected cells and in in vivo LRP expressing mouse brain tumors (p=0.0275, n=10).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Perlman, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ito, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McMahon, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chiocca, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nakashima, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrar, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.21.053157</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Redesigned Reporter Gene for Improved Proton Exchange-based Molecular MRI Contrast]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.22.054866v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
RADSex: a computational workflow to study sex determination using Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.22.054866v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The study of sex determination and sex chromosome organisation in non-model species has long been technically challenging, but new sequencing methodologies are now enabling precise and high-throughput identification of sex-specific genomic sequences. In particular, Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing (RAD-Seq) is being extensively applied to explore sex determination systems in many plant and animal species. However, software designed to specifically search for sex-biased markers using RAD-Seq data is lacking. Here, we present RADSex, a computational analysis workflow designed to study the genetic basis of sex determination using RAD-Seq data. RADSex is simple to use, requires few computational resources, makes no prior assumptions about type of sex-determination system or structure of the sex locus, and offers convenient visualization through a dedicated R package. To demonstrate the functionality of RADSex, we re-analyzed a published dataset of Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes, where we uncovered a previously unknown Y chromosome polymorphism. We then used RADSex to analyze new RAD-Seq datasets from 15 fish species spanning multiple systematic orders. We identified the sex determination system and sex-specific markers in six of these species, five of which had no known sex-markers prior to this study. We show that RADSex greatly facilitates the study of sex determination systems in non-model species and outperforms the commonly used RAD-Seq analysis software STACKS. RADSex in speed, resource usage, ease of application, and visualization options. Furthermore, our analysis of new datasets from 15 species provides new insights on sex determination in fish.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Feron, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pan, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Imarazene, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jouanno, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herpin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Journot, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parrinello, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klopp, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kottler, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roco, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Du, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kneitz, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adolfi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCluskey, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amores, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desvignes, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goetz, F. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takanashi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kawaguchi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Detrich, H. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oliveira, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nobrega, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sakamoto, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nakamoto, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wargelius, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karlsen, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stöck, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waterhouse, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Postlethwait, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schartl, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guiguen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.22.054866</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[RADSex: a computational workflow to study sex determination using Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.23.057901v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Charge-Driven Phase Separation of RNA and Proteins without Disorder 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.23.057901v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phase separation processes are increasingly being recognized as important organizing mechanisms of biological macromolecules in cellular environments. Well established drivers of liquid-liquid phase separation are multi-valency and intrinsic disorder. Here, we show that globular macromolecules may condense simply based on electrostatic complementarity. More specifically, phase separation of mixtures between RNA and positively charged proteins is described from a combination of multiscale computer simulations with microscopy and spectroscopy experiments. Condensates retain liquid character and phase diagrams are mapped out as a function of molecular concentrations in experiment and as a function of molecular size and temperature via simulations. The results suggest a more general principle for phase separation that is based primarily on electrostatic complementarity without invoking polymer properties as in most previous studies. Simulation results furthermore suggest that such phase separation may occur widely in heterogenous cellular environment between nucleic acid and protein components.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCELiquid-liquid phase separation has been recognized as a key mechanism for forming membrane-less organelles in cells. Commonly discussed mechanisms invoke a role of disordered peptides and specific multi-valent interactions. We report here phase separation of RNA and proteins based on a more universal principle of charge complementarity that does not require disorder or specific interactions. The findings are supported by coarse-grained simulations, theory, and experimental validation via microscopy and spectroscopy. The broad implication of this work is that condensate formation may be a universal phenomenon in biological systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dutagaci, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nawrocki, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodluck, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapidus, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.23.057901</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Charge-Driven Phase Separation of RNA and Proteins without Disorder]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.26.062331v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Artemisia annua and Artemisia afra extracts exhibit strong bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.26.062331v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ethnopharmacological relevanceEmergence of drug-resistant and multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains is a major barrier to tuberculosis (TB) eradication, as it leads to longer treatment regimens and in many cases treatment failure. Thus, there is an urgent need to explore new TB drugs and combinations, in order to shorten TB treatment and improve outcomes. Here, we evaluate the potential of two medicinal plants, Artemisia annua, a natural source of artemisinin (AN), and Artemisia afra, as sources of novel antitubercular agents.

Aim of the studyOur goal was to measure the activity of A. annua and A. afra extracts against Mtb as potential natural and inexpensive therapies for TB treatment, or as sources of compounds that could be further developed into effective treatments.

Materials and MethodsThe minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of A. annua and A. afra dichloromethane extracts were determined, and concentrations above the MICs were used to evaluate their ability to kill Mtb and Mycobacterium abscessus in vitro.

ResultsPrevious studies showed that A. annua and A. afra inhibit Mtb growth. Here, we show for the first time that Artemisia extracts have a strong bactericidal activity against Mtb. The killing effect of A. annua was much stronger than equivalent concentrations of pure AN, suggesting that A. annua extracts kill Mtb through a combination of AN and additional compounds. A. afra, which produces very little AN, displayed bactericidal activity against Mtb that was substantial but weaker than that of A. annua. In addition, we measured the activity of Artemisia extracts against Mycobacterium abscessus. Interestingly, we observed that while A. annua is not bactericidal, it inhibits growth of M. abscessus, highlighting the potential of this plant in combinatory therapies to treat M. abscessus infections.

ConclusionOur results indicate that Artemisia extracts have an enormous potential for treatment of TB and M. abscessus infections, and that these plants contain bactericidal compounds in addition to AN. Combination of extracts with existing antibiotics may not only improve treatment outcomes but also reduce the emergence of resistance to other drugs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Martini, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weathers, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shell, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.26.062331</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Artemisia annua and Artemisia afra extracts exhibit strong bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.27.062893v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Conserved Molecular Function and Regulatory Subfunctionalization of the LORELEI Gene Family in Brassicaceae 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.27.062893v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A signaling complex comprising members of the LORELEI (LRE)-LIKE GPI-anchored protein (LLG) and Catharanthus roseus RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE 1-LIKE (CrRLK1L) families perceive RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTOR (RALF) peptides and regulate growth, reproduction, immunity, and stress responses in Arabidopsis. Genes encoding these proteins are members of multi-gene families in most angiosperms and could generate thousands of signaling complex variants. However, the link(s) between expansion of these gene families and the functional diversification of this critical signaling complex as well as the evolutionary factors underlying the maintenance of gene duplicates remain unknown. Here, we investigated LLG gene family evolution, function, and expression in angiosperms. We found that LLGs in monocots and eudicots are descendants of a duplication early in angiosperm evolution and that both ancient and recent LLG duplicates are retained. Complementation and expression analysis showed that expression divergence of LLGs (regulatory subfunctionalization), rather than functional divergence, explains the retention of paralogs in Brassicales. All but one extant monocot and eudicot species examined maintained an LLG copy with preferential expression in male reproductive tissues, with the other duplicate copies showed highest levels of expression in female or vegetative tissues. Interestingly, the single LLG copy in Amborella (sister to all other angiosperms) is expressed vastly higher in male compared to female reproductive or vegetative tissues. Reconstruction of expression evolution showed that the highest inferred expression levels for the single copy ancestral angiosperm LLG was in male reproductive tissues. We propose that expression divergence played an important role in maintenance of LLG duplicates in angiosperms.

One Sentence SummaryExpression divergence played an important role in maintenance of two sub-groups of LLG duplicates in angiosperms
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Noble, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, M.-C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeFalco, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stegmann, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McNamara, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sullivan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dinh, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khuu, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hancock, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zipfel, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beilstein, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheung, A. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palanivelu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.27.062893</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Conserved Molecular Function and Regulatory Subfunctionalization of the LORELEI Gene Family in Brassicaceae]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.27.063842v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genomic and immunogenic changes over the history of the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS-IVb) fish virus (=Piscine novirhabdovirus) in the Laurentian Great Lakes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.27.063842v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) (=Piscine novirhabdovirus) appeared in the Laurentian Great Lakes in 2005, constituting a unique and highly virulent genogroup (IVb), which killed >32 fish species in large 2005 and 2006. Periods of apparent dormancy punctuated smaller outbreaks in 2007, 2008, and 2017. We conducted the first whole genome analysis of IVb, evaluating its evolutionary changes using 46 isolates, in reference to immunogenicity in cell culture, and the genomes of other VHS genogroups (I-IVa) and other Novirhabdoviruses. IVb isolates had 253 genomic nucleotide substitutions (2.3% of the total 11,158 nucleotides), with 85 (16.6%) being non-synonymous. The greatest number of substitutions occurred in the non-coding region (NCDS; 4.3%) followed by the Nv- (3.8%), and M- (2.8%) genes. The M-gene possessed the greatest proportions of amino acid changes (52.9%), followed by the Nv- (50.0%), G- (48.6%), N- (35.7%) and L- (23.1%) genes. Among VHS genogroups, IVa from the northeastern Pacific exhibited the fastest substitution rate (2.01x10-3), followed by Ivb (6.64x10-5), and I/III from Europe (4.09x10-5). A 2016 gizzard shad isolate from Lake Erie was the most divergent IVb isolate (38 NT, 15.0%, 15 AA), yet exhibited reduced virulence with in vitro immunogenicity analyses, as did other 2016 isolates, in comparison to the first IVb isolate (2003). The 2016 isolates exhibited lower impact on innate antiviral responses, suggesting phenotypic effects. Results suggest continued sequence change and lower virulence over the history of IVb, which may facilitate its long-term persistence in fish host populations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stepien, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niner, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gorgoglione, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leaman, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.27.063842</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genomic and immunogenic changes over the history of the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS-IVb) fish virus (=Piscine novirhabdovirus) in the Laurentian Great Lakes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.27.064519v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Remodeling of Chemotaxis is a Cornerstone of Bacterial Swarming 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.27.064519v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many bacteria use flagella-driven motility to swarm or move collectively over a surface terrain. Bacterial adaptations for swarming can include cell elongation, hyper-flagellation, recruitment of special stator proteins and surfactant secretion, among others. We recently demonstrated another swarming adaptation in Escherichia coli, wherein the chemotaxis pathway is remodeled to increase run durations (decrease tumble bias), with running speeds increased as well. We show here that the modification of motility parameters during swarming is not unique to E. coli, but shared by a diverse group of bacteria we examined - Proteus mirabilis, Serratia marcescens, Salmonella enterica, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa - suggesting that altering the chemosensory physiology is a cornerstone of swarming.

ImportanceBacteria within a swarm move characteristically in packs, displaying an intricate swirling motion where hundreds of dynamic packs continuously form and dissociate as the swarm colonizes increasing expanse of territory. The demonstrated property of E. coli to reduce its tumble bias and hence increase its run duration during swarming is expected to maintain/promote side-by-side alignment and cohesion within the bacterial packs. Here we observe a similar low tumble bias in five different bacterial species, both Gram positive and Gram negative, each inhabiting a unique habitat and posing unique problems to our health. The unanimous display of an altered run-tumble bias in swarms of all species examined here suggests that this behavioral adaptation is crucial for swarming.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Partridge, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, N. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dufour, Y. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harshey, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-04-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.04.27.064519</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Remodeling of Chemotaxis is a Cornerstone of Bacterial Swarming]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-04-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.02.074237v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Infanticide by females is a leading source of juvenile mortality in a large social carnivore 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.02.074237v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social animals benefit from their groupmates, so why do they sometimes kill each others offspring? Using 30 years of data from multiple groups of wild spotted hyenas, we address three critical aims for understanding infanticide in any species: (1) quantify the contribution of infanticide to overall mortality (2) describe the circumstances under which infanticide occurs and (3) evaluate hypotheses about the evolution of infanticide. We find that, although observed only rarely, infanticide is in fact a leading source of juvenile mortality. Infanticide accounted for 24% of juvenile mortality, and 1 in 10 hyenas born in our population perished due to infanticide. In all observed cases of infanticide, killers were adult females, but victims could be of both sexes. Of four hypotheses regarding the evolution of infanticide, we found the most support for the hypothesis that infanticide in spotted hyenas reflects competition over social status among matrilines.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Brown, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strauss, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.02.074237</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Infanticide by females is a leading source of juvenile mortality in a large social carnivore]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.02.074534v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
One gene, multiple ecological strategies: a biofilm regulator is a capacitor for sustainable diversity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.02.074534v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many bacteria cycle between sessile and motile forms in which they must sense and respond to internal and external signals to coordinate appropriate physiology. Maintaining fitness requires genetic networks that have been honed in variable environments to integrate these signals. The identity of the major regulators and how their control mechanisms evolved remain largely unknown in most organisms. During four different evolution experiments with the opportunist betaproteobacterium Burkholderia cenocepacia in a biofilm model, mutations were most frequently selected in the conserved gene rpfR. RpfR uniquely integrates two major signaling systems -- quorum sensing and the motile-sessile switch mediated by cyclic-d-GMP -- by two domains that sense, respond to, and control synthesis of the autoinducer cis-2-dodecenoic acid (BDSF). The BDSF response in turn regulates activity of diguanylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase domains acting on cyclic-di-GMP. Parallel adaptive substitutions evolved in each of these domains to produce unique life history strategies by regulating cyclic-di-GMP levels, global transcriptional responses, biofilm production, and polysaccharide composition. These phenotypes translated into distinct ecology and biofilm structures that enabled mutants to coexist and produce more biomass than expected from their constituents grown alone. This study shows that when bacterial populations are selected in environments challenging the limits of their plasticity, the evolved mutations not only alter genes at the nexus of signaling networks but also reveal the scope of their regulatory functions.

Significance statementMany organisms including bacteria live in fluctuating environments requiring attachment and dispersal. These lifestyle decisions require multiple external signals to be processed by several genetic pathways, but how they are integrated is largely unknown. We conducted multiple evolution experiments totaling >20,000 generations with Burkholderia cenocepacia populations grown in a model of the biofilm life cycle and identified parallel mutations in one gene, rpfR, that is a conserved central regulator. Because RpfR has multiple sensor and catalytic domains, different mutations can produce different ecological strategies that can coexist and even increase net growth. This study demonstrates that a single gene may coordinate complex life histories in biofilm-dwelling bacteria and that selection in defined environments can reshape niche breadth by single mutations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mhatre, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Snyder, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sileo, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buskirk, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandez, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neiditch, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooper, V. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.02.074534</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[One gene, multiple ecological strategies: a biofilm regulator is a capacitor for sustainable diversity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.05.079129v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Hypotheses and models linking epigenetic transgenerational effects to population dynamics: Exploring oscillations and applications to wildlife cycles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.05.079129v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Epigenetic transgenerational mechanisms underpin the imprinting of gamete origin during reproduction in mammals but are also hypothesized to transmit environmental exposures from parents to progeny in many life forms, which could have important consequences in population dynamics. Transgenerational hypotheses embody epigenetic alterations occurring in gametes, embryonic somatic cells, and embryonic primordial germ cells because most of the epigenome is erased and reconstituted during development. Four scenarios are described in this paper encompassing somatic and germline effects where each of these is either non-propagating or propagating in time. The non-propagating effects could result from environmental impulses such as toxicants, weather, epidemics, forest fires, etc. The propagating effects could result from continuous signals such as climate variations, food web abundances, population densities, predator numbers, etc. Focusing on the propagating mode, a population growth model is constructed incorporating the intrinsic delays associated with somatic or germline effects. Each exhibit oscillatory behavior over a wide range of the parameter space due to the inherent negative feedback of such delays. The somatic (maternal) model oscillates with a period of [~]6 generations while the germline (grandmaternal) model oscillates with a period of [~]10 generations. These models can be entrained by oscillatory external signals providing that the signals contain harmonic components near the intrinsic oscillations of the models. The 10-generation oscillation of the germline-effects model is similar to many wildlife cycles in mammals, bird, and insects. The possibility that such a transgenerational mechanism is a component of these wildlife cycles is discussed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Juckett, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.05.079129</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Hypotheses and models linking epigenetic transgenerational effects to population dynamics: Exploring oscillations and applications to wildlife cycles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.08.085175v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The shapes of wine and table grape leaves: an ampelometric study inspired by the methods of Pierre Galet 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.08.085175v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The shapes of grapevine leaves have been critical to correctly identify economically important varieties throughout history. The correspondence of homologous features in nearly all grapevine species and varieties has enabled advanced morphometric approaches to mathematically classify leaf shape. These approaches either model leaves through the measurement of numerous vein lengths and angles or measure a finite number of corresponding landmarks and use Procrustean approaches to superimpose points and perform statistical analyses. Hand illustrations, too, play an important role in grapevine identification, as details omitted using the above methods can be visualized. Here, I use a saturating number of pseudo-landmarks to capture intricate, local features in grapevine leaves: the curvature of veins and the shapes of serrations. Using these points, averaged leaf shapes for 60 varieties of wine and table grapes are calculated that preserve features. A pairwise Procrustes distance matrix of the overall morphological similarity of each variety to the other classifies leaves into two main groups--deeply lobed and more entire--that correspond to the measurements of sinus depth by Pierre Galet. Using the system of Galet, pseudo-landmarks are converted into relative distance and angle measurements. Both Galet-inspired and Procrustean methods allow increased accuracy in predicting variety compared to a finite number of landmarks. Using Procrustean pseudo-landmarks captures grapevine leaf shape at the same level of detail as drawings and provides a quantitative method to arrive at mean leaf shapes representing varieties that can be used within a predictive statistical framework.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.08.085175</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The shapes of wine and table grape leaves: an ampelometric study inspired by the methods of Pierre Galet]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.10.085787v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identifying a supramodal language network in human brain with individual fingerprint 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.10.085787v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Where is human language processed in the brain independent of its form? We addressed this issue by analyzing the cortical responses to spoken, written and signed sentences at the level of individual subjects. By applying a novel fingerprinting method based on the distributed pattern of brain activity, we identified a left-lateralized network composed by the superior temporal gyrus/sulcus (STG/STS), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), precentral gyrus/sulcus (PCG/PCS), and supplementary motor area (SMA). In these regions, the local distributed activity pattern induced by any of the three language modalities can predict the activity pattern induced by the other two modalities, and such cross-modal prediction is individual-specific. The prediction is successful for speech-sign bilinguals across all possible modality pairs, but fails for monolinguals across sign-involved pairs. In comparison, conventional group-mean focused analysis detects shared cortical activations across modalities only in the STG, PCG/PCS and SMA, and the shared activations were found in two groups. This study reveals the core language system in the brain that is shared by spoken, written and signed language, and demonstrates that it is possible and desirable to utilize the information of individual differences for functional brain mapping.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.10.085787</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identifying a supramodal language network in human brain with individual fingerprint]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.10.087072v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Metabolomic signatures of coral bleaching history 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.10.087072v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Coral bleaching, a process where corals expel their photosynthetic symbionts, has a profound impact on the health and function of coral reefs. As global ocean temperatures continue to rise, bleaching poses the greatest threat to coral reef ecosystems. Here, untargeted metabolomics was used to analyze the biochemicals in pairs of adjacent corals from a patch reef in K[a]ne ohe Bay, Hawai i, where one colony in the pair bleached (in 2015) and recovered while the other did not bleach. There was a strong metabolomic signature of prior bleaching history four years after recovery found in both the host and its algal symbionts. Machine learning analysis determined that the strongest metabolite drivers of the difference in bleaching phenotype were a group of betaine lipids. Those with saturated fatty acids were significantly enriched in thermally tolerant corals and those with longer, unsaturated and diacyl forms were enriched in historically bleached corals. Host immune response molecules, Lyso-PAF and PAF, were also altered by bleaching history and were strongly correlated with symbiont community and algal-derived metabolites suggesting a role of coral immune modulation in symbiont choice and bleaching response. To validate these findings, we tested a separate in situ set of corals and were able to predict the bleaching phenotype with 100% accuracy. Furthermore, corals subjected to an experimental temperature stress had strong phenotype-specific responses in all components of the holobiont, which served to further increase the differences between historical bleaching phenotypes. Thus, we show that natural bleaching susceptibility is simultaneously manifested in the biochemistry of the coral animal and the algal symbiont and that this bleaching history results in different physiological responses to temperature stress. This work provides insight into the biochemical mechanisms involved in coral bleaching and presents a valuable new tool for resilience-based reef restoration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roach, T. N. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dilworth, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin H., C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drury, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.10.087072</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Metabolomic signatures of coral bleaching history]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.14.095729v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Homogeneity among glyphosate-resistant Amaranthus palmeri in geographically distant locations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.14.095729v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Since the initial report of glyphosate-resistant (GR) Amaranthus palmeri (S) Wats. in 2006, resistant populations have been reported in 28 states. The mechanism of resistance is amplification of a 399-kb extrachromosomal circular DNA, called the EPSPS replicon, and is unique to glyphosate-resistant plants. The replicon contains a single copy of the 10-kb 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene which causes the concomitant increased expression of EPSP synthase, the target enzyme of glyphosate. It is not known whether the resistance by this amplification mechanism evolved once and then spread across the country or evolved independently in several locations. To compare genomic representation and variation across the EPSPS replicon, whole genome shotgun sequencing (WGS) and mapping of sequences from both GR and susceptible (GS) biotypes to the replicon consensus sequence was performed. Sampling of GR biotypes from AZ, KS, GA, MD and DE and GS biotypes from AZ, KS and GA revealed complete contiguity and deep representation with sequences from GR plants, but lack of homogeneity and contiguity with breaks in coverage were observed with sequences from GS biotypes. The high sequence conservation among GR biotypes with very few polymorphisms which were widely distributed across the USA further supports the hypothesis that glyphosate resistance most likely originated from a single population. We show that the replicon from different populations was unique to GR plants and had similar levels of amplification.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Molin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saski, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.14.095729</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Homogeneity among glyphosate-resistant Amaranthus palmeri in geographically distant locations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.14.096677v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The effect of vascular health factors on white matter microstructure mediates age-related differences in executive function performance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.14.096677v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Even within healthy aging, vascular risk factors can detrimentally influence cognition, with executive functions (EF) particularly vulnerable. Fronto-parietal white matter (WM) connectivity in part, supports EF and may be particularly sensitive to vascular risk. Here, we utilized structural equation modeling in 184 healthy adults (aged 20-94 years of age) to test the hypotheses that: 1) fronto-parietal WM microstructure mediates age effects on EF; 2) higher blood pressure (BP) and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden influences this association. All participants underwent comprehensive cognitive and neuropsychological testing including tests of processing speed, executive function (with a focus on tasks that require switching and inhibition) and completed an MRI scanning session that included FLAIR imaging for semi-automated quantification of white matter hyperintensity burden and diffusion-weighted imaging for tractography. Structural equation models were specified with age (as a continuous variable) and blood pressure predicting within-tract WMH burden and fractional anisotropy predicting executive function and processing speed. Results indicated that fronto-parietal white matter of the genu of the corpus collosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus (but not cortico-spinal tract) mediated the association between age and EF. Additionally, increased systolic blood pressure and white matter hyperintensity burden within these white matter tracts contribute to worsening white matter health and are important factors underlying age-brain-behavior associations. These findings suggest that aging brings about increases in both BP and WMH burden, which may be involved in the degradation of white matter connectivity and in turn, negatively impact executive functions as we age.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hoagey, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lazarus, L. T. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodrigue, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kennedy, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.14.096677</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The effect of vascular health factors on white matter microstructure mediates age-related differences in executive function performance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.15.098616v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) Structural/Evolution Dynamicome: Insights into functional evolution and human genomics. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.15.098616v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, starting in 2019, has challenged the speed at which labs perform science, ranging from discoveries of the viral composition to handling health outcomes in humans. The small ~30kb single-stranded RNA genome of Coronaviruses makes them adept at cross species spread and drift, increasing their probability to cause pandemics. However, this small genome also allows for a robust understanding of all proteins coded by the virus. We employed protein modeling, molecular dynamic simulations, evolutionary mapping, and 3D printing to gain a full proteome and dynamicome understanding of SARS-CoV-2. The Viral Integrated Structural Evolution Dynamic Database (VIStEDD) has been established (prokoplab.com/vistedd), opening future discoveries and educational usage. In this paper, we highlight VIStEDD usage for nsp6, Nucleocapsid (N), and Spike (S) surface glycoprotein. For both nsp6 and N we reveal highly conserved surface amino acids that likely drive protein-protein interactions. In characterizing viral S protein, we have developed a quantitative dynamics cross correlation matrix insight into interaction with the ACE2/SLC6A19 dimer complex. From this quantitative matrix, we elucidated 47 potential functional missense variants from population genomic databases within ACE2/SLC6A19/TMPRSS2, warranting genomic enrichment analyses in SARS-CoV-2 patients. Moreover, these variants have ultralow frequency, but can exist as hemizygous in males for ACE2, which falls on the X-chromosome. Two noncoding variants (rs4646118 and rs143185769) found in ~9% of African descent individuals for ACE2 may regulate expression and be related to increased susceptibility of African Americans to SARS-CoV-2. This powerful database of SARS-CoV-2 can aid in research progress in the ongoing pandemic.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gupta, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charron, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stenger, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Painter, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steward, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cook, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Faber, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frisch, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lind, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauss, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sirpilla, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soehnlen, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Underwood, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hinds, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morris, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamb, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carcillo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bupp, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rajasekaran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.15.098616</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) Structural/Evolution Dynamicome: Insights into functional evolution and human genomics.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.19.104935v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Co-expression signatures of combinatorial gene regulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.19.104935v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene co-expression analyses provide a powerful tool to determine gene associations. The interaction of transcription factors (TFs) with their target genes is an essential step in gene regulation, yet to what extent TFs-target gene associations are recovered in co-expression studies remains unclear. Using the wealth of data available for Arabidopsis, we show here that protein-DNA interactions are overall poor indicators of TF-target co-expression, yet the inclusion of TF-TF interaction information significantly enhance co-expression signals. These results highlight the impact of combinatorial gene control on such gene association networks. We integrated this information to predict higher-order regulatory complexes, which are difficult to identify experimentally. We demonstrate that genes strongly co-expressed with a TF are also enriched in indirect targets. Our results have significant implications on the empirical understanding of complex gene regulatory networks and transcription factor function, and the significance of co-expression from the perspective of protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gomez-Cano, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotewold, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.19.104935</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Co-expression signatures of combinatorial gene regulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.20.106906v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Vein-to-blade ratio is an allometric indicator of climate-induced changes in grapevine leaf size and shape 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.20.106906v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PremiseAs a leaf expands, its shape dynamically changes. Previously, we documented an allometric relationship between vein and blade area in grapevine leaves. Larger leaves have a smaller ratio of primary and secondary vein area relative to blade area compared to smaller leaves. We sought to use allometry as an indicator of leaf size to measure the environmental effects of climate on grapevine leaf morphology.

MethodsWe measure the ratio of vein-to-blade area in 8,412 leaves from the same 208 vines across four growing seasons (2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017) using 21 homologous landmarks. Matching leaves by vine and node, we correlate size and shape of grapevine leaves with climate variables.

Key resultsVein-to-blade ratio varies strongly between years in ways that blade or vein area do not. Maximum daily temperature and to a lesser degree precipitation are the most strongly correlated climate variables with vein-to-blade ratio, indicating that smaller leaves are associated with heat waves and drought. Leaf count and overall leaf area of shoots and the vineyard population studied also diminish with heat and drought. Grapevine leaf primordia initiate in buds the year prior to when they emerge, and we find that climate during the previous growing season exerts the largest statistical effects over these relationships.

ConclusionsOur results demonstrate the profound effects of heat and drought on the vegetative morphology of grapevines and show that vein-to-blade ratio is a strong allometric indicator of the effects of climate on grapevine leaf morphology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mullins, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frank, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Londo, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.20.106906</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Vein-to-blade ratio is an allometric indicator of climate-induced changes in grapevine leaf size and shape]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.21.108274v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rapture-ready darters: sequence capture outperforms whole genome data regardless of reference genome in Etheostoma 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.21.108274v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Researchers studying non-model organisms have an increasing number of methods available for generating genomic data. However, the applicability of different methods across species, as well as the effect of reference genome choice on population genomic inference, are still difficult to predict in many cases. We evaluated the impact of data type (whole-genome vs. reduced representation) and reference genome choice on data quality and on population genomic and phylogenomic inference across several species of darters (subfamily Etheostomatinae), a highly diverse radiation of freshwater fish. We generated a high-quality reference genome and developed a hybrid RADseq/sequence capture (Rapture) protocol for the Arkansas darter (Etheostoma cragini). Rapture data from 1900 individuals spanning four darter species showed recovery of most loci across darter species at high depth and consistent estimates of heterozygosity regardless of reference genome choice. Loci with baits spanning both sides of the restriction enzyme cut site performed especially well across species. For low-coverage whole-genome data, choice of reference genome affected read depth and inferred heterozygosity. For similar amounts of sequence data, Rapture performed better at identifying fine-scale genetic structure compared to whole-genome sequencing. Rapture loci also recovered an accurate phylogeny for the study species and demonstrated high phylogenetic informativeness across the evolutionary history of the genus Etheostoma. Low cost and high cross-species effectiveness regardless of reference genome suggest that Rapture and similar sequence capture methods may be worthwhile choices for studies of diverse species radiations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reid, B. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moran, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kopack, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.21.108274</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rapture-ready darters: sequence capture outperforms whole genome data regardless of reference genome in Etheostoma]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.23.112508v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Simple Test to Infer Mode of Selection in Metagenomics Time Series of Evolving Asexual Populations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.23.112508v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A general method to infer both positive and purifying selection during the real-time evolution of hypermutator pathogens would be broadly useful. To this end, we introduce a simple test to infer mode of selection (STIMS) from metagenomic time series of evolving microbial populations. We test STIMS on metagenomic data generated by simulations of bacterial evolution, and on metagenomic data spanning 62,750 generations of Lenskis long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli (LTEE). In both cases, STIMS recovers signals of positive and purifying selection on gold standard sets of genes. Using STIMS, we find strong evidence of ongoing positive selection on key regulators of the E. coli gene regulatory network, even in some hypermutator populations. STIMS also detects positive selection on regulatory genes in hypermutator populations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that adapted to subinhibitory concentrations of colistin - an antibiotic of last resort - for just twenty-six days of laboratory evolution. Our results show that the fine-tuning of gene regulatory networks is a general mechanism for rapid and ongoing adaptation. The simplicity of STIMS, together with its intuitive visual interpretation, make it a useful test for positive and purifying selection in metagenomic data sets that track the evolution of hypermutator populations in real-time.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maddamsetti, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.23.112508</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Simple Test to Infer Mode of Selection in Metagenomics Time Series of Evolving Asexual Populations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.27.118539v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Using Genome-Wide Association Study to Identify Genes and Pathways associated with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.27.118539v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundHypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP) is an interstitial lung disease caused by an immune response to the inhalation of antigens. Since only a small proportion of individuals exposed to HP-related antigens develop the disease, a genetic variation may play a role in disease development.

MethodsIn this small-scale study, 24 patients diagnosed with HP were matched with control group who shared the patients environment and were exposed to the same HP-associated antigens. Logistic regression was employed to identify Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with HP. Next genes associated with HP were identified using sequence kernel association test (SKAT) analysis. Last, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Oncology (GO) enrichment analysis were employed to find HP signaling pathways using SNPs coded on genes and on non-coding genes, respectively.

ResultsGiven the small sample size, no single SNPs or genes were identified to be significantly associated with HP after adjustment for multiple testing. After P-value adjustment, the KEGG and GO pathway enrichment analysis identified 11 and 20 significant pathways respectively using SNPs coded on genes. Among these pathways, Cell cycle, Proteasome and Base excision repair had previously reported to be associated with lung function.

ConclusionThis is the first GWAS study identifying genetic factors associated with HP. Although no significant associations at SNPs/gene level were identified, there were significant pathways that are identified associated with HP which need further investigation in large cohorts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Millerick, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosenman, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cui, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gerlach, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.27.118539</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Using Genome-Wide Association Study to Identify Genes and Pathways associated with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.27.119842v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dual thermal ecotypes detected within a nearly genetically-identical population of the unicellular marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.27.119842v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The extent and ecological significance of intraspecific diversity within marine microbial populations is still poorly understood, and it remains unclear if such strain-level microdiversity will affect fitness and persistence in a rapidly changing ocean environment. In this study, we cultured 11 sympatric strains of the ubiquitous marine picocyanobacterium Synechococcus isolated from a Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island, USA) phytoplankton community thermal selection experiment. Despite all 11 isolates being highly similar (with average nucleotide identities of >99.9%, with 98.6-100% of the genome aligning), thermal performance curves revealed selection at warm and cool temperatures had subdivided the initial population into thermotypes with pronounced differences in maximum growth temperatures. Within the fine-scale genetic diversity that did exist within this population, the two divergent thermal ecotypes differed at a locus containing genes for the phycobilisome antenna complex. Our study demonstrates that present-day marine microbial populations can contain microdiversity in the form of cryptic but environmentally-relevant thermotypes that may increase their resilience to future rising temperatures.

SignificanceNumerous studies exist comparing the responses of distinct taxonomic groups of marine microbes to a warming ocean (interspecific thermal diversity). For example, Synechococcus, a nearly globally distributed unicellular marine picocyanobacterium that makes significant contributions to oceanic primary productivity, contains numerous taxonomically distinct lineages with well documented temperature relationships. Little is known though about the diversity of functional responses to temperature within a given population where genetic similarity is high (intraspecific thermal diversity). This study suggests that understanding the extent of this functional intraspecific microdiversity is an essential prerequisite to predicting the resilience of biogeochemically essential microbial groups such as marine Synechococcus to a changing climate.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kling, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webb, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coelho, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilburn, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, S. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Phan, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kremer, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rynearson, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hutchins, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.27.119842</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dual thermal ecotypes detected within a nearly genetically-identical population of the unicellular marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.27.119891v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional Characterization of fer-ts, a ts- FERONIA Mutant Allele That Alters Root Hair Growth 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.27.119891v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In plants, root hairs undergo a highly-polarized form of cell expansion called tip-growth, in which cell wall deposition is restricted to the root hair apex. In order to identify essential cellular components that might have been missed in earlier genetic screens we identified conditional temperature sensitive (ts) root hair mutants by EMS mutagenesis. Here we describe one of these mutants, fer-ts (feronia-temperature sensitive). Mutant fer-ts seedlings grew normally at normal temperatures (20{degrees}C), but failed to form root hairs at elevated temperatures (30{degrees}C). Map based-cloning and whole genome sequencing revealed that fer-ts resulted from a G41S substitution in the extracellular domain of FERONIA (FER). A functional fluorescent fusion of FER containing the fer-ts mutation localized to plasma membranes, but was subject to enhanced protein turnover at elevated temperatures. While tip-growth was rapidly inhibited by addition of RALF1 peptides in both wild-type and fer-ts mutants at normal temperatures, root elongation of fer-ts seedlings was resistant to added RALF1 peptide at elevated temperatures. Additionally, at elevated temperatures fer-ts seedlings displayed altered ROS accumulation upon auxin treatment and phenocopied constitutive fer mutant responses to a variety of plant hormone treatments. Molecular modeling and sequence comparison with other CrRLK1L receptor family members revealed that the mutated glycine in fer-ts is highly conserved, but is not located in the recently characterized RALF23 and LORELI-LIKE-GLYCOPROTEIN (LLG2) binding domains, perhaps suggesting that fer-ts phenotypes may not be directly due to loss of binding to RALF1 peptides.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kim, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gu, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Combs, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adams, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mayes, H. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nielsen, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.27.119891</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional Characterization of fer-ts, a ts- FERONIA Mutant Allele That Alters Root Hair Growth]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.30.125419v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
UDP-Glucose 6-Dehydrogenase Knockout Impairs Migration and Decreases in vivo Metastatic Ability of Breast Cancer Cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.30.125419v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Dysregulated metabolism is a hallmark of cancer that supports tumor growth and metastasis. One understudied aspect of cancer metabolism is altered nucleotide sugar biosynthesis, which drives aberrant cell surface glycosylation known to support various aspects of cancer cell behavior including migration and signaling. We examined clinical association of nucleotide sugar pathway gene expression and found that UGDH, encoding UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase which catalyzes production of UDP-glucuronate, is associated with worse breast cancer patient survival. Knocking out the mouse homolog Ugdh in highly-metastatic 6DT1 breast cancer cells impaired migration ability without affecting in vitro proliferation. Further, Ugdh-KO resulted in significantly decreased metastatic capacity in vivo when the cells were orthotopically injected in syngeneic mice. Our experiments show that UDP-glucuronate biosynthesis is critical for metastasis in a mouse model of breast cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Teoh, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ogrodzinski, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-05-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.05.30.125419</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[UDP-Glucose 6-Dehydrogenase Knockout Impairs Migration and Decreases in vivo Metastatic Ability of Breast Cancer Cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-05-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.01.127720v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Switchgrass metabolomics reveals striking genotypic and developmental differences in saponins 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.01.127720v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a bioenergy crop that grows productively on lands not suitable for food production, and is an excellent target for low-pesticide input biomass production. We hypothesize that resistance to insect pests and microbial pathogens is influenced by low molecular weight compounds known as specialized metabolites. We employed untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), quantitative gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to identify differences in switchgrass ecotype metabolomes. This analysis revealed striking differences between upland and lowland switchgrass metabolomes as well as distinct developmental profiles. Terpenoid and polyphenol derived specialized metabolites were identified, including steroidal saponins, di- and sesqui-terpenoids and flavonoids. The saponins are especially abundant in switchgrass extracts and have diverse aglycone cores and sugar moieties. We report seven structurally distinct steroidal saponin classes with unique steroidal cores and glycosylated at one or two positions. Quantitative GC-MS revealed differences in total saponin concentrations in leaf blade, leaf sheath, stem, rhizome and root. The quantitative data also demonstrated that saponin concentrations is higher in roots of lowland than upland ecotype plants, suggesting ecotypic specific biosynthesis and/or biological functions. These results enable future testing of these specialized metabolites on biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and can inform development of low-input bioenergy crops.

One sentence summaryIntegrated mass-spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy based metabolomics reveal that switchgrass accumulates structurally diverse terpenoids and phenolics, which vary in abundance and structure in a tissue- and ecotype-specific manner.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.01.127720</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Switchgrass metabolomics reveals striking genotypic and developmental differences in saponins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.01.128611v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A human TSC1 mutation screening platform in GABAergic cortical interneurons for Genotype to Phenotype assessments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.01.128611v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex is a complex syndrome that affects multiple organs and is caused by dysfunction of either the TSC1 or TSC2 genes. One of the least understood features of TSC is the impact of TSC1&2 variants on brain phenotypes, including elevated rates of autism spectrum disorder and seizures. Moreover, while a great deal of work has uncovered how loss of either gene can alter various neural cell types, the impact of many variants in TSC and on these cell types is poorly understood. In particular, missense variants that cause minor changes in the proteins are expected to cause functional changes that differ from a complete loss of the protein. Herein, we examined how some missense variants in TSC1 impacted the development of cortical inhibitory interneurons, a cell type whose molecular, cellular and physiological properties are known to be altered after loss of mouse Tsc1. Importantly, we found that most missense variants complemented phenotypes caused by loss of Tsc1 and resulting in elevated MTOR activity as well as several cell intrinsic physiological properties. However, distinct variants showed deficits in complementing an increase in parvalbumin levels, which is observed after loss of Tsc1 and demonstrated smaller amplitudes of after hyperpolarizations. These data suggest subtle but sensitive phenotypes can be detected by some TSC1 missense variants and provide an in vivo system in which to better assess TSC variants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wundrach, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinetti, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bilinovich, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angara, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crandall, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.01.128611</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A human TSC1 mutation screening platform in GABAergic cortical interneurons for Genotype to Phenotype assessments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.02.130138v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Maintenance of metabolic plasticity despite relaxed selection in a long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.02.130138v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWTraits that are unused in a given environment are subject to processes that tend to erode them, leading to reduced fitness in other environments. Although this general tendency is clear, we know much less about why some traits are lost while others are retained, and about the roles of mutation and selection in generating different responses. We addressed these issues by examining populations of a facultative anaerobe, Escherichia coli, that have evolved for >30 years in the presence of oxygen, with relaxed selection for anaerobic growth and the associated metabolic plasticity. We asked whether evolution led to the loss, improvement, or maintenance of anaerobic growth, and we analyzed gene expression and mutational datasets to understand the outcomes. We identified genomic signatures of both positive and purifying selection on aerobic-specific genes, while anaerobic-specific genes showed clear evidence of relaxed selection. We also found parallel evolution at two interacting loci that regulate anaerobic growth. We competed the ancestor and evolved clones from each population in an anoxic environment, and we found that anaerobic fitness had not decayed, despite relaxed selection. In summary, relaxed section does not necessarily reduce an organisms fitness in other environments. Instead, the genetic architecture of the traits under relaxed selection and their correlations with traits under positive and purifying selection may sometimes determine evolutionary outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grant, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maddamsetti, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.02.130138</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Maintenance of metabolic plasticity despite relaxed selection in a long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.02.130906v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Divergent evolution of mutation rates and biases in the long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.02.130906v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
All organisms encode enzymes that replicate, maintain, pack, recombine, and repair their genetic material. For this reason, mutation rates and biases also evolve by mutation, variation, and natural selection. By examining metagenomic time series of the Lenski long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) with Escherichia coli (Good, et al. 2017), we find that local mutation rate variation has evolved during the LTEE. Each LTEE population has evolved idiosyncratic differences in their rates of point mutations, indels, and mobile element insertions, due to the fixation of various hypermutator and antimutator alleles. One LTEE population, called Ara+3, shows a strong, symmetric wave pattern in its density of point mutations, radiating from the origin of replication. This pattern is largely missing from the other LTEE populations, most of which evolved missense, indel, or structural mutations in topA, fis, and dusB-- loci that all affect DNA topology. The distribution of mutations in those genes over time suggests epistasis and historical contingency in the evolution of DNA topology, which may have in turn affected local mutation rates. Overall, the replicate populations of the LTEE have largely diverged in their mutation rates and biases, even though they have adapted to identical abiotic conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maddamsetti, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.02.130906</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Divergent evolution of mutation rates and biases in the long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.04.134437v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Wistar rats and C57BL/6J mice differ in their motivation to seek social interaction versus food in the Social versus Food Preference Test 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.04.134437v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Here we characterized the Social versus Food Preference Test, a behavioral paradigm designed to investigate the competition between the choice to seek social interaction versus the choice to seek food. We assessed how this competition was modulated by internal cues (social isolation, food deprivation), external cues (time-of-testing, stimulus salience), sex (males, females), age (adolescents, adults), and rodent model (Wistar rats, C57BL/6J mice). We found that changes in stimulus preference in response to the internal and external cue manipulations were similar across cohorts. Specifically, social over food preference scores were reduced by food deprivation and social familiarly in Wistar rats and C57BL/6J mice of both sexes. Interestingly, the degree of food deprivation-induced changes in stimulus investigation patterns were greater in adolescents compared to adults in Wistar rats and C57BL/6J mice. Strikingly, baseline stimulus preference and investigation times varied greatly between rodent models: across manipulations, Wistar rats were generally more social-preferring and C57BL/6J mice were generally more food-preferring. Adolescent Wistar rats spent more time investigating the social and food stimuli than adult Wistar rats, while adolescent and adult C57BL/6J mice investigated the stimuli a similar amount. Neither social isolation nor time-of-testing altered behavior in the Social versus Food Preference Test. Together, our results indicate that the Social versus Food Preference Test is a flexible behavioral paradigm suitable for future interrogations of the peripheral and central systems that can coordinate the expression of stimulus preference related to multiple motivated behaviors.

HIGHLIGHTSO_LIRats prefer social over food when sated, and this is attenuated by food deprivation.
C_LIO_LIMice have no preference when sated, and prefer food over social when food-deprived.
C_LIO_LIRats prefer a familiar social stimulus or a novel social stimulus over food.
C_LIO_LIMice prefer food over a familiar social stimulus.
C_LIO_LIAdolescent rats investigate social and food stimuli longer than adult rats.
C_LI

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=82 SRC="FIGDIR/small/134437v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (13K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b23f85org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@168732eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@61e431org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@cc848e_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reppucci, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chambers, A. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veenema, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.04.134437</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Wistar rats and C57BL/6J mice differ in their motivation to seek social interaction versus food in the Social versus Food Preference Test]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.05.134445v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Abiotic treatment contributes to an alteration of the seed microbiome of common bean 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.05.134445v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
There has been a growing interest in the seed microbiome due to its important role as an end and starting point of plant microbiome assembly that can have consequences for plant health. However, the effect of abiotic conditions on the seed microbial community remains unknown. We performed a pilot study in a controlled growth chamber to investigate how the endophytic seed microbiome of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. (var. Red Hawk)) was altered under abiotic treatments relevant for crop management with changing climate. Bean plants were subjected to one of three treatments: 66% water withholding to simulate mild drought, 50% Hoagland nutrient solution to simulate fertilization, or control with sufficient water and baseline nutrition. We performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and ITS1 amplicon sequencing of the endophytic DNA to assess seed bacterial/archaeal and fungal community structure, respectively. We found that variability in the seed microbiome structure was high while alpha diversity was low, with tens of taxa present. Water withholding and nutrient addition altered the seed microbiome structure for bacterial/archaeal communities as compared to the control, and each treatment resulted in a distinct microbiome structure. There were no statistically supported differences in the fungal microbiome across treatments. While we discuss several limitations of this study, the promising results suggest that further investigation is needed to better understand abiotic or stress-induced changes in the seed microbiome, the mechanisms that drive those changes, and their implications for the health and stress responses of the next plant generation.

ImportanceSeed microbiome members initiate the assembly of plant-associated microbial communities, but the environmental drivers of endophytic seed microbiome composition are unclear. Here, we exposed plants to short-term drought and fertilizer treatments during early vegetative growth and quantified the microbiome composition of the seeds that were ultimately produced. We found that seeds produced by plants stressed by water limitation or receiving nutrient addition had statistically different endophytic bacterial/archaeal microbiome compositions from each other and from seeds produced by control plants. This work suggests that the abiotic experience of a parental plant can influence the composition of its seed microbiome, with unknown consequences for the next plant generation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bintarti, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kearns, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sulesky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.05.134445</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Abiotic treatment contributes to an alteration of the seed microbiome of common bean]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.05.137489v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Exometabolite dynamics over stationary phase reveal strain-specific responses to nutrient limitation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.05.137489v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microbial exponential growth is expected to occur infrequently outside of the laboratory, in the environment. Instead, resource-limited conditions impose non-growth states for microbes. However, non-growth states are uncharacterized for the majority of environmental bacteria, especially in regard to exometabolite production. To investigate exometabolite production in response to nutrient limitation, we compared exometabolites produced over time in stationary phase across three environmental bacteria: Burkholderia thailandensis E264 (ATCC 700388), Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 31532, and Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato DC3000 (ATCC BAA-871). We grew each strain in monoculture and investigated exometabolite dynamics over time from mid-exponential to stationary phase. We focused on exometabolites that were released into the media and accumulated over 45 hours, including approximately 20 hours of stationary phase. In concert, we analyzed transcripts (RNAseq) to inform interpretation of exometabolite output. We found that a majority of exometabolites released under these conditions were strain-specific. A subset of identified exometabolites were involved in both central and secondary metabolism. Transcript analysis supported that exometabolites were released from intact cells, as various transporters were either upregulated or consistently expressed. Interestingly, we found that all strains released succinate, and that each strain re-routed their metabolic pathways involved in succinate production during stationary phase. Overall, these results show that non-growth states can also be metabolically active and dynamic. Furthermore, they show that environmental bacteria have the capability to transform a resource-limited extracellular environment into a rich chemical milieu. This work has implications for understanding microbial community interactions via exometabolites, and within resource-limited environments.

ImportanceNon-growth states are common for bacteria that live in resource-limited environments, and yet these states remain largely uncharacterized in cellular metabolism and metabolite output. Here, we investigated and compared stationary phase exometabolites and RNA transcripts for each of three environmental bacterial strains. We observed that diverse exometabolites were produced and that they collectively exhibited clear and directional dynamics over time. Additionally, each bacteria strain had a characteristic exometabolite profile and dynamic. This work affirms that stationary phase is not at all "stationary" for these bacteria, and sets the stage for understanding how individual metabolisms support interspecies interactions in resource-limited environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chodkowski, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.05.137489</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Exometabolite dynamics over stationary phase reveal strain-specific responses to nutrient limitation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.06.133504v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-model evaluation of phenology prediction for wheat in Australia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.06.133504v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Predicting wheat phenology is important for cultivar selection, for effective crop management and provides a baseline for evaluating the effects of global change. Evaluating how well crop phenology can be predicted is therefore of major interest. Twenty-eight wheat modeling groups participated in this evaluation. Our target population was wheat fields in the major wheat growing regions of Australia under current climatic conditions and with current local management practices. The environments used for calibration and for evaluation were both sampled from this same target population. The calibration and evaluation environments had neither sites nor years in common, so this is a rigorous evaluation of the ability of modeling groups to predict phenology for new sites and weather conditions. Mean absolute error (MAE) for the evaluation environments, averaged over predictions of three phenological stages and over modeling groups, was 9 days, with a range from 6 to 20 days. Predictions using the multi-modeling group mean and median had prediction errors nearly as small as the best modeling group. About two thirds of the modeling groups performed better than a simple but relevant benchmark, which predicts phenology by assuming a constant temperature sum for each development stage. The added complexity of crop models beyond just the effect of temperature was thus justified in most cases. There was substantial variability between modeling groups using the same model structure, which implies that model improvement could be achieved not only by improving model structure, but also by improving parameter values, and in particular by improving calibration techniques.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wallach, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palosuo, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorburn, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hochman, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrianasolo, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Asseng, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basso, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buis, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crout, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dumont, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferrise, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaiser, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gayler, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hiremath, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoogenboom, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jabloun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jansson, P.-E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jing, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Justes, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kersebaum, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Launay, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewan, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maestrini, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moriondo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Padovan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olesen, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poyda, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Priesack, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pullens, J. W. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schütze, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shelia, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Souissi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Specka, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srivastava, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stella, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Streck, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trombi, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallor, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, T. K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weihermüller, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.06.133504</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-model evaluation of phenology prediction for wheat in Australia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.11.146993v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
How understudied populations have contributed to our understanding of Alzheimer's disease genetics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.11.146993v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The majority of genome-wide association studies have been conducted using samples with a European genetic background. As a field, we acknowledge this limitation and the need to increase the diversity of populations studied. A major challenge when designing and conducting such studies is to assimilate large samples sizes so that we attain enough statistical power to detect variants associated with disease, particularly when trying to identify variants with low and rare minor allele frequencies. In this study, we aimed to illustrate the benefits, to genetic characterization of Alzheimers disease (AD), in researching currently understudied populations. This is important for both fair representation of world populations and the translatability of findings. To that end, we have conducted a literature search to understand the contributions of studies, on different populations, to AD genetics. We systematically quantified the number of studies identifying mutations in known disease-causing genes, in a world-wide manner, and discussed the contributions of research in understudied populations to the identification of novel genetic factors in this disease. Additionally, we compared the effects of genome-wide significant SNPs across populations by focusing on loci that show different association profiles between populations (a key example being APOE). This work functions to both highlight how understudied populations have furthered our understanding of AD genetics, and to help us gage our progress in understanding the genetic architecture of this disease in all populations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dehghani, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bras, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guerreiro, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.11.146993</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[How understudied populations have contributed to our understanding of Alzheimer's disease genetics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.13.150359v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A temporal map of maternal immune activation-induced changes reveals a shift in neurodevelopmental timing and perturbed cortical development in mice. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.13.150359v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundEnvironmental insults that activate the maternal immune system are potent primers of developmental neuropathology and maternal immune activation (MIA) has emerged as a risk factor for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Animal models of MIA provide an opportunity to identify molecular pathways that initiate disease processes and lead to neuropathology and behavioral deficits in offspring. MIA-induced behaviors are accompanied by anatomical and neurochemical alterations in adult offspring that parallel those seen in affected human populations.

MethodsWe performed transcriptional profiling and neuroanatomical characterization in a time course across mouse embryonic cortical development, following MIA via single injection of the viral mimic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) at E12.5. Transcriptional changes identified in the cortex of MIA offspring at E17.5 were validated and mapped to cortical neuroanatomy and cell types via protein analysis and immunohistochemistry.

ResultsMIA induced strong transcriptomic signatures, including induction of genes associated with hypoxia, immune signaling, and angiogenesis. The acute response identified 6h after the MIA insult was followed by changes in proliferation, neuronal and glial differentiation, and cortical lamination that emerged at E14.5 and peaked at E17.5. Decreased numbers of proliferative cell types in germinal zones and alterations in neuronal and glial cell types across cortical lamina were identified in the MIA-exposed cortex.

ConclusionsMIA-induced transcriptomic signatures in fetal offspring overlap significantly with perturbations identified in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), and provide novel insights into alterations in molecular and developmental timing processes linking MIA and neuropathology, potentially revealing new targets for development of novel approaches for earlier diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Canales, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Estes, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cichewicz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angara, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aboubechara, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cameron, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prendergast, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su-Feher, L. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zdilar, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kreun, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Connolly, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seo, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goon, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrelly, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stradleigh, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van der List, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haapanen, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van de Water, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McAllister, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nord, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.13.150359</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A temporal map of maternal immune activation-induced changes reveals a shift in neurodevelopmental timing and perturbed cortical development in mice.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.15.153296v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Surprising amount of stasis in repetitive genome content across the Brassicales 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.15.153296v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genome size of plants has long piqued the interest of researchers due to the vast differences among organisms. However, the mechanisms that drive size differences have yet to be fully understood. Two important contributing factors to genome size are expansions of repetitive elements, such as transposable elements (TEs), and whole-genome duplications (WGD). Although studies have found correlations between genome size and both TE abundance and polyploidy, these studies typically test for these patterns within a genus or species. The plant order Brassicales provides an excellent system to test if genome size evolution patterns are consistent across larger time scales, as there are numerous WGDs. This order is also home to one of the smallest plant genomes, Arabidopsis thaliana - chosen as the model plant system for this reason - as well as to species with very large genomes. With new methods that allow for TE characterization from low-coverage genome shotgun data and 71 taxa across the Brassicales, we find no correlation between genome size and TE content, and more surprisingly we identify no significant changes to TE landscape following WGD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Beric, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mabry, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkess, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schranz, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conant, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyers, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.15.153296</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Surprising amount of stasis in repetitive genome content across the Brassicales]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.154492v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Estrogen withdrawal alters oxytocin signaling in the paraventricular hypothalamus and dorsal raphe nucleus to increase postpartum anxiety 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.154492v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundEstrogen increases dramatically during pregnancy, but quickly drops below pre-pregnancy levels at birth and remains suppressed during the postpartum period. Clinical and rodent work suggests that this postpartum drop in estrogen results in an "estrogen withdrawal" state that is related to changes in affect, mood, and behavior. Most studies examining the effect of estrogen withdrawal on the brain have focused solely on the hippocampus.

MethodsWe used a hormone-simulated pseudopregnancy model in Syrian hamsters, a first for this species. Ovariectomized females were given daily injections to approximate hormone levels during gestation and then withdrawn from estrogen to simulate postpartum estrogen withdrawal. Subjects were tested for behavioral assays of anxiety and anhedonia during estrogen withdrawal. Following sacrifice, neuroplasticity in oxytocin-producing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) and its efferent targets was measured.

ResultsEstrogen-withdrawn females had increased anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus and open field, but did not differ from controls in sucrose preference. Furthermore, estrogen-withdrawn females had more oxytocin-immunoreactive cells and oxytocin mRNA in the PVH, as well as an increase in oxytocin receptor density in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). Finally, blocking oxytocin receptors in the DRN during estrogen withdrawal prevented the high-anxiety behavioral phenotype in estrogen-withdrawn females.

ConclusionsEstrogen withdrawal alters oxytocin signaling in the PVH and DRN to increase anxiety-like behavior during the postpartum period. More broadly, these experiments suggest Syrian hamsters as a novel organism in which to model the effects of postpartum estrogen withdrawal on the brain and anxiety-like behavior.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hedges, V. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heaton, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amaral, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benedetto, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bodie, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>D'Antonio, B. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davila Portillo, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, R. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levine, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Sullivan, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pisch, N. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taveras, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wild, H. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ross, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albers, H. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Been, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.16.154492</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Estrogen withdrawal alters oxytocin signaling in the paraventricular hypothalamus and dorsal raphe nucleus to increase postpartum anxiety]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.155382v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Aerobic metabolism in Vibrio cholerae is required for population expansion during infection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.155382v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Vibrio cholerae is a bacterial pathogen that replicates to high cell density in the small intestine of human hosts leading to the diarrheal disease cholera. During infection, V. cholerae senses and responds to environmental signals that govern cellular responses. Spatial localization of V. cholerae within the intestine affects nutrient availability and therefore the metabolic pathways required for the replicative success of the pathogen. Metabolic processes used by V. cholerae to reach such high cell densities are not fully known. Here we seek to better define the metabolic traits that contribute to high levels of V. cholerae during infection by investigating mutant strains in key carbohydrate metabolism pathways. By disrupting the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex and pyruvate formate-lyase (PFL), we could differentiate aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathway involvement in V. cholerae proliferation. We demonstrate that oxidative metabolism is a key contributor to the replicative success of V. cholerae in vivo using an infant mouse model where PDH mutants were attenuated 100-fold relative to wild type for colonization. Additionally, metabolism of host substrates such as mucin were determined to support V. cholerae growth in vitro as a sole carbon source primarily in aerobic growth conditions. Mucin likely contributes to population expansion during human infection as it is a ubiquitous source of carbohydrates. These data highlight the importance of oxidative metabolism in the intestinal environment and warrants further investigation of how oxygen and other host substrates shape the intestinal landscape that ultimately influences bacterial disease. We conclude from our results that oxidative metabolism of host substrates such as mucin is a key driver of V. cholerae growth and proliferation during infection, leading to the substantial bacterial burden exhibited in cholera patients.

ImportanceVibrio cholerae remains a challenge in the developing world and incidence of the disease it causes, cholera, is anticipated to increase with rising global temperatures and with emergent, highly infectious strains. At present, the underlying metabolic processes that support V. cholerae growth during infection are less well understood than specific virulence traits such as production of a toxin or pilus. In this study we determined that oxidative metabolism of host substrates such as mucin contribute significantly to V. cholerae population expansion in vivo. Identifying metabolic pathways critical for growth can provide avenues for controlling V. cholerae infection and the knowledge may be translatable to other pathogens of the gastrointestinal tract.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Van Alst, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.16.155382</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Aerobic metabolism in Vibrio cholerae is required for population expansion during infection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.156133v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Longitudinal Saliva Omics Responses to Immune Perturbation: A Case Study 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.156133v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Saliva omics, a rapidly developing field for non-invasive diagnostics, may be utilized for monitoring very young or elderly populations, as well as individuals in remote locations. In this study, multiple saliva omics from an individual were monitored over 100 timepoints, over three periods involving: (i) hourly sampling over 24 hours without intervention, (ii) hourly sampling over 24 hours including immune system activation using the standard 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, (iii) daily sampling for 33 days profiling the post-vaccination response. At each timepoint total saliva transcriptome and proteome were profiled, and salivary extracellular vesicles were derived, from which small-RNA sequencing was used to determine RNA, miRNA, piRNA and bacterial RNA components. The two 24-hour periods were used in a paired analysis to reveal vaccination responses. Temporal trends were classified and collective behavior revealed broad immune-responses captured in saliva, both at the innate as well as the adaptive response time frames.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, V. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rogers, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xue, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Domanskyi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.16.156133</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Longitudinal Saliva Omics Responses to Immune Perturbation: A Case Study]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.156182v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Environmental and physiological factors affecting high-throughput measurements of bacterial growth 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.156182v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial growth in nutrient-rich and starvation conditions is intrinsically tied to the environmental history and physiological state of the population. While high-throughput technologies have enabled rapid analyses of mutant libraries, technical and biological challenges complicate data collection and interpretation. Here, we present a framework for the execution and analysis of growth measurements with improved accuracy over standard approaches. Using this framework, we demonstrate key biological insights that emerge from consideration of culturing conditions and history. We determined that quantification of the background absorbance in each well of a multi-well plate is critical for accurate measurements of maximal growth rate. Using mathematical modeling, we demonstrated that maximal growth rate is dependent on initial cell density, which distorts comparisons across strains with variable lag properties. We established a multiple-passage protocol that alleviates the substantial effects of glycerol on growth in carbon-poor media, and we tracked growth rate-mediated fitness increases observed during a long-term evolution of Escherichia coli in low glucose concentrations. Finally, we showed that growth of Bacillus subtilis in the presence of glycerol induces a long lag in the next passage due to inhibition of a large fraction of the population. Transposon mutagenesis linked this phenotype to the incorporation of glycerol into lipoteichoic acids, revealing a new role for these envelope components in resuming growth after starvation. Together, our investigations underscore the complex physiology of bacteria during bulk passaging and the importance of robust strategies to understand and quantify growth.

Abstract ImportanceHow starved bacteria adapt to and multiply in replete nutrient conditions is intimately linked to their history of previous growth, their physiological state, and the surrounding environment. While automated equipment has enabled high-throughput growth measurements, data interpretation and knowledge gaps regarding the determinants of growth kinetics complicate comparisons between strains. Here, we present a framework for growth measurements that improves accuracy and attenuates the effects of growth history. We determined that background absorbance quantification and multiple passaging cycles allows for accurate growth-rate measurements even in carbon-poor media, which we used to reveal growth-rate increases during long-term laboratory evolution of Escherichia coli. Using mathematical modeling, we showed that maximum growth rate depends on initial cell density. Finally, we demonstrated that growth of Bacillus subtilis with glycerol inhibits the future growth of most of the population, due to lipoteichoic-acid synthesis. These studies highlight the challenges of accurate quantification of bacterial growth behaviors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Atolia, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cesar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arjes, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rajendram, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapp, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khare, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aranda-Diaz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.16.156182</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Environmental and physiological factors affecting high-throughput measurements of bacterial growth]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.19.161539v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The genomics of trait combinations and their influence on adaptive divergence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.19.161539v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding rapid adaptation requires quantifying natural selection on traits and elucidating the genotype-phenotype relationship for those traits. However, recent studies have often failed to predict the direction of adaptive allelic variation in natural populations from laboratory studies. Here, we test for genomic signatures of genetic correlations to illustrate how multifarious, correlational selection may drive counterintuitive patterns of population divergence in the apple maggot fly, Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae). Apple-infesting populations with relatively early emerging adults have recently evolved from hawthorn-infesting populations consisting of relatively later emerging adults. Multiple studies have reported a paradoxical relationship between population differentiation and seasonal timing, as determined by the timing of diapause termination; alleles associated with late termination occur at higher frequencies in the earlier emerging apple-infesting populations compared to hawthorn-infesting populations. We present evidence that historical selection on diapause termination and another trait, initial diapause intensity, over geographic gradients generated genetic correlations between the traits in a direction antagonistic to contemporary selection on apple-infesting populations. Single nucleotide polymorphism in genomic regions of high linkage disequilibrium associated strongly with diapause termination and intensity, population divergence, geography, and evolutionary responses in laboratory selection experiments. These associations were consistent with geographically variable selection and with correlated evolutionary responses driving higher frequencies of late-associated alleles in the early emerging apple race. In contrast, loci associated only with diapause termination showed the expected pattern (more early-associated alleles in the apple race) in half of the population pairs. Our results suggest that selection on loci demonstrating antagonistic pleiotropy may often shape genomic footprints of rapid adaptation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Calvert, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doellman, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feder, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hood, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyers, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Egan, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Powell, T. H. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glover, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tait, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schuler, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berlocher, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nosil, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hahn, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ragland, G. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.19.161539</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The genomics of trait combinations and their influence on adaptive divergence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.19.162016v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Contribution of different host plants to the adult population of western bean cutworm 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.19.162016v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is historically a pest of both corn (Zea mays L.) and dry beans (Phaseolus sp L.) in the western Great Plains. However, it has recently undergone an eastward range expansion establishing itself across the Corn Belt in twenty-five states and four Canadian provinces. To mitigate the effects of infestation in Michigan, foliar insecticides are used in dry beans whereas management of the pest in corn relies more heavily on the use of Bt-expressing hybrids. In this study stable carbon isotope analysis was used to determine what crop adult moths developed on as larvae with analysis showing that very few of the adult moths developed on dry beans. These results suggest that beans and corn are not suitable as co-refuges and that mainly adults which developed on corn are contributing to the next generation of western bean cutworm in Michigan.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bunn, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dias de Oliveira, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Springborn, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez-Meler, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, N. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.19.162016</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Contribution of different host plants to the adult population of western bean cutworm]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.22.163659v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Life history scaling and the division of energy in forests 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.22.163659v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The competition for light has long been regarded as a key axis of niche partitioning that promotes forest diversity, but available evidence is contradictory. Despite strong tradeoffs between growth and survival with light, field tests suggest neutral forces govern tree composition across forest gaps and resource use across size classes. Here we integrate scaling and niche theory, and use data from >114,000 woody plants in a tropical, old growth forest to test and predict patterns of niche partitioning with size and light. Consistent with predictions, the relative abundance, production, light capture, and richness of species in life histories with fast growth follow a power law relationship, increasing 1-2 orders of magnitude along a solar and size gradient. Competitive neutrality between size classes emerges above the sapling layer, where increasing access to light is counterbalanced by stronger self-shading. Convergent power law patterns of resource partitioning across taxa and spatial scale suggest general life history tradeoffs drive the organization of diverse communities.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grady, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Read, Q. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Record, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruger, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarnetske, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dell, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hubbell, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michaletz, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shenkin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Enquist, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.22.163659</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Life history scaling and the division of energy in forests]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.22.163899v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Composite modeling of leaf shape across shoots discriminates Vitis species better than individual leaves 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.22.163899v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Premise of studyLeaf morphology is dynamic, continuously deforming during leaf expansion and among leaves within a shoot. We measured leaf morphology from over 200 vines over four years, and modeled changes in leaf shape along the shoot to determine if a composite "shape of shapes" can better capture variation and predict species identity compared to individual leaves.

MethodsUsing homologous universal landmarks found in grapevine leaves, we modeled various morphological features as a polynomial function of leaf node. The resulting functions are used to reconstruct modeled leaf shapes across shoots, generating composite leaves that comprehensively capture the spectrum of possible leaf morphologies.

ResultsWe found that composite leaves are better predictors of species identity than individual leaves from the same plant. We were able to use composite leaves to predict species identity of previously unassigned vines, which were verified with genotyping.

DiscussionObservations of individual leaf shape fail to capture the true diversity between species. Composite leaf shape--an assemblage of modeled leaf snapshots across the shoot--is a better representation of the dynamic and essential shapes of leaves, as well as serving as a better predictor of species identity than individual leaves.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bryson, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson Brown, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mullins, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dong, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahmani, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bornowski, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chiu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Engelgau, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gettings, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gomezcano, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gregory, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haber, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoh, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jennings, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ji, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaur, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kenchanmane Raju, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Long, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lotreck, S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mathieu, D. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ranaweera, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ritter, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sadohara, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shrote, R. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teresi, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Venegas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tarrant, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frank, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Londo, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.22.163899</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Composite modeling of leaf shape across shoots discriminates Vitis species better than individual leaves]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.23.163501v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Response of Regulatory Genetic Variation in Gene Expression to Environmental Change in Drosophila melanogaster 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.23.163501v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The genetics of phenotypic responses to changing environments remains elusive. Using whole genome quantitative gene expression as a model, we studied how the genetic architecture of regulatory variation in gene expression changed in a population of fully sequenced inbred Drosophila melanogaster strains when flies developed at different environments (25 {degrees}C and 18 {degrees}C). We found a substantial fraction of the transcriptome exhibited genotype by environment interaction, implicating environmentally plastic genetic architecture of gene expression. Genetic variance in expression increased at 18 {degrees}C relative to 25 {degrees}C for most genes that had a change in genetic variance. Although the majority of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) for the gene expression traits in the two environments were shared and had similar effects, analysis of the environment-specific eQTLs revealed enrichment of binding sites for two transcription factors. Finally, although genotype by environment interaction in gene expression could potentially disrupt genetic networks, the co-expression networks were highly conserved across environments. Genes with higher network connectivity were under stronger stabilizing selection, suggesting that stabilizing selection on expression plays an important role in promoting network robustness.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carbone, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyman, R. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anholt, R. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackay, T. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.23.163501</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Response of Regulatory Genetic Variation in Gene Expression to Environmental Change in Drosophila melanogaster]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.23.166249v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Proto-sex locus in large yellow croaker provides insights into early evolution of the sex chromosome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.23.166249v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autosomal origins of heterogametic sex chromosomes have been inferred frequently from suppressed recombination and gene degeneration manifested in incompletely differentiated sex chromosomes. However, the initial transition of an autosome region to a proto-sex locus has been not explored in depth. By assembling and analyzing a chromosome-level draft genome, we found a recent (evolved 0.26 million years ago), highly homologous, and dmrt1 containing sex-determination locus with slightly reduced recombination in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), a teleost species with genetic sex determination (GSD) and with undifferentiated sex chromosomes. We observed genomic homology and polymorphic segregation of the proto-sex locus between sexes. Expression of dmrt1 showed a stepwise increase in the development of testis, but not in the ovary. We infer that the inception of the proto-sex locus involves a few divergences in nucleotide sequences and slight suppression of recombination in an autosome region. In androgen-induced sex reversal of genetic females, in addition to dmrt1, genes in the conserved dmrt1 cluster, and the rest of the sex determination network were activated. We provided evidence that broad functional links were shared by genetic sex determination and environmental sex reversal.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ye, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liao, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.-T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.23.166249</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Proto-sex locus in large yellow croaker provides insights into early evolution of the sex chromosome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.23.167270v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic and Genomic Resources to Study Natural Variation in Brassica rapa 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.23.167270v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ABSTRACTThe globally important crop Brassica rapa, a close relative of Arabidopsis, is an excellent system for modeling our current knowledge of plant growth on a morphologically diverse crop. The long history of B. rapa domestication across Asia and Europe provides a unique collection of locally adapted varieties that span large climatic regions with various abiotic and biotic stress tolerance traits. This diverse gene pool provides a rich source of targets with the potential for manipulation towards the enhancement of productivity of crops both within and outside the Brassicaceae. To expand the genetic resources available to study natural variation in B. rapa, we constructed an Advanced Intercross Recombinant Inbred (AI-RIL) population using B. rapa subsp. trilocularis (Yellow Sarson) R500 and the B. rapa subsp. parachinensis (Cai Xin) variety L58. Our current understanding of genomic structure variation across crops suggests that a single reference genome is insufficient for capturing the genetic diversity within a species. To complement this AI-RIL population and current and future B. rapa genomic resources, we generated a de novo genome assembly of the B. rapa subsp. trilocularis (Yellow Sarson) variety R500, the maternal parent of the AI-RIL population. The genetic map for the R500 x L58 population generated using this de novo genome was used to map QTL for seed coat color and revealed the improved mapping resolution afforded by this new assembly.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.View Full Text
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lou, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woody, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenham, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>vanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colle, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sartor, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levendoski, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>So, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stoveken, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woody, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amasino, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McClung, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.23.167270</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic and Genomic Resources to Study Natural Variation in Brassica rapa]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.25.171611v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
GENERATION OF HEART ORGANOIDS MODELING EARLY HUMAN CARDIAC DEVELOPMENT UNDER DEFINED CONDITIONS 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.25.171611v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cardiovascular-related disorders are a significant worldwide health problem. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in developed countries, making up a third of the mortality rate in the US1. Congenital heart defects (CHD) affect ∼1% of all live births2, making it the most common birth defect in humans. Current technologies provide some insight into how these disorders originate but are limited in their ability to provide a complete overview of disease pathogenesis and progression due to their lack of physiological complexity. There is a pressing need to develop more faithful organ-like platforms recapitulating complex in vivo phenotypes to study human development and disease in vitro. Here, we report the most faithful in vitro organoid model of human cardiovascular development to date using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Our protocol is highly efficient, scalable, shows high reproducibility and is compatible with high-throughput approaches. Furthermore, our hPSC-based heart organoids (hHOs) showed very high similarity to human fetal hearts, both morphologically and in cell-type complexity. hHOs were differentiated using a two-step manipulation of Wnt signaling using chemical inhibitors and growth factors in completely defined media and culture conditions. Organoids were successfully derived from multiple independent hPSCs lines with very similar efficiency. hHOs started beating at ∼6 days, were mostly spherical and grew up to ∼1 mm in diameter by day 15 of differentiation. hHOs developed sophisticated, interconnected internal chambers and confocal analysis for cardiac markers revealed the presence of all major cardiac lineages, including cardiomyocytes (TNNT2+), epicardial cells (WT1+, TJP+), cardiac fibroblasts (THY1+, VIM+), endothelial cells (PECAM1+), and endocardial cells (NFATC1+). Morphologically, hHOs developed well-defined epicardial and adjacent myocardial regions and presented a distinct vascular plexus as well as endocardial-lined microchambers. RNA-seq time-course analysis of hHOs, monolayer differentiated iPSCs and fetal human hearts revealed that hHOs recapitulate human fetal heart tissue development better than previously described differentiation protocols3,4. hHOs allow higher-order interaction of distinct heart tissues for the first time and display biologically relevant physical and topographical 3D cues that closely resemble the human fetal heart. Our model constitutes a powerful novel tool for discovery and translational studies in human cardiac development and disease.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.View Full Text
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Israeli, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gabalski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ball, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wasserman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ni, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.25.171611</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[GENERATION OF HEART ORGANOIDS MODELING EARLY HUMAN CARDIAC DEVELOPMENT UNDER DEFINED CONDITIONS]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.25.172213v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Evolution of Insect Metallothioneins 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.25.172213v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins that are important in the chelating and detoxification of toxic heavy metals. Until now, the short length and the low sequence complexity of MTs has hindered the possibility of any phylogenetic reconstruction, hampering the study of their evolution. To answer this longstanding question, we developed an iterative BLAST search pipeline that allowed us to build a unique dataset of more than 300 MT sequences in insects. By combining phylogenetics and synteny analysis, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of MTs in insects. We show that the MT content in insects has been shaped by lineage-specific tandem duplications from a single ancestral MT. Strikingly, we also uncovered a sixth MT, MtnF, in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. MtnF evolves faster than other MTs and is characterized by a non-canonical length and higher cysteine content. Our methodological framework not only paves the way for future studies on heavy metal detoxification but also can allow us to identify other previously unidentified genes and other low complexity genomic features.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Luo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Finet, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cong, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, H.-y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.25.172213</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Evolution of Insect Metallothioneins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.26.174680v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases RmcA and MorA to regulate biofilm maintenance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.26.174680v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While the early stages of biofilm formation have been well characterized, less is known about the requirements for Pseudomonas aeruginosa to maintain a mature biofilm. We utilized a P. aeruginosa-phage interaction to find that rmcA and morA, two genes which encode for c-di-GMP-degrading phosphodiesterase (PDEs) enzymes, are important for the regulation of biofilm maintenance. Deletion of these genes initially results in an elevated biofilm phenotype characterized by increased production of c-di-GMP, Pel polysaccharide and biofilm biomass. In contrast to the wild-type strain, these mutants were unable to maintain the biofilm when exposed to carbon-limited conditions. The susceptibility to nutrient limitation, and subsequent loss of biofilm viability of these mutants, was phenotypically reproduced with a stringent response mutant ({Delta}relA {Delta}spoT), indicating that the {Delta}rmcA and {Delta}morA mutants may be unable to appropriately respond to nutrient limitation. Genetic and biochemical data indicate that RmcA and MorA physically interact with the Pel biosynthesis machinery, supporting a model whereby unregulated Pel biosynthesis contributes to the death of the {Delta}rmcA and {Delta}morA mutant strains in an established biofilm when nutrient-limited. These findings provide evidence that c-di-GMP-mediated regulation is required for mature biofilms of P. aeruginosa to effectively respond to changing availability of nutrients. Furthermore, the PDEs involved in biofilm maintenance are distinct from those required for establishing a biofilm, thus indicating that a wide variety of c-di-GMP metabolizing enzymes in organisms like P. aeruginosa likely allows for discrete control over the formation, maintenance or dispersion of biofilms.

ImportanceRecent advances in our understanding of c-di-GMP signaling have provided key insights into the regulation of biofilms. Despite an improved understanding of how they initially form, the processes that facilitate the long-term maintenance of these multicellular communities remain opaque. We found that P. aeruginosa requires two phosphodiesterases, RmcA and MorA, to maintain a mature biofilm and that P. aeruginosa biofilms lacking these PDEs succumb to nutrient limitation and die. The biofilm maintenance deficiency observed in {Delta}rmcA and {Delta}morA mutants was also found in the stringent response defective {Delta}relA {Delta}spoT strain, suggesting that a regulatory intersection between c-di-GMP signaling, EPS biosynthesis and the nutrient limitation response is important for persistent surface growth. We uncover components of an important regulatory system needed for P. aeruginosa to persist in nutrient-poor conditions, and provide some of the first evidence that maintaining a mature biofilm is an active process.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Katharios-Lanwermeyer, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitfield, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howell, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Toole, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.26.174680</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases RmcA and MorA to regulate biofilm maintenance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.29.176149v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Unique Proteomes Implicate Functional Specialization across Heterocysts, Akinetes, and Vegetative Cells in Anabaena cylindrica 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.29.176149v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In response to environmental changes, vegetative cells of Anabaena cylindrica can differentiate into two other cell types: a heterocyst for oxic N2-fixation, and an enlarged spore called akinete for stress survival. Akinetes normally differentiate from vegetative cells adjacent to heterocysts. Heterocysts inhibit nearby cells from differentiating into heterocysts but can induce adjacent cells to become akinetes, a rare embryogenetic induction in prokaryotes. The mechanism for a patterned differentiation in A. cylindrica has been little studied. Here, we isolated three types of cells from A. cylindrica to identify their proteomes using LC-MS/MS.

A total of 1395 proteins were identified, including 664 proteins from akinetes, 751 proteins from heterocysts, and 1236 proteins from vegetative cells. There were 45 proteins (33 novel proteins) found exclusive to akinetes, 57 heterocyst-specific proteins (33 novel proteins), including nif gene products, and 485 proteins exclusively in vegetative cells. Our proteomic data suggest that akinetes, unlike the typical spores of bacteria, perform unique biochemical functions that collaborate with both heterocysts and vegetative cells. A HAVe model for collaboration among heterocysts, akinetes and vegetative cells is proposed to illustrate the metabolic network of cyanophycin and carbohydrates based on the distribution of their biosynthesis related proteins in three types of cells. Interestingly, cell division proteins, DNA replication proteins, some carboxysomal proteins including RuBisCO and proteins in photosystems I, II were found abundant in heterocysts, the non-dividing cells dedicated exclusively to oxic N2-fixation. The identification of the akinete and heterocyst proteomes enables the pursuit of genetic studies into the patterned differentiation of akinetes and heterocysts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Qiu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brozel, V. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitten, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hildreth, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.29.176149</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Unique Proteomes Implicate Functional Specialization across Heterocysts, Akinetes, and Vegetative Cells in Anabaena cylindrica]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.29.178467v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quorum sensing provides a molecular mechanism for evolution to tune and maintain investment in cooperation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.29.178467v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As selection frequently favors non-cooperating defectors in mixed populations with cooperators, mechanisms that promote cooperation stability clearly exist. One potential mechanism is bacterial cell-to-cell communication, quorum sensing (QS), which can allow cooperators to prevent invasion by defectors. However, the impact of QS on widespread maintenance of cooperation in well-mixed conditions has not been experimentally demonstrated over extended evolutionary timescales. Here, we use wild-type ( WT) Vibrio harveyi that regulates cooperation with QS and an unconditionally cooperating ( UC) mutant to examine the evolutionary origins and subsequent dynamics of novel defectors during a long-term evolution experiment. We found that UC lineages were completely outcompeted by defectors, whereas functioning QS enabled the maintenance of cooperative variants in most WT populations. Sequencing of evolved populations revealed multiple luxR mutations that swept the UC lineages. However, the evolution of mutant lineages with reduced levels of bioluminescence ( dims) occurred in many WT lineages. These dim variants also decreased other cooperative phenotypes regulated by QS, such as protease production, indicating they result from changes to QS regulation. This diminished investment phenotype optimizes a trade-off between cooperative input and growth output, allowing cooperation to be maintained under QS control even in the presence of evolved defectors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bruger, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Synder, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooper, V. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-06-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.06.29.178467</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quorum sensing provides a molecular mechanism for evolution to tune and maintain investment in cooperation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-06-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.01.180794v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Leaf trichome distribution pattern in Arabidopsis reveals gene expression variation associated with environmental adaptation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.01.180794v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene expression varies stochastically even in both heterogenous and homogeneous cell populations. This variation is not simply useless noise; rather, it is important for many biological processes. Unicellular organisms or cultured cell lines are useful for analyzing the variation in gene expression between cells; however, owing to technical challenges, the biological relevance of this variation in multicellular organisms such as higher plants remains unclear. Here, we addressed the biological relevance of this variation between cells by examining the genetic basis of trichome distribution patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana. The distribution pattern of a trichome on a leaf is stochastic and can be mathematically represented using Turings reaction-diffusion (RD) model. We analyzed simulations based on the RD model and found that the variability in the trichome distribution pattern increased with the increase in stochastic variation in a particular gene expression. Moreover, differences in heat-dependent variability of the trichome distribution pattern between the accessions showed a strong correlation with environmental factors to which each accession was adapted. Taken together, we successfully visualized variations in gene expression by quantifying the variability in the Arabidopsis trichome distribution pattern. Thus, our data provide evidence for the biological importance of variations in gene expression for environmental adaptation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Morohashi, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Okamoto, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Negishi, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toyama, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ushijima, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.01.180794</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Leaf trichome distribution pattern in Arabidopsis reveals gene expression variation associated with environmental adaptation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.01.183509v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MetaFunPrimer: primer design for targeting genes observed in metagenomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.01.183509v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
High throughput primer design is needed to simultaneously design primers for multiple genes of interest, such as a group of functional genes. We have developed MetaFunPrimer, a bioinformatic pipeline to design primer targets for genes of interests, with a prioritization based on ranking the presence of gene targets in references, such as metagenomes. MetaFunPrimer takes inputs of protein and nucleotide sequences for gene targets of interest accompanied by a set of reference metagenomes or genomes for determining genes of interest. Its output is a set of primers that may be used to amplify genes of interest. To demonstrate the usage and benefits of MetaFunPrimer, a total of 78 HT-qPCR primer pairs were designed to target observed ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (amoA) genes of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in 1,550 soil metagenomes. We demonstrate that these primers can significantly improve targeting of amoA-AOB genes in soil metagenomes compared to previously published primers.

IMPORTANCEAmplification-based gene characterization allows for sensitive and specific quantification of functional genes. Often, there is a large diversity of genes represented for a function of interest, and multiple primers may be necessary to target associated genes. Current primer design tools are limited to designing primers for only a few genes of interest. MetaFunPrimer allows for high throughput primer design for functional genes of interest and also allows for ranking gene targets by their presence and abundance in environmental datasets. This tool enables high throughput qPCR approaches for characterizing functional genes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villanueva, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunturu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ouyang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiemann, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howe, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.01.183509</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MetaFunPrimer: primer design for targeting genes observed in metagenomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.07.192211v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An algorithm for quantifying and characterizing misleading trajectories in ecological processes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.07.192211v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A core issue in temporal ecology is the concept of trajectory--that is, when can ecologists have reasonable assurance that they know where a system is going? In this paper, we describe a non-random resampling method to directly address the temporal aspects of scaling ecological observations by leveraging existing data. Findings from long-term research sites have been hugely influential in ecology because of their unprecedented longitudinal perspective, yet short-term studies more consistent with typical grant cycles and graduate programs are still the norm. We use long-term insights to create  broken windows, that is, reanalyze long-term studies from short-term observational perspectives to examine discontinuities in trends at differing temporal scales.

The broken window algorithm connects our observations between the short-term and the long-term with an automated, systematic resampling approach: in short, we repeatedly  sample moving windows of data from existing long-term time series, and analyze these sampled data as if they represented the entire dataset. We then compile typical statistics used to describe the relationship in the sampled data, through repeated samplings, and then use these derived data to gain insights to the questions: 1) how often are the trends observed in short-term data misleading, and 2) can characteristics of these trends be used to predict our likelihood of being misled? We develop a systematic resampling approach, the  broken_window algorithm, and illustrate its utility with a case study of firefly observations produced at the Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research Site (KBS LTER). Through a variety of visualizations, summary statistics, and downstream analyses, we provide a standardized approach to evaluating the trajectory of a system, the amount of observation required to find a meaningful trajectory in similar systems, and a means of evaluating our confidence in our conclusions.

HighlightsTrends identified in short-term ecology studies can be misleading.

Non-random resampling can show how prone different systems are to misleading trends

The Broken Window algorithm is a new tool to help synthesize temporal data

This tool helps to understand how much data is needed for forecasting to be reliable It can also be used to quantify how likely it is that an observed trend is spurious.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Christie A. Bahlai</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Easton R. White</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Julia D. Perrone</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarah Cusser</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaitlin Stack Whitney</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.07.192211</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An algorithm for quantifying and characterizing misleading trajectories in ecological processes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.08.194159v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reference data based insights expand understanding of human metabolomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.08.194159v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The human metabolome has remained largely unknown, with most studies annotating [~]10% of features. In nucleic acid sequencing, annotating transcripts by source has proven essential for understanding gene function. Here we generalize this concept to stool, plasma, urine and other human metabolomes, discovering that food-based annotations increase the interpreted fraction of molecular features 7-fold, providing a general framework for expanding the interpretability of human metabolomic "dark matter."
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Julia M Gauglitz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wout Bittremieux</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Candace L Williams</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kelly C Weldon</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgan W Panitchpakdi</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Francesca Di Ottavio</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christine M Aceves</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elizabeth Brown</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicole C Sikora</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alan K. Jarmusch</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cameron Martino</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anupriya Tripathi</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erfan Sayyari</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Justin Shaffer</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roxana Coras</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernando Vargas</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lindsay DeRight Goldasich</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tara Schwartz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacKenzie Bryant</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gregory Humphrey</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abigail J. Johnson</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Katharina Spengler</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pedro Belda-Ferre</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edgar Diaz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daniel McDonald</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiyun Zhu</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dominic S. Nguyen</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emmanuel O. Elijah</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mingxun Wang</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clarisse Marotz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kate E. Sprecher</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daniela Vargas-Robles</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dana Withrow</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gail Ackerm</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.08.194159</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reference data based insights expand understanding of human metabolomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.09.195743v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Activity throughout the lichen phylogeny indicates a focus on regulation of specialized metabolites 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.09.195743v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lichens are complex multi-microorganismal communities that have evolved the ability to share their thalli with a variety of microorganisms. As such, the lichenized fungus becomes a scaffold for a variety of microbes and occasionally insects. Lichens are known to produce a plethora of unique specialized (secondary) compounds that demonstrate biological activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antioxidant, that may provide protection from harmful microbes. The longevity of lichens and their robustness, despite a close association with diverse microbes, provides an interesting study system to view the role of specialized metabolites in managing a microbial community. The objective of this study was to identify the effects lichens may have on basic functions of fungi in and on the lichens. We tested chemical extracts from lichen species across the phylogenetic tree for their effects on sporulation, hyphal growth and specialized metabolite production, using two well-studied mycotoxigenic fungi (Aspergillus parasiticus (aflatoxin) and Fusarium graminearum (trichothecenes) whose functions are easily observed in culture. By far the most prevalent activity among the 67 lichens we tested were effects on accumulation of fungal specialized metabolites, which appeared in 92% of the lichen species analyzed across the phylogeny, although the lichen extracts were also active against fungal sporulation (31%) and growth (12%). The consistent presence of this regulatory activity for specialized metabolism indicates this is an important aspect of lichen integrity. Interestingly, inhibition of accumulation of products of the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway was the predominant activity, whereas increased accumulation versus decreased accumulation of the production of trichothecenes were about equal. This suggests multiple mechanisms for addressing fungal processes. We performed microbiome analysis of four lichen species and identified oomycetes as members of the microbiomes. Although a small sample size was used for comparing microbiomes, the lichen species exhibiting lower effects on the test fungi had a higher number of OTUs. Members of the lichen community may manipulate specialized metabolism of the essential and transient fungal members and thus attenuate negative interactions with the incumbent fungi or, alternatively, may support the production of compounds by beneficial fungal partners. The ability to control the microbiome by specialized metabolites as opposed to controlling by reducing sporulation of growth, can be effective, discerning, and energetically thrifty, allowing the microbiome members to be controlled without being invasive. Elucidating the role of specialized metabolites in the mechanisms underlying lichen assembly and function has important implications for understanding not only lichen community assembly but for revealing the fundamental processes in microbiota in general.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ludmila V. Roze</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maris Laivenieks</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kristi Gdanetz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>John E. Linz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alan M. Fryday</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frances Trail</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.09.195743</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Activity throughout the lichen phylogeny indicates a focus on regulation of specialized metabolites]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.10.178426v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The phytobiomes of a three-crop rotation: Influence of land management, host, and plant organ on microbial diversity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.10.178426v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microbiomes from maize and soybean were characterized in a long-term three-crop rotation research site, under four different land management strategies, to begin unraveling the effects of common farming practices on microbial communities. The fungal and bacterial communities of leaves, stems, and roots in host species were characterized across the growing season using amplicon sequencing and compared with the results of a similar study on wheat. Communities differed across hosts, and among plant growth stages and organs, and these effects were most pronounced in the bacterial communities of the wheat and maize phyllosphere. Roots consistently showed the highest number of bacterial OTUs compared to above-ground organs, whereas the alpha diversity of fungi was similar between above- and below-ground organs. Network analyses identified putatively influential members of the microbial communities of the three host plant species. The fungal taxa specific to roots, stems, or leaves were examined to determine if the specificity reflected their life histories based on previous studies. The analysis suggests that fungal spore traits are drivers of organ specificity in the fungal community. Identification of influential taxa in the microbial community and understanding how community structure of specific crop organs is formed, will provide a critical resource for manipulations of microbial communities. The ability to predict how organ specific communities are influenced by spore traits will enhance our ability to introduce them sustainably.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kristi Gdanetz</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zachary A Noel</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frances Trail</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.10.178426</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The phytobiomes of a three-crop rotation: Influence of land management, host, and plant organ on microbial diversity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.12.197780v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Development of Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) for Cell Tracking and Detection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.12.197780v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
IntroductionMagnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a new imaging modality that sensitively and specifically detects superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) within a sample. SPION-based MRI cell tracking has very high sensitivity, but low specificity and quantification of iron labeled cells is difficult. MPI cell tracking could overcome these challenges.

MethodsMDM-AB-231BR cells labeled with MPIO, mice were intracardially injected with either 2.5 x 105 or 5.0 x 105 cells. MRI was performed in vivo the same day at 3T using a bSSFP sequence. After mice were imaged ex vivo with MPI. In a second experiment Mice received an intracardiac injection of either 2.5 x 10 5 or 5 x 10 4 MPIO-labeled 231BR cells. In a third experiment, mice were injected with 5 x 10 4 4T1BR cells, labelled with either MPIO or the SPION Vivotrax. MRI and MPI was performed in vivo.

ResultsSignal from MPI and signal voids from MRI both showed more iron content in mice receiving an injection of 5.0 x 105 cells than the 2.5 x 105 injection. In the second experiment, Day 0 MRI showed signal voids and MPI signal was detected in all mouse brains. The MPI signal and iron content measured in the brains of mice that were injected with 2.5 x 10 5 cells were approximately four times greater than in brains injected with 5 x 10 4 cells. In the third experiment, in vivo MRI was able to detect signal voids in the brains of mice injected with Vivotrax and MPIO, although voids were fainter in Vivotrax labeled cells. In vivo MPI signal was only detectable in mice injected with MPIO-labeled cells.

ConclusionThis is the first example of the use of MPIO for cell tracking with MPI. With an intracardiac cell injection, approximately 15% of the injected cells are expected to arrest in the brain vasculature. For our lowest cell injection of 5.0 x 104 cells this is [~]10000 cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Melo, K. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Foster, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.12.197780</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Development of Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) for Cell Tracking and Detection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.15.203448v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Eleven biosynthetic genes explain the majority of natural variation for carotenoid levels in maize grain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.15.203448v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Vitamin A deficiency remains prevalent in parts of Asia, Latin America, and sub-Saharan Africa where maize is a food staple. Extensive natural variation exists for carotenoids in maize grain; to understand its genetic basis, we conducted a joint linkage and genome-wide association study in the U.S. maize nested association mapping panel. Eleven of the 44 detected quantitative trait loci (QTL) were resolved to individual genes. Six of these were correlated expression and effect QTL (ceeQTL), showing strong correlations between RNA-seq expression abundances and QTL allelic effect estimates across six stages of grain development. These six ceeQTL also had the largest percent phenotypic variance explained, and in major part comprised the three to five loci capturing the bulk of genetic variation for each trait. Most of these ceeQTL had strongly correlated QTL allelic effect estimates across multiple traits. These findings provide the most comprehensive genome-level understanding of the genetic and molecular control of carotenoids in any plant system, and a roadmap to accelerate breeding for provitamin A and other priority carotenoid traits in maize grain that should be readily extendable to other cereals.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Diepenbrock, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ilut, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Magallanes-Lundback, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kandianis, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipka, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradbury, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holland, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wooldridge, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gongora-Castillo, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallace, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cepela, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mateos-Hernandez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Owens, B. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiede, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buckler, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rocheford, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DellaPenna, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.15.203448</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Eleven biosynthetic genes explain the majority of natural variation for carotenoid levels in maize grain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.15.204222v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Optimizing the use of gene expression data to predict metabolic pathway memberships with unsupervised and supervised machine learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.15.204222v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant metabolites produced via diverse pathways are important for plant survival, human nutrition and medicine. However, the pathway memberships of most plant enzyme genes are unknown. While co-expression is useful for assigning genes to pathways, expression correlation may exist only under specific spatiotemporal and conditional contexts. Utilizing >600 expression values and similarity data combinations from tomato, three strategies for predicting membership in 85 pathways were explored: naive prediction (identifying pathways with the most similarly expressed genes), unsupervised and supervised learning. Optimal predictions for different pathways require distinct data combinations that, in some cases, are indicative of biological processes relevant to pathway functions. Naive prediction produced higher error rates compared with machine learning methods. In 52 pathways, unsupervised learning performed better than a supervised approach, which may be due to the limited availability of training data. Furthermore, using gene-to-pathway expression similarities led to prediction models that outperformed those based simply on gene expression levels. Our study highlights the need to extensively explore expression-based features and prediction strategies to maximize the accuracy of metabolic pathway membership assignment. We anticipate that the prediction framework outlined here can be applied to other species and also be used to improve plant pathway annotation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uygun, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.15.204222</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Optimizing the use of gene expression data to predict metabolic pathway memberships with unsupervised and supervised machine learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.15.204313v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modeling gene regulation in response to wounding: temporal variations, hormonal variations, and specialized metabolism pathways induced by wounding 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.15.204313v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants respond to wounding stress by changing gene expression patterns and inducing jasmonic acid (JA), as well as other plant hormones. This includes activating some specialized metabolism pathways, including the glucosinolate pathways, in the case of Arabidopsis thaliana. We model how these responses are regulated by using machine learning to incorporate putative cis-regulatory elements (pCREs), known transcription factor binding sites from literature, in-vitro DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) and DNase I hypersensitive sites to predict gene expression for genes clustered by their wound response using machine learning. We found temporal patterns where regulatory sites and regions of open chromatin differed between clusters of genes up-regulated at early and late wounding time points as well as clusters where JA response was induced relative to clusters where JA response was not induced. Overall, we identified pCREs that improved model predictions of expression clusters over known binding sites. We discovered 4,255 pCREs related to wound response at different time points and 2,569 pCREs related to differences between JA-induced and non-JA induced wound response. In addition, pCREs found to be important at different wounding time points were mapped to the promoters of genes in a glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway indicating regulation of this pathway under wounding stress. Finally, we experimentally validated a predicted cis-regulatory element, CCGCGT, showing that knock-out via CRISPR-Cas9 reduces gene expression in response to wounding.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moore, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, Y. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotewold, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.15.204313</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modeling gene regulation in response to wounding: temporal variations, hormonal variations, and specialized metabolism pathways induced by wounding]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.17.208710v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Digital Cell Sorter (DCS): a cell type identification, anomaly detection, and Hopfield landscapes toolkit for single-cell transcriptomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.17.208710v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationAnalysis of singe cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) typically consists of different steps including quality control, batch correction, clustering, cell identification and characterization, and visualization. The amount of scRNA-seq data is growing extremely fast, and novel algorithmic approaches improving these steps are key to extract more biological information. Here, we introduce: (i) two methods for automatic cell type identification (i.e. without expert curator) based on a voting algorithm and a Hopfield classifier, (ii) a method for cell anomaly quantification based on isolation forest, and (iii) a tool for the visualization of cell phenotypic landscapes based on Hopfield energy-like functions. These new approaches are integrated in a software platform that includes many other state-of-the-art methodologies and provides a self-contained toolkit for scRNA-seq analysis.

ResultsWe present a suite of software elements for the analysis of scRNA-seq data. This Python-based open source software, Digital Cell Sorter (DCS), consists in an extensive toolkit of methods for scRNA-seq analysis. We illustrate the capability of the software using data from large datasets of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), as well as plasma cells of bone marrow samples from healthy donors and multiple myeloma patients. We test the novel algorithms by evaluating their ability to deconvolve cell mixtures and detect small numbers of anomalous cells in PBMC data.

AvailabilityThe DCS toolkit is available for download and installation through the Python Package Index (PyPI). The software can be deployed using the Python import function following installation. Source code is also available for download on Zenodo: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2533377

Contactdomansk6@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Domanskyi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hakansson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bertus, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paternostro, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.17.208710</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Digital Cell Sorter (DCS): a cell type identification, anomaly detection, and Hopfield landscapes toolkit for single-cell transcriptomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.21.213736v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Lactate promotes cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation through metabolic reprogramming 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.21.213736v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cardiomyocytes undergo different metabolic changes during development and differentiation crucial for their maturation and adult function, such as contraction, growth and survival. Alterations of cardiac metabolism have been associated with multiple disease states and pathological hypertrophy. The shift in substrate preference can impair the stress response, but it may also have a role in cell growth and survival. Here, we evaluated the response of cardiomyocytes to the presence of exogenous lactate, an important metabolite for the fetal heart and cardiogenesis. Lactate-exposed mouse primary cardiomyocytes and human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes quickly acquired a characteristic dedifferentiated phenotype, with enhanced proliferative capacity as determined by an increased expression of cell cycle (Ki67) and cytokinesis (Aurora-B) effectors. This effect was specific to cardiomyocytes and did not affect other heart cell populations (e.g. cardiac fibroblasts). Nevertheless, cardiac fibroblasts exposed to lactate promoted a pro-regenerative environment through the modulation of the release of cytokines (such as Fas, IL-13 or SDF1a). We characterized lactate-induced cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation through RNA-sequencing and gene expression analysis and identified increased expression of BMP10 (a TGF{beta} family protein involved in embryonic cardiomyocyte proliferation and stemness) and proteins associated to cell fate regulation (LIN28, TCIM) together with downregulation of cardiac maturation genes (GRIK1, DGKK). Bottom-up analysis suggested the phenotype promoted by lactate could be related to the activation of hypoxia signaling pathways. This finding indicated that, indeed, lactate may be a key player of hypoxic regenerative responses in the heart, as it usually accumulates as a result of glycolysis. In addition, ex vivo neonatal heart culture showed prolonged beating function and cardiac tissue integrity when culture media was supplemented with lactate. Thus, we conclude that lactate enhances cardiac proliferation by reprogramming cardiomyocytes towards a dedifferentiated stem cell-like state, supporting the notion that modulation of the metabolic microenvironment might be a powerful novel approach for promoting cardiac regeneration and tissue engineering applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ordono, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez-Amodio, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ball, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Engel, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.21.213736</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Lactate promotes cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation through metabolic reprogramming]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.21.215269v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Flagellar perturbations activate adhesion through two distinct pathways in Caulobacter crescentus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.21.215269v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteria carry out sophisticated developmental programs to colonize exogenous surfaces. The rotary flagellum, a dynamic machine that drives motility, is a key regulator of surface colonization. The specific signals recognized by flagella and the pathways by which those signals are transduced to coordinate adhesion remain subjects of debate. Mutations that disrupt flagellar assembly in the dimorphic bacterium Caulobacter crescentus stimulate the production of a polysaccharide adhesin called the holdfast. Using a genome-wide phenotyping approach, we compared surface adhesion profiles in wild-type and flagellar mutant backgrounds of C. crescentus. We identified a diverse set of flagellar mutations that enhance adhesion by inducing a hyper-holdfast phenotype and discovered a second set of mutations that suppress this phenotype. Epistasis analysis of the flagellar signaling suppressor (fss) mutations demonstrated that the flagellum stimulates holdfast production via two genetically distinct pathways. The developmental regulator PleD contributes to holdfast induction in mutants disrupted at both early and late stages of flagellar assembly. Mutants disrupted at late stages of flagellar assembly, which assemble an intact rotor complex, induce holdfast production through an additional process that requires the MotAB stator and its associated diguanylate cyclase, DgcB. We have assigned a subset of the fss genes to either the stator- or pleD-dependent networks and characterized two previously unidentified motility genes that regulate holdfast production via the stator complex. We propose a model through which the flagellum integrates mechanical stimuli into the C. crescentus developmental program to coordinate adhesion.

ImportanceUnderstanding how bacteria colonize solid surfaces is of significant clinical, industrial and ecological importance. In this study, we identified genes that are required for Caulobacter crescentus to activate surface attachment in response to signals from a macromolecular machine called the flagellum. Genes involved in transmitting information from the flagellum can be grouped into separate pathways, those that control the C. crescentus morphogenic program and those that are required for flagellar motility. Our results support a model in which a developmental and a mechanical signaling pathway operate in parallel downstream of the flagellum and converge to regulate adhesion. We conclude that the flagellum serves as a signaling hub by integrating internal and external cues to coordinate surface colonization and emphasize the role of signal integration in linking complex sets of environmental stimuli to individual behaviors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hershey, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.21.215269</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Flagellar perturbations activate adhesion through two distinct pathways in Caulobacter crescentus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.23.218487v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PecanPy: a fast, efficient, and parallelized Python implementation of node2vec 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.23.218487v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Learning low-dimensional representations (embeddings) of nodes in large graphs is key to applying machine learning on massive biological networks. Node2vec is the most widely used method for node embedding. However, its original Python and C++ implementations scale poorly with network density, failing for dense biological networks with hundreds of millions of edges. We have developed PecanPy, a new Python implementation of node2vec that uses cache-optimized compact graph data structures and precomputing/parallelization to result in fast, high-quality node embeddings for biological networks of all sizes and densities. PecanPy software and documentation are available at https://github.com/krishnanlab/pecanpy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.23.218487</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PecanPy: a fast, efficient, and parallelized Python implementation of node2vec]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.27.223362v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mycobacterium tuberculosis evasion of Guanylate Binding Protein-mediated host defense in mice requires the ESX1 secretion system. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.27.223362v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cell-intrinsic immune mechanisms control intracellular pathogens that infect eukaryotes. The intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) evolved to withstand cell-autonomous immunity to cause persistent infections and disease. A potent inducer of cell-autonomous immunity is the lymphocyte-derived cytokine IFN{gamma}. While the production of IFN{gamma} by T cells is essential to protect against Mtb, it is not capable of fully eradicating Mtb infection. This suggests that Mtb evades a subset of IFN{gamma}-mediated antimicrobial responses, yet what mechanisms Mtb resists remains unclear. The IFN{gamma}-inducible Guanylate binding proteins (GBPs) are key host defense proteins able to control infections with intracellular pathogens. GBPs were previously shown to directly restrict Mycobacterium bovis BCG yet their role during Mtb infection has remained unknown. Here, we examine the importance of a cluster of five GBPs on mouse chromosome 3 in controlling Mycobacterial infection. While M. bovis BCG is directly restricted by GBPs, we find that the GBPs on chromosome 3 do not contribute to the control of Mtb replication or the associated host response to infection. The differential effects of GBPs during Mtb versus M. bovis BCG infection is at least partially explained by the absence of the ESX1 secretion system from M. bovis BCG, since Mtb mutants lacking the ESX1 secretion system become similarly susceptible to GBP-mediated immune defense. Therefore, this specific genetic interaction between the murine host and Mycobacteria reveals a novel function for the ESX1 virulence system in the evasion of GBP-mediated immunity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baer, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coers, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sassetti, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.27.223362</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mycobacterium tuberculosis evasion of Guanylate Binding Protein-mediated host defense in mice requires the ESX1 secretion system.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.28.225896v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The genetic architecture and evolution of life history divergence among perennials in the Mimulus guttatus species complex 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.28.225896v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ecological divergence is a main source of trait divergence between closely related species. Despite its importance in generating phenotypic diversity, the genetic architecture of most ecologically relevant traits is poorly understood. Differences in elevation can impose substantial selection for phenotypic divergence of both complex, correlated suites of traits (such as life history), as well as novel adaptations. Here, we use the Mimulus guttatus species complex to assess if divergence in elevation is accompanied by trait divergence in a group of closely related perennial species, and determine the genetic architecture of this divergence. We find that divergence in elevation is associated with differences in multivariate quantitative life history traits, as well as a unique trait; the production of rhizomes, which may play an important role in overwintering survival. However, the extent of phenotypic divergence among species depended on ontogeny, suggesting that species also diverged in investment strategies across development. Lastly, we show that the genetic architecture of life history divergence between two species is simple, involving few mid to large effect Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs), and that the genetic architecture of the ability to produce rhizomes changes through development, which has potential implications for hybrid fitness in the wild.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Coughlan, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson Brown, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willis, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.28.225896</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The genetic architecture and evolution of life history divergence among perennials in the Mimulus guttatus species complex]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.29.227405v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Polygenic Risk Score for Smoking is associated with Externalizing Psychopathology and Disinhibited Personality Traits but not Internalizing Psychopathology in Adolescence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.29.227405v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ImportanceLarge consortia of genome wide association studies have yielded more accurate polygenic risk scores (PRS) that aggregate the small effects of many genetic variants to characterize the genetic architecture of disorders and provide a personalized measure of genetic risk.

ObjectiveWe examined whether a PRS for smoking measured genetic risk for general behavioral disinhibition by estimating its associations with externalizing and internalizing psychopathology and related personality traits. We examined these associations at multiple time points in adolescence using more refined phenotypes defined by stable characteristics across time and at young ages, which reduced potential confounds associated with cumulative exposure to substances and reverse causality.

MethodsRandom intercept panel models were fit to symptoms of conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), and teacher ratings of externalizing and internalizing problems and personality traits at ages 11, 14, and 17 years-old in the Minnesota Twin Family Study (N = 3225).

ResultsThe smoking PRS had strong associations with the random intercept factors for all the externalizing measures (mean standardized {beta} = .27), agreeableness ({beta}=-.22, 95% CI: -.28, -.16), and conscientiousness ({beta}=-.19, 95% CI: -.24, -.13), but was not significantly associated with the internalizing measures (mean {beta} = .06) or extraversion ({beta}=.01, 95% CI: -.05, .07). After controlling for smoking at age 17, the associations with the externalizing measures (mean {beta} = .13) and personality traits related to behavioral control (mean {beta} = -.10) remained statistically significant.

Conclusions and RelevanceThe smoking PRS measures genetic influences that contribute to a spectrum of phenotypes related to behavioral disinhibition including externalizing psychopathology and normal-range personality traits related to behavioral control, but not internalizing psychopathology. Continuing to identify the correlates and delineate the mechanisms of the genetic influences associated with disinhibition could have substantial impact in mitigating a variety of public health problems (e.g., mental health, academic achievement, criminality).

Key PointsO_ST_ABSQuestionC_ST_ABSDoes a polygenic risk scores (PRS) for smoking measure genetic risk for behavioral disinhibition in general?

FindingsThe smoking PRS was associated with externalizing psychopathology and personality traits related to behavioral control, but not internalizing psychopathology and extraversion during adolescence, even after controlling for smoking status.

MeaningThe smoking PRS measures genetic influences on behavioral disinhibition in general which is associated with a variety of important outcomes including mental health, academic success, and criminality.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hicks, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deak, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Durbin, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schafer, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iacono, W. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGue, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vrieze, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.29.227405</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Polygenic Risk Score for Smoking is associated with Externalizing Psychopathology and Disinhibited Personality Traits but not Internalizing Psychopathology in Adolescence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.29.227439v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Polygenic Risk Scores Predict the Development of Alcohol and Nicotine Use Problems from Adolescence through Young Adulthood 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.29.227439v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ObjectiveMolecular genetic studies of alcohol and nicotine have identified many genome-wide loci. We examined the predictive utility of drinking and smoking polygenic scores (PGS) for alcohol and nicotine use from late childhood to early adulthood, substance-specific versus broader-liability PGS effects, and if PGS performance varied between consumption versus pathological use.

MethodsLatent growth curve models with structured residuals were used to assess the predictive utility of drinks per week and regular smoking PGS for measures of alcohol and nicotine consumption and problematic use from age 14 to 34. PGSs were generated from the largest discovery sample for alcohol and nicotine use to date (i.e., GSCAN), and examined for associations with alcohol and nicotine use in the Minnesota Twin Family Study (N=3225).

ResultsThe drinking PGS was a significant predictor of age 14 problematic alcohol use and increases in problematic use during young adulthood. The smoking PGS was a significant predictor for all nicotine use outcomes. After adjusting for the effects of both PGSs, the smoking PGS demonstrated incremental predictive utility for most alcohol use outcomes and remained a significant predictor of nicotine use trajectories.

ConclusionsHigher PGS for drinking and smoking were associated with more problematic levels of substance use longitudinally. The smoking PGS seems to capture both nicotine-specific and non-specific genetic liability for substance use, and may index genetic risk for broader externalizing behavior. Validation of PGS within longitudinal designs may have important clinical implications should future studies support the clinical utility of PGS for substance use disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Deak, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Durbin, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iacono, W. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGue, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vrieze, S. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hicks, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-07-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.07.29.227439</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Polygenic Risk Scores Predict the Development of Alcohol and Nicotine Use Problems from Adolescence through Young Adulthood]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-07-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.01.231217v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Local adaptation contributes to gene expression divergence in maize 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.01.231217v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene expression links genotypes to phenotypes, so identifying genes whose expression is shaped by selection will be important for understanding the traits and processes underlying local adaptation. However, detecting local adaptation for gene expression will require distinguishing between divergence due to selection and divergence due to genetic drift. Here, we adapt a QST -FST framework to detect local adaptation for transcriptome-wide gene expression levels in a population of diverse maize genotypes. We compare the number and types of selected genes across a wide range of maize populations and tissues, as well as selection on cold-response genes, drought-response genes, and coexpression clusters. We identify a number of genes whose expression levels are consistent with local adaptation and show that genes involved in stress-response show enrichment for selection. Due to its history of intense selective breeding and domestication, maize evolution has long been of interest to researchers, and our study provides insight into the genes and processes important for in local adaptation of maize.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Blanc, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kremling, K. A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buckler, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.01.231217</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Local adaptation contributes to gene expression divergence in maize]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.05.238568v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Vorinostat corrects cognitive and non-cognitive symptoms in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.05.238568v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by mutations in the FMR1 (fragile X mental retardation 1) gene. It is a significant form of heritable intellectual disability with comorbidity of other symptoms such as autism. Due to the lack of efficacious medication, repurposing the existing FDA-approved drugs may offer an opportunity to advance clinical intervention for FXS. Analysis of the whole-genome transcription signatures predicts new therapeutic action of vorinostat to correct pathological alterations associated with FXS. We further find that the administration of vorinostat restores object location memory and passive avoidance memory in the Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice. For the non-cognitive behavioral symptoms, vorinostat corrects the autism-associated alterations, including repetitive behavior and social interaction deficits. In the open field test, vorinostat dampens hyperactivity in the center area of the arena. Surprisingly, vorinostat does not affect the abnormally elevated protein synthesis in Fmr1 KO neurons, suggesting different outcomes from correcting behavioral symptoms and specific aspects of cellular pathology. Our data reveal the therapeutic effects of the FDA-approved drug vorinostat in a mouse model of FXS and advocate efficacy testing with human patients.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ding, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.05.238568</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Vorinostat corrects cognitive and non-cognitive symptoms in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.06.239780v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Change in social rank and brain dopamine levels: findings from a novel pig model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.06.239780v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Dopamine (DA) signaling is central in hypothesized causal paths linking the influence of social and environmental variables with cognition, behavior and affective states, including vulnerability to drug dependence. Here, we study whether change in one's social rank induces DA and norepinephrine (NE) changes using a novel pig model with a social-ranking-and-re-ranking protocol to investigate social context influences on catecholamine concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood. For two weeks, 16 recently weaned male piglets were socially housed in four groups, with video-recordings for social rank assessments (, {beta}, {gamma}, and {delta}); CSF and blood were obtained from these stable social groups. Next, all four  were housed together, as were all four {beta}, etc., again with video recording for blinded social ranking. CSF and blood samples were collected at three time points: prior to initial social housing, following social housing and following re-organization. Regression analyses disclosed a positive relationship between changes in social rank and post-rank change in CSF levels of DA; one unit increase of social rank predicted a 17.4 pg/ml increase in CSF dopamine concentrations (95% CI= 1.2, 33.7). Compared to piglets with downward shifts in ranks (i.e., high-to-low), piglets with upward shifts (i.e., low-to-high) had a statistically significant greater increase in CSF DA levels. No relationship was observed for CSF NE or blood concentrations of DA or NE at any phase of this experiment. This work, using a novel pig model, adds new evidence on alteration of the brain dopaminergic system induced by social rank change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cheng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mohammed, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pease, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gehrke, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bohart, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burnett, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nader, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anthony, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.06.239780</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Change in social rank and brain dopamine levels: findings from a novel pig model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.10.245258v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Contributions of the Allopolyploid Parents of the Mesopolyploid Brassiceae are Evolutionarily Distinct but Functionally Compatible 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.10.245258v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The members of the tribe Brassiceae share a whole genome triplication (WGT), and one proposed model for its formation is a "two-step" pair of hybridizations producing hexaploid descendants. However, evidence for this model is incomplete, and the evolutionary and functional constraints that drove evolution after the hexaploidy are even less understood. Here we report a new genome sequence of Crambe hispanica, a species sister to most sequenced Brassiceae. Using this new genome and three others that share the hexaploidy, we traced the history of gene loss after the WGT using POInT (the Polyploidy Orthology Inference Tool). We confirm the two-step formation model and infer that there was a significant temporal gap between those two allopolyploidizations, with about a third of the gene losses from the first two subgenomes occurring prior to the arrival of the third. We also, for the 90,000 individual genes in our study, make parental "subgenome" assignments, inferring, with measured uncertainty, which of the progenitor genomes of the allohexaploidy each gene derives from. We further show that each subgenome has a statistically distinguishable rate of homoeolog losses. There is little indication of functional distinction between the three subgenomes: the individual subgenomes show no patterns of functional enrichment, no excess of shared protein-protein or metabolic interactions between their members, and no biases in their likelihood of having experienced a recent selective sweep. We propose a "mix and match" model of allopolyploidy, where subgenome origin drives homoeolog loss propensities but where genes from different subgenomes function together without difficulty.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mabry, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Freeling, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colle, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>An, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abrahams, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qi, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daum, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmutz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sankoff, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barker, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyons, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conant, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.10.245258</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Contributions of the Allopolyploid Parents of the Mesopolyploid Brassiceae are Evolutionarily Distinct but Functionally Compatible]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.12.248252v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A genome-wide screen in macrophages identifies new regulators of IFNγ-inducible MHCII that contribute to T cell activation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.12.248252v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AbstractCytokine-mediated activation of host immunity is central to the control of pathogens. A key cytokine in protective immunity is interferon-gamma (IFN{gamma}), which is a potent activator of antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effectors within the host. A major role of IFN{gamma} is to induce major histocompatibility complex class II molecules (MHCII) on the surface of cells, which is required for CD4+ T cell activation. Despite its central role in host immunity, the complex and dynamic regulation of IFN{gamma}-induced MHCII is not well understood. Here, we integrated functional genomics and transcriptomics to comprehensively define the genetic control of IFN{gamma}-mediated MHCII surface expression in macrophages. Using a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 library we identified genes that control MHCII surface expression, many of which have yet to be associated with MHCII. Mechanistic studies uncovered two parallel pathways of IFN{gamma}-mediated MHCII control that require the multifunctional glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3{beta}) or the mediator complex subunit MED16. Both pathways are necessary for IFN{gamma}-mediated induction of the MHCII transactivator CIITA, MHCII expression, and CD4+ T cell activation. Using transcriptomic analysis, we defined the regulons controlled by GSK3{beta} and MED16 in the presence and absence of IFN{gamma} and identified unique networks of the IFN{gamma}-mediated transcriptional landscape that are controlled by each gene. Our analysis suggests GSK3{beta} and MED16 control distinct aspects of the IFN{gamma}-response and are critical for macrophages to respond appropriately to IFN{gamma}. Our results define previously unappreciated regulation of MHCII expression that is required to control CD4+ T cell responses by macrophages. These discoveries will aid in our basic understanding of macrophage-mediated immunity and will shed light on mechanisms of failed adaptive responses pervasive in infectious disease, autoimmunity, and cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kiritsy, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ankley, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trombley, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huizinga, G. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lord, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orning, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elling, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzgerald, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.12.248252</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A genome-wide screen in macrophages identifies new regulators of IFNγ-inducible MHCII that contribute to T cell activation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.249557v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Temporal instability of lake charr phenotypes: synchronicity of growth rates and morphology linked to environmental variables? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.249557v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pathways through which phenotypic variation arises among individuals arise can be complex. One assumption often made in relation to intraspecific diversity is that the stability or predictability of the environment will interact with expression of the underlying phenotypic variation. To address biological complexity below the species level, we investigated variability across years in morphology and annual growth increments between and within two sympatric lake charr ecotypes in Rush Lake, USA. We found a rapid phenotypic shift in body and head shape within a decade. The magnitude and direction of the observed phenotypic change was consistent in both ecotypes, which suggests similar pathways caused the temporal variation over time. Over the same time period, annual growth increments declined for both lake charr ecotypes and corresponded with a consistent phenotypic shift of each ecotype. Despite ecotype-specific annual growth changes in response to winter conditions, the observed annual growth shift for both ecotypes was linked, to some degree, with variation in the environment. Particularly, a declining trend in regional cloud cover was associated with an increase of early stage (age 1-3) annual growth for lake charr of Rush Lake. Underlying mechanisms causing reduced growth rates and constrained morphological modulation are not fully understood. An improved knowledge of the biology hidden within the expression of phenotypic variation promises to clarify our understanding of temporal morphological diversity and instability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chavarie, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Voelker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hansen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bronte, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muir, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zimmerman, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krueger, c.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.13.249557</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Temporal instability of lake charr phenotypes: synchronicity of growth rates and morphology linked to environmental variables?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.249870v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A comparative analysis of chromatin accessibility in cattle, pig, and mouse tissues 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.249870v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundAlthough considerable progress has been made towards annotating the noncoding portion of the human and mouse genomes, regulatory elements in other species, such as livestock, remain poorly characterized. This lack of functional annotation poses a substantial roadblock to agricultural research and diminishes the value of these species as model organisms. As active regulatory elements are typically characterized by chromatin accessibility, we implemented the Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin (ATAC-seq) to annotate and characterize regulatory elements in pigs and cattle, given a set of eight adult tissues.

ResultsOverall, 306,304 and 273,594 active regulatory elements were identified in pig and cattle, respectively. 71,478 porcine and 47,454 bovine regulatory elements were highly tissue-specific and were correspondingly enriched for binding motifs of known tissue-specific transcription factors. However, in every tissue the most prevalent accessible motif corresponded to the insulator CTCF, suggesting pervasive involvement in 3-D chromatin organization. Taking advantage of a similar dataset in mouse, open chromatin in pig, cattle, and mice were compared, revealing that the conservation of regulatory elements, in terms of sequence identity and accessibility, was consistent with evolutionary distance; whereas pig and cattle shared about 20% of accessible sites, mice and ungulates only had about 10% of accessible sites in common. Furthermore, conservation of accessibility was more prevalent at promoters than at intergenic regions.

ConclusionsThe lack of conserved accessibility at distal elements is consistent with rapid evolution of enhancers, and further emphasizes the need to annotate regulatory elements in individual species, rather than inferring elements based on homology. This atlas of chromatin accessibility in cattle and pig constitutes a substantial step towards annotating livestock genomes and dissecting the regulatory link between genome and phenome.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Halstead, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kern, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saelao, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chanthavixay, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medrano, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Eenennaam, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Korf, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tuggle, C. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ernst, C. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>ROSS, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.13.249870</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A comparative analysis of chromatin accessibility in cattle, pig, and mouse tissues]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.250035v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Swimming direction of the Glass Catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis, is responsive to magnetic stimulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.250035v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Several marine species have developed a magnetic perception that is essential for navigation and detection of prey and predators. One of these species is the transparent glass catfish that contains an ampullary organ dedicated to sense magnetic fields. Here we examine the behavior of the glass catfish in response to static magnetic fields which will provide valuable insight on function of this magnetic response. By utilizing state of the art animal tracking software and artificial intelligence approaches, we quantified the effects of magnetic fields on the swimming direction of glass catfish. The results demonstrate that glass catfish placed in a radial arm maze, consistently swim away from magnetic fields over 20 {micro}T and show adaptability to changing magnetic field direction and location.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hunt, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashbaugh, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reimers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Udpa, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saldana De Jimenez, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.13.250035</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Swimming direction of the Glass Catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis, is responsive to magnetic stimulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.250225v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome-wide predictions of genetic redundancy in Arabidopsis thaliana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.250225v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic redundancy refers to a situation where an individual with a loss-of-function mutation in one gene (single mutant) does not show an apparent phenotype until one or more paralogs are also knocked out (double/higher-order mutant). Previous studies have identified some characteristics common among redundant gene pairs, but a predictive model of genetic redundancy incorporating a wide variety of features has not yet been established. In addition, the relative importance of these characteristics for genetic redundancy remains unclear. Here, we establish machine learning models for predicting whether a gene pair is likely redundant or not in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Benchmark gene pairs were classified based on six feature categories: functional annotations, evolutionary conservation including duplication patterns and mechanisms, epigenetic marks, protein properties including post-translational modifications, gene expression, and gene network properties. The definition of redundancy, data transformations, feature subsets, and machine learning algorithms used affected model performance significantly. Among the most important features in predicting gene pairs as redundant were having a paralog(s) from recent duplication events, annotation as a transcription factor, downregulation during stress conditions, and having similar expression patterns under stress conditions. Predictions were then tested using phenotype data withheld from model building and validated using well-characterized, redundant and nonredundant gene pairs. This genetic redundancy model sheds light on characteristics that may contribute to long-term maintenance of paralogs that are seemingly functionally redundant, and will ultimately allow for more targeted generation of functionally informative double mutants, advancing functional genomic studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cusack, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krysan, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.13.250225</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome-wide predictions of genetic redundancy in Arabidopsis thaliana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.250415v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Changes in Cell Size and Shape During 50,000 Generations of Experimental Evolution with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.13.250415v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteria adopt a wide variety of sizes and shapes, with many species exhibiting stereotypical morphologies. How morphology changes, and over what timescales, is less clear. Previous work examining cell morphology in an experiment with Escherichia coli showed that populations evolved larger cells and, in some cases, cells that were less rod-like. That experiment has now run for over two more decades. Meanwhile, genome sequence data are available for these populations, and new computational methods enable high-throughput microscopic analyses. Here, we measured stationary-phase cell volumes for the ancestor and 12 populations at 2,000, 10,000, and 50,000 generations, including measurements during exponential growth at the last timepoint. We measured the distribution of cell volumes for each sample using a Coulter counter and microscopy, the latter of which also provided data on cell shape. Our data confirm the trend toward larger cells, while also revealing substantial variation in size and shape across replicate populations. Most populations first evolved wider cells, but later reverted to the ancestral length-to-width ratio. All but one population evolved mutations in rod-shape maintenance genes. We also observed many ghost-like cells in the only population that evolved the novel ability to grow on citrate, supporting the hypothesis that this lineage struggles with maintaining balanced growth. Lastly, we show that cell size and fitness remain correlated across 50,000 generations. Our results suggest larger cells are beneficial in the experimental environment, while the reversion toward ancestral length-to-width ratios suggests partial compensation for the less favorable surface area-to-volume ratios of the evolved cells.

ImportanceBacteria exhibit great morphological diversity, yet we have only a limited understanding of how their cell sizes and shapes evolve, and of how these features affect organismal fitness. This knowledge gap reflects, in part, the paucity of the fossil record for bacteria. Here, we revive and analyze samples extending over 50,000 generations from 12 populations of experimentally evolving Escherichia coli to investigate the relation between cell size, shape, and fitness. Using this "frozen fossil record" we show that all 12 populations evolved larger cells concomitant with increased fitness, with substantial heterogeneity in cell size and shape across the replicate lines. Our work demonstrates that cell morphology can readily evolve and diversify, even among populations living in identical environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grant, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abdel Magid, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franklin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dufour, Y. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.13.250415</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Changes in Cell Size and Shape During 50,000 Generations of Experimental Evolution with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.14.251603v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Developmentally regulated activation of defense allows for rapid inhibition of infectionin age-related resistance to Phytophthora capsici in cucumber fruit 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.14.251603v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundAge-related resistance (ARR) is a developmentally regulated phenomenon conferring resistance to pathogens or pests. Although ARR has been observed in several host-pathogen systems, the underlying mechanisms are largely uncharacterized. In cucumber, rapidly growing fruit are highly susceptible to Phytophthora capsici but become resistant as they complete exponential growth. We previously demonstrated that ARR is associated with the fruit peel and identified gene expression and metabolomic changes potentially functioning as preformed defenses.

ResultsHere, we compare the response to infection in fruit at resistant and susceptible ages using microscopy, quantitative bioassays, and weighted gene co-expression analyses. We observed strong transcriptional changes unique to resistant aged fruit 2-4 hours post inoculation (hpi). Microscopy and bioassays confirmed this early response, with evidence of pathogen death and infection failure as early as 4 hpi and cessation of pathogen growth by 8-10 hpi. Expression analyses identified candidate genes involved in conferring the rapid response including those encoding transcription factors, hormone signaling pathways, and defenses such as reactive oxygen species metabolism and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis.

ConclusionThe early pathogen death and rapid defense response in resistant-aged fruit provide insight into potential mechanisms for ARR, implicating both pre-formed biochemical defenses and developmentally regulated capacity for pathogen recognition as key factors shaping age-related resistance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mansfeld, B. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colle, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Y.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grumet, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.14.251603</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Developmentally regulated activation of defense allows for rapid inhibition of infectionin age-related resistance to Phytophthora capsici in cucumber fruit]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.16.253294v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural defects caused by Acrodermatitis Enteropathica mutations in the extracellular domain account for mistrafficking and malfunction of ZIP4 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.16.253294v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ZIP4 is a representative member of the Zrt-/Irt-like protein (ZIP) transporter family and responsible for zinc uptake from diet. Loss-of-function mutations of human ZIP4 (hZIP4) drastically reduce zinc absorption, causing a life-threatening autosomal recessive disorder, Acrodermatitis Enteropathica (AE). Although the zinc transport machinery is located in the transmembrane domain conserved in the entire ZIP family, half of the missense mutations occur in the extracellular domain (ECD) of hZIP4, which is only present in a fraction of mammalian ZIPs. How the AE-causing mutations in the ECD lead to ZIP4 malfunction has not be fully clarified. In this work, we characterized all the seven confirmed AE-causing missense mutations in hZIP4-ECD and found that the variants exhibited completely abolished zinc transport activity measured in a cell-based transport assay. Although the variants were able to be expressed in HEK293T cells, they failed to traffic to cell surface and were largely retained in the ER with immature glycosylation. When the corresponding mutations were introduced in the ECD of ZIP4 from Pteropus Alecto, a close homolog of hZIP4, the variants exhibited impaired protein folding and reduced thermal stability, which likely account for intracellular mistrafficking of the AE-associated variants and as such a total loss of zinc uptake in cells. This work provides a molecular pathogenic mechanism for AE, which lays out a basis for potential therapy using small molecular chaperones.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kuliyev, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sui, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.16.253294</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural defects caused by Acrodermatitis Enteropathica mutations in the extracellular domain account for mistrafficking and malfunction of ZIP4]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.17.254631v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptional Profiling of Identified Neurons in Leech 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.17.254631v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While leeches in the genus Hirudo have long been models for neurobiology, the molecular underpinnings of nervous system structure and function in this group remain largely unknown. To begin to bridge this gap, we performed RNASeq on pools of identified neurons of the central nervous system (CNS): sensory T (touch), P (pressure) and N (nociception) neurons; neurosecretory Retzius cells; and ganglia from which these four cell types had been removed. Bioinformatic analyses identified 2,812 putative genes whose expression differed significantly among the samples. These genes clustered into 7 groups which could be associated with one or more of the identified cell types. We verified predicted expression patterns through in situ hybridization on whole CNS ganglia, and found that orthologous genes were for the most part similarly expressed in a divergent leech genus, suggesting evolutionarily conserved roles for these genes. Transcriptional profiling allowed us to identify candidate phenotype-defining genes from expanded gene families. Thus, we identified one of eight hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide gated (HCN) channels as a candidate for mediating the prominent sag current in P neurons, and found that one of five inositol triphosphate receptors (IP3Rs), representing a sub-family of IP3Rs absent from vertebrate genomes, is expressed with high specificity in T cells. We also identified one of two piezo genes, two of ~65 deg/enac genes, and one of at least 16 transient receptor potential (trp) genes as prime candidates for involvement in sensory transduction in the three distinct classes of leech mechanosensory neurons.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heath-Heckman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoo, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winchell, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pellegrino, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angstadt, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lammardo, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bautista, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Miguel, F. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weisblat, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.17.254631</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptional Profiling of Identified Neurons in Leech]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.17.254805v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Associations of early social experience with offspring DNA methylation and later life stress phenotype 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.17.254805v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In a wild population of spotted hyenas, we tested the hypothesis that maternal care during the first year of life and social connectedness during two periods of early development lead to differences in DNA methylation and fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) later in life. We found that although maternal care and social connectedness during the communal den dependent period were not associated with fGCMs, greater social connectedness after hyenas leave their communal den is associated with lower adult fGCMs. Additionally, more maternal care and social connectedness after leaving the communal den corresponded with higher global (%CCGG) DNA methylation. Finally, we identified multiple DNA methylation biomarkers near genes involved in inflammation that may link maternal care and stress phenotype. Our findings suggest that both maternal care during the first year of life and social connections after leaving the den influence DNA methylation and contribute to a developmentally plastic stress response.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Laubach, Z. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenberg, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pioon, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smale, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cavalcante, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Padmanabhan, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lalancette, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>vonHoldt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Faulk, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dolinoy, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perng, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.17.254805</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Associations of early social experience with offspring DNA methylation and later life stress phenotype]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.17.255026v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distinct roles of two RDL GABA-receptors in fipronil action in the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.17.255026v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The phenylpyrazole insecticide, fipronil, blocks insect RDL {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, thereby impairs inhibitory neurotransmission. Some insect species, such as the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), possess more than one Rdl gene. The involvement of multiple Rdls in fipronil toxicity and resistance remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the roles of two Rdl genes, PxRdl1 and PxRdl2, from P. xylostella in the action of fipronil. Expressed in Xenopus oocytes, PxRDL2 receptors were 40-times less sensitive to fipronil than PxRDL1. PxRDL2 receptors were also less sensitive to GABA compared to PxRDL1. Knockout of the fipronil-sensitive PxRdl1 gene reduced the potency of fipronil by 10 fold, whereas knockout of the fipronil-resistant PxRdl2 gene enhanced the potency of fipronil by 4.4 fold. Furthermore, in two fipronil-resistant diamondback moth field populations, the expression of PxRdl2 was elevated by 3.7-fold and 4.1-fold, respectively compared to a susceptible strain, whereas the expression of PxRdl1 was comparable among the resistant and susceptible strains. Collectively, our results indicate antagonistic effects of PxRDL1 and PxRDL2 on the fipronil action in vivo and suggest enhanced expression of fipronil-resistant PxRdl2 potentially a new mechanism of fipronil resistance in insects.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dong, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.17.255026</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distinct roles of two RDL GABA-receptors in fipronil action in the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.19.258384v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genomic evolution of antibiotic resistance is contingent on genetic background following a long-term experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.19.258384v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Antibiotic resistance is a growing health concern. Efforts to control resistance would benefit from an improved ability to forecast when and how it will evolve. Epistatic interactions between mutations can promote divergent evolutionary trajectories, which complicates our ability to predict evolution. We recently showed that differences between genetic backgrounds can lead to idiosyncratic responses in the evolvability of phenotypic resistance, even among closely related Escherichia coli strains. In this study, we examined whether a strains genetic background also influences the genotypic evolution of resistance. Do lineages founded by different genotypes take parallel or divergent mutational paths to achieve their evolved resistance states? We addressed this question by sequencing the complete genomes of antibiotic-resistant clones that evolved from several different genetic starting points during our earlier experiments. We first validated our statistical approach by quantifying the specificity of genomic evolution with respect to antibiotic treatment. As expected, mutations in particular genes were strongly associated with each drug. Then, we determined that replicate lines evolved from the same founding genotypes had more parallel mutations at the gene level than lines evolved from different founding genotypes, although these effects were more subtle than those showing antibiotic specificity. Taken together with our previous work, we conclude that historical contingency can alter both genotypic and phenotypic pathways to antibiotic resistance.

SignificanceA fundamental question in evolution is the repeatability of adaptation. Will independently evolving populations respond similarly when facing the same environmental challenge? This question also has important public-health implications related to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. For example, efforts to control resistance might benefit from accurately predicting mutational paths to resistance. However, this goal is complicated when a lineages prior history alters its subsequent evolution. We recently found that differences between genetic backgrounds can lead to unpredictable responses in phenotypic resistance. Here, we report that genetic background can similarly alter genotypic paths to resistance. This historical contingency underscores the importance of accounting for stochasticity, in the past as well as at present, when designing evolutionarily informed treatment strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Card, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graves, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrick, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.19.258384</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genomic evolution of antibiotic resistance is contingent on genetic background following a long-term experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.21.260737v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Host immunity increases Mycobacterium tuberculosis reliance on cytochrome bd oxidase 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.21.260737v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In order to sustain a persistent infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) must adapt to a changing environment that is shaped by the developing immune response. This necessity to adapt is evident in the flexibility of many aspects of Mtb metabolism, including a respiratory chain that consists of two distinct terminal cytochrome oxidase complexes. Under the conditions tested thus far, the bc1/aa3 complex appears to play a dominant role, while the alternative bd oxidase is largely redundant. However, presence of two terminal oxidases in this obligate pathogen implies that respiratory requirements might change during infection. We report that the cytochrome bd oxidase is specifically required for resisting the adaptive immune response. While the bd oxidase was dispensable for growth in resting macrophages and the establishment of infection in mice, this complex was necessary for optimal fitness after the initiation of adaptive immunity. This requirement was dependent on lymphocyte-derived interferon gamma (IFN{gamma}), but did not involve nitrogen and oxygen radicals that are known to inhibit respiration in other contexts. Instead, we found that{Delta} cydA mutants were hypersusceptible to the low pH encountered in IFN{gamma}-activated macrophages. Unlike wild type Mtb, cytochrome bd-deficient bacteria were unable to sustain a maximal oxygen consumption rate (OCR) at low pH, indicating that the remaining cytochrome bc1/aa3 complex is preferentially inhibited under acidic conditions. Consistent with this model, the potency of the cytochrome bc1/aa3 inhibitor, Q203, is dramatically enhanced at low pH. This work identifies a critical interaction between host immunity and pathogen respiration that influences both the progression of the infection and the efficacy of potential new TB drugs.

Author SummaryTuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a serious global health problem that is responsible for over one million deaths annually, more than any other single infectious agent. In the host, Mtb can adapt to a wide variety of immunological and environmental pressures which is integral to its success as a pathogen. Accordingly, the respiratory capacity of Mtb is flexible. The electron transport chain of Mtb has two terminal oxidases, the cytochrome bc1/aa3 super complex and cytochrome bd, that contribute to the proton motive force and subsequent production of energy in the form of ATP. The bc1/aa3 super complex is required for optimal growth during infection but the role of cytochrome bd is unclear. Here we report that the cytochrome bd oxidase is required for resisting the adaptive immune response, in particular, acidification of the phagosome induced by lymphocyte-derived IFN{gamma}. We found that the cytochrome bd oxidase is specifically required under acidic conditions, where the bc1/aa3 complex is preferentially inhibited. Additionally, we show that acidic conditions increased the potency of Q203, a cytochrome bc1/aa3 inhibitor and candidate tuberculosis therapy. This work defines a new link between the host immune response and the respiratory requirements of Mtb that affects the potency of a potential new therapeutic.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cai, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jaecklein, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackenzie, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Papavinasasundaram, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steyn, A. J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sassetti, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.21.260737</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Host immunity increases Mycobacterium tuberculosis reliance on cytochrome bd oxidase]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.24.265470v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Enhancing c-MYC degradation via 20S proteasome activation induces in vivo anti-tumor efficacy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.24.265470v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Enhancing proteasome activity is a potential new therapeutic strategy to prevent the accumulation of aberrant high levels of protein that drive the pathogenesis of many diseases. Herein, we examine the use of small molecules to activate the 20S proteasome to reduce aberrant signaling by the undruggable oncoprotein c-MYC, to treat c-MYC driven oncogenesis. Overexpression of c-MYC is found in more than 50% of all human cancer but remains undruggable because of its highly dynamic intrinsically disordered 3-D conformation, which renders traditional therapeutic strategies largely ineffective. We demonstrate herein that small molecule activation of the 20S proteasome targets dysregulated intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), including c-MYC, and reduces cancer growth in vitro and in vivo models of multiple myeloma, and is even effective in bortezomib resistant cells and unresponsive patient samples. Genomic analysis of various cancer pathways showed that proteasome activation results in downregulation of many c-MYC target genes. Moreover, proteasome enhancement was well tolerated in mice and dogs. These data support the therapeutic potential of 20S proteasome activation in targeting IDP-driven proteotoxic disorders, including cancer, and demonstrate that this new therapeutic strategy is well tolerated in vivo.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Njomen, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lansdell, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vanecek, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benham, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernard, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, Y.-T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schall, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Isaac, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alkharabsheh, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Al-Janadi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giletto, m.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elsworth, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bailie, m.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernard, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tepe, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.24.265470</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Enhancing c-MYC degradation via 20S proteasome activation induces in vivo anti-tumor efficacy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.25.267328v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A unique view of SARS-CoV-2 through the lens of ORF8 protein 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.25.267328v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Immune evasion is one of the unique characteristics of COVID-19 attributed to the ORF8 protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This protein is involved in modulating the host adaptive immunity through downregulating MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) molecules and innate immune responses by surpassing the interferon mediated antiviral response of the host. To understand the immune perspective of the host with respect to the ORF8 protein, a comprehensive study of the ORF8 protein as well as mutations possessed by it, is performed. Chemical and structural properties of ORF8 proteins from different hosts, that is human, bat and pangolin, suggests that the ORF8 of SARS-CoV-2 and Bat RaTG13-CoV are very much closer related than that of Pangolin-CoV. Eighty-seven mutations across unique variants of ORF8 (SARS-CoV-2) are grouped into four classes based on their predicted effects. Based on geolocations and timescale of collection, a possible flow of mutations was built. Furthermore, conclusive flows of amalgamation of mutations were endorsed upon sequence similarity and amino acid conservation phylogenies. Therefore, this study seeks to highlight the uniqueness of rapid evolving SARS-CoV-2 through the ORF8.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hassan, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghosh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Attrish, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choudhury, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seyran, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pizzol, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adadi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abd El Aziz, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soares, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kandimalla, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundstrom, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tambuwala, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljabali, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lal, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azad, G. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uversky, V. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sherchan, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baetas-da-Cruz, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rezaei, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brufsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.25.267328</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A unique view of SARS-CoV-2 through the lens of ORF8 protein]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.26.268805v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Toxoplasma gondii infections are associated with boldness towards lions in wild hyena hosts 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.26.268805v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Toxoplasma gondii is widely reported to manipulate the behavior of its non-definitive hosts in ways that promote lethal interactions with the parasites definitive feline hosts. Nonetheless, there is a lack of data on the association between T. gondii infection and costly behavioral interactions with felids in nature. Here, we report that three decades of field observations reveal T. gondii infected hyena cubs approach lions more closely than uninfected peers and have higher rates of lion mortality. Our findings support the hypothesis that T. gondiis manipulation of host boldness is an extended phenotype that promotes parasite transmission from intermediate hosts to feline predators. While upregulating hyena boldness toward lions might achieve this, it may also reflect a collateral influence of manipulative traits that evolved in other hosts (e.g., rodents). In either case, our findings corroborate the potential impacts of a globally distributed and generalist parasite (T. gondii) on fitness-related interaction with felids in a wild host.

One Sentence SummaryWild hyenas infected with the parasite T. gondii show evidence of costly behavioral manipulation when interacting with lions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gering, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laubach, Z. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hussey, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehmann, K. D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perng, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pioon, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Getty, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.26.268805</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Toxoplasma gondii infections are associated with boldness towards lions in wild hyena hosts]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.27.266627v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Efficient generation of endogenous protein reporters for mouse preimplantation embryos 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.27.266627v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fluorescent proteins and epitope tags can reveal protein localization in cells and animals. However, the large size of many tags hinders efficient genome targeting. Accordingly, many studies have relied on characterizing overexpressed proteins, which might not recapitulate endogenous protein activities. We present two approaches for higher throughput production of endogenous protein reporters. Our first approach makes use of a split fluorescent protein mNeonGreen2 (mNG2). Knock-in of a small portion of the mNG2 gene, in frame with gene coding regions of interest was highly efficient in embryos, eliminating the need to establish mouse lines. When complemented by the larger portion of the mNG2 gene, fluorescence was reconstituted and endogenous protein localization faithfully reported in living embryos. However, we report a threshold of detection using this approach. By contrast, the V5 epitope enabled high efficiency and higher sensitivity protein reporting. We describe complementary advantages and prospective applications of these two approaches.

HighlightsO_LISplit fluorescent protein for in vivo protein localization in living embryos
C_LIO_LIV5 tagging for in vivo localization of low abundance proteins
C_LIO_LIBypassing the need for founder mouse lines for preimplantation studies
C_LIO_LIGuidelines and strategies for implementation and prospective applications
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>O'Hagan, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.27.266627</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Efficient generation of endogenous protein reporters for mouse preimplantation embryos]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.31.275362v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
DNA methylation signatures of duplicate gene evolution in angiosperms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.31.275362v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene duplication is a source of evolutionary novelty. DNA methylation may play a role in the evolution of duplicate genes through its association with gene expression. While this relationship is examined to varying extent in a few individual species, the generalizability of these results at either a broad phylogenetic scale with species of differing duplication histories or across a population, remains unknown. We apply a comparative epigenomics approach to 43 angiosperm species across the phylogeny and a population of 928 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, examining the association of DNA methylation with paralog evolution. Genic DNA methylation is differentially associated with duplication type, the age of duplication, sequence evolution, and gene expression. Whole genome duplicates are typically enriched for CG-only gene-body methylated or unmethylated genes, while single-gene duplications are typically enriched for non-CG methylated or unmethylated genes. Non-CG methylation, in particular, was characteristic of more recent single-gene duplicates. Core angiosperm gene families are differentiated into those which preferentially retain paralogs and  duplication-resistant families, which convergently revert to singletons following duplication. Duplication-resistant families which still have paralogous copies are, uncharacteristically for core angiosperm genes, enriched for non-CG methylation. Non-CG methylated paralogs have higher rates of sequence evolution, higher frequency of presence-absence variation, and more limited expression. This suggests that silencing by non-CG methylation may be important to maintaining dosage following duplication and be a precursor to fractionation. Our results indicate that genic methylation marks differing evolutionary trajectories and fates between paralogous genes and have a role in maintaining dosage following duplication.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kenchanmane Raju, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ledford, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-08-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.08.31.275362</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[DNA methylation signatures of duplicate gene evolution in angiosperms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-08-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.06.284976v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Notable sequence homology of the ORF10 protein introspects the architecture of SARS-COV-2 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.06.284976v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The global public health is endangered due to COVID-19 pandemic, which is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite having similar pathology to MERS and SARS-CoV, the infection fatality rate of SARS-CoV-2 is likely lower than 1%. SARS-CoV-2 has been reported to be uniquely characterized by the accessory protein ORF10, which contains eleven cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes of nine amino acids length each, across various human leukocyte antigen (HLA) subtypes. In this study, all missense mutations found in sequence databases were examined across twnety-two unique SARS-CoV-2 ORF10 variants that could possibly alter viral pathogenicity. Some of these mutations decrease the stability of ORF10, e.g. I4L and V6I were found in the MoRF region of ORF10 which may also possibly contribute to Intrinsic protein disorder. Furthermore, a physicochemical and structural comparative analysis was carried out on SARS-CoV-2 and Pangolin-CoV ORF10 proteins, which share 97.37% amino acid homology. The high degree of physicochemical and structural similarity of ORF10 proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and Pangolin-CoV open questions about the architecture of SARS-CoV-2 due to the disagreement of these two ORF10 proteins over their sub-structure (loop/coil region), solubility, antigenicity and change from the strand to coil at amino acid position 26, where tyrosine is present. Altogether, SARS-CoV-2 ORF10 is a promising pharmaceutical target and a protein which should be monitored for changes which correlate to change pathogenesis and clinical course of COVID-19 infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hassan, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Attrish, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghosh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pal Choudhury, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uversky, V. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundstrom, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rezaei, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljabali, A. A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seyran, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pizzol, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adadi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abd El-Aziz, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soares, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kandimalla, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tambuwala, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lal, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azad, G. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>P. Sherchan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baetas-da-Cruz, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brufsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.06.284976</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Notable sequence homology of the ORF10 protein introspects the architecture of SARS-COV-2]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.09.289405v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Hybrid Chemomechanical Promotion of PEDOT Adhesion onto Flexible Microelectrode Arrays for Chronic Neural Stimulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.09.289405v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Advances in neural prosthetic technologies demand ever increasing novelty in material composition to enhance the mechanical and electrochemical properties of existing microelectrode arrays. Conductive polymers present advantages such as mechanical flexibility, outstanding biocompatibility, remarkable electrical properties and, most of all, cellular agreement. However, for long-term chronic applications, they fall short in their electrochemical endurance and mechanical adhesion to their substrate materials. Multiple electrochemical approaches have been investigated to improve the adherence of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) to underlying metallic thin films. In this work, an electrochemical treatment of diazonium salt on platinum microelectrodes is incorporated as an electrochemical adhesion promoter for PEDOT and it is further combined with using the highly microporous geometry of Platinum Grey (Pt-Grey); a technology developed by Second Sight Medical Products Inc (SSMP). The intertwined mechanical integration of Pt-Grey and PEDOT molecules together with the covalent binding agency of diazonium salt demostrate a composite coating technology with long-term stability of more than 452 days while providing >70x enhancement to the interfacial capacitive impedance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mazaheri Kouhani, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Istomin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Datta, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Talbot, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.09.289405</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Hybrid Chemomechanical Promotion of PEDOT Adhesion onto Flexible Microelectrode Arrays for Chronic Neural Stimulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.09.289744v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Migration through a major Andean ecogeographic disruption as a driver of genotypic and phenotypic diversity in a wild tomato species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.09.289744v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The large number of species on our planet arises from the phenotypic variation and reproductive isolation occurring at the population level. In this study, we sought to understand the origins of such population-level variation in defensive acylsugar chemistry and mating systems in Solanum habrochaites - a wild tomato species found in diverse Andean habitats in Ecuador and Peru. Using Restriction-Associated-Digestion Sequencing (RAD-seq) of 50 S. habrochaites accessions, we identified eight population clusters generated via isolation and hybridization dynamics of 4-6 ancestral populations. Estimation of heterozygosity, fixation index, isolation by distance, and migration probabilities, allowed identification of multiple barriers to gene flow leading to the establishment of extant populations. One major barrier is the Amotape-Huancabamba Zone (AHZ) - a geographical feature in the Andes with high endemism, where the mountainous range breaks up into isolated microhabitats. The AHZ was associated with emergence of alleles for novel reproductive and acylsugar phenotypes. These alleles led to the evolution of self-compatibility in the northern populations, where alleles for novel defense-related enzyme variants were also found to be fixed. We identified geographical distance as a major force causing population differentiation in the central/southern part of the range, where S. habrochaites was also inferred to have originated. Findings presented here highlight the role of the diverse ecogeography of Peru and Ecuador in generating new, reproductively isolated populations, and enhance our understanding of the microevolutionary processes that lay a path to speciation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Landis, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broz, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennett, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carrasquilla-Garcia, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cook, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bedinger, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moghe, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.09.289744</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Migration through a major Andean ecogeographic disruption as a driver of genotypic and phenotypic diversity in a wild tomato species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.12.294355v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Idiosyncratic variation in the fitness costs of tetracycline-resistance mutations in Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.12.294355v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A bacteriums fitness relative to its competitors, both in the presence and absence of antibiotics, plays a key role in its ecological success and clinical impact. In this study, we examine whether tetracycline-resistant mutants are less fit in the absence of the drug than their sensitive parents, and whether the fitness cost of resistance is constant or variable across independently derived lines. Tetracycline-resistant lines suffered, on average, a reduction in fitness of almost 8%. There was substantial among-line variation in the fitness cost. This variation was not associated with the level of phenotypic resistance conferred by the mutations, nor did it vary significantly across several different genetic backgrounds. The two resistant lines with the most extreme fitness costs involved functionally unrelated mutations on different genetic backgrounds. However, there was also significant variation in the fitness costs for mutations affecting the same pathway and even different alleles of the same gene. Our findings demonstrate that the fitness costs of antibiotic resistance do not always correlate with the phenotypic level of resistance or the underlying genetic changes. Instead, these costs reflect the idiosyncratic effects of particular resistance mutations and the genetic backgrounds in which they occur.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Card, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jordan, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.12.294355</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Idiosyncratic variation in the fitness costs of tetracycline-resistance mutations in Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.12.294744v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The chaos in calibrating crop models 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.12.294744v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Calibration, the estimation of model parameters based on fitting the model to experimental data, is among the first steps in many applications of system models and has an important impact on simulated values. Here we propose and illustrate a novel method of developing guidelines for calibration of system models. Our example is calibration of the phenology component of crop models. The approach is based on a multi-model study, where all teams are provided with the same data and asked to return simulations for the same conditions. All teams are asked to document in detail their calibration approach, including choices with respect to criteria for best parameters, choice of parameters to estimate and software. Based on an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the various choices, we propose calibration recommendations that cover a comprehensive list of decisions and that are based on actual practices.

HighlightsO_LIWe propose a new approach to deriving calibration recommendations for system models
C_LIO_LIApproach is based on analyzing calibration in multi-model simulation exercises
C_LIO_LIResulting recommendations are holistic and anchored in actual practice
C_LIO_LIWe apply the approach to calibration of crop models used to simulate phenology
C_LIO_LIRecommendations concern: objective function, parameters to estimate, software used
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wallach, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palosuo, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorburn, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hochman, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gourdain, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrianasolo, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Asseng, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basso, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buis, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crout, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dibari, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dumont, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferrise, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaiser, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gayler, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghahramani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hiremath, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoogenboom, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jabloun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jansson, P.-E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jing, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Justes, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kersebaum, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klosterhalfen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Launay, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewan, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maestrini, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mielenz, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moriondo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nariman Zadeh, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Padovan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olesen, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poyda, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Priesack, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pullens, J. W. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schuetze, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shelia, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Souissi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Specka, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srivas</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.12.294744</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The chaos in calibrating crop models]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.14.295923v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional assessment of the "two-hit" model for neurodevelopmental defects in Drosophila and X. laevis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.14.295923v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We previously identified a deletion on chromosome 16p12.1 that is mostly inherited and associated with multiple neurodevelopmental outcomes, where severely affected probands carried an excess of rare pathogenic variants compared to mildly affected carrier parents. We hypothesized that the 16p12.1 deletion sensitizes the genome for disease, while "second-hits" in the genetic background modulate the phenotypic trajectory. To test this model, we examined how neurodevelopmental defects conferred by knockdown of individual 16p12.1 homologs are modulated by simultaneous knockdown of homologs of "second-hit" genes in Drosophila melanogaster and Xenopus laevis. We observed that knockdown of 16p12.1 homologs affect multiple phenotypic domains, leading to delayed developmental timing, seizure susceptibility, brain alterations, abnormal dendrite and axonal morphology, and cellular proliferation defects. Compared to genes within the 16p11.2 deletion, which has higher de novo occurrence, 16p12.1 homologs were less likely to interact with each other in Drosophila models or a human brain-specific interaction network, suggesting that interactions with "second-hit" genes may confer higher impact towards neurodevelopmental phenotypes. Assessment of 212 pairwise interactions in Drosophila between 16p12.1 homologs and 76 homologs of patient-specific "second-hit" genes (such as ARID1B and CACNA1A), genes within neurodevelopmental pathways (such as PTEN and UBE3A), and transcriptomic targets (such as DSCAM and TRRAP) identified genetic interactions in 63% of the tested pairs. In 11 out of 15 families, homologs of patient-specific "second-hits" enhanced or suppressed the phenotypic effects of one or many 16p12.1 homologs. In fact, homologs of SETD5 synergistically interacted with homologs of MOSMO in both Drosophila and X. laevis, leading to modified cellular and brain phenotypes, as well as axon outgrowth defects that were not observed with knockdown of either individual homolog. Our results suggest that several 16p12.1 genes sensitize the genome towards neurodevelopmental defects, and complex interactions with "second-hit" genes determine the ultimate phenotypic manifestation.

Author SummaryCopy-number variants, or deletions and duplications in the genome, are associated with multiple neurodevelopmental disorders. The developmental delay-associated 16p12.1 deletion is mostly inherited, and severely affected children carry an excess of "second-hits" variants compared to mildly affected carrier parents, suggesting that additional variants modulate the clinical manifestation. We studied this "two-hit" model using Drosophila and Xenopus laevis, and systematically tested how homologs of "second-hit" genes modulate neurodevelopmental defects observed for 16p12.1 homologs. We observed that 16p12.1 homologs independently led to multiple neurodevelopmental features and weakly interacted with each other, suggesting that interactions with "second-hit" homologs potentially have a higher impact towards neurodevelopmental defects than interactions between 16p12.1 homologs. We tested 212 pairwise interactions of 16p12.1 homologs with "second-hit" homologs and genes within conserved neurodevelopmental pathways, and observed modulation of neurodevelopmental defects caused by 16p12.1 homologs in 11 out of 15 families, and 16/32 of these changes could be attributed to genetic interactions. Interestingly, we observed that SETD5 homologs interacted with homologs of MOSMO, which conferred additional neuronal phenotypes not observed with knockdown of individual homologs. We propose that the 16p12.1 deletion sensitizes the genome to multiple neurodevelopmental defects, and complex interactions with "second-hit" genes determine the clinical trajectory of the disorder.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lucilla, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lasser, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yusuff, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jensen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ingraham, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huber, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Monahan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iyer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desai, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karthikeyan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gould, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yennawar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weiner, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rolls, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowery, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Girirajan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.14.295923</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional assessment of the "two-hit" model for neurodevelopmental defects in Drosophila and X. laevis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.15.298315v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A contiguous de novo genome assembly of sugar beet EL10 (Beta vulgaris L.) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.15.298315v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A contiguous assembly of the inbred  EL10 sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris) genome was constructed using PacBio long read sequencing, BioNano optical mapping, Hi-C scaffolding, and Illumina short read error correction. The EL10.1 assembly was 540 Mb, of which 96.7% was contained in nine chromosome-sized pseudomolecules with lengths from 52 to 65 Mb, and 31 contigs with a median size of 282 kb that remained unassembled. Gene annotation incorporating RNAseq data and curated sequences via the MAKER annotation pipeline generated 24,255 gene models. Results indicated that the EL10.1 genome assembly is a contiguous genome assembly highly congruent with the published sugar beet reference genome. Gross duplicate gene analyses of EL10.1 revealed little large-scale intra-genome duplication. Reduced gene copy number for well-annotated gene families relative to other core eudicots was observed, especially for transcription factors. Variation in genome size in B. vulgaris was investigated by flow cytometry among 50 individuals drawn from EL10 progeny and three unrelated germplasm accessions, producing estimates from 633 to 875 Mb/1C. Read depth mapping with short-read whole genome sequences from other sugar beet germplasm suggested that relatively few regions of the sugar beet genome appeared associated with high-copy number variation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McGrath, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Funk, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Galewski, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Townsend, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davenport, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daligault, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hastie, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Darracq, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willems, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barnes, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liachko, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sullivan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koren, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Phillippy, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pulman, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Childs, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yocum, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fermin, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mutasa-Gottgens, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stevanato, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taguchi, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorn, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.15.298315</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A contiguous de novo genome assembly of sugar beet EL10 (Beta vulgaris L.)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.21.304030v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Constrained Mixture Theory Model to Study Autoregulation in the Coronary Circulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.21.304030v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Coronary autoregulation is a short-term response manifested by a relatively constant flow over a wide range of perfusion pressures for a given metabolic state. This phenomenon is thought to be facilitated through a combination of mechanisms, including myogenic, shear dependent, and metabolic controls. The study of coronary autoregulation is challenging due to the coupled nature of the mechanisms and their differential effects through the coronary tree. In this paper, we developed a novel framework to study coronary autoregulation based on the constrained mixture theory. This structurally-motivated autoregulation model required calibration of anatomical and structural parameters of coronary trees via a homeostatic optimization approach using extensive literature data. Autoregulation was then simulated for two different coronary trees: subepicardial and subendocardial. The structurally calibrated model reproduced available baseline hemodynamics and autoregulation data for each coronary tree. The autoregulation analysis showed that the diameter of the intermediate and small arterioles varies the most in response to changes in perfusion pressure. Finally, we demonstrated the utility of the model in two application examples: 1) response to drops in epicardial pressure, and 2) response to drug infusion in the coronary arteries. The proposed structurally-motivated model could be extended to study long-term growth and remodeling in the coronary circulation in response to hypertension, atherosclerosis, etc.

Key pointsO_LICoronary autoregulation is defined as the capability of the coronary circulation to maintain the blood supply to the heart over a range of perfusion pressures. This phenomenon is facilitated through intrinsic mechanisms that control the vascular resistance by regulating the mechanical function of smooth muscle cells. Understanding the mechanisms involved in coronary autoregulation is one of the most fundamental questions in coronary physiology.
C_LIO_LIThis paper presents a structurally-motivated coronary autoregulation model that uses a nonlinear continuum mechanics approach to account for the morphometry and vessel wall composition in two coronary trees in the subepicardial and subendocardial layers.
C_LIO_LIThe model is calibrated against diverse experimental data from literature and is used to study heterogeneous autoregulatory response in the coronary trees. This model drastically differs from previous models, which relied on lumped parameter model formulations, and is suited to the study of long-term pathophysiological growth and remodeling phenomena in coronary vessels.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gharahi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beard, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Figueroa, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.21.304030</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Constrained Mixture Theory Model to Study Autoregulation in the Coronary Circulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.21.306407v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Environmental influences and individual characteristics that affect learner-centered teaching practices 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.21.306407v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Research-based teaching practices can improve student learning outcomes in a variety of complex educational environments. The implementation of learner-centered teaching practices in STEM can both benefit or be constrained by different factors related to individual instructors and the teaching environment. However, we know little of how the instructional climate varies across institutions and how this climate affects teaching practices. Our study sought to describe the relative importance of environmental influences and individual characteristics on learner- centered teaching practices across institutions. We also assessed departmental climate for 35 US higher education institutions. We found that self-efficacy in teaching and professional development exert a strong influence on faculty teaching practices. While departmental climate did not emerge as a significant predictor of teaching practices, there was consistently low support for teaching, and institution size was negatively correlated with leadership and evaluation of effective teaching. We also found that professional development may prepare instructors to teach learner-centered courses in different collegial teaching climates. Our results suggest that through cultivating self-efficacy and participating in iterative professional development, instructors can implement effective teaching practices across institutional environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Emery, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maher, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ebert-May, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.21.306407</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Environmental influences and individual characteristics that affect learner-centered teaching practices]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.22.308577v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Robust normalization and transformation techniques for constructing gene coexpression networks from RNA-seq data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.22.308577v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundConstructing gene coexpression networks is a powerful approach for analyzing high-throughput gene expression data towards module identification, gene function prediction, and disease-gene prioritization. While optimal workflows for constructing coexpression networks - including good choices for data pre-processing, normalization, and network transformation - have been developed for microarray-based expression data, such well-tested choices do not exist for RNA-seq data. Almost all studies that compare data processing/normalization methods for RNA-seq focus on the end goal of determining differential gene expression.

ResultsHere, we present a comprehensive benchmarking and analysis of 30 different workflows, each with a unique set of normalization and network transformation methods, for constructing coexpression networks from RNA-seq datasets. We tested these workflows on both large, homogenous datasets (Genotype-Tissue Expression project) and small, heterogeneous datasets from various labs (submitted to the Sequence Read Archive). We analyzed the workflows in terms of aggregate performance, individual method choices, and the impact of multiple dataset experimental factors. Our results demonstrate that between-sample normalization has the biggest impact, with trimmed mean of M-values or upper quartile normalization producing networks that most accurately recapitulate known tissue-naive and tissue-specific gene functional relationships.

ConclusionsBased on this work, we provide concrete recommendations on robust procedures for building an accurate coexpression network from an RNA-seq dataset. In addition, researchers can examine all the results in great detail at https://krishnanlab.github.io/norm_for_RNAseq_coexp to make appropriate choices for coexpression analysis based on the experimental factors of their RNA-seq dataset.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Johnson, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.22.308577</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Robust normalization and transformation techniques for constructing gene coexpression networks from RNA-seq data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.22.309047v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
INTEGRINS MEDIATE PLACENTAL EXTRACELLULAR VESICLE TRAFFICKING TO LUNG AND LIVER IN VIVO 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.22.309047v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Membrane-bound extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate intercellular communication in all organisms, and those produced by placental mammals have become increasingly recognized as significant mediators of fetal-maternal communication. Here, we aimed to identify maternal cells targeted by placental EVs and elucidate the mechanisms by which they traffic to these cells. Exogenously administered pregnancy-associated EVs traffic specifically to the lung; further, placental EVs associate with lung interstitial macrophages and liver Kupffer cells in an integrin-dependent manner. Localization of EV to maternal lungs was confirmed in unmanipulated pregnancy using a transgenic reporter mouse model, which also provided in situ and in vitro evidence that fetally-derived EVs, rarely, may cause genetic alteration of maternal cells. These results provide for the first time direct in vivo evidence for targeting of placental EVs to maternal immune cells, and further, evidence that EVs can alter cellular phenotype.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahn, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenberg, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collaer, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agnew, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petroff, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.22.309047</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[INTEGRINS MEDIATE PLACENTAL EXTRACELLULAR VESICLE TRAFFICKING TO LUNG AND LIVER IN VIVO]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.23.299727v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Host phylogeny and host ecology structure the mammalian gut microbiota at different taxonomic scales 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.23.299727v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The gut microbiota is critical for host function. Among mammals, host phylogenetic relatedness and diet are strong drivers of gut microbiota structure, but one factor may be more influential than the other. Here, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to determine the relative contributions of host phylogeny and host dietary guild in structuring the gut microbiotas of 11 herbivore species from 5 families living sympatrically in southwest Kenya. Herbivore species were classified as grazers, browsers, or mixed-feeders. We found that gut microbiotas were highly species-specific, and that host taxonomy accounted for more variation in the gut microbiota (30%) than did host dietary guild (10%) or sample month (8%). Overall, similarity among gut microbiotas increased with host phylogenetic relatedness (r=0.73), yet this relationship was not consistent among seven closely related Bovid host species (r=0.21 NS). Within bovids, host dietary guild explained more of the variation in the gut microbiota than did host species. Lastly, while we found that the gut microbiotas of herbivores residing in southwest Kenya converge with those of distinct populations of conspecifics from central Kenya, fine-scale differences in the abundances of bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) between individuals from the two regions were also observed. Overall, our findings suggest that host phylogeny and taxonomy strongly structure the gut microbiota, but these gut microbial communities could be furthered modified by host ecology, especially among closely related host species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rojas, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramirez-Barahona, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Theis, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.23.299727</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Host phylogeny and host ecology structure the mammalian gut microbiota at different taxonomic scales]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.23.308528v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Endometrial epithelial ARID1A is critical for uterine gland function in early pregnancy establishment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.23.308528v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Though endometriosis and infertility are clearly associated, the pathophysiological mechanism remains unclear. Previous work has linked endometrial ARID1A loss to endometriosis-related endometrial non-receptivity. Here, we show in mice that ARID1A binds and regulates transcription of the Foxa2 gene required for endometrial gland function. Uterine specific deletion of Arid1a compromises gland development and diminishes Foxa2 and Lif expression. Deletion of Arid1a with Ltf-iCre in the adult mouse endometrial epithelium preserves gland development while still compromising gland function. Mice lacking endometrial epithelial Arid1a are severely sub-fertile due to defects in implantation, decidualization, and endometrial receptivity from disruption of the LIF-STAT3-EGR1 pathway. FOXA2 is also reduced in the endometrium of women with endometriosis in correlation with diminished ARID1A, and both ARID1A and FOXA2 are reduced in non-human primates induced with endometriosis. Our findings describe a role for ARID1A in the endometrial epithelium supporting early pregnancy establishment through the maintenance of gland function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marquardt, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, T.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoo, J.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teasley, H. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fazleabas, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Young, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lessey, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeong, J.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.23.308528</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Endometrial epithelial ARID1A is critical for uterine gland function in early pregnancy establishment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.24.301986v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phage-shock-protein (Psp) Envelope Stress Response: Evolutionary History and Discovery of Novel Players 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.24.301986v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial phage shock protein (PSP) systems stabilize the bacterial cell membrane and protect against envelope stress. These systems have been associated with virulence, but despite their critical roles, PSP components are not well-characterized outside proteobacteria. Using comparative genomics and protein sequence-structure-function analyses, we systematically identified and analyzed PSP homologs, phyletic patterns, domain architectures, and gene neighborhoods. This approach underscored the evolutionary significance of the system, revealing that the core PspA gene (Snf7 in ESCRT outside bacteria) was present in the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA), and that this ancestral functionality has since diversified into multiple novel, distinct PSP systems across life. Several novel partners of the PSP system were identified: (i) the Toastrack domain, likely facilitating assembly of sub-membrane stress-sensing and signaling complexes, (ii) the newly-defined HAAS-PadR-like transcriptional regulator pair system, and (iii) multiple independent associations with ATPase, CesT/Tir-like chaperone, and Band-7 domains in proteins thought to mediate sub-membrane dynamics. Our work also uncovered links between the PSP components and other domains, such as novel variants of SHOCT-like domains, suggesting roles in assembling membrane-associated complexes of proteins with disparate biochemical functions. Results are available at https://jravilab.org/psp.

ImportancePhage shock proteins (PSP) are virulence-associated, cell membrane stress-protective systems. They have mostly been characterized in proteobacteria and firmicutes. We now show that PSP systems were present in the Last Universal Common Ancestor, and that homologs have evolved and diversified into newly identified functional contexts. Recognizing the conservation and evolution of PSP systems across bacterial phyla contributes to our understanding of stress response mechanisms in prokaryotes. Moreover, the newly discovered PSP modularity will likely prompt new studies of lineage-specific cell-envelope structures, lifestyles, and adaptation mechanisms. Finally, our results validate use of domain architecture and genetic context for discovery in comparative genomics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anantharaman, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, S. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Datta, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aravind, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gennaro, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.24.301986</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phage-shock-protein (Psp) Envelope Stress Response: Evolutionary History and Discovery of Novel Players]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.25.311100v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Oxicam-type nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit NPR1-mediated salicylic acid pathway 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.25.311100v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Salicylic acid (SA) and its structural analogs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that target mammalian cyclooxygenases. In plants, SA acts as a defense hormone that regulates NON-EXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS RELATED GENES 1 (NPR1), the master transcriptional regulator of immunity-related genes. We identified a number of NSAIDs that enhance bacterial effector-induced cell death. Among them, the oxicam-type NSAIDs tenoxicam (TNX), meloxicam, and piroxicam, but not other types of NSAIDs, exhibit an inhibitory effect on immunity to bacteria and SA-dependent immune responses in plants. TNX treatment reduces NPR1 levels, independently from the proposed SA receptors NPR3 and NPR4. Instead, TNX induces oxidation of cytosolic redox status, which is also affected by SA and regulates NPR1 homeostasis. Surprisingly, however, cysteine modification associated with NPR1 oligomerization via intermolecular disulfide bonds is not affected by either SA or TNX. Therefore, oxicam-type NSAIDs highlight importance of SA effects on the cytosolic redox status, but not on cysteine modification or oligomerization of NPR1.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ishihama, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, S.-w.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noutoshi, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saska, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Asai, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takizawa, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osada, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shirasu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.25.311100</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Oxicam-type nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit NPR1-mediated salicylic acid pathway]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.25.313650v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adaptive and maladaptive expression plasticity underlying herbicide resistance in an agricultural weed. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.25.313650v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plastic phenotypic responses to environmental change are common, yet we lack a clear understanding of the fitness consequences of these plastic responses. Here, we use the evolution of herbicide resistance in the common morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea) as a model for understanding the relative importance of adaptive and maladaptive gene expression responses to herbicide. Specifically, we compare leaf gene expression changes caused by herbicide to the expression changes that evolve in response to artificial selection for herbicide resistance. We identify a number of genes that show plastic and evolved responses to herbicide and find that for the majority of genes with both plastic and evolved responses, plastic responses appear to be adaptive. We also find that selection for herbicide response increases gene expression plasticity. Overall, these results show the importance of adaptive plasticity for herbicide resistance in a common weed and that expression changes in response to strong environmental change can be adaptive.

Impact statementPredicting whether and how organisms will adapt to environmental change is a crucial goal. However, this goal can be complicated because environmental change can alter traits, in a process called plasticity. The extent and fitness consequences of plasticity will have important effects on the adaptive process. In this study, we use adaptation to herbicide in the agricultural weed, the common morning glory, as a model for understanding the extent and fitness consequences of plasticity in gene expression. We find evidence that gene expression plasticity is adaptive in the presence of herbicide, suggesting that understanding plasticity is crucial for understanding how organisms adapt to new environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Etten, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkess, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platts, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baucom, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.25.313650</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adaptive and maladaptive expression plasticity underlying herbicide resistance in an agricultural weed.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.26.279851v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gut microbiome dysbiosis is associated with elevated toxic bile acids in Parkinson's disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.26.279851v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The gut microbiome can impact brain health and is altered in Parkinsons disease (PD) patients. Here, we investigate changes in the functional microbiome in the appendix of PD patients relative to controls by metatranscriptomic analysis. We find microbial dysbiosis affecting lipid metabolism, particularly an upregulation of bacteria responsible for secondary bile acid synthesis. Proteomic and transcript analysis corroborates a disruption in cholesterol homeostasis and lipid catabolism. Bile acid analysis reveals an increase in microbially-derived, toxic secondary bile acids. Synucleinopathy in mice induces similar microbiome alterations to those of PD patients. The mouse model of synucleinopathy has elevated DCA and LCA. An analysis of blood markers shows evidence of biliary abnormalities early in PD, including elevated alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. Increased bilirubin levels are also evident before PD diagnosis. In sum, microbially-derived toxic bile acids are heightened in PD and biliary changes may even precede the onset of overt motor symptoms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Killinger, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beddows, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ensink, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yilmaz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lubben, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamp, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilthuis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vega, I. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Britschgi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pospisilik, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brundin, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brundin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graham, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Labrie, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.09.26.279851</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gut microbiome dysbiosis is associated with elevated toxic bile acids in Parkinson's disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.01.322701v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gut metabolites are more predictive of disease- and cohoused- states than gut bacterial features in a mouse model of polycystic ovary syndrome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.01.322701v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) impacts [~]10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide. In addition to infertility, women with PCOS suffer from metabolic dysregulation which increases their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Studies have shown differences in the gut microbiome of women with PCOS compared to controls, a pattern replicated in mouse models. Recently, using a letrozole-induced mouse model of PCOS, we demonstrated that cohousing was protective against development of metabolic and reproductive phenotypes and showed via 16S amplicon sequencing that this protection correlated with time-dependent shifts in gut bacteria. Here, we applied untargeted metabolomics and shotgun metagenomics approaches to further analyze the longitudinal samples from the cohousing experiment. Analysis of beta diversity found that untargeted metabolites had the strongest correlation to both disease and cohoused states and that shifts in metabolite diversity were detected prior to shifts in bacterial diversity. In addition, log2-fold analyses found numerous metabolite features, particularly bile acids (BA), to be highly differentiated between placebo (P) and letrozole (LET), as well as cohoused LET versus LET. Our results indicate that changes in gut metabolites, particularly BAs, are associated with a PCOS-like phenotype in the LET mouse model as well as the protective effect of cohousing. Our results also suggest that transfer of metabolites via coprophagy occurs rapidly and may precipitate changes in bacterial diversity. This study joins a growing body of research highlighting changes in primary and secondary bile acids that may provide a link between host metabolism and gut microbes relevant to the pathology of PCOS.

IMPORTANCEUsing a combination of untargeted metabolomics and metagenomics, we performed a comparative longitudinal analysis of the feces collected in a cohousing study with a PCOS mouse model. Our results showed that gut metabolite composition experienced earlier and more pronounced differentiation in both the disease model and cohoused mice compared with the microbial composition. Notably, statistical and machine learning approaches identified shifts in the relative abundance of primary and secondary BA, which have been implicated as modifiers of gut microbial growth and diversity. Network correlation analysis showed strong associations between particular BA and bacterial species, particularly members of Lactobacillus, and that these correlations were time and treatment dependent. Our results provide novel insights into host/microbe relationships related to hyperandrogenism in females and indicate that focused research into small molecule control of gut microbial diversity and host physiology may provide new therapeutic options for the treatment of PCOS.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ho, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ryback, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benson, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torres, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thackray, V. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kelley, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.01.322701</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gut metabolites are more predictive of disease- and cohoused- states than gut bacterial features in a mouse model of polycystic ovary syndrome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.05.325977v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Opportunities and limits of combining microbiome and genome data for complex trait prediction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.05.325977v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The analysis and prediction of complex traits using microbiome data combined with host genomic information is a topic of utmost interest. However, numerous questions remain to be answered: How useful can the microbiome be for complex trait prediction? Are microbiability estimates reliable? Can the underlying biological links between the hosts genome, microbiome, and the phenome be recovered? Here, we address these issues by (i) developing a novel simulation strategy that uses real microbiome and genotype data as input, and (ii) proposing a variance-component approach which, in the spirit of mediation analyses, quantifies the proportion of phenotypic variance explained by genome and microbiome, and dissects it into direct and indirect effects. The proposed simulation approach can mimic a genetic link between the microbiome and SNP data via a permutation procedure that retains the distributional properties of the data. Results suggest that microbiome data could significantly improve phenotype prediction accuracy, irrespective of whether some abundances are under direct genetic control by the host or not. Overall, random-effects linear methods appear robust for variance components estimation, despite the highly leptokurtic distribution of microbiota abundances. Nevertheless, we observed that accuracy depends in part on the number of microorganisms taxa influencing the trait of interest. While we conclude that overall genome-microbiome-links can be characterized via variance components, we are less optimistic about the possibility of identifying the causative effects, i.e., individual SNPs affecting abundances; power at this level would require much larger sample sizes than the ones typically available for genome-microbiome-phenome data.

Author summaryThe microbiome consists of the microorganisms that live in a particular environment, including those in our organism. There is consistent evidence that these communities play an important role in numerous traits of relevance, including disease susceptibility or feed efficiency. Moreover, it has been shown that the microbiome can be relatively stable throughout an individuals life and that is affected by the host genome. These reasons have prompted numerous studies to determine whether and how the microbiome can be used for prediction of complex phenotypes, either using microbiome alone or in combination with hosts genome data. However, numerous questions remain to be answered such as the reliability of parameter estimates, or which is the underlying relationship between microbiome, genome, and phenotype. The few available empirical studies do not provide a clear answer to these problems. Here we address these issues by developing a novel simulation strategy and we show that, although the microbiome can significantly help in prediction, it will be difficult to retrieve the actual biological basis of interactions between the microbiome and the trait.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Perez-Enciso, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zingaretti, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramayo-Caldas, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.05.325977</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Opportunities and limits of combining microbiome and genome data for complex trait prediction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.07.329946v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional Characterization of an Electromagnetic Perceptive Protein 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.07.329946v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Magnetoreception, the response to geomagnetic fields is a well described phenomenon in nature. However, it is likely that convergent evolution led to different mechanisms in different organisms. One intriguing example is the unique Electromagnetic Perceptive Gene (EPG) from the glass catfish Kryptopterus vitreolus, that can remotely control cellular function, upon magnetic stimulation in in-vitro and in-vivo. Here, we report for the first time the cellular location and orientation of the EPG protein. We utilized a differential labelling technique to determine that the EPG protein is a membrane anchored protein with an N-terminal extracellular domain. The kinetics and diffusion dynamics of the EPG protein in response to magnetic stimulation was also elucidated using single particle imaging and tracking. Pulse chase labelling and Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) imaging revealed an increase in EPG kinetics post magnetic activation at a single particle level. Trajectory analysis show notably different EPG protein kinetics before and after magnetic stimulation in both 2 (free vs bound particle) and 3 state (free vs intermediate vs bound particle) tracking models. This data provides additional information to support and understand the underlying biophysical mechanisms behind EPG activation by magnetic fields and provides evidence for the basis of magnetoreception in the EPG protein that will aid in future studies that seek to further understand this novel mechanism. This study is important for understanding magnetoreception as well as developing new technologies for magnetogenetics - the utilization of electromagnetic fields to remotely control cellular function.

Table of Contents Graphic

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=126 SRC="FIGDIR/small/329946v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (39K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ce4aborg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@e8bb89org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1705113org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@dadf23_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mitra, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barnaba, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.07.329946</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional Characterization of an Electromagnetic Perceptive Protein]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.08.332452v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Possible transmission flow of SARS-CoV-2 based on ACE2 features 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.08.332452v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the cellular receptor for the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that is engendering the severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 binds to the three sub-domains viz. amino acids (aa) 22-42, aa 79-84, and aa 330-393 of ACE2 on human cells to initiate entry. It was reported earlier that the receptor utilization capacity of ACE2 proteins from different species, such as cats, chimpanzees, dogs, and cattle, are different. A comprehensive analysis of ACE2 receptors of nineteen species was carried out in this study, and the findings propose a possible SARS-CoV-2 transmission flow across these nineteen species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hassan, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghosh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Attrish, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pal Choudhury, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uversky, V. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundstrom, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rezaei, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljabali, A. A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seyran, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pizzol, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adadi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soares, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abd El-Aziz, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kandimalla, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tambuwala, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azad, G. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sherchan, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baetas-da-Cruz, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takayama, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serrano-Aroca, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chauhan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brufsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.08.332452</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Possible transmission flow of SARS-CoV-2 based on ACE2 features]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.09.334169v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Practice modifies the response to errors during a novel motor sequence learning task 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.09.334169v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The occurrence of an error when performing a motor sequence causes an immediate reduction in speed on subsequent trials, which is referred to as post-error slowing. However, understanding how post-error slowing changes with practice has been difficult because it requires extended practice on a novel sequence task. To address this issue, we examined post-error slowing in a novel glove-based typing task that participants performed for 15 consecutive days. Speed and accuracy improved from the early to middle stages of practice, but did not show any further improvements between middle and late stage of practice. However, when we analyzed the response to errors, we found that participants decreased both the magnitude and duration of post-error slowing with practice, even after there were no detectable improvements in overall task performance. These results indicate that learning not only improves overall task performance but also modifies the ability to respond to errors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rachaveti, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ranganathan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>SKM, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.09.334169</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Practice modifies the response to errors during a novel motor sequence learning task]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.14.339960v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CRIMSON: An Open-Source Software Framework for Cardiovascular Integrated Modelling and Simulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.14.339960v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In this work, we describe the CRIMSON (CardiovasculaR Integrated Modelling and SimulatiON) software environment. CRIMSON provides a powerful, customizable and user-friendly system for performing three-dimensional and reduced-order computational haemodynamics studies via a pipeline which involves: 1) segmenting vascular structures from medical images; 2) constructing analytic arterial and venous geometric models; 3) performing finite element mesh generation; 4) designing, and 5) applying boundary conditions; 6) running incompressible Navier-Stokes simulations of blood flow with fluid-structure interaction capabilities; and 7) post-processing and visualizing the results, including velocity, pressure and wall shear stress fields. A key aim of CRIMSON is to create a software environment that makes powerful computational haemodynamics tools accessible to a wide audience, including clinicians and students, both within our research laboratories and throughout the community. The overall philosophy is to leverage best-in-class open source standards for medical image processing, parallel flow computation, geometric solid modelling, data assimilation, and mesh generation. It is actively used by researchers in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Australia. It has been applied to numerous clinical problems; we illustrate applications of CRIMSON to real-world problems using examples ranging from pre-operative surgical planning to medical device design optimization. CRIMSON binaries for Microsoft Windows 10, documentation and example input files are freely available for download from www.crimson.software, and the source code with compilation instructions is available on GitHub https://github.com/carthurs/CRIMSONFlowsolver (CRIMSON Flowsolver) under the GPL v3.0 license, and https://github.com/carthurs/CRIMSONGUI (CRIMSON GUI), under the AGPL v3.0 license. Support is available on the CRIMSON Google Groups forum, located at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/crimson-users.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Arthurs, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khlebnikov, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melville, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mar?an, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gomez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dillon-Murphy, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cuomo, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silva Vieira, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schollenberger, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lynch, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tossas-Betancourt, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iyer, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hopper, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Livingston, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Youssefi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noorani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ben Ahmed, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nauta, F. J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Bakel, T. M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmed, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Bakel, P. A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mynard, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Di Achille, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gharahi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lau, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Filonova, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nama, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garikipati, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sahni, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nordsletten, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Figueroa, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.14.339960</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CRIMSON: An Open-Source Software Framework for Cardiovascular Integrated Modelling and Simulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.19.344747v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Signature of selection in composite Vrindavani cattle of India 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.19.344747v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Vrindavani is an Indian composite cattle breed developed by crossbreeding taurine dairy breeds with native indicine cattle in the 1960s. About 190,000 semen doses of Vrindavani bulls have been distributed to the farmers till date. The animals are under artificial and natural selection for higher milk production and adaptation to the tropical climate, respectively. However, the selection response for production and adaptation traits in the Vrindavani genome is not explored. In this study, we provide the first overview of the selection signatures in the Vrindavani genome. 96 Vrindavani cattle were genotyped using the BovineSNP50 BeadChip and the SNP genotype data of its constituent breeds were collected from a public database. Within-breed selection signatures in Vrindavani were investigated using the integrated haplotype score (iHS). Vrindavani was also compared to each of its parental breeds to discover between-population signatures of selection using two approaches, cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) and fixation index (FST). Selection of signature identifies 11 common region identified by more than one harbouring genes such as LRP1B, TNNI3K, APOB, CACNA2D1, FAM110B and SPATA17 associated with production and adaptation. Overall, our results suggested stronger selective pressure on regions responsible for adaptation compared to milk yield.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Singh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mehrotra, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gondro, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romero, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pandey, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>A, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bashir, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mishra, B. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dutt, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>KUMAR, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.19.344747</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Signature of selection in composite Vrindavani cattle of India]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.23.350819v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Motor variability prior to learning is a poor predictor of the ability to adopt new movement solutions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.23.350819v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many contexts in motor learning require a learner to change from an existing movement solution to a novel movement solution to perform the same task. Recent evidence has pointed to motor variability prior to learning as a potential marker for predicting individual differences in motor learning. However, it is not known if this variability is predictive of the ability to adopt a new movement solution for the same task. Here, we examined this question in the context of a redundant precision task requiring control of motor variability. Fifty young adults learned a precision task that involved throwing a virtual puck toward a target using both hands. Because the speed of the puck depended on the sum of speeds of both hands, this task could be achieved using multiple solutions. Participants initially performed a baseline task where there was no constraint on the movement solution, and then performed a novel task where they were constrained to adopt a specific movement solution requiring asymmetric left and right hand speeds. Results showed that participants were able to learn the new solution, and this change was associated with changes in both the amount and structure of variability. However, individual differences in baseline motor variability were only weakly correlated with initial and final task performance when using the new solution, with greater variability being associated with higher errors. We also found a strong specificity component - initial variability when using the new solution was highly correlated with final task performance with the new solution, but once again, higher variability was associated with greater errors. These results suggest that motor variability is not necessarily indicative of flexibility and highlight the need to consider the task context in determining the relation between motor variability and learning.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ranganathan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carey, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lokesh, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, M.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.23.350819</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Motor variability prior to learning is a poor predictor of the ability to adopt new movement solutions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.23.352542v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Responses of Neurons in the Medullary Lateral Tegmental Field and Nucleus Tractus Solitarius to Vestibular Stimuli in Conscious Felines 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.23.352542v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Considerable evidence shows that the vestibular system contributes to adjusting sympathetic nervous system activity to maintain adequate blood pressure during movement and changes in posture. However, only a few prior experiments entailed recordings in conscious animals from brainstem neurons presumed to convey baroreceptor and vestibular inputs to neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) that provide inputs to sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord. In this study, recordings were made in conscious felines from neurons in the medullary lateral tegmental field (LTF) and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) identified as regulating sympathetic nervous system activity by exhibiting changes in firing rate related to the cardiac cycle, or cardiac-related activity (CRA). Approximately 38% of LTF and NTS neurons responded to static 40{degrees} head up tilts with a change in firing rate of ~50%. However, few of these neurons responded to 10{degrees} sinusoidal rotations in the pitch plane, in contrast to prior findings in decerebrate animals that the firing rates of both NTS and LTF neurons are modulated by small-amplitude body rotations. Thus, as previously demonstrated for RVLM neurons, in conscious animals NTS and LTF neurons only respond to large rotations that lead to changes in sympathetic nervous system activity. The similar responses to head-up rotations of LTF and NTS neurons with those documented for RVLM neurons suggest that LTF and NTS neurons are components of the vestibulo-sympathetic reflex pathway. However, a difference between NTS/LTF neurons and RVLM was variability in CRA over time. This variability was significantly greater for RVLM neurons, raising the hypothesis that the responsiveness of these neurons to baroreceptor input is adjusted based on the animals vigilance and alertness.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bielanin, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Douglas, N. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shulgach, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCall, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amin, P. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphey, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barman, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yates, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.23.352542</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Responses of Neurons in the Medullary Lateral Tegmental Field and Nucleus Tractus Solitarius to Vestibular Stimuli in Conscious Felines]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.23.352963v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Alignment-free methods for polyploid genomes: quick and reliable genetic distance estimation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.23.352963v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Polyploid genomes pose several inherent challenges to population genetic analyses. While alignment-based methods are fundamentally limited in their applicability to polyploids, alignment-free methods bypass most of these limits. We investigated the use of Mash, a k-mer analysis tool that uses the MinHash method to reduce complexity in large genomic datasets, for basic population genetic analyses of polyploid sequences. We measured the degree to which Mash correctly estimated pairwise genetic distance in simulated diploid and polyploid short-read sequences with various levels of missing data. Mash-based estimates of genetic distance were comparable to alignment-based estimates, and were less impacted by missing data. We also used Mash to analyze publicly available short-read data for three polyploid and one diploid species, then compared Mash results to published results. For both simulated and real data, Mash accurately estimated pairwise genetic differences for polyploids as well as diploids as much as 476 times faster than alignment-based methods, though we found that Mash genetic distance estimates could be biased by per-sample read depth. Mash may be a particularly useful addition to the toolkit of polyploid geneticists for rapid confirmation of alignment-based results and for basic population genetics in reference-free systems with poor quality DNA.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanWallendael, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alvarez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-10-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.10.23.352963</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Alignment-free methods for polyploid genomes: quick and reliable genetic distance estimation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-10-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.02.364109v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Loss of a plant receptor kinase recruits beneficial rhizosphere-associated Pseudomonas 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.02.364109v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Maintaining microbiome structure is critical for the health of both plants1 and animals2. In plants, enrichment of beneficial bacteria is associated with advantageous outcomes including protection from biotic and abiotic stress3,4. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms by which plants enrich for specific beneficial microbes without general dysbiosis have remained elusive. Here we show that through regulation of NADPH oxidase, FERONIA kinase negatively regulates beneficial Pseudomonas fluorescens in the Arabidopsis rhizosphere microbiome. By rescreening a collection of Arabidopsis mutants that affect root immunity under gnotobiotic conditions, followed by microbiome sequencing in natural soil, we identified a FERONIA mutant (fer-8) with a rhizosphere microbiome enriched in P. fluorescens without phylum-level dysbiosis. Using microbiome transplant experiments, we found that the fer-8 microbiome was beneficial and promoted plant growth. The effect of FER on rhizosphere Pseudomonads was independent of its immune coreceptor function, role in development, and jasmonic acid autoimmunity. We found that the fer-8 mutant has reduced basal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in roots and that mutants deficient in NADPH oxidase showed elevated rhizosphere Pseudomonad levels. Overexpression of the ROP2 gene (encoding a client of FER and positive regulator of NADPH oxidase5) in fer-8 plants suppressed Pseudomonad overgrowth. This work shows that FER-mediated ROS production regulates levels of beneficial Pseudomonads in the rhizosphere microbiome.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Song, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thoms, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sohrabi, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Geissmann, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walgren, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haney, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.02.364109</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Loss of a plant receptor kinase recruits beneficial rhizosphere-associated Pseudomonas]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.06.372227v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Variability of Accessory Proteins Rules the SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenicity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.06.372227v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is pandemic with an estimated fatality rate less than 1% is ongoing. SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins ORF3a, ORF6, ORF7a, ORF7b, ORF8, and ORF10 with putative functions to manipulate host immune mechanisms such as interferons, immune signaling receptor NLRP3 (NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing 3) inflammasome, inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1{beta} (IL-1{beta}) are critical in COVID-19 pathology. Outspread variations of each of the six accessory proteins of all complete proteomes (available as of October 26, 2020, in the National Center for Biotechnology Information depository) of SARS-CoV-2, were observed across six continents. Across all continents, the decreasing order of percentage of unique variations in the accessory proteins was found to be ORF3a>ORF8>ORF7a>ORF6>ORF10>ORF7b. The highest and lowest unique variations of ORF3a were observed in South America and Oceania, respectively. This finding suggests that the wide variations of accessory proteins seem to govern the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2, and consequently, certain propositions and recommendations can be made in the public interest.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hassan, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pal Choudhury, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uversky, V. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dayhoff, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljabali, A. A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundstrom, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rezaei, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seyran, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pizzol, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adadi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lal, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soares, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abd El-Aziz, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kandimalla, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tambuwala, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azad, G. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sherchan, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baetas-da-Cruz, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takayama, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serrano Aroca, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chauhan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brufsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.06.372227</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Variability of Accessory Proteins Rules the SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenicity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.08.373241v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-session delivery of synchronous rTMS and sensory stimulation induces long-term plasticity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.08.373241v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundCombining training or sensory stimulation with non-invasive brain stimulation has shown to improve performance in healthy subjects and improve brain function in patients after brain injury. However, the plasticity mechanisms and the optimal parameters to induce long-term and sustainable enhanced performance remain unknown.

ObjectiveThis work was designed to identify the protocols of which combining sensory stimulation with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) will facilitate the greatest changes in fMRI activation maps in the rats primary somatosensory cortex (S1).

MethodsSeveral protocols of combining forepaw electrical stimulation with rTMS were tested, including a single stimulation session compared to multiple, daily stimulation sessions, as well as synchronous and asynchronous delivery of both modalities. High-resolution fMRI was used to determine how pairing sensory stimulation with rTMS induced short and long-term plasticity in the rat S1.

ResultsAll groups that received a single session of rTMS showed short-term increases in S1 activity, but these increases did not last three days after the session. The group that received a stimulation protocol of 10 Hz forepaw stimulation that was delivered simultaneously with 10 Hz rTMS for five consecutive days demonstrated the greatest increases in the extent of the evoked fMRI responses compared to groups that received other stimulation protocols.

ConclusionsOur results provide direct indication that pairing peripheral stimulation with rTMS induces long-term plasticity, and this phenomenon appears to follow a time-dependent plasticity mechanism. These results will be important to lead the design of new training and rehabilitation paradigms and training towards achieving maximal performance in healthy subjects.

HighlightsO_LIA single rTMS session induced short-term changes but they were not sustainable
C_LIO_LIMulti-session delivery of rTMS paired with sensory stimulation induced long-term plasticity
C_LIO_LIrTMS paired with sensory stimulation induced plasticity via time-dependent mechanism
C_LIO_LIDelivery of sensory stimulation only did not induce long-term plasticity
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhong, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cywiak, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Metto, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.08.373241</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-session delivery of synchronous rTMS and sensory stimulation induces long-term plasticity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.10.374876v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Neuromesodermal Progenitors Advance Network Formation of Spinal Neurons and Support Cells in Neural Ribbons In Vitro and Unprotected Survival in a Rat Subacute Contusion Model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.10.374876v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Improved human stem cell interventions to treat CNS trauma requires continued expansion of in vitro models and delivery platforms to fill gaps in analysis and treatment. Transplanted neural stem cells (NSCs) face unique, multi-faceted challenges beyond survival that include differentiation, maturation, and integration into a complex cytokine-releasing microenvironment that impinges on a multipotent cell type. Alternate strategies to transplant neurons and neuronal networks deserve reevaluation, particularly since novel differentiation protocols mimicking region-specific developmental and positional cues have recently emerged. To investigate transplantation of neurons and their early networks, we generate in vitro neural ribbons containing spinal neurons and support cells anatomically matched for cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). These glutamate-responsive, electrically-active neural ribbons apply a new hiPSC differentiation strategy transiting through neuromesodermal progenitors (NMps) to derive developmentally relevant spinal motor neurons (SMNs), interneurons (INs), and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Bioinformatic profiling validates region-specific identities. Neurons and neuronal networks are functionally evaluated for action potential firing, calcium signaling, population activity, and synaptogenesis. NMp-derived neurons survive in vivo within the subacute phase hemi-contusion injury cavity when delivered either as free suspension or as encapsulated networks of pre-formed CNS cytoarchitectures. Delivery as encapsulated networks further supports survival of lower cell numbers and rapid graft penetration into host tissue. Neural network ribbons therefore provide a novel intermediary approach between cell suspensions and complex organoids for investigating network formation and early transplantation events with hiPSC-derived neurons, providing flexibility to rapidly tune cell type(s), cell ratios, and traceable biomarkers.

Significance StatementIn the two decades since human stem cell technologies have emerged, the challenge has remained to improve the developmentally relevant derivation of therapeutic cells. The ability to now generate anatomically matched neurons for SCI necessitates a re-evaluation of these cells and their networks in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we apply developmental cues via neuromesodermal progenitors to generate spinal neurons from hiPSCs. Genetic and functional evaluation of these cells as in vitro neuronal networks, due to their capacity to survive and graft effectively within the rat subacute contusion cavity, offer novel approaches for customizing SCI transplantation. This work demonstrates a strategy to develop transplantable, chemically-responsive networks linking in vitro models with injury customization towards improved in vivo outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Olmsted, Z. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stigliano, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scimemi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marzullo, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolfe, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cibelli, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horner, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paluh, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.10.374876</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Neuromesodermal Progenitors Advance Network Formation of Spinal Neurons and Support Cells in Neural Ribbons In Vitro and Unprotected Survival in a Rat Subacute Contusion Model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.10.376947v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Root system influence on high dimensional leaf phenotypes over the grapevine growing season 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.10.376947v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIIn many perennial crops, grafting the root system of one individual to the shoot system of another individual has become an integral part of propagation performed at industrial scales to enhance pest, disease, and stress tolerance and to regulate yield and vigor. Grafted plants offer important experimental systems for understanding the extent and seasonality of root system effects on shoot system biology.
C_LIO_LIUsing an experimental vineyard where a common scion  Chambourcin is growing ungrafted and grafted to three different rootstocks, we explore associations between root system genotype and leaf phenotypes in grafted grapevines across a growing season. We quantified five high-dimensional leaf phenotyping modalities: ionomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, morphometrics, and physiology and show that rootstock influence is subtle but ubiquitous across modalities.
C_LIO_LIWe find strong signatures of rootstock influence on the leaf ionome, with unique signatures detected at each phenological stage. Moreover, all phenotypes and patterns of phenotypic covariation were highly dynamic across the season.
C_LIO_LIThese findings expand upon previously identified patterns to suggest that the influence of root system on shoot system phenotypes is complex and broad understanding necessitates volumes of high-dimensional, multi-scale data previously unmet.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Harris, Z. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Awale, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swift, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhakta, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frawley, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fennell, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kovacs, L. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwasniewski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Londo, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.10.376947</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Root system influence on high dimensional leaf phenotypes over the grapevine growing season]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.11.376343v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CV-α: designing validations sets to increase the precision and enable multiple comparison tests in genomic prediction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.11.376343v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Usually, the comparison among genomic prediction models is based on validation schemes as Repeated Random Subsampling (RRS) or K-fold cross-validation. Nevertheless, the design of training and validation sets has a high effect on the way and subjectiveness that we compare models. Those procedures cited above have an overlap across replicates that might cause an overestimated estimate and lack of residuals independence due to resampling issues and might cause less accurate results. Furthermore, posthoc tests, such as ANOVA, are not recommended due to assumption unfulfilled regarding residuals independence. Thus, we propose a new way to sample observations to build training and validation sets based on cross-validation alpha-based design (CV-). The CV- was meant to create several scenarios of validation (replicates x folds), regardless of the number of treatments. Using CV-, the number of genotypes in the same fold across replicates was much lower than K-fold, indicating higher residual independence. Therefore, based on the CV- results, as proof of concept, via ANOVA, we could compare the proposed methodology to RRS and K-fold, applying four genomic prediction models with a simulated and real dataset. Concerning the predictive ability and bias, all validation methods showed similar performance. However, regarding the mean squared error and coefficient of variation, the CV- method presented the best performance under the evaluated scenarios. Moreover, as it has no additional cost nor complexity, it is more reliable and allows the use of non-subjective methods to compare models and factors. Therefore, CV- can be considered a more precise validation methodology for model selection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yassue, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sabadin, J. F. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Galli, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alves, F. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fritsche-Neto, R. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.11.376343</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CV-α: designing validations sets to increase the precision and enable multiple comparison tests in genomic prediction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.11.378737v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Repression precedes the stepwise evolution of a highly specific gene expression pattern 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.11.378737v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Well-controlled gene expression is critical for the proper development and function of many traits. Highly-specific temporal and spatial expression patterns are often due to the overlapping activities of activator and repressor sequences that form cis-regulatory elements called enhancers. While many studies have shown that evolutionary changes in enhancers can result in novel traits, few studies illuminate how enhancers originate, how activator and repressor sequences interact during enhancer evolution, and the order in which they evolve. Here, we traced the evolutionary origin of a recently evolved enhancer that drives the expression of the fatty acyl-CoA elongase, bond, specifically in the semicircular wall epithelium (swe) of the Drosophila male ejaculatory bulb (EB). We show that this enhancer consists of two activator regions that drive bond expression in the entire EB and a repressor region that restricts expression specifically to the EB swe. Interestingly, the repressor region preceded the evolution of the two activator regions. The evolution of the first activator region, consisting of two putative Abdominal-B sites, did not drive expression in the EB due to the action of the repressor region. Expression of bond in the EB swe requires the evolution of the second activator region, which does not drive expression on its own, but synergizes with the first activator region and the repressor region to produce a highly-specific spatial expression pattern. Our results show that the origin and evolution of a novel enhancer require multiple steps and the evolution of repressor sequences can precede the evolution of activator sequences.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cong, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chin, J. S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Justen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yew, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.11.378737</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Repression precedes the stepwise evolution of a highly specific gene expression pattern]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.12.379032v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Extended spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemase genes are substantially and sequentially reduced during conveyance and treatment of urban sewage 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.12.379032v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Integrated and quantitative observations of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in urban water systems (UWSs) are lacking. We sampled three UWSs for clinically important extended spectrum {beta}-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase (CP) genes, mobile genetic elements and microbial communities. Sewage - especially from hospitals - carried substantial loads of ESBL and CP genes (106 - 107 per person equivalent), but those loads progressively declined along the UWS, resulting in minimal emissions (101 - 104 copies per person equivalent). Removal was primarily during sewage conveyance (65% {+/-} 36%) rather than within sewage treatment (34% {+/-} 23%). The ARGs clustered in groups based on their persistence; less persistent groups were associated to putative host taxa (especially Enterobacteriaceae and Moraxellaceae), while more persistent groups appear horizontally transferred as they correlated with mobile genetic elements. This first documentation of a substantial ARG reduction during sewage conveyance provides opportunities for antibiotic resistance management and a caution for sewage-based ARG surveillance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nesme, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quintela-Baluja, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balboa, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hashsham, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sorensen, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graham, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romalde, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dechesne, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smets, B. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.12.379032</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Extended spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemase genes are substantially and sequentially reduced during conveyance and treatment of urban sewage]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.12.380766v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantification of Brucella abortus population structure in a natural host 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.12.380766v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cattle are natural hosts of the intracellular pathogen, Brucella abortus, which inflicts a significant burden on the health and reproduction of these important livestock. The primary routes of infection in field settings have been described, but it is not known how the bovine host shapes the structure of B. abortus populations during infection. We utilized a library of approximately 106 uniquely barcoded B. abortus strains to temporally and spatially quantify population structure at the strain level during colonization of cattle through a natural route of infection. Introducing 108 bacteria from this barcoded library to the conjunctival mucosa resulted in expected levels of local lymph node colonization at a one-week timepoint. We leveraged variance in strain abundance in the library to demonstrate that only 1 in 10,000 brucellae introduced at the site of infection reached the parotid lymph nodes. Thus, cattle restrict the overwhelming majority of B. abortus introduced via the ocular conjunctiva at this dose. Individual strains were spatially restricted within the host tissue, and the total B. abortus census was dominated by a small number of distinct strains in each lymph node. These results define a bottleneck that B. abortus must traverse to colonize local lymph nodes from the conjunctival mucosa. The data further support a model in which a small number of spatially isolated granulomas founded by unique strains are present one-week post infection. These experiments demonstrate the power of barcoded transposon tools to quantify infection bottlenecks and to define pathogen population structure in host tissues.

Significance statementUnderstanding microbial population dynamics during infection has important implications for disease management, transmission and pathogen evolution. A quantitative analysis of microbial population structure requires the ability to track individual strains. We used a pool of individually barcoded strains to measure changes in Brucella abortus population structure during infection of bovine hosts via the ocular conjunctiva, a natural route of entry. Cattle exert a severe bottleneck on the bacterial population entering through the conjunctival mucosa such that individual cells have a 0.0001 probability of colonizing a local draining lymph node. The populations in lymph nodes, even on different sides of the same animal, are distinct and dominated by a small number of highly abundant, spatially distinct clones.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vrentas, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Le, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huebner, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boggiatto, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olsen, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.12.380766</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantification of Brucella abortus population structure in a natural host]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.13.382317v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Directional phyllotactic bias in calatheas (Goeppertia, Marantaceae): a citizen science approach 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.13.382317v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lateral organs arranged in spiral phyllotaxy are separated by the golden angle, {approx}137.5{degrees}, leading to handedness: either clockwise or counter-clockwise. In some species, leaves are asymmetric such that they are smaller and curved towards the side ascending the phyllotactic spiral. As such, these asymmetries lead to mirroring of leaf shapes in plants of opposite phyllotactic handedness. Previous reports had suggested that the pin-stripe calathea (Goeppertia ornata) may be exclusively of one phyllotactic direction, counter-clockwise, but had limited sampling to a single population. Here, we use a citizen science approach leveraging a social media poll, internet image searches, and in-person verification at nurseries in four countries and two continents to demonstrate that calatheas (Goeppertia spp.) around the world are biased towards counter-clockwise phyllotaxy. The possibility that this bias is genetic and its implications for models of phyllotaxy that assume handedness is stochastically specified in equal proportions is discussed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Durrington, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chong, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Twitter Calathea Poll Participants,</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.13.382317</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Directional phyllotactic bias in calatheas (Goeppertia, Marantaceae): a citizen science approach]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.14.382697v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gene Expression Meta-Analysis Identifies Molecular Changes Associated with SARS-CoV Infection in Lungs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.14.382697v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) corona virus (CoV) infections are a serious public health threat because of their pandemic-causing potential. This work analyzes mRNA expression data from SARS infections through meta-analysis of gene signatures, possibly identifying therapeutic targets associated with major SARS infections.

MethodsThis work defines 37 gene signatures representing SARS-CoV, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)-CoV, and SARS-CoV2 infections in human lung cultures and/or mouse lung cultures or samples and compares them through Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). To do this, positive and negative infectious clone SARS (icSARS) gene panels are defined from GSEA-identified leading-edge genes between two icSARS-CoV derived signatures, both from human cultures. GSEA then is used to assess enrichment and identify leading-edge icSARS panel genes between icSARS gene panels and 27 other SARS-CoV gene signatures. The meta-analysis is expanded to include five MERS-CoV and three SARS-CoV2 gene signatures. Genes associated with SARS infection are predicted by examining the intersecting membership of GSEA-identified leading-edges across gene signatures.

ResultsSignificant enrichment (GSEA p<0.001) is observed between two icSARS-CoV derived signatures, and those leading-edge genes defined the positive (233 genes) and negative (114 genes) icSARS panels. Non-random significant enrichment (null distribution p<0.001) is observed between icSARS panels and all verification icSARSvsmock signatures derived from human cultures, from which 51 over- and 22 under-expressed genes are shared across leading-edges with 10 over-expressed genes already associated with icSARS infection. For the icSARSvsmock mouse signature, significant, non-random significant enrichment held for only the positive icSARS panel, from which nine genes are shared with icSARS infection in human cultures. Considering other SARS strains, significant, non-random enrichment (p<0.05) is observed across signatures derived from other SARS strains for the positive icSARS panel. Five positive icSARS panel genes, CXCL10, OAS3, OASL, IFIT3, and XAF1, are found across mice and human signatures regardless of SARS strains.

ConclusionThe GSEA-based meta-analysis approach used here identifies genes with and without reported associations with SARS-CoV infections, highlighting this approachs predictability and usefulness in identifying genes that have potential as therapeutic targets to preclude or overcome SARS infections.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Park, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.14.382697</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gene Expression Meta-Analysis Identifies Molecular Changes Associated with SARS-CoV Infection in Lungs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.14.382788v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Domestication has altered within-plant trait variability in a crop plant 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.14.382788v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIFor 10,000 years humans have altered plant traits through domestication and ongoing crop improvement, shaping plant form and function in agroecosystems. To date, studies have focused on how these processes have shaped whole-plant or average traits; however, plants also have characteristic levels of trait variability among their repeated parts, which can be heritable and mediate critical ecological interactions. As concerns about sustainable pest management increase, there is growing interest in approaches that increase trait diversity in crop agroecosystems. Here, we examine an under-appreciated scale of trait variation - among leaves, within plants - that may have changed through the process of domestication and improvement in a key crop.
C_LIO_LIWe explore how levels of within-plant, among-leaf trait variability differ between cultivars and wild relatives of alfalfa (Medicago sativa), a key forage crop with an 8,000 year cultivation history. We grew individual plants from 30 wild populations and 30 cultivars, encompassing a range of domestication and improvement histories. For each plant, we quantify variability in a broad suite of physical, nutritive, and chemical leaf traits, including measures of chemical dissimilarity (beta diversity) among leaves.
C_LIO_LIWe find that intra-individual trait variability has changed over the course of domestication and crop improvement, with effects often larger than changes in trait means. Cultivated alfalfa had elevated variability in SLA, trichomes, and C:N; increased diversity in defensive compounds; and reduced variability in phytochemical composition. We also elucidate fundamental associations between trait means and overall investment in secondary metabolites with patterns of among-leaf variability and chemical diversity.
C_LIO_LIWe conclude that within-plant variability is an overlooked dimension of trait diversity in this globally critical agricultural crop. We find that trait variability is actually higher in cultivated plants compared to wild progenitors for multiple nutritive, physical, and chemical traits, highlighting a scale of variation that may mitigate loss of trait diversity at other scales in alfalfa agroecosystems and in other crops with similar domestication and improvement histories.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Robinson, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wetzel, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilmiller, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.14.382788</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Domestication has altered within-plant trait variability in a crop plant]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.16.377259v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Loss of ASH1L in developing brains causes autistic-like behaviors in a mouse model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.16.377259v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease associated with various gene mutations. Recent genetic and clinical studies report that mutations of the epigenetic gene ASH1L are highly associated with human ASD and intellectual disability (ID). However, the causal link between ASH1L mutations and ASD/ID remains undetermined. Here we show loss of ASH1L in developing mouse brains is sufficient to cause multiple developmental defects, core autistic-like behaviors, and impaired cognitive memory. Gene expression analyses uncover critical roles of ASH1L in regulating gene expression during neural cell development. Thus, our study establishes a new ASD/ID mouse model revealing the critical function of ASH1L in normal brain development, a causality between Ash1L mutations and ASD/ID-like behaviors in mice, and potential molecular mechanisms linking Ash1L mutations to brain functional abnormalities.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duque-Wilckens, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljazi, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moeser, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.16.377259</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Loss of ASH1L in developing brains causes autistic-like behaviors in a mouse model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.16.383802v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of frontal bone development in spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.16.383802v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundThe molecular mechanisms initiating vertebrate cranial dermal bone formation is a conundrum in evolutionary and developmental biology. Decades of studies have determined the developmental processes of cranial dermal bones in various vertebrate species, finding possible inducers of dermal bone. However, the evolutionarily derived characters of current experimental model organisms hinder investigations of the ancestral and conserved mechanisms of vertebrate cranial dermal bone induction. Thus, investigating such mechanisms with animals diverging at evolutionarily crucial phylogenetic nodes is imperative.

ResultsWe investigated the cellular and molecular foundations of skull frontal bone formation in the spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus, a basally branching actinopterygian. Whole-mount bone and cartilage stainings and hematoxylin-eosin section stainings revealed that mesenchymal cell condensations in the frontal bone of spotted gar develop in close association with the underlying cartilage. We also identified novel aspects of frontal bone formation: Upregulation of F-actin and plasma membrane in condensing cells, and extension of podia from osteoblasts to the frontal bone, which may be responsible for bone mineral transport.

ConclusionThis study highlights the process of frontal bone formation with dynamic architectural changes of mesenchymal cells in spotted gar, illuminating supposedly ancestral and likely conserved developmental mechanisms of skull bone formation among vertebrates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Enny, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Racicot, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nakamura, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.16.383802</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cellular and molecular mechanisms of frontal bone development in spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.20.390153v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inactivation of mitochondrial Complex I stimulates chloroplast ATPase in Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens). 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.20.390153v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While light is the ultimate source of energy for photosynthetic organisms, mitochondrial respiration is still fundamental for supporting metabolism demand during the night or in heterotrophic tissues. Respiration is also important for the metabolism of photosynthetically active cells, acting as a sink for excess reduced molecules and source of substrates for anabolic pathways. In this work, we isolated Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens) plants with altered respiration by inactivating Complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain by independent targeting of two essential subunits. Results show that the inactivation of Complex I causes a strong growth impairment even in fully autotrophic conditions in tissues where all cells are photosynthetically active. Complex I mutants show major alterations in the stoichiometry of respiratory complexes while the composition of photosynthetic apparatus was substantially unaffected. Complex I mutants showed altered photosynthesis with higher yields of both Photosystems I and II. These are the consequence of a higher chloroplast ATPase activity that also caused a smaller {Delta}pH formation across thylakoid membranes as well as decreased photosynthetic control on cytochrome b6f, possibly to compensate for a deficit in ATP supply relative to demand in Complex I mutants. These results demonstrate that alteration of respiratory activity directly impacts photosynthesis in P. patens and that metabolic interaction between organelles is essential in their ability to use light energy for growth.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mellon, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Storti, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vera Vives, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alboresi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morosinotto, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.20.390153</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inactivation of mitochondrial Complex I stimulates chloroplast ATPase in Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens).]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.22.393538v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mitochondrial respiration contributes to the interferon gamma response in antigen presenting cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.22.393538v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The immunological synapse allows antigen presenting cells (APC) to convey a wide array of functionally distinct signals to T cells, which ultimately shape the immune response. The relative effect of stimulatory and inhibitory signals is influenced by the activation state of the APC, which is determined by an interplay between signal transduction and metabolic pathways. While toll-like receptor ligation relies on glycolytic metabolism for the proper expression of inflammatory mediators, little is known about the metabolic dependencies of other critical signals such as interferon gamma (IFN{gamma}). Using CRISPR-Cas9, we performed a series of genome-wide knockout screens in macrophages to identify the regulators of IFN{gamma}-inducible T cell stimulatory or inhibitory proteins MHCII, CD40, and PD-L1. Our multi-screen approach enabled us to identify novel pathways that control these functionally distinct markers. Further integration of these screening data implicated complex I of the mitochondrial respiratory chain in the expression of all three markers, and by extension the IFN{gamma} signaling pathway. We report that the IFN{gamma} response requires mitochondrial respiration, and APCs are unable to activate T cells upon genetic or chemical inhibition of complex I. These findings suggest a dichotomous metabolic dependency between IFN{gamma} and toll-like receptor signaling, implicating mitochondrial function as a fulcrum of innate immunity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kiritsy, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mott, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Behar, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sassetti, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.22.393538</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mitochondrial respiration contributes to the interferon gamma response in antigen presenting cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.23.380337v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Peptide Ancestry Informative Markers in Uterine Neoplasms from Women of European, African and Asian Ancestry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.23.380337v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Characterization of ancestry-linked peptide variants in disease-relevant patient tissues represents a foundational step to connect patient ancestry with molecular disease pathogenesis. Nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) encoding missense substitutions within tryptic peptides exhibiting high allele frequencies in European, African, and East Asian populations, termed peptide ancestry informative markers (pAIMs), were prioritized from 1000 genomes. In silico analysis shows that as few as 20 pAIMs can determine ancestry proportions similarly to >260K SNPs (R2=0.9905). Multiplexed proteomic analysis of >100 human endometrial cancer cell lines and uterine leiomyoma tissues resulted in the quantitation of 62 pAIMs that correlate with self-described race and genotype-confirmed patient ancestry. Candidates include a D451E substitution in GC vitamin D-binding protein previously associated with altered vitamin D levels in African and European populations. These efforts describe a generalized set of markers for proteoancestry assessment that will further support studies investigating the impact of ancestry on the human proteome and how this relates to the pathogenesis of uterine neoplasms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bateman, N. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tarney, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abulez, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hood, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conrads, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soltis, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teng, P.-i.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jackson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tian, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dalgard, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilkerson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kessler, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shriver, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cote, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parker, G. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Segars, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Al-Hendy, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Risinger, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Darcy, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Casablanca, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>George, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conrads, T. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Connor, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.23.380337</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Peptide Ancestry Informative Markers in Uterine Neoplasms from Women of European, African and Asian Ancestry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.24.397208v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
RpoS Contributes to Successful Opportunistic Colonization by Human Enteric Pathogens during Plant Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.24.397208v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
With an increase in foodborne illnesses associated with the consumption of fresh produce, it is important to understand the interactions between human bacterial enteric pathogens and plants. It was previously established that diseased plants can create a permissive environment for opportunistic endophytic colonization of enteric pathogens. However, the factors that contribute to the colonization of enteric pathogens during plant disease are largely unknown. Here, we show that both strain and plant host factors contribute to significantly increased populations of enteric pathogens when co-inoculated with the plant pathogen, P. syringae pv. tomato. The two Salmonella enterica strains DM10000 and 14028S, differ in their ability to metabolize host-derived apoplastic carbohydrates dependent on the sigma factor RpoS. The rpoS gene is an important strain factor for endophytic colonization by S. enterica during plant disease. Our results suggest that rpoS plays a crucial role during in planta colonization, balancing nutrient metabolism and stress responses.

ImportanceFoodborne illnesses caused by the bacterial human enteric pathogens, E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica, often results in vomiting and diarrhea. If left untreated, this illness can cause dehydration and sometimes death of a patient. Both E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica have caused repeated fresh produce-associated epidemics. Crop disease could promote the ability of plants to act as reservoirs for produce-borne outbreaks. Plant pathogens dampen plant immunity, which allows for a more permissive environment for human enteric pathogens to grow. These internalized enteric pathogen populations are especially dangerous since they cannot be removed by washing alone. Therefore, the need to understand the factors that contribute to the opportunistic colonization of human enteric pathogens during plant disease is apparent. Our research has identified host and strain factors that contribute to opportunistic colonization of diseased plants, which will inform the development of future management strategies to mitigate future outbreaks.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lovelace, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Downs, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soufi, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bota, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Preston, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kvitko, B. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.24.397208</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[RpoS Contributes to Successful Opportunistic Colonization by Human Enteric Pathogens during Plant Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.25.398347v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The molecular basis of Kale domestication: Transcription profiling of leaves and meristems provides new insights into the evolution of a Brassica oleracea vegetative morphotype 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.25.398347v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Morphotypes of Brassica oleracea are the result of a dynamic interaction between genes that regulate the transition between vegetative and reproductive stages and those that regulate leaf morphology and plant architecture. In kales ornate leaves, delayed flowering, and nutritional quality are some of the characters potentially selected by humans during domestication.

We used a combination of developmental studies and transcriptomics to understand the vegetative domestication syndrome of kale. To identify candidate genes that are responsible for the evolution of domestic kale we searched for transcriptome-wide differences among three vegetative B. oleracea morphotypes. RNAseq experiments were used to understand the global pattern of expressed genes during one single phase of development in kale, cabbage and the rapid cycling kale line TO1000.

We identified gene expression patterns that differ among morphotypes, and estimate the contribution of morphotype-specific gene expression that sets kale apart (3958 differentially expressed genes). Differentially expressed genes that regulate the vegetative to reproductive transition were abundant in all morphotypes. Genes involved in leaf morphology, plan architecture, defense and nutrition were differentially expressed in kale.

RNA-Seq experiments allow the discovery of novel candidate genes involved in the kale domestication syndrome. We identified candidate genes differentially expressed in kale that could be responsible for variation in flowering times, taste and herbivore defense, variation in leaf morphology, plant architecture, and nutritional value. Understanding candidate genes responsible for kale domestication is of importance to ultimately improve Cole crop production.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Arias, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McSteen, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.25.398347</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The molecular basis of Kale domestication: Transcription profiling of leaves and meristems provides new insights into the evolution of a Brassica oleracea vegetative morphotype]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.25.398800v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Heuristic hyperparameter optimization of deep learning models for genomic prediction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.25.398800v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
There is a growing interest among quantitative geneticists and animal breeders in the use of deep learning (DL) for genomic prediction. However, the performance of DL is affected by hyperparameters that are typically manually set by users. These hyperparameters do not simply specify the architecture of the model, they are also critical for the efficacy of the optimization and model fitting process. To date, most DL approaches used for genomic prediction have concentrated on identifying suitable hyperparameters by exploring discrete options from a subset of the hyperparameter space. Enlarging the hyperparameter optimization search space with continuous hyperparameters is a daunting combinatorial problem. To deal with this problem, we propose using differential evolution (DE) to perform an efficient search of arbitrarily complex hyperparameter spaces in DL models and we apply this to the specific case of genomic prediction of livestock phenotypes. This approach was evaluated on two pig and cattle datasets with real genotypes and simulated phenotypes (N=7,539 animals and M=48,541 markers) and one real dataset (N=910 individuals and M=28,916 markers). Hyperparameters were evaluated using cross validation. We compared the predictive performance of DL models using hyperparameters optimized by DE against DL models with "best practice" hyperparameters selected from published studies and baseline DL models with randomly specified hyperparameters. Optimized models using DE showed clear improvement in predictive performance across all three datasets.DE optimized hyperparameters also resulted in DL models with less overfitting and less variation in predictive performance over repeated retraining compared to non-optimized DL models.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Han, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gondro, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reid, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steibel, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-11-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.11.25.398800</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Heuristic hyperparameter optimization of deep learning models for genomic prediction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-11-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.405514v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Host-pathogen genetic interactions underlie tuberculosis susceptibility in genetically diverse mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.01.405514v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The outcome of an encounter with Mycobacterium tuberculosis depends on the pathogens ability to adapt to the variable immune pressures exerted by the host. Understanding this interplay has proven difficult, largely because experimentally tractable animal models do not recapitulate the heterogeneity of tuberculosis disease. We leveraged the genetically diverse Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse panel in conjunction with a library of Mtb mutants to associate bacterial genetic requirements with host genetics and immunity. We report that CC strains vary dramatically in their susceptibility to infection and produce qualitatively distinct immune states. Global analysis of Mtb mutant fitness across the CC panel revealed that many virulence pathways are only in specific host microenvironments, identifying the large fraction of the pathogens genome that has been maintained to ensure fitness in a diverse population. Both immunological and bacterial traits were associated with genetic variants distributed across the mouse genome, identifying the specific host-pathogen genetic interactions that influence pathogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Smith, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Proulx, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mishra, B. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Long, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, H.-N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiritsy, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bellerose, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphy, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Papavinasasundaram, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boehm, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reames, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meade, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hampton, B. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Linnertz, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ehrt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnappinger, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pardo-Manuel de Villena, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferris, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ioerger, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sassetti, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.01.405514</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Host-pathogen genetic interactions underlie tuberculosis susceptibility in genetically diverse mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.03.409334v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Complex Containing HNRNPA2B1 and N6-methyladenosine Modified Transcripts Mediates Actions of Toxic Tau Oligomers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.03.409334v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The microtubule associated protein tau oligomerizes in response to stress and disease, but the function of oligomeric tau (oTau) and the ultimate mechanisms of toxicity are unknown. To gain insights, we have now used Cry2-based optogenetics to induce tau oligomers (oTau-c) in neuronal cultures. oTau-c can seed tau aggregation and biochemical fractionates in a manner similar to oTau. Optical induction of oTau elicits a translational stress response that includes cytoplasmic translocation of the TIA1, abundant stress granules (SGs) and reduced protein synthesis. Proteomic analysis identifies HNRNPA2B1 as a principle target of oTau. Imaging and immunoprecipitation verify the HNRNPA2B1 association with endogenous oTau in neurons, animal models and human Alzheimer brain tissue. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that HNRNPA2B1 functions as a linker, connecting oTau with N6-methyladenosine modified transcripts (m6A). Knockdown of HNRNPA2B1 prevents oTau from associating with m6A, prevents oTau-induced reductions in protein synthesis and reduces oTau-induced toxicity. Finally, we show striking increases in m6A-oTau and -HNRNPA2B1 complexes in brains of Alzheimer subjects and P301S tau mice. These results reveal a novel complex containing oTau, HNRNPA2B1 and m6A that contributes to the integrated stress response of oTau.

HighlightsO_LIDevelopment of a powerful method combining optical induction of tau oligomerization with precision mass spectrometry to obtain time resolved evolution of protein interaction networks.
C_LIO_LIDemonstration of a tripartite complex that links tau oligomers with HNRNPA2B1 and N6-methyladenosine modified RNA in cytoplasmic stress granules.
C_LIO_LIKnockdown of HNRNPA2B 1 abrogates the interactions of oTau with N6-methyladenosine modified RNA, as well as inhibits oTau-mediated neurodegeneration.
C_LIO_LIDiscovery that N6-methyladenosine modified RNA is significantly increased in the brains of P301S tau transgenic mice and in patients with Alzheimers disease.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jiang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verma, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vliet, E. v.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ash, P. E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cruz, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boudeau, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maziuk, B. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lei, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alvarez, V. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kayed, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanaan, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murray, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crary, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petrucelli, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emili, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolozin, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.03.409334</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Complex Containing HNRNPA2B1 and N6-methyladenosine Modified Transcripts Mediates Actions of Toxic Tau Oligomers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.07.414888v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Proteasomal degradation of human SERINC4: a potent host anti-HIV-1 factor that is antagonized by Nef 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.07.414888v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The serine incorporator (SERINC) protein family has five paralogous members with 9-11 transmembrane domains. SERINC5 is a potent host restriction factor and antagonized by HIV-1 Nef and two other retroviral accessory proteins via the lysosomal degradation pathway. Here, we investigated human SERINC4 expression and antiviral mechanisms. Unlike its four paralogs, human SERINC4 is subjected to proteasome-mediated turnover, resulting in ~250-fold lower expression than SERINC5. However, when expression was normalized, human SERINC4 restricted HIV-1 replication as effectively as SERINC5, and SERINC4 was also antagonized by Nef via the lysosomal pathway. Although SERINC4 proteins are conserved within primates or rodents, their N-terminal regions are highly variable across species. Interestingly, unlike human SERINC4, murine SERINC4 was stably expressed but had a very poor antiviral activity. We created stable SERINC4 chimeras by replacing the N-terminal region and found that the 1-34 and 35-92 amino acids determine SERINC4 antiviral activity or protein expression, respectively. Using these chimeras, we demonstrate that SERINC4 is incorporated into HIV-1 virions and restricts Tier 1 HIV-1 more effectively than Tier 3 HIV-1. Importantly, SERINC4 increases HIV-1 sensitivity to broadly neutralizing antibodies. Thus, human SERINC4 strongly restricts HIV-1 replication when it is overexpressed, which reflects a potential antiviral activity of this gene product under physiological conditions.

HighlightsO_LIIdentification of another potent anti-HIV-1 host factor SERINC4 from the SERINC family
C_LIO_LIIdentification of two N-terminal domains that regulate SERINC4 expression and antiviral activity
C_LIO_LIUnderstanding the natural degradation of human SERINC4 by the proteasomal pathway
C_LIO_LIUnderstanding the important role of the lysosomal pathway in Nef antagonism of host restriction
C_LI

O_FIG_DISPLAY_L [Figure 1] M_FIG_DISPLAY C_FIG_DISPLAY
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Qiu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eke, I. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, Y.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.07.414888</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Proteasomal degradation of human SERINC4: a potent host anti-HIV-1 factor that is antagonized by Nef]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.09.416776v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Heartbeats entrain breathing via baroreceptor-mediated modulation of expiratory activity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.09.416776v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cardio-ventilatory coupling refers to a heartbeat (HB) occurring at a preferred latency before the onset of the next breath. We hypothesized that the pressure pulse generated by a HB activates baroreceptors that modulates brainstem expiratory neuronal activity and delays the initiation of inspiration. In supine male subjects, we recorded ventilation, electrocardiogram, and blood pressure during 20-min epochs of baseline, slow-deep breathing, and recovery. In in situ rodent preparations, we recorded brainstem activity in response to pulses of perfusion pressure. We applied a well-established respiratory network model to interpret these data. In humans, the latency between HBs and onset of inspiration was consistent across different breathing patterns. In in situ preparations, a transient pressure pulse during expiration activated a subpopulation of expiratory neurons normally active during post-inspiration; thus, delaying the next inspiration. In the model, baroreceptor input to post-inspiratory neurons accounted for the effect. These studies are consistent with baroreflex activation modulating respiration through a pauci-synaptic circuit from baroreceptors to onset of inspiration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Barnett, W. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baekey, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paton, J. F. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dick, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wehrwein, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Molkov, Y. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.09.416776</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Heartbeats entrain breathing via baroreceptor-mediated modulation of expiratory activity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.09.417832v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Disruptions in effort-based decision-making following acute optogenetic stimulation of ventral tegmental area dopamine cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.09.417832v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The dopamine system has been implicated in decision-making particularly when associated with effortful behavior. We examined acute optogenetic stimulation of dopamine cells in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as mice engaged in an effort-based decision-making task. Tyrosine hydroxylase-Cre mice were injected with Cre-dependent ChR2 or eYFP control in VTA. While eYFP control mice showed effortful discounting, stimulation of dopamine cells in ChR2 mice disrupted effort-based decision-making by reducing choice towards the lever associated with a preferred outcome and greater effort. Surprisingly, disruptions in effortful discounting were observed in subsequent test sessions conducted in the absence of optogenetic stimulation, however during these sessions ChR2 mice displayed enhanced high choice responding across trial blocks. These findings suggest increases in VTA dopamine cell activity can disrupt effort-based decision-making in distinct ways dependent on the timing of optogenetic stimulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fry, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pence, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLocklin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.09.417832</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Disruptions in effort-based decision-making following acute optogenetic stimulation of ventral tegmental area dopamine cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.15.422975v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptomic divergence predicts morphological and ecological variation underlying an adaptive radiation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.15.422975v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Groups of sympatric taxa with low inter-specific genetic differentiation, but considerable ecological differences, offer great opportunities to study the dynamics of divergence and speciation. This is the case of ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) in the Laurentian Great Lakes, which are characterized by a complex evolutionary history and are commonly described as having undergone an adaptive radiation. In this study, morphometrics, stable isotopes and transcriptome sequencing were used to study the relationships within the Coregonus artedi complex in western Lake Superior. We observed general concordance for morphological, ecological and genomic variation, but the latter was more taxonomically informative as it showed less overlap among species in multivariate space. Low levels of genetic differentiation were observed between individuals morphologically identified as C. hoyi and C. zenithicus, and we hypothesize this could be associated with recent hybridization between the two species. Transcriptome-based single nucleotide polymorphisms exhibited significant divergence for genes associated with vision, development, metabolism and immunity, among species that occupy different habitats. This study highlights the importance of using an integrative approach when studying groups of taxa with a complex evolutionary history, as individual-level analyses of multiple independent datasets can provide a clearer picture of the patterns and processes associated with the origins of biodiversity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bernal, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yule, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stott, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evrard, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dowling, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krabbenhoft, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.15.422975</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptomic divergence predicts morphological and ecological variation underlying an adaptive radiation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.19.423626v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Automation of Leaf Counting in Maize and Sorghum Using Deep Learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.19.423626v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Leaf number and leaf emergence rate are phenotypes of interest to plant breeders, plant geneticists, and crop modelers. Counting the extant leaves of an individual plant is straightforward even for an untrained individual, but manually tracking changes in leaf numbers for hundreds of individuals across multiple time points is logistically challenging. This study generated a dataset including over 150,000 maize and sorghum images for leaf counting projects. A subset of 17,783 images also includes annotations of the positions of individual leaf tips. With these annotated images, we evaluate two deep learning-based approaches for automated leaf counting: the first based on counting-by-regression from whole image analysis and a second based on counting-by-detection. Both approaches can achieve RMSE (root of mean square error) smaller than one leaf, only moderately inferior to the RMSE between human annotators of between 0.57 and 0.73 leaves. The counting-by-regression approach based on CNNs (convolutional neural networks) exhibited lower accuracy and increased bias for plants with extreme leaf numbers which are underrepresented in this dataset. The counting-by-detection approach based on Faster R-CNN object detection models achieve near human performance for plants where all leaf tips are visible. The annotated image data and model performance metrics generated as part of this study provide large scale resources for the comparison and improvement of algorithms for leaf counting from image data in grain crops.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Miao, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ge, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.19.423626</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Automation of Leaf Counting in Maize and Sorghum Using Deep Learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.22.423935v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Response of benthic macroinvertebrates to dam removal in the restoration of the Boardman River, Michigan, USA 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.22.423935v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Dam removal is an increasingly important method of stream restoration, but most removal efforts are under-studied in their effects. In order to better understand the effects of such removals on the stream ecosystem, we examined changes in stream macroinvertebrate communities from 2011-2016 above, below, and before and after the October 2012 removal of the Brown Bridge Dam on the Boardman River in Michigan (USA), and to new channel sites created in its former reservoir (2013-2015). Using linear mixed-effect models on the percent abundance of ecologically sensitive taxa (% Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera (EPT)), total density of all macroinvertebrates, and overall taxa richness, along with multivariate analyses on the community matrix, we examined differences in community composition among sites and years. EPT declined downstream of the dam immediately after dam removal, but recovered in the second year, becoming dominant within 2-4 years. Downstream sites before removal had different community composition than upstream sites and downstream sites after removal (p<0.001), while upstream and downstream sites after removal converged towards similarity. New channel (restored) %EPT, density, and taxa richness were not different from upstream sites in any year following removal, but new channel sites were the most distinct in community composition, possessing multiple indicator taxa characteristic of unique new conditions. The invasive New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) was absent from all sites prior to dam removal, but appeared at low densities in upstream sites in 2013, had spread to all sites by 2015, and showed large increases at all sites by 2016. Managers employing dam removal for stream restoration should include post-removal monitoring for multiple years following removal and conduct risk analysis regarding potential effects on colonization of invasive invertebrate species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Van Dyke, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahan, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Betts, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nord, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Outcalt, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.22.423935</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Response of benthic macroinvertebrates to dam removal in the restoration of the Boardman River, Michigan, USA]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.22.424080v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cysteine biosynthesis is a determinant of Brucella ovis stress survival and fitness in the intracellular niche 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.22.424080v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Brucella ovis is an ovine intracellular pathogen with tropism for the male genital tract. To establish and maintain infection, B. ovis must survive stressful conditions inside host cells, including low pH, nutrient limitation, and reactive oxygen species. These same conditions are often encountered in axenic cultures during stationary phase. Studies of stationary phase may thus inform understanding of Brucella infection biology, yet the genes and pathways that are important in Brucella stationary phase physiology remain poorly defined. We measured fitness of a barcoded pool of B. ovis Tn-himar mutants as a function of growth phase and identified cysE as a determinant of fitness in stationary phase. CysE catalyzes the first step in cysteine biosynthesis from serine, and we provide genetic evidence that two related enzymes, CysK1 and CysK2, function redundantly to catalyze cysteine synthesis at steps downstream of CysE. Deleting either cysE ({Delta}cysE) or both cysK1 and cysK2 ({Delta}cysK1 {Delta}cysK2) results in premature entry into stationary phase, reduced culture yield and sensitivity to exogenous hydrogen peroxide. These phenotypes can be chemically complemented by cysteine or glutathione. {Delta}cysE and {Delta}cysK1 {Delta}cysK2 strains have no defect in host cell entry in vitro but have significantly diminished intracellular fitness between 2 and 24 hours post infection. Our study has uncovered unexpected redundancy at the CysK step of cysteine biosynthesis in B. ovis, and demonstrates that cysteine anabolism is a determinant of peroxide stress survival and fitness in the intracellular niche.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Varesio, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.22.424080</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cysteine biosynthesis is a determinant of Brucella ovis stress survival and fitness in the intracellular niche]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.23.424020v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-Modal Biomarkers of Cerebral Edema in Low Resolution MRI 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.23.424020v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A central challenge of medical imaging studies is to extract biomarkers that characterize disease pathology or outcomes. Modern automated approaches have found tremendous success in high-resolution, high-quality magnetic resonance images (MRI). These methods, however, may not translate to low resolution images acquired on MRI scanners with lower magnetic field strength. In low-resource settings where low-field scanners are more common and there is a shortage of radiologists to manually interpret MRI scans, it is critical to develop automated methods that can augment or replace manual interpretation, while accommodating reduced image quality. We present a fully automated framework for translating radiological diagnostic criteria into image-based biomarkers, inspired by a project in which children with cerebral malaria were imaged using low-field 0.35 Tesla MRI. We integrate multi-atlas label fusion, which leverages high-resolution images from another sample as prior spatial information, with parametric Gaussian hidden Markov models based on image intensities, to create a robust method for determining ventricular cerebrospinal fluid volume. We also propose normalized image intensity and texture measurements to determine the loss of gray-to-white matter tissue differentiation and sulcal effacement. These integrated biomarkers have excellent classification performance for determining severe brain swelling due to cerebral malaria.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goyal, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dworkin, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kampondeni, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vidal, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Biondo-Savin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Juvvadi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raghavan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicholas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chetcuti, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Satterthwaite, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yushkevich, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davatzikos, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erus, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Postels, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Small, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shinohara, R. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.23.424020</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-Modal Biomarkers of Cerebral Edema in Low Resolution MRI]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.30.424814v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Land-use and forest floor explain prokaryotic metacommunity structuring and spatial turnover in Amazonian forest-to-pasture conversion areas 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.30.424814v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Advancing extensive cattle production shifts the forest landscape and is considered one of the main drivers against biodiversity conservation in the Brazilian Amazonia. Considering soil as an ecosystem it becomes vital to identify the effects of land-use changes on soil microbial communities, structure, as well as its ecological functions and services. Herein, we explored relationships between land-use, soil types and forest floor (i.e., association between litter, root layer and bulk soil) on the prokaryotic metacommunity structuring in the Western Amazonia. Sites under high anthropogenic pressure were evaluated along a gradient of {+/-} 800 km. Prokaryotic metacommunity are synergistically affected by soil types and land-use systems. Especially, the gradient of soil fertility and land-use shapes the structuring of the metacommunity and determines its composition. Forest-to-pasture conversion increases alpha, beta, and gamma diversities when considering only the prokaryotes from the bulk soil. Beta diversity was significantly higher in all forests when the litter and root layer were taken into account with the bulk soil. Our argumentation is that the forest floor harbors a prokaryotic metacommunity that adds at the regional scale of diversity a spatial turnover hitherto underestimated. Our findings highlight the risks of biodiversity loss and, consequently, the soil microbial diversity maintenance in tropical forests.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rocha, F. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ribeiro, T. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fontes, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shwab, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coelho, M. R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lumbreras, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>da Motta, P. E. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teixeira, W. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borsanelli, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dutra, I. d. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howe, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Oliveira, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jesus, E. d. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2020-12-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2020.12.30.424814</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Land-use and forest floor explain prokaryotic metacommunity structuring and spatial turnover in Amazonian forest-to-pasture conversion areas]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2020-12-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.03.425117v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An increase in atypical petal numbers during a shift to autogamy in a coastal sand verbena and potential evolutionary mechanisms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.03.425117v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PremiseIn plants, meristic traits, such as petal and sepal numbers, are usually considered invariant within taxa, yet certain species consistently exhibit great variability in these traits. The factors contributing to "atypical" counts are not well-known, published hypotheses include relaxation of pollinator selection, inbreeding, and hybridization, among others. The sand verbenas, Abronia (Nyctaginaceae), usually have five perianth lobes ( petals), yet certain taxa exhibit marked departures from this norm.

MethodsHere we integrate an analysis of images from community science data (iNaturalist) and common garden experiments to evaluate a comprehensive set of adaptive and nonadaptive explanations for the production of these  atypical flowers across an evolutionary transition from xenogamy (outcrossing) to autogamy (selfing) in the coastal sand verbena Abronia umbellata.

Key resultsThe shift to autogamy in this lineage correlated with a higher frequency of atypical flowers from ~7% to ~20% and a significant reduction in mean petal number per inflorescence. Autogamous success did not change with petal number, and neither hybridization or up to three generations of inbreeding consistently increased production of atypical flowers or decreased mean petal number, all in contrast to previously-published hypotheses. In contrast, intra-inflorescence, inter-plant (intra-population), inter-population, and inter-variety comparisons demonstrated a correlation of reduced floral size with reduced petal number, suggesting correlated evolution due to a well-established relation between organ number and meristem size.

ConclusionsThe reduction in petal number was probably a consequence of selection for smaller flowers associated with increased selfing. While we could not completely eliminate several alternative hypotheses, including a long-term history of inbreeding or relaxed selection on petal number constancy, those are less likely to explain the observed changes, though they may have contributed to the trend. In general, we develop a framework of hypotheses for evolutionary investigations of meristic variation in floral organs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>LoPresti, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mickley, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.03.425117</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An increase in atypical petal numbers during a shift to autogamy in a coastal sand verbena and potential evolutionary mechanisms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.04.425317v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comberons from single cell transcriptomics in endothelial cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.04.425317v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
VEGF inhibitor drugs have been successful, especially in ophthalmology, but not all patients respond to them. Combinations of drugs are likely to be needed for more effective therapies of angiogenesis-related diseases. In this paper we describe naturally occurring combinations of receptors in endothelial cells that might help to understand how cells communicate and to identify targets for drug combinations. We also develop and share a new software tool called DECNEO to identify them.

Single-cell gene expression data are used to identify a set of co-expressed endothelial cell receptors, conserved among species (mice and humans) and enriched, within a network, of connections to up-regulated genes. This set includes several receptors previously shown to play a role in angiogenesis. Multiple statistical tests from large datasets, including an independent validation set, support the reproducibility, evolutionary conservation and role in angiogenesis of these naturally occurring combinations of receptors. We also show tissue-specific combinations and, in the case of choroid endothelial cells, consistency with both well-established and recent experimental findings, presented in a separate paper.

The results and methods presented here advance the understanding of signaling to endothelial cells. The methods are generally applicable to the decoding of intercellular combinations of signals.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Domanskyi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hakansson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graff Zivin, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paternostro, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferrara, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.04.425317</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comberons from single cell transcriptomics in endothelial cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.05.425454v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Environmental enrichment delays the development of stereotypic behavior and reduces variability in behavioral experiments using California mice (Peromyscus californicus). 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.05.425454v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Domesticated mice and rats have shown to be powerful model systems for biomedical research, but there are cases in which the biology of species is a poor match for the hypotheses under study. The California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) has unique physiological and behavioral traits and has emerged as a powerful model for studying sex differences in the biology of psychiatric disease, which is particularly relevant considering the new NIH guidelines that require the inclusion of sex as a biological variable. Despite its growing role in preclinical research, there is a lack of studies assessing species-specific housing needs, which presents a challenge for research facilities seeking to ensure good welfare and obtaining high-quality experimental data. Indeed, captive California mice present a high prevalence of stereotypic backflipping behavior, a common consequence of suboptimal housing and a potential source of experimental outcome variability. Using three different cage systems, the present studies show that increasing housing space as well as social and environmental complexity can delay the development of stereotypic behavior in male and female California mice. Critically, this reduction in stereotypy is accompanied by increased effect sizes of stress in an established model for social anxiety. These results suggest that increased cage size and enrichment could enhance welfare in California mice while simultaneously increasing the quality of behavioral experiments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Minie, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramos-Maciel, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wright, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petric, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trainor, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duque-Wilckens, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.05.425454</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Environmental enrichment delays the development of stereotypic behavior and reduces variability in behavioral experiments using California mice (Peromyscus californicus).]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.08.425932v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Skin-resident immune cells actively coordinate their distribution with epidermal cells during homeostasis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.08.425932v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Our organs consist of multiple cell types that ensure proper architecture and function. How different cell types coexist and interact to maintain their homeostasis in vivo remain elusive. The skin epidermis comprises mostly epithelial cells, but also harbors Langerhans cells (LCs) and Dendritic Epidermal T cells (DETCs). In response to injury or infection, LCs and DETCs become activated and play critical immunological roles. During homeostasis, they coexist with epithelial cells in the basal layer of the epidermis. Whether, and how, distributions of LCs and DETCs are regulated during homeostasis is unclear. Here, we addressed this question by tracking LCs, DETCs and epithelial basal cells over time within the skin of live adult mice. We show that LCs and DETCs maintain their overall position despite continuous turnover of neighboring basal epithelial stem cells. Moreover, LCs and DETCs rapidly and maximally explore basal epithelial cell junctions through their dendritic extensions. Altering the epithelial cell density triggers corresponding changes in the immune cell density, but not vice versa, suggesting that epithelial cells determine immune tissue composition in the epidermis. Moreover, LCs and DETCs are organized in a tiling pattern that is actively maintained. When LCs or DETCs are ectopically removed, neighboring epidermal LCs or DETCs, respectively, move into the emptied spaces and re-establish the tiling pattern. Finally, LCs require the GTPase Rac1 to maintain their positional stability, density and tiling pattern. Overall, we discovered that epidermal cells regulate the density of immune cells during homeostasis, and that immune cells actively maintain a non-random spatial distribution, reminiscent of neuronal self-avoidance. We propose that these cellular mechanisms provide the epidermis with an optimal response to environmental insults.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matte-Martone, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lathrop, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>May, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pineda, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boucher, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marsh, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmitter, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cockburn, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bellaiche, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greco, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.08.425932</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Skin-resident immune cells actively coordinate their distribution with epidermal cells during homeostasis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.11.426252v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantitative dissection of color patterning in the foliar ornamental Coleus reveals underlying features driving aesthetic value 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.11.426252v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIColeus is a popular ornamental plant that exhibits a diverse array of foliar color patterns. New cultivars are currently hand selected by both amateur and experienced plant breeders. In this study, we reimagine coleus breeding using a quantitative color analysis framework.
C_LIO_LIDespite impressive advances in high-throughput data collection and processing, complex color patterns remain challenging to extract from image datasets. Using a new phenotyping approach called "ColourQuant," we extract and analyze pigmentation patterns from one of the largest coleus breeding populations in the world.
C_LIO_LIWorking with this massive dataset, we are able to analyze quantitative relationships between maternal plants and their progeny, identify features that underlie breeder-selections, and collect and compare consumer input on trait preferences.
C_LIO_LIThis study is one of the most comprehensive explorations into complex color patterning in plant biology and provides new insights and tools for exploring the color pallet of the plant kingdom.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coneva, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frank, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.11.426252</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantitative dissection of color patterning in the foliar ornamental Coleus reveals underlying features driving aesthetic value]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.15.426772v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Parallel functional testing identifies enhancers active in early postnatal mouse brain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.15.426772v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Enhancers are cis-regulatory elements that play critical regulatory roles in modulating developmental transcription programs and driving cell-type specific and context-dependent gene expression in the brain. The development of massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) has enabled high-throughput functional screening of candidate DNA sequences for enhancer activity. Tissue-specific screening of in vivo enhancer function at scale has the potential to greatly expand our understanding of the role of non-coding sequences in development, evolution, and disease. Here, we adapted a self-transcribing regulatory element MPRA strategy for delivery to early postnatal mouse brain via recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV). We identified and validated putative enhancers capable of driving reporter gene expression in mouse forebrain, including regulatory elements within an intronic CACNA1C linkage disequilibrium block associated with risk in neuropsychiatric disorder genetic studies. Paired screening and single enhancer in vivo functional testing, as we show here, represents a powerful approach towards characterizing regulatory activity of enhancers and understanding how enhancer sequences organize gene expression in normal and pathogenic brain development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lambert, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su-Feher, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cichewicz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warren, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zdilar, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haigh, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morse, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stradleigh, T. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castillo, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haghani, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moss, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parolini, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quintero, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shrestha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Byrne, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nord, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.15.426772</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Parallel functional testing identifies enhancers active in early postnatal mouse brain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.15.426829v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Applying cis-regulatory codes to predict conserved and variable heat and cold stress response in maize 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.15.426829v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Changes in gene expression are important for response to abiotic stress. Transcriptome profiling performed on maize inbred and hybrid genotypes subjected to heat or cold stress identifies many transcript abundance changes in response to these environmental conditions. Motifs that are enriched near differentially expressed genes were used to develop machine learning models to predict gene expression responses to heat or cold. The best performing models utilize the sequences both upstream and downstream of the transcription start site. Prediction accuracies could be improved using models developed for specific co-expression clusters compared to using all up- or down-regulated genes or by only using motifs within unmethylated regions. Comparisons of expression responses in multiple genotypes were used to identify genes with variable response and to identify cis- or trans-regulatory variation. Models trained on B73 data have lower performance when applied to Mo17 or W22, this could be improved by using models trained on data from all genotypes. However, the models have low accuracy for correctly predicting genes with variable responses to abiotic stress. This study provides insights into cis-regulatory motifs for heat- and cold-responsive gene expression and provides a framework for developing models to predict expression response to abiotic stress across multiple genotypes.

One sentence summaryTranscriptome profiling of maize inbred and hybrid seedlings subjected to heat or cold stress was used to identify key cis-regulatory elements and develop models to predict gene expression responses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhou, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Enders, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Myers, Z. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Magnusson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crisp, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noshay, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cano, F. A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotewold, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenham, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Springer, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.15.426829</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Applying cis-regulatory codes to predict conserved and variable heat and cold stress response in maize]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.21.427582v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Thioesterase induction by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin results in a futile cycle that inhibits hepatic β-oxidation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.21.427582v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a persistent environmental contaminant, induces steatosis by increasing hepatic uptake of dietary and mobilized peripheral fats, inhibiting lipoprotein export, and repressing {beta}-oxidation. In this study, the mechanism of {beta}-oxidation inhibition was investigated by testing the hypothesis that TCDD dose-dependently repressed straight-chain fatty acid oxidation gene expression in mice following oral gavage every 4 days for 28 days. Untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed a dose-dependent decrease in hepatic acyl-CoA levels, while octenoyl-CoA and dicarboxylic acid levels increased. TCDD also dose-dependently repressed the hepatic gene expression associated with triacylglycerol and cholesterol ester hydrolysis, fatty acid binding proteins, fatty acid activation, and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolysis while inducing acyl-CoA hydrolysis. Moreover, octenoyl-CoA blocked the hydration of crotonyl-CoA suggesting short chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (ECHS1) activity was inhibited. Collectively, the integration of metabolomics and RNA-seq data suggested TCDD induced a futile cycle of fatty acid activation and acyl-CoA hydrolysis resulting in incomplete {beta}-oxidation, and the accumulation octenoyl-CoA levels that inhibited the activity of short chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (ECHS1).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cholico, G. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fling, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fader, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.21.427582</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Thioesterase induction by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin results in a futile cycle that inhibits hepatic β-oxidation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.22.427769v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Category-specific item encoding in the medial temporal lobe and beyond: The role of reward. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.22.427769v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Forming new memories is a fundamental part of human life, and the medial temporal lobe (MTL) is central to memory formation. Recent research suggests that within MTL, the perirhinal and parahippocampal cortices (PRC, PHC) process object and scene memory, respectively, whereas the hippocampus (HC) is agnostic to stimulus category. It is unclear, however, whether MTL category specificity extends to item encoding. Furthermore, MTL does not act in isolation: Reward-related memories are formed in interplay with the dopaminergic midbrain (substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area, SNVTA) and amygdala (AMY), but it is unclear whether reward modulates neural item encoding in a category-specific way. To address these questions, we had 39 healthy volunteers (27 for all memory-based analyses) undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging while they solved an incidental encoding task, which paired objects or scenes with high or low reward, followed by a next-day surprise recognition test. Behaviourally, high reward preferably enhanced object memory. Importantly, neural activity in PRC and PHC reflected item encoding of objects and scenes, respectively. Moreover, AMY encoding effects were selective for high-reward objects, with a similar pattern in PRC. SNVTA and HC showed no clear evidence of item encoding. The behavioural and neural asymmetry of reward-related encoding effects may be conveyed through an anterior-temporal memory system, including AMY and PRC, potentially in interplay with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schultz, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meshi, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heekeren, H. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.22.427769</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Category-specific item encoding in the medial temporal lobe and beyond: The role of reward.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.22.427816v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Separable pupillary signatures of perception and action during perceptual multistability 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.22.427816v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The pupil provides a rich, non-invasive measure of the neural bases of perception and cognition, and has been of particular value in uncovering the role of arousal-linked neuromodulation, which alters cortical processing as well as pupil size. But pupil size is subject to a multitude of influences, which complicates unique interpretation. We measured pupils of observers experiencing perceptual multistability -- an ever-changing subjective percept in the face of unchanging but inconclusive sensory input. In separate conditions the endogenously generated perceptual changes were either task-relevant or not, allowing a separation between perception-related and task-related pupil signals. Perceptual changes were marked by a complex pupil response that could be decomposed into two components: a dilation tied to task execution and plausibly indicative of an arousal-linked noradrenaline surge, and an overlapping constriction tied to the perceptual transient and plausibly a marker of altered visual cortical representation. Constriction, but not dilation, amplitude systematically depended on the time interval between perceptual changes, possibly providing an overt index of neural adaptation. These results show that the pupil provides a simultaneous reading on interacting but dissociable neural processes during perceptual multistability, and suggest that arousal-linked neuromodulation shapes action but not perception in these circumstances.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Brascamp, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Hollander, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wertheimer, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DePew, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.22.427816</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Separable pupillary signatures of perception and action during perceptual multistability]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.24.427949v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Heterogeneity in PHGDH protein expression potentiates cancer cell dissemination and metastasis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.24.427949v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cancer metastasis requires the transient activation of cellular programs enabling dissemination and seeding in distant organs. Genetic, transcriptional and translational intra-tumor heterogeneity contributes to this dynamic process. Beyond this, metabolic intra-tumor heterogeneity has also been observed, yet its role for cancer progression remains largely elusive. Here, we discovered that intra-tumor heterogeneity in phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) protein expression drives breast cancer cell dissemination and metastasis formation. Specifically, we observed intra-tumor heterogeneous PHGDH expression in primary breast tumors, with low PHGDH expression being indicative of metastasis in patients. In mice, Phgdh protein, but not mRNA, expression is low in circulating tumor cells and early metastatic lesions, leading to increased dissemination and metastasis formation. Mechanistically, low PHGDH protein expression induces an imbalance in glycolysis that can activate sialic acid synthesis. Consequently, cancer cells undergo a partial EMT and show increased p38 as well as SRC phosphorylation, which activate cellular programs of dissemination. In turn, inhibition of sialic acid synthesis through knock-out of cytidine monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase (CMAS) counteracts the increased cancer cell dissemination and metastasis induced by low PHGDH expression. In conclusion, we find that heterogeneity in PHGDH protein expression promotes cancer cell dissemination and metastasis formation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rossi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doglioni, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bornes, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broekart, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Planque, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandez-Garcia, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rinaldi, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Elsen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nittner, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jauset, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rizzollo, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Riera Domingo, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orth, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dobrolecki, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Brussel, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teoh, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aurora, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eelen, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karras, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sotlar, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bartsch, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marine, J.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carmeliet, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morrison, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewis, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hannon, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mazzone, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lambrechts, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Rheenen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gruenewald, T. G. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fendt, S.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.24.427949</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Heterogeneity in PHGDH protein expression potentiates cancer cell dissemination and metastasis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.25.427685v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Catalog of the Diversity and Ubiquity of Metabolic Organelles in Bacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.25.427685v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are organelles that segregate segments of metabolic pathways, which are incompatible with surrounding metabolism. In contrast to their eukaryotic counterparts, the selectively permeable membrane of BMCs, the shell, is composed of protein. While the sequestered enzymes vary among functionally distinct BMCs, the proteins that form diverse BMC shells are structurally homologous; this enables the bioinformatic identification of the organelles by locating genes encoding shell proteins, which are typically proximal to those for the encapsulated enzymes. With recent advances in genome-resolved metagenomics and the emphasis on "microbial dark matter", many new genome sequences from diverse and obscure bacterial clades have become available. We find the number of identifiable BMC loci has increased twenty-fold since the last comprehensive census of 2014. Moreover, the addition of new types we uncovered doubles the number of distinct BMC types known. These expand the range of catalysis encapsulated in BMCs, underscoring that there is dark biochemistry that is compartmentalized in bacterial organelles yet to be discovered through genome sequencing. Our comprehensive catalog of BMCs provides a framework for their identification, correlation with bacterial niche adaptation, and experimental characterization, and broadens the foundation for the development of BMC-based nanoarchitectures for biomedical and bioengineering applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sutter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melnicki, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schulz, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woyke, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerfeld, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.25.427685</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Catalog of the Diversity and Ubiquity of Metabolic Organelles in Bacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.25.428169v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Training Data: How can we best prepare instructors to teach data science in undergraduate biology and environmental science courses? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.25.428169v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
There is a clear and concrete need for greater quantitative literacy in the biological and environmental sciences. Data science training for students in higher education necessitates well-equipped and confident instructors across curricula. However, not all instructors are versed in data science skills or research-based teaching practices. Our study sought to survey the state of data science education across institutions of higher learning, identify instructor needs, and illuminate barriers to teaching data science in the classroom. We distributed a survey to instructors around the world, focused on the United States, and received 106 complete responses. Our results indicate that instructors across institutions use, teach, and view data management, analysis, and visualization as important for students to learn. Code, modeling, and reproducibility were less valued by instructors, although there were differences by institution type (doctoral, masters, or baccalaureate), and career stage (time since terminal degree). While there were a variety of barriers highlighted by respondents, instructor background, student background, and space in the curriculum were the greatest barriers of note. Interestingly, instructors were most interested in receiving training for how to teach code and data analysis in the undergraduate classroom. Our study provides an important window into how data science is taught in higher education as well as suggestions for how we can best move forward with empowering instructors across disciplines.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Emery, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crispo, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Supp, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerkhoff, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrell, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bledsoe, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Donnell, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCall, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aeillo-Lammens, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.25.428169</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Training Data: How can we best prepare instructors to teach data science in undergraduate biology and environmental science courses?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.27.428447v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Aureochromes are necessary for maintaining polyunsaturated fatty acid content in Nannochloropsis oceanica 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.27.428447v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Nannochloropsis oceanica, as other stramenopile microalgae, is rich in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) such as eiconsapentaenoic acid (EPA). We observed that fatty acid desaturases (FAD) involved in LC-PUFA biosynthesis were among the strongest blue light induced genes in N. oceanica CCMP1779. Blue light was also necessary for maintaining LC-PUFA levels in CCMP1779 cells, and growth under red light led to a reduction in EPA content. Aureochromes are stramenopile specific proteins that contain a light-oxygen-voltage-sensing (LOV) domain that associates with a flavin mononucleotide and is able to sense blue light. These proteins also contain a bZIP DNA binding motif and can act as blue light regulated transcription factors by associating with a E-box like motif, which we found enriched in the promoters of blue light induced genes. We demonstrated that, in vitro, two CCMP1779 aureochromes were able to absorb blue light. Moreover, the loss or reduction of any of the three aureochromes led to a decrease in the blue light specific induction of several FADs in CCMP1779. EPA content was also significantly reduced in NoAureo 2 and NoAureo 4 mutants. Taken together, our results indicate that aureochromes mediate blue light dependent regulation of LC-PUFA content in N. oceanica CCMP1779 cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Farre, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poliner, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Busch, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newton, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, Y. U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez-Martinez, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeong, B.-r.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-01-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.27.428447</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Aureochromes are necessary for maintaining polyunsaturated fatty acid content in Nannochloropsis oceanica]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-01-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.31.429043v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural and functional sex differences in the ventral pallidal vasopressin system are associated with the sex-specific regulation of juvenile social play behavior in rats 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.31.429043v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The ventral pallidum (VP) has been implicated in the regulation of rewarding adult social behaviors, such as pair-bonding and sociosexual motivation. However, the role of the VP in regulating rewarding juvenile social behaviors, such as social play, is unknown. Social play is predominantly displayed by juveniles of many mammalian species and engagement in social play helps develop social competence. In this study, we determined whether the VP is involved in regulating social play in juvenile rats by temporarily inactivating the VP via bilateral infusions of muscimol, the GABAA receptor agonist. Muscimol treatment decreased social play duration in males and females compared to the same-sex control groups. We then focused on the vasopressin (AVP) system in the VP as one potential modulator of social play. We examined the organization of the AVP system in the VP in juvenile rats and found robust sex differences, with denser AVP-immunoreacive fibers and denser vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) binding in males compared to females, but a greater number of V1aR-expressing cells in females compared to males. Next, we determined whether exposure to social play changed the activation of V1aR-expressing VP cells in male and female juvenile rats. We found that exposure to social play enhanced the number of V1aR-expressing VP cells co-expressing fos, a marker of neuronal activation, in males only. Finally, we determined the causal involvement of AVP signaling in the VP in social play behavior by infusion of a specific V1aR antagonist into the VP prior to social play exposure. We found that V1aR blockade in the VP increased social play duration in juvenile male rats but decreased social play duration in juvenile female rats compared to same-sex control groups. These findings reveal structural and functional sex differences in the AVP system in the VP that are associated with the sex-specific regulation of juvenile social play behavior.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, J. D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reppucci, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowden, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huez, E. D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bredewold, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veenema, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.01.31.429043</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural and functional sex differences in the ventral pallidal vasopressin system are associated with the sex-specific regulation of juvenile social play behavior in rats]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.01.429191v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The cyclic di-GMP network is a global regulator of phase-transition and attachment-dependent host colonization in Erwinia amylovora 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.01.429191v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is an essential bacterial second messenger that regulates the transition to biofilm formation in the phytopathogen Erwinia amylovora. The c-di-GMP system in E. amylovora is comprised of 12 diguanylate cyclase/Edc (dimerize cyclic-di-GMP) and phosphodiesterase/Pde (hydrolyze cyclic-di-GMP) proteins that are characterized by the presence of GGDEF and/or EAL motifs in their domain architecture. In order to study the global regulatory effect (without the inclusion of systemic regulatory impedance) of the c-di-GMP system in E. amylovora, we eliminated all 12 edc and pde genes in E. amylovora Ea1189{Delta}12. Comparisons between the representative transcriptomic profiles of Ea1189{Delta}12 and the combinatorial edc gene knockout mutant (Ea1189{Delta}5) revealed marked overall distinctions in expression levels for targets in a wide range of regulatory categories, including metabolic pathways involved in the utilization of methionine, isoleucine, histidine, etc. as well as critical signal transduction pathways including the Rcs phosphorelay and PhoPQ system. A complete loss of the cyclic-di-GMP signaling components resulted in the inability of Ea1189{Delta}12 cells to attach to and form biofilms in vitro and within the xylem vasculature in apple shoots. Using a flow-based in vitro biofilm system, we found that initial surface sensing was primarily dependent on the flagellar filament (FliC), following which the type IV pilus (HofC) was required to anchor cells to the surface to initialize biofilm development. A transcriptomic analysis of WT E. amylovora Ea1189 and Ea1189{Delta}12 cells in various stages of biofilm development revealed that cyclic-di-GMP based regulation had widespread effects on purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis pathways, amylovoran biosynthesis genes and the EnvZ/OmpR signal transduction system. Additionally, complementing individual eliminated genes back into Ea1189{Delta}12, and the collective evaluation of several virulence factors, enabled the correlative clustering of the functional effect rendered by each Edc and Pde enzyme in the system.

SignificanceCyclic-di-GMP dependent regulation, in the context of biofilm formation, has been studied in several bacterial systems. However, the comprehensiveness of the studies exploring the role of individual genetic components related to cyclic-di-GMP is affected by the often large number of diguanylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase enzymes present within individual bacterial systems. To explore the evolutionary dependencies related to cyclic-di-GMP in E. amylovora, we used a collective elimination approach, whereby all of the enzymes involved in cyclic-di-GMP metabolism were eliminated from the system. This approach enabled us to highlight the critical importance of cyclic-di-GMP in plant xylem colonization due to its effect on surface attachment. Additionally, we highlight the global transcriptomic effect of cyclic-di-GMP dependent signaling at various stages of biofilm development. Our approach is aimed at exploring the regulatory role of individual cyclic-di-GMP related enzymes in a background that is free from any redundancy-based feedback.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kharadi, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Selbmann, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sundin, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.01.429191</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The cyclic di-GMP network is a global regulator of phase-transition and attachment-dependent host colonization in Erwinia amylovora]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.04.429714v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional classes of SNPs related to psychiatric disorders and behavioral traits contrast with those related to neurological disorders 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.04.429714v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We investigated the functional classes of genomic regions containing SNPS contributing most to the SNP-heritability of important psychiatric and neurological disorders and behavioral traits, as determined from recent genome-wide association studies. We employed linkage-disequilibrium score regression with several brain-specific genomic annotations not previously used. The classes of genomic annotations conferring substantial SNP-heritability for the psychiatric disorders and behavioral traits differed systematically from the classes associated with neurological disorders, and both differed from the classes enriched for height, a biometric trait used here as a control outgroup. The SNPs implicated in these psychiatric disorders and behavioral traits were highly enriched in CTCF binding sites, in conserved regions likely to be enhancers, and in brain-specific promoters, regulatory sites likely to affect dynamic responses. The SNPs relevant for neurological disorders were highly enriched in constitutive coding regions and splice regulatory sites. We suggest that our results provide a bridge between genetics and the well-known effects of life history and recent stressful experiences on risk of psychiatric illness.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reimers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kendler, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.04.429714</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional classes of SNPs related to psychiatric disorders and behavioral traits contrast with those related to neurological disorders]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.08.430230v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Architecture of cell-cell junctions in situ reveals a mechanism for bacterial biofilm inhibition 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.08.430230v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many bacteria, including the major human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are naturally found in multicellular, antibiotic-tolerant biofilm communities, where cells are embedded in an extracellular matrix of polymeric molecules. Cell-cell interactions within P. aeruginosa biofilms are mediated by CdrA, a large, membrane-associated adhesin present in the extracellular matrix of biofilms, regulated by the cytoplasmic concentration of cyclic diguanylate. Here, using electron cryotomography of focused-ion beam milled specimens, we report the architecture of CdrA molecules in the extracellular matrix of P. aeruginosa biofilms at intact cell-cell junctions. Combining our in situ observations at cell-cell junctions with biochemistry, native mass spectrometry and cellular imaging, we demonstrate that CdrA forms an extended structure that projects from the outer membrane to tether cells together via polysaccharide binding partners. We go on to show the functional importance of CdrA using custom single-domain antibody (nanobody) binders. Nanobodies targeting the tip of functional cell-surface CdrA molecules could be used to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation or disrupt pre-existing biofilms in conjunction with bactericidal antibiotics. These results reveal a functional mechanism for cell-cell interactions within bacterial biofilms and highlight the promise of using inhibitors targeting biofilm cell-cell junctions to prevent or treat problematic, chronic bacterial infections.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Melia, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bolla, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Katharios-Lanwermeyer, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mihaylov, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoffmann, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wozny, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elfari, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boehning, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Owens, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robinson, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Toole, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bharat, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.08.430230</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Architecture of cell-cell junctions in situ reveals a mechanism for bacterial biofilm inhibition]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.08.430330v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Integrated analysis of the methylome and transcriptome of twin almonds (Prunus dulcis  D.A.Webb) reveals genomic features associated with non-infectious bud failure 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.08.430330v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
I.Almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A.Webb) exhibits an age-related disorder called non-infectious bud-failure (BF) affecting vegetative bud development and nut yield. The underlying cause of BF remains unknown but is hypothesized to be associated with heritable epigenetic mechanisms. To address this disorder and its epigenetic components, we utilized a monozygotic twin study model profiling genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression in two sets of twin almonds discordant for BF-exhibition. Analysis of DNA methylation patterns show that BF-exhibition and methylation, namely hypomethylation, are not independent phenomena. Transcriptomic data generated from the twin pairs also shows genome-wide differential gene expression associated with BF-exhibition. After identifying differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in each twin pair, a comparison revealed 170 shared DMRs between the two twin pairs. These DMRs and the associated genetic components may play a role in BF-exhibition. A subset of 52 shared DMRs are in close proximity to genes involved in meristem maintenance, cell cycle regulation, and response to heat stress. Annotation of specific genes included involvement in processes like cell wall development, calcium ion signaling, and DNA methylation. Results of this work support the hypothesis that BF-exhibition is associated with hypomethylation in almond, and identified DMRs and differentially expressed genes can serve as potential biomarkers to assess BF-potential in almond germplasm. Our results contribute to an understanding of the contribution of epigenetic disorders in agricultural performance and biological fitness of perennials.

II. SignificanceThis study examines epigenetic components underlying noninfectious bud failure, an aging-related disorder affecting almond. Results from this work contribute to our understanding of the implications of DNA methylation on agricultural production, namely perennial fruit and nut production, due to effects on growth, development, and reproduction. Describing the methylome of discordant, monozygotic twin almonds enables the study of genomic features underlying noninfectious bud failure in this economically important crop.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>D'Amico-Willman, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willman, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gradziel, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ouma, W. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meulia, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fresnedo Ramirez, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.08.430330</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Integrated analysis of the methylome and transcriptome of twin almonds (Prunus dulcis  D.A.Webb) reveals genomic features associated with non-infectious bud failure]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.11.430802v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Interdependent Iron and Phosphorus Availability Controls Photosynthesis Through Retrograde Signaling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.11.430802v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Iron deficiency hampers photosynthesis and is associated with chlorosis. We recently showed that iron deficiency-induced chlorosis depends on phosphorus availability. How plants integrate these cues to control chlorophyll accumulation is unknown. Here, we show that iron limitation downregulates photosynthesis genes in a phosphorus-dependent manner. Using transcriptomics and genome-wide association analysis, we identify two genes, a chloroplastic ascorbate transporter (PHT4;4) and a nuclear transcription factor (bZIP58), which prevent the downregulation of photosynthesis genes leading to the stay-green phenotype under iron-phosphorus deficiency. Joint limitation of these nutrients induces ascorbate accumulation by activating expression of an ascorbate biosynthesis gene, VTC4, which requires bZIP58. Exogenous ascorbate prevents iron deficiency-induced chlorosis in vtc4 mutants, but not in bzip58 or pht4;4. Our study demonstrates chloroplastic ascorbate transport is essential for preventing the downregulation of photosynthesis genes under iron-phosphorus combined deficiency. These findings uncover a molecular pathway coordinating chloroplast-nucleus communication to adapt photosynthesis to nutrient availability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nam, H.-I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shahzad, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorone, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clowez, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bouain, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cho, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rouached, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.11.430802</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Interdependent Iron and Phosphorus Availability Controls Photosynthesis Through Retrograde Signaling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.15.430803v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CONSTAX2: Improved taxonomic classification of environmental DNA markers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.15.430803v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
CONSTAX - the CONSensus TAXonomy classifier - was developed for accurate and reproducible taxonomic annotation of fungal rDNA amplicons and is based upon a consensus approach of RDP, SINTAX and UTAX algorithms. CONSTAX2 can be used to classify prokaryotes and incorporates BLAST-based classifiers to reduce classification errors. Additionally, CONSTAX2 implements a conda-installable, command line tool with improved classification metrics, faster training, multithreading support, capacity to incorporate external taxonomic databases, new isolate matching and high-level taxonomy tools, replete with documentation and example tutorials.

Availability and ImplementationCONSTAX2 is available at https://github.com/liberjul/CONSTAXv2, and is packaged for Linux and MacOS from Bioconda. A tutorial and documentation are available at https://constax.readthedocs.io/en/latest/.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liber, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benucci, G. M. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.15.430803</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CONSTAX2: Improved taxonomic classification of environmental DNA markers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.16.431432v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Organic electron donors and terminal electron acceptors structure anaerobic microbial communities and interactions in a permanently stratified sulfidic lake 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.16.431432v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The extent to which nutrients structure microbial communities in permanently stratified lakes is not well understood. This study characterized microbial communities from the anoxic layers of the meromictic and sulfidic Fayetteville Green Lake (FGL), NY, and investigated the roles of organic electron donors and terminal electron acceptors in shaping microbial community structure and interactions. Bacterial communities from the permanently stratified layer below the chemocline (monimolimnion) and from enrichment cultures inoculated by lake sediments were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results showed that anoxygenic phototrophs dominated microbial communities in the upper monimolimnion (21 m), which harbored little diversity, whereas the most diverse communities resided at the bottom of the lake (~52 m). Organic electron donors explained 54% of the variation in the microbial community structure in aphotic cultures enriched on an array of organic electron donors and different inorganic electron acceptors. Electron acceptors only explained 10% of the variation, but were stronger drivers of community assembly in enrichment cultures supplemented with acetate or butyrate compared to the cultures amended by chitin, lignin or cellulose. We identified a range of habitat generalists and habitat specialists in both the water column and enrichment samples using Levins index. Network analyses of interactions among microbial groups revealed Chlorobi and sulfate reducers as central to microbial interactions in the upper monimolimnion, while Syntrophaceae and other fermenting organisms were more important in the lower monimolimnion. The presence of photosynthetic microbes and communities that degrade chitin and cellulose much below the chemocline supported the downward transport of microbes, organic matter and oxidants from the surface and the chemocline. Collectively, our data suggest niche partitioning of bacterial communities by interactions that depend on the availability of different organic electron donors and terminal electron acceptors. Thus, light, as well as the diversity and availability of chemical resources drive community structure and function in FGL, and likely in other stratified, meromictic lakes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rojas, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Santiago-Torio, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bosak, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klepac-Ceraj, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.16.431432</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Organic electron donors and terminal electron acceptors structure anaerobic microbial communities and interactions in a permanently stratified sulfidic lake]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.17.431641v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bioengineering of genetically encoded gene promoter repressed by flavonoids for constructing intracellular sensor for molecular events 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.17.431641v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In recent years, Synthetic Biology has emerged as a new discipline where functions that were traditionally performed by electronic devices are replaced by "cellular devices". Those are genetically encoded circuits, constructed of DNA that are built from biological parts (aka bio-parts). The cellular devices can be used for sensing and responding to natural and artificial signals. However, a major challenge in the field is that the crosstalk between many cellular signaling pathways use the same signaling endogenous molecules that can result in undesired activation. To overcome this problem, we utilized a specific promoter that can activate genes with a natural, non-toxic ligand at a highly-induced transcription level with low background or undesirable off-target expression. Here we used the orphan aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a ligand-activated transcription factor that upon activation binds to specific AHR response elements (AHRE) of the Cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP1A1) promoter. Flavonoids have been identified as AHR ligands. Data presented here shows successful creation of a synthetic gene "off" switch that can be monitored directly using an optical reporter gene. This is the first step towards bioengineering of a synthetic, nanoscale bio-part for constructing a sensor for molecular events.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Desmet, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dhusia, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qi, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doseff, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.17.431641</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bioengineering of genetically encoded gene promoter repressed by flavonoids for constructing intracellular sensor for molecular events]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.19.432009v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome-wide association study reveals an independent genetic basis of zinc and cadmium concentrations in fresh sweet corn kernels 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.19.432009v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Despite being one of the most consumed vegetables in the United States, the elemental profile of sweet corn (Zea mays L.) is limited in its dietary contributions. To address this through genetic improvement, a genome-wide association study was conducted for the concentrations of 15 elements in fresh kernels of a sweet corn association panel. In concordance with mapping results from mature maize kernels, we detected a probable pleiotropic association of zinc and iron concentrations with nicotianamine synthase5 (nas5), which purportedly encodes an enzyme involved in synthesis of the metal chelator nicotianamine. Additionally, a pervasive association signal was identified for cadmium concentration within a recombination suppressed region on chromosome 2. The likely causal gene underlying this signal was heavy metal ATPase3 (hma3), whose counterpart in rice, OsHMA3, mediates vacuolar sequestration of cadmium and zinc in roots, whereby regulating zinc homeostasis and cadmium accumulation in grains. In our association panel, hma3 associated with cadmium but not zinc accumulation in fresh kernels. This finding implies that selection for low cadmium will not affect zinc levels in fresh kernels. Although less resolved association signals were detected for boron, nickel, and calcium, all 15 elements were shown to have moderate predictive abilities via whole-genome prediction. Collectively, these results help enhance our genomics-assisted breeding efforts centered on improving the elemental profile of fresh sweet corn kernels.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Baseggio, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murray, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ziegler, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaczmar, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chamness, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vatamaniuk, O. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buckler, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baxter, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tracy, W. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-02-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.02.19.432009</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome-wide association study reveals an independent genetic basis of zinc and cadmium concentrations in fresh sweet corn kernels]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-02-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.01.433403v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic Basis of Variation in Cocaine and Methamphetamine Consumption in Outbred Populations of Drosophila melanogaster 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.01.433403v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We used Drosophila melanogaster to map the genetic basis of naturally occurring variation in voluntary consumption of cocaine and methamphetamine. We derived an outbred advanced intercross population (AIP) from 37 sequenced inbred wild-derived lines of the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP), which are maximally genetically divergent, have minimal residual heterozygosity, are not segregating for common inversions, and are not infected with Wolbachia pipientis. We assessed consumption of sucrose, methamphetamine-supplemented sucrose and cocaine-supplemented sucrose, and found considerable phenotypic variation for consumption of both drugs, in both sexes. We performed whole genome sequencing and extreme QTL mapping on the top 10% of consumers for each replicate, sex and condition, and an equal number of randomly selected flies. We evaluated changes in allele frequencies among high consumers and control flies and identified 3,033 variants significantly (P < 1.9 x 10-8) associated with increased consumption, located in or near 1,962 genes. Many of these genes are associated with nervous system development and function, and 77 belong to a known gene-gene interaction subnetwork. We assessed the effects of RNA interference (RNAi) on drug consumption for 22 candidate genes; 17 had a significant effect in at least one sex. We constructed allele-specific AIPs which were homozygous for alternative candidate alleles for 10 SNPs and measured average consumption for each population; nine SNPs had significant effects in at least one sex. The genetic basis of voluntary drug consumption in Drosophila is polygenic and implicates genes with human orthologs and associated variants with sex- and drug-specific effects.

Significance StatementThe use of cocaine and methamphetamine presents significant socioeconomic problems. However, identifying the genetic underpinnings that determine susceptibility to substance use is challenging in human populations. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, presents a powerful genetic model since we can control the genetic background and environment, 75% of disease-causing genes in humans have a fly counterpart, and flies - like humans - exhibit adverse effects upon cocaine and methamphetamine exposure. We showed that the genetic architecture underlying variation in voluntary cocaine and methamphetamine consumption differs between sexes and is dominated by variants in genes associated with connectivity and function of the nervous system. Results obtained from the Drosophila gene discovery model can guide studies on substance abuse susceptibility in human populations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Baker, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carbone, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anholt, R. R. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackay, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.01.433403</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic Basis of Variation in Cocaine and Methamphetamine Consumption in Outbred Populations of Drosophila melanogaster]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.02.433608v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Perturbation of ACE2 structural ensembles by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.02.433608v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The human ACE2 enzyme serves as a critical first recognition point of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. In particular, the extracellular domain of ACE2 interacts directly with the S1 tailspike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virion through a broad protein-protein interface. Although this interaction has been characterized by X-ray crystallography and Cryo-EM, these structures do not reveal significant differences in ACE2 structure upon S1 protein binding. In this work, using several all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we show persistent differences in ACE2 structure upon binding. These differences are determined with the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) machine learning method and validated using independent training and testing datasets, including long trajectories generated by D. E. Shaw Research on the Anton 2 supercomputer. In addition, long trajectories for 78 potent ACE2-binding compounds, also generated by D. E. Shaw Research, were projected onto the LDA classification vector in order to determine whether the ligand-bound ACE2 structures were compatible with S1 protein binding. This allows us to predict which compounds are "apo-like" vs "complex-like", as well as to pinpoint long-range ligand-induced allosteric changes of ACE2 structure.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Uyar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.02.433608</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Perturbation of ACE2 structural ensembles by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.03.433376v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Laminar-specific functional connectivity mapping with multi-slice line-scanning fMRI 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.03.433376v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Laminar BOLD-fMRI has been applied to better depict the neuronal input and output circuitry and functional connectivity across cortical layers by measuring local hemodynamic changes. Despite extensive studies detecting laminar fMRI signals to illustrate the canonical microcircuit, the spatiotemporal characteristics of laminar-specific information flow across different cortical regions remain to be fully investigated in both evoked and resting states. Here, we developed a multi-slice line-scanning fMRI (MS-LS) method to detect laminar fMRI signals in adjacent cortical regions with high spatial (50 {micro}m) and temporal resolution (100 ms) in anesthetized rats. Across different scanning trials, we detected both laminar-specific positive and negative BOLD responses in the surrounding cortical region adjacent to the most activated cortex under evoked condition. Specifically, in contrast to the typical Layer (L) 4 correlation across different regions due to the thalamocortical projections for trials with positive BOLD, a strong correlation pattern specific in L2/3 was detected for the trials with negative BOLD in adjacent regions, which indicate a brain state-dependent laminar-fMRI responses based on cortiocotical interaction from different trials. Also, we acquired the laminar-specific rs-fMRI signals across different cortical regions, of which the high spatiotemporal resolution allows us to estimate lag times based on the maximal cross-correlation of laminar-specific rs-fMRI signals. In contrast to the larger variability of lag times in L1 and 6, robust lag time differences in L2/3, 4, and 5 across multiple cortices represented the low-frequency rs-fMRI signal propagation from the caudal to the rostral slice. In summary, our work provides a unique laminar fMRI mapping scheme to better characterize trial-specific intra- and inter-laminar functional connectivity with MS-LS, presenting layer-specific spatiotemporal variation of both evoked and rs-fMRI signals.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Choi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sobczak, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.03.433376</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Laminar-specific functional connectivity mapping with multi-slice line-scanning fMRI]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.04.433931v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Published Anti-SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro Hits Share Common Mechanisms of Action that Synergize with Antivirals 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.04.433931v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The global efforts in the past few months have led to the discovery of around 200 drug repurposing candidates for COVID-19. Although most of them only exhibited moderate anti- SARS-CoV-2 activity, gaining more insights into their mechanisms of action could facilitate a better understanding of infection and the development of therapeutics. Leveraging large-scale drug-induced gene expression profiles, we found 36% of the active compounds regulate genes related to cholesterol homeostasis and microtubule cytoskeleton organization. The expression change upon drug treatment was further experimentally confirmed in human lung primary small airway. Following bioinformatics analysis on COVID-19 patient data revealed that these genes are associated with COVID-19 patient severity. The expression level of these genes also has predicted power on anti-SARS-CoV-2 efficacy in vitro, which led to the discovery of monensin as an inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero-E6 cells. The final survey of recent drug- combination data indicated that drugs co-targeting cholesterol homeostasis and microtubule cytoskeleton organization processes more likely present a synergistic effect with antivirals. Therefore, potential therapeutics should be centered around combinations of targeting these processes and viral proteins.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xing, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhl, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ko, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haskins, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.04.433931</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Published Anti-SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro Hits Share Common Mechanisms of Action that Synergize with Antivirals]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.04.433944v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An in-frame deletion mutation in the degron tail of auxin co-receptor IAA2 confers resistance to the herbicide 2,4-D in Sisymbrium orientale 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.04.433944v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The natural auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is a key regulator of many aspects of plant growth and development. Synthetic auxin herbicides mimic the effects of IAA by inducing strong auxinic signaling responses in plants. Synthetic auxins are crucial herbicides in agriculture, made more important by the recent introduction of transgenic synthetic auxin resistant soybean and cotton. Currently, 41 weed species have evolved resistance to synthetic auxin herbicides and, in all but one case, the molecular basis of these resistance mechanisms is unknown. To determine the mechanism of 2,4-D resistance in a Sisymbrium orientale (Indian hedge mustard) weed population, we performed a transcriptome analysis of 2,4-D-resistant (R) and-susceptible (S) genotypes that revealed an in-frame 27-nucleotide deletion removing 9 amino acids in the degron tail (DT) of the auxin co-receptor Aux/IAA2 (SoIAA2). The deletion allele co-segregated with 2,4-D resistance in recombinant inbred lines. Further, this deletion was also detected in several 2,4-D resistant field populations of this species. Arabidopsis transgenic lines expressing the SoIAA2 mutant allele were resistant to 2,4-D and dicamba. The IAA2-DT deletion reduced binding to TIR1 in vitro with both natural and synthetic auxins, causing reduced association and increased dissociation rates. This novel mechanism of synthetic auxin herbicide resistance assigns a new in planta function to the DT region of this Aux/IAA co-receptor for its role in synthetic auxin binding kinetics and reveals a potential biotechnological approach to produce synthetic auxin resistant crops using gene editing.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Figueiredo, M. R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuepper, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malone, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petrovic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Figueiredo, A. B. T. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campagnola, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peersen, O. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prasad, K. V. S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reddy, A. S. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kubes, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Napier, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Preston, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaines, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.04.433944</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An in-frame deletion mutation in the degron tail of auxin co-receptor IAA2 confers resistance to the herbicide 2,4-D in Sisymbrium orientale]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.06.434203v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Combinatorial patterns of gene expression changes contribute to variable expressivity of the developmental delay-associated 16p12.1 deletion 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.06.434203v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundRecent studies have suggested that individual variants do not sufficiently explain the variable expressivity of phenotypes observed in complex disorders. For example, the 16p12.1 deletion is associated with developmental delay and neuropsychiatric features in affected individuals, but is inherited in >90% of cases from a mildly-affected parent. While children with the deletion are more likely to carry additional "second-hit" variants than their parents, the mechanisms for how these variants contribute to phenotypic variability are unknown.

MethodsWe performed detailed clinical assessments, whole-genome sequencing, and RNA sequencing of lymphoblastoid cell lines for 32 individuals in five large families with multiple members carrying the 16p12.1 deletion. We identified contributions of the 16p12.1 deletion and "second-hit" variants towards a range of expression changes in deletion carriers and their family members, including differential expression, outlier expression, alternative splicing, allele-specific expression, and expression-quantitative trait loci analyses.

ResultsWe found that the deletion dysregulates multiple autism and brain development genes such as FOXP1, ANK3, and MEF2. Carrier children also showed an average of 5,323 gene expression changes compared with one or both parents, which matched with 33/39 observed developmental phenotypes. We identified significant enrichments for 13/25 classes of "second-hit" variants in genes with expression changes, where 4/25 variant classes were only enriched when inherited from the non-carrier parent, including loss-of-function SNVs and large duplications. In 11 instances, including for ZEB2 and SYNJ1, gene expression was synergistically altered by both the deletion and inherited "second-hits" in carrier children. Finally, brain-specific interaction network analysis showed strong connectivity between genes carrying "second-hits" and genes with transcriptome alterations in deletion carriers.

ConclusionsOur results suggest a potential mechanism for how "second-hit" variants modulate expressivity of complex disorders such as the 16p12.1 deletion through transcriptomic perturbation of gene networks important for early development. Our work further shows that family-based assessments of transcriptome data are highly relevant towards understanding the genetic mechanisms associated with complex disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jensen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tyryskhina, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pizzo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smolen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Das, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huber, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Girirajan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.06.434203</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Combinatorial patterns of gene expression changes contribute to variable expressivity of the developmental delay-associated 16p12.1 deletion]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.08.434492v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Diversification, Spread, and Admixture of Octoploid Strawberry in the Western Hemisphere 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.08.434492v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Premise of the studyOctoploid strawberry (Fragaria sp.) has a complex evolutionary history that has until recently been intractable due to limitations of available genomic resources. While recent work has further uncovered the evolutionary history of the octoploid strawberry, there are still open questions. Much is still unknown about the evolutionary relationship of the wild octoploid species, Fragaria virginiana and Fragaria chiloensis, and gene flow within and among species after the original formation of the octoploid genome.

MethodsWe leveraged a diversity collection of wild octoploid eco-types of strawberry representing the recognized subspecies and ranging from Alaska to Southern Chile, and a high density SNP array to investigate wild octoploid strawberry evolution. Evolutionary relationships are interrogated with phylogenetic analysis and genetic clustering algorithms. Additionally, admixture among and within species is assessed with model-based and tree-based approaches.

Key ResultsPhylogenetic analysis revealed that the two octoploid strawberry species are monophyletic sister lineages. The genetic clustering results show substructure between North Americana and South American F. chiloensis populations. Additionally, model-based and tree-based methods support gene flow within and among the two octoploid species, including newly identified admixture in the Hawaiian F. chiloensis subsp. sandwicensis population that appears to be from an ancestral F. chiloensis population.

ConclusionF. virginiana and F. chiloensis are supported as monophyletic and sister lineages. All but one of the subspecies recognized within both octoploid species show extensive paraphyly. Furthermore, the phylogenetic relationship among F. chiloensis populations supports a single population range expansion southward from North America. The inter- and intraspecific relationships of octoploid strawberry are complex and suggest substantial and deep gene flow between sympatric populations among and within species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardigan, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ragsdale, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapp, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.08.434492</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Diversification, Spread, and Admixture of Octoploid Strawberry in the Western Hemisphere]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.10.434646v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Induction of Pyrenoid Synthesis by Hyperoxia and its Implications for the Natural Diversity of Photosynthetic Responses in Chlamydomonas 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.10.434646v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In algae, it is well established that the pyrenoid, a component of the carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM), is essential for efficient photosynthesis at low CO2. However, the signal that triggers the formation of the pyrenoid has remained elusive. Here, we show that, in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the pyrenoid is strongly induced by hyperoxia, even at high CO2 or bicarbonate levels. These results suggest that the pyrenoid can be induced by a common product of photosynthesis specific to low CO2 or hyperoxia. Consistent with this view, the photorespiratory by-product, H2O2, induced the pyrenoid, suggesting that it acts as a signal. Finally, we show evidence for linkages between genetic variations in hyperoxia tolerance, H2O2 signaling, and pyrenoid morphologies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Neofotis, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Temple, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tessmer, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bibik, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Norris, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poliner, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lucker, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wijetilleke, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Withrow, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sears, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mogos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frame, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hall, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weissman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.10.434646</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Induction of Pyrenoid Synthesis by Hyperoxia and its Implications for the Natural Diversity of Photosynthetic Responses in Chlamydomonas]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.14.435345v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Population structure of Drosophila suzukii and signals of multiple invasions into the continental United States 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.14.435345v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Drosophila suzukii, or spotted-wing drosophila, is now an established pest in many parts of the world, causing significant damage to numerous fruit crop industries. Native to East Asia, D. suzukii infestations started in the United States a decade ago, occupying a wide range of climates. To better understand invasion ecology of this pest, knowledge of past migration events, population structure, and genetic diversity is needed. To improve on previous studies examining genetic structure of D. suzukii, we sequenced whole genomes of 237 individual flies collected across the continental U.S., as well as several representative sites in Europe, Brazil, and Asia, to identify hundreds of thousands of genetic markers for analysis. We analyzed these markers to detect population structure, to reconstruct migration events, and to estimate genetic diversity and differentiation within and among the continents. We observed strong population structure between West and East Coast populations in the U.S., but no evidence of any population structure North to South, suggesting there is no broad-scale adaptations occurring in response to the large differences in regional weather conditions. We also find evidence of repeated migration events from Asia into North America have provided increased levels of genetic diversity, which does not appear to be the case for Brazil or Europe. This large genomic dataset will spur future research into genomic adaptations underlying D. suzukii pest activity and development of novel control methods for this agricultural pest.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lewald, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abrieux, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, W. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andreazza, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beers, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burrack, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daane, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diepenbrock, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drummond, F. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fanning, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaffney, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hesler, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ioriatti, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Isaacs, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Little, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loeb, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nava, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rendo, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sial, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>da Silva, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stockton, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Timmeren, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallingford, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walton, V. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zalom, F. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chiu, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.14.435345</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Population structure of Drosophila suzukii and signals of multiple invasions into the continental United States]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.15.435502v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Visuomotor information drives interference between the hands more than dynamic motor information during bimanual reaching 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.15.435502v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During complex bimanual movements, interference can occur in the form of one hand influencing the action of the contralateral hand. Interference likely results from conflicting sensorimotor information shared between brain regions controlling hand movements via neural crosstalk. However, how visual and force-related feedback processes interact with each other during bimanual reaching is not well understood. In this study, four groups experienced either a visuomotor perturbation, dynamic perturbation, combined visuomotor and dynamic perturbation, or no perturbation in their right hand during bimanual reaches, with each hand controlling its own cursor. The left hand was examined for interference as a consequence of the right-hand perturbation. The results indicated that the visuomotor and combined perturbations showed greater interference in the left hand than the dynamic perturbation, but that the combined and visuomotor perturbations were equivalent. This suggests that dynamic sensorimotor and visuomotor processes do not interact between hemisphere-hand systems, and that primarily visuomotor processes lead to interference between the hands.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Desrochers, P. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brunfeldt, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kagerer, F. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.15.435502</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Visuomotor information drives interference between the hands more than dynamic motor information during bimanual reaching]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.16.435645v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
AC2P20 selectively kills M. tuberculosis  at acidic pH by depleting free thiols 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.16.435645v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) senses and adapts to host immune cues as part of its pathogenesis. One environmental cue sensed by Mtb is the acidic pH of its host niche in the macrophage phagosome. Disrupting the ability of Mtb to sense and adapt to acidic pH has the potential to reduce survival of Mtb in macrophages. Previously, a high throughput screen of a [~]220,000 compound small molecule library was conducted to discover chemical probes that inhibit Mtb growth at acidic pH. The screen discovered chemical probes that kill Mtb at pH 5.7 but are inactive at pH 7.0. In this study, AC2P20 was prioritized for continued study to test the hypothesis that it was targeting Mtb pathways associated with pH-driven adaptation. RNAseq transcriptional profiling studies showed AC2P20 modulates expression of genes associated with redox homeostasis. Gene enrichment analysis revealed that the AC2P20 transcriptional profile had significant overlap with a previously characterized pH-selective inhibitor, AC2P36. Like AC2P36, we show that AC2P20 kills Mtb by selectively depleting free thiols at acidic pH. Mass spectrometry studies show the formation of a disulfide bond between AC2P20 and reduced glutathione, supporting a mechanism where AC2P20 is able to deplete intracellular thiols and dysregulate redox homeostasis. The observation of two independent molecules targeting free thiols to kill Mtb at acidic pH further supports that Mtb has restricted redox homeostasis and sensitivity to thiol-oxidative stress at acidic pH.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dechow, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coulson, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, M. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Larsen, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.16.435645</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[AC2P20 selectively kills M. tuberculosis  at acidic pH by depleting free thiols]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.16.435690v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Topography-dependent gene expression and function of common cell archetypes in large and small porcine airways 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.16.435690v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The small airways of humans are affected early in several lung diseases. However, because they are relatively inaccessible, little is known about the epithelial cells that line these airways. We performed a single cell RNA-seq census of small and large airways of wild-type pigs and pigs with disrupted cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The sequencing data showed that small airway epithelia had similar major cell types as large airways but no ionocytes; moreover, lack of CFTR expression had minimal effect on the transcriptome. Small airway epithelial cells expressed a different transcriptome than large airway cells. Quantitative immunohistochemistry showed that small airway basal cells participate in epithelial barrier function. Finally, sequencing data and in vitro electrophysiologic studies suggest that small airway epithelia have a water and ion transport advantage. Our data highlight the archetypal nature of basal, secretory, and ciliated airway cells with location-dependent gene expression and function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pezzulo, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thurman, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villacreses, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mather, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romano-Ibarra, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyerholz, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stoltz, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welsh, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thornell, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zabner, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.16.435690</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Topography-dependent gene expression and function of common cell archetypes in large and small porcine airways]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.18.436053v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multimodal characterization of Yucatan minipig behavior and physiology through maturation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.18.436053v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Brain injuries that are induced by external forces are particularly challenging to model experimentally. In recent decades, the domestic pig has been gaining popularity as a highly relevant animal model to address the pathophysiological mechanisms and the biomechanics associated with head injuries. Understanding cognitive, motor, and sensory aspects of pig behavior throughout development is crucial for evaluating cognitive and motor deficits after injury. We have developed a comprehensive battery of tests to characterize the behavior and physiological function of the Yucatan minipig throughout maturation. Behavioral testing included assessments of learning and memory, executive functions, circadian rhythms, gait analysis, and level of motor activity. We applied traditional behavioral apparatus and analysis methods, as well as state-of-the-art sensor technologies to report on motion and activity, and artificial intelligent approaches to analyze behavior. We studied pigs from 16 weeks old through sexual maturity at 35 weeks old. The results show multidimensional characterization of minipig behavior, and how it develops and changes with age. This animal model may capitulate the biomechanical consideration and phenotype of head injuries in the developing brain and can drive forward the field of understanding pathophysiological mechanisms and developing new therapies to accelerate recovery in children who have suffered head trauma.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Netzley, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hunt, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franco-Arellano, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnold, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munoz, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colbath, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bush, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.18.436053</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multimodal characterization of Yucatan minipig behavior and physiology through maturation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.22.436446v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Machine learning approaches to identify core and dispensable genes in pangenomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.22.436446v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A gene in a given taxonomic group is either present in every individual (core), or absent in at least a single individual (dispensable). Previous pangenomic studies have identified certain functional differences between core and dispensable genes. However, identifying if a gene belongs to the core or dispensable portion of the genome requires the construction of a pangenome, which involves sequencing the genomes of many individuals. Here we aim to leverage the previously characterized core and dispensable gene content for two grass species (Brachypodium distachyon and Oryza sativa) to construct a machine learning model capable of accurately classifying genes as core or dispensable using only a single annotated reference genome. Such a model may mitigate the need for pangenome construction, an expensive hurdle especially in orphan crops which often lack the adequate genomic resources.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.22.436446</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Machine learning approaches to identify core and dispensable genes in pangenomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.23.436709v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
DrosoPhyla: genomic resources for drosophilid phylogeny and systematics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.23.436709v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster is a pivotal model for invertebrate development, genetics, physiology, neuroscience, and disease. The whole family Drosophilidae, which contains over 4000 species, offers a plethora of cases for comparative and evolutionary studies. Despite a long history of phylogenetic inference, many relationships remain unresolved among the groups and genera in the Drosophilidae. To clarify these relationships, we first developed a set of new genomic markers and assembled a multilocus data set of 17 genes from 704 species of Drosophilidae. We then inferred well-supported group and species trees for this family. Additionally, we were able to determine the phylogenetic position of some previously unplaced species. These results establish a new framework for investigating the evolution of traits in fruit flies, as well as valuable resources for systematics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Finet, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kassner, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carvalho, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delaney, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Re, F. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dufour, H. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dupim, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Izumitani, H. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gauterio, T. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Justen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Katoh, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kopp, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koshikawa, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Longdon, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loreto, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nunes, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raja, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rebeiz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ritchie, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saakyan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sneddon, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teramoto, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tyukmaeva, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vanderlinde, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wey, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Werner, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robe, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toda, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marletaz, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.23.436709</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[DrosoPhyla: genomic resources for drosophilid phylogeny and systematics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.24.436837v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin elicited decreases in cobalamin inhibits methylmalonyl-CoA mutase activity redirecting propionyl-CoA metabolism to the β-oxidation-like pathway resulting in hepatic accumulation of the toxic intermediate acrylyl-CoA 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.24.436837v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a persistent environmental contaminant which induces diverse biological and toxic effects, including the reprograming of intermediate metabolism, mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Targeted LC-MS analysis of hepatic extracts from mice gavaged with TCDD every 4 days for 28 days detected an increase in S-(2-carboxyethyl)-L-cysteine, a conjugate produced following the spontaneous reaction between the sulfhydryl group of cysteine and highly reactive acrylyl-CoA, an intermediate in the cobalamin (Cbl)-independent {beta}-oxidation-like metabolism of propionyl-CoA. In addition to repressing genes in both the canonical Cbl-dependent carboxylase and the alternate Cbl-independent {beta}-oxidation-like pathways at 30 g/kg TCDD, methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT) activity was inhibited at lower doses. Moreover, TCDD decreased serum Cbl levels and hepatic cobalt levels while eliciting negligible effects on gene expression associated with Cbl absorption, transport, trafficking, or the derivatization to 5-deoxy-adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl), the required MUT cofactor. In addition to inducing Acod1 that encodes for aconitate decarboxylase 1, the enzyme responsible for the decarboxylation cis-aconitate to itaconate, TCDD also dose-dependently increased itaconate levels in hepatic extracts. MUT inhibition is consistent with itaconate activation to itaconyl-CoA, a MUT suicide inactivator that adducts AdoCbl, that in turn, inhibits MUT activity and reduces Cbl levels. Collectively, these results suggest the decrease in MUT activity is due to Cbl depletion following TCDD treatment that redirected propionyl-CoA metabolism to the alternate Cbl-independent {beta}-oxidation-like pathway. The resulting hepatic accumulation of acrylyl-CoA likely contributes to TCDD-elicited hepatotoxicity and the multi-hit progression of steatosis to steatohepatitis with fibrosis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Orlowska, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fling, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.24.436837</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin elicited decreases in cobalamin inhibits methylmalonyl-CoA mutase activity redirecting propionyl-CoA metabolism to the β-oxidation-like pathway resulting in hepatic accumulation of the toxic intermediate acrylyl-CoA]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.25.437023v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Too little, too late: transcription during imbibition of lethally aged soybean seeds is weak and delayed, but not aberrant 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.25.437023v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_TBL View this table:
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@116f1e7org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@163aa97org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@54d174org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@8342f3org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1a08df1_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_TBL C_TBL O_LIThis study investigates alive to dead signals in seeds that aged during cool, dry storage. Signals may invoke abrupt, lethal metabolic pathways or reflect effects of accumulated small injuries which impair recovery from life in the dry state.
C_LIO_LICohorts of soybean (Glycine max cv.  Williams 82) seeds were stored for 3, 19 and 22 years. Transcriptomes of dry embryonic axes and axes 24 hours after imbibition (HAI) were sequenced to determine gene expression patterns. These cohorts showed about <2, 40, and ~99% mortality, respectively, in response to storage and aging.
C_LIO_LIA total of 19,340 genes were significantly differentially expressed (SDE) in imbibed axes compared to dry axes. Gene expression patterns of imbibed axes clustered into three groups that represented high, low, and no germination potential (GP). There were 17,360 SDE genes in high-GP axes and 4,892 SDE genes, mostly upregulated, in no-GP axes. Transcriptomes of no-GP axes were similar to healthy axes at 3 HAI.
C_LIO_LISlow transcription, not transcription errors or novel expression pathways, portends failure to transition from seed to seedling. We conclude that the signature of death in dry aged seeds arises from metabolism that is "too little and too late."
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fleming, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walters, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.25.437023</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Too little, too late: transcription during imbibition of lethally aged soybean seeds is weak and delayed, but not aberrant]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.25.437042v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Massively parallel, computationally-guided design of a pro-enzyme 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.25.437042v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Confining the activity of a designed protein to a specific microenvironment would have broad-ranging applications, such as enabling cell type-specific therapeutic action by enzymes while avoiding off-target effects. While many natural enzymes are synthesized as inactive zymogens that can be activated by proteolysis, it has been challenging to re-design any chosen enzyme to be similarly stimulus-responsive. Here, we develop a massively parallel computational design, screening, and next-generation sequencing-based approach for pro-enzyme design. As a model system, we employ carboxypeptidase G2 (CPG2), a clinically approved enzyme that has applications in both the treatment of cancer and controlling drug toxicity. Detailed kinetic characterization of the most effective designed variants shows that they are inhibited by approximately 80% compared to the unmodified protein, and their activity is fully restored following incubation with site-specific proteases. Introducing disulfide bonds between the pro-and catalytic domains based on the design models increases the degree of inhibition to 98%, but decreases the degree of restoration of activity by proteolysis. A selected disulfide-containing pro-enzyme exhibits significantly lower activity relative to the fully activated enzyme when evaluated in cell culture. Structural and thermodynamic characterization provides detailed insights into the pro-domain binding and inhibition mechanisms. The described methodology is general and could enable the design of a variety of pro-proteins with precise spatial regulation.

SignificanceProteins have shown promise as therapeutics and diagnostics, but their effectiveness is limited by our inability to spatially target their activity. To overcome this limitation, we developed a computationally-guided method to design inactive "pro-enzymes" or "zymogens," which are activated through cleavage by a protease. Since proteases are differentially expressed in various tissues and disease states, including cancer, these pro-enzymes could be targeted to the desired microenvironment. We tested our method on the therapeutically-relevant protein, carboxypeptidase G2 (CPG2). We designed Pro-CPG2s that are inhibited by 80-98% and are partially to fully re-activatable following protease treatment. The developed methodology, with further refinements, could pave the way for routinely designing protease-activated protein-based therapeutics and diagnostics that act in a spatially controlled manner.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yachnin, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azouz, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>White, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Minetti, C. A. S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Remeta, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tan, V. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drake, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khare, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.25.437042</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Massively parallel, computationally-guided design of a pro-enzyme]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.26.437207v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Host genetic control of succession in the switchgrass leaf fungal microbiome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.26.437207v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Leaf fungal microbiomes can be fundamental drivers of host plant success, as they contain pathogens that devastate crop plants and taxa that enhance nutrient uptake, discourage herbivory, and antagonize pathogens. We measured leaf fungal diversity with amplicon sequencing across an entire growing season in a diversity panel of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). We also sampled a replicated subset of genotypes across three additional sites to compare the importance of time, space, ecology, and genetics. We found a strong successional pattern in the microbiome shaped both by host genetics and environmental factors. Further, we used genome-wide association mapping and RNA-sequencing to show that three cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases were linked to a genetic locus associated with microbiome structure. These genes were more highly expressed in genotypes susceptible to fungal pathogens, which were central to microbial covariance networks, suggesting that host immune genes are a principal means of controlling the entire leaf microbiome.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanWallendael, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benucci, G. M. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>da Costa, P. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fraser, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fritschi, F. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Juenger, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovell, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sreedasyam, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.26.437207</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Host genetic control of succession in the switchgrass leaf fungal microbiome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.26.437213v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Every cog and wheel: Unraveling biocomplexity at the genomic and phenotypic level in a population complex of Chinook salmon. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.26.437213v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genomic diversity is the fundamental building block of biodiversity and the necessary ingredient for adaptation. Our rapidly increasing ability to quantify functional, compositional, and structural genomic diversity of populations forces the question of how to balance conservation goals - should the focus be on important functional diversity and key life history traits or on maximizing genomic diversity as a whole? Specifically, the intra-specific diversity (biocomplexity) comprised of phenotypic and genetic variation can determine the ability of a population to respond to changing environmental conditions. Here, we explore the biocomplexity of Californias Central Valley Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) population complex at the genomic level. Notably, despite apparent gene flow among individuals with the same migration (life history) phenotypes inhabiting different tributaries, each group is characterized by a surprising component of unique genomic diversity. Our results emphasize the importance of formulating conservation goals focused on maintaining biocomplexity at both the phenotypic and genotypic level. Doing so will maintain the species adaptive potential and increase the probability of persistence of the population complex despite changing environmental pressures.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>O'Leary, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, T. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meek, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.26.437213</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Every cog and wheel: Unraveling biocomplexity at the genomic and phenotypic level in a population complex of Chinook salmon.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.27.437348v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Measuring hidden phenotype: Quantifying the shape of barley seeds using the Euler Characteristic Transform 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.27.437348v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Shape plays a fundamental role in biology. Traditional phenotypic analysis methods measure some features but fail to measure the information embedded in shape comprehensively. To extract, compare, and analyze this information embedded in a robust and concise way, we turn to Topological Data Analysis (TDA), specifically the Euler Characteristic Transform. TDA measures shape comprehensively using mathematical representations based on algebraic topology features. To study its use, we compute both traditional and topological shape descriptors to quantify the morphology of 3121 barley seeds scanned with X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) technology at 127 micron resolution. The Euler Characteristic Transform measures shape by analyzing topological features of an object at thresholds across a number of directional axes. A Kruskal-Wallis analysis of the information encoded by the topological signature reveals that the Euler Characteristic Transform picks up successfully the shape of the crease and bottom of the seeds. Moreover, while traditional shape descriptors can cluster the seeds based on their accession, topological shape descriptors can cluster them further based on their panicle. We then successfully train a support vector machine (SVM) to classify 28 different accessions of barley based exclusively on the shape of their grains. We observe that combining both traditional and topological descriptors classifies barley seeds better than using just traditional descriptors alone. This improvement suggests that TDA is thus a powerful complement to traditional morphometrics to comprehensively describe a multitude of "hidden" shape nuances which are otherwise not detected.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Amezquita, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quigley, M. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ophelders, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Landis, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koenig, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munch, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.27.437348</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Measuring hidden phenotype: Quantifying the shape of barley seeds using the Euler Characteristic Transform]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.29.437542v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Fine-tuning of SUMOylation modulates drought tolerance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.29.437542v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
SUMOylation is involved in various aspects of plant biology, including drought stress. However, the relationship between SUMOylation and drought stress tolerance is complex; whether SUMOylation has a crosstalk with ubiquitination in response to drought stress remains largely unclear. In this study, we found that both increased and decreased SUMOylation led to increased survival of apple (Malus x domestica) under drought stress: both transgenic MdSUMO2A overexpressing (OE) plants and MdSUMO2 RNAi plants exhibited enhanced drought tolerance. We further confirmed that MdDREB2A is one of the MdSUMO2 targets. Both transgenic MdDREB2A OE and MdDREB2AK192R OE plants (which lacked the key site of SUMOylation by MdSUMO2A) were more drought tolerant than wild-type plants. However, MdDREB2AK192R OE plants had a much higher survival rate than MdDREB2A OE plants. We further showed SUMOylated MdDREB2A was conjugated with ubiquitin by MdRNF4 under drought stress, thereby triggering its protein degradation. In addition, MdRNF4 RNAi plants were more tolerant to drought stress. These results revealed the molecular mechanisms that underlie the relationship of SUMOylation with drought tolerance and provided evidence for the tight control of MdDREB2A accumulation under drought stress mediated by SUMOylation and ubiquitination.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Guan, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, S.-X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Nocker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.29.437542</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Fine-tuning of SUMOylation modulates drought tolerance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.30.437706v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Depleting Hypothalamic Somatostatinergic Neurons Recapitulates Diabetic Phenotypes in Brain, Bone Marrow, Adipose, and Retina 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.30.437706v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hypothalamic inflammation and sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity are hallmark features of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Hypothalamic inflammation may aggravate metabolic and immunologic pathologies due to extensive sympathetic activation of peripheral tissues. Loss of somatostatinergic (SST) neurons may contribute to enhanced hypothalamic inflammation. The present data show that leptin receptor deficient (db/db) mice exhibit reduced hypothalamic somatostatinergic cells, particularly in the periventricular nucleus. We model this finding, using adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery of diphtheria toxin (DTA) driven by an SST-cre system to deplete these cells in SSTcre/gfp mice (SST-DTA). SST-DTA mice exhibit enhanced hypothalamic c-fos expression and brain inflammation as demonstrated by microglial and astrocytic activation. Bone marrow from SST-DTA mice undergoes skewed hematopoiesis, generating excess granulocyte-monocyte precursors and increased pro-inflammatory (CCR2hi) monocytes. Visceral adipose tissue from DTA-treated animals was resistant to catecholamine induced lipolysis. Finally, SST-DTA mice exhibited a "diabetic retinopathy like" phenotype: reduced visual function by optokinetic response and electroretinogram, as well as increased percentages of retinal monocytes. Importantly, hyperglycemia was not observed in SST-DTA mice. Thus, the isolated reduction in hypothalamic somatostatinergic neurons was able to recapitulate several hallmark features of type 2 diabetes in disease relevant tissues.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Huang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosencrans, R. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bugescu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vieira, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adu-Agyeiwaah, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gamble, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Longhini, A. L. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fuller, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leinninger, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.30.437706</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Depleting Hypothalamic Somatostatinergic Neurons Recapitulates Diabetic Phenotypes in Brain, Bone Marrow, Adipose, and Retina]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.31.437871v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Broadly Conserved Deoxycytidine Deaminase Protects Bacteria from Phage Infection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.31.437871v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The El Tor biotype of Vibrio cholerae is responsible for perpetuating the longest cholera pandemic in recorded history (1961-current). The genomic islands VSP-1 and -2 are two understudied genetic features that distinguish El Tor from previous pandemics. To understand their utility, we calculated the co-occurrence of VSP genes across bacterial genomes. This analysis predicted the previously uncharacterized vc0175, herein renamed deoxycytidylate deaminase Vibrio (dcdV), is in a gene network with dncV, a cyclic GMP-AMP synthase involved in phage defense. DcdV consists of two domains, a P-loop kinase and a deoxycytidylate deaminase, that are required for the deamination of dCTP and dCMP, inhibiting phage predation by corrupting cellular nucleotide concentrations. Additionally, DcdV is post-translationally inhibited by a unique noncoding RNA encoded 5 of the dcdV locus. DcdV homologs are conserved in bacteria and eukaryotes and our results identify V. cholerae DcdV as the founding member of a previously undescribed bacterial phage defense system.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Severin, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsueh, B. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elg, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dover, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhoades, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wessel, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ridenhour, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Top, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-03-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.03.31.437871</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Broadly Conserved Deoxycytidine Deaminase Protects Bacteria from Phage Infection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-03-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.02.438254v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Focal fMRI signal enhancement with implantable inductively coupled detectors 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.02.438254v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Despite extensive efforts to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of fMRI images for brain-wide mapping, technical advances of focal brain signal enhancement are lacking, in particular, for animal brain imaging. Emerging studies have combined fMRI with fiber optic-based optogenetics to decipher circuit-specific neuromodulation from meso to macroscales. Acquiring fMRI signal with high spatiotemporal resolution is needed to bridge cross-scale functional dynamics, but SNR of targeted cortical regions is a limiting factor. We have developed a multi-modal fMRI imaging platform with an implanted inductive coil detector. This detector boosts the tSNR of MRI images, showing a 2-3 fold sensitivity gain over conventional coil configuration. In contrast to the cryoprobe or array coils with limited spaces for implanted brain interface, this setup offers a unique advantage to study brain circuit connectivity with optogenetic stimulation and can be further extended to other multi-modal fMRI mapping schemes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takahashi, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.02.438254</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Focal fMRI signal enhancement with implantable inductively coupled detectors]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.05.438488v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Brassica rapa domestication: untangling wild and feral forms and convergence of crop morphotypes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.05.438488v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The study of domestication contributes to our knowledge of evolution and crop genetic resources. Human selection has shaped wild Brassica rapa into diverse turnip, leafy, and oilseed crops. Despite its worldwide economic importance and potential as a model for understanding diversification under domestication, insights into the number of domestication events and initial crop(s) domesticated in B. rapa have been limited due to a lack of clarity about the wild or feral status of conspecific non-crop relatives. To address this gap and reconstruct the domestication history of B. rapa, we analyzed 68,468 genotyping-by-sequencing-derived SNPs for 416 samples in the largest diversity panel of domesticated and weedy B. rapa to date. To further understand the center of origin, we modeled the potential range of wild B. rapa during the mid-Holocene. Our analyses of genetic diversity across B. rapa morphotypes suggest that non-crop samples from the Caucasus, Siberia, and Italy may be truly wild, while those occurring in the Americas and much of Europe are feral. Clustering, tree-based analyses, and parameterized demographic inference further indicate that turnips were likely the first crop type domesticated, from which leafy types in East Asia and Europe were selected from distinct lineages. These findings clarify the domestication history and nature of wild crop genetic resources for B. rapa, which provides the first step toward investigating cases of possible parallel selection, the domestication and feralization syndrome, and novel germplasm for Brassica crop improvement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McAlvay, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ragsdale, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mabry, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qi, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bird, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Velasco, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>An, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emshwiller, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.05.438488</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Brassica rapa domestication: untangling wild and feral forms and convergence of crop morphotypes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.06.438626v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The meta-gut: Hippo inputs lead to community coalescence of animal and environmental microbiomes. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.06.438626v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
All animals carry specialized microbiomes, and their gut microbiotas in particular are continuously released into the environment through excretion of waste. Here we propose the meta-gut as a novel conceptual framework that addresses the ability of the gut microbiome released from an animal to function outside the host and potentially alter ecosystem processes mediated by microbes. An example considered here is the hippopotamus (hippo) and the pools they inhabit. Hippo pool biogeochemistry and fecal and pool water microbial communities were examined through field sampling and an experiment. Sequencing using 16S RNA methods revealed that the active microbial communities in hippo pools that received high inputs of hippo feces are more similar to the hippo gut microbiome than other nearby aquatic environments. The overlap between the microbiomes of the hippo gut and the waters into which they excrete therefore constitutes a meta-gut system with potentially strong influence on the biogeochemistry of pools and downstream waters. We propose that the meta-gut may be present where other species congregate in high densities, particularly in aquatic environments.

SignificanceAnimals can have considerable impacts on biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem attributes through the consumption of resources and physical modifications of the environment. Likewise, microbial communities are well known to regulate biogeochemical cycles. This study links those two observations by showing that the gut microbiome in waste excreted by hippos can persist ex-situ in the environment and potentially alter biogeochemical cycles. This "meta-gut" system may be present in other ecosystems where animals congregate, and may have been more widespread in the past before many large animal populations were reduced in range and abundance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dutton, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subalusky, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Estrela, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Njoroge, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosi, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Post, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.06.438626</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The meta-gut: Hippo inputs lead to community coalescence of animal and environmental microbiomes.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.06.438638v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Evolutionary History of Wild, Domesticated, and Feral Brassica oleracea (Brassicaceae) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.06.438638v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding the evolutionary history of crops, including identifying wild relatives, helps to provide insight for designing new approaches in crop breeding efforts. Cultivated Brassica oleracea has intrigued researchers for centuries due to its wide diversity in forms, which include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, and Brussels sprouts. Yet, the evolutionary history of this species remains understudied. With such different vegetables produced from a single species, B. oleracea is a model organism for understanding the power of artificial selection. Persistent challenges in the study of B. oleracea include conflicting hypotheses regarding domestication and the identity of the closest living wild relative. Using a diversity panel of 224 accessions, which represents 14 different B. oleracea crop types and nine potential wild progenitor species, we integrate phylogenetic and population genetic techniques with ecological niche modeling, archaeological, and literary evidence to examine relationships among cultivars and wild relatives to clarify the origin of this horticulturally important species. Our analyses point to the Aegean endemic B. cretica as the closest living relative of cultivated B. oleracea, supporting an origin of cultivation in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Additionally, we identify several feral lineages, suggesting that cultivated plants of this species are able to revert to a wild-like state with relative ease. By expanding our understanding of the evolutionary history in B. oleracea, these results contribute to a growing body of knowledge on crop domestication that will facilitate continued breeding efforts including adaptation to changing environmental conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mabry, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallagher, E. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McAlvay, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>An, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pink, D. A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teakle, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stevens, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barker, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Labate, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fuller, D. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allaby, R. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beissinger, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Decker, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.06.438638</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Evolutionary History of Wild, Domesticated, and Feral Brassica oleracea (Brassicaceae)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.09.439168v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The dual nature of metacommunity variability 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.09.439168v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
There is increasing interest in measuring ecological stability to understand how communities and ecosystems respond to broad-scale global changes. One of the most common approaches is to quantify the variation through time in community or ecosystem aggregate attributes (e.g., total biomass), referred to as aggregate variability. It is now widely recognized that aggregate variability represents only one aspect of communities and ecosystems, and compositional variability, the changes in the relative frequency of species in an assemblage, is equally important. Recent contributions have also begun to explore ecological stability at regional spatial scales, where interconnected local communities form metacommunities, a key concept in managing complex landscapes. However, the conceptual frameworks and measures of ecological stability in space have only focused on aggregate variability, leaving a conceptual gap. Here, we address this gap with a novel framework for quantifying the aggregate and compositional variability of communities and ecosystems through space and time. We demonstrate that the compositional variability of a metacommunity depends on the degree of spatial synchrony in compositional trajectories among local communities. We then provide a conceptual framework in which compositional variability of (i) the metacommunity through time and (ii) among local communities combine into four archetype scenarios: spatial stasis (low/low); spatial synchrony (high/low); spatial asynchrony (high/high) and spatial compensation (low/high). We illustrate this framework based on numerical examples and a case study of a macroalgal metacommunity in which low spatial synchrony reduced variability in aggregate biomass at the metacommunity scale, while masking high spatial synchrony in compositional trajectories among local communities. Finally, we discuss the role of dispersal, environmental heterogeneity, species interactions and suggest future avenues. We believe this framework will be helpful for considering both aspects of variability simultaneously which is important to better understand ecological stability in natural and complex landscapes in response to environmental changes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lamy, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wisnoski, N. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrade, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castorani, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Compagnoni, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lany, N. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marazzi, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Record, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tonkin, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Voelker, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarnetske, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sokol, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.09.439168</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The dual nature of metacommunity variability]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.11.438354v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Measuring salivary cortisol in wild carnivores 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.11.438354v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Salivary hormone analyses provide a useful alternative to fecal and urinary hormone analyses in non-invasive studies of behavioral endocrinology. Here, we use saliva to assess cortisol levels in a wild population of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), a gregarious carnivore living in complex social groups. We first describe a novel, non-invasive method of collecting saliva from juvenile hyenas and validate a salivary cortisol assay for use in this species. We then analyze over 260 saliva samples collected from nearly 70 juveniles to investigate the relationships between cortisol and temporal and social variables in these animals. We obtain evidence of a bimodal daily rhythm with salivary cortisol concentrations dropping around dawn and dusk, times at which cub activity levels are changing substantially. We also find that dominant littermates have lower cortisol than either subordinate littermates or singletons, but that cortisol does not vary with age, sex, or maternal social rank. Finally, we examine how social behaviors such as aggression or play affect salivary cortisol concentrations. We find that inflicting aggression on others was associated with lower cortisol concentrations. We hope that the detailed description of our methods provides wildlife researchers with the tools to measure salivary cortisol in other wild carnivores.

HIGHLIGHTSO_LIWe validated methods for collecting and analyzing saliva from wild carnivores.
C_LIO_LIWe documented a bimodal daily rhythm in juvenile spotted hyena salivary cortisol.
C_LIO_LICortisol varied among juvenile hyenas based on litter size and intra-litter rank.
C_LIO_LIInflicting aggression on others was associated with lower cortisol concentrations.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenberg, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunson, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>John, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laubach, Z. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nonnamaker, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Person, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rogers, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ronis, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smale, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steinfield, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strong, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beehner, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.11.438354</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Measuring salivary cortisol in wild carnivores]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.12.439473v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Revealing the threat of emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations to antibody therapies 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.12.439473v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The ongoing massive vaccination and the development of effective intervention offer the long-awaited hope to end the global rage of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the rapidly growing SARS-CoV-2 variants might compromise existing vaccines and monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies. Although there are valuable experimental studies about the potential threats from emerging variants, the results are limited to a handful of mutations and Eli Lilly and Regeneron mAbs. The potential threats from frequently occurring mutations on the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) to many mAbs in clinical trials are largely unknown. We fill the gap by developing a topology-based deep learning strategy that is validated with tens of thousands of experimental data points. We analyze 261,348 genome isolates from patients to identify 514 non-degenerate RBD mutations and investigate their impacts on 16 mAbs in clinical trials. Our findings, which are highly consistent with existing experimental results about variants from the UK, South Africa, Brazil, US-California, and Mexico shed light on potential threats of 95 high-frequency mutations to mAbs not only from Eli Lilly and Regeneron but also from Celltrion and Rockefeller University that are in clinical trials. We unveil, for the first time, that high-frequency mutations R346K/S, N439K, G446V, L455F, V483F/A, E484Q/V/A/G/D, F486L, F490L/V/S, Q493L, and S494P/L might compromise some of mAbs in clinical trials. Our study gives rise to a general perspective about how mutations will affect current vaccines.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, G.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.12.439473</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Revealing the threat of emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations to antibody therapies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.15.439990v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
BRAF inhibitor resistance confers increased sensitivity to mitotic inhibitors 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.15.439990v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Single agent and combination therapy with BRAFV600E/K and MEK inhibitors have remarkable efficacy against melanoma tumors with activating BRAF mutations, but in most cases resistance eventually develops. The purpose of this study is to uncover pharmacological vulnerabilities of BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells, with the goal of identifying new therapeutic options for patients whose tumors have developed resistance to BRAFi/MEKi therapy. We screened a well-annotated compound library against a panel of isogenic pairs of parental and BRAFi-resistant melanoma cell lines to identify classes of compounds that selectively target BRAFi-resistant cells over their BRAFi-sensitive counterparts. Two distinct patterns of increased sensitivity to classes of pharmacological inhibitors emerged. In two cell line pairs, BRAFi resistance conferred increased sensitivity to compounds that share the property of cell cycle arrest at M-phase, including inhibitors of aurora kinase (AURK), polo-like kinase (PLK), tubulin, and kinesin. Live cell microscopy used to track mitosis in real time revealed that parental, but not BRAFi-resistant, melanoma cells were able to exit from compound-induced mitotic arrest through mitotic slippage, thus escaping death. Consistent with the key role of Cyclin B1 levels in regulating mitosis at the spindle checkpoint, in arrested cells we found higher Cyclin B1 levels in parental over BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells, suggesting that altered Cyclin B1 expression levels may explain why these BRAFi resistant cells have gained increased vulnerability to mitotic inhibitors. Another BRAFi-resistant cell line showed increased sensitivity to Chk1/2 inhibitors, possibly due to an accumulation of DNA damage, resulting in mitotic failure. This study shows that BRAFi-resistance in melanoma cells confers vulnerability to pharmacological disruption of mitosis and suggests a targeted synthetic lethal approach to treat BRAF-mutant melanomas that have become resistant to BRAF/MEK-directed therapies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Misek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dexheimer, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akram, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conrad, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallo, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.15.439990</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[BRAF inhibitor resistance confers increased sensitivity to mitotic inhibitors]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.17.440287v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The ChvG-ChvI and NtrY-NtrX two-component systems coordinately regulate growth of Caulobacter crescentus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.17.440287v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Two-component signaling systems (TCSs) are comprised of a sensory histidine kinase and a response regulator protein. In response to environmental changes, sensor kinases directly phosphorylate their cognate response regulator to affect gene expression. Bacteria typically express multiple TCSs that are insulated from one another and regulate distinct physiological processes. There are certainly examples of cross-regulation between TCSs, but this phenomenon remains relatively unexplored. We have identified regulatory links between the ChvG-ChvI (ChvGI) and NtrY-NtrX (NtrYX) TCSs, which control important and often overlapping processes in -proteobacteria, including maintenance of the cell envelope. Deletion of chvG and chvI in Caulobacter crescentus limited growth in defined medium and a selection for genetic suppressors of this growth phenotype uncovered interactions among chvGI, ntrYX, and ntrZ, which encodes a previously uncharacterized periplasmic protein. Significant overlap in the experimentally-defined ChvI and NtrX transcriptional regulons provided support for the observed genetic connections between ntrYX and chvGI. Moreover, we present evidence that the growth defect of strains lacking chvGI is influenced by the phosphorylation state of NtrX and, to some extent, by levels of the TonB-dependent receptor ChvT. Measurements of NtrX phosphorylation in vivo indicated that NtrZ is an upstream regulator of NtrY, and that NtrY primarily functions as an NtrX phosphatase. We propose a model in which NtrZ functions in the periplasm to inhibit NtrY phosphatase activity; regulation of phosphorylated NtrX levels by NtrZ and NtrY provides a mechanism to modulate and balance expression of the NtrX and ChvI regulons under different growth conditions.

ImportanceTwo-component signaling systems (TCSs) enable bacteria to regulate gene expression in response to physiochemical changes in their environment. The ChvGI and NtrYX TCSs regulate diverse pathways associated with pathogenesis, growth, and cell envelope function in many -proteobacteria. We used Caulobacter crescentus as a model to investigate regulatory connections between ChvGI and NtrYX. Our work defined the ChvI transcriptional regulon in C. crescentus and revealed a genetic interaction between ChvGI and NtrYX, whereby modulation of NtrYX signaling affects the survival of cells lacking ChvGI. In addition, we identified NtrZ as a periplasmic inhibitor of NtrY phosphatase activity in vivo. Our work establishes C. crescentus as an excellent model to investigate multi-level regulatory connections between ChvGI and NtrYX in -proteobacteria.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stein, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.17.440287</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The ChvG-ChvI and NtrY-NtrX two-component systems coordinately regulate growth of Caulobacter crescentus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.19.440383v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A biosensor to gauge protein homeostasis resilience differences in the nucleus compared to cytosol of mammalian cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.19.440383v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
An extensive network of chaperones and other proteins maintain protein homeostasis and guard against inappropriate protein aggregation that is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. Using a fluorescence resonance energy-based biosensor that simultaneously reports on intact cellular chaperone holdase activity and detrimental aggregation propensity, we investigated the buffering capacity of the systems managing protein homeostasis in the nucleus of the human cell line HEK293 compared to the cytosol. We found that the nucleus showed lower net holdase activity and reduced capacity to suppress protein aggregation, suggesting that the nuclear quality control resources are less effective compared to those in the cytosol. Aggregation of mutant huntingtin exon 1 protein (Httex1) in the cytosol appeared to deplete cytosolic chaperone supply by depleting holdase activity. Unexpectedly, the same stress increased holdase activity in the nucleus suggesting that proteostasis stress can trigger a rebalance of chaperone supply in different subcellular compartments. Collectively the findings suggest the cytosol has more capacity to manage imbalances in proteome foldedness than the nucleus, but chaperone supply can be redirected into the nucleus under conditions of proteostasis stress caused by cytosolic protein aggregation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raeburn, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ormsby, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moily, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ebbinghaus, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McColl, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hatters, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.19.440383</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A biosensor to gauge protein homeostasis resilience differences in the nucleus compared to cytosol of mammalian cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.20.440608v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome-centric analyses of seasonal phyllosphere microbiome activities in perennial crops 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.20.440608v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants and microorganisms form beneficial associations. Understanding plant-microbe interactions will inform microbiome management to enhance crop productivity and resilience to stress. Here, we apply a genome-centric approach to identify key leaf microbiome members on field-grown switchgrass and miscanthus, and quantify their activities for switchgrass over two growing seasons. We integrate metagenome and metatranscriptome sequencing from 192 leaf samples collected over key time points in crop phenology. We curated 40 focal metagenome-assembled-genomes (MAGs) and conservatively focus analysis on transcript recruitment to medium and high-quality MAGs that were <10% contaminated and >50% complete. Classes represented by these MAGs (Actinomycetia, Alpha- and Gamma-Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidota) were active and had seasonal dynamics in key functions, including enrichments in transcripts for of short chain dehydrogenase, molybdopterin oxioreductase, and polyketide cyclase in the late season. The majority of MAGs had activated stress-associated pathways, including trehalose metabolism, indole acetic acid degradation, betaine biosynthesis, and reactive oxygen species degradation, suggesting direct engagement with the host environment. We also detected seasonally activated biosynthetic pathways for terpenes (carotenoid and isoprenoids), and for various non-ribosomal peptide pathways that were poorly annotated. Overall, this study overcame laboratory and bioinformatic challenges associated with field-based leaf metatranscriptome analysis to inform potential key activities of these phyllosphere populations. These activities collectively support that leaf-associated bacterial populations are seasonally dynamic, responsive to host cues and interactively engage in feedbacks with the plant.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Howe, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stopnisek, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dooley, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grady, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.20.440608</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome-centric analyses of seasonal phyllosphere microbiome activities in perennial crops]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.22.440966v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multiple morphogens and rapid elongation promote segmental patterning during development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.22.440966v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The vertebrate hindbrain is segmented into rhombomeres (r) initially defined by distinct domains of gene expression. Previous studies have shown that noise-induced gene regulation and cell sorting are critical for the sharpening of rhombomere boundaries, which start out rough in the forming neural plate (NP) and sharpen over time. However, the mechanisms controlling simultaneous formation of multiple rhombomeres and accuracy in their sizes are unclear. We have developed a stochastic multiscale cell-based model that explicitly incorporates dynamic morphogenetic changes (i.e. convergent-extension of the NP), multiple morphogens, and gene regulatory networks to investigate the formation of rhombomeres and their corresponding boundaries in the zebrafish hindbrain. During pattern initiation, the short-range signal, fibroblast growth factor (FGF), works together with the longer-range morphogen, retinoic acid (RA), to specify all of these boundaries and maintain accurately-sized segments with sharp boundaries. At later stages of patterning, we show a nonlinear change in the shape of rhombomeres with rapid left-right narrowing of the NP followed by slower dynamics. Rapid initial convergence improves boundary sharpness and segment size by regulating cell sorting and cell fate both independently and coordinately. Overall, multiple morphogens and tissue dynamics synergize to regulate the sizes and boundaries of multiple segments during development.

Author SummaryIn segmental pattern formation, chemical gradients control gene expression in a concentration-dependent manner to specify distinct gene expression domains. Despite the stochasticity inherent to such biological processes, precise and accurate borders form between segmental gene expression domains. Previous work has revealed synergy between gene regulation and cell sorting in sharpening borders that are initially rough. However, it is still poorly understood how size and boundary sharpness of multiple segments are regulated in a tissue that changes dramatically in its morphology as the embryo develops. Here we develop a stochastic multiscale cell-base model to investigate these questions. Two novel strategies synergize to promote accurate segment formation, a combination of long- and short-range morphogens plus rapid tissue convergence, with one responsible for pattern initiation and the other enabling pattern refinement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Qiu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fung, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilling, T. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nie, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.22.440966</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multiple morphogens and rapid elongation promote segmental patterning during development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.25.441279v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Independent Promoter Recognition by TcpP Precedes Cooperative Promoter Activation by TcpP and ToxR 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.25.441279v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cholera is a diarrheal disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae. To reach the surface of intestinal epithelial cells, proliferate, and cause disease, V. cholerae tightly regulates the production of virulence factors such as cholera toxin (ctxAB) and the toxin co-regulated pilus (tcpA-F). ToxT is directly responsible for regulating these major virulence factors while TcpP and ToxR indirectly regulate virulence factor production by stimulating toxT expression. TcpP and ToxR are membrane-localized transcription activators (MLTAs) required to activate toxT expression. To gain a deeper understanding of how MLTAs identify promoter DNA while in the membrane, we tracked the dynamics of single TcpP-PAmCherry molecules in live cells using photoactivated localization microscopy and identified heterogeneous diffusion patterns. Our results provide evidence that: 1) TcpP exists in three biophysical states (fast diffusion, intermediate diffusion, and slow diffusion); 2) TcpP transitions between these different diffusion states; 3) TcpP molecules in the slow diffusion state are interacting with the toxT promoter; and 4) ToxR is not essential for TcpP to localize the toxT promoter. These data refine the current model of cooperativity between TcpP and ToxR in stimulating toxT expression and demonstrate that TcpP locates the toxT promoter independent of ToxR.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Calkins, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demey, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karslake, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Donarski, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Biteen, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.25.441279</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Independent Promoter Recognition by TcpP Precedes Cooperative Promoter Activation by TcpP and ToxR]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.27.441449v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Endophytic microbiome variation at the level of a single plant seed 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.27.441449v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Like other plant compartments, the seed harbors a microbiome. The members of the seed microbiome are the first to colonize a germinating seedling, and they initiate the trajectory of microbiome assembly for the next plant generation. Therefore, the members of the seed microbiome are important for the dynamics of plant microbiome assembly and the vertical transmission of potentially beneficial symbionts. However, it remains challenging to assess the microbiome at the individual seed level (and, therefore, for the future individual plant) due to low endophytic microbial biomass, seed exudates that can select for particular members, and high plant and plastid contamination of resulting reads. Here, we report a protocol for extracting metagenomic DNA from an individual seed (common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with minimal disruption of host tissue, which we expect to be generalizable to other medium-and large-seed plant species. We applied this protocol to quantify the 16S rRNA V4 and ITS2 amplicon composition and variability for individual seeds harvested from replicate common bean plants grown under standard, controlled conditions to maintain health. Using metagenomic DNA extractions from individual seeds, we compared seed-to-seed, pod-to-pod, and plant-to-plant microbiomes, and found highest microbiome variability at the plant level. This suggests that several seeds from the same plant could be pooled for microbiome assessment, given experimental designs that apply treatments at the maternal plant level. This study adds protocols and insights to the growing toolkit of approaches to understand the plant-microbiome engagements that support the health of agricultural and environmental ecosystems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bintarti, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sulesky-Grieb, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stopnisek, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.27.441449</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Endophytic microbiome variation at the level of a single plant seed]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.27.441663v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sustained coevolution of phage Lambda and Escherichia coli involves inner as well as outer membrane defenses and counter-defenses 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.27.441663v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteria often evolve resistance to phage through the loss or modification of cell-surface receptors. In Escherichia coli and phage {lambda}, such resistance can catalyze a coevolutionary arms race focused on host and phage structures that interact at the outer membrane. Here, we analyze another facet of this arms race involving interactions at the inner membrane, whereby E. coli evolves mutations in mannose permease-encoding genes manY and manZ that impair {lambda}s ability to eject its DNA into the cytoplasm. We show that these man mutants arose concurrently with the arms race at the outer membrane. We tested the hypothesis that {lambda} evolved an additional counter-defense that allowed them to infect bacteria with deleted man genes. The deletions severely impaired the ancestral {lambda}, but some evolved phage grew well on the deletion mutants, indicating they regained infectivity by evolving the ability to infect hosts independently of the mannose permease. This coevolutionary arms race fulfills the model of an inverse-gene-for-gene infection network. Taken together, the interactions at both the outer and inner membranes reveal that coevolutionary arms races can be richer and more complex than is often appreciated.

IMPACT STATEMENTLaboratory studies of coevolution help us understand how host defenses and pathogen counter-defenses change over time, which is often essential for predicting the future dynamics of host-pathogen interactions. One particular model, termed "inverse-gene-for-gene" coevolution, predicts that coevolution proceeds through alternating steps, whereby hosts lose the features exploited by pathogens, and pathogens evolve to exploit alternative features. Using a classic model system in molecular biology, we describe the nature and timing of a previously overlooked step in the coevolution of E. coli and bacteriophage lambda. Our work demonstrates that this mode of coevolution can profoundly re-shape the interactions between bacteria and phage.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Burmeister, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sullivan, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallie, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.27.441663</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sustained coevolution of phage Lambda and Escherichia coli involves inner as well as outer membrane defenses and counter-defenses]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.28.441243v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Capturing site-to-site variability through Hierarchical Bayesian calibration of a process-based dynamic vegetation model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.28.441243v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Process-based ecosystem models help us understand and predict ecosystem processes, but using them has long involved a difficult choice between performing data- and labor-intensive site-level calibrations or relying on general parameters that may not reflect local conditions. Hierarchical Bayesian (HB) calibration provides a third option that frees modelers from assuming model parameters to be completely generic or completely site-specific and allows a formal distinction between prediction at known calibration sites and "out-of-sample" prediction to new sites. Here, we compare calibrations of a process-based dynamic vegetation model to eddy-covariance data across 12 temperate deciduous Ameriflux sites fit using either site-specific, joint cross-site, or HB approaches. To be able to apply HB to computationally demanding process-based models we introduce a novel emulator-based HB calibration tool, which we make available through the PEcAn community cyberinfrastructure. Using these calibrations to make predictions at held-out tower sites, we show that the joint cross-site calibration is falsely over-confident because it neglects parameter variability across sites and therefore underestimates variance in parameter distributions. By showing which parameters show high site-to-site variability, HB calibration also formally gives us a structure that can detect which process representations are missing from the models and prioritize errors based on the magnitude of the associated uncertainty. For example, in our case-study, we were able to identify large site-to-site variability in the parameters related to the temperature responses of respiration and photosynthesis, associated with a lack of thermal acclimation and adaptation in the model. Moving forward, HB approaches present important new opportunities for statistical modeling of the spatiotemporal variability in modeled parameters and processes that yields both new insights and improved predictions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fer, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiklomanov, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Novick, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gough, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arain, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphy, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desai, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dietze, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.28.441243</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Capturing site-to-site variability through Hierarchical Bayesian calibration of a process-based dynamic vegetation model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.29.442046v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
How the footprint of history shapes the evolution of digital organisms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.29.442046v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Goulds thought experiment of "replaying lifes tape" provides a conceptual framework for experiments that quantify the contributions of adaptation, chance, and history to evolutionary outcomes. For example, we can empirically measure how varying the depth of history in one environment influences subsequent evolution in a new environment. Can this "footprint of history"--the genomic legacy of prior adaptation--grow too deep to overcome? Can it constrain adaptation, even with intense selection in the new environment? We investigated these questions using digital organisms. Specifically, we evolved ten populations from one ancestor under identical conditions. We then replayed evolution from three time points in each populations history (corresponding to shallow, intermediate, and deep history) in two new environments (one similar and one dissimilar to the prior environment). We measured the contributions of adaptation, chance, and history to the among-lineage variation in fitness and genome length in both new environments. In both environments, variation in genome length depended largely on history and chance, not adaptation, indicating weak selection. By contrast, adaptation, chance, and history all contributed to variation in fitness. Crucially, whether the depth of history affected adaptation depended on the environment. When the ancestral and new environments overlapped, history was as important as adaptation to the fitness achieved in the new environment for the populations with the deepest history. However, when the ancestral and novel environments favored different traits, adaptation overwhelmed even deep history. This experimental design for assessing the influence of the depth of history is promising for both biological and digital systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bundy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ofria, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-04-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.29.442046</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[How the footprint of history shapes the evolution of digital organisms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-04-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.30.440339v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Crowdsourcing biocuration: the Community Assessment of Community Annotation with Ontologies (CACAO) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.30.440339v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Experimental data about known gene functions curated from the primary literature have enormous value for research scientists in understanding biology. Using the Gene Ontology (GO), manual curation by experts has provided an important resource for studying gene function, especially within model organisms. Unprecedented expansion of the scientific literature and validation of the predicted proteins have increased both data value and the challenges of keeping pace. Capturing literature-based functional annotations is limited by the ability of biocurators to handle the massive and rapidly growing scientific literature. Within the community-oriented wiki framework for GO annotation called the Gene Ontology Normal Usage Tracking System (GONUTS), we describe an approach to expand biocuration through crowdsourcing with undergraduates. This multiplies the number of high-quality annotations in international databases, enriches our coverage of the literature on normal gene function, and pushes the field in new directions. From an intercollegiate competition judged by experienced biocurators, Community Assessment of Community Annotation with Ontologies (CACAO), we have contributed nearly 5000 literature-based annotations. Many of those annotations are to organisms not currently well-represented within GO. Over a ten-year history, our community contributors have spurred changes to the ontology not traditionally covered by professional biocurators. The CACAO principle of relying on community members to participate in and shape the future of biocuration in GO is a powerful and scalable model used to promote the scientific enterprise. It also provides undergraduate students with a unique and enriching introduction to critical reading of primary literature and acquisition of marketable skills.

Significance StatementThe primary scientific literature catalogs the results from publicly funded scientific research about gene function in human-readable format. Information captured from those studies in a widely adopted, machine-readable standard format comes in the form of Gene Ontology annotations about gene functions from all domains of life. Manual annotations based on inferences directly from the scientific literature, including the evidence used to make such inferences, represents the best return on investment by improving data accessibility across the biological sciences. To supplement professional curation, our CACAO project enabled annotation of the scientific literature by community annotators, in this case undergraduates, which resulted in contribution of thousands of validated entries to public resources. These annotations are now being used by scientists worldwide.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ramsey, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McIntosh, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Renfro, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aleksander, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaBonte, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ross, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zweifel, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liles, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gill, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erill, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ades, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berardini, T. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennett, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brady, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Britton, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carbon, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caruso, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clements, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dalia, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Defelice, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doyle, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Friedberg, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gurney, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hughes, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kowalski, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovering, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mans, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCarthy, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphy, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paustian, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perdue, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peterson, C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pruess, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sheehy, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tansey, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Temple, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorman, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trevino, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vollmer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.04.30.440339</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Crowdsourcing biocuration: the Community Assessment of Community Annotation with Ontologies (CACAO)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.02.442365v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Hypermethylation is associated with increased age in almond (Prunus dulcis  D.A. Webb) accessions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.02.442365v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIThe focus of this study is to profile changes in DNA methylation and small RNA expression occurring with increased age in almond breeding germplasm to identify possible biomarkers of age that can be used to assess the potential of individuals to develop aging-related disorders.
C_LIO_LITo profile DNA methylation in almond germplasm, 70 methylomes were generated from almond individuals representing three age cohorts (11, 7, and 2 years old) using an enzymatic methyl-seq approach followed by analysis to call differentially methylated regions (DMRs) within these cohorts. Small RNA (sRNA) expression was profiled in three breeding selections, each from two age cohorts (1 and 6 years old) using sRNA-Seq followed by differential expression analysis.
C_LIO_LIWeighted chromosome-level methylation analysis reveals hypermethylation in 11-year old almond breeding selections when compared to 2-year-old selections in the CG and CHH contexts. Seventeen consensus DMRs were identified in all age contrasts. sRNA expression differed significantly between the two age cohorts tested, with significantly decreased expression in sRNAs in the 6-year-old selections compared to the 1-year-old.
C_LIO_LIAlmond shows a pattern of hypermethylation and decreased sRNA expression with increased age. Identified DMRs and differentially expressed sRNAs could function as putative biomarkers of age following validation in additional age groups.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>D'Amico-Willman, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gradziel, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fresnedo Ramirez, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.02.442365</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Hypermethylation is associated with increased age in almond (Prunus dulcis  D.A. Webb) accessions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.02.442375v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
yEvo: Experimental evolution in high school classrooms selects for novel mutations and epistatic interactions that impact clotrimazole resistance in S. cerevisiae. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.02.442375v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Antifungal resistance in pathogenic fungi is a growing global health concern. Non-pathogenic laboratory strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are a useful model for studying mechanisms of antifungal resistance that are relevant to understanding the same processes in pathogenic fungi. We developed a series of lab modules in which high school students used experimental evolution to study antifungal resistance by isolating azole-resistant S. cerevisiae and examining the genetic basis of resistance. All 99 sequenced clones from these experiments possessed mutations previously shown to impact azole resistance, demonstrating the efficacy of our protocols. We additionally found recurrent mutations in an mRNA degradation pathway and an uncharacterized mitochondrial protein (Csf1) that have possible mechanistic connections to azole resistance. The scale of replication in this high school-led initiative allowed us to identify epistatic interactions, as evidenced by pairs of mutations that occur in the same clone more frequently than expected by chance (positive epistasis) or less frequently (negative epistasis). We validated one of these pairs, a negative epistatic interaction between gain-of-function mutations in the multidrug resistance transcription factors Pdr1 and Pdr3. This high school-university collaboration can serve as a model for involving members of the broader public in the scientific process to make meaningful discoveries in biomedical research.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Taylor, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skophammer, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warwick, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boyer, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Students, y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Large, C. R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hickey, A. S.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rowley, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunham, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.02.442375</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[yEvo: Experimental evolution in high school classrooms selects for novel mutations and epistatic interactions that impact clotrimazole resistance in S. cerevisiae.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.08.443193v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Short-interval fires and vegetation change in southern California 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.08.443193v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
QuestionsIn southern California, shortened fire return intervals may contribute to a decrease in native chaparral shrub presence and an increase in non-native annual grass presence. To test the hypothesis that short-fire return intervals promote a loss in shrub cover, we examined the contribution of single short-interval fires and abiotic conditions on the change of shrub cover within Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Through evaluating pre- and post-fire historical aerial images, we answered the following questions, 1) How has vegetation type cover changed after repeat fires? and 2) What landscape variables contribute the most to the observed change?

LocationVentura County and Los Angeles County, California, USA.

MethodsWe assessed the impact of a single short-interval fire by comparing vegetation recovery in adjacent once- and twice-burned fire burn polygons (long- and short-interval respectively). Pixel plots were examined within each polygon and vegetation cover was classified to vegetation type. We determined the best predictor of vegetation type cover with a linear mixed effects model comparison using Akaike Information Criterion.

ResultsPre-fire and post-fire community type cover was highly correlated. Burn interval was the best predictor of tree cover change (lower cover in twice-burned pixel plots). Aspect was the best predictor of sage scrub cover change (greater cover on north-facing aspects). Years since fire was the best predictor of chaparral cover change (positive correlation) and sage scrub cover change (negative correlation). Conversion of chaparral to sage scrub cover was more likely to occur than conversion of chaparral to annual grass cover.

ConclusionsOur study did not find extensive evidence of a decrease in chaparral shrub cover due to a single short-interval fire. Instead, post-fire cover was highly correlated with pre-fire cover. Chaparral recovery, however, was dynamic suggesting that stand recovery may be strongly influenced by local scale conditions and processes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lucero, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emery, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>D'Antonio, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.08.443193</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Short-interval fires and vegetation change in southern California]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.10.443525v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Systematic tissue annotations of -omics samples by modeling unstructured metadata 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.10.443525v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
There are currently >1.3 million human -omics samples that are publicly available. This valuable resource remains acutely underused because discovering particular samples from this ever-growing data collection remains a significant challenge. The major impediment is that sample attributes are routinely described using varied terminologies written in unstructured natural language. We propose a natural-language-processing-based machine learning approach (NLP-ML) to infer tissue and cell-type annotations for -omics samples based only on their free-text metadata. NLP-ML works by creating numerical representations of sample descriptions and using these representations as features in a supervised learning classifier that predicts tissue/cell-type terms. Our approach significantly outperforms an advanced graph-based reasoning annotation method (MetaSRA) and a baseline exact string matching method (TAGGER). Model similarities between related tissues demonstrate that NLP-ML models capture biologically-meaningful signals in text. Additionally, these models correctly classify tissue-associated biological processes and diseases based on their text descriptions alone. NLP-ML models are nearly as accurate as models based on gene-expression profiles in predicting sample tissue annotations but have the distinct capability to classify samples irrespective of the -omics experiment type based on their text metadata. Python NLP-ML prediction code and trained tissue models are available at https://github.com/krishnanlab/txt2onto.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hawkins, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maldaver, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yannakopoulos, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guare, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.10.443525</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Systematic tissue annotations of -omics samples by modeling unstructured metadata]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.11.442512v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Implicit Laplacian of Enhanced Edge (ILEE): An unguided quantitative cytoskeletal imaging algorithm 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.11.442512v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The eukaryotic cytoskeleton plays essential roles in cell signaling and trafficking, which is broadly associated with immunity and diseases of human and plants. To date, most analyses aiming at defining the temporal and spatial dynamics of the cytoskeleton have relied on qualitative and quantitative analysis of fluorescence images to describe cytoskeletal function. While state-of-the-art, these approaches have limitations: the diverse shape and brightness of the cytoskeleton cause considerable inaccuracy in both human-driven and automated approaches, and the widely adopted image projection process (3D to 2D) leads to bias and information loss. Here, we describe the development and application of Implicit Laplacian of Enhanced Edge (ILEE), an unguided approach that uses a 2D/3D-compatible local thresholding algorithm for the quantitative evaluation of cytoskeletal status and organization at high performance. Using ILEE, we constructed a Python library to enable automated cytoskeletal image analysis, providing numerous biologically-interpretable indices measuring the density, bundling, severing, branching, and directionality of the cytoskeleton. The data presented herein demonstrate that ILEE resolves the defects of classic cytoskeleton analysis approaches, enables the measurement of novel cytoskeletal features, and yields quantitatively descriptive data with superior accuracy, stability, and robustness. We released the ILEE algorithm as an open-source library and further developed a Google Colab interface as a community resource.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tong, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.11.442512</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Implicit Laplacian of Enhanced Edge (ILEE): An unguided quantitative cytoskeletal imaging algorithm]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.17.444377v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Lipid Bilayer Induces Contraction of the Denatured State Ensemble of a Helical-Bundle Membrane Protein 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.17.444377v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Defining the denatured state ensemble (DSE) and intrinsically disordered proteins is essential to understanding protein folding, chaperone action, degradation, translocation and cell signaling. While a majority of studies have focused on water-soluble proteins, the DSE of membrane proteins is much less characterized. Here, we reconstituted the DSE of a helical-bundle membrane protein GlpG of Escherichia coli in native lipid bilayers and measured the DSEs conformation and compactness. The DSE was obtained using steric trapping, which couples spontaneous denaturation of a doubly biotinylated GlpG to binding of two bulky monovalent streptavidin molecules. Using limited proteolysis and mass spectrometry, we mapped the flexible regions in the DSE. Using our paramagnetic biotin derivative and double electron-electron resonance spectroscopy, we determined the dimensions of the DSE. Finally, we employed our Upside model for molecular dynamics simulations to generate the DSE including the collapsed and fully expanded states in a bilayer. We find that the DSE is highly dynamic involving the topology changes of transmembrane segments and their unfolding. The DSE is expanded relative to the native state, but only to 55-90% of the fully expanded condition. The degree of expansion depends on the chemical potential with regards to local packing and the lipid composition. Our result suggests that the E. colis native lipid bilayer promotes the association of helices in the DSE of membrane proteins and, probably in general, facilitating interhelical interactions. This tendency may be the outcome of a general lipophobic effect of proteins within the cell membranes.

SignificanceHere, we delineate the conformation of the denatured state ensemble (DSE) of a membrane protein confined in a native lipid bilayer and assay whether the bilayer permits full expansion or nonspecific collapse of the DSE. Using the intramembrane protease GlpG as a model, we find that the denatured state is a dynamic ensemble involving topological changes and local unfolding of transmembrane segments. The bilayer tends to contract the DSE relative to the fully lipid-solvated, expanded conformations while the degree of compactness is determined by the balance between protein-lipid, lipid-lipid and protein-protein interactions. These findings provide new insights into the lipid bilayer as a solvent that mediates folding, chaperone action, turnover and protein-protein interactions in cell membranes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gaffney, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bridges, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muhammednazaar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>yang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilmiller, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Faruk, N. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peng, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hubbell, W. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sosnick, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hong, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.17.444377</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Lipid Bilayer Induces Contraction of the Denatured State Ensemble of a Helical-Bundle Membrane Protein]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.17.444392v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biochar alters soil properties, microbial community diversity, and enzyme activities, while decreasing conifer performance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.17.444392v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biochars are porous charcoal-like materials that can enhance soil health and plant growth, but its use has not been adequately evaluated in woody cropping systems. We set up an experimental Christmas tree plantation on a Marlette series soil amended with two types of biochar and conducted two studies on the impacts of biochar on the agroecosystem over three years following establishment. The first study investigated the effects of biochar on plant performance, soil physicochemical properties and extracellular enzyme activities, while the second investigated the response of the root-associated fungal community. Both biochars stimulated five extracellular enzyme activities, with increases of between 67% and 446%. Structural equation modelling identified increases to dissolved organic carbon and soil moisture as potential mechanisms of biochars effects on enzyme activities. Tree growth and survival were negatively affected by biochar application, depending on the tree species and biochar applied, which may have been due to induced nitrogen limitation. High-throughput sequencing showed that biochar decreased the diversity of root-associated fungal communities, with the ectomycorrhizal species Wilcoxina mikolae reaching levels of hyper-dominance on balsam fir in response to one of the biochars. Further studies should investigate how biochar can be harnessed to remediate specific soil quality issues or restructure soil ecosystems in ways that improve crop performance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nash, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miesel, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sakalidis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ren, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warnock, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiemann, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.17.444392</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biochar alters soil properties, microbial community diversity, and enzyme activities, while decreasing conifer performance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.18.444675v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Implications Derived from S-Protein Variants of SARS-CoV-2 from Six Continents 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.18.444675v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spike (S) proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are critical determinants of the infectivity and antigenicity of the virus. Several mutations in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 have already been detected, and their effect in immune system evasion and enhanced transmission as a cause of increased morbidity and mortality are being investigated. From pathogenic and epidemiological perspectives, spike proteins are of prime interest to researchers. This study focused on the unique variants of S proteins from six continents Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, South America, and North America. In comparison to the other five continents, Africa (29.065%) had the highest percentage of unique S proteins. Notably, only North America had 87% (14046) of the total (16143) specific S proteins available in the NCBI database(across all continents). Based on the amino acid frequency distributions in the S protein variants from all the continents, the phylogenetic relationship implies that unique S proteins from North America were significantly different from those of the other five continents. Overtime, the unique variants originating from North America are most likely to spread to the other geographic locations through international travel or naturally by emerging mutations. Hence it is suggested that restriction of international travel should be considered, and massive vaccination as an utmost measure to combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. It is also further suggested that the efficacy of existing vaccines and future vaccine development must be reviewed with careful scrutiny, and if needed, further re-engineered based on requirements dictated by new emerging S protein variants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hassan, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundstrom, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pal Choudhury, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kandimalla, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seyran, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lal, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sherchan, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azad, G. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljabali, A. A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brufsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serrano-Aroca, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adadi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abd El-Aziz, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Redwan, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takayama, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barh, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rezaei, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tambuwala, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uversky, V. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.18.444675</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Implications Derived from S-Protein Variants of SARS-CoV-2 from Six Continents]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.18.444725v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Hybridization and range expansion in tamarisk beetles (Diorhabda spp.) introduced to North America for classical biological control 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.18.444725v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
With the global rise of human-mediated translocations and invasions, it is critical to understand the genomic consequences of hybridization and mechanisms of range expansion. Conventional wisdom is that high genetic drift and loss of genetic diversity due to repeated founder effects will constrain introduced species. However, reduced genetic variation can be countered by behavioral aspects and admixture with other distinct populations. As planned invasions, classical biological control (biocontrol) agents present important opportunities to understand the mechanisms of establishment and spread in a novel environment. The ability of biocontrol agents to spread and adapt, and their effects on local ecosystems, depends on genomic variation and the consequences of admixture in novel environments. Here we use a biocontrol system to examine the genome-wide outcomes of introduction, spread, and hybridization in four cryptic species of a biocontrol agent, the tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda carinata, D. carinulata, D. elongata, and D. sublineata), introduced from six localities across Eurasia to control the invasive shrub tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) in western North America. We assembled a de novo draft reference genome and applied RADseq to over 500 individuals from laboratory cultures, the native ranges, and across the introduced range. Despite evidence of a substantial genetic bottleneck among D. carinulata in N. America, populations continue to establish and spread, possibly due to aggregation behavior. We found that D. carinata, D. elongata, and D. sublineata hybridize in the field to varying extents, with D. carinata x D. sublineata hybrids being the most abundant. Genetic diversity was greater at sites with hybrids, highlighting potential for increased ability to adapt and expand. Our results demonstrate the complex patterns of genomic variation that can result from introduction of multiple ecotypes or species for biocontrol, and the importance of understanding them to predict and manage the effects of biocontrol agents in novel ecosystems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stahlke, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bitume, E. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ozsoy, A. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bean, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veillet, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, E. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moran, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hufbauer, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hohenlohe, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.18.444725</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Hybridization and range expansion in tamarisk beetles (Diorhabda spp.) introduced to North America for classical biological control]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.19.444820v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ppe51 variants promote non-replicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis to grow at acidic pH by selectively promoting glycerol uptake 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.19.444820v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In defined media supplemented with single carbon sources, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) exhibits carbon source specific growth restriction. When supplied glycerol as the sole carbon source at pH 5.7, Mtb establishes a metabolically active state of nonreplicating persistence known as acid growth arrest. We hypothesized that acidic growth arrest on glycerol is not a metabolic restriction, but rather an adaptive response. To test this hypothesis, we conducted forward genetic screens that identified several Mtb mutants that could grow under these restrictive conditions. All of the mutants were mapped to the ppe51 gene and resulted in three amino acid substitution - S211R, E215K, and A228D. Expression of the PPE51 variants in Mtb promoted growth at acidic pH showing that the mutant alleles are sufficient to cause the dominant gain-of-function, enhanced acid growth (eag) phenotype. Testing growth on other single carbon sources showed the PPE51 variants specifically enhanced growth on glycerol, suggesting ppe51 plays a role in glycerol uptake. Using radiolabeled glycerol, enhanced glycerol uptake was observed in Mtb expressing the PPE51 (S211R) variant, with glycerol overaccumulation in triacylglycerol. Notably, the eag phenotype is deleterious for growth in macrophages, where the mutants have selectively faster replication and reduced in virulence in activated macrophages as compared to resting macrophages. Recombinant PPE51 protein exhibited differential thermostability in the WT or S211R variants in the presence of glycerol, supporting the eag substitutions alter PPE51-glycerol interactions. Together, these findings support that PPE51 variants selectively promote glycerol uptake and that slowed growth at acidic pH is an important adaptive mechanism required for macrophage pathogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dechow, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murto, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.19.444820</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ppe51 variants promote non-replicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis to grow at acidic pH by selectively promoting glycerol uptake]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.21.445051v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic isolation by distance underlies color pattern divergence in red-eyed treefrogs (Agalychnis callidryas) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.21.445051v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Investigating the spatial distribution of genetic and phenotypic variation can provide insights into the evolutionary processes that shape diversity in natural systems. We characterized patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity to learn about drivers of color-pattern diversification in red-eyed treefrogs (Agalychnis callidryas) in Costa Rica. Along the Pacific coast, red-eyed treefrogs have conspicuous leg color patterning that transitions from orange in the north to purple in the south. We measured phenotypic variation of frogs, with increased sampling at sites where the orange-to-purple transition occurs. At the transition zone, we discovered the co-occurrence of multiple color-pattern morphs. To explore possible causes of this variation, we generated a SNP dataset to analyze population genetic structure, measure genetic diversity, and infer the processes that mediate genotype-phenotype dynamics. We investigated how patterns of genetic relatedness correspond with individual measures of color pattern along the coast, including testing for the role of hybridization in geographic regions where orange and purple phenotypic groups co-occur. We found no evidence that color-pattern polymorphism in the transition zone arose through recent hybridization. Instead, a strong pattern of genetic isolation by distance (IBD) indicates that color-pattern variation was either retained through other processes such as ancestral color polymorphisms or ancient secondary contact, or else it was generated by novel mutations. We found that phenotype changes along the Pacific coast more than would be expected based on genetic divergence and geographic distance alone. Combined, our results suggest the possibility of selective pressures acting on color pattern at a small geographic scale.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Clark, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akopyan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vega, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosenblum, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robertson, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.21.445051</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic isolation by distance underlies color pattern divergence in red-eyed treefrogs (Agalychnis callidryas)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.21.445206v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Intrapopulation adaptive variance supports selective breeding in a reef-building coral 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.21.445206v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The long-term persistence of coral reefs under climate change requires heritable drivers of thermal tolerance which support adaptation. The genomic basis of thermal tolerance has been evaluated across strong spatial and environmental gradients, but this variation also exists within populations due to neutral evolutionary processes. Small scale heterogeneity in coral bleaching is ubiquitous, so we used corals from a single reef to examine genomic signatures of bleaching performance, their biochemical correlates and the downstream consequences of selective breeding. In the absence of directional selection due to environmental differences, adult corals from a single population exhibit strong genomic patterns related to natural bleaching tolerance and symbiosis state, including functional differentiation in signaling pathways, protein and amino acid modification and metabolism. Conversely, growth, development and innate immune responses did not distinguish bleaching tolerance in adult corals. The genomic signatures of these gene ontologies influence biochemical patterns in healthy corals, primarily via cell-signaling pathway impacts on peptides and amino acids. Thermal tolerance in this population is highly heritable, with significantly higher survivorship under temperature stress in larvae and juveniles reared from thermally tolerant parents than those from sensitive parents. Using a select and re-sequence approach, certain gene ontologies were reproducibly impacted, while antioxidant activity and cell signaling ontologies were disproportionately selected in thermally tolerant corals, demonstrating the genomic drivers of successful selective breeding. These data show that intrapopulation variance in the absence of historical selection supports the adaptive capacity of coral reefs under climate change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Drury, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bean, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hancock, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huckeba, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>H, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roach, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gates, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.21.445206</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Intrapopulation adaptive variance supports selective breeding in a reef-building coral]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.24.445478v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
HIV-1 Nef and CycK:CDK13 antagonize SERINC5 for optimal viral infectivity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.24.445478v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
HIV-1 Nef antagonizes SERINC5 by redirecting this potent restriction factor to the endosomes and lysosomes for degradation. However, the precise mechanism remains unclear. Using affinity purification/mass spectrometry, we identified cyclin K and cyclin-dependent kinase 13 (CycK:CDK13) as a new Nef-associated kinase complex. CycK:CDK13 phosphorylates the serine at position 360 (S360) in SERINC5, which is required for Nef downregulation of SERINC5 from the cell surface and its counter activity of the SERINC5 antiviral activity. To understand the role of S360 phosphorylation, we created chimeric proteins between CD8 and SERINC5. Nef not only downregulates, but importantly, also binds to this chimera in a S360-dependent manner. Thus, S360 phosphorylation increases interactions between Nef and SERINC5 and initiates the destruction of SERINC5 by the endocytic machinery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chai, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collins, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmad, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frabutt, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shen, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hultquist, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peterlin, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, Y.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.24.445478</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[HIV-1 Nef and CycK:CDK13 antagonize SERINC5 for optimal viral infectivity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.25.445672v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adaptive phenotypic plasticity stabilizes evolution in fluctuating environments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.25.445672v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fluctuating environmental conditions are ubiquitous in natural systems, and populations have evolved various strategies to cope with such fluctuations. The particular mechanisms that evolve profoundly influence subsequent evolutionary dynamics. One such mechanism is phenotypic plasticity, which is the ability of a single genotype to produce alternate phenotypes in an environmentally dependent context. Here, we use digital organisms (self-replicating computer programs) to investigate how adaptive phenotypic plasticity alters evolutionary dynamics and influences evolutionary outcomes in cyclically changing environments. Specifically, we examined the evolutionary histories of both plastic populations and non-plastic populations to ask: (1) Does adaptive plasticity promote or constrain evolutionary change? (2) Are plastic populations better able to evolve and then maintain novel traits? And (3), how does adaptive plasticity affect the potential for maladaptive alleles to accumulate in evolving genomes? We find that populations with adaptive phenotypic plasticity undergo less evolutionary change than non-plastic populations, which must rely on genetic variation from de novo mutations to continuously readapt to environmental fluctuations. Indeed, the non-plastic populations undergo more frequent selective sweeps and accumulate many more genetic changes. We find that the repeated selective sweeps in non-plastic populations drive the loss of beneficial traits and accumulation of maladaptive alleles via deleterious hitchhiking, whereas phenotypic plasticity can stabilize populations against environmental fluctuations. This stabilization allows plastic populations to more easily retain novel adaptive traits than their non-plastic counterparts. In general, the evolution of adaptive phenotypic plasticity shifted evolutionary dynamics to be more similar to that of populations evolving in a static environment than to non-plastic populations evolving in an identical fluctuating environment. All natural environments subject populations to some form of change; our findings suggest that the stabilizing effect of phenotypic plasticity plays an important role in subsequent adaptive evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lalejini, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferguson, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ofria, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.25.445672</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adaptive phenotypic plasticity stabilizes evolution in fluctuating environments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.27.445986v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TCAB1 is necessary for telomerase assembly 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.27.445986v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Localization of a wide variety of RNAs to non-membrane bound cellular compartments such as nucleoli, Cajal bodies, and stress-granules is critical for their function and stability. The molecular mechanisms that underly the recruitment and exclusion of specific RNAs from these phase-separated organelles is incompletely understood. Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) that is composed of the reverse transcriptase protein TERT, the telomerase RNA (TR), and several auxiliary proteins that associate with TR, including TCAB1. Here we show that in the absence of TCAB1, TR is tightly bound to the nucleolus, while TERT localizes to the nucleoplasm and is largely excluded from the nucleolus, significantly reducing telomerase assembly. Thus, nuclear compartmentalization by the non-membrane bound nucleolus counteracts telomerase assembly and TCAB1 is required to exclude the telomerase RNA from the nucleolus. Our work provides insight into the mechanism and functional consequences of RNA recruitment to organelles formed by phase separation proposes a new model explaining the critical role of TCAB1 in telomerase function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Al-Masraf, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adams-Boone, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cohen, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.27.445986</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TCAB1 is necessary for telomerase assembly]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.31.446451v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Lessons from 20 years of plant genome sequencing: an unprecedented resource in need of more diverse representation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.31.446451v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The field of plant genomics has grown rapidly in the past 20 years, leading to dramatic increases in both the quantity and quality of publicly available genomic resources. With this ever-expanding wealth of genomic data from an increasingly diverse set of taxa, unprecedented potential exists to better understand the genome biology and evolution of plants. Here, we provide a contemporary view of plant genomics, including analyses on the quality of existing plant genome assemblies, the taxonomic distribution of sequenced species, and how national participation has influenced the fields development. We show that genome quality has increased dramatically in recent years, that substantial taxonomic gaps exist, and that the field has been dominated by affluent nations in the Global North and China, despite a wide geographic distribution of sequenced species. We identify multiple disconnects between the native range of focal species and the national affiliation of the researchers studying the plants, which we argue are rooted in colonialism--both past and present. However, falling sequencing costs paired with widening availability of analytical tools and an increasingly connected scientific community provide key opportunities to improve existing assemblies, fill sampling gaps, and, most importantly, empower a more global plant genomics community.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marks, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hotaling, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frandsen, P. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-05-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.05.31.446451</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Lessons from 20 years of plant genome sequencing: an unprecedented resource in need of more diverse representation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-05-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.03.446469v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Augmentation of task-relevant variability enhances consolidation of motor learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.03.446469v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Motor memories undergo a period of consolidation before they become resistant to the practice of another task. Although movement variability is important in motor memory consolidation, its role is not fully understood in redundant tasks where variability can exist along two orthogonal subspaces (the  task space and the  null space) that have different effects on task performance. Here, we used haptic perturbations to augment variability in these different spaces and examined their effect on motor memory consolidation. Participants learned a shuffleboard task, where they held a bimanual manipulandum and made a discrete throwing motion to slide a virtual puck towards a target. The task was redundant because the distance travelled by the puck was determined by the sum of the left and right hand speeds at the time of release. After participants initially practiced the task, we used haptic perturbations to introduce motor variability in the task space or null space, and subsequently examined consolidation of the original task on the next day. We found that regardless of the amplitude, augmenting variability in the task space resulted in significantly better consolidation. This benefit of increasing task space variability was likely due to the fact that it did not disrupt the pre-existing coordination strategy. These results suggest that the effects of variability on motor memory consolidation depend on the interplay between the induced variability and the pre-existing coordination strategy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pagano, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stochino, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Casadio, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ranganathan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.03.446469</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Augmentation of task-relevant variability enhances consolidation of motor learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.04.446287v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Computer-Assisted Mitotic Count Using a Deep Learning-based Algorithm Improves Inter-Observer Reproducibility and Accuracy in canine cutaneous mast cell tumors 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.04.446287v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mitotic count (MC) is an important histological parameter for prognostication of malignant neoplasms. However, it has inter- and intra-observer discrepancies due to difficulties in selecting the region of interest (MC-ROI) and in identifying/classifying mitotic figures (MFs). Recent progress in the field of artificial intelligence has allowed the development of high-performance algorithms that may improve standardization of the MC. As algorithmic predictions are not flawless, the computer-assisted review by pathologists may ensure reliability. In the present study we have compared partial (MC-ROI preselection) and full (additional visualization of MF candidate proposal and display of algorithmic confidence values) computer-assisted MC analysis to the routine (unaided) MC analysis by 23 pathologists for whole slide images of 50 canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (ccMCTs). Algorithmic predictions aimed to assist pathologists in detecting mitotic hotspot locations, reducing omission of MF and improving classification against imposters. The inter-observer consistency for the MC significantly increased with computer assistance (interobserver correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.92) compared to the unaided approach (ICC = 0.70). Classification into prognostic stratifications had a higher accuracy with computer assistance. The algorithmically preselected MC-ROIs had a consistently higher MCs than the manually selected MC-ROIs. Compared to a ground truth (developed with immunohistochemistry for phosphohistone H3), pathologist performance in detecting individual MF was augmented when using computer assistance (F1-score of 0.68 increased to 0.79) with a reduction in false negatives by 38%. The results of this study prove that computer assistance may lead to a more reproducible and accurate MCs in ccMCTs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bertram, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aubreville, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Donovan, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bartel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilm, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marzahl, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Assenmacher, C.-A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennett, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corner, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cossic, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Denk, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dettwiler, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez, B. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gurtner, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haverkamp, A.-K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heier, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehmbecker, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merz, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noland, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plog, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sebastian, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sledge, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smedley, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tecilla, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thaiwong, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fuchs-Baumgartinger, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meuten, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Breininger, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiupel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maier, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klopfleisch, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.04.446287</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Computer-Assisted Mitotic Count Using a Deep Learning-based Algorithm Improves Inter-Observer Reproducibility and Accuracy in canine cutaneous mast cell tumors]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.04.446988v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-omics profiling of Earth's biomes reveals that microbial and metabolite composition are shaped by the environment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.04.446988v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As our understanding of the structure and diversity of the microbial world grows, interpreting its function is of critical interest for understanding and managing the many systems microbes influence. Despite advances in sequencing, lack of standardization challenges comparisons among studies that could provide insight into the structure and function of microbial communities across multiple habitats on a planetary scale. Technical variation among distinct studies without proper standardization of approaches prevents robust meta-analysis. Here, we present a multi-omics, meta-analysis of a novel, diverse set of microbial community samples collected for the Earth Microbiome Project. We include amplicon (16S, 18S, ITS) and shotgun metagenomic sequence data, and untargeted metabolomics data (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography mass spectrometry), centering our description on relationships and co-occurrences of microbially-related metabolites and microbial taxa across environments. Standardized protocols and analytical methods for characterizing microbial communities, including assessment of molecular diversity using untargeted metabolomics, facilitate identification of shared microbial and metabolite features, permitting us to explore diversity at extraordinary scale. In addition to a reference database for metagenomic and metabolomic data, we provide a framework for incorporating additional studies, enabling the expansion of existing knowledge in the form of a community resource that will become more valuable with time. To provide examples of applying this database, we outline important ecological questions that can be addressed, and test the hypotheses that every microbe and metabolite is everywhere, but the environment selects. Our results show that metabolite diversity exhibits turnover and nestedness related to both microbial communities and the environment. The relative abundances of microbially-related metabolites vary and co-occur with specific microbial consortia in a habitat-specific manner, and highlight the power of certain chemistry - in particular terpenoids - in distinguishing Earths environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shaffer, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nothias, L.-F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jon, S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salido, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Couvillion, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brejnrod, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lejzerowicz, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lutz, H. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martino, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morton, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karthikeyan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nothias-Esposito, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dührkop, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Böcker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aksenov, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bittremieux, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Minich, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marotz, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryant, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanders, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schwartz, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Humphrey, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasquez-Baeza, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tripathi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parida, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carrieri, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haiminen, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beck, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Das, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonald, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karst, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albertsen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ackermann, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeReus, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petras, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>St</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.04.446988</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-omics profiling of Earth's biomes reveals that microbial and metabolite composition are shaped by the environment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.447355v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
BSCL2/Seipin Deficiency in Heart Causes Energy Deficit and Heart Failure via Inducing Excessive Lipid Catabolism 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.447355v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes of death world-wide and is associated with cardiac metabolic perturbations. Human Type 2 Berardinelli-Seip Congenital Lipodystrophy (BSCL2) disease is caused by mutations in the BSCL2 gene. Global lipodystrophic Bscl2-/- mice exhibit hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Whether BSCL2 plays a direct role in regulating cardiac substrate metabolism and/or contractile function remains unknown. Here we show that mice with cardiac-specific deletion of Bscl2 (Bscl2cKO) developed dilated HF. Myocardial BSCL2 deletion led to elevated ATGL expression and FA oxidation (FAO) along with reduced cardiac lipid contents. Cardiac dysfunction in Bscl2cKO mice was independent of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, but associated with decreased metabolic reserve and ATP levels. Importantly, heart failure in Bscl2cKO mice could be partially reversed by pharmacological inhibition of FAO, or prevented by high fat diet (HFD) feeding. Lipidomic analysis further identified markedly reduced glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, NEFA and acylcarnitines in Bscl2cKO hearts, which were partially normalized by FAO inhibition or HFD. Our study reveals a new form of HF with excessive lipid catabolism, and identifies a crucial cardiomyocyte-specific role of BSCL2 in controlling cardiac lipid catabolism, energy state and contractile function. It also provides novel insights into metabolically treating energy-starved HF using FAO inhibitor or HFD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhou, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lydic, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Young, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.07.447355</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[BSCL2/Seipin Deficiency in Heart Causes Energy Deficit and Heart Failure via Inducing Excessive Lipid Catabolism]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.447412v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bioelectromagnetic platform for stimulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.447412v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Magnetogenetics is a new field that utilizes electromagnetic fields to remotely control cellular activity. In addition to the development of the biological genetic tools, this approach requires designing hardware with a specific set of demands for the electromagnets used to provide the desired stimulation for electrophysiology and imaging experiments. Here we present a universal stimulus delivery system comprised of four magnet designs compatible with electrophysiology, fluorescence and luminescence imaging, microscopy, and freely behaving animal experiments. The overall system includes a low-cost stimulation controller which enables rapid switching between active and sham stimulation trials as well as precise control of stimulation delivery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ashbaugh, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Udpa, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Israeli, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.07.447412</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bioelectromagnetic platform for stimulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.08.447545v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
It happened again: convergent evolution of acylglucose specialized metabolism in black nightshade and wild tomato 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.08.447545v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants synthesize myriad phylogenetically-restricted specialized (aka  secondary) metabolites with diverse structures. Metabolism of acylated sugar esters in epidermal glandular secreting trichomes across the Solanaceae (nightshade) family are ideal for investigating the mechanisms of evolutionary metabolic diversification. We developed methods to structurally analyze acylhexose mixtures by 2D NMR, which led to the insight that the Old World species black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) accumulates acylglucoses and acylinositols in the same tissue. Detailed in vitro biochemistry - cross validated by in vivo virus induced gene silencing - revealed two unique features of the four-step acylglucose biosynthetic pathway: a trichome-expressed, neofunctionalized invertase-like enzyme, SnASFF1, converts BAHD-produced acylsucroses to acylglucoses, which in turn are substrates for the first-reported acylglucose acyltransferase, SnAGAT1. This biosynthetic pathway evolved independently from that recently described in the wild tomato S. pennellii, reinforcing that acylsugar biosynthesis is evolutionarily dynamic with independent examples of primary metabolic enzyme cooption and additional variation in BAHD acyltransferases.

TeaserAnalysis of plant protective surface hair chemistry revealed evolutionary mechanisms leading to metabolic innovation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lou, Y.-R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anthony, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiesel, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arking, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christensen, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.08.447545</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[It happened again: convergent evolution of acylglucose specialized metabolism in black nightshade and wild tomato]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.10.445978v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
NDR1 and the Arabidopsis Plasma Membrane ATPase AHA5 are Required for Processes that Converge on Drought Tolerance and Immunity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.10.445978v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
NON-RACE-SPECIFIC DISEASE RISISTANCE1 (NDR1) is a key component of plant immune signaling, required for defense against the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. Plant stress responses have overlapping molecular, physiological, and cell biology signatures, and given the central role of NDR1 during biotic stress perception and signaling, we hypothesized that NDR1 also functions in abiotic stress responses, including in a role that mediates signaling at the plasma membrane (PM) - cell wall (CW) continuum. Here, we demonstrate that NDR1 is required for the induction of drought stress responses in plants, a role that couples stress signaling in an abscisic acid-dependent manner. We show that NDR1 physically associates with the PM-localized H+-ATPases AHA1, AHA2, and AHA5 and is required for proper regulation of H+-ATPase activity and stomatal guard cell dynamics, providing a mechanistic function of NDR1 during drought responses. In the current study, we demonstrate that NDR1 functions in signaling processes associated with both biotic and abiotic stress response pathways, a function we hypothesize represents NDR1s role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis during stress. We propose a role for NDR1 as a core transducer of signaling between cell membrane processes and intercellular stress response activation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lu, Y.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corrion, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buyuk, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Samaradivakara, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wai, C.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sakamoto, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos, P. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.10.445978</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[NDR1 and the Arabidopsis Plasma Membrane ATPase AHA5 are Required for Processes that Converge on Drought Tolerance and Immunity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.10.447944v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Development of the Wheat Practical Haplotype Graph Database as a Resource for Genotyping Data Storage and Genotype Imputation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.10.447944v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
To improve the efficiency of high-density genotype data storage and imputation in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), we applied the Practical Haplotype Graph (PHG) tool. The wheat PHG database was built using whole-exome capture sequencing data from a diverse set of 65 wheat accessions. Population haplotypes were inferred for the reference genome intervals defined by the boundaries of the high-quality gene models. Missing genotypes in the inference panels, composed of wheat cultivars or recombinant inbred lines genotyped by exome capture, genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), or whole-genome skim-seq sequencing approaches, were imputed using the wheat PHG database. Though imputation accuracy varied depending on the method of sequencing and coverage depth, we found 93% imputation accuracy with 0.01x sequence coverage, which was only slightly lower than the accuracy obtained using the 0.5x sequence coverage (96.9%). Compared to Beagle, on average, PHG imputation was ~4% (p-value = 0.00027) more accurate, and showed 27% higher accuracy at imputing a rare haplotype introgressed from a wild relative into wheat. The reduced accuracy of imputation with GBS data (90.4%) is likely associated with the small overlap between GBS markers and the exome capture dataset, which was used for constructing PHG. The highest imputation accuracy was obtained with exome capture for the wheat D genome, which also showed the highest levels of linkage disequlibrium and proportion of identity-by-descent regions among accessions in our reference panel. We demonstrate that genetic mapping based on genotypes imputed using PHG identifies SNPs with a broader range of effect sizes that together explain a higher proportion of genetic variance for heading date and meiotic crossover rate compared to previous studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jordan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradbury, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, Z. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nyine, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fraser, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mason, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Katz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pearce, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carter, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prather, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pumphrey, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cook, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rudd, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ibrahim, A. M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turkus, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nagarajan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carver, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taagen, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sorrells, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ward, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ren, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akhunova, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bai, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowden, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiedler, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Faris, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dubcovsky, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guttieri, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown-Guedira, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buckler, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jannink, J.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akhunov, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.10.447944</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Development of the Wheat Practical Haplotype Graph Database as a Resource for Genotyping Data Storage and Genotype Imputation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.11.448072v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Holosteans contextualize the role of the teleost genome duplication in promoting the rise of evolutionary novelties in the ray-finned fish innate immune system 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.11.448072v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Over 99% of ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) are teleosts, a clade that comprises half of all living vertebrates that have diversified across virtually all fresh and saltwater ecosystems. This ecological diversity raises the question of how the immunogenetic diversity required to persist under heterogeneous pathogen pressures evolved. The teleost genome duplication (TGD) has been hypothesized as the evolutionary event that provided the genomic substrate for rapid genomic evolution and innovation. However, studies of putative teleost-specific innate immune receptors have been largely limited to comparisons either among teleosts or between teleosts and distantly related vertebrate clades such as tetrapods. Here we describe and characterize the receptor diversity of two clustered innate immune gene families in the teleost sister lineage: Holostei (bowfin and gars). Using genomic and transcriptomic data, we provide a detailed investigation of the phylogenetic history and conserved synteny of gene clusters encoding diverse immunoglobulin domain-containing proteins (DICPs) and novel immune-type receptors (NITRs). These data demonstrate an ancient linkage of DICPs to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and reveal an evolutionary origin of NITR variable-joining (VJ) exons that predate the TGD by at least 50 million years. Further characterizing the receptor diversity of Holostean DICPs and NITRs illuminates a sequence diversity that rivals the diversity of these innate immune receptor families in many teleosts. Taken together, our findings provide important historical context for the evolution of these gene families that challenge prevailing expectations concerning the consequences of the TGD during actinopterygiian evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dornburg, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wcisel, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zapfe, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferraro, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roupe-Abrams, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ota, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoder, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.11.448072</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Holosteans contextualize the role of the teleost genome duplication in promoting the rise of evolutionary novelties in the ray-finned fish innate immune system]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.12.448192v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Harnessing methylotrophs as a bacterial platform to reduce adverse effects of the use of the heavy lanthanide gadolinium in magnetic resonance imaging 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.12.448192v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gadolinium is a key component of magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents that are critical tools for enhanced detection and diagnosis of tissue and vascular abnormalities. Untargeted post-injection deposition of gadolinium in vivo, and association with diseases like nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, has alerted regulatory agencies to re-evaluate their widespread use and generated calls for safer gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). Increasing anthropogenic gadolinium in surface water has also raised concerns of potential bioaccumulation in plants and animals. Methylotrophic bacteria can acquire, transport, store and use light lanthanides as part of a cofactor complex with pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), an essential component of XoxF-type methanol dehydrogenases (MDHs), a critical enzyme for methylotrophic growth with methanol. We report robust gadolinium-dependent methanol growth of a genetic variant of Methylorubrum extorquens AM1, named evo-HLn, for "evolved for heavy lanthanides". Genetic adaptation of evo-HLn resulted in increased xox1 promoter and XoxF MDH activities, transport and storage of Gd3+, and augmented biosynthesis of PQQ. Gadolinium-grown cells exhibited a shorter T1 relaxation time compared to cells with lanthanum or no lanthanide when analyzed by MRI. In addition, evo-HLn was able to grow on methanol using the GBCA Gd-DTPA as the sole gadolinium source, showing the potential of this strain for the development of novel GBCAs and gadolinium recovery from medical waste and/or wastewater.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Good, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hawker, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Gomez, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.12.448192</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Harnessing methylotrophs as a bacterial platform to reduce adverse effects of the use of the heavy lanthanide gadolinium in magnetic resonance imaging]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.14.448300v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Longitudinal developmental trajectories do not follow cross-sectional age associations in hippocampal subfield and memory development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.14.448300v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many cross-sectional findings suggest that volumes of specific hippocampal subfields increase in middle childhood and early adolescence. In contrast, a small number of available longitudinal studies observed decreased volumes in most subfields over this age range. Further, it remains unknown whether structural changes in development are associated with corresponding gains in childrens memory. Here we report cross-sectional age differences in childrens hippocampal subfield volumes together with longitudinal developmental trajectories and their relationships with memory performance. In two waves, 109 healthy participants aged 6 to 10 years (wave 1: MAge=7.25, wave 2: MAge=9.27) underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging to assess hippocampal subfield volumes, and completed cognitive tasks assessing hippocampus dependent memory processes. We found that cross-sectional age-associations and longitudinal developmental trends in hippocampal subfield volumes were highly discrepant, both by subfields and in direction. Further, volumetric changes were largely unrelated to changes in memory, with the exception that increase in subiculum volume was associated with gains in spatial memory. Importantly, the observed longitudinal patterns of brain-cognition coupling could not be inferred from cross-sectional findings. We discuss potential sources of these discrepancies. This study underscores that childrens structural brain development and its relationship to cognition cannot be inferred from cross-sectional age comparisons.

HighlightsO_LIThe subiculum undergoes volumetric increase between 6-10 years of age
C_LIO_LIChange across two years in CA1-2 and DG-CA3 was not observed in this age window
C_LIO_LIChange across two years did not reflect age differences spanning two years
C_LIO_LICross-sectional and longitudinal slopes in stark contrast for hippocampal subfields
C_LIO_LILongitudinal brain-cognition coupling cannot be inferred from cross-sectional data
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Keresztes, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raffington, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bender, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bögl, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heim, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shing, Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.14.448300</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Longitudinal developmental trajectories do not follow cross-sectional age associations in hippocampal subfield and memory development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.14.448362v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of the nitric oxide synthase family in vertebrates and novel insights in gill development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.14.448362v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Nitric oxide (NO) is an ancestral key signaling molecule essential for life and has enormous versatility in biological systems, including cardiovascular homeostasis, neurotransmission, and immunity. Although our knowledge of nitric oxide synthases (Nos), the enzymes that synthesize NO in vivo, is substantial, the origin of a large and diversified repertoire of nos gene orthologs in fish with respect to tetrapods remains a puzzle. The recent identification of nos3 in the ray-finned fish spotted gar, which was considered lost in the ray-finned fish lineage, changed this perspective. This prompted us to explore nos gene evolution and expression in depth, surveying vertebrate species representing key evolutionary nodes. This study provides noteworthy findings: first, nos2 experienced several lineage-specific gene duplications and losses. Second, nos3 was found to be lost independently in two different teleost lineages, Elopomorpha and Clupeocephala. Third, the expression of at least one nos paralog in the gills of developing shark, bichir, sturgeon, and gar but not in arctic lamprey, suggest that nos expression in this organ likely arose in the last common ancestor of gnathostomes. These results provide a framework for continuing research on nos genes roles, highlighting subfunctionalization and reciprocal loss of function that occurred in different lineages during vertebrate genome duplications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Annona, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sato, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pascual-Anaya, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Voss, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stundl, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soukup, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuratani, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Postlethwait, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>D'Aniello, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.14.448362</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of the nitric oxide synthase family in vertebrates and novel insights in gill development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.16.448690v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bioluminescent Genetically Encoded Glutamate Indicator for Molecular Imaging of Neuronal Activity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.16.448690v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetically encoded optical sensors and advancements in microscopy instrumentation and techniques have revolutionized the scientific toolbox available for probing complex biological processes such as release of specific neurotransmitters. Most genetically encoded optical sensors currently used are based on fluorescence and have been highly successful tools for single-cell imaging in superficial brain regions. However, there remains a need to develop new tools for reporting neuronal activity in vivo within deeper structures without the need for hardware such as lenses or fibers to be implanted within the brain. Our approach to this problem is to replace the fluorescent elements of the existing biosensors with bioluminescent elements. This eliminates the need of external light sources to illuminate the sensor and overcomes several drawbacks of fluorescence imaging such as limited light penetration depth, excitation scattering, and tissue heating that are all associated with the external light needed for fluorescence imaging. Here we report the development of the first genetically encoded neurotransmitter indicators based on bioluminescent light emission. These probes exhibit robust changes in light output in response to extracellular presentation of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. We expect this new approach to neurotransmitter indicator design to enable the engineering of specific bioluminescent probes for multiple additional neurotransmitters in the future, ultimately allowing neuroscientists to monitor activity associated with a specific neurotransmitter as it relates to behavior in a variety of neuronal and psychiatric disorders, among many other applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Petersen, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crespo, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lambert, G. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zanca, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orcutt, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hochgeschwender, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nathan, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.16.448690</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bioluminescent Genetically Encoded Glutamate Indicator for Molecular Imaging of Neuronal Activity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.448900v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Supervised Capacity Preserving Mapping: A Clustering Guided Visualization Method for scRNAseq data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.448900v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The rapid development of scRNA-seq technologies enables us to explore the transcriptome at the cell level in a large scale. Recently, various computational methods have been developed to analyze the scR-NAseq data such as clustering and visualization. However, current visualization methods including t-SNE and UMAP are challenged by the limited accuracy of rendering the geometic relationship of populations with distinct functional states. Most visualization methods are unsupervised, leaving out information from the clustering results or given labels. This leads to the inaccurate depiction of the distances between the bona fide functional states and the variance of clusters. We present supCPM, a robust supervised visualization method, which separates different clusters, preserves global structure, and tracks the cluster variance. Compared with six visualization methods using synthetic and real data sets, supCPM shows improved performance than other methods in preserving the global geometric structure and data variance. Overall, supCPM provides an enhanced visualization pipeline to assist the interpretation of functional transition and accurately depict population segregation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhai, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lei, Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.18.448900</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Supervised Capacity Preserving Mapping: A Clustering Guided Visualization Method for scRNAseq data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.448955v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome-wide ChIPseq analysis of AhR, COUP-TF, and HNF4 enrichment in TCDD-treated mouse liver 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.448955v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor known for mediating the toxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related compounds. Although the canonical mechanism of AhR activation involves heterodimerization with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator, other transcriptional regulators that interact with AhR have been identified. Enrichment analysis of motifs in AhR-bound genomic regions implicated co-operation with COUP transcription factor (COUP-TF) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4). The present study investigated AhR, HNF4 and COUP-TFII genomic binding and effects on gene expression associated with liver-specific function and cell differentiation in response to TCDD. Hepatic ChIPseq data from male C57BL/6 mice at 2 hrs after oral gavage with 30 {micro}g/kg TCDD were integrated with bulk RNA-sequencing (RNAseq) time-course (2 - 72 hrs) and dose-response (0.01 - 30 {micro}g/kg) datasets to assess putative AhR, HNF4 and COUP-TFII interactions associated with differential gene expression. TCDD treatment resulted in the genomic enrichment of 23,701, 11,688, and 9,547 binding regions for AhR, COUP-TFII and HNF4, respectively, throughout the genome. Functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified differential binding enrichment for AhR, COUP-TFII, and HNF4a to regions within liver-specific genes suggesting intersections associated with the loss of liver-specific functions and hepatocyte differentiation. Analysis found that the repression of liver-specific, HNF4 target and hepatocyte differentiation genes, involved increased AhR and HNF4 binding with decreased COUP-TFII binding. Collectively, these results suggested TCDD-elicited loss of liver-specific functions and markers of hepatocyte differentiation involved interactions between AhR, COUP-TFII and HNF4.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cholico, G. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.18.448955</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome-wide ChIPseq analysis of AhR, COUP-TF, and HNF4 enrichment in TCDD-treated mouse liver]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.449059v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
LD-CNV: rapid and simple discovery of chromosomal translocations using linkage disequilibrium between copy number variable loci 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.449059v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Large scale structural variations, such as chromosomal translocations, can have profound effects on fitness and phenotype, but are difficult to identify and characterize. Here, we describe a simple and effective method aimed at identifying translocations using only the dosage of sequence reads mapped on the reference genome. We binned reads on genomic segments sized according to sequencing coverage and identified instances when copy number segregated in populations. For each dosage-polymorphic 1Mb bin, we tested linkage disequilibrium with other variable bins. In nine potato (Solanum tuberosum) dihaploid families translocations affecting pericentromeric regions were common and in two cases were due to genomic misassembly. In two populations, we found evidence for translocation affecting euchromatic arms. In cv. PI 310467, a non-reciprocal translocation between chromosome 7 and 8 resulted in a 5-3 copy number change affecting several Mb at the respective chromosome tips. In cv. "Alca Tarma", the terminal arm of chromosome 4 translocated to the tip of chromosome 1. Using oligonucleotide-based fluorescent in situ hybridization painting probes (oligo-FISH), we tested and confirmed the predicted arrangement in PI 310467. In 192 natural accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana, dosage haplotypes tended to vary continuously and resulted in higher noise, but we identified pericentromeric LD suggesting the effect of repeats. This method should be useful in species where translocations are suspected because it tests linkage without the need for genotyping.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Comai, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amundson, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ordonez, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tomaz Braz, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henry, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.18.449059</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[LD-CNV: rapid and simple discovery of chromosomal translocations using linkage disequilibrium between copy number variable loci]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.23.448127v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A selective adenylyl cyclase 1 inhibitor relieves pain without causing tolerance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.23.448127v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Adenylyl cyclases (ACs) catalyze the production of the second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate from adenosine triphosphate. Among the ten different AC isoforms, studies with knockout animals indicate that inhibition of AC1 can relieve pain and reduce behaviors linked to opioid dependence. We previously identified ST034307 as a selective inhibitor of AC1. The development of an AC1-selective inhibitor now provides the opportunity to further study the therapeutic potential of inhibiting this protein in pre-clinical animal models of pain and related adverse reactions. In the present study we have shown that ST034307 relieves pain in mouse models of formalin-induced inflammatory pain, acid-induced visceral pain, and acid-depressed nesting. In addition, ST034307 did not cause analgesic tolerance after chronic dosing. We also show that the compound is restricted to the periphery following subcutaneous injections and report the predicted molecular interaction between ST034307 and AC1. Our results indicate that AC1 inhibitors represent a promising new class of analgesic agents that treat pain and appear to produce less adverse effects than currently-used opioids.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Giacoletti, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Price, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoelz, L. V. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shremo Msdi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez-Falto, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amorim Fernandes, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos de Pontes, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boechat, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nornoo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brust, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.23.448127</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A selective adenylyl cyclase 1 inhibitor relieves pain without causing tolerance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.24.449770v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Short-term dynamics of long-range corticocortical synapses revealed by selective optical stimulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.24.449770v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Short-term plasticity regulates the strength of central synapses as a function of previous activity. In the neocortex, direct synaptic interactions between areas play a central role in cognitive function, but the activity-dependent regulation of these long-range corticocortical connections and their impact on a postsynaptic target neuron is unclear. Here, we use an optogenetic strategy to study the connections between mouse primary somatosensory and motor cortex. We found that short-term facilitation was strong in both corticocortical synapses, resulting in far more sustained responses than local intra-cortical and thalamocortical connections. A major difference between pathways was that the synaptic strength and magnitude of facilitation were distinct for individual excitatory cells located across all cortical layers and specific subtypes of GABAergic neurons. Facilitation was dependent on the presynaptic calcium sensor synaptotagmin-7 and altered by several optogenetic approaches. Current-clamp recordings revealed that during repetitive activation, the short-term dynamics of corticocortical synapses enhanced the excitability of layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons, increasing the probability of spiking with activity. Furthermore, the properties of the connections linking primary with secondary somatosensory cortex resemble those between somatosensory-motor areas. These short-term changes in transmission properties suggest long-range corticocortical synapses are specialized for conveying information over relatively extended periods.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Martinetti, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Autio, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crandall, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.24.449770</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Short-term dynamics of long-range corticocortical synapses revealed by selective optical stimulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.25.449710v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Intramolecular 13C/12C signals inform about carbon allocation in plant leaves 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.25.449710v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Stable isotopes at natural abundance are key tools to study physiological processes occurring outside the temporal scope of manipulation and monitoring experiments. Whole-molecule carbon isotope ratios (13C/12C) enable assessments of plant carbon uptake yet conceal information about carbon allocation. Here, we identify an intramolecular 13C/12C signal at treering glucose C-5 and C-6 and develop experimentally testable theories on its origin. More specifically, we assess the potential of processes within C3 metabolism for signal introduction based (inter alia) on constraints on signal propagation posed by metabolic networks. We propose that the intramolecular signal reports carbon allocation into major metabolic pathways in actively photosynthesising leaf cells including the anaplerotic, shikimate, and non-mevalonate pathway. We support our theoretical framework by linking it to previously reported whole-molecule 13C/12C increases in cellulose of ozone-treated Betula pendula and a highly significant relationship between the intramolecular signal and tropospheric ozone concentration. Our theory postulates a pronounced preference of leaf-cytosolic triose-phosphate isomerase to catalyse the forward reaction in vivo (dihydroxyacetone phosphate to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate). In conclusion, intramolecular 13C/12C analysis resolves information about carbon uptake and allocation enabling more comprehensive assessments of carbon metabolism than whole-molecule 13C/12C analysis.

HighlightIntramolecular 13C/12C analysis resolves information about carbon uptake and allocation (and associated environmental controls) enabling more comprehensive assessments of carbon metabolism, plant-environment interactions, and environmental variability than whole-molecule 13C/12C analysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wieloch, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Werner, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schleucher, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.25.449710</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Intramolecular 13C/12C signals inform about carbon allocation in plant leaves]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.27.450109v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Carbohydrate sulfation as a mechanism for fine-tuning Siglec ligands 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.27.450109v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The immunomodulatory family of Siglecs recognize sialic acid-containing glycans as  self, which is exploited in cancer for immune-evasion. The biochemical nature of Siglec ligands remains incompletely understood with emerging evidence suggesting the importance of carbohydrate sulfation. Here, we investigate how specific sulfate modifications affect Siglec ligands by overexpressing eight carbohydrate sulfotransferases (CHSTs) in five cell lines. Overexpression of three CHSTs (CHST1, CHST2, or CHST4) significantly enhances the binding of numerous Siglecs. Unexpectedly, two other CHSTs (Gal3ST2 and Gal3ST3) diminish Siglec binding, suggesting a new mode to modulate Siglec ligands via sulfation. Results are cell type dependent, indicating that the context in which sulfated glycans are presented is important. Moreover, pharmacological blockade of N- and O-glycan maturation reveals a cell type-specific pattern of importance for either class of glycan. Production of a highly homogenous CD33 (Siglec-3) fragment enabled a mass spectrometry-based binding assay to determine 10-fold and 3-fold enhanced affinity for Neu5Ac2-3(6-O-sulfo)Gal{beta}1-4GlcNAc and Neu5Ac2-3Gal{beta}1-4(6-O- sulfo)GlcNAc, respectively, over Neu5Ac2-3Gal{beta}1-4GlcNAc. CD33 showed significant additivity in affinity (36-fold) for the disulfated ligand, Neu5Ac2-3(6-O-sulfo)Gal{beta}1-4(6-O-sulfo)GlcNAc. Moreover, overexpression of both CHST1 and CHST2 in cells greatly enhanced the binding of several Siglecs, including CD33. Finally, we reveal that CHST1 is upregulated in numerous cancers, correlating with poorer survival rates and sodium chlorate sensitivity for the binding of Siglecs to cancer cell lines. These results provide new insights into carbohydrate sulfation as a modification that is a general mechanism for tuning Siglec ligands on cells, including in cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jung, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Enterina, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bui, D. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mozaneh, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, P.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nitin, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuo, C.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodrigues, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacherjee, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raeisimakiani, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daskhan, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>St. Laurent, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khoo, K.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahal, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zandberg, W. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klassen, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Macauley, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.27.450109</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Carbohydrate sulfation as a mechanism for fine-tuning Siglec ligands]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.28.450219v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Systems Genetics of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms at the Drosophila Obp56h Locus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.28.450219v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Variation in quantitative traits arises from naturally segregating alleles with environmentally sensitive effects, but how individual variants in single genes affect the genotype-phenotype map and molecular phenotypes is not understood. We used CRISPR/Cas9 germline gene editing to generate naturally occurring variants with different site classes and allele frequencies in the Drosophila melanogaster Obp56h gene in a common genetic background. Single base pair changes caused large allele-specific and sexually dimorphic effects on the mean and micro-environmental variance for multiple fitness-related traits and in the Obp56h co-regulated transcriptome. However, these alleles were not associated with quantitative traits in the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel, suggesting that the small allelic effects observed in genome wide association studies may be an artifact of averaging variable context-dependent allelic effects over multiple genetic backgrounds. Thus, the traditional infinitesimal additive model does not reflect the underlying biology of quantitative traits.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mokashi, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shankar, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnstun, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackay, T. F. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anholt, R. R. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-06-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.06.28.450219</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Systems Genetics of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms at the Drosophila Obp56h Locus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-06-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.01.450758v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High throughput measurement of Arabidopsis thaliana fitness traits using transfer learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.01.450758v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIRevealing the contributions of genes to plant phenotype is frequently challenging because the effects of loss of gene function may be subtle or be masked by genetic redundancy. Such effects can potentially be detected by measuring plant fitness, which reflects the cumulative effects of genetic changes over the lifetime of a plant. However, fitness is challenging to measure accurately, particularly in species with high fecundity and relatively small propagule sizes such as Arabidopsis thaliana.
C_LIO_LIAn image segmentation-based (ImageJ) and a Faster Region Based Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN) approach were used for measuring two Arabidopsis fitness traits: seed and fruit counts.
C_LIO_LIAlthough straightforward to use, ImageJ was error-prone (correlation between true and predicted seed counts, r2=0.849) because seeds touching each other were undercounted. In contrast, Faster R-CNN yielded near perfect seed counts (r2=0.9996) and highly accurate fruit counts (r2=0.980).
C_LIO_LIBy examining seed counts, we were able to reveal fitness effects for genes that were previously reported to have no or condition-specific loss-of-function phenotypes.
C_LIO_LIOur study provides models to facilitate the investigation of Arabidopsis fitness traits and demonstrates the importance of examining fitness traits in the study of gene functions.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Donaldson, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panchy, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vischulis, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winship, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.01.450758</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High throughput measurement of Arabidopsis thaliana fitness traits using transfer learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.01.450791v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identifying Site-specific Superoxide and Hydrogen Peroxide Production Rates from the Mitochondrial Electron Transport System Using a Computational Strategy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.01.450791v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important roles in cellular signaling; however, certain pathological conditions such as ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury disrupt ROS homeostasis and contribute to cell death. A major impediment to developing therapeutic measures against oxidative stress induced cellular damage is the lack of a quantitative framework to identify the specific sources and regulatory mechanisms of mitochondrial ROS production. We developed a thermodynamically consistent, mass-and-charge balanced, kinetic model of mitochondrial ROS homeostasis focused on redox sites of electron transport chain complexes I, II, and III. The model was calibrated and validated using comprehensive data sets relevant to ROS homeostasis. The model predicts that complex I ROS production dominates other sources under conditions favoring a high membrane potential with elevated NADH and QH2 levels. In general, complex I contributes to significant levels of ROS production under pathological conditions, while complexes II and III are responsible for basal levels of ROS production, especially when QH2 levels are elevated. The model also reveals that hydrogen peroxide production by complex I underlies the non-linear relationship between ROS emission and O2 at low O2 concentrations. Lastly, the model highlights the need to quantify scavenging system activity under different conditions to establish a complete picture of mitochondrial ROS homeostasis. In summary, we describe the individual contributions of the ETS complex redox sites to total ROS emission in mitochondria respiring under various combinations of NADH- and Q-linked respiratory fuels under varying work rates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Duong, Q. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levitsky, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dessinger, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bazil, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.01.450791</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identifying Site-specific Superoxide and Hydrogen Peroxide Production Rates from the Mitochondrial Electron Transport System Using a Computational Strategy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.01.450804v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
FishExp: a comprehensive database and analysis platform for gene expression and alternative splicing of fish species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.01.450804v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The publicly archived RNA-seq data has grown exponentially, but its valuable information has not yet been fully discovered and utilized, especially for alternative splicing. This is true for fish species, which play important roles in ecology, research, and the food industry. To mitigate this, we present FishExp, a web-based data platform covering gene expression and alternative splicing in 26,081 RNA-seq experiments from 44 fishes. In addition to searching by gene identifiers and symbols, FishExp allows users to query the data using various functional terms and BLAST alignment. Notably, the user can customize experiments and tools to perform differential/specific expression and alternative splicing analysis, provided with functional enrichments. The results of retrieval and analysis can be visualized on the gene-, transcript- and splicing event-level webpage in a highly interactive and intuitive manner. The manually curated sample information, uniform data processing and visualization tools make it efficient for users to gain new insights from these large datasets. All data in FishExp can be downloaded for more in-depth analysis. FishExp is freely accessible at https://bioinfo.njau.edu.cn/fishExp.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jie, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.01.450804</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[FishExp: a comprehensive database and analysis platform for gene expression and alternative splicing of fish species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.05.451163v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The crucial role of genome-wide genetic variation in conservation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.05.451163v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The unprecedented rate of extinction calls for efficient use of genetics to help conserve biodiversity. Several recent genomic and simulation-based studies have argued that the field of conservation biology has placed too much focus on the conservation of genome-wide genetic variation, and that this approach should be replaced with another that focuses instead on managing the subset of functional genetic variation that is thought to affect fitness. Here, we critically evaluate the feasibility and likely benefits of this approach in conservation. We find that population genetics theory and empirical results show that the conserving genome-wide genetic variation is generally the best approach to prevent inbreeding depression and loss of adaptive potential from driving populations towards extinction. Focusing conservation efforts on presumably functional genetic variation will only be feasible occasionally, often misleading, and counterproductive when prioritized over genome-wide genetic variation. Given the increasing rate of habitat loss and other environmental changes, failure to recognize the detrimental effects of lost genome-wide variation on long-term population viability will only worsen the biodiversity crisis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kardos, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Armstrong, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hauser, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hedrick, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tallmon, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Funk, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.05.451163</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The crucial role of genome-wide genetic variation in conservation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.06.451237v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Selection-Enriched Genomic Loci (SEGL) Reveals Genetic Loci for Environmental Adaptation and Photosynthetic Productivity in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.06.451237v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This work demonstrates an approach to produce and select hybrid algal strains exhibiting increased photosynthetic productivity under multiple environmental conditions. This simultaneously addresses two major impediments to improving algal bioenergy production: 1) generating new genetic variants with improved performance; and 2) disentangling complex interactions between genetic and physiological factors contributing to these improvements. We pooled progeny generated from mating two environmental isolates of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and cultured the pools under multiple environmental conditions. Strains from the outcompeting populations showed substantial (in some cases over 3 fold) increases in productivity over the parental lines under certain environments related to biomass production, including laboratory conditions as well as hyperoxia, fluctuating light, high salinity and high temperature. The results indicate that C. reinhardtii has remarkable, untapped, directed evolution capacity that may be harnessed using breeding and competition approaches. The populations were deep sequenced at multiple time points to identify "Selection-Enriched Genomic Loci" (SEGL) that accumulated in the populations, and thus likely confer increased fitness under the respective environmental conditions. With improved resolution, SEGL mapping can identify allelic combinations used for targeted breeding approaches, generating elite algal lines with multiple desirable traits, as well as to further understand the genetic and mechanistic bases of photosynthetic productivity.

Significance StatementIncreasing the photosynthetic efficiency of algae during biomass production is perhaps the most critical hurdle for economically sustainable algal based biofuels. This presents unique challenges because modifications designed to increase photosynthesis often result in decreased fitness, due to production of toxic reactive oxygen species when photosynthesis is not adequately regulated. These problems are exacerbated under natural and outdoor production environments because of the complex nature of photosynthesis and the multifaceted interactions between genetic, environmental and physiological factors. Here, we demonstrate a high throughput biotechnological screening approach that simultaneously produces algal strains with highly increased autotrophic productivity and identifies genomic loci contributing to these improvements. Our results demonstrate that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii exhibits high directed evolutionary capacity readily accessed through breeding and selection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lucker, B. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panchy, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Temple, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benning, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bibik, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neofotis, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weissman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baxter, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.06.451237</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Selection-Enriched Genomic Loci (SEGL) Reveals Genetic Loci for Environmental Adaptation and Photosynthetic Productivity in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.08.451616v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrE associates with plant membrane nanodomains and binds phosphatidylinositides in vitro 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.08.451616v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial phytopathogens deliver effector proteins into host cells as key virulence weapons to cause disease. Extensive studies revealed diverse functions and biochemical properties of different effector proteins from pathogens. In this study, we show that the Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrE, the founding member of a broadly conserved and pathologically important bacterial effector family, binds to phosphatidylinositides (PIPs) in vitro and shares some properties with eukaryotic PROPPINs ({beta}-propellers that bind polyphosphoinositides). In planta pull down experiments with transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing AvrE revealed that AvrE is associated with several plant proteins including plasma membrane lipid-raft proteins. These results shed new light on the properties of a bacterial effector that is crucial for bacterial virulence in plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xin, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kinch, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paasch, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kvitko, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grishin, N. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.08.451616</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrE associates with plant membrane nanodomains and binds phosphatidylinositides in vitro]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.08.451697v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
scSGL: Signed Graph Learning for Single-Cell Gene Regulatory Network Inference 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.08.451697v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationElucidating the topology of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) from large single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) datasets, while effectively capturing its inherent cell-cycle heterogeneity and dropouts, is currently one of the most pressing problems in computational systems biology. Recently, graph learning (GL) approaches based on graph signal processing (GSP) have been developed to infer graph topology from signals defined on graphs. However, existing GL methods are not suitable for learning signed graphs, which represent a characteristic feature of GRNs, as they account for both activating and inhibitory relationships between genes. They are also incapable of handling high proportion of zero values, which represent dropouts in single cell experiments. To this end, we propose a novel signed GL approach, scSGL, that learns GRNs based on the assumption of the smoothness and non-smoothness of gene expressions over activating and inhibitory edges, respectively. scSGL is then extended with kernels to take the nonlinearity of co-expressions into account and handle high proportion of dropouts. From GSP perspective, this extension corresponds to assuming smoothness/non-smoothness of graph signals in a higher dimensional space defined by the kernel. The proposed approach is formulated as a non-convex optimization problem and solved using an efficient ADMM framework.

ResultsIn our experiments on simulated and real single cell datasets, scSGL compares favorably with other single cell gene regulatory network reconstruction algorithms.

AvailabilityThe scSGL code and analysis scripts are available at (https://github.com/Single-Cell-Graph-Learning/scSGL).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Karaaslanli, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aviyente, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maiti, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.08.451697</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[scSGL: Signed Graph Learning for Single-Cell Gene Regulatory Network Inference]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.09.451828v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inhibitory Proteins Block Substrate Access to the Active Site of Bacillus subtilis Intramembrane Metalloprotease SpoIVFB 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.09.451828v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Intramembrane proteases function in numerous signaling pathways that impact health, but knowledge about regulation of intramembrane proteolysis is limited. We examined inhibition of intramembrane metalloprotease SpoIVFB by proteins BofA and SpoIVFA. We found that BofA residues in and near a predicted transmembrane segment are required for SpoIVFB inhibition, and cross-linking experiments indicated that this transmembrane segment occupies the SpoIVFB active site cleft. SpoIVFA is also required for SpoIVFB inhibition. The inhibitory proteins block access of the substrate N-terminal Proregion to the membrane-embedded SpoIVFB active site, based on additional cross-linking experiments; however, the inhibitory proteins did not prevent interaction between the substrate C-terminal region and the SpoIVFB soluble domain. A structural model was built of SpoIVFB in complex with BofA and parts of SpoIVFA and substrate, using partial homology and constraints from cross-linking and co-evolutionary analyses. The model predicts that conserved BofA residues interact to stabilize a transmembrane segment and a membrane-embedded C-terminal region. SpoIVFA is predicted to bridge the BofA C-terminal region and SpoIVFB, forming a membrane-embedded inhibition complex. Our results reveal a novel mechanism of intramembrane protease inhibition with clear implications for relief from inhibition in vivo and design of inhibitors as potential therapeutics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Olenic, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kroos, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.09.451828</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inhibitory Proteins Block Substrate Access to the Active Site of Bacillus subtilis Intramembrane Metalloprotease SpoIVFB]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.11.451942v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution with private resources reverses some changes from long-term evolution with public resources 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.11.451942v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A population under selection to improve one trait may evolve a sub-optimal state for another trait due to tradeoffs and other evolutionary constraints. How this evolution affects the capacity of a population to adapt when conditions change to favor the second trait is an open question. We investigated this question using isolates from a lineage spanning 60,000 generations of the Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE) with Escherichia coli, where cells have access to a shared pool of resources, and have evolved increased competitive ability and a concomitant reduction in numerical yield. Using media-in oil emulsions we shifted the focus of selection to numerical yield, where cells grew in isolated patches with private resources. We found that the time spent evolving under shared resources did not affect the ability to re-evolve toward higher numerical yield. The evolution of numerical yield commonly occurred through mutations in the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system. These mutants exhibit slower uptake of glucose, making them poorer competitors for public resources, and produce smaller cells that release less carbon as overflow metabolites. Our results demonstrate that mutations that were not part of adaptation under one selective regime may enable access to ancestral phenotypes when selection changes to favor evolutionary reversion.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>van Raay, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stolyar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sevigny, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Draghi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marx, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerr, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zaman, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.11.451942</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution with private resources reverses some changes from long-term evolution with public resources]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.17.452230v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A rapid F0 CRISPR screen in zebrafish to identify regulators of neuronal development in the enteric nervous system 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.17.452230v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The enteric nervous system (ENS) provides the intrinsic innervation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract with millions of neurons and diverse neuronal subtypes and glial cells. The ENS regulates essential gut functions such as motility, nutrient uptake, and immune response, but basic information about the genes that control ENS neuronal specification and differentiation remains largely unknown. Deficits in ENS neuron numbers and composition cause gut dysfunction with debilitating GI symptoms, and are associated with e.g. Hirschsprung disease, inflammatory gut diseases, autism spectrum disorder, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsons disease. The genetic basis of most of these ENS disorders remains unknown. Recent transcriptomic analyses have identified many candidate genes for regulating ENS neurogenesis. However, functional evaluation of these candidate genes significantly lags because experimental testing of their role in ENS neurogenesis is time-consuming and expensive. Here, we have developed a rapid, scalable F0 CRISPR genome editing screen in zebrafish to functionally determine which candidate genes control neuronal development in the ENS. Proof-of-concept experiments targeting the known ENS regulators sox10 and ret phenocopy stable mutants with high efficiency and precision showing that our approach is reliable to identify regulators ENS neurogenesis using F0 guide RNA-injected larvae (F0 crispants). We then evaluate the role of 10 transcription factor genes for regulating ENS neurogenesis and function. Pools of guide RNAs targeting 2-3 candidate genes are co-injected with Cas9 protein into one-cell stage phox2bb:GFP transgenic zebrafish embryos to directly assess qualitative change in ENS neuron numbers compared to controls in 6-day old F0 crispants. Target genes from crispant pools exhibiting reduced ENS neuronal numbers were then tested individually to identify the responsible gene(s). We identify five transcription factors that show a reduction in ENS neurons indicating an influence on enteric progenitor cell differentiation into ENS neurons. Adding a simple and efficient test to further assess crispant gut motility, we find that loss-of-function of two of the transcription factor genes reduced intestinal transit of fluorescently labeled food through the gut. In summary, our novel, multistep, yet straight-forward CRISPR screening approach in zebrafish enables testing the genetic basis of ENS developmental and disease gene functions that will facilitate high-throughput evaluation of the manifold candidate genes emerging from transcriptomic, genome-wide association or other ENS-omics studies. Such in vivo ENS crispant screens will contribute to a better understanding of ENS neuronal development regulation in vertebrates and what goes awry in ENS disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Davidson, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Straquadine, N. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cook, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ganz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.17.452230</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A rapid F0 CRISPR screen in zebrafish to identify regulators of neuronal development in the enteric nervous system]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.21.453277v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cytolytic memory CD4+ T cell clonotypes are expanded during Plasmodium falciparum infection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.21.453277v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria causes high rates of morbidity and mortality and lacks a sufficiently effective vaccine. Clinical immunity develops in residents of malaria endemic regions which confers reduced clinical symptoms during infection and protection against severe disease. We hypothesized that understanding the immune mechanisms of clinical immunity could inform vaccine design to improve efficacy. We compared the peripheral blood cellular and humoral immune responses during a mild episode of Pf malaria infection. Participants were classified as either clinically susceptible or clinically protected, based on the number of recurrent clinical infections over an 18-month longitudinal study in a malaria endemic region in Malawi. Susceptible participants had three or more recurrent clinical episodes while clinically immune individuals had one or none. Protected participants exhibited higher plasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) breadth and titers against Pf antigens, and greater antibody (Ab)-dependent Pf opsonization compared to susceptible participants. Using high dimensional mass cytometry (CyTOF), spectral flow cytometry and single-cell transcriptomic analyses, we identified expanded memory CD4+ T cell clones sharing identical T cell receptor clonotypes in the blood of protected participants during malaria infection. These cells express a strong cytolytic T helper 1 effector program with transcripts encoding granzymes (A, B, H, M), granulysin, NKG7 and the Zeb2 master transcriptional regulator of terminally differentiated effector T cells. Memory CD4+ T cells expressing Zeb2+ were CD39hiTIGIThi and expressed multiple chemotactic and checkpoint inhibitory receptors, although the cellular levels of several of these receptors were reduced in protected compared to susceptible individuals. We propose that clonally expanded Zeb2+ cytolytic memory CD4+ Th1 cells could represent essential contributors to clinical immunity against Pf malaria.

One Sentence SummaryA population of cytolytic memory CD4+ T cells is clonally expanded in patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria and has reduced chemotactic and inhibitory receptor expression in patients with naturally acquired clinical malaria immunity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Furtado, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delahaye, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sung, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karell, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caillat-Zucman, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Felgner, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauleni, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gama, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buchwald, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seydel, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laufer, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daily, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lauvau, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.21.453277</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cytolytic memory CD4+ T cell clonotypes are expanded during Plasmodium falciparum infection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.23.453512v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
In vitro and in vivo analysis of microvesicle-mediated metastasis using a bright, red-shifted bioluminescent reporter protein of extracellular vesicles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.23.453512v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cancer cells produce heterogeneous extracellular vesicles (EVs) as mediators of intercellular communication. Our study focused on a novel method to image EV subtypes and their biodistribution in vivo. Regardless of injection routes, we established that reporter EVs isolated from murine mammary carcinoma cells expressing PalmReNL, which utilizes bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), localized to the lungs. This new EV reporter allowed highly sensitive EV tracking in vitro and in vivo and enabled us to begin studies to understand the commonalities and functional differences of the EV subtypes. We demonstrated the early appearance of metastatic foci in the lungs of mammary tumor-bearing mice following multiple injections of the microvesicle (MV)-enriched fraction derived from mammary carcinoma cells. In addition, the results we present here show that tumor cell-derived MVs act on distant tissues through upregulating LC3 expression within the lung.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zarea, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broadbent, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dolgikh, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernard, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Withrow, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGill, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toomajian, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thampy, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkema, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kirkland, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bachmann, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.23.453512</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[In vitro and in vivo analysis of microvesicle-mediated metastasis using a bright, red-shifted bioluminescent reporter protein of extracellular vesicles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.24.453587v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of a chordate-specific mechanism for myoblast fusion 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.24.453587v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The size of an animal is determined by the size of its musculoskeletal system. Myoblast fusion is an innovative mechanism that allows for multinucleated muscle fibers to compound the size and strength of individual mononucleated cells. However, the evolutionary history of the control mechanism underlying this important process is currently unknown. The phylum Chordata hosts closely related groups that span distinct myoblast fusion states: no fusion in cephalochordates, restricted fusion and multinucleation in tunicates, and extensive, obligatory fusion in vertebrates. To elucidate how these differences may have evolved, we studied the evolutionary origins and function of membrane-coalescing agents Myomaker and Myomixer in various groups of chordates. Here we report that Myomaker likely arose through gene duplication in the last common ancestor of tunicates and vertebrates, while Myomixer appears to have evolved de novo in early vertebrates. Functional tests revealed an unexpectedly complex evolutionary history of myoblast fusion in chordates. A pre-vertebrate phase of muscle multinucleation driven by Myomaker was followed by the later emergence of Myomixer that enables the highly efficient fusion system of vertebrates. Thus, our findings reveal the evolutionary origins of chordate-specific fusogens and illustrate how new genes can shape the emergence of novel morphogenetic traits and mechanisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uyeno, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pei, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fissette, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Green, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Samudra, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eggenschwiler, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Menke, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bronner, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grishin, N. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ye, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stolfi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.24.453587</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of a chordate-specific mechanism for myoblast fusion]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.27.453998v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Average stride length and stride rate of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses during 'Sprint and 'Classic races 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.27.453998v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The main factors influencing speed in athletes are stride length (SL) and stride rate (SR). However, conflict remains whether SL or SR is the key determinant of higher speeds. Quarter Horses (QH) generally reach higher speeds in their races than do Thoroughbreds (TB). However, the influence of SL and SR on this greater speed is unclear. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to compare SL and SR in QH and TB raced in short (sprint) and long (classic) distances. We hypothesized that QH have a higher SR in comparison to TB, and SR decreases as distance increases. Two race distances were analyzed for each breed: QH races of 100.6 and 402.3 m, and TB races of 1,207.0 m and 2,011.7 m. Data from twenty horses were obtained, consisting of five horses from each race distance (10 QH and 10 TB). Five individuals watched recordings of each race three times counting the number of strides taken by each winning horse. The SR was calculated using the average number of strides over a given race duration, and SL was determined by calculating the total number of strides over the distance covered. Speed was calculated dividing the distance by the time of the winning horse. The PROC Mixed Procedure was used to identify statistical differences between breeds, and between distances within the same breed. Results showed that although the SL of the TB was longer in comparison with the QH (P<0.001), the average SR in QH was higher than in TB (2.88 vs 2.34 + 0.03 strides/s; P<0.001). Further, QH classic distance demonstrated a faster speed than TB at either distance (P<0.001). In conclusion, QH achieve a higher SR in comparison to TB (between 14-20% more than TB), confirming the importance of SR in achieving high racing speeds.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vergara-Hernandez, F. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nielsen, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, C. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fabus, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kompare, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LeCompte Lazic, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colbath, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.27.453998</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Average stride length and stride rate of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses during 'Sprint and 'Classic races]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.28.454148v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A non-functional copy of the salmonid sex determining gene (sdY) is responsible for the "apparent" XY females in Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.28.454148v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many salmonids have a male heterogametic (XX/XY) sex determination system, and they are supposed to have a conserved master sex determining gene (sdY), that interacts at the protein level with Foxl2 leading to the blockage of the synergistic induction of Foxl2 and Nr5a1 of the cyp19a1a promoter. However, this hypothesis of a conserved master sex determining role of sdY in salmonids is still challenged by a few exceptions, one of them being the presence of some naturally occurring "apparent" XY Chinook salmon females. Here we show that XY Chinook salmon females have a sdY gene (sdY-N183), which has one missense mutation leading to a substitution of a conserved isoleucine to an asparagine (SdY I183N). In contrast, Chinook salmon males have both a non-mutated sdY-I183 gene and the missense mutation sdY-N183 gene. The 3D model of SdY-N183 predicts that the I183N hydrophobic to hydrophilic amino acid change leads to a local modification of the {beta}-sandwich structure of SdY. Using in vitro cell transfection assays we found that SdY-N183, like SdY-I183, is preferentially localized in the cytoplasm. However, compared to SdY-I183, SdY-N183 is more prone to degradation, its nuclear translocation by Foxl2 is reduced and SdY-N183 is unable to significantly repress the synergistic Foxl2/Nr5a1 induction of the cyp19a1a promoter. Altogether our results suggest that the sdY-N183 gene of XY Chinook females is a non-functional gene and that SdY-N183 is no longer able to promote testicular differentiation by impairing the synthesis of estrogens in the early differentiating gonads of wild Chinook salmon XY females.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bertho, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herpin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jouanno, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yano, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bobe, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parrinello, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Journot, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guyomard, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swanson, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKinney, G. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kevin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mariah, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schartl, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guiguen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.28.454148</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A non-functional copy of the salmonid sex determining gene (sdY) is responsible for the "apparent" XY females in Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.28.454259v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Competitive advantage of oral streptococci for colonization of the middle ear mucosa 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.28.454259v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The intermittent aeration of the middle ear seeds its mucosa with saliva aerosols and selects for a distinct community of commensals adapted to the otic microenvironment. We gained insights into the selective forces that enrich for specific groups of oral migrants in the middle ear mucosa by investigating the phylogeny and physiology of 19 strains enriched (Streptococcus) or transiently present (Staphylococcus, Neisseria and actinobacterial Micrococcus and Corynebacterium) in otic secretions. Phylogenetic analyses of full length 16S rRNA sequences resolved close relationships between the streptococcal strains and oral commensals as well as between the transient migrants and known nasal and oral species. Physiological functions that facilitate mucosal colonization (swarming motility, surfactant production) and nutrition (mucin and protein degradation) were widespread in all the otic cultivars, as was the ability of most of the isolates to grow both aerobically and anaerobically. However, streptococci stood out for their enhanced biofilm-forming abilities under oxic and anoxic conditions and for their efficient fermentation of mucosal substrates into lactate, a key metabolic intermediate in the otic trophic webs. Additionally, the otic streptococci inhibited the growth of common otopathogens, an antagonistic interaction that could exclude competitors and protect the middle ear mucosa from infections by transient pathobionts. These adaptive traits allow streptococcal migrants to colonize the otic mucosa and grow microcolonies with syntrophic anaerobic partners, establishing trophic webs with other commensals similar to those formed by the oral ancestors in buccal biofilms.

ImportanceThe identification of a diverse microbiome in otic secretions from healthy young adults challenged the entrenched dogma of middle ear sterility and underscored previously unknown roles for oral commensals in the seeding of otic biofilms. By comparing the physiology of novel lineages of streptococci and transient (peri)oral species isolated from otic secretions, we identified adaptive behaviors that allow specific oral streptococcal species to successfully colonize the mucosa of the middle ear. We also describe antagonistic properties of the otic streptococci that help them outcompete transient nasal and oral migrants, including known otopathogens. This knowledge is important to predictively understand the functionality of the otic communities, their interactions with the host mucosa and the outcome of infections.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jacob, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reguera, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-07-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.28.454259</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Competitive advantage of oral streptococci for colonization of the middle ear mucosa]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-07-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.30.454370v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Neural temporal context reinstatement of event structure during memory recall 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.30.454370v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Although life unfolds continuously, experiences are generally perceived and remembered as discrete events. Accumulating evidence suggests that event boundaries disrupt temporal representations and weaken memory associations. However, less is known about the consequences of event boundaries on temporal representations during retrieval, especially when temporal information is not tested explicitly. Using a neural measure of temporal context extracted from scalp electroencephalography, we found reduced temporal context similarity between studied items separated by an event boundary when compared to items from the same event. Further, while participants free recalled list items, neural activity reflected reinstatement of temporal context representations from study, including temporal disruption. A computational model of episodic memory, the Context Maintenance and Retrieval model (CMR; Polyn, Norman & Kahana, 2009), predicted these results, and made novel predictions regarding the influence of temporal disruption on recall order. These findings implicate the impact of event structure on memory organization via temporal representations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lohnas, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Healey, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davachi, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.07.30.454370</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Neural temporal context reinstatement of event structure during memory recall]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.04.455084v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Catalase protects against non-enzymatic decarboxylations during photorespiration 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.04.455084v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Photorespiration recovers carbon that would be otherwise lost following the oxygenation reaction of rubisco and production of glycolate. Photorespiration is essential in plants and recycles glycolate into usable metabolic products through reactions spanning the chloroplast, mitochondrion, and peroxisome. Catalase in peroxisomes plays an important role in this process by disproportionating H2O2 resulting from glycolate oxidation into O2 and water. We hypothesize that catalase in the peroxisome also protects against non-enzymatic decarboxylations between hydrogen peroxide and photorespiratory intermediates (glyoxylate and/or hydroxypyruvate). We test this hypothesis by detailed gas exchange and biochemical analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants lacking peroxisomal catalase. Our results strongly support this hypothesis, with catalase mutants showing gas exchange evidence for an increased stoichiometry of CO2 release from photorespiration, specifically an increase in the CO2 compensation point, a photorespiratory-dependent decrease in the quantum efficiency of CO2 assimilation, increase in the 12CO2 released in a 13CO2 background and an increase in the post-illumination CO2 burst. Further metabolic evidence suggests this excess CO2 release occurred via the non-enzymatic decarboxylation of hydroxypyruvate. Specifically, the catalase mutant showed an accumulation of photorespiratory intermediates during a transient increase in rubisco oxygenation consistent with this hypothesis. Additionally, end products of alternative hypotheses explaining this excess release were similar between wild type and catalase mutants. Furthermore, the calculated rate of hydroxypyruvate decarboxylation in catalase mutant is much higher than that of glyoxylate decarboxylation. This work provides evidence that these non-enzymatic decarboxylation reactions, predominately hydroxypyruvate decarboxylation, can occur in vivo when photorespiratory metabolism is genetically disrupted.

One Sentence SummaryCatalase guards against additional carbon loss from photorespiration arising from non-enzymatic decarboxylations of photorespiratory intermediates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morency, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rianti, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saeheng, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roje, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, A. P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.04.455084</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Catalase protects against non-enzymatic decarboxylations during photorespiration]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.05.455280v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Histone H3K36me2-specific methyltransferase ASH1L is required for the MLL-AF9-induced leukemogenesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.05.455280v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ASH1L and MLL1 are two histone methyltransferases that facilitate transcriptional activation during normal development. However, the roles of ASH1L and its enzymatic activity in the development of MLL-rearranged leukemias are not fully elucidated in the Ash1L gene knockout animal models. In this study, we used an Ash1L conditional knockout mouse model to show that loss of ASH1L in hematopoietic progenitor cells impaired the initiation of MLL-AF9-induced leukemic transformation in vitro. Furthermore, genetic deletion of ASH1L in the MLL-AF9-transformed cells impaired the maintenance of leukemic cells in vitro and largely blocked the leukemia progression in vivo. Importantly, the loss of ASH1L function in the Ash1L-deleted cells could be rescued by wild-type but not the catalytic-dead mutant ASH1L, suggesting the enzymatic activity of ASH1L was required for its function in promoting MLL-AF9-induced leukemic transformation. At the molecular level, ASH1L enhanced the MLL-AF9 target gene expression by directly binding to the gene promoters and modifying the local histone H3K36me2 levels. Thus, our study revealed the critical functions of ASH1L in promoting the MLL-AF9-induced leukemogenesis, which provides a molecular basis for targeting ASH1L and its enzymatic activity to treat MLL-arranged leukemias.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aljazi, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.05.455280</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Histone H3K36me2-specific methyltransferase ASH1L is required for the MLL-AF9-induced leukemogenesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.08.455487v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Charting Brain Growth and Aging at High Spatial Precision 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.08.455487v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Defining reference models for population variation, and the ability to study individual deviations is essential for understanding inter-individual variability and its relation to the onset and progression of medical conditions. In this work, we assembled a reference cohort of neuroimaging data from 82 sites (N=58,836; ages 2-100) and use normative modeling to characterize lifespan trajectories of cortical thickness and subcortical volume. Models are validated against a manually quality checked subset (N=24,354) and we provide an interface for transferring to new data sources. We showcase the clinical value by applying the models to a transdiagnostic psychiatric sample (N=1,985), showing they can be used to quantify variability underlying multiple disorders whilst also refining case-control inferences. These models will be augmented with additional samples and imaging modalities as they become available. This provides a common reference platform to bind results from different studies and ultimately paves the way for personalized clinical decision making.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rutherford, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fraza, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dinga, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kia, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolfers, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zabihi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berthet, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Worker, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verdi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrews, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bayer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dazzan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGuire, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mocking, R. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schene, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sripada, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tso, I. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duval, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, S.-E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pennix, B. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heitzeg, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burt, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hyde, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amaral, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nordahl, C. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andreasssen, O. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Westlye, L. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zahn, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruhe, H. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beckmann, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marquand, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.08.455487</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Charting Brain Growth and Aging at High Spatial Precision]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.09.455723v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deterministic shifts in molecular evolution correlate with convergence to annualism in killifishes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.09.455723v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The repeated evolution of novel life histories correlating with ecological variables offer opportunities to test scenarios of convergence and determinism in genetic, developmental, and metabolic features. Here we leverage the diversity of aplocheiloid killifishes, a clade of teleost fishes that contains over 750 species on three continents. Nearly half of these are "annual" or seasonal species that inhabit bodies of water that desiccate and are unfeasible for growth, reproduction, or survival for weeks to months at a time. We present a large-scale phylogenomic reconstruction of aplocheiloid killifish evolution using newly sequenced transcriptomes from all major clades. We show that developmental dormancy (diapause) and annualism have up to seven independent origins in Africa and America. We then measure evolutionary rates of orthologous genes and show that annual life history is correlated with higher dN/dS ratios. Many of these fast-evolving genes in annual species constitute key developmental genes and nuclear-encoded metabolic genes that control oxidative phosphorylation. Lastly, we compare these fast-evolving genes to genes associated with developmental dormancy and metabolic shifts in killifishes and other vertebrates and thereby identify molecular evolutionary signatures of repeated evolutionary transitions to extreme environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Black, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Furness, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoffmann, F. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orti, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.09.455723</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deterministic shifts in molecular evolution correlate with convergence to annualism in killifishes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.11.456026v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Live imaging YAP signaling in vivo with fusion reporter mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.11.456026v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
YAP protein is a critical regulator of mammalian embryonic development. By generating a near-infrared fusion YAP reporter mouse line, we have achieved high-resolution live imaging of YAP localization during mouse embryonic development. We have validated the reporter by demonstrating its predicted responses to blocking LATs kinase activity or blocking cell polarity. By time lapse imaging preimplantation embryos, we revealed a mitotic reset behavior of YAP nuclear localization. We also demonstrated deep tissue live imaging in post-implantation embryos and revealed an intriguing nuclear YAP pattern in migrating cells. The YAP fusion reporter mice and imaging methods will open new opportunities for understanding dynamic YAP signaling in vivo in many different situations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradshaw, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hopyan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rossant, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.11.456026</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Live imaging YAP signaling in vivo with fusion reporter mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.15.456425v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ColabFold - Making protein folding accessible to all 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.15.456425v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ColabFold offers accelerated protein structure and complex predictions by combining the fast homology search of MMseqs2 with AlphaFold2 or RoseTTAFold. ColabFolds 40 - 60x faster search and optimized model use allows predicting close to a thousand structures per day on a server with one GPU. Coupled with Google Colaboratory, ColabFold becomes a free and accessible platform for protein folding. ColabFold is open-source software available at github.com/sokrypton/ColabFold. Its novel environmental databases are available at colabfold.mmseqs.com

Contactmilot.mirdita@mpibpc.mpg.de, so@fas.harvard.edu, martin.steinegger@snu.ac.kr
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mirdita, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ovchinnikov, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steinegger, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.15.456425</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ColabFold - Making protein folding accessible to all]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.17.456723v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The SEEL Motif and Members of the MYB-related REVEILLE Transcription Factor Family are Important for the Expression of LORELEI in the Synergid Cells of the Arabidopsis Female Gametophyte 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.17.456723v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Synergid cells in the micropylar end of the female gametophyte are required for critical cell-cell signaling interactions between the pollen tube and the ovule that precede double fertilization and seed formation in flowering plants. LORELEI (LRE) encodes a GPI-anchored protein that is expressed primarily in the synergid cells, and together with FERONIA, a receptor-like kinase, it controls pollen tube reception by the receptive synergid cell. Still, how LRE expression is controlled in synergid cells remains poorly characterized. We identified candidate cis-regulatory elements enriched in LRE and other synergid cell-expressed genes. One of the candidate motifs ( TAATATCT) in the LRE promoter was an uncharacterized variant of the Evening Element motif that we named as the Short Evening Element-like (SEEL) motif. Deletion or point mutations in the SEEL motif of the LRE promoter resulted in decreased reporter expression in synergid cells, demonstrating that the SEEL motif is important for expression of LRE in synergid cells. Additionally, we found that LRE expression is decreased in the loss of function mutants of REVEILLE (RVE) transcription factors, which are clock genes known to bind the SEEL and other closely related motifs. We propose that RVE transcription factors regulate LRE expression in synergid cells by binding to the SEEL motif in the LRE promoter. Identification of a cis-regulatory element and transcription factors involved in the expression of LRE will serve as a foundation to characterize the gene regulatory networks in synergid cells and investigate the potential connection between circadian rhythm and fertilization.

One sentence summaryA newly identified SEEL motif in the promoter of LORELEI and at least three members of the REVEILLE transcription factor family are important for LORELEI expression in synergid cells of the Arabidopsis female gametophyte.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Noble, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seddon, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uygun, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palanivelu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.17.456723</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The SEEL Motif and Members of the MYB-related REVEILLE Transcription Factor Family are Important for the Expression of LORELEI in the Synergid Cells of the Arabidopsis Female Gametophyte]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.19.456975v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mapping of genotype-by-environment interactions in phenology identifies two cues for flowering in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.19.456975v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The timing of vegetative and reproductive growth in plants ("phenological timings") depend on genetic effects (G), environmental (e.g., weather) cues, and their interaction. Here, we measure phenological timings in two highly divergent switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) subpopulations using repeated plantings of cloned individuals at eight sites across the central United States. The timing of vegetative growth for the two subpopulations reversed between their two natural ranges and had strong negative correlations between these regions; in contrast, the timing of flowering was positively correlated between gardens. We expect that these phenotypic correlations consist of polygenic effects on phenology which have distinct patterns of GxE segregating at different mapped loci. Thus, we infer the mixture of ways genetic effects impact phenological timings, such as across common gardens (GxE) or with weather cues (GxWeather). We demonstrate that we can identify genetic variation with GxWeather and assign genetic loci to specific weather-based cues or other patterns. For example, in the Gulf subpopulation, 65% of genetic effects on the timing of vegetative growth covary with daylength 14 days prior to green-up date, and 33% of genetic effects on the timing of flowering covary with cumulative rainfall in the week prior to flowering. However, most variation in genetic effects cannot be attributed to variation in weather variables. Selective breeding for particular alleles at GxWeather loci could alter flowering responsiveness in a photoperiod or rainfall-specific way. More broadly, our approach refines the characterization of genotype-by-environment interactions and can be implemented in any species phenotyped in multiple environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>MacQueen, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonette, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boe, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fay, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fritschi, F. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rouquette, F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Juenger, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.19.456975</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mapping of genotype-by-environment interactions in phenology identifies two cues for flowering in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.20.457123v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Disruption of Brachypodium Lichenase Alters Metabolism of Mixed-linkage Glucan and Starch 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.20.457123v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mixed-linkage glucan (MLG), which is widely distributed in grasses, is a polysaccharide highly abundant in cell walls of grass endosperm and young vegetative tissues. Lichenases are enzymes that hydrolyze MLG first identified in MLG-rich lichens. In this study, we identify a gene encoding a lichenase we name Brachypodium distachyon LICHENASE 1 (BdLCH1), which is highly expressed in the endosperm of germinating seeds and coleoptiles and at lower amounts in mature shoots. RNA in situ hybridization showed that BdLCH1 is primarily expressed in chlorenchyma cells of mature leaves and internodes. Disruption of BdLCH1 resulted in an eight-fold increase in MLG content in senesced leaves. Consistent with the in situ hybridization data, immunolocalization results showed that MLG was not removed in chlorenchyma cells of lch1 mutants as it was in wild type and implicate the BdLCH1 enzyme in removing MLG in chlorenchyma cells in mature vegetative tissues. We also show that MLG accumulation in lch1 mutants was resistant to dark induced degradation, and eight-week-old lch1 plants showed a faster rate of starch breakdown than wild type in darkness. Our results suggest a role for BdLCH1 in modifying the cell wall to support highly metabolically active cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jensen, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zemelis-Durfee, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, S.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, J.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beaudry, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandizzi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilkerson, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.20.457123</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Disruption of Brachypodium Lichenase Alters Metabolism of Mixed-linkage Glucan and Starch]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.21.457231v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Frequency-dependent hybridization contributes to habitat segregation in monkeyflowers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.21.457231v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spatial segregation of closely related species is usually attributed to differences in stress tolerance and competitive ability. For both animals and plants, reproductive interactions between close relatives can impose a fitness cost that is more detrimental to the rarer species. Frequencydependent mating interactions may thus prevent the establishment of immigrants within heterospecific populations, maintaining spatial segregation of species. Despite strong spatial segregation in natural populations, two sympatric California monkeyflowers (Mimulus nudatus and M. guttatus) survive and reproduce in the others habitat when transplanted reciprocally. We hypothesized that a frequency-dependent mating disadvantage maintains spatial segregation of these monkeyflowers during natural immigration. To evaluate this hypothesis, we performed two field experiments. First, we experimentally added immigrants in varying numbers to sites dominated by heterospecifics. Second, we reciprocally transplanted arrays of varying resident and immigrant frequencies. Immigrant seed viability decreased with conspecific rarity for M. guttatus, but not M. nudatus. We observed immigrant minority disadvantage for both species, but driven by different factors- frequency-dependent hybridization for M. guttatus, and competition for resources and/or pollinators for M. nudatus. Overall, our results suggest a major role for reproductive interference in spatial segregation that should be evaluated along with stress tolerance and competitive ability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Toll, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.21.457231</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Frequency-dependent hybridization contributes to habitat segregation in monkeyflowers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.23.457327v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Differential gene expression reveals host factors for viral shedding variation in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) infected with low-pathogenic avian influenza virus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.23.457327v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Intraspecific variation in pathogen shedding impacts disease transmission dynamics; therefore, understanding the host factors associated with individual variation in pathogen shedding is key to controlling and preventing outbreaks. In this study, ileum and bursa of Fabricius tissues of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) infected with low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAIV) were evaluated at various post-infection time points to determine genetic host factors associated with intraspecific variation in viral shedding. By analyzing transcriptome sequencing data (RNA-seq), we found that LPAIV-infected mallards do not exhibit differential gene expression compared to uninfected birds, but that gene expression was associated with viral shedding quantity early in the infection. In both tissues, immune genes were mostly up-regulated in higher shedding birds and had significant positive relationships with viral shedding. In the ileum, host genes involved in viral cell entry were down-regulated in low shedders one day post-infection (DPI), and host genes promoting viral replication were up-regulated in high shedders on two DPI. Our findings indicate that viral shedding is a key factor for gene expression differences in LPAIV-infected mallards, and the genes identified in this study could be important for understanding the molecular mechanisms driving intraspecific variation in pathogen shedding.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dolinski, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Homola, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jankowski, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robinson, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Owen, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.23.457327</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Differential gene expression reveals host factors for viral shedding variation in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) infected with low-pathogenic avian influenza virus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.24.457602v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Production and composition of group B streptococcal membrane vesicles varies across diverse lineages 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.24.457602v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Although the neonatal and fetal pathogen Group B Streptococcus (GBS) asymptomatically colonizes the vaginal tract of [~]30% of pregnant women, only a fraction of their offspring develops invasive disease. We and others have postulated that these dimorphic clinical phenotypes are driven by strain variability; however, the bacterial factors that promote these divergent clinical phenotypes remain unclear. It was previously shown that GBS produces membrane vesicles (MVs) that contain active virulence factors capable of inducing adverse pregnancy outcomes. Because the relationship between strain variation and vesicle composition or production is unknown, we sought to quantify MV production and examine the protein composition, using label-free proteomics on MVs produced by diverse clinical GBS strains representing three phylogenetically distinct lineages. We found that MV production varied across strains, with certain strains displaying nearly two-fold increases in production relative to others. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis of the proteomes revealed that MV composition is lineage-dependent but independent of clinical phenotype. Multiple proteins that contribute to virulence or immunomodulation, including hyaluronidase, C5a peptidase, and sialidases, were differentially abundant in MVs, and were partially responsible for this divergence. Together, these data indicate that production and composition of GBS MVs vary in a strain-dependent manner, suggesting that MVs have lineage-specific functions relating to virulence. Such differences may contribute to variation in clinical phenotypes observed among individuals infected with GBS strains representing distinct lineages.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McCutcheon, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaddy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aronoff, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petroff, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manning, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.24.457602</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Production and composition of group B streptococcal membrane vesicles varies across diverse lineages]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.26.457798v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Light Potentials of Photosynthetic Energy Storage in the Field: What limits the ability to use or dissipate rapidly increased light energy? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.26.457798v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The responses of plant photosynthesis to rapid fluctuations in environmental conditions are thought to be critical for efficient capture of light energy. Such responses are not well represented under laboratory conditions, but have also been difficult to probe in complex field environments. We demonstrate an open science approach to this problem that combines multifaceted measurements of photosynthesis and environmental conditions, and an unsupervised statistical clustering approach. In a selected set of data on mint (Mentha sp.), we show that the "light potential" for increasing linear electron flow (LEF) and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) upon rapid light increases are strongly suppressed in leaves previously exposed to low ambient PAR or low leaf temperatures, factors that can act both independently and cooperatively. Further analyses allowed us to test specific mechanisms. With decreasing leaf temperature or PAR, limitations to photosynthesis during high light fluctuations shifted from rapidly-induced NPQ to photosynthetic control (PCON) of electron flow at the cytochrome b6f complex. At low temperatures, high light induced lumen acidification, but did not induce NPQ, leading to accumulation of reduced electron transfer intermediates, a situation likely to induce photodamage, and represents a potential target for improving the efficiency and robustness of photosynthesis. Finally, we discuss the implications of the approach for open science efforts to understand and improve crop productivity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kanazawa, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chattopadhyay, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhlgert, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tuitupou, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maiti, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-08-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.26.457798</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Light Potentials of Photosynthetic Energy Storage in the Field: What limits the ability to use or dissipate rapidly increased light energy?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-08-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.30.458248v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predation risk differentially affects aphid morphotypes: impacts on prey behavior, fecundity and transgenerational dispersal morphology 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.30.458248v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
To avoid predation, prey initiate anti-predator defenses such as altered behavior, physiology and/or morphology. Prey trait changes in response to perceived predation risk can influence several aspects of prey biology that collectively contribute to individual success and thus population growth. However, studies often focus on single trait changes in a discrete life stage or morphotype. We assessed how predation risk by Harmonia axyridis affects several important traits in the aphid, Myzus persicae: host plant preference, fecundity and investment in dispersal. Importantly, we examined whether these traits changed in a similar way between winged (alate) and wingless (apterous) adult aphid morphotypes, which differ in morphology, but also in life-history characteristics important for reproduction and dispersal. Host plant preference was influenced by the presence of H.axyridis odors in choice tests; wingless aphids were deterred by the odor of plants with H.axyridis whereas winged aphids preferred plants with H.axyridis present. Wingless aphids reared in the presence of ladybeetle cues produced fewer offspring in the short-term, but significantly more when reared with exposure to predator cues for multiple generations. However, winged aphid fecundity was unaffected by H.axyridis cues. Lastly, transgenerational plasticity was demonstrated in response to predation risk via increased formation of winged aphid morphotypes in the offspring of predator cue-exposed wingless mothers. Importantly, we found that responses to risk differ across aphid polyphenism and that plasticity in aphid morphology occurs in response to predation risk. Together our results highlight the importance of considering how predation risk affects multiple life stages and morphotypes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hermann, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bird, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ellis, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Landis, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.08.30.458248</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predation risk differentially affects aphid morphotypes: impacts on prey behavior, fecundity and transgenerational dispersal morphology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.02.458785v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Complex genetic patterns and distribution limits mediated by native congeners of the worldwide invasive red-eared slider turtle 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.02.458785v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Non-native (invasive) species offer a unique opportunity to study the geographic distribution and range limits of species, wherein the evolutionary change driven by interspecific interactions between native and non-native closely related species is a key component. The red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans (TSE), has been introduced and successfully established worldwide. It can coexist with its native congeners T. cataspila, T. venusta and T. taylori in Mexico. We performed comprehensive fieldwork, executed a battery of genetic analyses and applied a novel species distribution modeling approach to evaluate their historical lineage relationships and contemporary population genetic patterns. Our findings support the historical common ancestry between native TSE and non-native (TSEalien), while also highlighting the genetic differentiation of the exotic lineage. Genetic patterns are associated with their range size/endemism gradient, the microendemic T. taylori showed significant reduced genetic diversity and high differentiation, whereas TSEalien showed the highest diversity and signals of population size expansion. Counter to our expectations, lower naturally occurring distribution overlap and little admixture patterns were found between and its congeners, exhibiting reduced gene flow and clear genetic separation across neighboring species despite having zones of contact. We demonstrate that these native Trachemys species have distinct climatic niche suitability, likely preventing establishment of and displacement by the non-native TSE. Additionally, we found major niche overlap between TSEalien and native species worldwide, supporting our prediction that sites with closer ecological optima to the invasive species have higher establishment risk than those that are closer to the niche-center of the native species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Espindola, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez-Dominguez, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nakamura, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osorio-Olvera, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Meyer, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Myers, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Overcast, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reid, B. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burbrink, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.02.458785</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Complex genetic patterns and distribution limits mediated by native congeners of the worldwide invasive red-eared slider turtle]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.05.459016v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bioactive exometabolites drive maintenance competition in simple bacterial communities 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.05.459016v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During prolonged resource limitation, bacterial cells can persist in metabolically active states of non-growth. These maintenance periods, such as those experienced in stationary phase, can include upregulation of secondary metabolism and release of exometabolites into the local environment. As resource limitation is common of many environmental microbial habitats, we hypothesized that neighboring bacterial populations employ exometabolites to compete or cooperate during maintenance, and that these exometabolite-facilitated interactions can drive community outcomes. Here, we evaluated the consequences of exometabolite interactions over stationary phase among three environmental strains: Burkholderia thailandensis E264, Chromobacterium subtsugae, and Pseudomonas syringae pv.tomato DC3000. We assembled them into synthetic communities that only permitted chemical interactions. We compared the responses (transcripts) and outputs (exometabolites) of each member with and without neighbors. We found that transcriptional dynamics were changed with different neighbors, and that some of these changes were coordinated between members. The dominant competitor B. thailandensis consistently upregulated biosynthetic gene clusters to produce bioactive exometabolites for both exploitative and interference competition. These results demonstrate that competition strategies during maintenance can contribute to community-level outcomes. It also suggests that the traditional concept of defining competitiveness by growth outcomes may be narrow, and that maintenance competition could be an additional or alternative measure.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chodkowski, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.05.459016</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bioactive exometabolites drive maintenance competition in simple bacterial communities]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.08.459434v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Parkinson's Disease-Associated, Sex-specific Changes in DNA Methylation at PARK7 (DJ-1), ATXN1, SLC17A6, NR4A2, and PTPRN2 in Cortical Neurons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.08.459434v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Evidence for epigenetic regulation playing a role in Parkinsons disease (PD) is growing, particularly for DNA modifications. Approximately 90% of PD cases are due to a complex interaction between age, genes, and environmental factors, and epigenetic marks are thought to mediate the relationship between aging, genetics, the environment, and disease risk. To date, there are a small number of published genome-wide studies of DNA modifications in PD, but none accounted for cell-type or sex in their analyses. Given the hetereogeneity of bulk brain tissue samples and known sex differences in PD risk, progression, and severity, these are critical variables to account for. In this first genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in an enriched neuronal population from PD post-mortem parietal cortex, we report sex-specific PD-associated methylation changes in PARK7 (DJ-1), SLC17A6 (VGLUT2), PTPRN2 (IA-2{beta}), NR4A2 (NURR1), and other genes involved in developmental pathways, neurotransmitter packaging and release, and axon and neuron projection guidance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kochmanski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernstein, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.08.459434</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Parkinson's Disease-Associated, Sex-specific Changes in DNA Methylation at PARK7 (DJ-1), ATXN1, SLC17A6, NR4A2, and PTPRN2 in Cortical Neurons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.08.459475v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Benchmarking of a Bayesian single cell RNAseq differential gene expression test for dose-response study designs. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.08.459475v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The application of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) for the evaluation of chemicals, drugs, and food contaminants presents the opportunity to consider cellular heterogeneity in pharmacological and toxicological responses. Current differential gene expression analysis (DGEA) methods focus primarily on two group comparisons, not multi-group dose-response study designs used in safety assessments. To benchmark DGEA methods for dose-response scRNAseq experiments, we proposed a multiplicity corrected Bayesian testing approach and compare it against 8 other methods including two frequentist fit-for-purpose tests using simulated and experimental data. Our Bayesian test method outperformed all other tests for a broad range of accuracy metrics including control of false positive error rates. Most notable, the fit-for-purpose and standard multiple group DGEA methods were superior to the two group scRNAseq methods for dose-response study designs. Collectively, our benchmarking of DGEA methods demonstrates the importance in considering study design when determining the most appropriate test methods.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dodson, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maiti, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.08.459475</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Benchmarking of a Bayesian single cell RNAseq differential gene expression test for dose-response study designs.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.09.459118v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Prevention of Drug-Induced Lung Fibrosis via Inhibition of the MRTF/SRF Transcription Pathway 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.09.459118v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Drug-induced lung fibrosis is a debilitating disease, linked to high morbidity and mortality. A number of drugs can cause fibrosis, many of which are used to treat cancer, including chemotherapy agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors. The MRTF/SRF transcription pathway has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target, as it is critical for myofibroblast differentiation, a hallmark of fibrosis. In human lung fibroblasts, the MRTF/SRF pathway inhibitor, CCG-257081, effectively decreased mRNA levels of downstream genes: smooth muscle actin and connective tissue growth factor, with IC50s of 4 and 15 M, respectively. The ability of CCG-257081 to prevent inflammation and fibrosis, measured via pulmonary collagen content and histopathology, was tested in a murine model of chemotherapy-induced lung fibrosis. Animals were given intraperitoneal bleomycin for four weeks, and concurrently dosed with CCG-257081 (0, 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg PO), a clinical anti-fibrotic (nintedanib), or clinical standard of care (prednisolone). Mice treated with 100 mg/kg CCG-257081 gained weight vs. vehicle-treated control mice, while those receiving nintedanib and prednisolone lost significant weight. Hydroxyproline content and histological findings in tissue of animals on 100 mg/kg CCG-257081 were not significantly different from naive tissue, indicating successful prevention. Measures of tissue fibrosis were comparable between CCG-257081 and nintedanib, but only the MRTF/SRF inhibitor decreased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a marker linked to fibrosis, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Prednisolone led to marked increases in lung fibrosis. This study demonstrates the potential use of MRTF/SRF inhibitors to prevent drug-induced lung fibrosis in a clinically relevant model of drug-induced disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pawelec, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Varnum, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkema, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Auerbach, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Larsen, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.09.459118</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Prevention of Drug-Induced Lung Fibrosis via Inhibition of the MRTF/SRF Transcription Pathway]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.12.459909v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Fine-tuning functional syndromes for stressful environments: lessons on survival from the South African resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.12.459909v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Resilience to abiotic stress is associated with a suite of functional traits related to defense and longevity. Stress tolerant plants are generally slow growing with extended leave lifespans and reduced allocation to reproduction. Resurrection plants are ideal systems to test for trade-offs associated with stress tolerance due to their extreme resiliency. While, growth defense trade-offs are well-characterized, few studies have tested for natural variation associated with tolerating the harshest environments. Here, we surveyed a suite of functional traits related to stress tolerance, leaf economics, and reproductive allocation in natural populations of the South African resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia. We selected three distinct field sites in South Africa ranging from mesic to xeric. Despite considerable environmental variation across the study area, M. flabellifolia plants were extremely and similarly stress tolerant at all sites. However, we detected notable variation in other life history and morphological traits. Plants in more mesic sites were larger, faster growing, and had more inflorescences. In contrast, plants from the most xeric sites appeared to invest more in persistence and defense, with lower growth rates and less reproductive allocation. Together, this suggests that desiccation tolerance is a binary trait in M. flabellifolia with little natural variation, but that other phenotypes are more labile. The trait syndromes exhibited by plants at the different study sites align with general expectations about growth defense tradeoffs associated with the colonization of extreme environments. We show that plants from the least stressful sites are more reproductive and faster growing, whereas plants from the most stressful sites were slower growing and less reproductive. These findings suggest that M. flabellifolia plants are finely tuned to their environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marks, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mbobe, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greyling, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pretorius, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLetchie, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrant, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.12.459909</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Fine-tuning functional syndromes for stressful environments: lessons on survival from the South African resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.13.459918v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Impaired KDM2B-mediated PRC1 recruitment to chromatin causes neural stem cell senescence and ASD/ID-like behavioral deficits 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.13.459918v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are neurodevelopmental diseases associated with various genetic mutations. Recent clinical studies report that chromosomal 12q24.31 microdeletions are associated with human ASD/ID. However, the causality and underlying mechanisms linking 12q24.31 microdeletions to ASD/ID pathogenesis remain undetermined. Here we show Kdm2b, one of the genes located in chromosomal 12q24.31, plays a critical role in maintaining neural stem cells (NSCs) in the developing mouse brain. Loss of the CxxC-ZF domain of KDM2B impairs its function in recruiting Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) to chromatin, resulting in de-repression of genes involved in cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, NSC premature senescence, and leading to the loss of NSC populations in the brain. Importantly, the Kdm2b mutation is sufficient to induce ASD/ID-like social and memory deficits in adult mice. Thus, our study reveals a critical role of an epigenetic factor KDM2B in normal brain development, a causality between the Kdm2b mutation and genesis of ASD/ID-like phenotypes in mice, and potential molecular mechanisms linking the function of KDM2B-PRC1 in transcriptional regulation and NSC senescence to the12q24.31 microdeletion-associated ASD/ID.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duque-Wilckens, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljazi, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moeser, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.13.459918</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Impaired KDM2B-mediated PRC1 recruitment to chromatin causes neural stem cell senescence and ASD/ID-like behavioral deficits]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.14.460311v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Elevated phosphorylation of EGFR in NSCLC due to mutations in PTPRH 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.14.460311v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The role of EGFR in lung cancer is well described with numerous activating mutations that result in phosphorylation and tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target EGFR. While the role of the EGFR kinase in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is appreciated, control of EGFR signaling pathways through dephosphorylation by phosphatases is not as clear. In recent work we identified mutations in Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type H (Ptprh, also known as SAP-1) as being associated with elevated phosphorylation of EGFR in a mouse model of breast cancer. We have examined a series of tumors from this mouse model, revealing conserved V483M Ptprh mutations within the FVB background, but a series of varied mutations in other backgrounds. Despite the varied Ptprh mutations in other background strains, matched primary and metastatic tumors largely shared mutational profiles. Profiling the downstream events of Ptprh mutant tumors revealed AKT activation, suggesting a key target of PTPRH was EGFR tyrosine 1197. Given the role of EGFR in lung cancer, we explored TCGA data which revealed that a subset of PTPRH mutant tumors shared gene expression profiles with EGFR mutant tumors, but that EGFR mutations and PTPRH mutations were mutually exclusive. Generation of a PTPRH knockout NSCLC cell line resulted in Y1197 phosphorylation of EGFR, and a rescue with expression of wild type PTPRH returned EGFR phosphorylation to parental line values while a rescue with a D986A catalytically dead mutant PTPRH did not, demonstrating that PTPRH targets EGFR. As expected with active EGFR, the knockout of PTPRH was associated with increased growth rate. Moreover, a dose response curve illustrated that two human NSCLC lines that had naturally occurring PTPRH mutations responded to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibition. Injection of one of the NSCLC human lines into mice resulted in tumors, and Osimertinib treatment resulted in a reduction of tumor volume relative to vehicle controls. Consistent with prior literature from breast cancer, PTPRH mutation resulted in nuclear pEGFR as seen in immunohistochemistry, suggesting that there may also be a role for EGFR as a transcriptional co-factor. Other roles for PTPRH were explored through a receptor tyrosine kinase array, noting elevated phosphorylation of FGFR1. Knockout of PTPRH in NSCLC cell lines resulted in elevated phosphorylated FGFR1 relative to controls, indicating that PTPRH has a number of targets that may be aberrantly activated in NSCLC with mutations in PTPRH. Together these data suggest that mutations in PTPRH in NSCLC may result in clinically actionable alterations using existing therapies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Swiatnicki, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rennhack, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hollern, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perry, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kubiak, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Riveria Riveria, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Reilly, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.14.460311</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Elevated phosphorylation of EGFR in NSCLC due to mutations in PTPRH]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.16.460672v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Actively translated uORFs reduce translation and mRNA stability independent of NMD in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.16.460672v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Upstream ORFs (uORFs) are common regulatory elements in the 5 untranslated regions of eukaryotic mRNAs. In addition to repressing main ORF translation, uORF translation in animals also reduces mRNA stability through nonsense-mediated decay (NMD). In contrast, the roles of uORFs in plants are less understood. Here, we identified actively translated uORFs (TuORFs) in Arabidopsis through ribosome profiling and systematically examined their roles in gene expression. Like animal systems, Arabidopsis TuORFs are associated with 38%, 14%, and 43% reductions in translation efficiency, mRNA half-lives, and protein levels, respectively. However, we found TuORF-containing mRNAs have 51% higher transcript levels, and this phenomenon is persistent in diverse tissues and developmental stages across plants. We present multiple lines of evidence that indicate Arabidopsis uORF-containing mRNAs generally exhibit distinct behavior from known NMD targets. First, TuORF-containing mRNAs are not increased in NMD mutants. Second, TuORF-containing mRNAs and known NMD targets have distinct expression patterns, and they are translationally repressed via different mechanisms. Finally, TuORF- containing mRNAs and NMD targets are degraded through separate pathways. Our results suggest that Arabidopsis TuORFs reduce mRNA stability and translation through mechanisms different from NMD and highlight a fundamental difference in gene regulation mediated by TuORFs in plants and animals.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, H.-Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.16.460672</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Actively translated uORFs reduce translation and mRNA stability independent of NMD in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.17.460793v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Effects of early life adversity on meningeal mast cells and proinflammatory gene expression in male and female Mus musculus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.17.460793v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Exposure to early life adversity (ELA) in the form of physical and/or psychological abuse or neglect increases the risk of developing psychiatric and inflammatory disorders later in life. It has been hypothesized that exposure to ELA results in persistent, low grade inflammation that leads to increased disease susceptibility by amplifying the crosstalk between stress-processing brain networks and the immune system, but the mechanisms remain largely unexplored. The meninges, a layer of three overlapping membranes that surround the central nervous system (CNS)- duramater, arachnoid, and piamater - possess unique features that allow them to play a key role in coordinating immune trafficking between the brain and the peripheral immune system. These include a network of lymphatic vessels that carry cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to the deep cervical lymph nodes, fenestrated blood vessels that allow the passage of molecules from blood to the CNS, and a rich population of resident mast cells, master regulators of the immune system. Using a mouse model of ELA consisting of neonatal maternal separation plus early weaning (NMSEW), we sought to explore the effects of ELA on duramater mast cell histology and expression of inflammatory markers in male and female C57Bl/6 mice. We found that mast cell number, activation level, and relative expression of pseudopodia differ across duramater regions, and that NMSEW exerts region-specific effects on mast cells in males and females. Using gene expression analyses, we next found that NMSEW increases the expression of inflammatory markers in the duramater of females but not males, and that this is prevented by pharmacological inhibition of mast cells with ketotifen. Together, our results show that ELA drives sex-specific, long-lasting effects on the duramater mast cell population and immune-related gene expression, suggesting that the long-lasting effects of ELA on disease susceptibility could be partly mediated by meningeal function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Duque-Wilckens, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarno, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teis, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stoelting, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khalid, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dairi, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Douma, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maradiaga, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thelen, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moeser, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.17.460793</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Effects of early life adversity on meningeal mast cells and proinflammatory gene expression in male and female Mus musculus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.17.460815v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Darwin's finches - an adaptive radiation constructed from ancestral genetic modules 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.17.460815v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recent adaptive radiations are models for investigating mechanisms contributing to the evolution of biodiversity. An unresolved question is the relative importance of new mutations, ancestral variants, and introgressive hybridization for phenotypic evolution and speciation. Here we address this issue using Darwins finches, which vary in size from an 8g warbler finch with a pointed beak to a 40g large ground finch with a massive blunt beak. We present a highly contiguous genome assembly for one of the species and investigate the genomic architecture underlying phenotypic diversity in the entire radiation. Admixture mapping for beak and body size in the small, medium and large ground finches revealed 28 loci showing strong genetic differentiation. These loci represent ancestral haplotype blocks with origins as old as the Darwins finch phylogeny (1-2 million years). Genes expressed in the developing beak are overrepresented in these genomic regions. Frequencies of allelic variants at the 28 loci covary with phenotypic similarities in body and beak size across the Darwins finch phylogeny. These ancestral haplotypes constitute genetic modules for selection, and act as key determinants of the exceptional phenotypic diversity of Darwins finches. Such ancestral haplotype blocks can be critical for how species adapt to environmental variability and change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rubin, C.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Enbody, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dobreva, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abzhanov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, B. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamichhaney, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pettersson, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sprehn, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valle, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasco, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallerman, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, B. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andersson, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.17.460815</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Darwin's finches - an adaptive radiation constructed from ancestral genetic modules]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.17.460835v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification and Functional Annotation of Long Intergenic Non-coding RNAs in the Brassicaceae 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.17.460835v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) are a large yet enigmatic class of eukaryotic transcripts with critical biological functions. Despite the wealth of RNA-seq data available, lincRNA identification lags in the plant lineage. In addition, there is a need for a harmonized identification and annotation effort to enable cross-species functional and genomic comparisons. In this study we processed >24 Tbp of RNA-seq data from >16,000 experiments to identify ~130,000 lincRNAs in four Brassicaceae: Arabidopsis thaliana, Camelina sativa, Brassica rapa, and Eutrema salsugineum. We used Nanopore RNA-seq, transcriptome-wide structural information, peptide data, and epigenomic data to characterize these lincRNAs and identify functional motifs. We then used comparative genomic and transcriptomic approaches to highlight lincRNAs in our dataset with sequence or transcriptional evolutionary conservation, including lincRNAs transcribed adjacent to orthologous genes that display little sequence similarity and likely function as transcriptional regulators. Finally, we used guilt-by-association techniques to further classify these lincRNAs according to putative function. LincRNAs with Brassicaceae-conserved putative miRNA binding motifs, short ORFs, and whose expression is modulated by abiotic stress are a few of the annotations that will prioritize and guide future functional analyses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Palos, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nelson Dittrich, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brock, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sokolowska, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyons, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beilstein, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nelson, A. D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.17.460835</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification and Functional Annotation of Long Intergenic Non-coding RNAs in the Brassicaceae]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.20.461135v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Non-target impacts of fungicide disturbance on phyllosphere yeasts in different crop species and management systems 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.20.461135v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIFungicides reduce fungal pathogen populations and are essential to food security. Fungicide disturbance of plant microbiomes has received limited attention. Understanding the impacts of fungicides on crop microbiomes in different cropping systems is vital to minimizing unintended consequences while maintaining their use for plant protection.
C_LIO_LIWe used amplicon sequencing of fungi and prokaryotes in maize and soybean microbiomes before and after foliar fungicide application in leaves and roots from plots under long-term no-till and conventional tillage managements. We examine fungicide disturbance and microbiome resilience across these treatments.
C_LIO_LIFoliar fungicides directly affected phyllosphere fungal communities, but not root fungal communities or prokaryote communities. Impacts on fungal phyllosphere composition and resiliency were management-dependent and lasted more than thirty days. Fungicides lowered pathogen abundance in maize and soybean and decreased the abundance of Tremellomycetes yeasts, especially the Bulleribacidiaceae, including core microbiome members.
C_LIO_LIFungicide application reduced network complexity in the soybean phyllosphere. Bulleribacidiaceae often co-occurred with Sphingomonas and Hymenobacter in control plots, but co-occurrences were altered in fungicide plots. Results indicate that foliar fungicides lower pathogen and non-target fungal abundance and may impact prokaryotes indirectly. No-till management was more resilient following fungicide disturbance and recovery.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Noel, Z. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Longley, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benucci, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trail, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chilvers, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.20.461135</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Non-target impacts of fungicide disturbance on phyllosphere yeasts in different crop species and management systems]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.21.461277v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Differential Network Analysis of Longitudinal Gene Expression in Response to Perturbations. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.21.461277v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding changes in gene expression under the effects of a perturbation is a key goal of systems biology. A powerful approach to address this goal uses gene networks and describes the perturbations effects as a rewiring of each genes connections. This approach is known as differential network (DN) analysis. Here, we used DNs to analyze RNA-sequencing time series datasets, focusing on expression changes: (i) In the saliva of a human subject after vaccination with a pneumococcal vaccine (PPSV23), and (ii) in B cells treated ex vivo with a monoclonal antibody drug (Rituximab). Using network community detection, we revealed the collective behavior of clusters of genes, and detected communities of genes based on their longitudinal behavior, and corresponding pathway activations. We identified biological pathways consistent with the mechanism of action of the vaccine and with Rituximabs targets. The approach may be useful in drug development by providing an effective analysis of expressing changes in response to a drug.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xue, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rogers, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.21.461277</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Differential Network Analysis of Longitudinal Gene Expression in Response to Perturbations.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.23.461583v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mice With Monoallelic GNAO1 Loss Exhibit Reduced Inhibitory Synaptic Input To Cerebellar Purkinje Cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.23.461583v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
GNAO1 encodes Go, a heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunit in the Gi/o family. In this report, we used a Gnao1 mouse model "G203R" previously described as a "gain-of-function" Gnao1 mutant with movement abnormalities and enhanced seizure susceptibility. Here, we report an unexpected second mutation resulting in a loss-of-function Go protein and describe alterations in central synaptic transmission.

Whole cell patch clamp recordings from Purkinje cells (PCs) in acute cerebellar slices from Gnao1 mutant mice showed significantly lower frequencies of spontaneous and miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs and mIPSCs) compared to WT mice. There was no significant change in sEPSCs or mEPSCs. Whereas mIPSC frequency was reduced, mIPSC amplitudes were not affected, suggesting a presynaptic mechanism of action. A modest decrease in the number of molecular layer interneurons was insufficient to explain the magnitude of IPSC suppression. Paradoxically, Gi/o inhibitors (pertussis toxin), enhanced the mutant-suppressed mIPSC frequency and eliminated the difference between WT and Gnao1 mice. While GABAB receptor regulates mIPSCs, neither agonists nor antagonists of this receptor altered function in the mutant mouse PCs. This study is the first electrophysiological investigation of the role of Gi/o protein in cerebellar synaptic transmission using an animal model with a loss-of-function Gi/o protein.

Significance StatementThis is the first report on the electrophysiological mechanisms of a movement disorder animal model with monoallelic Gnao1 loss. This study illustrates the role of Go protein in regulating GABA release in mouse cerebellum. This study could also facilitate the discovery of new drugs or drug repurposing for GNAO1-associated disorders. Moreover, since GNAO1 shares pathways with other genes related to movement disorders, developing drugs for the treatment of GNAO1-associated movement disorders could further the pharmacological intervention for other monogenic movement disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Feng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roy, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leipprandt, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.23.461583</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mice With Monoallelic GNAO1 Loss Exhibit Reduced Inhibitory Synaptic Input To Cerebellar Purkinje Cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.24.461727v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Insight into mammary gland development and tumor prevention in a newly developed metastatic mouse model of breast cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.24.461727v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The development of breast cancer has been observed due to altered regulation of mammary gland developmental processes. Thus, a better understand of the normal mammary gland development can reveal possible mechanism in how normal cells are re-programmed to become malignant cells. E2F1-4 are part of the E2F transcription factor family with varied roles in mammary development. However, little is known about the role of E2F5 in mammary gland development. A combination of scRNAseq and predictive signature tools demonstrate the presence of E2F5 in the mammary gland and showed altered activity during the various phases of mammary gland development and function. Testing the hypothesis that E2F5 regulates mammary function, we generated a mammary-specific E2F5 knockout mouse model, resulting in modest mammary gland development changes. However, after a prolonged latency the E2F5 conditional knockout mice developed highly metastatic mammary tumors with metastases in both the lung and liver. Transplantation of the tumors revealed metastases to lymph nodes that was enriched through serial transplantation. Through whole genome sequencing and RNAseq analysis we identified, and then confirmed in vivo, that Cyclin D1 was dysregulated in E2F5 conditional knockout mammary glands and tumors. Based on these findings, we propose that loss of E2F5 leads altered regulation of Cyclin D1, which facilitates the development of mammary tumors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>To, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broeker, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jhan, J.-R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rempel, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rennhack, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hollern, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jackson, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Judah, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swiatnicki, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bylett, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kubiak, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Honeysett, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reaz, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nevins, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.24.461727</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Insight into mammary gland development and tumor prevention in a newly developed metastatic mouse model of breast cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.24.461734v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptome-wide association and prediction for carotenoids and tocochromanols in fresh sweet corn kernels 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.24.461734v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sweet corn is consistently one of the most highly consumed vegetables in the U.S., providing a valuable opportunity to increase nutrient intake through biofortification. Significant variation for carotenoid (provitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin) and tocochromanol (vitamin E, antioxidants) levels is present in temperate sweet corn germplasm, yet previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of these traits have been limited by low statistical power and mapping resolution. Here, we employed a high-quality transcriptomic dataset collected from fresh sweet corn kernels to conduct transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) and transcriptome prediction studies for 39 carotenoid and tocochromanol traits. In agreement with previous GWAS findings, TWAS detected significant associations for four causal genes, {beta}-carotene hydroxylase (crtRB1), lycopene epsilon cyclase (lcyE),{gamma} -tocopherol methyltransferase (vte4), and homogentisate geranylgeranyltransferase (hggt1) on a transcriptome-wide level. Pathway-level analysis revealed additional associations for deoxy-xylulose synthase2 (dxs2), diphosphocytidyl methyl erythritol synthase2 (dmes2), cytidine methyl kinase1 (cmk1), and geranylgeranyl hydrogenase1 (ggh1), of which, dmes2, cmk1, and ggh1 have not previously been identified through maize association studies. Evaluation of prediction models incorporating genome-wide markers and transcriptome-wide abundances revealed a trait-dependent benefit to the inclusion of both genomic and transcriptomic data over solely genomic data, but both transcriptome- and genome-wide datasets outperformed a priori candidate gene-targeted prediction models for most traits. Altogether, this study represents an important step towards understanding the role of regulatory variation in the accumulation of vitamins in fresh sweet corn kernels.

Core IdeasO_LITranscriptomic data aid the study of vitamin levels in fresh sweet corn kernels.
C_LIO_LIcrtRB1, lcyE, dxs2, dmes2, and cmk1 were associated with carotenoid traits.
C_LIO_LIvte4, hggt1, and ggh1 were associated with tocochromanol traits.
C_LIO_LITranscriptomic data boosted predictive ability over genomic data alone for some traits.
C_LIO_LIJoint transcriptome- and genome-wide models achieved the highest predictive abilities.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hershberger, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tanaka, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaczmar, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DellaPenna, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.24.461734</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptome-wide association and prediction for carotenoids and tocochromanols in fresh sweet corn kernels]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.25.461784v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Attachment strength of seed mucilage prevents seed dislodgement in high surface flow: a mechanistic investigation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.25.461784v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIBackground and Aims: Seed mucilage is a common and highly diverse trait shared among thousands of angiosperm species. While long recognized that mucilage allows seeds to anchor to substrates (antitelechory), resisting abiotic and biotic dislodgement, we still lack a mechanistic understanding of this process.
C_LIO_LIMethods: We propose a mechanistic model of how mucilage affects substrate anchorage and fluid resistance, ultimately contributing to dislodgement resistance. To test this model, we subjected mucilaginous seeds of 52 species, varying in eight measured seed traits, to seven days of continuous water flow at a range of dislodgement potentials.
C_LIO_LIKey Results: Supporting our model, mucilage mass increased force necessary to dislodge both dry and wet seeds; our measurement of the dislodgement force of dry mucilage explained time to dislodgement well. The effect size was remarkably large; increasing the standardized mucilage mass by one standard deviation resulted in a 280-fold increase in the time to dislodgement. Fluid resistance was largely dependent on speed of water flow and the seeds modified drag coefficient, but not seed traits. Neither mucilage expansion speed nor mucilage decay rate explained dislodgement potential well.
C_LIO_LIConclusions: Our results suggest that the degree of anchorage to substrate, measured with a simple dislodgement force assay, is highly predictive of mucilaginous seed retention in highly erosive environments. In contrast, we found that other seed and mucilage traits are of lesser importance to anchorage.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pan, V. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Girvin, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LoPresti, E. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.25.461784</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Attachment strength of seed mucilage prevents seed dislodgement in high surface flow: a mechanistic investigation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.26.461830v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Atomic-Resolution Prediction of Degrader-mediated Ternary Complex Structures by Combining Molecular Simulations with Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.26.461830v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) has emerged as a powerful approach in drug discovery for removing (rather than inhibiting) proteins implicated in diseases. A key step in this approach is the formation of an induced proximity complex, where a degrader molecule recruits an E3 ligase to the protein of interest (POI), facilitating the transfer of ubiquitin to the POI and initiating the proteasomal degradation process. Here, we address three critical aspects of the TPD process: 1) formation of the ternary complex induced by a degrader molecule, 2) conformational heterogeneity of the ternary complex, and 3) assessment of ubiquitination propensity via the full Cullin Ring Ligase (CRL) macromolecular assembly. The novel approach presented here combines experimental biophysical data--in this case hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS, which measures the solvent exposure of protein residues)--with all-atom explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations aided by enhanced sampling techniques to predict structural ensembles of ternary complexes at atomic resolution. We present results demonstrating the efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of our approach to predict ternary structure ensembles using the bromodomain of SMARCA2 (SMARCA2BD) with the E3 ligase VHL as the system of interest. The simulations reproduce X-ray crystal structures - including prospective simulations validated on a new structure that we determined in this work (PDB ID: 7S4E) - with root mean square deviations (RMSD) of 1.1 to 1.6 [A]. The simulations also reveal a structural ensemble of low-energy conformations of the ternary complex within a broad energy basin. To further characterize the structural ensemble, we used snapshots from the aforementioned simulations as seeds for Hamiltonian replica exchange molecular dynamics (HREMD) simulations, and then perform 7.1 milliseconds of aggregate simulation time using Folding@home. The resulting free energy surface identifies the crystal structure conformation within a broad low-energy basin and the dynamic ensemble is consistent with solution-phase biophysical experimental data (HDX-MS and small-angle x-ray scattering, SAXS). Finally, we graft structures from the ternary complexes onto the full CRL and perform enhanced sampling simulations, where we find that differences in degradation efficiency can be explained by the proximity distribution of lysine residues on the POI relative to the E2-loaded ubiquitin. Several of the top predicted ubiquitinated lysine residues are validated prospectively through a ubiquitin mapping proteomics experiment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dixon, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacPherson, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mostofian, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dauzhenka, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lotz, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGee, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shechter, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shrestha, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiewiora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDargh, Z. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pei, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pal, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ribeiro, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilkerson, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sachdeva, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jain, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sparks, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vinitsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Razavi, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kolossvary, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Imbriglio, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evdokimov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bergeron, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sherman, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Izaguirre, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.26.461830</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Atomic-Resolution Prediction of Degrader-mediated Ternary Complex Structures by Combining Molecular Simulations with Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.28.462250v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Long-term experimental evolution decouples size and production costs in Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.28.462250v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Body size covaries with population dynamics across lifes domains. Theory holds that metabolism imposes fundamental constraints on the coevolution of size and demography. However, studies of interspecific patterns are confounded by other factors that covary with size and demography, and experimental tests of the causal links remain elusive. Here we leverage a 60,000-generation experiment in which Escherichia coli populations evolved larger cells to examine intraspecific metabolic scaling and correlations with demographic parameters. Metabolic theory successfully predicted the relations among size, metabolism, and maximum population density, with strong support for Damuths law of energy equivalence in this experiment. In contrast, populations of larger cells grew faster than those of smaller cells, contradicting the fundamental assumption that costs of production should increase proportionately with size. The finding that the costs of production are substantially decoupled from size requires re-examining the evolutionary drivers and ecological consequences of biological size more generally.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marshall, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malerba, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lines, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sezmis, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hasan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonald, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.09.28.462250</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Long-term experimental evolution decouples size and production costs in Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.01.462772v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Daily ranging and den usage patterns structure fission-fusion dynamics and social associations in spotted hyenas 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.01.462772v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Environment structure often shapes social interactions. Spatial attractors that draw multiple individuals may play a particularly important role in dispersed groups, where individuals must first encounter one another to interact. We use GPS data recorded simultaneously from five spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) within a single clan to investigate how communal dens and daily ranging patterns shape fission-fusion dynamics (subgroup splits and merges). We introduce a species-general framework for identifying and characterizing dyadic fission-fusion events and describe a taxonomy of ten possible configurations of these events. Applying this framework to the hyena data illuminates the spatiotemporal structure of social interactions within hyenas daily routines. The most common types of fission-fusion events involve close approaches between individuals, do not involve co-travel together, and occur at the communal den. Comparison to permutation-based reference models suggests that den usage structures broad-scale patterns of social encounters, but that other factors influence how those encounters unfold. We discuss the dual role of communal dens in hyenas as physical and social resources, and suggest that dens are an example of a general "social piggybacking" process whereby environmental attractors take on social importance as reliable places to encounter conspecifics, causing social and spatial processes to become fundamentally intertwined.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Strauss, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jensen, F. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gersick, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strandburg-Peshkin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.01.462772</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Daily ranging and den usage patterns structure fission-fusion dynamics and social associations in spotted hyenas]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.01.462789v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A general theoretical framework for trait-based eco-evolutionary dynamics: population structure, intraspecific variation, and community assembly 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.01.462789v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
To understand how functional traits shape ecological communities it is necessary to understand both how traits across the community affect its functioning and how eco-evolutionary dynamics within the community change the traits over time. Of particular interest are so-called evolutionarily stable communities (ESCs), since these are the end points of eco-evolutionary dynamics and can persist over long time scales. One theoretical framework that has successfully been used for assembling ESCs is adaptive dynamics. However, this framework cannot account for intraspecific variation-- neither locally nor across structured populations. On the other hand, in moment-based approaches, intraspecific variation is accommodated, but community assembly has been neglected. This is unfortunate as some questions regarding for example local adaptation vis-a-vis diversification into multiple species requires both facets. In this paper we develop a general theoretical framework that bridges the gap between these two approaches. We showcase how ESCs can be assembled using the framework, and illustrate various aspects of the framework using two simple models of resource competition. We believe this unifying framework could be of great use to address questions regarding the role of functional traits in communities where population structure, intraspecific variation, and eco-evolutionary dynamics are all important.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wickman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koffel, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klausmeier, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.01.462789</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A general theoretical framework for trait-based eco-evolutionary dynamics: population structure, intraspecific variation, and community assembly]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.01.462812v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
OXPHOS Promotes Apoptotic Resistance and Persistence in TH17 cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.01.462812v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Apoptotic cell death is a cell-intrinsic, immune tolerance mechanism that regulates the magnitude and resolution of T cell-mediated responses. Evasion of apoptosis is critical for the generation of memory T cells, as well as autoimmune T cells, and knowledge of the mechanisms that enable resistance to apoptosis will provide insight into ways to modulate their activity during protective and pathogenic responses. IL-17-producing CD4 T cells (TH17s) are long-lived, memory cells. These features enable their role in host defense, chronic inflammatory disorders, and anti-tumor immunity. A growing number of reports now indicate that TH17s in vivo require mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), a metabolic phenotype that is poorly induced in vitro. To elucidate the role of OXPHOS in TH17 processes, we developed a system to polarize TH17s that metabolically resembled their in vivo counterparts. We discovered that directing TH17s to use OXPHOS promotes mitochondrial fitness, glutamine anaplerosis, and an anti-apoptotic phenotype marked by high BCL-XL and low BIM. Through competitive co-transfer experiments and tumor studies, we further revealed how OXPHOS protects TH17s from cell death while enhancing their persistence in the periphery and tumor microenvironment. Together, our work demonstrates a non-classical role of metabolism in regulating TH17 cell fate and highlights the potential for therapies that target OXPHOS in TH17-driven diseases.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hong, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mbah, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loesel, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sajjakulnukit, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andren, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hayashi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Magnuson, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lei, Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Opipari, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arguello, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kryczek, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kamada, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zou, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franchi, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyssiotis, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.01.462812</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[OXPHOS Promotes Apoptotic Resistance and Persistence in TH17 cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.05.463266v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Engineered endosymbionts capable of directing mammalian cell gene expression 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.05.463266v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Modular methods for directing mammalian gene expression would enable advances in tissue regeneration, enhance cell-based therapeutics and improve modulation of immune responses. To address this challenge, engineered endosymbionts (EES) that escape endosomal destruction, reside in the cytoplasm of mammalian cells, and secrete proteins that are transported to the nucleus to control host cell gene expression were developed. Microscopy confirmed that EES escape phagosomes, replicate within the cytoplasm, and can secrete reporter proteins into the cytoplasm that were then transported to the nucleus. Synthetic operons encoding the mammalian transcription factors, Stat-1 and Klf6 or Klf4 and Gata-3 were recombined into the EES genome. Using controlled induction, these EES were shown to direct gene expression in J774A.1 macrophage/monocyte cells and modulate the host cell fates. Expressing mammalian transcription factors from engineered intracellular bacteria as endosymbionts comprises a new tool for directing host cell gene expression for therapeutic and research purposes.

Graphical abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=194 SRC="FIGDIR/small/463266v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (31K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2b5935org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1edd8edorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@3cb5b9org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1be9b5f_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Madsen, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greeson, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardy, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.05.463266</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Engineered endosymbionts capable of directing mammalian cell gene expression]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.06.463387v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tracking the fates of iron-labeled tumor cells in vivo using Magnetic Particle Imaging 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.06.463387v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The use of imaging to detect and monitor the movement and accumulation of cells in living subjects can provide significant insights that can improve our understanding of metastasis and guide therapeutic development. For cell tracking using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), cells are labeled with iron oxides and the effects of the iron on water provides contrast. However, due to low specificity and difficulties in quantification with MRI, other modalities and approaches need to be developed. Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is an emerging imaging technique which directly detects magnetic iron, allowing for a specific, quantitative and sensitive readout. Here, we use MPI to image iron-labeled tumor cells longitudinally, from implantation and growth at a primary site to movement to distant anatomic sites. In vivo bioluminescent imaging (BLI) was used to localize tumor metastases and computed tomography (CT) allowed for correlation of these signals to anatomic locations. These three imaging modalities provide information on immune escape and metastasis of iron-labeled, and unlabeled, tumor cells, and the accumulation of cell-free iron contrast over time. We identified iron signals by MPI and tumor cells via BLI, and correlated these positive contrast images with CT scans to reveal the anatomic sites with cancer cells; histologic analysis confirmed the presence of iron-labeled tumor cells in the tissues, suggesting that the metastatic cells retained enough iron for MPI detection. The use of multi-modality cell tracking reveals the movement, accumulation and fates of labeled cells that will be helpful understanding cancer progression and guiding the development of targeted therapies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schott, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sehl, O. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gevaert, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Foster, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.06.463387</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tracking the fates of iron-labeled tumor cells in vivo using Magnetic Particle Imaging]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.08.463691v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Convergent evolution of polyploid genomes from across the eukaryotic tree of life 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.08.463691v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
By modeling the homoeologous gene losses that occurred in fifty genomes deriving from ten distinct polyploidy events, we show that the evolutionary forces acting on polyploids are remarkably similar, regardless of whether they occur in flowering plants, ciliates, fishes or yeasts. The models suggest these events were nearly all allopolyploidies, with two distinct progenitors contributing to the modern species. We show that many of the events show a relative rate of duplicate gene loss prior to the first post-polyploidy speciation that is significantly higher than in later phases of their evolution. The relatively low selective constraint seen for the single-copy genes these losses produced lead us to suggest that most of the purely selectively neutral duplicate gene losses occur in the immediate post-polyploid period. We also find ongoing and extensive reciprocal gene losses (RGL; alternative losses of duplicated ancestral genes) between these genomes. With the exception of a handful of closely related taxa, all of these polyploid organisms are separated from each other by tens to thousands of reciprocal gene losses. As a result, it is very unlikely that viable diploid hybrid species could form between these taxa, since matings between such hybrids would tend to produce offspring lacking essential genes. It is therefore possible that the relatively high frequency of recurrent polyploidies in some lineages may be due to the ability of new polyploidies to bypass RGL barriers.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fleming, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petterson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyons, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorne, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conant, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.08.463691</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Convergent evolution of polyploid genomes from across the eukaryotic tree of life]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.11.463942v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Investigating the growth of an engineered strain of Cyanobacteria with an Agent-Based Model and a Recurrent Neural Network 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.11.463942v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A computational framework combining Agent-Based Models (ABMs) and Deep Learning techniques was developed to help design microbial communities that convert light and CO2 into useful bioproducts. An ABM that accounts for CO2, light, sucrose export rate and cell-to-cell mechanical interactions was used to investigate the growth of an engineered sucrose-exporting strain of Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. The ABM simulations produced population curves and synthetic images of colony growth. The curves and the images were analyzed, and growth was correlated to nutrients availability and colonies initial spatial distribution. To speed up the ABM simulations, a metamodel based on a Recurrent Neural Network, RNN, was trained on the synthetic images of growth. This metamodel successfully reproduced the population curves and the images of growth at a lower computational cost. The computational framework presented here paves the road towards designing microbial communities containing sucrose-exporting Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 by exploring the solution space in silico first.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sakkos, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weaver, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robertson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taniguchi, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maheshwari, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zuliani, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGough, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Curtis, T. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fuentes-Cabrera, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.11.463942</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Investigating the growth of an engineered strain of Cyanobacteria with an Agent-Based Model and a Recurrent Neural Network]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.11.463961v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-layer Regulation of Rubisco in Response to Altered Carbon Status in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.11.463961v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Photosynthetic organisms possess a variety of mechanisms to achieve balance between absorbed light (source) and the capacity to metabolically utilize or dissipate this energy (sink). While regulatory processes that detect changes in metabolic status/balance are relatively well-studied in plants, analogous pathways remain poorly characterized in photosynthetic microbes. Herein, we explore systemic changes that result from alterations in carbon availability in the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 by taking advantage of an engineered strain where influx/efflux of a central carbon metabolite, sucrose, can be regulated experimentally. We observe that induction of a high-flux sucrose export pathway leads to depletion of internal carbon storage pools (glycogen), and concurrent increases in photosynthetic parameters. Further, a proteome-wide analysis and fluorescence reporter-based analysis revealed that upregulated factors following the activation of the metabolic sink are strongly concentrated on ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco) and axillary modules involved in Rubisco maturation. Carboxysome number and Rubisco activity also increase following engagement of sucrose secretion. Conversely, reversing the flux of sucrose by feeding exogenous sucrose heterologously results in increased glycogen pools, decreased Rubisco abundance, decreased photosystem II quantum efficiency, and carboxysome reorganization. Our data suggest that Rubisco activity and organization are key outputs connected to regulatory pathways involved in metabolic balancing in cyanobacteria.

One sentence summaryRubisco activity and organization are key outputs involve in source-sink balancing in cyanobacteria.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Singh, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos-Merino, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sakkos, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.11.463961</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-layer Regulation of Rubisco in Response to Altered Carbon Status in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.11.463984v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The edible seaweed Laminaria japonica contains cholesterol analogues that inhibit Lipid Peroxidation and Cyclooxygenase Enzymes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.11.463984v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In this study, 5 sterols were isolated and purified from Laminaria japonica, commonly known as edible brown seaweed, and their structures were identified based on detailed chemical methods and spectroscopic analyses. Spectroscopic analyses characterized 5 sterols as 29-Hydroperoxy-stigmasta-5,24(28)-dien-3{beta}-ol, saringosterol (24-vinyl-cholest-5-ene-3{beta},24-diol), 24-methylenecholesterol, fucosterol (stigmasta-5,24-diene-3{beta}-ol), and 24-Hydroperoxy-24-vinyl-cholesterol. The bioactivities of these sterols were tested using lipid peroxidation (LPO) and cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and -2) enzyme inhibitory assays. Fucosterol exhibited the highest COX-1 and -2 enzyme inhibitory activities at 59 and 47%, respectively. Saringosterol, 24-methylenecholesterol and fucosterol showed higher LPO inhibitory activity at >50% than the other compounds. In addition, the results of molecular docking revealed that the 5 sterols were located in different pocket of COX-1 and -2 and fucosterol with tetracyclic skeletons and olefin methine achieved the highest binding energy (-7.85 and -9.02 kcal/mol) through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bond. Our results confirm the presence of 5 sterols in L. japonica and its significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.

Graphical abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=89 SRC="FIGDIR/small/463984v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (21K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16c3f43org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ad7385org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7b3c4borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b3675a_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LISterols 29-hydroperoxy-stigmasta-5,24(28)-dien-3{beta}-ol and 24-hydroperoxy-24-vinyl-cholesterol are identified for the first time in L. japonica.
C_LIO_LISaringosterol, 24-methylenecholesterol and fucosterol showed strong LPO inhibitory activity.
C_LIO_LIFucosterol showed highest binding affinity for COX-1 and -2 enzymes through hydrophobic interactions.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dissanayake, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nair, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.11.463984</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The edible seaweed Laminaria japonica contains cholesterol analogues that inhibit Lipid Peroxidation and Cyclooxygenase Enzymes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.19.462578v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Uncovering the Genetic Architecture of Broad Antisocial Behavior through a Genome-Wide Association Study Meta-analysis. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.19.462578v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Despite the substantial heritability of antisocial behavior (ASB), specific genetic variants robustly associated with the trait have not been identified. The present study by the Broad Antisocial Behavior Consortium (BroadABC) meta-analyzed data from 28 discovery samples (N = 85,359) and five independent replication samples (N = 8,058) with genotypic data and broad measures of ASB. We identified the first significant genetic associations with broad ASB, involving common intronic variants in the forkhead box protein P2 (FOXP2) gene (lead SNP rs12536335, P = 6.32 x 10-10). Furthermore, we observed intronic variation in Foxp2 and one of its targets (Cntnap2) distinguishing a mouse model of pathological aggression (BALB/cJ strain) from controls (BALB/cByJ strain). The SNP-based heritability of ASB was 8.4% (s.e.= 1.2%). Polygenic-risk-score (PRS) analyses in independent samples revealed that the genetic risk for ASB was associated with several antisocial outcomes across the lifespan, including diagnosis of conduct disorder, official criminal convictions, and trajectories of antisocial development. We found substantial genetic correlations of ASB with mental health (depression rg{square}={square}0.63, insomnia rg = 0.47), physical health (overweight rg = 0.19, waist-to-hip ratio rg = 0.32), smoking (rg{square}={square}0.54), cognitive ability (intelligence rg= -0.40), educational attainment (years of schooling rg = -0.46) and reproductive traits (age at first birth rg={square}- 0.58, fathers age at death rg= -0.54). Our findings provide a starting point towards identifying critical biosocial risk mechanisms for the development of ASB.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tielbeek, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uffelmann, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colodro-Conde, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gagnon, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallard, T. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levitt, B. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jansen, P. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johansson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sallis, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pistis, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saunders, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allegrini, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rimfeld, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Konte, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hartmann, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salvatore, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nolte, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demontis, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malmberg, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burt, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Savage, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sugden, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poulton, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vrieze, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGue, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iacono, W. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mota, N. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mill, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Viana, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morosoli, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andlauer, T. F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ouellet-Morin, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tremblay, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cote, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gouin, J.-P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brendgen, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dionne,</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.19.462578</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Uncovering the Genetic Architecture of Broad Antisocial Behavior through a Genome-Wide Association Study Meta-analysis.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.26.465763v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The glutathione import system satisfies the Staphylococcus aureus nutrient sulfur requirement and promotes interspecies competition. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.26.465763v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sulfur is an indispensable element for proliferation of bacterial pathogens. Prior studies indicated that the human pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus utilizes glutathione (GSH) as a source of nutrient sulfur; however, mechanisms of GSH acquisition are not defined. Here, we identify a previously uncharacterized five-gene locus comprising a putative ABC-transporter and {gamma}-glutamyl transpeptidase (ggt) that promotes S. aureus proliferation in medium supplemented with either reduced or oxidized GSH (GSSG) as the sole source of nutrient sulfur. Based on these phenotypes, we name this transporter the Glutathione import system (GisABCD). We confirm that Ggt is capable of cleaving GSH and GSSG {gamma}-bonds and that this process is required for their use as nutrient sulfur sources. Additionally, we find that the enzyme is cell associated. Bioinformatic analyses reveal that only Staphylococcus species closely related to S. aureus encode GisABCD-Ggt homologues. Homologues are not detected in Staphylococcus epidermidis. Consequently, we establish that GisABCD-Ggt provides a competitive advantage for S. aureus over S. epidermidis in a GSH-dependent manner. Overall, this study describes the discovery of a nutrient sulfur acquisition system in S. aureus that targets GSH and promotes competition against other staphylococci commonly associated with the human microbiota.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lensmire, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wischer, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sosinski, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ensink, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dodson, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shook, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delekta, P. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooper, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Havlichek, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mulks, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammer, N. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.26.465763</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The glutathione import system satisfies the Staphylococcus aureus nutrient sulfur requirement and promotes interspecies competition.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.27.466093v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Qualitative and quantitative top-down proteomics of human colorectal cancer cell lines identified 23000 proteoforms and revealed drastic proteoform-level differences between metastatic and non-metastatic cancer cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.27.466093v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding cancer metastasis at the proteoform level is crucial for discovering new protein biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and drug development. Proteins are the primary effectors of function in biology and proteoforms from the same gene can have drastically different biological functions. Here, we present the first qualitative and quantitative top-down proteomics (TDP) study of a pair of isogenic human metastatic and non-metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines (SW480 and SW620). This study pursues a global view of human CRC proteome before and after metastasis in a proteoform specific manner. We identified 23,319 proteoforms of 2,297 genes from the CRC cell lines using capillary zone electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry (CZE-MS/MS), representing nearly one order of magnitude improvement in the number of proteoform identifications from human cell lines compared to literature data. We identified 111 proteoforms containing single amino acid variants (SAAVs) using a proteogenomic approach and revealed drastic differences between the metastatic and non-metastatic cell lines regarding SAAVs profiles. Quantitative TDP analysis unveiled statistically significant differences in proteoform abundance between the SW480 and SW620 cell lines on a proteome scale for the first time. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) disclosed that many differentially expressed genes at the proteoform level had diversified functions and were closely related to cancer. Our study represents a milestone in TDP towards the definition of human proteome in a proteoform specific manner, which will transform basic and translational biomedical research.

For TOC only

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=186 SRC="FIGDIR/small/466093v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (38K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@3ee5faorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16cae5forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2c0bd0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1bb9530_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McCool, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beller, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nolan, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hummon, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.27.466093</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Qualitative and quantitative top-down proteomics of human colorectal cancer cell lines identified 23000 proteoforms and revealed drastic proteoform-level differences between metastatic and non-metastatic cancer cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.28.466314v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The plastoglobule-localized AtABC1K6 is a Mn2+-dependent protein kinase necessary for timely transition to reproductive growth 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.28.466314v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Absence of bc1 Complex (ABC1) is an ancient, atypical protein kinase family that emerged prior to the archaeal-eubacterial divergence. Loss-of-function mutants in ABC1 genes are linked to respiratory defects in microbes and humans, and to compromised photosynthetic performance and stress tolerance in plants. However, demonstration of protein kinase activity remains elusive, hampering their study. Here, we investigate a homolog from Arabidopsis thaliana, AtABC1K6, and demonstrate in vitro protein kinase activity as autophosphorylation, which we replicate with a human ABC1 ortholog. We show that AtABC1K6 protein kinase activity requires an atypical buffer composition, including Mn2+ as divalent cation co-factor and a low salt concentration. AtABC1K6 associates with plastoglobule lipid droplets of A. thaliana chloroplasts, along with five paralogs. Protein kinase activity associated with isolated A. thaliana plastoglobules was inhibited at higher salt concentrations, but could accommodate Mg2+ as well as Mn2+, indicating salt sensitivity, but not the requirement for Mn2+, may be a general characteristic of ABC1s. Loss of functional AtABC1K6 impairs the developmental transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. This phenotype is complemented by the wild-type sequence of AtABC1K6 but not by a kinase-dead point mutant in the unique Ala-triad of the ATP-binding pocket, demonstrating the physiological relevance of the proteins kinase activity. We suggest that ABC1s are bona fide protein kinases with a unique regulatory mechanism. Our results open the door to detailed functional and mechanistic studies of ABC1s and plastoglobules.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe Absence of bc1 Complex (ABC1) is an ancient, atypical protein kinase family with enigmatic physiological roles in a wide range of species including plants, humans and microbes. While mutants demonstrate their critical role for organismal survival, their study has been severely hampered by the previous inability to determine catalytic function. Here, we demonstrate in vitro protein kinase activity with an A. thaliana homolog, AtABC1K6. Loss of functional AtABC1K6 impairs the developmental transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. The lack of phenotypic complementation with a kinase-dead point mutant demonstrates the physiological relevance of the proteins kinase activity. Our results present the experimental means to investigate the targets, functions, and regulation of ABC1s.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Espinoza-Corral, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundquist, P. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-10-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.28.466314</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The plastoglobule-localized AtABC1K6 is a Mn2+-dependent protein kinase necessary for timely transition to reproductive growth]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-10-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.31.466700v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evaluation of machine learning models for proteoform retention and migration time prediction in top-down mass spectrometry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.31.466700v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) are two popular proteoform separation methods in mass spectrometry (MS)-based top-down proteomics. The prediction of proteoform retention time in RPLC and migration time in CZE provides additional information that can increase the accuracy of proteoform identification and quantification. Whereas existing methods for retention and migration time prediction are mainly focused on peptides in bottom-up MS, there is still a lack of methods for the problem in top-down MS. We systematically evaluated 6 models for proteoform retention and/or migration time prediction in top-down MS and showed that the Prosit model achieved a high accuracy (R2 > 0.91) for proteoform retention time prediction and that the Prosit model and a fully connected neural network model obtained a high accuracy (R2 > 0.94) for proteoform migration time prediction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCool, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xia, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.10.31.466700</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evaluation of machine learning models for proteoform retention and migration time prediction in top-down mass spectrometry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.01.466355v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Oxytocin promotes epicardial cell activation and heart regeneration after cardiac injury 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.01.466355v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and frequently leads to massive heart injury and the loss of billions of cardiac muscle cells and associated vasculature. Critical work in the last two decades demonstrated that these lost cells can be partially regenerated by the epicardium, the outermost mesothelial layer of the heart, in a process that highly recapitulates its role in heart development. Upon cardiac injury, mature epicardial cells activate and undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to form epicardial-derived progenitor cells (EpiPCs), multipotent progenitors that can differentiate into several important cardiac lineages, including cardiomyocytes and vascular cells. In mammals, this process alone is insufficient for significant regeneration, but it might be possible to prime it by administering specific reprogramming factors, leading to enhanced EpiPC function. Here, we show that oxytocin (OXT), a hypothalamic neuroendocrine peptide, induces epicardial cell proliferation, EMT, and migration in a model of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived epicardial cells. In addition, we demonstrate that OXT is produced after cardiac cryoinjury in zebrafish, and that it elicits significant epicardial activation promoting heart regeneration. Oxytocin signaling is also critical for proper epicardium development in zebrafish embryos. The above processes are significantly impaired when OXT signaling is inhibited chemically or genetically through RNA interference. RNA sequencing data suggests that the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-{beta}) pathway is the primary mediator of OXT-induced epicardial activation. Our research reveals for the first time an evolutionary conserved brain-controlled mechanism inducing cellular reprogramming and regeneration of the injured mammalian and zebrafish heart, a finding that could contribute to translational advances for the treatment of cardiac injuries.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wasserman, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewis-Israeli, Y. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dooley, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Venkatesan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.01.466355</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Oxytocin promotes epicardial cell activation and heart regeneration after cardiac injury]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.01.466798v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Partial characterization and the evaluation of antimicrobial activities of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from Cymbopogon citratus leaf extract 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.01.466798v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundSilver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are toxic to microorganisms and can potentially kill multidrug-resistant bacteria. Nanoparticles can be synthesized in many different ways, such as physical or chemical methods. Recently, it has been found that plant molecules can perform the same reduction reactions necessary for the production of nanoparticles but in a much more efficient way.

ResultsHere, green chemistry was employed to synthesize silver nanoparticles using leaf extracts of Cymbopogon citratus. Effects of different parameters such as temperature, pH and volume of plant extract were also tested using their absorbance pattern at different wavelengths. The Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) changed with the changes in parameters. Changes in temperature from 20{degrees}C to 60{degrees}C have changed the highest absorbance from 0.972 to 3.893 with an SPR of 470 nm. At higher pH (11.1), the particles become highly unstable and have irregular shapes and sizes. At lower pH (3.97), the peak shifts to the right, indicating a smaller but unstable compound. We have also investigated the effect of the volume of plant extracts on the reaction time. The sample with the highest amount of plant extract showed the most absorbance with a value of 0.963 at {lambda}max, which was calculated to be 470 nm. The total formation of the AgNPs was observed visually with a color change from yellow to brownish-black. UV-visible spectroscopy was used to monitor the quantitative formation of silver nanoparticles, showing a signature peak in absorbance between 400 and 500 nm. We have estimated the size of the nanoparticles as 47nm by comparing the experimental data with the theoretical value using Mieplot. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles showed enhanced antibacterial activity against several multidrug-resistant bacteria, determined based on the minimal inhibitory concentration and zone of inhibition.

ConclusionThe findings of this study indicate that an aqueous extract of C. citratus can synthesize silver nanoparticles when silver nitrate is used as a precursor and silver nanoparticles act as antimicrobial properties enhancers. These findings can influence further studies in this field to better understand the properties and applications of nanoparticles.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rakib-Uz-Zaman, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nimeree Muntasir, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoque Apu, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mowna, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khanom, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jahan, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akter, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>R. Khan, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shuborna, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shams, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.01.466798</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Partial characterization and the evaluation of antimicrobial activities of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from Cymbopogon citratus leaf extract]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.02.466980v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) dose-dependently shifts the gut microbiome consistent with the progression of steatosis to steatohepatitis with fibrosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.02.466980v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gut dysbiosis with disrupted enterohepatic bile acid metabolism is commonly associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and recapitulated in a NAFLD-phenotype elicited by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in mice. TCDD induces hepatic fat accumulation and increases levels of secondary bile acids including taurolithocholic acid and deoxycholic acid, microbial modified bile acids involved in host bile acid regulation signaling pathways. To investigate the effects of TCDD on the gut microbiota, cecum contents of male C57BL/6 mice orally gavaged with sesame oil vehicle or 0.3, 3, or 30 {micro}g/kg TCDD were examined using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Taxonomic analysis identified dose-dependent increases in Lactobacillus species (i.e., Lactobacillus reuteri). Increased species were also associated with dose-dependent increases in bile salt hydrolase sequences, responsible for deconjugation reactions in secondary bile acid metabolism. Increased L. reuteri levels were further associated with mevalonate-dependent isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) biosynthesis and menaquinone biosynthesis genes. Analysis of gut microbiomes from cirrhosis patients identified increased abundance of these pathways as identified in the mouse cecum metagenomic analysis. These results extend the association of lactobacilli with the AhR/intestinal axis in NAFLD progression and highlight the similarities between TCDD-elicited phenotypes in mice to human NAFLD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fling, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.02.466980</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) dose-dependently shifts the gut microbiome consistent with the progression of steatosis to steatohepatitis with fibrosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.03.467115v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Blueprint for Phasing and Assembling the Genomes of Heterozygous Polyploids: Application to the Octoploid Genome of Strawberry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.03.467115v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The challenge of allelic diversity for assembling haplotypes is exemplified in polyploid genomes containing homoeologous chromosomes of identical ancestry, and significant homologous variation within their ancestral subgenomes. Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) and its wild progenitors are outbred octoploids (2n = 8x = 56) in which up to eight homologous and homoeologous alleles are preserved. This introduces significant risk of haplotype collapse, switching, and chimeric fusions during assembly. Using third generation HiFi sequences from PacBio, we assembled the genome of the day-neutral octoploid F. x ananassa hybrid  Royal Royce from the University of California. Our goal was to produce subgenome-and haplotype-resolved assemblies of all 56 chromosomes, accurately reconstructing the parental haploid chromosome complements. Previous work has demonstrated that partitioning sequences by parental phase supports direct assembly of haplotypes in heterozygous diploid species. We leveraged the accuracy of HiFi sequence data with pedigree-informed sequencing to partition long read sequences by phase, and reduce the downstream risk of subgenomic chimeras during assembly. We were able to utilize an octoploid strawberry recombination breakpoint map containing 3.6 M variants to identify and break chimeric junctions, and perform scaffolding of the phase-1 and phase-2 octoploid assemblies. The N50 contiguity of the phase-1 and phase-2 assemblies prior to scaffolding and gap-filling was 11 Mb. The final haploid assembly represented seven of 28 chromosomes in a single contiguous sequence, and averaged fewer than three gaps per pseudomolecule. Additionally, we re-annotated the octoploid genome to produce a custom F. x ananassa repeat library and improved set of gene models based on IsoSeq transcript data and an expansive RNA-seq expression atlas. Here we present  FaRR1, a gold-standard reference genome of F. x ananassa cultivar  Royal Royce to assist future genomic research and molecular breeding of allo-octoploid strawberry.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hardigan, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feldmann, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pincot, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Famula, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vachev, M. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madera, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zerbe, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mars, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peluso, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rank, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saski, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Acharya, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platts, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapp, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.03.467115</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Blueprint for Phasing and Assembling the Genomes of Heterozygous Polyploids: Application to the Octoploid Genome of Strawberry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.03.467139v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evaluation of plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels in healthy North American Salukis with normal echocardiographic measurements. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.03.467139v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Measurement of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels has been shown to have clinical significance for diagnosis and management of heart disease in dogs. Evaluation of current reference limits for specific breeds is necessary to ensure the test can accurately distinguish between healthy and diseased animals. The objective of this study is to evaluate the adequacy of currently established NT-proBNP reference limits for clinical use in healthy Salukis. Cardiac health of 33 clinically healthy Salukis was evaluated via echocardiography using available breed standards. Plasma concentrations of NT-proBNP were measured using a commercially available assay. A one-sided 97.5 % upper reference limit for the NT-proBNP concentrations was calculated using non-parametric percentile method. The 97.5 % upper reference limit was 769 pmol/L (90% CI, 547-1214 pmol/L) for the study dogs. This upper reference limit was within the currently established non-breed specific NT-proBNP upper reference limit of 900 pmol/L. No relationship between sex, age, or body weight on plasma levels of NT-proBNP was noted. Results of this study supports the use of currently available non-breed specific NT-proBNP cut-off values for clinical evaluation of healthy Salukis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gunasekaran, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brennan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanders, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.03.467139</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evaluation of plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels in healthy North American Salukis with normal echocardiographic measurements.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.04.467312v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A New Bioink For Improved 3D Bioprinting Of Bone-Like Constructs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.04.467312v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bone tissue loss can occur due to disease, trauma or following surgery, in each case treatment involving the use of bone grafts or biomaterials is usually required. Recent development of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting (3DBP) has enabled the printing of customized bone substitutes. Bioinks used for bone 3DBP employ various particulate phases such as ceramic and bioactive glass particles embedded in the bioink creating a composite. When composite bioinks are used for 3DBP based on extrusion, particles are heterogeneously distributed causing damage to cells due to stresses created during flow in the matrix of the composite. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop cell-friendly osteopromotive bioink mitigating the risk of cell damage due to the flow of particles. Towards this end, we have linked organic and inorganic components, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and Ag-doped bioactive glass (Ag-BaG), to produce a hybrid material, GelMA-Ag-BaG (GAB). The distribution of the elements present in the Ag-BaG in the resulting hybrid GAB structure was examined. Rheological properties of the resulting hydrogel and its printability, as well as the degree of swelling and degradation over time, were also evaluated. GAB was compared to GelMA alone and GelMA-Ag-BaG nanocomposites. Results showed the superiority of the hybrid GAB bioink in terms of homogenous distribution of the elements in the structure, rheological properties, printability, and degradation profiles. Accordingly, this new bioink represents a major advance for bone 3DBP.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marsh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Apu, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bunn, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashammakhi, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chatzistavrou, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.04.467312</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A New Bioink For Improved 3D Bioprinting Of Bone-Like Constructs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.04.467332v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional characterization of mutants deficient in N-terminal phosphorylation of the CF1 subunit beta 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.04.467332v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding the regulation of photosynthetic light harvesting and electron transfer is of great importance to efforts to improve the ability of the electron transport chain to supply downstream metabolism. The central regulator of the electron transport chain is the ATP synthase, the molecular motor that harnesses the chemiosmotic potential generated from proton coupled electron transport to synthesize ATP. The ATP synthase is regulated both thermodynamically and post-translationally, with proposed phosphorylation sites on multiple subunits. In this study we focused on two N-terminal serines on the catalytic subunit {beta}, previously proposed to be important for dark inactivation of the complex to avoid ATP hydrolysis at night. Here we show that there is no clear role for phosphorylation in the dark inactivation of ATP synthase. Instead, mutation of one of the two phosphorylated serine residues to aspartate strongly decreased ATP synthase abundance. We propose that the loss of N-terminal phosphorylation of ATP{beta} may be involved in proper ATP synthase accumulation during complex assembly.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bock, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strand, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karcher, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruf, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schadach, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schöttler, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sandoval-Ibanez, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.04.467332</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional characterization of mutants deficient in N-terminal phosphorylation of the CF1 subunit beta]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.05.467476v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multiview Graph Learning for single-cell RNA sequencing data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.05.467476v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Characterizing the underlying topology of gene regulatory networks is one of the fundamental problems of systems biology. Ongoing developments in high throughput sequencing technologies has made it possible to capture the expression of thousands of genes at the single cell resolution. However, inherent cellular heterogeneity and high sparsity of the single cell datasets render void the application of regular Gaussian assumptions for constructing gene regulatory networks. Additionally, most algorithms aimed at single cell gene regulatory network reconstruction, estimate a single network ignoring group-level (cell-type) information present within the datasets. To better characterize single cell gene regulatory networks under different but related conditions we propose the joint estimation of multiple networks using multiview graph learning (mvGL). The proposed method is developed based on recent works in graph signal processing (GSP) for graph learning, where graph signals are assumed to be smooth over the unknown graph structure. Graphs corresponding to the different datasets are regularized to be similar to each other through a learned consensus graph. We further kernelize mvGL with the kernel selected to suit the structure of single cell data. An efficient algorithm based on prox-linear block coordinate descent is used to optimize mvGL. We study the performance of mvGL using synthetic data generated with a diverse set of parameters. We further show that mvGL successfully identifies well-established regulators in a mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation study and a cancer clinical study of medulloblastoma.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Karaaslanli, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>SAHA, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aviyente, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maiti, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.05.467476</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multiview Graph Learning for single-cell RNA sequencing data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.08.467762v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
State-dependent modulation of activity in distinct layer 6 corticothalamic neurons in barrel cortex of awake mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.08.467762v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Layer 6 corticothalamic (L6 CT) neurons are in a strategic position to control sensory input to the neocortex, yet we understand very little about their functions. Apart from studying their anatomical, physiological and synaptic properties, most recent efforts have focused on the activity-dependent influences CT cells can exert on thalamic and cortical neurons through causal optogenetic manipulations. However, few studies have attempted to study them during behavior. To address this gap, we performed juxtacellular recordings from optogenetically identified CT neurons in whisker-related primary somatosensory cortex (wS1) of awake, head-fixed mice (either sex) free to rest quietly or self-initiate bouts of whisking and locomotion. We found a rich diversity of response profiles exhibited by CT cells. Their spiking patterns were either modulated by whisking-related behavior ([~]28%) or not ([~]72%). Whisking-responsive neurons exhibited either increases, activated-type, or decreases in firing rates, suppressed-type, that aligned with whisking onset better than locomotion. We also encountered responsive neurons with preceding modulations in firing rate before whisking onset. Overall, whisking better explained these changes in rates than overall changes in arousal. Whisking-unresponsive CT cells were generally quiet, with many having low spontaneous firing rates, sparse-type, and others being completely silent. Remarkably, the sparse firing CT population preferentially spiked at the state transition point when pupil diameter constricted and the mouse entered quiet wakefulness. Thus, our results demonstrate that L6 CT cells in wS1 show diverse spiking patterns, perhaps subserving distinct functional roles related to precisely timed responses during complex behaviors and transitions between discrete waking states.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTLayer 6 corticothalamic neurons provide a massive input to the sensory thalamus and local connectivity within cortex, but their role in thalamocortical processing remains unclear due to difficulty accessing and isolating their activity. Although several recent optogenetic studies reveal that the net influence of corticothalamic actions, suppression versus enhancement, depends critically on the rate these neurons fire, the factors that influence their spiking are poorly understood, particularly during wakefulness. Using the well-established Ntsr1-Cre line to target this elusive population in the whisker somatosensory cortex of awake mice, we found that corticothalamic neurons show diverse state-related responses and modulations in firing rate. These results suggest separate corticothalamic populations can differentially influence thalamocortical excitability during rapid state transitions in awake, behaving animals.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dash, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Autio, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crandall, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.08.467762</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[State-dependent modulation of activity in distinct layer 6 corticothalamic neurons in barrel cortex of awake mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.09.468001v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 utilizes an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase to produce acetate 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.09.468001v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Zymomonas mobilis is a promising bacterial host for biofuel production but further improvement has been hindered because some aspects of its metabolism remain poorly understood. For example, one of the main byproducts generated by Z. mobilis is acetate but the pathway for acetate production is unknown. Acetaldehyde oxidation has been proposed as the major source of acetate and an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase was previously isolated from Z. mobilis via activity guided fractionation, but the corresponding gene has never been identified. We determined that the locus ZMO1754 (also known as ZMO_RS07890) encodes an NADP+-dependent acetaldehyde dehydrogenase that is responsible for acetate production by Z. mobilis. Deletion of this gene from the chromosome resulted in a growth defect in oxic conditions, suggesting that acetaldehyde detoxification is an important role of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. The deletion strain also exhibited a near complete abolition of acetate production, both in typical laboratory conditions and during lignocellulosic hydrolysate fermentation. Our results show that ZMO1754 encodes the major acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in Z. mobilis and we therefore rename the gene aldB based on functional similarity to the Escherichia coli acetaldehyde dehydrogenase.

ImportanceBiofuel production from non-food crops is an important strategy for reducing carbon emissions from the transportation industry but it has not yet become commercially viable. An important avenue to improve biofuel production is to enhance the characteristics of fermentation organisms by genetic engineering. To make genetic modifications successful, we must gain sufficient information about the genome and metabolism of the organism to enable rational design and engineering. Here, we improved understanding of Zymomonas mobilis, a promising biofuel producing bacterium, by identifying a metabolic pathway and associated gene that lead to byproduct formation. This information may be used in the future for genetic engineering to reduce byproduct formation during biofuel production.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Felczak, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.09.468001</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 utilizes an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase to produce acetate]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.11.468188v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Oxidative respiration through the bd-I and cbb3 oxidases is required for Vibrio cholerae pathogenicity and proliferation in vivo. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.11.468188v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Vibrio cholerae respires both aerobically and anaerobically and, while oxygen may be available to it during infection, other terminal electron acceptors are proposed for population expansion during infection. Unlike gastrointestinal pathogens that stimulate significant inflammation leading to elevated levels of oxygen or alternative terminal electron acceptors, V. cholerae infections are not understood to induce a notable inflammatory response. To ascertain the respiration requirements of V. cholerae during infection, we used Multiplex Genome Editing by Natural Transformation (MuGENT) to create V. cholerae strains lacking aerobic or anaerobic respiration. V. cholerae strains lacking aerobic respiration were attenuated in infant mice 105-fold relative to wild type, while strains lacking anaerobic respiration had no colonization defect, contrary to earlier work suggesting a role for anaerobic respiration during infection. Using several approaches, including one we developed for this work termed Comparative Multiplex PCR Amplicon Sequencing (CoMPAS), we determined that the bd-I and cbb3 oxidases are essential for small intestinal colonization of V. cholerae in the infant mouse. The bd-I oxidase was also determined as the primary oxidase during growth outside the host, making V. cholerae the only example of a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen in which a bd-type oxidase is the primary oxidase for energy acquisition inside and outside of a host.

Author SummaryThe bacterium that causes cholera, Vibrio cholerae, can grow with or without oxygen. When growing without oxygen it may use other molecules that serve the same purpose as oxygen, acting as a terminal electron acceptor in an energy-generating process known as respiration. Given the largely anaerobic nature of the gastrointestinal tract, and the lack of significant inflammation during cholera infection, a process that can stimulate elevated levels of oxygen and other terminal electron acceptors, we sought to understand the respiratory mechanisms of V. cholerae during infection. We used a powerful genome-editing method to construct mutant strains of V. cholerae lacking some or all of the complement of proteins required for aerobic or anaerobic respiration. By analyzing these mutants in the laboratory and in intestinal colonization of infant mice, we determined that the ability to respire without oxygen is completely dispensable for V. cholerae to thrive during infection. We determined that two of the four oxygen-dependent respiration mechanisms are essential for V. cholerae to grow during infection, with the other two dispensable for wild type levels of colonization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Van Alst, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demey, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.11.468188</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Oxidative respiration through the bd-I and cbb3 oxidases is required for Vibrio cholerae pathogenicity and proliferation in vivo.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.15.468661v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Investigating Carboxysome Morphology Dynamics with a Rotationally Invariant Variational Autoencoder 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.15.468661v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Carboxysomes are a class of bacterial microcompartments that form proteinaceous organelles within the cytoplasm of cyanobacteria and play a central role in photosynthetic metabolism by defining a cellular microenvironment permissive to CO2 fixation. Critical aspects of the assembly of the carboxysomes remain relatively unknown, especially with regard to the dynamics of this microcompartment. We have recently expressed an exogenous protease as a way of gaining control over endogenous protein levels, including carboxysomal components, in the model cyanobacterium Synechococcous elongatus PCC 7942. By utilizing this system, proteins that compose the carboxysome can be tuned in real-time as a method to examine carboxysome dynamics. Yet, analysis of subtle changes in carboxysome morphology with microscopy remains a low-throughput and subjective process. Here we use deep learning techniques, specifically a Rotationally Invariant Variational Autoencoder (rVAE), to analyze the fluorescence microscopy images and quantitatively evaluate how carboxysome shell remodelling impacts trends in the morphology of the microcompartment over time. We find that rVAEs are able to assist in the quantitative evaluation of changes in carboxysome location, shape, and size over time. We propose that rVAEs may be a useful tool to accelerate the analysis of carboxysome assembly and dynamics in response to genetic or environmental perturbation, and may be more generally useful to probe regulatory processes involving a broader array of bacterial microcompartments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fuentes-Cabrera, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sakkos, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ziatdinov, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.15.468661</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Investigating Carboxysome Morphology Dynamics with a Rotationally Invariant Variational Autoencoder]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.15.468664v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Interleukin-6 Drives Key Pathologic Outcomes in Experimental Acetaminophen-induced Liver Failure 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.15.468664v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Background and AimsIn severe cases of acetaminophen (APAP) overdose, acute liver injury rapidly progresses to acute liver failure (ALF), producing life-threatening complications including, hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and multi-organ failure (MOF). Systemic levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 are highest in ALF patients with the most severe complications and the poorest prognosis. The mechanistic basis for dysregulation of these cytokines, and their association with outcome in ALF, remain poorly defined.

MethodsTo investigate the impact of IL-6 and IL-10 in ALF, we used an experimental setting of failed liver repair after APAP overdose in which a high dose of APAP is administered (i.e., 500-600 mg/kg). Mice were treated with neutralizing antibodies to block IL-6 and IL-10.

ResultsIn mice with APAP-induced ALF, high levels of IL-10 reduced monocyte recruitment and trafficking in the liver resulting in impaired clearance of dead cell debris. Kupffer cells in these mice, displayed features of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, including high level expression of IL-10 and PD-L1, which were increased in an IL-6-dependent manner. Similar to ALF patients with HE, cerebral blood flow was reduced in mice with APAP-induced ALF. Remarkably, although IL-6 is hepatoprotective in mice treated with low doses of APAP (i.e., 300 mg/kg), IL-6 neutralization in mice with APAP-induced ALF fully restored cerebral blood flow and reduced mortality.

ConclusionCollectively, these studies demonstrate that exaggerated production of IL-6 in APAP-induced ALF triggers immune suppression (i.e., high levels of IL-10 and PD-L1), reduces cerebral blood flow (a feature of hepatic encephalopathy), disrupts liver repair (i.e., failed clearance of dead cells), and increases mortality.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roth, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strickland, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez-Pons, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pant, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yen, T.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Freeborn, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kennedy, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhushan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boss, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rockwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorrance, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Apte, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luyendyk, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Copple, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.15.468664</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Interleukin-6 Drives Key Pathologic Outcomes in Experimental Acetaminophen-induced Liver Failure]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.16.468838v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A genome in flux: homoeologous exchanges, subgenome dominance, and gene dosage balance constraints in resynthesized allopolyploid Brassica napus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.16.468838v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Gene Balance Hypothesis (GBH) proposes that selection acts on the dosage (i.e. copy number) of genes within dosage-sensitive portions of networks, pathways, and protein complexes to maintain balanced stoichiometry of interacting proteins, because perturbations to stoichiometric balance can result in reduced fitness. This selection has been called dosage balance selection. Dosage balance selection is also hypothesized to constrain expression responses to dosage changes, making dosage-sensitive genes (those encoding members of interacting proteins) experience more similar expression changes. In allopolyploids, where whole-genome duplication involves hybridization of diverged lineages, organisms often experience homoeologous exchanges (HEs) that recombine, duplicate, and delete homoeologous regions of the genome and alter the expression of homoeologous gene pairs. Although the GBH makes predictions about the expression response to HEs, they have not been empirically tested. We used genomic and transcriptomic data from six resynthesized, isogenic Brassica napus lines over ten generations to identify HEs, analyzed expression responses, and tested for patterns of genomic imbalance. Groups of dosage-sensitive genes had less variable expression responses to HEs than dosage-insensitive genes, a sign that their relative dosage is constrained. This difference was absent for homoeologous pairs whose expression was biased toward the BnA subgenome. Finally, the expression response to HEs was more variable than the response to WGD, suggesting HEs create genomic imbalance. These findings expand our knowledge of the impact of dosage balance selection on genome evolution and potentially connect patterns in polyploid genomes over time; from homoeolog expression bias to duplicate gene retention.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiong, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.16.468838</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A genome in flux: homoeologous exchanges, subgenome dominance, and gene dosage balance constraints in resynthesized allopolyploid Brassica napus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.19.469319v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pre-implantation mouse embryo movement under hormonally altered conditions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.19.469319v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Precise regulation of embryo movement is crucial to successful implantation, but the role of ovarian hormones in this process is not understood. We ascertain the effects of altered hormonal environment on embryo movement using two delayed implantation models: Natural lactational Diapause (ND), a naturally occurring alternate model of pregnancy, and Artificially induced Diapause (AD), a laboratory version of ND. Our previous work suggests that embryos in a natural pregnancy (NP) first display unidirectional clustered embryo movement, followed by bidirectional scattering and spacing movement. In contrast, in the ND model, embryos are present as clusters near the oviductal-uterine junction for ~24-hours longer than NP, followed by locations consistent with a unidirectional scattering and spacing movement. Intriguingly, the AD model closely resembles embryo location in NP and not ND. Further, unlike the popular paradigm of reduced estrogen (E2) levels in diapause E2 levels are comparable across NP, ND, and AD, while progesterone (P4) levels are reduced in ND and highly increased in AD when compared to NP. Exogenous administration of E2 or P4 modifies the unidirectional clustered embryo movement, while E2 treatment causes a reduction in P4 and affects the bidirectional phase of embryo movement. Taken together, our data suggest embryo movement can be modulated by both P4 and E2. Understanding natural hormonal adaptation in diapause provides an opportunity to determine key players regulating embryo movement and implantation success. This knowledge can be leveraged to understand pregnancy survival and implantation success in hormonally altered conditions in the clinic.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lufkin, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flores, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raider, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madhavan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dawson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coronel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharma, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.19.469319</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pre-implantation mouse embryo movement under hormonally altered conditions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.24.469934v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome of the bi-annual Rio Pearlfish (Nematolebias whitei), a killifish model species for Eco-Evo-Devo 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.24.469934v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Rio Pearlfish Nematolebias whitei is a bi-annual killifish species inhabiting seasonal pools of the Rio de Janeiro region that dry twice per year. Embryos enter dormant diapause stages in the soil, waiting for the inundation of the habitat which triggers hatching and commencement of a new life cycle. This species represents a convergent, independent origin of annualism from other emerging killifish model species. While some transcriptomic datasets are available for Rio Pearlfish, thus far a sequenced genome has been unavailable. Here we present a high quality, 1.2Gb chromosome-level genome assembly, genome annotations and a comparative genomic investigation of the Rio Pearlfish as representative of a vertebrate clade that evolved environmentally-cued hatching. We show conservation of 3-D genome structure across teleost fish evolution, developmental stages, tissues and cell types. Our analysis of mobile DNA shows that Rio Pearlfish, like other annual killifishes, possesses an expanded transposable element profile with implications for rapid aging and adaptation to harsh conditions. We use the Rio Pearlfish genome to identify its hatching enzyme gene repertoire and the location of the hatching gland, a key first step in understanding the developmental genetic control of hatching. The Rio Pearlfish genome expands the comparative genomic toolkit available to study convergent origins of seasonal life histories, diapause, and rapid aging phenotypes. We present the first set of genomic resources for this emerging model organism, critical for future functional genetic and multi-omic explorations of "Eco-Evo-Devo" phenotypes in resilience and adaptation to extreme environments.

Significance:

Seasonal or annual killifishes are emerging models for aging, life history adaptions to extreme environments, and ecological evolutionary developmental biology (Eco-Evo-Devo). Most studies have thus far focused on the African turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri and the South American Austrofundulus limneaus. We sequenced and analyzed the genome of the Rio Pearlfish Nematolebias whitei from the Rio de Janeiro region, a seasonal species representing a convergent origin of seasonality from other sequenced killifish species, strengthening the comparative potential of Aplocheiloid killifishes as a model clade for the comparative and functional genomics of animal resilience to environmental change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wojtas, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davoll, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.24.469934</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome of the bi-annual Rio Pearlfish (Nematolebias whitei), a killifish model species for Eco-Evo-Devo]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.26.470086v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-state Modeling of G-protein Coupled Receptors at Experimental Accuracy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.26.470086v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) is one of the largest protein families in the human genome. GPCRs transduct chemical signals from extracellular to intracellular regions via a conformational switch between active and inactive states upon ligand binding. While experimental structures of GPCRs remain limited, high-accuracy computational predictions are now possible with AlphaFold2. However, AlphaFold2 only predicts one state and is biased towards either the active or inactive conformation depending on the GPCR class. Here, a multi-state prediction protocol is introduced that extends AlphaFold2 to predict either active or inactive states at very high accuracy using state-annotated templated GPCR databases. The predicted models accurately capture the main structural changes upon activation of the GPCR at the atomic level. For most of the benchmarked GPCRs (10 out of 15), models in the active and inactive states were closer to their corresponding activation state structures. Median RMSDs of the transmembrane regions were 1.12 [A] and 1.41 [A] for the active and inactive state models, respectively. The models were more suitable for protein-ligand docking than the original AlphaFold2 models and template-based models. Finally, our prediction protocol predicted accurate GPCR structures and GPCR-peptide complex structures in GPCR Dock 2021, a blind GPCR-ligand complex modeling competition. We expect that high accuracy GPCR models in both activation states will promote understanding in GPCR activation mechanisms and drug discovery for GPCRs. At the time, the new protocol paves the way towards capturing the dynamics of proteins at high-accuracy via machine-learning methods.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-11-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.11.26.470086</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-state Modeling of G-protein Coupled Receptors at Experimental Accuracy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-11-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.01.470751v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Overexpression of NDR1 Leads to Pathogen Resistance at Elevated Temperatures 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.01.470751v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Abiotic and biotic environments influence a myriad of plant-related processes, including growth, development, and the establishment and maintenance of interaction(s) with microbes. As a driver of this signaling between plants and microbes, the role of plant hormones in both surveillance and signaling has emerged as a point of intersection between plant-abiotic and -biotic responses. In the current study, we elucidate a role for NON-RACE-SPECIFIC DISEASE RESISTANCE1 (NDR1) by exploiting effector-triggered immunity (ETI) to define the regulation of plant host immunity in response to both pathogen infection and elevated temperature. We generated time-series RNA sequencing data of WT Col-0, a NDR1 overexpression line, as well as ndr1 and ics1-2 mutant plants under elevated temperature. Not surprisingly, the NDR1-overexpression line showed genotype-specific gene expression changes related to defense response and immune system function. Interestingly, overexpression of NDR1 revealed a role for NDR1 in immune system function; specifically, we describe a mechanism that intersects with Pseudomonas syringae, type-III effector translocation, R-protein signaling complex stabilization, and sustained levels of SA at elevated temperature during ETI. The results described herein support a role for NDR1 in maintaining cell signaling during simultaneous exposure to elevated temperature and avirulent pathogen stressors.

One-sentence summaryNDR1 is required for Pst-AvrRpt2 triggered ETI at elevated temperature.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Samaradivakara, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, Y.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, Y. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsuda, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mine, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.01.470751</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Overexpression of NDR1 Leads to Pathogen Resistance at Elevated Temperatures]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.03.471101v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Magnetic particle imaging of magnetotactic bacteria as living contrast agents is improved by altering magnetosome structures 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.03.471101v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Iron nanoparticles used as imaging contrast agents can help differentiate between normal and diseased tissue, or track cell movement and localize pathologies. Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an imaging modality that uses the magnetic properties of iron nanoparticles to provide specific, quantitative and sensitive imaging data. MPI signals depend on the size, structure and composition of the nanoparticles; MPI-tailored nanoparticles have been developed by modifying these properties. Magnetotactic bacteria produce magnetosomes which mimic synthetic nanoparticles, and thus comprise a living contrast agent in which nanoparticle formation can be modified by mutating genes. Specifically, genes that encode proteins critical to magnetosome formation and regulation, such as mamJ which helps with filament turnover. Deletion of mamJ in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense, MSR-1 led to clustered magnetosomes instead of the typical linear chains. Here we examined the effects of this magnetosome structure and revealed improved MPI signal and resolution from clustered magnetosomes compared to linear chains. Bioluminescent MSR-1 with the mamJ deletion were injected intravenously into tumor-bearing and healthy mice and imaged using both in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and MPI. BLI revealed the location and viability of bacteria which was used to validate localization of MPI signals. BLI identified the viability of MSR-1 for 24 hours and MPI detected iron in the liver and in multiple tumors. Development of living contrast agents offers new opportunities for imaging and therapy by using multimodality imaging to track the location and viability of the therapy and the resulting biological effects.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schott, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madsen, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greeson, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.03.471101</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Magnetic particle imaging of magnetotactic bacteria as living contrast agents is improved by altering magnetosome structures]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.03.471147v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Spatial Transcriptomics Study of the Brain-Electrode Interface in Rat Motor Cortex 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.03.471147v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The study of the foreign body reaction to implanted electrodes in the brain is an important area of research for the future development of neuroprostheses and experimental electrophysiology. After electrode implantation in the brain, microglial activation, reactive astrogliosis, and neuronal cell death create an environment immediately surrounding the electrode that is significantly altered from its homeostatic state. To uncover physiological changes potentially affecting device function and longevity, spatial transcriptomics was implemented in this preliminary study to identify changes in gene expression driven by electrode implantation. This RNA-sequencing technique (10x Genomics, Visium) uses spatially coded, RNA-binding oligonucleotides on a microscope slide to spatially identify each sequencing read. For these experiments, sections of rat motor cortex implanted with Michigan-style silicon electrodes were mounted on the Visium slide for processing. Each tissue section was labeled for neurons and astrocytes using immunohistochemistry to provide a spatial reference for mapping each sequencing read relative to the device tract. Results from rat motor cortex at 24 hours, 1 week, and 6 weeks post implantation showed up to 5811 differentially expressed genes between implanted and non-implanted tissue sections. Many of these genes are related to biological mechanisms previously reported in studies of the foreign body response to implanted electrodes, while others are novel to this study. These results will provide a foundation for future work to both improve and measure the effects of gene expression on the long-term stability of recordings from implanted electrodes in the brain. Ongoing work will expand on these initial observations as we gain a better understanding of the dynamic, molecular changes taking place in the brain in response to electrode implantation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Whitsitt, Q. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patel, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hunt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purcell, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.03.471147</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Spatial Transcriptomics Study of the Brain-Electrode Interface in Rat Motor Cortex]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.04.471228v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Does extracellular DNA mask microbial responses to a pulse disturbance? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.04.471228v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A major goal in microbial ecology is to predict how microbial communities will respond to global change. However, DNA-based sequencing that is intended to characterize live microbial communities includes extracellular DNA (exDNA) from non-viable cells. This could obscure relevant microbial responses, particularly to pulse disturbances which kill bacteria and have disproportionate effects on ecosystems. Here, we characterize bacterial communities before and after a drying-rewetting pulse disturbance, using an improved method for exDNA exclusion. We find that exDNA removal is important for detecting subtle yet significant changes in microbial abundance, diversity, and community composition across the disturbance. However, inclusion of exDNA did not obscure results to a large extent, only sometimes altering statistical significance but rarely changing the direction of the response or general conclusions about bacterial disturbance dynamics. Although there may be instances where exDNA removal is essential for accurate representation of microbial communities, our study suggests these scenarios will be difficult to predict a priori. Overall, we found no evidence that certain time points across the distrubance were more affected by exDNA inclusion, nor did the size or composition of exDNA pools accurately predict when exDNA would alter significance levels. However, exDNA dynamics did vary strongly across the two soil types tested.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kittredge, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dougherty, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glanville, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.04.471228</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Does extracellular DNA mask microbial responses to a pulse disturbance?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.05.471230v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Horizontal gene transfer facilitates the spread of extracellular antibiotic resistance genes in soil 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.05.471230v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are ubiquitous in the environment and pose a serious risk to human and veterinary health. While many studies focus on the spread of live antibiotic resistant bacteria throughout the environment, it is unclear whether extracellular ARGs from dead cells can transfer to live bacteria to facilitate the evolution of antibiotic resistance in nature. Here, we inoculate antibiotic-free soil with extracellular ARGs (eARGs) from dead Pseudeononas stutzeri cells and track the evolution of antibiotic resistance via natural transformation - a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer involving the genomic integration of eARGs. We find that transformation facilitates the rapid evolution of antibiotic resistance even when eARGs occur at low concentrations (0.25 g g-1 soil). However, when eARGs are abundant, transformation increases substantially. The evolution of antibiotic resistance was high under soil moistures typical in terrestrial systems (5%-30% gravimetric water content) and was only inhibited at very high soil moistures (>30%). While eARGs transformed into live cells at a low frequency, exposure to a low dose of antibiotic allowed a small number of transformants to reach high abundances in laboratory populations, suggesting even rare transformation events pose a risk to human health. Overall, this work demonstrates that dead bacteria and their eARGs are an overlooked path to antibiotic resistance, and that disinfection alone is insufficient to stop the spread of antibiotic resistance. More generally, the spread of eARGs in antibiotic-free soil suggests that transformation allows genetic variants to establish at low frequencies in the absence of antibiotic selection.

ImportanceOver the last decade, antibiotics in the environment have gained increasing attention because they can select for drug-resistant phenotypes that would have otherwise gone extinct. To counter this effect, bacterial populations exposed to antibiotics often undergo disinfection. However, the release of extracellular antibiotic resistance genes (eARGs) into the environment following disinfection can promote the transfer of eARGs through natural transformation. This phenomenon is well-documented in wastewater and drinking water, but yet to be investigated in soil. Our results directly demonstrate that eARGs from dead bacteria are an important, but often overlooked source of antibiotic resistance in soil. We conclude that disinfection alone is insufficient to prevent the spread of ARGs. Special caution should be taken in releasing antibiotics into the environment, even if there are no live antibiotic resistant bacteria in the community, as transformation allows DNA to maintain its biological activity past microbial death.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kittredge, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dougherty, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.05.471230</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Horizontal gene transfer facilitates the spread of extracellular antibiotic resistance genes in soil]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.05.471276v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Changes in natural transformation after salt adaptation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.05.471276v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The exchange of genes between potentially unrelated bacteria is termed horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and is a driving force in bacterial evolution. Natural transformation is one mechanism of HGT where extracellular DNA (eDNA) from the environment is recombined into a host genome. The widespread conservation of transformation in bacterial lineages implies there is a fitness benefit. However, the nature of these benefits and the evolutionary origins of transformation are still unknown. Here, I examine how [~]330 generations or 100 days of serial passage in either constant or increasing salinities impacts the growth rate and transformation efficiency of Pseudomonas stutzeri. While the growth rate generally improved in response to serial transfer, the transformation efficiency of the evolved lineages varied extensively, with only 39-64% of populations undergoing transformation at the end of adaptive evolution. In comparison, 100% of the ancestral populations were able to undergo natural transformation. I also found that evolving P. stutzeri with different cell lysates (or populations of dead cells) minimally affected the growth rate and transformation efficiency, especially in comparison to the pervasiveness with which transformation capacity was lost across the evolved populations. Taken together, I show that the efficiency of eDNA uptake changes over relatively rapid timescales, suggesting that transformation is an adaptive and selectable trait that could be lost in environments where it is not beneficial.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kittredge, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.05.471276</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Changes in natural transformation after salt adaptation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.07.471672v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Scalable Adaptive Protein Ensemble Refinement Integrating Flexible Fitting 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.07.471672v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have enabled modeling macromolecular complexes that are essential components of the cellular machinery. The density maps derived from cryo-EM experiments are often integrated with manual, knowledge or artificial intelligence driven, and physics-guided computational methods to build, fit, and refine molecular structures. Going beyond a single stationary-structure determination scheme, it is becoming more common to interpret the experimental data with an ensemble of models, which contributes to an average observation. Hence, there is a need to decide on the quality of an ensemble of protein structures on-the-fly, while refining them against the density maps. We introduce such an adaptive decision making scheme during the molecular dynamics flexible fitting (MDFF) of biomolecules. Using RADICAL-Cybertools, and the new RADICAL augmented MDFF implementation (R-MDFF) is examined in high-performance computing environments for refinement of two protein systems, Adenylate Kinase and Carbon Monoxide Dehy-drogenase. For the test cases, use of multiple replicas in flexible fitting with adaptive decision making in R-MDFF improves the overall correlation to the density by 40% relative to the refinements of the brute-force MDFF. The improvements are particularly significant at high, 2 - 3 [A] map resolutions. More importantly, the ensemble model captures key features of biologically relevant molecular dynamics that is inaccessible to a single-model interpretation. Finally, the pipeline is applicable to systems of growing sizes, which is demonstrated using ensemble refinement of capsid proteins from Chimpanzee adenovirus. The overhead for decision making remaining low and robust to computing environments. The software is publicly available on GitHub and includes a short user guide to install the R-MDFF on different computing environments, from local Linux based workstations to High Performance Computing (HPC) environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sarkar, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vant, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turilli, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singharoy, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.07.471672</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Scalable Adaptive Protein Ensemble Refinement Integrating Flexible Fitting]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.08.471816v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Temporal response characterization across individual multiomics profiles of prediabetic and diabetic subjects 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.08.471816v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Longitudinal deep multi-omics profiling, which combines biomolecular, physiological, environmental and clinical measures data, shows great promise for precision health. However, integrating and understanding the complexity of such data remains a big challenge. Here we propose a bottom-up framework starting from assessing single individuals multi-omics time series, and using individual responses to assess multi-individual grouping based directly on similarity of their longitudinal deep multi-omics profiles. We applied our method to individual profiles from a study profiling longitudinal responses in type 2 diabetes mellitus. After generating periodograms for individual subject omics signals, we constructed within-person omics networks and analyzed personal-level immune changes. The results showed that our method identified both individual-level responses to immune perturbation, and the clusters of individuals that have similar behaviors in immune response and which was associated to measures of their diabetic status.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zheng, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.08.471816</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Temporal response characterization across individual multiomics profiles of prediabetic and diabetic subjects]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.08.471837v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A haplotype-resolved genome assembly of the Nile rat facilitates exploration of the genetic basis of diabetes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.08.471837v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Nile rat (Avicanthis niloticus) is an important animal model for biomedical research, including the study of diurnal rhythms and type 2 diabetes. Here, we report a 2.5 Gb, chromosome-level reference genome assembly with fully resolved parental haplotypes, generated with the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP). The assembly is highly contiguous, with contig N50 of 11.1 Mb, scaffold N50 of 83 Mb, and 95.2% of the sequence assigned to chromosomes. We used a novel workflow to identify 3,613 segmental duplications and quantify duplicated genes. Comparative analyses revealed unique genomic features of the Nile rat, including those that affect genes associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunctions. These include 14 genes that are heterozygous in the Nile rat or highly diverged from the house mouse. Our findings reflect the exceptional level of genomic detail present in this assembly, which will greatly expand the potential of the Nile rat as a model organism for genetic studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Toh, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Formenti, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raja, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tracey, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chow, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howe, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bergeron, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haase, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mountcastle, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fedrigo, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fogg, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kirilenko, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munegowda, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hiller, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jain, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kihara, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhie, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Phillippy, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swanson, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clegg, D. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jarvis, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomson, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stewart, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaisson, M. J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bukhman, Y. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.08.471837</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A haplotype-resolved genome assembly of the Nile rat facilitates exploration of the genetic basis of diabetes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.12.472259v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
FLAMs: A self-replicating ex vivo model of alveolar macrophages for functional genetic studies 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.12.472259v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are tissue resident cells in the lungs derived from the fetal liver that maintain lung homeostasis and respond to inhaled stimuli. While the importance of AMs is undisputed, they remain refractory to standard experimental approaches and high-throughput functional genetics as they are challenging to isolate and rapidly lose AM properties in standard culture. This limitation hinders our understanding of key regulatory mechanisms that control AM maintenance and function. Here, we describe the development of a new model, fetal liver-derived alveolar-like macrophages (FLAMs), which maintains cellular morphologies, expression profiles, and functional mechanisms similar to murine AMs. FLAMs combine treatment with two key cytokines for AM maintenance, GM-CSF and TGF{beta}. We leveraged the long-term stability of FLAMs to develop functional genetic tools using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing. Targeted editing confirmed the role of AM-specific gene Marco and the IL-1 receptor Il1r1 in modulating the AM response to crystalline silica. Furthermore, a genome-wide knockout library using FLAMs identified novel genes required for surface expression of the AM marker Siglec-F, most notably those related to the peroxisome. Taken together, our results suggest that FLAMs are a stable, self-replicating model of AM function that enables previously impossible global genetic approaches to define the underlying mechanisms of AM maintenance and function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thomas, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wierenga, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pestka, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.12.472259</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[FLAMs: A self-replicating ex vivo model of alveolar macrophages for functional genetic studies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.12.472298v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Dual-reporter Platform for Screening Tumor-targeted Extracellular Vesicles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.12.472298v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated transfer of biomolecules plays an essential role in intercellular communication and may improve targeted drug delivery. In the past decade, various approaches to EV surface modification for targeting specific cells or tissues have been proposed, including genetic engineering of parental cells or postproduction EV engineering. However, due to technical limitations, targeting moieties of engineered EVs have not been thoroughly characterized. Here, we report the bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) EV reporter, PalmReNL-based dual-reporter platform for characterizing the cellular uptake of tumor homing peptide (THP)-engineered EVs, targeting PDL1, uPAR, or EGFR proteins expressed in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, simultaneously by bioluminescence measurement and fluorescence microscopy. Bioluminescence analysis of cellular EV uptake revealed the highest binding efficiency of uPAR-targeted EVs, whereas PDL1-targeted EVs showed slower cellular uptake. EVs engineered with two known EGFR-binding peptides via lipid nanoprobes did not increase cellular uptake, indicating that designs of EGFR-binding peptide conjugation to the EV surface are critical for functional EV engineering. Fluorescence analysis of cellular EV uptake allowed us to track individual PalmReNL-EVs bearing THPs in recipient cells. These results demonstrate that the PalmReNL-based EV assay platform can be a foundation for high-throughput screening of tumor-targeted EVs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kanada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Linenfelser, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.12.472298</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Dual-reporter Platform for Screening Tumor-targeted Extracellular Vesicles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.14.472627v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Clustering and visualization of single-cell RNA-seq data using path metrics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.14.472627v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recent advances in single-cell technologies have enabled high-resolution characterization of tissue and cancer compositions. Although numerous tools for dimension reduction and clustering are available for single-cell data analyses, these methods often fail to simultaneously preserve local cluster structure and global data geometry. To address these challenges, we developed a novel analyses framework, Single-Cell Path Metrics Profiling (scPMP), using power-weighted path metrics, which measure distances between cells in a data-driven way. Unlike Euclidean distance and other commonly used distance metrics, path metrics are density sensitive and respect the underlying data geometry. By combining path metrics with multidimensional scaling, a low dimensional embedding of the data is obtained which preserves both the global data geometry and cluster structure. We evaluate the method both for clustering quality and geometric fidelity, and it outperforms current scRNAseq clustering algorithms on a wide range of benchmarking data sets.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Manousidaki, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Little, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.14.472627</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Clustering and visualization of single-cell RNA-seq data using path metrics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.14.472664v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Linnemannia elongata (Mortierellaceae) stimulates Arabidopsis thaliana aerial growth and responses to auxin, ethylene, and reactive oxygen species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.14.472664v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Harnessing the plant microbiome has the potential to improve agricultural yields and protect plants against pathogens and/or abiotic stresses, while also relieving economic and environmental costs of crop production. While previous studies have gained valuable insights into the underlying genetics facilitating plant-fungal interactions, these have largely been skewed towards certain fungal clades (e.g. arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi). Several different phyla of fungi have been shown to positively impact plant growth rates, including Mortierellaceae fungi. However, the extent of the plant growth promotion (PGP) phenotype(s), their underlying mechanism(s), and the impact of bacterial endosymbionts on fungal-plant interactions remain poorly understood for Mortierellaceae. In this study, we focused on the symbiosis between soil fungus Linnemannia elongata (Mortierellaceae) and Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae), as both organisms have high-quality reference genomes and transcriptomes available, and their lifestyles and growth requirements are conducive to research conditions. Further, L. elongata can host bacterial endosymbionts related to Mollicutes and Burkholderia. The role of these endobacteria on facilitating fungal-plant associations, including potentially further promoting plant growth, remains completely unexplored. We measured Arabidopsis aerial growth at early and late life stages, seed production, and used mRNA sequencing to characterize differentially expressed plant genes in response to fungal inoculation with and without bacterial endosymbionts. We found that L. elongata improved aerial plant growth, seed mass and altered the plant transcriptome, including the upregulation of genes involved in plant hormones and "response to oxidative stress", "defense response to bacterium", and "defense response to fungus". Furthermore, the expression of genes in certain phytohormone biosynthetic pathways were found to be modified in plants treated with L. elongata. Notably, the presence of Mollicutes- or Burkholderia-related endosymbionts in Linnemannia did not impact the expression of genes in Arabidopsis or overall growth rates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vandepol, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liber, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matlock, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.14.472664</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Linnemannia elongata (Mortierellaceae) stimulates Arabidopsis thaliana aerial growth and responses to auxin, ethylene, and reactive oxygen species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.29.474457v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Effects of periodic bottlenecks on the dynamics of adaptive evolution in microbial populations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.29.474457v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Population bottlenecks are common in nature, and they can impact the rate of adaptation in evolving populations. On the one hand, each bottleneck reduces the genetic variation that fuels adaptation. On the other hand, each founder that survives a bottleneck can undergo more generations and leave more descendants in a resource-limited environment, which allows surviving beneficial mutations to spread more quickly. A theoretical model predicted that the rate of fitness gains should be maximized using [~]8-fold dilutions. Here we investigate the impact of repeated bottlenecks on the dynamics of adaptation using numerical simulations and experimental populations of Escherichia coli. Our simulations confirm the models prediction when populations evolve in a regime where beneficial mutations are rare and waiting times between successful mutations are long. However, more extreme dilutions maximize fitness gains in simulations when beneficial mutations are common and clonal interference prevents most of them from fixing. To examine the simulations predictions, we propagated 48 E. coli populations with 2-, 8-, 100-, and 1000-fold dilutions for 150 days. Adaptation began earlier and fitness gains were greater with 100- and 1000-fold dilutions than with 8-fold dilutions, consistent with the simulations when beneficial mutations are common. However, the selection pressures in the 2-fold treatment were qualitatively different from the other treatments, violating a critical assumption of the model and simulations. Thus, varying the dilution factor during periodic bottlenecks can have multiple effects on the dynamics of adaptation caused by differential losses of diversity, different numbers of generations, and altered selection.

SignificanceMany microorganisms experience population bottlenecks during transmission between hosts or when propagated in the laboratory. These bottlenecks reduce genetic diversity, potentially impeding natural selection. However, bottlenecks can also increase the number of generations over which selection acts, potentially accelerating adaptation. We explored this tension by performing simulations that reflect these opposing factors, and by evolving bacterial populations under several dilution treatments. The simulations show that the dilution factor that maximizes the rate of adaptation depends critically on the rate of beneficial mutations. On balance, the simulations agree well with our experimental results, which imply a high rate of beneficial mutation that generates intense competition between mutant lineages.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Izutsu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lake, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matson, Z. W. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dodson, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2021-12-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.29.474457</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Effects of periodic bottlenecks on the dynamics of adaptive evolution in microbial populations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2021-12-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.31.474651v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Northward Expansion of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) into Southern Michigan 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.31.474651v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus) (Acari: Ixodidae) (lone star tick) is an aggressive, generalist parasite that vectors numerous important human and animal pathogens. In recent decades its geographic range has expanded northwards from endemic regions in the southeastern and southcentral US. In 2019 five questing A. americanum comprising two life stages were detected at one site in Berrien County, in southwestern Michigan, satisfying one CDC criterium for an established population for the first time in the state. To better characterize the northern extent of emerging A. americanum, we conducted active surveillance (i.e., drag sampling) in summer 2020 throughout Michigans southern counties and detected one adult A. americanum from each of six widespread sites, including where they had been detected in 2019. A larger established population was identified at another site in Berrien County, which yielded 691 A. americanum comprising three life stages. Questing tick phenologies at this site were similar to that reported for other regions. Statewide surveillance in 2021 revealed no A. americanum outside of Berrien County, but establishment criteria were met again at the two sites where established populations were first detected respectively in 2019 and 2020. These observations may represent the initial successful invasion of A. americanum into Michigan. Data from passive (1999-2020) and active surveillance (2004-2021) efforts, including a domestic animal sentinel program (2015-2018), are reported to provide context for this nascent invasion. Continued active surveillance is needed to help inform the public, medical professionals, and public health officials of the health risks associated with this vector.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fowler, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyentran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quantroche, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kobbekaduwa, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tippin, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dinh, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Foster, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsao, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2021.12.31.474651</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Northward Expansion of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) into Southern Michigan]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.01.474715v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Development, Structure, and Mechanism of Synthetic Antibodies that Target Claudin and Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin Complexes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.01.474715v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Strains of the Gram-positive bacterium Clostridium perfringens produce a two-domain enterotoxin (CpE) that afflict millions of humans and domesticated animals annually by causing prevalent gastrointestinal illnesses. CpEs C-terminal domain (cCpE) binds cell surface receptors then its N-terminal domain restructures to form a membrane-penetrating {beta}-barrel pore, which is toxic to epithelial cells of the gut. The claudin family of membrane proteins are the receptors for CpE, and also control the architecture and function of cell/cell contacts called tight junctions that create barriers to intercellular transport of solutes. CpE binding disables claudin and tight junction assembly and induces cytotoxicity via {beta}-pore formation, disrupting gut homeostasis. Here, we aimed to develop probes of claudin/CpE assembly using a phage display library encoding synthetic antigen-binding fragments (sFabs) and discovered two that bound complexes between human claudin-4 and cCpE. We established each sFabs unique modes of molecular recognition, their binding affinities and kinetics, and determined structures for each sFab bound to ~35 kDa claudin-4/cCpE in three-protein comprised complexes using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM). The structures reveal a recognition epitope common to both sFabs but also that each sFab distinctly conforms to bind their antigen, which explain their unique binding equilibria. Mutagenesis of antigen/sFab interfaces observed therein result in further binding changes. Together, these findings validate the structures and uncover the mechanism of targeting claudin-4/cCpE complexes by these sFabs. Based on these structural insights we generate a model for CpEs cytotoxic claudin-bound {beta}-pore that predicted that these two sFabs would not prevent CpE cytotoxicity, which we verify in vivo with a cell-based assay. This work demonstrates the development and targeting mechanisms of sFabs against claudin/cCpE that enable rapid structural elucidation of these small membrane protein complexes using a cryoEM workflow. It further provides a structure-based framework and therapeutic strategies for utilizing these sFabs as molecular templates to target claudin/CpE assemblies, obstruct CpE cytotoxicity, and treat CpE-linked gastrointestinal diseases that cause substantial economic and quality of life losses throughout the world.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Orlando, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dominik, P. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roy, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ogbu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erramilli, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kossiakoff, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vecchio, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.01.474715</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Development, Structure, and Mechanism of Synthetic Antibodies that Target Claudin and Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin Complexes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.03.474831v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The last missing piece of the Triangle of U: the evolution of the tetraploid Brassica carinata genome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.03.474831v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) is an ancient crop with significant potential for expanded cultivation as a biodiesel feedstock. The remarkable stress resilience of B. carinata and desirable seed fatty acid profile addresses the ongoing food vs. fuel debate as the crop is productive on marginal lands otherwise not suitable for even closely related species. B. carinata is one of six key Brassica spp. that share three major genomes: three diploid species (AA, BB, CC) that spontaneously hybridized in a pairwise manner, forming three allotetraploid species (AABB, AACC, and BBCC). Each of these genomes has been researched extensively, except for that of B. carinata. In the present study, we report a high-quality, 1.31 Gbp genome with 156.9-fold sequencing coverage for B. carinata var. Gomenzer, completing and confirming the classic Triangle of U, a theory of the evolutionary relationships among these six species that arose almost a century ago. Our assembly provides insights into the genomic features that give rise to B. carinatas superior agronomic traits for developing more climate-resilient Brassica crops with excellent oil production. Notably, we identified an expansion of transcription factor networks and agronomically-important gene families. Completing the Triangle of U comparative genomics platform allowed us to examine the dynamics of polyploid evolution and the role of subgenome dominance in domestication and agronomical improvement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yim, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swain, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>An, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Curdie, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ham, H. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luzuriaga-Neira, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kirkwood, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hur, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Solomon, J. K. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harper, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kosma, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alvarez-Ponce, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cushman, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mason, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.03.474831</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The last missing piece of the Triangle of U: the evolution of the tetraploid Brassica carinata genome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.04.474959v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The generation of a Nutm1 knock-in reporter mouse line for imaging post-meiotic spermatogenesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.04.474959v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spermiogenesis, the post-meiotic stage of sperm development, is critical for normal male fertility. Many genetic defects and environmental assaults that affect spermiogenesis have been shown to be associated with male infertility. In addition, this later stage of spermatogenesis has been proposed to be an ideal target for male contraceptive development. The mouse is a widely used model for studying the mechanisms of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis. However, due to the complexity and the asynchronous nature of spermatogenesis in adult testis, it is challenging to study molecular processes restricted to this specific developmental stage. It is also challenging to monitor the spermiogenesic activity in live mice, which is critical for screening for fertility-modulating interventions such as contraceptives. Here we reported the development of a Nutm1-T2A-luciferase 2(Luc2)-tandem Tomato(TdTomato) knock-in reporter mouse model that specifically labels post-meiotic spermatids. Homozygous reporter mice are healthy and fully fertile, demonstrating no interference with the normal functions of the Nutm1 gene by the reporter. We demonstrated the visualization of post-meiotic spermatids by fluorescent imaging of the TdTomato reporter in both live and fixed testis tissues. We also demonstrated bioluminescence imaging of Nutm1 expressing cells in live mice. The Nutm1-T2A-Luc2TdTomato reporter mouse can serve as a valuable tool for studying spermiogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hakun, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rossant, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.04.474959</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The generation of a Nutm1 knock-in reporter mouse line for imaging post-meiotic spermatogenesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.12.475924v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sex-specific evolution of a Drosophila sensory system via interacting cis- and trans-regulatory changes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.12.475924v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The evolution of gene expression via cis-regulatory changes is well established as a major driver of phenotypic evolution. However, relatively little is known about the influence of enhancer architecture and intergenic interactions on regulatory evolution. We address this question by examining chemosensory system evolution in Drosophila. D. prolongata males show a massively increased number of chemosensory bristles compared to females and males of sibling species. This increase is driven by sex-specific transformation of ancestrally mechanosensory organs. Consistent with this phenotype, the Pox neuro transcription factor (Poxn), which specifies chemosensory bristle identity, shows expanded expression in D. prolongata males. Poxn expression is controlled by non-additive interactions among widely dispersed enhancers. Although some D. prolongata Poxn enhancers show increased activity, the additive component of this increase is slight, suggesting most changes in Poxn expression are due to epistatic interactions between Poxn enhancers and trans-regulatory factors. Indeed, the expansion of D. prolongata Poxn enhancer activity is only observed in cells that express doublesex (dsx), the gene that controls sexual differentiation in Drosophila and also shows increased expression in D. prolongata males due to cis-regulatory changes. Although expanded dsx expression may contribute to increased activity of D. prolongata Poxn enhancers, this interaction is not sufficient to explain the full expansion of Poxn expression, suggesting that cis-trans interactions between Poxn, dsx, and additional unknown genes are necessary to produce the derived D. prolongata phenotype. Overall, our results demonstrate the importance of epistatic gene interactions for evolution, particularly when pivotal genes have complex regulatory architecture.

Research HighlightsIn Drosophila prolongata males, many mechanosensory organs are transformed into chemosensory. This is due in part to interacting regulatory changes in Poxn, which controls chemosensory organ development, and dsx, which controls sexual differentiation.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=194 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/475924v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (65K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b5b5borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@ac2ceorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7b6db0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@15e4c6b_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Luecke, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rice, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kopp, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.12.475924</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sex-specific evolution of a Drosophila sensory system via interacting cis- and trans-regulatory changes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.13.476100v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rapid and specific degradation of endogenous proteins in mouse models using auxin-inducible degrons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.13.476100v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Auxin-inducible degrons are a chemical genetic tool for targeted protein degradation and are widely used to study protein function in cultured mammalian cells. Here, we develop CRISPR-engineered mouse lines that enable rapid and highly specific degradation of tagged endogenous proteins in vivo. Most but not all cell types are competent for degradation. Using mouse genetics, we show that degradation kinetics depend upon the dose of the tagged protein, ligand, and the E3 ligase subunit Tir1. Rapid degradation of condensin I and condensin II - two essential regulators of mitotic chromosome structure - revealed that both complexes are individually required for cell division in precursor lymphocytes, but not in their differentiated peripheral lymphocyte derivatives. This generalisable approach provides unprecedented temporal control over the dose of endogenous proteins in mouse models, with implications for studying essential biological pathways and modelling drug activity in mammalian tissues.

HighlightsO_LIAuxin-inducible degradation of endogenously tagged proteins in living mice and a range of primary cells.
C_LIO_LIMost but not all cell types are competent for degradation
C_LIO_LIDosage of the tagged protein, E3 ligase substrate receptor and ligand can all determine degradation kinetics
C_LIO_LIRapid degradation of condensin subunits in lymphocytes reveals stage-specific requirements during cell division
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Macdonald, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, G. C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brisbane, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christodoulou, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Von Kriegsheim, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rossant, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.13.476100</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rapid and specific degradation of endogenous proteins in mouse models using auxin-inducible degrons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.14.475290v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Coupled abiotic-biotic cycling of nitrous oxide in tropical peatlands 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.14.475290v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas thought to be mainly derived from microbial metabolism as part of the denitrification pathway. Here, we report that in unexplored peat soils of Central and South America, N2O production can be driven by abiotic reactions ([&le;] 98 %) highly competitive to their enzymatic counterparts. Extracted soil iron positively correlated with in-situ abiotic N2O production determined by isotopic tracers. Moreover, we found that microbial N2O reduction accompanied abiotic production, essentially closing a coupled abiotic-biotic N2O cycle. Anaerobic N2O consumption occurred ubiquitously (pH 6.4-3.7), with proportions of diverse clade II N2O-reducers increasing with consumption rates. Our findings show denitrification in tropical peat soils is not a purely biological process, but rather a "mosaic" of abiotic and biotic reduction reactions. We predict hydrological and temperature fluctuations differentially affect abiotic and biotic drivers and further contribute to the high N2O flux variation in the region.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Buessecker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarno, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reynolds, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chavan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fontanez Ortiz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez-Castillo, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panduro Pisco, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Urquiza-Munoz, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reis, L. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferreira-Ferreira, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Furtunato Maia, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holbert, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Penton, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hall, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghandi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boechat, I. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guecker, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ostrom, N. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cadillo-Quiroz, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.14.475290</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Coupled abiotic-biotic cycling of nitrous oxide in tropical peatlands]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.19.476965v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Neural hyperactivity is a core pathophysiological change induced by deletion of an autism risk gene Ash1l in the mouse brain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.19.476965v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease associated with various gene mutations. Previous genetic and clinical studies report that mutations of the epigenetic gene ASH1L are highly associated with human ASD and intellectual disability (ID). Recent studies demonstrate that loss of Ash1l in the mouse brain is sufficient to induce ASD/ID-like behavioral and cognitive memory deficits, suggesting that disruptive ASH1L mutations are likely to be the causative driver leading to the ASD/ID pathogenesis in human patients. However, the brain pathophysiological changes underlying the Ash1l-deletion-induced ASD/ID-like behavioral and memory deficits remain unknown. Here we show loss of Ash1l in the mouse brain causes locomotor hyperactivity and higher metabolic rates . In addition, the mutant mice display lower thresholds for the convulsant reagent-induced epilepsy and increased neuronal activities in broad brain areas. Thus, our current study reveals that neural hyperactivity is a core pathophysiological change in the Ash1l-deficient mouse brain, which provides a brain-level basis for further studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the Ash1l-deletion-induced ASD/ID pathogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljazi, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.19.476965</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Neural hyperactivity is a core pathophysiological change induced by deletion of an autism risk gene Ash1l in the mouse brain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.19.476972v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Longitudinal Morphological and Functional Characterization of Human Heart Organoids Using Optical Coherence Tomography 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.19.476972v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Organoids play an increasingly important role as in vitro models for studying organ development, disease mechanisms, and drug discovery. Organoids are self-organizing, organ-like three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures developing organ-specific cell types and functions. Recently, three groups independently developed self-assembling human heart organoids (hHOs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). In this study, we utilized a customized spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) system to characterize the growth of hHOs. Development of chamber structures and beating patterns of the hHOs were observed via OCT and calcium imaging. We demonstrated the capability of OCT to produce 3D images in a fast, label-free, and non-destructive manner. The hHOs formed cavities of various sizes, and complex interconnections were observed as early as on day 4 of differentiation. The hHOs models and the OCT imaging system showed promising insights as an in vitro platform for investigating heart development and disease mechanisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ming, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hao, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goestenkors, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewis-Israeli, Y. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Volmert, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.19.476972</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Longitudinal Morphological and Functional Characterization of Human Heart Organoids Using Optical Coherence Tomography]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.19.476994v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Novel Internalin P homologs in Listeria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.19.476994v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis in immunocompromised individuals, particularly pregnant women. Several virulence factors support the intracellular lifecycle of Lm and facilitate cell-to-cell spread, allowing it to occupy multiple niches within the host and cross protective barriers, including the placenta. One family of virulence factors, internalins, contributes to Lm pathogenicity by inducing specific uptake and conferring tissue tropism. Over 25 internalins have been identified thus far, but only a few have been extensively studied. Internalins contain leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains which enable protein-protein interactions, allowing Lm to bind host proteins. Notably, other Listeria species express internalins but cannot colonize human hosts, prompting questions regarding the evolution of internalins within the genus Listeria. Internalin P (InlP) promotes placental colonization through interaction with the host protein afadin. Though prior studies of InlP have begun to elucidate its role in Lm pathogenesis, there remains a lack of information regarding homologs in other Listeria species. Here, we have used a computational evolutionary approach to identify InlP homologs in additional Listeria species. We found that L. ivanovii londoniensis (Liv) and L. seeligeri (Ls) encode InlP homologs. We also found InlP-like homologs in L. innocua and the recently identified species L. costaricensis. All newly identified homologs lack the full-length LRR6 and LRR7 domains found in Lms InlP. These findings inform on the evolution of one key Lm virulence factor, InlP, and serve as a springboard for future evolutionary studies of Lm pathogenesis as well as mechanistic studies of Listeria internalins.

Impact StatementThe intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes can breach protective barriers in the pregnant host, allowing for the colonization of the placenta in pregnant women and resulting in numerous adverse pregnancy outcomes. Previous studies aimed at delineating the mechanisms behind placental colonization of L. monocytogenes identified a key virulence factor, internalin P (InlP). The internalin family of proteins has been studied extensively due to their conservation in the Listeria genus and their contribution to virulence and pathogenicity in L. monocytogenes. Still, many questions remain regarding the evolution of internalins and their potential roles in non-pathogenic Listeria. Our work addresses this gap in knowledge by 1) identifying additional InlP homologs in Listeria, including L. ivanovii, L. seeligeri, L. innocua, and L. costaricensis, and 2) characterizing these homologs using computational evolutionary methods to compare their primary sequences, domain architectures, and structural models. Together, our findings contribute to the field by providing insights into the evolution of one key member of the internalin family as well as serving as a catalyst for future studies of InlP and its role in Listeria pathogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Conner, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burke, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardy, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.19.476994</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Novel Internalin P homologs in Listeria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.20.476992v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Additive genetic effects in interacting species jointly determine the outcome of caterpillar herbivory 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.20.476992v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant-insect interactions are common and important in basic and applied biology. Trait and genetic variation can affect the outcome and evolution of these interactions, but the relative contributions of plant and insect genetic variation and how these interact remain unclear and are rarely subject to assessment in the same experimental context. Here we address this knowledge gap using a recent host range expansion onto alfalfa by the Melissa blue butterfly. Common garden rearing experiments and genomic data show that caterpillar performance depends on plant and insect genetic variation, with insect genetics contributing to performance earlier in development and plant genetics later. Our models of performance based on caterpillar genetics retained predictive power when applied to a second common garden. Much of the plant genetic effect could be explained by heritable variation in plant phytochemicals, especially saponins, peptides, and phosphatidyl cholines, providing a mechanistic understanding of variation in the species interaction. We find evidence of polygenic, mostly additive effects within and between species, with consistent effects of plant genotype on growth and development across multiple butterfly species. Our results inform theories of plant-insect coevolution and the evolution of diet breadth in herbivorous insects and other host-specific parasites.

Teaser summaryThe combined, additive effects of plant and insect genetic variation explain Melissa blue caterpillar growth and development on alfalfa plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gompert, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saley, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Philbin, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoon, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perry, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sneck, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harrison, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buerkle, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fordyce, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nice, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dodson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lebeis, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lucas, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Forister, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.20.476992</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Additive genetic effects in interacting species jointly determine the outcome of caterpillar herbivory]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.23.477406v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Alternative Assembly of Qβ Virus Like Particles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.23.477406v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Q{beta} virus like particles (VLPs) are versatile platforms for grafting functional groups for vaccine development. The structure of Q{beta} VLPs at atomic detail are critical for design of more effective vaccines. While the structures of native Q{beta} VLPs have been determined previously, the structure of VLPs assembled from a recombinantly expressed Q{beta} coat protein, which are extensively used as platforms have not been studied. We sought to determine the crystal structures of VLPs assembled from recombinantly expressed Q{beta} coat protein of wild type and two mutants: A38K and A38K/A40C/D102C. The structures of Q{beta} VLPs assembled from recombinantly expressed Q{beta} coat proteins showed that VLPs can be assembled both in T=1 and T=3 symmetry.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jin, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shaw, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sungsuwan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McFall-Boegeman, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.23.477406</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Alternative Assembly of Qβ Virus Like Particles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.24.477600v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A murine Wac model exhibits phenotypes relevant to DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.24.477600v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Several monogenic syndromes are associated with neurodevelopmental changes that result in cognitive impairments, including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and seizures. Limited studies and resources are available to make meaningful headway into the underlying mechanisms that result in these symptoms. One such example, DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome (DESSH), is a rare disorder caused by mutations in the WAC gene. Those diagnosed with DESSH experience craniofacial alterations as well as cognitive symptoms that include autism, ADHD and seizures. However, no thorough studies from a mammalian model exist to understand how these changes occur. To overcome this, we generated constitutive murine Wac mutants and assessed phenotypes that are relevant to humans diagnosed with DESSH. Wac mutants have craniofacial, anatomical, behavioral and seizure susceptibility that are relevant to DESSH; this new model is suited to study some of the core symptoms of DESSH and the biology of Wac.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pacheco-Vergara, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhl, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jager, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeong, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.24.477600</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A murine Wac model exhibits phenotypes relevant to DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.24.477630v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
DciA helicase operators exhibit diversity across bacterial phyla 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.24.477630v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A fundamental requirement for life is the replication of an organisms DNA. Studies in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis have set the paradigm for DNA replication in bacteria. During replication initiation in E. coli and B. subtilis, the replicative helicase is loaded onto the DNA at the origin of replication by an ATPase helicase loader. However, most bacteria do not encode homologs to the helicase loaders in E. coli and B. subtilis. Recent work has identified the DciA protein as a predicted helicase operator that may perform a function analogous to the helicase loaders in E. coli and B. subtilis. DciA proteins, which are defined by the presence of a DUF721 domain (termed the DciA domain herein), are conserved in most bacteria but have only been studied in mycobacteria and {gamma}-proteobacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio cholerae). Sequences outside of the DciA domain in Mycobacterium tuberculosis DciA are essential for protein function but are not conserved in the P. aeruginosa and V. cholerae homologs, raising questions regarding the conservation and evolution of DciA proteins across bacterial phyla. To comprehensively define the DciA protein family, we took a computational evolutionary approach and analyzed domain architectures and sequence properties of DciA-domain containing proteins across the tree of life. These analyses identified lineage-specific domain architectures amongst DciA homologs as well as broadly conserved sequence-structural motifs. The diversity of DciA proteins represents the evolution of helicase operation in bacterial DNA replication and highlights the need for phylum-specific analyses of this fundamental biological process.

IMPORTANCEDespite the fundamental importance of DNA replication for life, this process remains understudied in bacteria outside of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. In particular, most bacteria do not encode the helicase loading proteins that are essential in E. coli and B. subtilis for DNA replication. Instead, most bacteria encode a DciA homolog that likely constitutes the predominant mechanism of helicase operation in bacteria. However, it is still unknown how DciA structure and function compare across diverse phyla that encode DciA proteins. In this study, we perform computational evolutionary analyses to uncover tremendous diversity amongst DciA homologs. These studies provide a significant advance in our understanding of an essential component of the bacterial DNA replication machinery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Blaine, H. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burke, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stallings, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.24.477630</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[DciA helicase operators exhibit diversity across bacterial phyla]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.25.477282v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Metabolic strategies shared by basement residents of the Lost City hydrothermal field 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.25.477282v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Alkaline fluids venting from chimneys of the Lost City hydrothermal field flow from a potentially vast microbial habitat within the seafloor where energy and organic molecules are released by chemical reactions within rocks uplifted from Earths mantle. In this study, we investigated hydrothermal fluids venting from Lost City chimneys as windows into subseafloor environments where the products of geochemical reactions, such as hydrogen (H2), formate, and methane, may be the only available sources of energy for biological activity. Our deep sequencing of metagenomes and metatranscriptomes from these hydrothermal fluids revealed a few key species of archaea and bacteria that are likely to play critical roles in the subseafloor microbial ecosystem. We identified a population of Thermodesulfovibrionales (belonging to phylum Nitrospirae) as a prevalent sulfate-reducing bacterium that may be responsible for much of the consumption of H2 and sulfate in Lost City fluids. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) classified as Methanosarcinaceae and Candidatus Bipolaricaulota were also recovered from venting fluids and represent potential methanogenic and acetogenic members of the subseafloor ecosystem. These genomes share novel hydrogenases and formate dehydrogenase-like sequences that may be unique to hydrothermal and subsurface alkaline environments where hydrogen and formate are much more abundant than carbon dioxide. The results of this study include multiple examples of metabolic strategies that appear to be advantageous in hydrothermal and subsurface environments where energy and carbon are provided by geochemical reactions.

IMPORTANCEThe Lost City hydrothermal field is an iconic example of a microbial ecosystem fueled by energy and carbon from Earths mantle. Uplift of mantle rocks into the seafloor can trigger a process known as serpentinization that releases hydrogen and creates unusual environmental conditions where simple organic carbon molecules are more stable than dissolved inorganic carbon. This study provides an initial glimpse into the kinds of microbes that live deep within the seafloor where serpentinization takes place, by sampling hydrothermal fluids exiting from the Lost City chimneys. The metabolic strategies that these microbes appear to be using are also shared by microbes that inhabit other sites of serpentinization, including continental subsurface environments and natural springs. Therefore, the results of this study contribute to a broader, interdisciplinary effort to understand the general principles and mechanisms by which serpentinization-associated processes can support life on Earth and perhaps other worlds.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Brazelton, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGonigle, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Motamedi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pendleton, H. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Twing, K. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowe, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoffman, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prator, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chadwick, G. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Butterfield, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aquino, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Früh-Green, G. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schrenk, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lang, S. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.25.477282</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Metabolic strategies shared by basement residents of the Lost City hydrothermal field]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.28.478172v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Compartment-specific energy requirements of photosynthetic carbon metabolism in Camelina sativa leaves 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.28.478172v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Detailed knowledge about plant energy metabolism may aid crop improvements. Using published estimates of flux through central carbon metabolism, we phenotype energy metabolism in illuminated Camelina sativa leaves (grown at 22 {degrees}C, 500 mol photons m-2 s-1) and report several findings. First, the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OPPP) transfers 3.3% of the NADPH consumed in the Calvin-Benson cycle to the cytosol. NADPH supply proceeds at about 10% of the rate of net carbon assimilation. However, concomitantly respired CO2 accounts for 4.8% of total rubisco activity. Hence, 4.8% of the flux through the Calvin-Benson cycle and photorespiration is spent on supplying cytosolic NADPH, a significant investment. Associated energy requirements exceed the energy output of the OPPP. Thus, autotrophic carbon metabolism is not simply optimised for flux into carbon sinks but sacrifices carbon and energy use efficiency to support cytosolic energy metabolism. To reduce these costs, we suggest bioengineering plants with a repressed cytosolic OPPP, and an inserted cytosolic NADPH-dependent malate dehydrogenase tuned to compensate for the loss in OPPP activity (if required). Second, sucrose cycling is a minor investment in overall leaf energy metabolism but a significant investment in cytosolic energy metabolism. Third, leaf energy balancing strictly requires oxidative phosphorylation, cofactor export from chloroplasts, and peroxisomal NADH import. Fourth, mitochondria are energetically self-sufficient. Fifth, carbon metabolism has an ATP/NADPH demand ratio of 1.52 which is met if [&le;]21.7% of whole electron flux is cyclic. Sixth, electron transport has a photon use efficiency of [&ge;]62%. Lastly, we discuss interactions between the OPPP and the cytosolic oxidation-reduction cycle in supplying leaf cytosolic NADPH.

Main ConclusionThe oxidative pentose phosphate pathway provides cytosolic NADPH yet reduces carbon and energy use efficiency. Repressing this pathway and introducing cytosolic NADPH-dependent malate dehydrogenase may increase crop yields by {approx}5%.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wieloch, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.28.478172</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Compartment-specific energy requirements of photosynthetic carbon metabolism in Camelina sativa leaves]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.28.478206v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Feedback in the β-catenin destruction complex imparts bistability and cellular memory 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.28.478206v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Wnt ligands are considered classical morphogens, for which the strength of the cellular response is proportional to the concentration of the ligand. Herein, we show an emergent property of bistability arising from feedback among the Wnt destruction complex proteins that target the key transcriptional co-activator {beta}-catenin for degradation. Using biochemical reconstitution, we identified positive feedback between the scaffold protein Axin and the kinase GSK3. Theoretical modeling of this feedback between Axin and GSK3 predicted that the activity of the destruction complex exhibits bistable behavior. We experimentally confirmed these predictions by demonstrating that cellular cytoplasmic {beta}-catenin concentrations exhibit an "all-or-none" response with sustained memory (hysteresis) of the signaling input. This bistable behavior was transformed into a graded response and memory was lost through inhibition of GSK3. These findings provide a mechanism for establishing decisive, switch-like cellular response and memory upon Wnt pathway stimulation.

One Sentence SummaryPositive feedback within the {beta}-catenin destruction complex gives rise to bistability and memory in response to Wnt stimulation, imparting signal transduction accuracy and insulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cantoria, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alizadeh, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bunnag, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kettenbach, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmed, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paek, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tyson, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doubrovinski, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorne, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.28.478206</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Feedback in the β-catenin destruction complex imparts bistability and cellular memory]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.29.478336v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The grapevine leaves that are (or were) not: constraints on leaf development and choosing to see what seemingly is not 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.29.478336v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Using conventional statistical approaches there exist powerful methods to classify shapes. Embedded in morphospaces is information that allows us to visualize theoretical leaves. These unmeasured leaves are never considered nor how the negative morphospace can inform us about the forces responsible for shaping leaf morphology. Here, we model leaf shape using an allometric indicator of leaf size, the ratio of vein to blade areas. The borders of the observable morphospace are restricted by constraints and define an orthogonal grid of developmental and evolutionary effects which can predict the shapes of possible grapevine leaves. Leaves in the genus Vitis are found to fully occupy morphospace available to them. From this morphospace we predict the developmental and evolutionary shapes of grapevine leaves that are not only possible, but exist, and argue that rather than explaining leaf shape in terms of discrete nodes or species, that a continuous model is more appropriate.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mullins, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-01-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.01.29.478336</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The grapevine leaves that are (or were) not: constraints on leaf development and choosing to see what seemingly is not]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-01-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.03.479030v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Coexistence between similar invaders: The case of two cosmopolitan exotic insects 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.03.479030v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biological invasions are usually examined in the context of their impacts on native species. However, few studies have examined the dynamics between invaders when multiple exotic species successfully coexist in a novel environment. Yet, long-term coexistence of now established exotic species has been observed in North American lady beetle communities. Exotic lady beetles Harmonia axyridis and Coccinella septempunctata were introduced for biological control in agricultural systems and have since become dominant species within these communities. In this study, we investigated coexistence via spatial and temporal niche partitioning among H. axyridis and C. septempunctata using a 31-year dataset from southwestern Michigan, USA. We found evidence of long-term coexistence through a combination of small-scale environmental, habitat, and seasonal mechanisms. Across years, H. axyridis and C. septempunctata experienced patterns of cyclical dominance likely related to yearly variation in temperature and precipitation. Within years, populations of C. septempunctata peaked early in the growing season at 550 degree days, while H. axyridis populations grew in the season until 1250 degree days, and continued to have high activity after this point. Coccinella septempunctata was generally most abundant in herbaceous crops, whereas H. axyridis did not display strong habitat preferences. These findings suggest that within this region H. axyridis has broader habitat and abiotic environmental preferences, while C. septempunctata thrives under more specific ecological conditions. These ecological differences have contributed to the continued coexistence among these two invaders. Understanding mechanisms that allow coexistence of dominant exotic species contributes to native biodiversity conservation management of invaded ecosystems.

Open research statementData are already published and publicly available, with those items properly cited in this submission. This submission uses novel code, which is provided, per our requirements, in an external repository to made available in perpetuity, and are available at https://github.com/ReproducibleQM/space_invader. Data sets utilized for this research (Landis 2020) are housed at EDI here: https://portal.edirepository.org/nis/mapbrowse?packageid=knb-lter-kbs.23.30 (doi:10.6073/pasta/f0776c1574808b08c484c1f7645a7357). Weather data was downloaded directly from the Kellogg Biological Station data repository (https://lter.kbs.msu.edu/datatables/7) and downloading the full record. An archival record of these data are available at https://portal.edirepository.org/nis/mapbrowse?packageid=knb-lter-kbs.2.107 (doi:10.6073/pasta/4c30523bae14c4340e4d9c90e72f90c4). Because both databases are  living and subject to update as data is collected, databases as used within this study are mirrored within the code repository as CSV files.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Arnold, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Back, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crowell, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farooq, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghimire, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Obarein, O. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smart, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taucher, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanderJeugdt, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perry, K. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Landis, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahlai, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.03.479030</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Coexistence between similar invaders: The case of two cosmopolitan exotic insects]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.04.479193v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CRSP: Comparative RNA-seq pipeline for species lacking both of sequenced genomes and reference transcripts 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.04.479193v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has been a widely used high-throughput method to characterize transcriptomic dynamics spatiotemporally. However, typical RNA-seq data analysis pipelines depend on either a sequenced genome or corresponding reference transcripts or them both. This restriction makes the use of RNA-seq for species lacking both of sequenced genomes and corresponding reference transcripts challenging. Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus) is a diurnal rodent species with several unique characteristics making it as a useful model to study diet-induced type 2 diabetes and other physiological or behavioral processes due to its diurnal nature. However, there is neither a high-quality annotated Nile grass rat genome nor a reference transcript sets available so far, making it technically challenging to perform large-scale RNA-seq based transcriptomic studies. Although we are working on the first draft of Nile grass rat genome, a well annotated genome typically requires several rounds of manually reviewing curated transcripts and can take years to achieve. To solve this problem, we developed a Comparative RNA-Seq Pipeline (CRSP), integrating a comparative species strategy but not depending on a specific sequenced genome or species-matched reference transcripts. Benchmarking suggests the CRSP tool can achieve high accuracy to quantify gene expression levels. In this study, we generated the first ultra-deep (2.3 billion x 2 paired-end) Nile grass rat RNA-seq data from 59 biopsy samples representing 22 major organs, providing a unique resource and spatial gene expression reference for using Nile grass rat as a model to study human diseases. To facilitate a general use of CRSP, we also characterized the number of RNA-seq reads required for accurate estimation via simulation studies. CRSP and documents are available at: https://github.com/pjiang1105/CRSP.

HighlightsO_LICRSP is a novel software tool which can quantify gene expression levels from RNA-seq data for species lacking both a sequenced genome and corresponding reference transcripts.
C_LIO_LINile grass rat is a unique diurnal rodent species (day active but not night active) with several unique characteristics making it as a useful model to study diet-induced type 2 diabetes and other physiological or behavioral processes due to its diurnal nature.
C_LIO_LIWe generated the first ultra-deep (2.3 billion x 2 paired-end reads) Nile grass rat RNA-seq data from 59 biopsy samples representing 22 major organs, providing a unique resource and spatial transcriptomic reference (e.g., tissue gene expression baseline) for using Nile grass rat as a model to study human diseases.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bagheri, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dewey, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stewart, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.04.479193</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CRSP: Comparative RNA-seq pipeline for species lacking both of sequenced genomes and reference transcripts]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.06.479266v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Idiosyncratic fitness costs of ampicillin-resistant mutants derived from a long-term experiment with Escherichia coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.06.479266v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern that has prompted a renewed focus on drug discovery, stewardship, and evolutionary studies of the patterns and processes that underlie this phenomenon. A resistant strains competitive fitness relative to its sensitive counterparts in the absence of drug can impact its spread and persistence in both clinical and community settings. In a prior study, we examined the fitness of tetracycline-resistant clones that evolved from five different Escherichia coli genotypes, which had diverged during a long-term evolution experiment. In this study, we build on that work to examine whether ampicillin-resistant mutants are also less fit in the absence of the drug than their sensitive parents, and whether the cost of resistance is constant or variable among independently derived lines. Like the tetracycline-resistant lines, the ampicillin-resistant mutants were often less fit than their sensitive parents, with significant variation in the fitness costs among the mutants. This variation was not associated with the level of resistance conferred by the mutations, nor did it vary across the different parental backgrounds. In our earlier study, some of the variation in fitness costs associated with tetracycline resistance was explained by the effects of different mutations affecting the same cellular pathway and even the same gene. In contrast, the variance among the ampicillin-resistant mutants was associated with different sets of target genes. About half of the resistant clones suffered large fitness deficits, and their mutations impacted major outer-membrane proteins or subunits of RNA polymerases. The other mutants experienced little or no fitness costs and with, one exception, they had mutations affecting other genes and functions. Our findings underscore the importance of comparative studies on the evolution of antibiotic resistance, and they highlight the nuanced processes that shape these phenotypes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jordan, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Card, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.06.479266</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Idiosyncratic fitness costs of ampicillin-resistant mutants derived from a long-term experiment with Escherichia coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.09.479783v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The dynamics of non-photochemical quenching and cyclic electron transport in A.thaliana exposed to harmonically oscillating light 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.09.479783v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In natural environments, plants are exposed to rapidly changing light. Maintaining photosynthetic efficiency while avoiding photodamage requires equally rapid regulation of photoprotective mechanisms. We asked what the operation frequency range of regulation is in which plants can efficiently respond to varying light.

Chlorophyll fluorescence, P700, plastocyanin, and ferredoxin responses of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana were measured in oscillating light of various frequencies. We also investigated the npq1 mutant lacking violaxanthin de-epoxidase, the npq4 mutant lacking PsbS-protein, and the mutants crr2-2, and pgrl1ab impaired in different pathways of the cyclic electron transport.

The fastest was the PsbS-regulation responding to oscillation periods longer than 10s. Processes involving violaxanthin de-epoxidase dampened changes of chlorophyll fluorescence in oscillation periods of 2min or longer. Knocking out the PGRL1-PGR5 pathway strongly reduced variations of all monitored parameters, probably due to congestion in the electron transport. Incapacitating the NDH-like pathway only slightly changed the photosynthetic dynamics.

Our observations are consistent with the assumption that non-photochemical quenching in slow light oscillations involves violaxanthin de-epoxidase to produce, presumably, a stationary, non-oscillating level of zeaxanthin. We interpret the observed dynamics of Photosystem I components as being formed in slow light oscillations partially by thylakoid remodeling that modulates the redox rates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Niu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lazar, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holzwarth, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matsubara, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schrey, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nedbal, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.09.479783</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The dynamics of non-photochemical quenching and cyclic electron transport in A.thaliana exposed to harmonically oscillating light]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.10.479987v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A network-based drug repurposing approach identifies new treatment opportunities for the systemic chronic inflammation underlying multiple complex diseases 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.10.479987v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Complex diseases are associated with a wide range of cellular, physiological, and clinical phenotypes. To advance our understanding of disease mechanisms and our ability to treat these diseases, it is critical to delineate the molecular basis and therapeutic avenues of specific disease phenotypes, especially those that are associated with multiple diseases. Inflammatory processes constitute one such prominent phenotype, being involved in a wide range of health problems including ischemic heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative conditions. While hundreds of genes might play a role in the etiology of each of these diseases, isolating the genes involved in the specific phenotype (e.g., inflammation "component") could help us understand the genes and pathways underlying this phenotype across diseases and predict potential drugs to target the phenotype. Here, we present a computational approach that integrates gene interaction networks, disease-/trait-gene associations, and drug-target information to accomplish this goal. We apply this approach to isolate gene signatures of complex diseases that correspond to chronic inflammation and prioritize drugs to reveal new therapeutic opportunities.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hickey, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKim, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mancuso, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.10.479987</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A network-based drug repurposing approach identifies new treatment opportunities for the systemic chronic inflammation underlying multiple complex diseases]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.15.480583v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Endometriotic Organoids as an In Vitro Model of Endometriotic Lesion Development. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.15.480583v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The development and progression of endometriotic lesions are poorly understood, but immune cell dysfunction and inflammation are closely associated with the pathophysiology of endometriosis. A lack of suitable 3D in vitro models permitting the study of interactions between cell types and the microenvironment is a contributing factor. To address this limitation, we developed endometriotic organoids (EO) to explore the role of epithelial-stromal interactions and model peritoneal cell invasion associated with lesion development. Using a non-adherent microwell culture system, spherical organoids were generated with endometriotic epithelial cells (12Z) combined with immortalized endometriotic stromal cells (iEc-ESC) or immortalized uterine stromal cells (iHUF). Organoids self-organized with stromal cells occupying the center and epithelial cells on the periphery of the organoid. Endometriotic organoids (EO), containing iEc-ESC, resulted in the development of stratified 12Z epithelial cells compared to those with iHUF where the 12Z cells developed as a single layered epithelium. Transcriptomic analysis found 4,522 differentially expressed genes (DEG) between EO and 12Z/iHUF organoids, and the top DEG included increased expression of interleukins and prostaglandin synthase enzymes. An overlap of the EO DEG with baboon endometriotic lesions was highly significant. Finally, to mimic invasion of endometrial tissue into the peritoneum, a model was developed using EO and extracellular matrix containing human peritoneal mesothelial cells (LP9). Invasion of EO into the extracellular matrix-LP9 layer was increased in presence of estrogen or THP1-derived proinflammatory macrophages. Taken together, our results strongly support the concept that EO are an appropriate model for dissecting mechanisms that contribute to endometriotic lesion development.

One Sentence SummaryEndometriotic organoids are an appropriate model to study epithelial-stromal interactions and model cell invasion associated with lesion development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Song, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burns, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joshi, N. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fazleabas, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.15.480583</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Endometriotic Organoids as an In Vitro Model of Endometriotic Lesion Development.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.16.480747v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Regulatory dynamics distinguishing desiccation tolerance strategies within resurrection grasses 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.16.480747v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Desiccation tolerance has evolved recurrently in grasses using two unique strategies to mitigate photooxidative damage under anhydrobiosis. The grass Oropetium thomaeum protects and retains chlorophyll, thylakoids, and the photosynthetic apparatus during desiccation (Homoiochlorophyly), while Eragrostis nindensis degrades and resynthesizes these components under desiccation and rehydration (Poikilochlorophyly). Here, we surveyed chromatin architecture and gene expression during desiccation in these two closely related species to identify regulatory dynamics underlying the distinct desiccation tolerance strategies in grasses. In both grasses, we observed a strong association between nearby chromatin accessibility and gene expression in desiccated tissues compared to well-watered, reflecting an unusual chromatin stability under anhydrobiosis. Integration of chromatin accessibility (ATACseq) and expression data (RNAseq) revealed a core desiccation response across these two grasses including many genes with binding sites for the core seed development transcription factor ABI5. O. thomaeum had a unique set of desiccation induced genes and regulatory elements associated with photoprotection, pigment biosynthesis, and response to high light, reflecting its adaptation of homoiochlorophyly. A tandem array of early light induced proteins (ELIPs) had massive shifts in gene expression and chromatin openness under desiccation in only O. thomaeum, and ELIPs acquired a novel desiccation related cis-regulatory motif, reflecting regulatory neofunctionalization during the evolution of desiccation tolerance. Together, our results highlight the complex regulatory and expression dynamics underlying desiccation tolerance in grasses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>St. Aubin, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wai, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raju, S. K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.16.480747</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Regulatory dynamics distinguishing desiccation tolerance strategies within resurrection grasses]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.18.461833v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MolEvolvR: a web-app for characterizing proteins using molecular evolution and phylogeny 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.18.461833v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Studying proteins through the lens of evolution can reveal features such as conserved domains, lineage-specific variants, and co-occurring domain architectures in phylogenetic context across all superkingdoms. MolEvolvR enables researchers to conduct such evolution-focused studies to generate testable hypotheses about protein function and evolution. MolEvolvR is a novel web-app allowing researchers to visualize the molecular evolution of their proteins of interest in a phylogenetic context across the tree of life. It accepts multiple input formats - protein/domain sequences, homologous proteins, or domain scans - and, using a general-purpose computational workflow, returns detailed homolog data and dynamic graphical summaries (e.g., phylogenetic trees, multiple sequence alignments, domain architectures, domain proximity networks, phyletic spreads, co-occurrence patterns across lineages). MolEvolvR performs domain-centric searches to capture remote homologs that are missed by full-length searches, integrates domain architecture evolution with phyletic distribution analyses, and provides evolutionary context visualizations that reveal lineage-specific adaptations versus those that are broadly conserved. Thus, MolEvolvR is a powerful, easy-to-use web interface for computational protein characterization. The web-app can be accessed here: https://jravilab.org/molevolvr.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Burke, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, S. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sosinski, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnston, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.18.461833</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MolEvolvR: a web-app for characterizing proteins using molecular evolution and phylogeny]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.23.481734v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dynamic genetic adaptation of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron murine gut colonization 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.23.481734v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
To understand how a bacterium ultimately succeeds or fails in adapting to a new environment, it is essential to assess the temporal dynamics of its fitness over the course of colonization. The mammalian gut, into which exogenous microorganisms are regularly introduced, represents a biologically and clinically relevant system to explore microbial adaptational processes. In this study, we introduce a human-derived commensal organism, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, into the guts of germ-free mice to 1) determine whether the genetic requirements for colonization shift over time and, if so, 2) characterize the biological functions required for microbial survival at different points of colonization. The results of a high-throughput functional genetics assay (BarSeq), transcriptomics, and metabolomics converge on several conclusions. First, adaptation to the host gut occurs in distinct stages. We observed drastic changes in gene usage during the first week, shifting from high expression of amino acid biosynthesis to polysaccharide utilization genes. These changes were sustained thereafter, except for the continued upregulation of a single polysaccharide utilization locus responsible for the degradation of raffinose-family oligosaccharides rich in the standard chow diet fed to our mice. Spontaneous mutations in wildtype Bt also evolve around this locus, highlighting the importance of efficient carbohydrate metabolism in long-term persistence within a monoassociated gut. To improve microbiome-based therapies, it will be important to appreciate and meet the distinct needs of the organism during each stage of colonization.

ImportanceMicrobes regularly disperse across and adapt to new environments and ecological niches. A clinically significant microbial niche home to trillions of microbes is the mammalian gut. Temporal processes of microbial adaptation over the course of gut colonization are poorly understood on a genetic, transcriptional, and metabolite level. In this study, we leverage a three-pronged approach to characterize gut colonization as a dynamic process with shifting genetic determinants of microbial fitness. This study sheds light on host colonization by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, an organism that is prevalent and dominant across healthy human microbiomes, and not only identifies key pathways involved in colonization, but determines the timing of when these pathways are most vital to colonization success. By demonstrating that the key determinants of colonization success in the gut change over time, the results of this study highlight the importance of considering ecological dynamics in developing more effective microbiome-based therapies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kennedy, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeLeon, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bissell, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trigodet, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lolans, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Temelkova, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carroll, K. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deutschbauer, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sidebottom, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henry, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rice, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bergelson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.23.481734</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dynamic genetic adaptation of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron murine gut colonization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.25.480753v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Association Mapping Across a Multitude of Traits Collected in Diverse Environments Identifies Pleiotropic Loci in Maize. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.25.480753v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Classical genetic studies have identified many cases of pleiotropy where mutations in individual genes alter many different phenotypes. Quantitative genetic studies of natural genetic variants frequently examine one or a few traits, limiting their potential to identify pleiotropic effects of natural genetic variants. Widely adopted community association panels have been employed by plant genetics communities to study the genetic basis of naturally occurring phenotypic variation in a wide range of traits. High-density genetic marker data - 18M markers - from two partially overlapping maize association panels comprising 1,014 unique genotypes grown in field trials across at least seven US states and scored for 162 distinct trait datasets enabled the identification of of 2,154 suggestive marker-trait associations and 697 confident associations in the maize genome using a resampling-based genome-wide association strategy. The precision of individual marker-trait associations was estimated to be three genes based a reference set of genes with known phenotypes. Examples were observed of both genetic loci associated with variation in diverse traits (e.g. above-ground and below-ground traits), as well as individual loci associated with the same or similar traits across diverse environments. Many significant signals are located near genes whose functions were previously entirely unknown or estimated purely via functional data on homologs. This study demonstrates the potential of mining community association panel data using new higher density genetic marker sets combined with resampling-based genome-wide association tests to develop testable hypotheses about gene functions, identify potential pleiotropic effects of natural genetic variants, and study genotype by environment interaction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mural, R. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grzybowski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tross, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newton, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andorf, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woodhouse, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sigmon, B. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.25.480753</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Association Mapping Across a Multitude of Traits Collected in Diverse Environments Identifies Pleiotropic Loci in Maize.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.25.482030v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Natural Variation Meets Synthetic Biology: Promiscuous Trichome Expressed Acyltransferases from Nicotiana acuminata 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.25.482030v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Acylsugars are defensive, trichome-synthesized sugar esters produced in plants across the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Although assembled from simple metabolites and synthesized by a relatively short core biosynthetic pathway, tremendous within- and across-species acylsugar structural variation is documented across the family. To advance our understanding of the diversity and the synthesis of acylsugars within the Nicotiana genus, trichome extracts were profiled across the genus coupled with transcriptomics-guided enzyme discovery and in vivo and in vitro analysis. Differences in the types of sugar cores, numbers of acylations, and acyl chain structures contributed to over 300 unique annotated acylsugars throughout Nicotiana. Placement of acyl chain length into a phylogenetic context revealed that an unsaturated acyl chain type was detected in a few closely-related species. A comparative transcriptomics approach identified trichome-enriched Nicotiana acuminata acylsugar biosynthetic candidate enzymes. > 25 acylsugar variants could be produced in a single enzyme assay with four acylsugar acyltransferases (NacASAT1-4) together with structurally diverse acyl-CoAs and sucrose. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry screening of in vitro products revealed the ability of these enzymes to make acylsugars not present in Nicotiana plant extracts. In vitro acylsugar production also provided insights into acyltransferase acyl donor promiscuity and acyl acceptor specificity as well as regiospecificity of some ASATs. This study suggests that promiscuous Nicotiana acyltransferases can be used as synthetic biology tools to produce novel and potentially useful metabolites.

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARYAnalysis of Nicotiana glandular trichome metabolites and BAHD acyltransferases revealed diverse sucrose and glucose based acylesters.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schenck, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anthony, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobs, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.25.482030</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Natural Variation Meets Synthetic Biology: Promiscuous Trichome Expressed Acyltransferases from Nicotiana acuminata]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.27.482165v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ARID1A maintains transcriptionally repressive H3.3 associated with CHD4-ZMYND8 chromatin interactions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.27.482165v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ARID1A is a signature subunit of the mammalian SWI/SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeling complex and is mutated at a high rate in malignancies and benign diseases originating from the uterine endometrium. Through genome-wide analysis of human endometriotic epithelial cells, we show that more than half of ARID1A binding sites are marked by the variant histone H3.3, including active regulatory elements. ARID1A loss leads to H3.3 depletion at ARID1A bound active regulatory elements and a concomitant redistribution of H3.3 towards genic elements. ARID1A interactions with the repressive chromatin remodeler CHD4 (NuRD) are associated with H3.3-containing chromatin regulation. ZMYND8, the CHD4-interacting acetyl-histone H4 reader, specifies ARID1A-CHD4-H3.3 target regulatory activity towards histone H4 lysine 16 acetylation (H4K16ac) to repress super-enhancers. ARID1A, H3.3, CHD4, and ZMYND8 co-repress the expression of genes governing extracellular matrix, motility, adhesion, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, these gene expression alterations are observed in human endometriomas. Altogether, these studies demonstrate that cooperation among a histone reader and different types of chromatin remodelers safeguards the endometrium through transcriptionally repressive H3.3.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reske, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Armistead, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hrit, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adams, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rothbart, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Missmer, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fazleabas, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chandler, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-02-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.02.27.482165</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ARID1A maintains transcriptionally repressive H3.3 associated with CHD4-ZMYND8 chromatin interactions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-02-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.04.483018v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Introduction of a condensed, reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle for additional CO2 fixation in plants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.04.483018v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants employ the Calvin-Benson cycle (CBC) to fix atmospheric CO2 for the production of biomass. The flux of carbon through the CBC is limited by the activity and selectivity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO). Alternative pathways that do not use RuBisCO to fix CO2 exist but occur only in anaerobic microorganisms. Rather than modifying existing routes of carbon metabolism in plants, we have developed a synthetic carbon fixation cycle that does not exist in nature, but is inspired by metabolisms of bacterial autotrophs. This synthetic cycle uses endogenous plant metabolites to fix CO2 and yield glyoxylate as a product. In this work, we build and characterize a condensed, reverse tricarboxylic acid (crTCA) cycle in vitro and in planta. We demonstrate that a simple, synthetic cycle can be used to fix carbon in vitro under aerobic and mesophilic conditions and that these enzymes retain activity when expressed transiently in planta. We then evaluate stable transgenic lines of Camelina sativa that have both phenotypic and physiologic changes. Transgenic C. sativa are shorter than controls with increased rates of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation and changes in photorespiratory metabolism. This first iteration of a build-test-learn phase of the crTCA cycle provides promising evidence that this pathway can be used to increase photosynthetic capacity in plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wilson, N. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith-Moore, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>La Hovary, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barampuram, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aslett, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ji, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vintila, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kleiner, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shachar-Hill, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grunden, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sederoff, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.04.483018</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Introduction of a condensed, reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle for additional CO2 fixation in plants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.05.483103v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Protein Optimization Evolving Tool (POET) based on Genetic Programming 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.05.483103v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Proteins are used by scientists to serve a variety of purposes in clinical practice and laboratory research. To optimize proteins for greater function, a variety of techniques have been developed. For the development of reporter genes used in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) based on Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST), these techniques have encountered a variety of challenges. Here we develop a mechanism of protein optimization using a computational approach known as "genetic programming". We developed an algorithm called Protein Optimization Evolving Tool (POET). Starting from a small library of literature values, use of this tool allowed us to develop proteins which produce four times more MRI contrast than what was previously state-of-the-art. Next, we used POET to evolve peptides that produced CEST-MRI contrast at large chemical shifts where no other known peptides have previously demonstrated contrast. This demonstrated the ability of POET to evolve new functions in proteins. Interestingly, many of the peptides produced using POET were dramatically different with respect to their sequence and chemical environment than existing CEST producing peptides, and challenge prior understandings of how those peptides function. This suggests that unlike existing algorithms for protein engineering that rely on divergent evolution, POET relies on convergent evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bricco, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miralavy, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bo, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perlman, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrar, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McMahon,, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Banzhaf, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.05.483103</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Protein Optimization Evolving Tool (POET) based on Genetic Programming]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.15.484490v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Increases in vein length compensate for leaf area lost to lobing in grapevine 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.15.484490v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PremiseThere is considerable variation in leaf lobing and leaf size, including among grapevines, some of the most well-studied leaves. We examined the relationship between leaf lobing and leaf size across grapevine populations which varied in extent of leaf lobing.

MethodsWe used homologous landmarking techniques to measure 2,632 leaves across two years in 476 unique, genetically distinct grapevines from 5 biparental crosses which vary primarily in the extent of lobing. We determined to what extent leaf area could explain variation in lobing, vein length, and vein to blade ratio.

ResultsAlthough lobing was the primary source of variation in shape across the leaves we measured, leaf area varied only slightly as a function of lobing. Rather, leaf area increases as a function of total major vein length, total branching vein length, and decreases as a function of vein to blade ratio. These relationships are stronger for more highly lobed leaves, with the residuals for each model differing as a function of distal lobing.

ConclusionsFor a given leaf area, more highly lobed leaves have longer veins and higher vein to blade ratios, allowing them to maintain similar leaf areas despite increased lobing. These findings show how more highly lobed leaves may compensate for what would otherwise result in a reduced leaf area, allowing for increased photosynthetic capacity through similar leaf size.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swift, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Helget, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ly, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maimaitiyiming, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woodhouse, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fennell, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwasniewski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cousins, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.15.484490</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Increases in vein length compensate for leaf area lost to lobing in grapevine]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.16.484489v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A coevolution experiment reveals parallel mutations in the AcrA-AcrB-TolC efflux pump that contributes to bacterial antibiotic resistance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.16.484489v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
One interference mechanism of bacterial competition is the production of antibiotics. Bacteria exposed to antibiotics can resist antibiotic inhibition through intrinsic and/or acquired mechanisms. Here, we performed a coevolution experiment to understand long-term consequences of antibiotic production and antibiotic resistance for two environmental bacterial strains. We grew five independent lines of the antibiotic-producing environmental strain, Burkholderia thailandensis E264, and the antibiotic-inhibited environmental strain, Flavobacterium johnsoniae UW101, together and separately on agar plates for 7.5 months (1.5 month incubations), transferring each line five times to new agar plates. We first observed that the F. johnsoniae ancestor could tolerate the B. thailandensis-produced antibiotic through efflux mechanisms. We then sequenced the genomes of clonal isolates from the coevolved and monoculture F. johnsoniae lines, and uncovered mutational ramifications to the long-term antibiotic exposure. The coevolved genomes from F. johnsoniae revealed four potential mutational signatures of antibiotic resistance that were not observed in the evolved monoculture lines. Two mutations were found in tolC: one corresponding to a 33 bp deletion and the other corresponding to a nonsynonymous mutation. A third mutation was observed as a 1 bp insertion coding for a RagB/SusD nutrient uptake protein. The last mutation was a G83R nonsynonymous mutation in acetyl-coA carboxylayse carboxyltransferase subunit alpha (AccA). Placing the tolC 33 bp deletion back into the F. johnsoniae ancestor conferred some antibiotic resistance, but not to the degree of resistance observed in coevolved lines. Furthermore, the accA mutation matched a previously described mutation conferring resistance to B. thailandensis-produced thailandamide. Analysis of B. thailandensis transposon mutants for thailandamide production revealed that thailandamide was bioactive against F. johnsoniae, but also suggested that additional B. thailandensis-produced antibiotics were involved in the inhibition of F. johnsoniae. This study reveals how long-term interspecies chemical interactions can result in a novel mutation in efflux that contribute to antibiotic resistance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chodkowski, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.16.484489</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A coevolution experiment reveals parallel mutations in the AcrA-AcrB-TolC efflux pump that contributes to bacterial antibiotic resistance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.16.484646v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distilling complex evolutionary histories with shiftPlot 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.16.484646v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phylogenies form the backbone of many modern comparative methods and are integral components of contemporary science communication. Recent years have seen drastic increases in both the size and complexity of phylogenetic data as computational resources and genetic/trait databases expand. Graphical representations of these massive phylogenetic datasets push against the limits of legibility, often veering closer to artwork than scientific figures optimized to communicate results. While attractive scientific illustrations are certainly a laudable goal, researchers may want to opt for simpler representations to communicate results more concisely. Here, we introduce a new R package, shiftPlot, which implements methods for simplifying and plotting phylogenetic comparative data on discrete traits. Specifically, shiftPlot automatically finds and collapses clades exhibiting the same character state, effectively creating smaller phylogenies that may be more legibly rendered on standard page sizes. Further, these visualizations more clearly communicate evolutionary dynamics by emphasizing state shifts over tip states. While there are undoubtedly situations where this graphical approach will not be suitable (e.g., continuous traits), we believe shiftPlot will prove useful for modern researchers faced with the task of communicating the results of complex phylogenetic analyses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Miller, E. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.16.484646</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distilling complex evolutionary histories with shiftPlot]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.17.484796v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Towards understanding diversity, endemicity and global change vulnerability of soil fungi 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.17.484796v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fungi play pivotal roles in ecosystem functioning, but little is known about their global patterns of diversity, endemicity, vulnerability to global change drivers and conservation priority areas. We applied the high-resolution PacBio sequencing technique to identify fungi based on a long DNA marker that revealed a high proportion of hitherto unknown fungal taxa. We used a Global Soil Mycobiome consortium dataset to test relative performance of various sequencing depth standardization methods (calculation of residuals, exclusion of singletons, traditional and SRS rarefaction, use of Shannon index of diversity) to find optimal protocols for statistical analyses. Altogether, we used six global surveys to infer these patterns for soil-inhabiting fungi and their functional groups. We found that residuals of log-transformed richness (including singletons) against log-transformed sequencing depth yields significantly better model estimates compared with most other standardization methods. With respect to global patterns, fungal functional groups differed in the patterns of diversity, endemicity and vulnerability to main global change predictors. Unlike -diversity, endemicity and global-change vulnerability of fungi and most functional groups were greatest in the tropics. Fungi are vulnerable mostly to drought, heat, and land cover change. Fungal conservation areas of highest priority include wetlands and moist tropical ecosystems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tedersoo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mikryukov, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zizka, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahram, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hagh-Doust, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anslan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prylutskyi, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delgado-Baquerizo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maestre, F. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parn, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>opik, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moora, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zobel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Espenberg, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mander, u.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khalid, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corrales, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasco-Palacios, A.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saitta, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rinaldi, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verbeken, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sulistyo, B. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tamgnoue, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Furneaux, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ritter, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nyamukondiwa, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharp, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marin, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gohar, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klavina, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharmah, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dai, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nouhra, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Biersma, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rahn, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cameron, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Crop, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Otsing, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davydov, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albornoz, F. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brearley, F. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buegger, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zahn</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.17.484796</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Towards understanding diversity, endemicity and global change vulnerability of soil fungi]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.18.484928v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Alpha-mannosidase-2 modulates arbovirus infection in a pathogen- and Wolbachia-specific manner in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.18.484928v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Multiple Wolbachia strains can block pathogen infection, replication, and/or transmission in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes under both laboratory and field conditions. However, Wolbachia effects on pathogens can be highly variable across systems and the factors governing this variability are not well understood. It is increasingly clear that the mosquito host is not a passive player in which Wolbachia governs pathogen transmission phenotypes; rather, the genetics of the host can significantly modulate Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blocking. Specifically, previous work linked variation in Wolbachia pathogen blocking to polymorphisms in the mosquito alpha-mannosidase 2 (Man2) gene. Here we use CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis to functionally test this association. We developed Man2 knockouts and examined effects on both Wolbachia and virus levels, using both dengue virus (DENV; Flaviviridae) and Mayaro virus (MAYV; Togaviridae). Wolbachia titers were significantly elevated in Man2 knockout (KO) mosquitoes, but there were complex interactions with virus infection and replication. In Wolbachia-uninfected mosquitoes, the Man2 KO mutation was associated with decreased DENV titers, but in a Wolbachia-infected background, the Man2 KO mutation significantly modulated virus blocking. In contrast, the Man2 KO mutation significantly increased MAYV replication in Wolbachia-uninfected mosquitoes and did not affect Wolbachia-mediated virus blocking. These results demonstrate that Man2 modulates arbovirus infection in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in a pathogen- and Wolbachia-specific manner, and that Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blocking is a complex phenotype dependent on the mosquito host genotype and the pathogen. These results have significant impact for the design and use of Wolbachia-based strategies to control vector-borne pathogens.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Urakova, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joseph, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huntsinger, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Macias, V. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sigle, L. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akbari, O. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xi, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lymperopoulos, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sayre, R. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGraw, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rasgon, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.18.484928</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Alpha-mannosidase-2 modulates arbovirus infection in a pathogen- and Wolbachia-specific manner in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.18.484930v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modeling the Evolution of Rates of Continuous Trait Evolution 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.18.484930v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWRates of phenotypic evolution vary markedly across the tree of life, from the accelerated evolution apparent in adaptive radiations to the remarkable evolutionary stasis exhibited by so-called "living fossils". Such rate variation has important consequences for large-scale evolutionary dynamics, generating vast disparities in phenotypic diversity across space, time, and taxa. Despite this, most methods for estimating trait evolution rates assume rates vary deterministically with respect to some variable of interest or change infrequently during a clades history. These assumptions may cause underfitting of trait evolution models and mislead hypothesis testing. Here, we develop a new trait evolution model that allows rates to vary gradually and stochastically across a clade. Further, we extend this model to accommodate generally decreasing or increasing rates over time, allowing for flexible modeling of "early/late bursts" of trait evolution. We implement a Bayesian method, termed "evolving rates" (evorates for short), to efficiently fit this model to comparative data. Through simulation, we demonstrate that evorates can reliably infer both how and in which lineages trait evolution rates varied during a clades history. We apply this method to body size evolution in cetaceans, recovering substantial support for an overall slowdown in body size evolution over time with recent bursts among some oceanic dolphins and relative stasis among beaked whales of the genus Mesoplodon. These results unify and expand on previous research, demonstrating the empirical utility of evorates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Martin, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harmon, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.18.484930</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modeling the Evolution of Rates of Continuous Trait Evolution]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.21.485185v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of BAHD acyltransferases associated with acylinositol biosynthesis in Solanum quitoense (naranjilla) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.21.485185v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants make a variety of specialized metabolites that can mediate interactions with animals, microbes and competitor plants. Understanding how plants synthesize these compounds enables studies of their biological roles by manipulating their synthesis in vivo as well as producing them in vitro. Acylsugars are a group of protective metabolites that accumulate in the trichomes of many Solanaceae family plants. Acylinositol biosynthesis is of interest because it appears to be restricted to a subgroup of species within the Solanum genus. Previous work characterized a triacylinositol acetyltransferase involved in acylinositol biosynthesis in the Andean fruit plant Solanum quitoense (lulo or naranjillo). We characterized three additional S. quitoense trichome expressed enzymes, and found that virus induced gene silencing of each caused changes in acylinositol accumulation. Surprisingly, the in vitro triacylinositol products of these enzymes are distinct from those that accumulate in planta. These enzymes, nonetheless, provide an opportunities to test the biological impact and properties of these triacylinositols in vitro.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Leong, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hurney, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiesel, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anthony, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moghe, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.21.485185</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of BAHD acyltransferases associated with acylinositol biosynthesis in Solanum quitoense (naranjilla)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.22.485408v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Wolbachia wAlbB inhibit dengue and Zika infection in the mosquito Aedes aegypti with an Australian background 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.22.485408v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biological control of mosquito vectors using the insect-specific bacteria Wolbachia is an emerging strategy for the management of human arboviral diseases. We recently described the development of a strain of Ae. aegypti infected with the Wolbachia strain wAlbB (referred to as the wAlbB2-F4 strain) through simple backcrossing of wild type Australian mosquitoes with a wAlbB infected Ae. aegypti strain from the USA. Field releases of male wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes resulted in the successful suppression of a wild population of mosquitoes in the trial sites by exploiting the strains Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility. We now demonstrate that the strain is resistant to infection by dengue and Zika viruses and is genetically similar to endemic Queensland populations. There was a fourfold reduction in the proportion of wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes that became infected following a blood meal containing dengue 2 virus (16.7%) compared to wild type mosquitoes (69.2%) and a 6-7 fold reduction in the proportion of wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes producing virus in saliva following a blood meal containing an epidemic strain of Zika virus (8.7% in comparison to 58.3% in wild type mosquitoes). Restriction-site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing revealed that wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes have > 98% Australian ancestry, confirming the successful introduction of the wAlbB2 infection into the Australian genomic background through backcrossing. Genotypic and phenotypic analyses showed the wAlbB2-F4 strain retains the insecticide susceptibility phenotype and genotype of the Australian mosquitoes. We demonstrate that the Wolbachia wAlbB2-F4, in addition to being suitable for suppression programs, can be effective in population replacement programs given its high inhibition of virus infection in mosquitoes. The ease at which a target mosquito population can be transfected with wAlbB2, while retaining genotypes and phenotypes of the target population, shows the robustness of this strain as a biocontrol agent against the Ae. aegypti mosquito itself as well as the pathogens it transmits.

IMPORTANCEEpidemics of arthopod-borne virus (arbovirus) diseases affect millions of people and are becoming more frequent and widespread. A successful strategy to control these diseases is by infecting mosquito populations with benign, insect-specific Wolbachia bacteria that render mosquitoes refractory to infection with pathogenic arboviruses. Here we show that a strain of the major mosquito vector Ae. aegypti that was infected with Wolbachia following a simple back-cross mating procedure is refractory to infection with dengue and Zika viruses. Importantly, the genetic background of the strain is equivalent to the target population, which is important for persistence of the strain and regulatory approval.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hugo, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rasic, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maynard, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ambrose, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liddington, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nath, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graham, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winterford, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wimalasiri-Yapa, B. M. C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xi, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beebe, N. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Devine, G. J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.22.485408</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Wolbachia wAlbB inhibit dengue and Zika infection in the mosquito Aedes aegypti with an Australian background]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.23.485272v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Unearthing the global impact of mining construction minerals on biodiversity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.23.485272v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Construction minerals - sand, gravel, limestone - are the most extracted solid raw materials1 and account for most of the worlds anthropogenic mass, which as of 2020 outweighed all of Earths living biomass2. However, knowledge about the magnitude, geography, and profile of this widespread threat to biodiversity remains scarce and scattered3-6. Combining long-term data from the IUCN Red List and new species descriptions we provide the first systematic evaluation of species threatened by mining of construction minerals globally. We found 1,047 species in the Red List impacted by this type of mining, of which 58.5% are threatened with extinction and four species already went extinct. We also identified 234 new species descriptions in 20 biodiversity hotspots reporting impacts from mining. Temporal trends in the assessments highlight the increased saliency of this threat to biodiversity, whose full extent may well reach over 24,000 animal and plant species. While rock quarrying mostly threatens karst biodiversity and narrow-ranged species, sand and gravel extraction is a more prominent threat to freshwater and coastal systems. This study provides the first evidence base to support a global strategy to limit the biodiversity impacts of construction mineral extraction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Torres, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>zu Ermgassen, S. O. S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferri-Yanez, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Navarro, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosa, I. M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teixeira, F. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wittkopp, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-03-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.03.23.485272</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Unearthing the global impact of mining construction minerals on biodiversity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-03-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.01.486706v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Combining GWAS and TWAS to identify candidate causal genes for tocochromanol levels in maize grain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.01.486706v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Tocochromanols (tocopherols and tocotrienols, collectively vitamin E) are lipid-soluble antioxidants important for both plant fitness and human health. The main dietary sources of vitamin E are seed oils that often accumulate high levels of tocopherol isoforms with lower vitamin E activity. The tocochromanol biosynthetic pathway is conserved across plant species but an integrated view of the genes and mechanisms underlying natural variation of tocochromanol levels in seed of most cereal crops remains limited. To address this issue, we utilized the high mapping resolution of the maize Ames panel of [~]1,500 inbred lines scored with 12.2 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms to generate metabolomic (mature grain tocochromanols) and transcriptomic (developing grain) data sets for genetic mapping. By combining results from genome- and transcriptome-wide association studies, we identified a total of 13 candidate causal gene loci, including five that had not been previously associated with maize grain tocochromanols: four biosynthetic genes (arodeH2 paralog, dxs1, vte5, and vte7) and a plastid S-adenosyl methionine transporter (samt1). Expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping of these 13 gene loci revealed that they are predominantly regulated by cis-eQTL. Through a joint statistical analysis, we implicated cis-acting variants as responsible for co-localized eQTL and GWAS association signals. Our multi-omics approach provided increased statistical power and mapping resolution to enable a detailed characterization of the genetic and regulatory architecture underlying tocochromanol accumulation in maize grain and provided insights for ongoing biofortification efforts to breed and/or engineer vitamin E and antioxidant levels in maize and other cereals.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tanaka, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tibbs-Cortes, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Magallanes-Lundback, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bornowski, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diepenbrock, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deason, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schoenbaum, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DellaPenna, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.01.486706</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Combining GWAS and TWAS to identify candidate causal genes for tocochromanol levels in maize grain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.01.486727v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Artificial selection methods from evolutionary computing show promise for directed evolution of microbes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.01.486727v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Directed microbial evolution harnesses evolutionary processes in the laboratory to construct microorganisms with enhanced or novel functional traits. Attempting to direct evolutionary processes for applied goals is fundamental to evolutionary computation, which harnesses the principles of Darwinian evolution as a general purpose search engine for solutions to challenging computational problems. Despite their overlapping approaches, artificial selection methods from evolutionary computing are not commonly applied to living systems in the laboratory. In this work, we ask if parent selection algorithms--procedures for choosing promising progenitors--from evolutionary computation might be useful for directing the evolution of microbial populations when selecting for multiple functional traits. To do so, we introduce an agent-based model of directed microbial evolution, which we used to evaluate how well three selection algorithms from evolutionary computing (tournament selection, lexicase selection, and non-dominated elite selection) performed relative to methods commonly used in the laboratory (elite and top-10% selection). We found that multi-objective selection techniques from evolutionary computing (lexicase and non-dominated elite) generally outperformed the commonly used directed evolution approaches when selecting for multiple traits of interest. Our results motivate ongoing work transferring these multi-objective selection procedures into the laboratory. Additionally, our findings suggest that more sophisticated artificial selection methods from evolutionary computation should also be evaluated for use in directed microbial evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lalejini, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dolson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vostinar, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zaman, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.01.486727</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Artificial selection methods from evolutionary computing show promise for directed evolution of microbes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.05.487127v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Asynchrony rescues statistically-optimal group decisions from information cascades through emergent leaders 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.05.487127v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
It is usually assumed that information cascades are most likely to occur when an early but incorrect opinion spreads through the group. Here we analyse models of confidence-sharing in groups and reveal the opposite result: simple but plausible models of naive Bayesian decision-making exhibit information cascades when group decisions are synchronous; however, when group decisions are asynchronous, the early decisions reached by Bayesian decision makers tend to be correct, and dominate the group consensus dynamics. Thus early decisions actually rescue the group from making errors, rather than contribute to it. We explore the likely realism of our assumed decision-making rule with reference to the evolution of mechanisms for aggregating social information, and known psychological and neuroscientific mechanisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reina, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bose, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srivastava, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marshall, J. A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.05.487127</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Asynchrony rescues statistically-optimal group decisions from information cascades through emergent leaders]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.06.487239v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Host range expansion of Shigella phage Sf6 evolves through the dual roles of its tailspike 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.06.487239v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The first critical step in a viruss infection cycle is attachment to its host. This interaction is precise enough to ensure the virus will be able to productively infect the cell, but some flexibility can be beneficial to enable co-evolution and host range switching or expansion. Like many bacterial viruses, bacteriophage Sf6 utilizes a two-step process to recognize and attach to its host, Shigella flexneri. Sf6 first recognizes the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure of S. flexneri, then binds to either outer membrane protein (Omp) A or OmpC. This phage typically infects serotype Y strains but can also form small, turbid plaques on serotype 2a2 with greatly reduced plating efficiency, suggesting inefficient infection. To examine the interactions between Sf6 and this sub-optimal host, phage were experimentally evolved using mixed populations of S. flexneri serotypes Y and 2a2. The recovered mutants could infect serotype 2a2 with greater efficiency than the ancestral Sf6, forming clear plaques on both serotypes. All mutations mapped to two distinct regions of the tailspike protein: 1) adjacent to, but not part of, the LPS binding site near the N-terminus; and 2) at the distal, C-terminal tip of the protein. Rather than weak interactions between the Sf6 tailspike and 2a2 O-antigen, LPS of this serotype appears to inhibit infection by binding the wild-type particles more strongly, effectively removing them from the environment. These mutations reduce the inhibitory effect by either reducing electrostatic interactions with the O-antigen or increasing reliance on the Omp secondary receptors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Subramanian, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dover, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doore, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.06.487239</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Host range expansion of Shigella phage Sf6 evolves through the dual roles of its tailspike]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.07.487469v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome structures resolve the early diversification of teleost fishes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.07.487469v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Accurate species phylogenies are a prerequisite for evolutionary research. Teleosts are by far the largest and the most diversified group of extant vertebrates, but relationships among the three oldest lineages of extant teleosts remain unresolved. Based on seven high-quality new genome assemblies in Elopomorpha (tarpons, eels), we revisited the topology of the deepest branches of the teleost phylogeny using independent gene sequence and chromosomal rearrangement phylogenomic approaches. These analyses converged to a single scenario that unambiguously places the Elopomorpha and Osteoglossomorpha (bony-tongues) in a monophyletic group sister to all other teleosts, i.e., the Clupeocephala lineage. This finding resolves over 50 years of controversy on the evolutionary relationships of these lineages and highlights the power of combining different levels of genome-wide information to solve complex phylogenies.

One-Sentence SummaryWhole-genome analyses place Elopomorpha (tarpons, eels) and Osteoglossomorpha (bony-tongues) as sister groups at the deepest branching of crown teleosts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Parey, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Louis, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montfort, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bouchez, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roques, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iampietro, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lluch, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castinel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Donnadieu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desvignes, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bucao, C. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jouanno, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mejri, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dirks, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jansen, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henkel, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, W.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zahm, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cabau, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klopp, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robinson-Rechavi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lecointre, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bobe, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Postlethwait, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berthelot, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roest Crollius, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guiguen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.07.487469</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome structures resolve the early diversification of teleost fishes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.08.487703v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TwinEQTL: Ultra Fast and Powerful Association Analysis for eQTL and GWAS in Twin Studies 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.08.487703v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We develop a computationally efficient alternative, TwinEQTL, to a linear mixed-effects model (LMM) for twin genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. Instead of analyzing all twin samples together with LMM, TwinEQTL first splits twin samples into two independent groups on which multiple linear regression analysis can be validly performed separately, followed by an appropriate meta-analysis-like approach to combine the two non-independent test results. Through mathematical derivations, we prove the validity of TwinEQTL algorithm and show that the correlation between two dependent test statistics at each single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) are independent of its minor allele frequency (MAF). Thus the correlation is constant across all SNPs. Through simulations, we show empirically that TwinEQTL has well controlled type I error with negligible power loss compared to the gold-standard linear mixed effects models. To accommodate eQTL analysis with twin subjects, we further implement TwinEQTL into a R package with much improved computational efficiency. Our approaches provide a significant leap in terms of computing speed for GWAS and eQTL analysis with twin samples.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xia, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zou, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shabalin, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knickmeyer, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilmore, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Styner, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sullivan, P. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wright, F. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yin, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.08.487703</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TwinEQTL: Ultra Fast and Powerful Association Analysis for eQTL and GWAS in Twin Studies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.10.487642v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase gene knockout alters early life development, the gut microbiome and reveals unusual bile acid conjugates in mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.10.487642v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bile acids are steroid detergents in bile that contribute to fat absorption, cell signaling and microbiome interactions in mammals. The final step in their synthesis is amino acid conjugation with either glycine or taurine to a cholic acid or chenodeoxycholic acid backbone in the liver by the enzyme bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAAT). Here, we describe the microbial, chemical, and physiological consequences of BAAT gene deletion in mice. BAAT-/- mice were underweight after weaning but quickly exhibited catch-up growth. At 3-weeks-of-age, KO animals had increased phospholipid excretion and decreased subcutaneous fat pad mass, glycogen staining in hepatocytes and vitamin A stores in the liver, but these phenotypes were less marked in adulthood. Their bile acid (BA) pool was highly altered throughout the 8-weeks of life but was not completely devoid of conjugated BAs. These animals had 27-fold lower amounts of taurine-conjugated BAs than wildtype in their liver, but similar concentrations of glycine-conjugated BAs and higher microbially-conjugated BAs. The BA pool in BAAT-/- was enriched in a variety of unusual bile acids that were putatively sourced from cysteamine conjugation with subsequent oxidation and methylation of the sulfur group to mimic taurine. KO mice also had an altered microbiome, but most strongly in the first 3-weeks, indicating bile acid conjugation is important for proper microbiome development during the postnatal period. Finally, antibiotic treatment increased taurine, glycine, and the unusually conjugated BAs in BAAT-/- animals, indicating the microbiome was not the likely source of the conjugation. Instead, BA conjugation in KO animals was likely derived from the peroxisomal acyltransferases ACNAT1 and ACNAT2, which are duplications of BAAT in the mouse genome, but inactivated in humans. This study demonstrates that BA conjugation is important for early life development in mice and is facilitated by other host or microbial enzymes besides BAAT in a manner that results in molecular mimics of taurine that may rescue pathological phenotypes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Neugebauer, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guzior, D. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feiner, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rzepka, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schillmiller, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Reilly, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Watson, V. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luyendyk, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCabe, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.10.487642</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase gene knockout alters early life development, the gut microbiome and reveals unusual bile acid conjugates in mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.10.487778v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MPI region of interest (ROI) analysis and quantification of iron in different volumes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.10.487778v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MPI directly detects superparamagnetic iron oxides (SPIONs), which should enable precise, accurate, and linear quantification. However, selecting a region of interest (ROI) has strong effects on MPI quantification results. Ideally, ROI selection should be simple, user-independent, and widely applicable. In this work, we describe and compare four MPI ROI selection methods and assess their performance in vitro and in vivo. To explore the effect of ROI selection, ten ferucarbotran phantoms were imaged, each contained the same amount of iron but varied in volume. Three users tested the accuracy of the ROI methods for quantification of these samples. Lastly, the four ROI methods were applied to quantify ferucarbotran in vivo after intravenous, intramuscular, and subcutaneous injections in mice. We demonstrate that each ROI method has strengths. We conclude there is an important trade-off between ROI size and the accuracy of iron quantification, therefore the choice of ROI selection method for each study must be carefully informed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sehl, O. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiret, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berih, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodwill, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Foster, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.10.487778</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MPI region of interest (ROI) analysis and quantification of iron in different volumes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.12.488064v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Carbon dioxide regulates Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoPR signaling and virulence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.12.488064v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) two-component regulatory system, PhoPR, is implicated in pH-sensing within the macrophage because it is strongly induced by acidic pH both in vitro and the macrophage phagosome. The carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitor ethoxzolamide (ETZ) inhibits PhoPR signaling supporting the hypothesis that CO2 may also play a role in regulating PhoPR. Here, we show that increasing CO2 concentration induces PhoPR signaling, and its induction is independent of medium pH. We also show that at acidic pH 5.7, a normally strong inducer of PhoPR signaling, that increasing CO2 from 0.5% to 5% further induces the pathway. Based on these findings, we propose that PhoPR functions as a CO2 sensor. Mtb has three CA (CanA, CanB, and CanC) and using CRISPR interference knockdowns and gene deletion mutants, we assessed which CAs regulate PhoPR signaling and virulence. We first examined if CA played a role in Mtb pathogenesis and observed that CanB was required for virulence in macrophages, where the knockdown strain had ~1 log reduction in virulence. To further define the interplay of CO2 and Mtb signaling, we conducted transcriptional profiling experiments at varying pH and CO2 concentrations. As hypothesized, we observed the induction of PhoPR at acidic pH is dependent on CO2 concentration, with a subset of core PhoPR regulon genes dependent on both 5% CO2 and acidic pH for their induction, including expression of the ESX-1 secretion system. Transcriptional profiling also revealed core CO2 responsive genes that were differentially expressed independently of the PhoPR regulon or the acidic pH-inducible regulon. Notably, genes regulated by a second two component regulatory system, TrcRS, are associated with adaptation to changes in CO2.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dechow, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goyal, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, B. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.12.488064</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Carbon dioxide regulates Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoPR signaling and virulence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.14.488381v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Infection with Listeria monocytogenes alters the placental transcriptome and eicosanome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.14.488381v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
IntroductionPlacental infection and inflammation are risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm labor. However, the mechanisms underlying these outcomes are poorly understood.

MethodsTo study this response, we have employed a pregnant mouse model of placental infection caused by the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocyogenes, which infects the human placenta. Through in vivo bioluminescence imaging, we confirm the presence of placental infection and quantify relative infection levels. Infected and control placentas were collected on embryonic day 18 for RNA sequencing to evaluate gene expression signatures associated with infection by Listeria.

ResultsWe identified an enrichment of genes associated with eicosanoid biosynthesis, suggesting an increase in eicosanoid production in infected tissues. Because of the known importance of eicosanoids in inflammation and timing of labor, we quantified eicosanoid levels in infected and uninfected placentas using semi-targeted mass spectrometry. We found a significant increase in the concentrations of several key eicosanoids: leukotriene B4, lipoxin A4, prostaglandin A2, prostaglandin D2, and eicosatrienoic acid.

DiscussionOur study provides a likely explanation for dysregulation of the timing of labor following placental infection. Further, our results suggest potential biomarkers of placental pathology and targets for clinical intervention.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Conner, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holman, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lydic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardy, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.14.488381</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Infection with Listeria monocytogenes alters the placental transcriptome and eicosanome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.14.488418v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The shape of aroma: measuring and modeling citrus oil gland distribution 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.14.488418v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LICitrus come in diverse sizes and shapes, and play a key role in world culture and economy. Citrus oil glands in particular contain essential oils which include plant secondary metabolites associated with flavor and aroma. Capturing and analyzing nuanced information behind the citrus fruit shape and its oil gland distribution provides a morphology-driven path to further our insight into phenotype-genotype interactions.
C_LIO_LIWe investigated the shape of citrus fruit of 51 accessions based on 3D X-ray CT scan reconstructions. Accessions include all three ancestral citrus species, accessions from related genera, and several interspecific hybrids. We digitally separate and compare the size of fruit endocarp, mesocarp, exocarp, and oil gland tissue. Based on the centers of the oil glands, overall fruit shape is approximated with an ellipsoid. Possible oil gland distributions on this ellipsoid surface are explored using directional statistics.
C_LIO_LIThere is a strong allometry along fruit tissues; that is, we observe a strong linear relationship between the volume of any pair of major tissues. This suggests that the relative growth of fruit tissues with respect to each other follows a power law. We also observe that on average, glands distance themselves from their nearest neighbor following a square root relationship, which suggests normal diffusion dynamics at play.
C_LIO_LIThe observed allometry and square root models point to the existence of biophysical developmental constraints that govern novel relationships between fruit dimensions from both evolutionary and breeding perspectives. Understanding these biophysical interactions prompt an exciting research path on fruit development and breeding.
C_LI

Societal Impact StatementCitrus are intrinsically connected to human health and culture, including preventing human diseases like scurvy, and inspiring sacred rituals. Citrus fruits come in a stunning number of different sizes and shapes, ranging from small clementines to oversized pummelos, and fruits display a vast diversity of flavors and aromas. These qualities are key in both traditional and modern medicine and the production of cleaning and perfume products. By quantifying and modeling overall fruit shape and oil gland distribution, we can gain further insight into citrus development and the impacts of domestication and improvement on multiple characteristics of the fruit.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Amezquita, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quigley, M. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ophelders, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seymour, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munch, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.14.488418</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The shape of aroma: measuring and modeling citrus oil gland distribution]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.15.488506v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A general framework for species-abundance distributions: linking traits and dispersal to explain commonness and rarity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.15.488506v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Species-abundance distributions (SADs) describe the spectrum of commonness and rarity in a community. Beyond the universal observation that most species are rare and only a few common, more-precise description of SAD shape is controversial. Furthermore, the mechanisms behind SADs and how they vary along environmental gradients remain unresolved. We lack a general non-neutral theory of SADs. Here we develop a trait-based framework, focusing on a local community coupled to the region by dispersal. The balance of immigration and exclusion determines abundances, which vary over orders-of-magnitude. Under stabilizing selection, the local trait-abundance distribution (TAD) reflects a transformation of the regional TAD. The left-tail of the SAD depends on scaling exponents of the exclusion function and the regional species pool. More-complex local dynamics can lead to multimodal TADs and SADs. Connecting SADs with trait-based ecological theory provides a way to generate more-testable hypotheses on the controls over commonness and rarity in communities.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Koffel, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Umemura, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klausmeier, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.15.488506</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A general framework for species-abundance distributions: linking traits and dispersal to explain commonness and rarity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.19.488859v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Listeria monocytogenes Infection Alters Extracellular Vesicles Produced by Trophoblast Stem Cells to Confer a Pro-Inflammatory State 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.19.488859v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Placental immunity is critical for fetal health during pregnancy, as invading pathogens can be transmitted from the maternal blood to the fetus through this organ. However, inflammatory responses in the placenta can adversely affect both the fetus and the pregnant mother, and the balance between protective placental immune response and detrimental inflammation is poorly understood. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed vesicles that play a critical role in placental immunity. EVs produced by placental trophoblasts mediate immune tolerance to the fetus and to the placenta itself, but these EVs can also activate detrimental inflammatory responses. The regulation of these effects is not well-characterized, and the role of trophoblast EVs (tEVs) in the response to infection has yet to be defined. The Gram-positive bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) infects the placenta, serving as a model to study tEV function in this context. We investigated the effect of Lm infection on the production and function of tEVs, using a trophoblast stem cell (TSCs) model. We found that tEVs from infected TSCs were immunostimulatory, activating macrophages to a pro-inflammatory state. Surprisingly, this activation made RAW 264.7 macrophages more susceptible to subsequent Lm infection. Increased susceptibility to infection has not previously been reported as an effect of EVs. Proteomic analysis and RNA sequencing revealed that tEVs from infected TSCs had altered cargo compared to those from uninfected TSCs. Together, these results suggest an immunomodulatory role for tEVs during prenatal infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kaletka, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, K. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.19.488859</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Listeria monocytogenes Infection Alters Extracellular Vesicles Produced by Trophoblast Stem Cells to Confer a Pro-Inflammatory State]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.20.488672v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparative transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal specialized metabolite drought stress responses in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.20.488672v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LISwitchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a bioenergy model crop valued for its energy efficiency and drought tolerance resilience. The related monocot species rice (Oryza sativa) and maize (Zea mays) deploy species-specific, specialized metabolites as core stress defenses. By contrast, specialized chemical defenses in switchgrass are largely unknown.
C_LIO_LITo investigate specialized metabolic drought responses in switchgrass, we integrated tissue-specific transcriptome and metabolite analyses of the genotypes Alamo and Cave-in-Rock that feature different drought tolerance.
C_LIO_LIThe more drought-susceptible Cave-in-Rock featured an earlier onset of transcriptomic changes and significantly more differentially expressed genes in response to drought compared to Alamo. Specialized pathways showed moderate differential expression compared to pronounced transcriptomic alterations in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. However, diterpenoid-biosynthetic genes showed drought-inducible expression in Alamo roots, contrasting largely unaltered triterpenoid and phenylpropanoid pathways. Metabolomic analyses identified common and genotype-specific flavonoids and terpenoids. Consistent with transcriptomic alterations, several root diterpenoids showed significant drought-induced accumulation, whereas triterpenoid abundance remained predominantly unchanged. Structural analysis of drought-responsive root diterpenoids verified these metabolites as oxygenated furanoditerpenoids.
C_LIO_LIDrought-dependent transcriptome and metabolite profiles provide the foundation to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying switchgrass environmental resilience. Accumulation of specialized root diterpenoids and corresponding pathway transcripts supports a role in drought stress tolerance for these compounds.
C_LI

Significance statementWith an increasing demand for renewable energy opposed by rising climate-driven crop losses, understanding, and leveraging plant natural defenses can enable the development of sustainable crop production systems. Here, we integrated comparative transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses to gain a detailed understanding of the diversity and physiological relevance of specialized metabolites in upland and lowland switchgrass ecotypes and provide resources for future investigations of drought response mechanisms in switchgrass.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tiedge, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merrill, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davisson, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tantillo, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zerbe, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.20.488672</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparative transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal specialized metabolite drought stress responses in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.28.489952v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An essential host dietary fatty acid promotes TcpH inhibition of TcpP proteolysis enabling virulence gene expression in Vibrio cholerae 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.28.489952v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative gastrointestinal pathogen responsible for the diarrheal disease cholera. Expression of key virulence factors, cholera toxin and toxin-coregulated pilus, is regulated indirectly by two single-pass membrane-localized transcription regulators (MLTR), ToxR and TcpP, that promote expression of the transcription activator toxT. TcpP abundance and activity are controlled by TcpH, a single-pass transmembrane protein, which protects TcpP from a two-step proteolytic process known as regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP). The mechanism of TcpH mediated protection of TcpP represents a major gap in our understanding of V. cholerae pathogenesis. Absence of tcpH leads to unimpeded degradation of TcpP in vitro and a colonization defect in a neonate mouse model of V. cholerae colonization. Here, we show that TcpH protects TcpP from RIP via direct interaction. We also demonstrate that a dietary fatty acid, -linolenic acid, promotes TcpH-dependent inhibition of RIP via co-association of TcpP and TcpH molecules within detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs; also known as lipid rafts) in a mechanism requiring the TcpH transmembrane domain. Taken together our data support a model where V. cholerae cells use exogenous -linolenic acid to remodel the phospholipid bilayer in vivo, leading to co-association of TcpP and TcpH within DRMs where RIP of TcpP is inhibited by TcpH, thereby promoting V. cholerae pathogenicity.

Significance StatementV. cholerae continues to pose a significant global burden on health infection millions of people every year resulting in [~]100,000 deaths annually. The importance of toxT gene expression in V. cholerae pathogenesis has been well established. Our results show that TcpP, one of the major regulators of toxT gene expression, is protected from proteolysis by TcpH, via direct interaction, in the presence of -linolenic acid, an essential dietary fatty acid. Here we identify a physiological relevant host factor that stimulates V. cholerae pathogenicity via TcpH-dependent antagonism of TcpP proteolysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Demey, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-04-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.28.489952</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An essential host dietary fatty acid promotes TcpH inhibition of TcpP proteolysis enabling virulence gene expression in Vibrio cholerae]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-04-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.29.490035v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic architecture of spatially complex color patterning in hybrid Mimulus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.29.490035v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hybridization generates inter-genomic interactions, which may result in unique traits not seen in either parent species. Here we explore the genetic basis of both carotenoid and anthocyanin floral pigmentation in hybrids between monkeyflower species Mimulus cupreus and M. luteus var. variegatus. Mimulus cupreus has abundant yellow carotenoid pigmentation in its petal lobes, while M. l. variegatus has a derived reduction in carotenoid intensity. Thus, as expected, carotenoid intensity segregates in an F2 hybrid population. More surprisingly, both species appear to have petal lobes solidly and identically covered in magenta anthocyanin pigment (which, when overlaid on the bright yellow carotenoid background, leads to an orange color in M. cupreus), yet F1 and F2 hybrids exhibit novel and complex spatial patterns of anthocyanin spotting. A rare yellow morph of M. cupreus, which lacks petal anthocyanins, also generates spatially patterned offspring when hybridized with M. l. variegatus. We use this cross, together with newly developed high-quality genome assembly of M. l. luteus and image analysis tools, to investigate the genetic architecture of color and pattern variation in an F2 hybrid population. We report a single QTL, containing the Beta-carotene hydroxylase (BCH) gene, associated with the non-patterned carotenoid reduction in M. l. variegatus. HPLC shows that relative beta-carotene abundance differs between dark yellow and light yellow petals, supporting a causal role for BCH. The presence versus absence of petal lobe anthocyanin segregates in a 3:1 ratio, and we report (as expected) an associated QTL encompassing the anthocyanin activator MYB5a/NEGAN which has previously been shown to be both necessary and sufficient to activate petal lobe anthocyanins in M. l. variegatus. Anthocyanin patterning was more complex, with seven QTLs associated with five quantitative patterning traits on the upper petals; 11 on the lower petals; and three qualitative whole-flower patterning traits. Although power was too limited to effectively test for epistatic interactions in this cross, the QTLs provide candidate genomic regions for further investigating the molecular mechanisms of spatially complex floral color patterning, and multiple candidate genes are identified including anthocyanin activators and an anthocyanin repressor.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cooley, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schlutius, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matthews, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platts, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>George, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaFountain, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hundley, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, Y.-w.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Twyford, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Puzey, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.04.29.490035</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic architecture of spatially complex color patterning in hybrid Mimulus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.03.490463v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bacterial Infection of the Placenta Induces Sex-Specific Responses in the Fetal Brain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.03.490463v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BACKGROUNDEpidemiological data indicate that prenatal infection is associated with an increased risk of several neurodevelopmental disorders in the progeny. These disorders display sex differences in presentation. The role of the placenta, which is a target of prenatal infection, in the sex-specificity of neurodevelopmental abnormalities is unknown. We used an imaging-based animal model of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes to identify sex-specific effects of placental infection on neurodevelopment of the fetus.

METHODSPregnant CD1 mice were infected with a bioluminescent strain of Listeria on embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5). Excised fetuses were imaged on E18.5 to identify the infected placentas. The associated fetal brains were analyzed for gene expression and altered brain structure due to infection. The behavior of adult offspring affected by prenatal Listeria infection was analyzed.

RESULTSPlacental infection induced sex-specific alteration of gene expression patterns in the fetal brain and resulted in abnormal cortical development correlated with placental infection levels. Furthermore, male offspring exhibited abnormal social interaction, whereas females exhibited elevated anxiety.

CONCLUSIONPlacental infection by Listeria induced sex-specific abnormalities in neurodevelopment of the fetus. Prenatal infection also affected the behavior of the offspring in a sex-specific manner.

ImpactO_LIPlacental infection with Listeria monocytogenes induces sexually dichotomous gene expression patterns in the fetal brain.
C_LIO_LIAbnormal cortical lamination is correlated with placental infection levels.
C_LIO_LIPlacental infection results in autism related behavior in male offspring and heightened anxiety level in female offspring.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, K. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiupel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woods, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pingle, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.03.490463</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bacterial Infection of the Placenta Induces Sex-Specific Responses in the Fetal Brain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.06.490824v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Vertical gradients in physiological function and resource allocation of white spruce diverge at the northern- and southern-most range extremes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.06.490824v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Light availability drives vertical canopy gradients in photosynthetic functioning and carbon (C) balance, yet patterns of variability in these gradients remain unclear. We measured light availability, photosynthetic CO2 and light response curves, foliar C, nitrogen (N) and pigment concentrations, and the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) on upper and lower canopy needles of white spruce trees (Picea glauca) at the species northern and southern range extremes. We combined our photosynthetic data with previously published respiratory data to compare and contrast canopy C balance between latitudinal extremes. We found steep canopy gradients in irradiance, photosynthesis, and leaf traits at the southern range limit, but a lack of variation across canopy positions at the northern range limit. Thus, unlike many tree species from tropical to mid-latitude forests, high latitude trees may not require vertical gradients of metabolic activity to optimize photosynthetic C gain. Consequently, accounting for self-shading is less critical for predicting gross primary productivity at northern relative to southern latitudes. Northern trees also had a significantly smaller net positive leaf C balance than southern trees suggesting that, regardless of canopy position, low photosynthetic rates coupled with high respiratory costs may ultimately constrain the northern range limit of this widely distributed boreal species.

SUMMARY STATEMENTCanopy gradients in photosynthetic capacity of white spruce diminish at high compared to low latitudes. Low carbon balance in high latitude trees may determine the extent of northern treeline.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmiege, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Griffin, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boelman, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vierling, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruner, S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Min, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maguire, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jensen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eitel, J. U. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.06.490824</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Vertical gradients in physiological function and resource allocation of white spruce diverge at the northern- and southern-most range extremes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.12.491649v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Complexities of recapitulating polygenic effects in natural populations: replication of genetic effects on wing shape in artificially selected and wild caught populations of Drosophila melanogaster. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.12.491649v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Identifying the genetic architecture of complex traits is important to many geneticists, including those interested in human disease, plant and animal breeding, and evolutionary genetics. Advances in sequencing technology and statistical methods for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have allowed for the identification of more variants with smaller effect sizes, however, many of these identified polymorphisms fail to be replicated in subsequent studies. In addition to sampling variation, this failure to replicate reflects the complexities introduced by factors including environmental variation, genetic background, and differences in allele frequencies among populations. Using Drosophila melanogaster wing shape, we ask if we can replicate allelic effects of polymorphisms first identified in a GWAS (Pitchers et al. 2019) in three genes: dachsous (ds), extra-macrochaete (emc) and neuralized (neur), using artificial selection in the lab, and bulk segregant mapping in natural populations. We demonstrate that multivariate wing shape changes associated with these genes are aligned with major axes of phenotypic and genetic variation in natural populations. Following seven generations of artificial selection along the ds shape change vector, we observe genetic differentiation of variants in ds and genomic regions containing other genes in the hippo signaling pathway. This suggests a shared direction of effects within a developmental network. We also performed artificial selection with the emc shape change vector, which is not a part of the hippo signaling network, but showed a largely shared direction of effects. The response to selection along the emc vector was similar to that of ds, suggesting that the available genetic diversity of a population, summarized by the genetic (co)variance matrix (G), influenced alleles captured by selection. Despite the success with artificial selection, bulk segregant analysis using natural populations did not detect these same variants, likely due to the contribution of environmental variation and low minor allele frequencies, coupled with small effect sizes of the contributing variants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pelletier, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pitchers, W. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mammel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Northrop-Albrecht, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marquez, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moscarella, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Houle, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dworkin, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.12.491649</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Complexities of recapitulating polygenic effects in natural populations: replication of genetic effects on wing shape in artificially selected and wild caught populations of Drosophila melanogaster.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.13.491754v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predictive Models of Genome-wide Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor DNA Binding Reveal Tissue Specific Binding Determinants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.13.491754v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundThe Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) is an inducible transcription factor (TF) whose ligands include the environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). TCDD-mediated toxicity occurs through activation of AhR and its subsequent binding to the Dioxin Response Element (DRE), comprising the DNA motif 5-GCGTG-3. However, AhR binding in human tissues is highly dynamic and tissue specific. Approximately 50% of all experimentally verified AhR binding sites do not contain a DRE. Additionally, most accessible DREs are not bound by AhR. Identification of tissue specific AhR binding determinants is crucial for understanding downstream gene regulation and potential adverse outcomes of AhR activation.

ResultsWe applied XGBoost, a supervised machine learning architecture, to predict the genome wide AhR binding status of DREs in open chromatin as a function of DNA sequence flanking the DRE, chromatin accessibility, histone modifications (HM), TF binding, and proximity of the DRE to gene promoters. We trained and validated our models using 5-fold cross validation to predict the binding status of DREs in AhR-activated MCF-7 breast cancer cells, primary human hepatocytes, and lymphoblastoid GM17212 cells, as well as AhR non-activated HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Our results demonstrate highly accurate and robust models of AhR binding; and identify patterns of transcription factor binding and histone modifications predictive of AhR binding. These patterns are consistent within tissues but highly variable across tissues, which is suggestive of tissue-specific mechanisms of AhR binding.

ConclusionsAhR binding is driven by a complex interplay of tissue-agnostic DNA sequence flanking its binding motif and tissue-specific local chromatin context.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Filipovic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qi, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kana, O. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marri, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LeCluyse, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andersen, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cuddapah, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.13.491754</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predictive Models of Genome-wide Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor DNA Binding Reveal Tissue Specific Binding Determinants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.17.492023v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Parallel changes in gene essentiality over 50,000 generations of evolution 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.17.492023v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As evolving populations accumulate mutations, the benefits and costs of subsequent mutations change. As fitness increases, the relative benefit of new mutations typically decreases. However, the question remains whether deleterious mutations tend to have larger or smaller costs as a population adapts; theory and experiments provide support for both conflicting hypotheses. To address this question, we compared the effects of insertion mutations in every gene in Escherichia coli between ancestral and 12 independently derived strains after 50,000 generations in a uniform environment. We found both increases and decreases in the fitness costs of mutations, leaving the overall distribution of effects largely unchanged. However, at the extreme, more genes became essential over evolution than vice versa. Both changes in fitness effects and essentiality evolved in parallel across the independent populations, and most changes were not explained by structural variation or altered gene expression. Thus, the macroscopic features of the local fitness landscape remained largely unchanged, even as access to particular evolutionary trajectories changed consistently during adaptation to the experimental environment.

One Sentence SummaryLimdi et al. report parallel changes in the cost of mutations in replicate lineages of a decades-long E. coli evolution experiment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Limdi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Owen, S. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herren, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baym, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.17.492023</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Parallel changes in gene essentiality over 50,000 generations of evolution]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.17.492360v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The evolution of fitness effects during long-term adaptation in bacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.17.492360v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The distribution of fitness effects of new mutations is central to predicting adaptive evolution, but observing how it changes as organisms adapt is challenging. Here we use saturated, genome-wide insertion libraries to quantify how the fitness effects of new mutations changed in two E. coli populations that adapted to a constant environment for 15,000 generations. The proportions of neutral and deleterious mutations remained constant, despite large fitness gains. In contrast, the beneficial fraction declined rapidly, approximating an exponential distribution, with strong epistasis profoundly changing the genetic identity of adaptive mutations. Despite this volatility, many important targets of selection were predictable from the ancestral distribution. This predictability occurs because genetic target size contributed to the fixation of beneficial mutations as much as or more than their effect sizes. Overall, our results demonstrate that short-term adaptation can be idiosyncratic but empirically predictable, and that long-term dynamics can be described by simple statistical principles.

One-Sentence SummaryCouce et al. demonstrate that short-term bacterial adaptation is predictable at the scale of individual genes, while long-term adaptation is predictable at a global scale.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Couce, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Magnan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tenaillon, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.17.492360</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The evolution of fitness effects during long-term adaptation in bacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.17.492371v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
X-ray imaging of 30 year old wine grape wood reveals cumulative impacts of rootstocks on scion secondary growth and harvest index 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.17.492371v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIAnnual rings from 30 year old vines in a California rootstock trial were measured to determine the effects of 15 different rootstocks on Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon scions. Viticultural traits measuring vegetative growth, yield, berry quality, and nutrient uptake were collected at the beginning and end of the lifetime of the vineyard.
C_LIO_LIX-ray Computed Tomography (CT) was used to measure ring widths in 103 vines. Ring width was modeled as a function of ring number using a negative exponential model. Early and late wood ring widths, cambium width, and scion trunk radius were correlated with 27 traits.
C_LIO_LIModeling of annual ring width shows that scions alter the width of the first rings but that rootstocks alter the decay thereafter, consistently shortening ring width throughout the lifetime of the vine. The ratio of yield to vegetative growth, juice pH, photosynthetic assimilation and transpiration rates, and stomatal conductance are correlated with scion trunk radius.
C_LIO_LIRootstocks modulate secondary growth over years, altering hydraulic conductance, physiology, and agronomic traits. Rootstocks act in similar but distinct ways from climate to modulate ring width, which borrowing techniques from dendrochronology, can be used to monitor both genetic and environmental effects in woody perennial crop species.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quigley, M. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mullins, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ali, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swift, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agasaveeran, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dougherty, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Korkmaz, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malpeddi, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McNichol, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharp, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hopkins, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jordan, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwasniewski, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Striegler, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dowtin, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stotts, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cousins, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.17.492371</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[X-ray imaging of 30 year old wine grape wood reveals cumulative impacts of rootstocks on scion secondary growth and harvest index]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.18.492370v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Profiles of secoiridoids and alkaloids in tissue of susceptible and resistant green ash progeny reveal patterns of induced responses to emerald ash borer in Fraxinus pennsylvanica 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.18.492370v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis, EAB) invasion in North America threatens most North American Fraxinus species, including green ash (F. pennsylvanica), the mostly widely distributed species (1, 2). A small number of green ash ("lingering ash", 0.1-1%) survive years of heavy EAB attack (3) and kill more EAB larvae when challenged in greenhouse studies than susceptible controls (4). We combined untargeted metabolomics with intensive phenotyping of segregating F1 progeny from susceptible or lingering ash parents to detect chemotypes associated with defensive responses to EAB. We examined three contrasting groups: low larval kill (0-25% of larvae killed), high larval kill (55-95% of larvae killed) and uninfested. Contrasting the chemotypes of these groups revealed evidence of an induced response to EAB. Infested trees deployed significantly higher levels of select secoiridoids than uninfested trees. Within the infested group, the low larval kill (LLK) individuals deployed significantly higher levels of select secoiridoids than the high larval kill (HLK) individuals. The HLK individuals deployed significantly higher concentrations of three metabolites annotated as aromatic alkaloids compared to the LLK and uninfested individuals. We propose a two-part model for the North American Fraxinus response to EAB wherein every individual has the capacity to detect and respond to EAB, but only certain trees mount an effective defense, killing enough EAB larvae to prevent or minimize lethal damage to the vascular system. Integration of intensive phenotyping of structured populations with metabolomics reveals the multi-faceted nature of the defenses deployed in naive host populations against invasive species.

SignificanceLong-lived forest trees employ evolutionarily conserved templates to synthesize an array of defensive metabolites. The regulation of these metabolites, honed against native pests and pathogens, may be ineffective against novel species, as illustrated by the high mortality (>99%) in green ash infested by the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB). However, high standing genetic variation may produce a few individuals capable of an effective defense, as seen in the rare surviving green ash. In an investigation of this plant-insect interaction, we annotated metabolites associated with generalized but ineffective responses to EAB, and others associated with successful defensive responses. Untargeted metabolomics combined with intensive phenotyping of structured populations provides a framework for understanding resistance to invasive species in naive host populations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stanley, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carey, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mason, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poland, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koch, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romero-Severson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.18.492370</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Profiles of secoiridoids and alkaloids in tissue of susceptible and resistant green ash progeny reveal patterns of induced responses to emerald ash borer in Fraxinus pennsylvanica]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.18.492518v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Nucleotide resolution genetic mapping in pigs by publicly accessible whole genome imputation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.18.492518v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic mapping to identify genes and alleles associated with or causing economically important quantitative trait variation in livestock animals such as pigs is a major goal in the genetic improvement animals. Despite recent advances in high throughput genotyping technologies, resolution of genetic mapping in pigs remains poor due in part to the low density of genotyped variant sites. In this study, we overcame this limitation by developing a reference haplotype panel for pigs based on 2,259 whole genome sequenced animals representing 44 pig breeds. We optimized the imputation procedure to achieve an average concordance rate in excess of 97%, non-reference concordance rate 91%, and r2 0.89. We demonstrated that genotype imputation using this resource can dramatically improve resolution of genetic mapping. Finally, we developed a public web server (swimgeno.org) to allow the pig genetics community to fully utilize this resource. We expect the resource and server to significantly facilitate genetic mapping and accelerate genetic improvement in pigs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ding, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Savegnago, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Long, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhuang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruan, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hong, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bedhane, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnabel, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steibel, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gondro, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.18.492518</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Nucleotide resolution genetic mapping in pigs by publicly accessible whole genome imputation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.19.492662v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TransCell: In silico characterization of genomic landscape and cellular responses from gene expressions through a two-step deep transfer learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.19.492662v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene expression profiling of new or modified cell lines becomes routine today; however, obtaining comprehensive molecular characterization and cellular responses for a variety of cell lines, including those derived from underrepresented groups, is not trivial when resources are minimal. Using gene expression to predict other measurements has been actively explored; however, systematic investigation of its predictive power in various measurements has not been well studied. We evaluate commonly used machine learning methods and present TransCell, a two-step deep transfer learning framework that utilizes the knowledge derived from pan-cancer tumor samples to predict molecular features and responses. Among these models, TransCell has the best performance in predicting metabolite, gene effect score (or genetic dependency), and drug sensitivity, and has comparable performance in predicting mutation, copy number variation, and protein expression. Notably, TransCell improved the performance by over 50% in drug sensitivity prediction and achieved a correlation of 0.7 in gene effect score prediction. Furthermore, predicted drug sensitivities revealed potential repurposing candidates for new 100 pediatric cancer cell lines, and predicted gene effect scores reflected BRAF resistance in melanoma cell lines. Together, we investigate the predictive power of gene expression in six molecular measurement types and develop a web portal (http://apps.octad.org/transcell/) that enables the prediction of 352,000 genomic and cellular response features solely from gene expression profiles.

Key PointsO_LIWe provide a systematic investigation on evaluating the predictive power of gene expression in six molecular measurement types including protein expression, copy number variation, mutation, metabolite, gene effect score, and drug sensitivity.
C_LIO_LITransCell took advantage of the transfer learning technique, showing how to learn knowledge from the source tumors, and transfer learned weight initializations to the downstream tasks in cell lines.
C_LIO_LICompared to the baseline methods, TransCell outperformed in metabolite, gene effect score, and drug sensitivity predictions.
C_LIO_LITwo cases studies demonstrate that TransCell could identify new repurposing candidates for pediatric cancer cell lines as well as capture the differences of genetic dependencies in melanoma resistant cell lines.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yeh, S.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xing, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.19.492662</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TransCell: In silico characterization of genomic landscape and cellular responses from gene expressions through a two-step deep transfer learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.23.493133v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A cryptic transcription factor regulates Caulobacter adhesin development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.23.493133v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Alphaproteobacteria commonly produce an adhesin that is anchored to the exterior of the envelope at one cell pole. In Caulobacter crescentus this adhesin, known as the holdfast, facilitates attachment to solid surfaces and cell partitioning to air-liquid interfaces. An ensemble of two-component signal transduction (TCS) proteins controls C. crescentus holdfast biogenesis by indirectly regulating expression of HfiA, a potent inhibitor of holdfast synthesis. We performed a genetic selection to discover direct hfiA regulators that function downstream of the adhesion TCS system and identified rtrC, a hypothetical gene. rtrC transcription is directly activated by the adhesion TCS regulator, SpdR. Though its primary structure bears no resemblance to any defined protein family, RtrC binds and regulates dozens of sites on the C. crescentus chromosome via a pseudo-palindromic sequence. Among these binding sites is the hfiA promoter, where RtrC functions to directly repress transcription and thereby activate holdfast development. Either RtrC or SpdR can directly activate transcription of a second hfiA repressor, rtrB. Thus, environmental regulation of hfiA transcription by the adhesion TCS system is subject to control by an OR-gated type I coherent feedforward loop; these regulatory motifs are known to buffer gene expression against fluctuations in regulating signals. We have further assessed the functional role of rtrC in holdfast-dependent processes, including surface adherence to a cellulosic substrate and formation of pellicle biofilms at air-liquid interfaces. Strains harboring insertional mutations in rtrC have a diminished adhesion profile in a competitive cheesecloth binding assay and a reduced capacity to colonize pellicle biofilms in select media conditions. Our results add to an emerging understanding of the regulatory topology and molecular components of a complex bacterial cell adhesion control system.

Author SummaryA complex structure known as the envelope separates the controlled interior of bacterial cells from the external environment. The envelope regulates molecular traffic in and out of the cell and mediates physical contact with the cells surroundings. Bacteria often anchor specialized polymers to the exterior of their envelopes, which enable attachment to surfaces and facilitate the development of multicellular communities known as biofilms. We have discovered that an uncharacterized hypothetical gene, present in common soil and aquatic bacteria, functions to control development of a surface adhesin known as the holdfast. This gene, which we have named rtrC, encodes a DNA-binding protein that regulates the expression of dozens of genes in Caulobacter. The expression of rtrC results in potent activation of holdfast biosynthesis, and loss of rtrC results in defects holdfast-dependent processes in Caulobacter including the ability to colonize biofilms at the surface of water. The results presented in this study illuminate the molecular function of previously hypothetical gene, and inform understanding of the molecular processes and pathways that control bacterial adhesion and biofilm development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McLaughlin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hershey, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reyes-Ruiz, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.23.493133</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A cryptic transcription factor regulates Caulobacter adhesin development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.24.493311v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Harnessing insect olfactory neural circuits for noninvasive detection of human cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.24.493311v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
There is overwhelming evidence that metabolic processes are altered in cancer cells and these changes are manifested in the volatile organic compound (VOC) composition of exhaled breath. Here, we take a novel approach of an insect olfactory neural circuit-based VOC sensor for cancer detection. We combined an in vivo antennae-attached insect brain with an electrophysiology platform and employed biological neural computation rules of antennal lobe circuitry for data analysis to achieve our goals. Our results demonstrate that three different human oral cancers can be robustly distinguished from each other and from a non-cancer oral cell line by analyzing individual cell culture VOC composition-evoked olfactory neural responses in the insect antennal lobe. By evaluating cancer vs. non-cancer VOC-evoked population neural responses, we show that olfactory neurons response-based classification of oral cancer is sensitive and reliable. Moreover, this brain-based cancer detection approach is very fast (detection time ~ 250 ms). We also demonstrate that this cancer detection technique is effective across changing chemical environments mimicking natural conditions. Our brain-based cancer detection system comprises a novel VOC sensing methodology that will spur the development of more forward engineering technologies for noninvasive detection of cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Farnum, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parnas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Apu, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lefevre, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.24.493311</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Harnessing insect olfactory neural circuits for noninvasive detection of human cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.26.493490v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
yEvo: a modular eukaryotic genetics and evolution research experience for high school students 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.26.493490v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microbial experimental evolution paired with whole-genome sequencing allows researchers to observe evolutionary processes in real-time. The resources for carrying out and analyzing microbial evolution experiments have become more accessible. It is now possible to expand these studies beyond the research laboratory and into the classroom. We have developed a series of five connected and standards-aligned yeast evolution laboratory modules, called "yEvo," for high school biology students. The modules have been designed to enable students to take agency in answering open-ended research questions. In Module 1, students evolve the bakers yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to tolerate an over-the-counter antifungal drug, and in subsequent modules, investigate how evolved yeasts adapted to this stressful condition at both the phenotype and genotype levels. Pre- and post-surveys from 72 students at two different schools and one-on-one interviews with students and teachers were used to assess our program goals to iteratively improve these modules over three years. We also measured changes in student conceptions of mutation and evolution, confidence in scientific practices, and interest in STEM and biology careers. Students who participated in our experimental evolution module showed improvements in activity-specific concepts, including the importance of variation in evolution and the random nature of mutation. They additionally reported increased confidence in their ability to design a valid biology experiment. Student experimental data replicated literature findings on mechanisms of clotrimazole resistance and has led to new insights into this phenomenon. This collaborative endeavor will serve as a model for other university researchers and K-16 classrooms interested in engaging in open-ended research questions using yeast as a model system.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Taylor, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warwick, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skophammer, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boyer, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Geck, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunkelman, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rowley, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunham, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.26.493490</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[yEvo: a modular eukaryotic genetics and evolution research experience for high school students]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.26.493509v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
FcRγ- NK cell induction by specific CMV and expansion by subclinical viral infections in rhesus macaques 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.26.493509v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Long-lived  memory-like NK cells, characterized by FcR{gamma}-deficiency and enhanced responsiveness to antibody-bound virus-infected cells, have been found in certain human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-seropositive individuals. Because humans are exposed to numerous microbes and environmental agents, specific relationships between HCMV and FcR{gamma}-deficient NK cells (also known as g-NK cells) have been challenging to define. Here, we show that a subgroup of rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV)-seropositive macaques possesses FcR{gamma}-deficient NK cells that stably persist and display phenotype resembling human FcR{gamma}-deficient NK cells. Moreover, these macaque NK cells resembled human FcR{gamma}-deficient NK cells with respect to functional characteristics, including enhanced responsiveness to RhCMV-infected target in an antibody-dependent manner and hypo-responsiveness to tumor and cytokine stimulation. These cells were not detected in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) macaques free of RhCMV and six other viruses; however, experimental infection of SPF animals with RhCMV strain UCD59, but not RhCMV strain 68-1 or SIV, led to induction of FcR{gamma}-deficient NK cells. In non-SPF macaques, co-infection by RhCMV with other common viruses was associated with higher frequencies of FcR{gamma}-deficient NK cells. These results support a causal role for specific cytomegalovirus strain(s) in the induction of FcR{gamma}-deficient NK cells, and suggest that co-infection by other viruses further expands this memory-like NK cell pool.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hong, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deere, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sparger, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dandekar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hartigan-O'Connor, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.26.493509</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[FcRγ- NK cell induction by specific CMV and expansion by subclinical viral infections in rhesus macaques]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.30.494003v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Determinants of hyena participation in risky collective action 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.30.494003v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many species engage in risky cooperative behaviors, which pose a challenge to evolutionary theory: participants take on all the costs of cooperation, yet even non-participants benefit from success in these encounters. So, why participate in these risky behaviors? We address this question using data from spotted hyenas fighting with lions. Lions are much larger, and kill many hyenas, so these fights require cooperative mobbing by hyenas for them to succeed. We identify factors that predict: (1) when hyena groups engage in cooperative fights with lions, (2) which individuals choose to participate, and (3) how the benefits of victory are distributed among cooperators and non-cooperators. We find that cooperative mobbing is more strongly influenced by lower costs (no male lions, more hyenas) than higher benefits (need for food). Individual participation is facilitated by social factors, both over the long term (close kin, social bond strength) and the short term (greeting interactions prior to cooperation). Finally, we find some direct benefits of participation; after cooperation, participants were more likely to feed at contested carcasses than non-participants. Overall, these results suggest that, when animals play dangerous cooperative games, selection favors flexible strategies that are sensitive to dynamic factors emerging over multiple time-scales.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, T. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehmann, K. D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gregg, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keyser, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McTigue, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beehner, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.30.494003</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Determinants of hyena participation in risky collective action]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.31.492660v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
GDNF-RET signaling and EGR1 form a positive feedback loop that promotes tamoxifen resistance via cyclin D1 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.31.492660v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundRearranged during transfection (RET) tyrosine kinase signaling has been previously implicated in endocrine resistant breast cancer, however the mechanism by which this signaling cascade promotes resistance is currently not well described. We recently reported that glial-cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)-RET signaling appears to promote a positive feedback loop with the transcription factor early growth response 1 (EGR1). Here we investigate the mechanism behind this feedback loop and test the hypothesis that GDNF-RET signaling forms a regulatory loop with EGR1 to upregulate cyclin D1 (CCND1) transcription, leading to cell cycle progression and tamoxifen resistance.

MethodsTo gain a better understanding of the GDNF-RET-EGR1 resistance mechanism, we studied the GDNF-EGR1 positive feedback loop and the role of GDNF and EGR1 in endocrine resistance by modulating their transcription levels using CRISPR-dCAS9 in tamoxifen sensitive (TamS) and tamoxifen resistant (TamR) MCF-7 cells. Additionally, we performed kinetic studies using recombinant GDNF (rGDNF) treatment of TamS cells. Statistical significance for qPCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR was determined using a students t-test.

ResultsGDNF-RET signaling formed a positive feedback loop with EGR1 and also downregulated estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) transcription. Upregulation of GDNF and EGR1 promoted tamoxifen resistance in TamS cells and downregulation of GDNF promoted tamoxifen sensitivity in TamR cells. Additionally, we show that rGDNF treatment activated GDNF-RET signaling in TamS cells, leading to recruitment of p-ELK-1 to the EGR1 promoter, upregulation of EGR1 mRNA and protein, binding of EGR1 to the GDNF and CCND1 promoters, increased GDNF protein expression, and subsequent upregulation of CCND1 mRNA levels.

ConclusionOutcomes from these studies support the hypotheses that GDNF-RET signaling forms a positive feedback loop with the transcription factor EGR1, and that GDNF-RET-EGR1 signaling promotes endocrine resistance via signaling to cyclin D1. Inhibition of components of this signaling pathway could lead to therapeutic insights into the treatment of endocrine resistant breast cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marks, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coonrod, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rice, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Danko, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mukai, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pipia, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horibata, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.31.492660</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[GDNF-RET signaling and EGR1 form a positive feedback loop that promotes tamoxifen resistance via cyclin D1]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.31.493820v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Chloroplast Protein Atlas Reveals Novel Structures and Spatial Organization of Biosynthetic Pathways 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.31.493820v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chloroplasts are eukaryotic photosynthetic organelles that drive the global carbon cycle. Despite their importance, our understanding of their protein composition, function, and spatial organization remains limited. Here, we determined the localizations of 1,032 candidate chloroplast proteins by using fluorescent protein tagging in the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The localizations provide insights into the functions of hundreds of poorly-characterized proteins, including identifying novel components of nucleoids, plastoglobules, and the pyrenoid. We discovered and further characterized novel organizational features, including eleven chloroplast punctate structures, cytosolic crescent structures, and diverse unexpected spatial distributions of enzymes within the chloroplast. We observed widespread protein targeting to multiple organelles, identifying proteins that likely function in multiple compartments. We also used machine learning to predict the localizations of all Chlamydomonas proteins. The strains and localization atlas developed here will serve as a resource to enable studies of chloroplast architecture and functions.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/493820v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (41K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19c871eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16ac46corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@859b7dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1a3446e_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LI1,032 candidate chloroplast proteins localized by fluorescent tagging.
C_LIO_LIThis protein atlas reveals novel chloroplast structures, functional regions, and components.
C_LIO_LIPrevalent dual-organelle localization suggests extensive cross-compartment coordination.
C_LIO_LIAtlas-trained machine learning predicts localizations of all C. reinhardtii proteins.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patena, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Baalen, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singer, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gavrilenko, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warren-Williams, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harrigan, H. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ton, V. T. N. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kyin, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shwe, H. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cahn, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnell, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McWhite, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jonikas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.31.493820</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Chloroplast Protein Atlas Reveals Novel Structures and Spatial Organization of Biosynthetic Pathways]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.31.494158v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The complex octoploid Craterostigma genome and tissue-specific mechanisms underlying desiccation tolerance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.31.494158v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Resurrection plants can survive prolonged anhydrobiosis, and desiccation tolerance has evolved recurrently across land plants as a common adaptation for survival in regions with seasonal drying. Craterostigma plantagineum was among the first model resurrection plants, and many of the genetic mechanisms underlying desiccation tolerance were discovered in this important system. Here, we analyzed the complex, octoploid Craterostigma (C. plantagineum) genome and surveyed spatial and temporal expression dynamics to identify genetic elements underlying desiccation tolerance. Homeologous genes within the Craterostigma genome have divergent expression profiles, suggesting the subgenomes contribute differently to desiccation tolerance traits. The Craterostigma genome contains almost 200 tandemly duplicated early light induced proteins (ELIPs), a hallmark trait of desiccation tolerance, with massive upregulation under water deficit. We identified a core network of desiccation responsive genes across all tissues but observed almost entirely unique expression dynamics in each tissue during recovery. Roots and leaves have differential responses related to light and photoprotection, autophagy, and nutrient transport, reflecting their divergent functions. Our findings highlight a universal set of likely ancestral desiccation tolerance mechanisms to protect cellular macromolecules under anhydrobiosis, with secondary adaptations related to tissue function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wai, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giarola, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zupunski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pardo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kalinowski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grossmann, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bartels, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-05-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.31.494158</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The complex octoploid Craterostigma genome and tissue-specific mechanisms underlying desiccation tolerance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-05-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.31.494207v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Experimental Test of the Contributions of Initial Variation and New Mutations to Adaptive Evolution in a Novel Environment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.31.494207v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Experimental evolution is an approach that allows researchers to study organisms as they evolve in controlled environments. Despite the growing popularity of this approach, there are conceptual gaps among projects that use different experimental designs. One such gap concerns the contributions to adaptation of genetic variation present at the start of an experiment and that of new mutations that arise during an experiment. The primary source of genetic variation has historically depended largely on the study organisms. In the long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) using Escherichia coli, for example, each population started from a single haploid cell, and therefore adaptation depended entirely on new mutations. Most other microbial evolution experiments have followed the same strategy. By contrast, evolution experiments using multicellular, sexually-reproducing organisms typically start with pre-existing variation that fuels the response to selection. New mutations may also come into play in later generations of these experiments, but it is generally difficult to quantify their contribution in these studies. Here, we performed an experiment using E. coli to compare the contributions of initial genetic variation and new mutations to adaptation in a new environment. Our experiment had four treatments that varied in their starting diversity, with 18 populations in each treatment. One treatment depended entirely on new mutations, while the other three began with mixtures of clones, whole-population samples, or mixtures of whole-population samples from the LTEE. By tracking genetic markers associated with particular founders in two of our treatments, we could document the impact of the initial variation during the early generations of our experiment. However, there were no differences in fitness among the treatments after 500 or 2000 generations in the new environment, despite the variation in fitness among the founders. These results indicate that new mutations quickly overcame, and eventually contributed more to adaptation, than did the initial variation. Our study thus shows that pre-existing genetic variation can have a strong impact on early evolution in a new environment, but new beneficial mutations may contribute more to later evolution and can even drive some initially beneficial variants to extinction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Izutsu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.05.31.494207</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Experimental Test of the Contributions of Initial Variation and New Mutations to Adaptive Evolution in a Novel Environment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.03.494221v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Community assessment of methods to deconvolve cellular composition from bulk gene expression 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.03.494221v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We evaluate deconvolution methods, which infer levels of immune infiltration from bulk expression of tumor samples, through a community-wide DREAM Challenge. We assess six published and 22 community-contributed methods using in vitro and in silico transcriptional profiles of admixed cancer and healthy immune cells. Several published methods predict most cell types well, though they either were not trained to evaluate all functional CD8+ T cell states or do so with low accuracy. Several community-contributed methods address this gap, including a deep learning-based approach, whose strong performance establishes the applicability of this paradigm to deconvolution. Despite being developed largely using immune cells from healthy tissues, deconvolution methods predict levels of tumor-derived immune cells well. Our admixed and purified transcriptional profiles will be a valuable resource for developing deconvolution methods, including in response to common challenges we observe across methods, such as sensitive identification of functional CD4+ T cell states.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>White, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Reynies, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newman, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waterfall, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamb, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petitprez, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valdeolivas, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guerrero-Gimenez, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Catania, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lang, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Domanskyi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bertus, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Monaco, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caruso, F. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ceccarelli, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coller, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maecker, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duault, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sokoohi, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patel, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liliental, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simon, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tumor Deconvolution DREAM Challenge consortium,</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saez-Rodriguez, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heiser, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guinney, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gentles, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.03.494221</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Community assessment of methods to deconvolve cellular composition from bulk gene expression]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.08.494937v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A model of coevolution and local adaptation between hosts and parasites in continuous space 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.08.494937v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Previous host-parasite coevolutionary theory has focused on understanding the determinants of local adaptation using spatially discrete models. However, these studies fall short of describing patterns of host-parasite local adaptation across spatial scales. In contrast, empirical work demonstrates patterns of adaptation depend on the scale at which they are measured. Here, we propose a model of host-parasite coevolution in continuous space that naturally leads to a scale-dependent definition of local adaptation and a formal definition for the spatial scale of coevolution. In agreement with empirical findings, our model implies patterns of adaptation vary across spatial scales. When measured on spatial scales shorter than the scale of coevolution, we find the farther dispersing species is locally adapted. However, when measured at longer spatial scales, the opposite pattern is observed. We discuss our results in relation to those found using spatially discrete models and to conclusions drawn from empirical studies, and provide an example of our how our results can be used to inform the design of empirical studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Week, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.08.494937</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A model of coevolution and local adaptation between hosts and parasites in continuous space]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.08.495330v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Targeting ATP12A, a non-gastric proton pump alpha subunit, for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.08.495330v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a pathological condition of unknown etiology which results from injury to the lung and an ensuing fibrotic response that leads to thickening of the alveolar walls and obliteration of the alveolar space. The pathogenesis is not clear and there are currently no effective therapies for IPF. Small airway disease and mucus accumulation are prominent features in IPF lungs, similar to Cystic Fibrosis (CF) lung disease. The ATP12A gene encodes the alpha-subunit of the non-gastric H+, K+-ATPase, which functions to acidify the airway surface fluid and impairs mucociliary transport function in cystic fibrosis patients. We hypothesize that the ATP12A protein may play a role in the pathogenesis of IPF. Our studies demonstrate that ATP12A protein is overexpressed in distal small airways from IPF patient lungs compared to normal human lungs. In addition, overexpression of the ATP12A protein in mouse lungs worsened the bleomycin (BLEO)-induced experimental pulmonary fibrosis. This was prevented by a potassium-competitive proton pump blocker, vonoprazan (VON). This data supports the concept that the ATP12A protein plays an important role in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis. Inhibition of the ATP12A protein has the potential as a novel therapeutic strategy in IPF.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Abdelgied, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhl, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, O. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schultz, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tripp, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peraino, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kakazu, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahena, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jager, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lawson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chesla, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pestov, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Modyanov, N. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Girgis, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.08.495330</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Targeting ATP12A, a non-gastric proton pump alpha subunit, for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.09.495345v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Heritability and host genomic determinants of switchgrass root-associated microbiota in field sites spanning its natural range. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.09.495345v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A fundamental goal in plant microbiome research is to determine the relative impacts of host and environmental effects on root microbiota composition, particularly how host genotype impacts bacterial community composition. Most studies characterizing the effect of plant genotype on root microbiota undersample host genetic diversity and grow plants outside of their native ranges, making the associations between host and microbes difficult to interpret. Here we characterized the root microbiota of a large population of switchgrass, a North American native C4 bioenergy crop, in three field locations spanning its native range. Our data, composed of >2000 samples, suggest field location is the primary determinant of microbiome composition; however, substantial heritable variation is widespread across bacterial taxa, especially those in the Sphingomonadaceae family. Despite diverse compositions, we find that relatively few highly prevalent bacterial taxa make up the majority of the switchgrass root microbiota, a large fraction of which is shared across sites. Local genotypes preferentially recruit / filter for local microbes, supporting the idea of affinity between local plants and their microbiota. Using genome-wide association, we identified loci impacting the abundance of >400 microbial strains and found an enrichment of genes involved in immune responses, signaling pathways, and secondary metabolism. We found loci associated with over half of the core microbiota (i.e. microbes in >80% of samples) regardless of field location. Finally, we show a genetic relationship between a basal plant immunity pathway and relative abundances of root microbiota. This study brings us closer to harnessing and manipulating beneficial microbial associations via host genetics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Edwards, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saran, U. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonnette, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacQueen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, T. u.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmutz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grimwood, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pennacchio, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daum, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>del Rio, T. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fritschi, F. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Juenger, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.09.495345</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Heritability and host genomic determinants of switchgrass root-associated microbiota in field sites spanning its natural range.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.09.495359v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Systematic analysis of the molecular and biophysical properties of key DNA damage response factors 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.09.495359v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) is integral to preserving genomic integrity. Therefore, defining the mechanisms underlying DSB repair will enhance our understanding of how defects in these pathways contribute to human disease and could lead to the discovery of new approaches for therapeutic intervention. Here, we established a panel of HaloTagged DNA damage response factors in U2OS cells which enables concentration-dependent protein labeling. Genomic insertion of the HaloTag at the endogenous loci of the repair factors preserves expression levels and proteins retain proper subcellular localization, foci-forming ability, and functionally support DSB repair. We systematically analyzed total cellular protein abundance, measured recruitment kinetics to DSBs, and defined the diffusion dynamics and chromatin binding by live-cell single-molecule imaging. Our work demonstrates that the Shieldin complex, a critical factor in end joining, does not exist in a preassembled state and Shieldin components are recruited to DSBs with different kinetics. Additionally, live-cell single-molecule imaging revealed the constitutive interaction between MDC1 and chromatin mediated by the PST repeat domain of MDC1. Altogether, our studies demonstrate the utility of single-molecule imaging to provide mechanistic insights into DNA repair, which will serve as a powerful resource for characterizing the biophysical properties of DNA repair factors in living cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heyza, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mikhova, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahl, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broadbent, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.09.495359</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Systematic analysis of the molecular and biophysical properties of key DNA damage response factors]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.10.495464v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Orphan genes are clustered with allorecognition loci and may be involved in incompatibility and speciation in Neurospora 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.10.495464v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lineage-specific genes (LSGs) have long been postulated to play roles in the establishment of genetic barriers to intercrossing and speciation. However, there is a lack of working hypotheses as to how they might play that role. In the genome of Neurospora crassa, most of the 670 Neurospora LSGs that are aggregated adjacent to the telomeres are clustered with 61% of the HET-domain genes, which regulate self-recognition and define vegetative incompatibility groups. Among the 342 LSGs that are dynamically expressed during both asexual and sexual phases, 64% were detectable on unusual carbon sources such as furfural and HMF--wildfire-produced chemicals that are a strong inducer of sexual development. Expression of a significant portion of the LSGs was sensitive to light and temperature, factors that regulate the switch from asexual to sexual reproduction. Furthermore, expression of the LSGs was significantly affected in the knockouts of adv-1 and pp-1 that regulate hyphal communication, and expression of more than one quarter of the LSGs was affected by perturbation of the mating locus. Accordingly, we propose a gene-by-environment interaction model encouraging further investigation of the roles of LSGs and HET-domain genes in speciation in Neurospora. This gene-by-environment interaction model emphasizes the roles of the LSGs in response to genetic and environmental factors, leading to the regulation of the switch from the asexual growth and fusion, such that vegetative incompatibility governed by allorecognition promotes allelic homogeneity, sexual reproduction, and outbreeding, whereas VI repression and meiotic recombination promotes allelic polymorphism.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kasuga, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez-Giraldez, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diaz, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dong, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sil, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trail, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yarden, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Townsend, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.10.495464</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Orphan genes are clustered with allorecognition loci and may be involved in incompatibility and speciation in Neurospora]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.10.495696v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Fitness seascapes facilitate the prediction of therapy resistance under time-varying selection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.10.495696v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) modeling of host-pathogen interactions has enhanced our understanding of drug resistance. However, how combinations of drug resistance mutations impact dose-response curves remains underappreciated in PK-PD studies. The fitness seascape model addresses this by extending the fitness landscape model to map genotypes to dose-response functions, enabling the study of evolution under fluctuating drug concentrations. Here, we present an empirical fitness seascape in E. coli harboring all combinations of four drug resistance mutations. Incorporating these data into PK-PD simulations of antibiotic treatment, we find that higher mutation supply increases the probability of resistance, and early adherence to the drug regimen is critical. In vitro studies further support the finding that the second dose in a drug regimen is important for preventing resistance. This work represents the first application of an empirical fitness seascape in computational PK-PD studies, revealing novel insights into drug resistance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>King, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelesko, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maltas, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Owen, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dolson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.10.495696</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Fitness seascapes facilitate the prediction of therapy resistance under time-varying selection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.13.495901v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gla-domain mediated targeting of externalized phosphatidylserine for intracellular delivery 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.13.495901v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a negatively charged phospholipid normally localized to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane of cells but is externalized onto the cell surface during apoptosis as well as in malignant and infected cells. Consequently, PS may comprise an important molecular target in diagnostics, imaging and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. While an array of PS binding-molecules exist, their utility has been limited by their inability to recognize PS and internalize diagnostic or therapeutic payloads. We describe the generation, isolation, characterization, and utility of a PS binding motif comprised of a carboxylated glutamic acid (GLA) residue domain, that both recognizes cell surface-exposed PS and is internalized into these cells after binding. Internalization is independent of the traditional endosomal-lysosomal pathway, directly entering the cytosol of the target cell in a rapid and energy-independent fashion. We demonstrate that this PS recognition extends to extracellular vesicles and stem cells and that GLA-domain conjugated probes can be detected upon intravenous administration in animal models of infectious disease and cancer. GLA domain binding and internalization offers new opportunities for targeting specific cells for imaging and delivery of therapeutics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hermiston, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauzon, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blankenberg, F. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, C. K. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.13.495901</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gla-domain mediated targeting of externalized phosphatidylserine for intracellular delivery]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.15.496321v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dose-dependent disruption of hepatic zonation by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in mice: integration of single-nuclei RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.15.496321v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) dose-dependently induces the development of hepatic fat accumulation and inflammation with fibrosis in mice initially in the portal region. Conversely, differential gene and protein expression is first detected in the central region. To further investigate cell-specific and spatially resolved dose-dependent changes in gene expression elicited by TCDD, single-nuclei RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics were used for livers of male mice gavaged with TCDD every 4 days for 28 days. The proportion of 11 cell (sub)types across 131,613 nuclei dose-dependently changed with 68% of all portal and central hepatocyte nuclei in control mice being overtaken by macrophages following TCDD treatment. We identified 368 (portal fibroblasts) to 1,339 (macrophages) differentially expressed genes. Spatial analyses revealed initial loss of portal identity that eventually spanned the entire liver lobule with increasing dose. Induction of R-spondin 3 (Rspo3) and pericentral Apc, suggested dysregulation of the Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling cascade in zonally resolved steatosis. Collectively, the integrated results suggest disruption of zonation contributes to the pattern of TCDD-elicited NAFLD pathologies.

SYNOPSIS O_FIG_DISPLAY_L [Figure 1] M_FIG_DISPLAY C_FIG_DISPLAY

Single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) and spatial transcriptomics were integrated to investigate cell-specific and spatially resolved dose-dependent changes elicited by TCDD. We show that TCDD causes a loss of zonal characteristics that disrupts spatially defined metabolic functions.

- Dose-dependent analyses show higher responsiveness of central hepatocytes despite hepatotoxicity occurring initially in the portal region.
- Integration of snRNAseq and spatial transcriptomics demonstrates a loss of hepatocytes with portal characteristics.
- TCDD disrupted spatially resolved expression of {beta}-catenin signaling members that are critical in maintaining liver zonation.
- Spatial transcriptomics and snRNAseq shows induction of R-spondin3 from nonparenchymal cells which serve as cue for the {beta}-catenin pathway.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>SAHA, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maiti, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.15.496321</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dose-dependent disruption of hepatic zonation by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in mice: integration of single-nuclei RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.18.496675v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Direct Generation of Protein Conformational Ensembles via Machine Learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.18.496675v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Dynamics and conformational sampling are essential for linking protein structure to biological function. While challenging to probe experimentally, computer simulations are widely used to describe protein dynamics, but at significant computational costs that continue to limit the systems that can be studied. Here, we demonstrate that machine learning can be trained with simulation data to directly generate physically realistic conformational ensembles of proteins without the need for any sampling and at negligible computational cost. As a proof-of-principle a generative adversarial network based on a transformer architecture with self-attention was trained on coarse-grained simulations of intrinsically disordered peptides. The resulting model, idpGAN, can predict sequence-dependent ensembles for any sequence demonstrating that transferability can be achieved beyond the limited training data. idpGAN was also retrained on atomistic simulation data to show that the approach can be extended in principle to higher-resolution conformational ensemble generation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Janson, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valdes-Garcia, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.18.496675</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Direct Generation of Protein Conformational Ensembles via Machine Learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.18.496685v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Magnetothermal control of temperature-sensitive repressors in superparamagnetic iron nanoparticle-coated Bacillus subtilis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.18.496685v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are used as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic particle imaging (MPI) and resulting images can be used to guide magnetothermal heating. Alternating magnetic fields (AMF) cause local temperature increases in regions with SPIONs, and we investigated the ability of magnetic hyperthermia to regulate temperature-sensitive repressors (TSRs) of bacterial transcription. The TSR, TlpA39, was derived from a Gram-negative bacterium, and used here for thermal control of reporter gene expression in Gram-positive, Bacillus subtilis. In vitro heating of B. subtilis with TlpA39 controlling bacterial luciferase expression, resulted in a 14.6-fold (12-hour; h) and 1.8-fold (1-h) increase in reporter transcripts with a 9.0-fold (12-h) and 11.1-fold (1-h) increase in bioluminescence. To develop magnetothermal control, B. subtilis cells were coated with three SPION variations. Electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed an external association with, and retention of, SPIONs on B. subtilis. Furthermore, using long duration AMF we demonstrated magnetothermal induction of the TSRs in SPION-coated B. subtilis with a maximum of 4.6-fold increases in bioluminescence. After intramuscular injections of SPION-coated B. subtilis, histology revealed that SPIONs remained in the same locations as the bacteria. For in vivo studies, 1-h of AMF is the maximum exposure due to anesthesia constraints. Both in vitro and in vivo, there was no change in bioluminescence after 1-h of AMF treatment. Pairing TSRs with magnetothermal energy using SPIONs for localized heating with AMF can lead to transcriptional control that expands options for targeted bacteriotherapies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Greeson, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madsen, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.18.496685</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Magnetothermal control of temperature-sensitive repressors in superparamagnetic iron nanoparticle-coated Bacillus subtilis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.21.497119v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bacterial profiles of the human placenta from term and preterm deliveries 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.21.497119v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Whether the human placenta is a sterile organ is under debate. Yet, infection of the amniotic cavity, including the placenta, is causally linked to preterm birth. This study compares the bacterial profiles of term and preterm placentas through culture and 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the amnion, amnion-chorion interface, subchorion, villous tree, and basal plate, while accounting for patient identity, mode of delivery, presence/absence of labor, and potential background DNA contamination. As no evidence of a placental microbiota in term pregnancy was found, these placentas were considered as controls. Placentas from preterm birth cases were more likely to yield bacterial cultures, and their bacterial DNA profiles were less rich than those of term controls, suggesting the predominance of only a few bacteria. Nevertheless, the bacterial DNA profiles of placentas from preterm cases and term controls were not consistently different. The placentas from preterm cases may often have a microbiota but the bacteria constituting these communities varied among the women. Mode of delivery had a pronounced effect on the bacterial profiles of all sampled levels of the placenta. Specifically, the bacterial DNA profiles of vaginally delivered placentas had higher relative abundances of Finegoldia, Gardnerella, Peptoniphilus, and Prevotella (each a common resident of the vaginal microbiota) than the profiles of cesarean-delivered placentas. Collectively, these data indicate that there is a not a placental microbiota in normal term pregnancy, and that although the placentas of some preterm cases were populated by bacteria, the identities of these bacteria varied among women delivering preterm.

IMPORTANCEIf a placental microbiota exists, then current understanding of the roles of microorganisms in pregnancy outcomes need to be reconsidered. For instance, we will need to determine if a placental microbiota is beneficial to pregnancy outcome by excluding potential pathogens from colonizing the placenta and/or effectively priming the fetal immune system, and furthermore which characteristics of the placental microbiota preclude versus promote placental infection, which can result in pregnancy complications such as preterm birth. Our findings here are consistent with prior investigations that have reported that there is not a placental microbiota in typical human pregnancies. Yet, bacteria can be detected in placentas from preterm deliveries. The principal source of microorganisms invading the amniotic cavity, including the placenta, is the vaginal microbiota. Focus should be on elucidating the metabolic and/or virulence characteristics of the subset of bacteria within the vaginal microbiota that commonly invade the amniotic cavity, resulting in infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Theis, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winters, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romero, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alhousseini, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenberg, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panzer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Galaz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pacora, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shaffer, Z. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jung, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gomez-Lopez, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.21.497119</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bacterial profiles of the human placenta from term and preterm deliveries]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.23.497305v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Postsynaptic burst reactivation of hippocampal neurons enables associative plasticity of temporally discontiguous inputs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.23.497305v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A fundamental unresolved problem in neuroscience is how the brain associates in memory events that are separated in time. Here we propose that reactivation-induced synaptic plasticity can solve this problem. Previously, we reported that the reinforcement signal dopamine converts hippocampal spike timing-dependent depression into potentiation during continued synaptic activity (Brzosko et al., 2015). Here, we report that postsynaptic bursts in the presence of dopamine produces input-specific LTP in hippocampal synapses 10 minutes after they were primed with coincident pre- and postsynaptic activity. The priming activity sets an NMDAR-dependent silent eligibility trace which, through the cAMP-PKA cascade, is rapidly converted into protein synthesis-dependent synaptic potentiation, mediated by a signaling pathway distinct from that of conventional LTP. Incorporated into a computational model, this synaptic learning rule adds specificity to reinforcement learning by controlling memory allocation and enabling both  instructive and  supervised reinforcement learning. We predicted that this mechanism would make reactivated neurons activate more strongly and carry more spatial information than non-reactivated cells, which was confirmed in freely moving mice performing a reward-based navigation task.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fuchsberger, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clopath, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jarzebowski, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brzosko, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paulsen, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.23.497305</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Postsynaptic burst reactivation of hippocampal neurons enables associative plasticity of temporally discontiguous inputs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.23.497326v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
DESIGN OF A CHIMERIC ACE-2/Fc-SILENT FUSION PROTEIN WITH ULTRAHIGH AFFINITY AND NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY FOR SARS-CoV-2 VARIANTS 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.23.497326v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 continues to mutate into Variants of Concern (VOC), there is a growing and urgent need to develop effective antivirals to combat the newly emerged infectious disease COVID-19. Recent data indicate that monoclonal antibodies developed early in the pandemic are no longer capable of effectively neutralizing currently active VOCs. This report describes the design of a class of variant-agnostic chimeric molecules consisting of an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE-2) domain mutated to retain ultrahigh affinity binding to a wide variety of SARS-CoV-2 variants, coupled to an Fc-silent immunoglobulin domain that eliminates antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and simultaneously extends biological half-life compared to existing mABs. Molecular modeling revealed that ACE-2 mutations L27, V34 and E90 resulted in ultrahigh affinity binding of the LVE-ACE-2 domain to the widest variety of VOCs, with KDs of 93 pM, 507 pM and 73 pM for binding to the Alpha B1.1.7, Delta B.1.617.2 and Omicron B.1.1.529 variants, and notably, 78fM affinity to the Omicron BA.2 variant, respectively. Surrogate viral neutralization assays (sVNT) revealed titers of[&ge;] 4.9ng/ml, for neutralization of recombinant viral proteins corresponding to the Alpha, Delta and Omicron variants. The values above were obtained with LVE-ACE-2/mAB chimeras containing the Y-T-E sequence that enhances binding to the FcRn receptor, which in turn is expected to extend biological half-life 3-4-fold. It is proposed that this new class of chimeric ACE-2/mABs will constitute variant-agnostic and cost-effective prophylactics against SARS-CoV-2, particularly when administered by nasal delivery systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Uhal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bodie, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Connolly, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.23.497326</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[DESIGN OF A CHIMERIC ACE-2/Fc-SILENT FUSION PROTEIN WITH ULTRAHIGH AFFINITY AND NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY FOR SARS-CoV-2 VARIANTS]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.23.497424v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The cynosure of CtBP: evolution of a bilaterian transcriptional corepressor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.23.497424v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Evolution of sequence-specific transcription factors clearly drives lineage-specific innovations, but less is known about how changes in the central transcriptional machinery may contribute to evolutionary transformations. In particular, transcriptional regulators are rich in intrinsically disordered regions that appear to be magnets for evolutionary innovation. The C-terminal Binding Protein (CtBP) is a transcriptional corepressor derived from an ancestral lineage of alpha hydroxyacid dehydrogenases; it is found in mammals and invertebrates, and features a core NAD-binding domain as well as an unstructured C-terminus (CTD) of unknown function. CtBP can act on promoters and enhancers to repress transcription through chromatin-linked mechanisms. Our comparative phylogenetic study shows that CtBP is a bilaterian innovation whose CTD of about 100 residues is present in almost all orthologs. CtBP CTDs contain conserved blocks of residues and retain a predicted disordered property, despite having variations in the primary sequence. Interestingly, the structure of the C-terminus has undergone radical transformation independently in certain lineages including flatworms and nematodes. Also contributing to CTD diversity is the production of myriad alternative RNA splicing products, including the production of "short" tailless forms of CtBP in Drosophila. Additional diversity stems from multiple gene duplications in vertebrates, where up to five CtBP orthologs have been observed. Vertebrate lineages show fewer major modifications in the unstructured CTD, possibly because gene regulatory constraints of the vertebrate body plan place specific constraints on this domain. Our study highlights the rich regulatory potential of this previously unstudied domain of a central transcriptional regulator.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raicu, A.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kadiyala, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niblock, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jain, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bertholf, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seenivasan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnosti, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.23.497424</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The cynosure of CtBP: evolution of a bilaterian transcriptional corepressor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.24.497513v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Desiccation resistance differences in Drosophila species can be largely explained by variations in cuticular hydrocarbons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.24.497513v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Maintaining water balance is a universal challenge for organisms living in terrestrial environments, especially for insects, which have essential roles in our ecosystem. Although the high surface area to volume ratio in insects makes them vulnerable to water loss, insects have evolved different levels of desiccation resistance to adapt to diverse environments. To withstand desiccation, insects use a lipid layer called cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) to reduce water evaporation from the body surface. It has long been hypothesized that the waterproofing capability of this CHC layer, which can confer different levels of desiccation resistance, depends on its chemical composition. However, it is unknown which CHC components are important contributors to desiccation resistance and how these components can determine differences in desiccation resistance. In this study, we used machine learning algorithms, correlation analyses, and synthetic CHCs to investigate how different CHC components affect desiccation resistance in 50 Drosophila and related species. We showed that desiccation resistance differences across these species can be largely explained by variation in cuticular hydrocarbons. In particular, length variation in a subset of CHCs, the methyl-branched CHCs (mbCHCs), is a key determinant of desiccation resistance. We also showed a significant correlation between the evolution of longer mbCHCs and higher desiccation resistance. Given the ubiquitous presence of mbCHCs in insects, the evolution of mbCHCs may be a general mechanism of how insects evolve desiccation resistance and adapt to diverse and changing environments.

SignificanceAs our planet is becoming more arid due to global warming, preventing dehydration is key to the survival of insects, an essential part of our ecosystem. However, factors that determine how insects may evolve resistance to desiccation are relatively unknown. Using Drosophila species from diverse habitats, we showed that variations in the composition of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), a hydrophobic layer found on insects to prevent evaporative water loss, can largely explain desiccation resistance differences. In addition, the evolution of longer methyl-branched CHCs (mbCHCs), underlies the evolution of higher desiccation resistance in this genus. As mbCHCs are ubiquitously present in most insects, we suggest that evolutionary changes in mbCHCs may be a general determinant of desiccation resistance across insect species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Receveur, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cong, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richards, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.24.497513</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Desiccation resistance differences in Drosophila species can be largely explained by variations in cuticular hydrocarbons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.27.497767v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Prediction of mammalian tissue-specific CLOCK-BMAL1 binding to E-box motifs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.27.497767v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mammalian circadian clock is based on a core intracellular gene regulatory network, coordinated by communication between the central nervous system and peripheral tissues like the liver. Transcriptional and translational feedback loops underlie the molecular mechanism of circadian oscillation and generate its 24 h periodicity. The Brain and muscle Arnt-like protein-1 (Bmal1) forms a heterodimer with Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (Clock) that binds to E-box gene regulatory elements, activating transcription of clock genes. In this work we aimed to develop a predictive model of genome-wide CLOCK-BMAL1 binding to E-box motifs. We found over-representation of the canonical E-box motif CACGTG in BMAL1-bound regions in accessible chromatin of the mouse liver, heart and kidney. We developed three different tissue-specific machine learning models based on DNA sequence, DNA sequence plus DNA shape, and DNA sequence and shape plus histone modifications. Combining DNA sequence with DNA shape and histone modification features yielded improved transcription factor binding site prediction. Further, we identified the genomic and epigenomic features that best correlate to the binding of BMAL1 to DNA. The DNA shape features Electrostatic Potential, Minor Groove Width and Propeller Twist together with the histone modifications H3K27ac, H3K4me1, H3K36me3, and H3K4me3 were the features most highly predictive of DNA binding by BMAL1 across all three tissues.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marri, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Filipovic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kana, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tischkau, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.27.497767</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Prediction of mammalian tissue-specific CLOCK-BMAL1 binding to E-box motifs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.27.497778v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mice lacking dopamine production in neurotensin receptor 1 neurons voluntarily undergo time-restricted feeding of high fat diet and resist obesity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.27.497778v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The introduction of processed foods high in fat and sugars has caused a dramatic increase in obesity in humans. Diet-induced obesity (DIO) can be modeled in laboratory mice by increasing the fat content of their diet. Previously, it was determined that mice lacking dopamine receptor 1 (Drd1) are completely resistant to DIO and do not eat as much food during the day as control mice. Surprisingly, when Drd1 is restored to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is the central regulator of circadian rhythms, these mice increase day-eating and become obese. The source of dopamine in the SCN is the ventral tegmental area (VTA), but the genetic identity of the dopamine neurons is unknown. Here we create conditional deletion mutants for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) using neurotensin receptor 1 (Ntsr1) Cre and other Cre drivers and measure feeding and body weight homeostasis on standard and high fat diets. Control mice were susceptible to DIO and overate during the day whereas Ntsr1-Cre conditional knockouts for TH mice did not increase day-eating, nor did they gain much weight on HFD. We used an adeno-associated virus to selectively restore TH to the VTA Ntsr1 neurons and observed an increase in body weight and increased day-eating of HFD. These results implicate VTA Ntsr1 dopamine neurons as promoting out-of-phase feeding behavior on a high fat diet that could be an important contributor to diet-induced obesity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Farahmand, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sidikpramana, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yousef, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharif, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shao, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leinninger, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guler, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steele, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-06-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.06.27.497778</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mice lacking dopamine production in neurotensin receptor 1 neurons voluntarily undergo time-restricted feeding of high fat diet and resist obesity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-06-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.02.498552v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PyGenePlexus: A Python package for gene discovery using network-based machine learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.02.498552v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PyGenePlexus is a Python package that enables a user to gain insight into any gene set of interest based on a molecular interaction network using supervised machine learning. PyGenePlexus provides predictions of how associated every gene in the network is to the input gene set, offers interpretability by comparing the model trained on the input gene set to models trained on thousands of known gene sets, and returns the network connectivity of the top predicted genes.

Availability and Implementationhttps://pypi.org/project/geneplexus/ and https://github.com/krishnanlab/PyGenePlexus

Contactarjun@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mancuso, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.02.498552</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PyGenePlexus: A Python package for gene discovery using network-based machine learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.05.498911v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sublethal and transgenerational effects of lambda-cyhalothrin and abamectin on the development and reproduction of Cydia pomonella 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.05.498911v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The codling moth Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a major invasive pest of pome fruits and walnuts worldwide. Lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT) and abamectin (AM) have been frequently used in C. pomonella control, but control of this pest is very difficult because shortly after hatching, larvae of this insect bore tunnels and hide inside host plant fruit. In this study, a simulated field spray bioassay method was developed against neonate larvae of C. pomonella and concentration-response bioassays were conducted to evaluate the susceptibility of the neonate larvae to LCT and AM. Exposure of neonate larvae to sublethal concentrations (LC30) of LCT or AM significantly reduced the survival rate of larvae (4th and 5th instars), lowered the mean weight of larvae and pupae, and decreased the daily maximal number of eggs laid and the total number of eggs laid (fecundity) per female. The sublethal effects, including reduced body mass, mean fecundity and net reproductive rate, extended mean generation time, and shortened oviposition period, were also found in transgenerational offspring. Furthermore, the transgenerational maternal effects were more obvious for AM than LCT, in comparison to the control. Additionally, the estimated population size was decreased by exposure to LC30 of LCT and AM, and the observed reduction of fecundity and population size within and across generations was likely the result of the downregulation of the reproduction-related vitellogenin gene (CpVg) after exposure to LC30 of LCT and AM. These results provide a better understanding of the overall effects of LCT and AM on C. pomonella and the transgenerational effects which should be taken into consideration when using insecticides in order to control C. pomonella.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ju, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, Y.-X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dewer, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mota-Sanchez, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, X.-Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.05.498911</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sublethal and transgenerational effects of lambda-cyhalothrin and abamectin on the development and reproduction of Cydia pomonella]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.06.498888v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Nascent transcription and the associated cis-regulatory landscape in rice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.06.498888v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundPlant genomes encode transcripts that require spatio-temporal regulation for proper cellular function, and a large fraction of the regulators can be found in intergenic regions. In animals, distal intergenic regions described as enhancer regions are actively transcribed as enhancer RNAs (eRNAs); the existence of eRNAs in plants has only been fairly recently documented. In this study, we evaluated with high sensitivity the synthesis of eRNAs that arise at genomic elements both distal and proximal to genes by combining PRO-seq with chromatin accessibility, histone modification, and methylation profiles in rice.

ResultsWe found that regions defined as transcribed intergenic regions are widespread in the rice genome, and many likely harbor transcribed regulatory elements. In addition to displaying evidence of selective constraint, the presence of these transcribed regulatory elements are correlated with an increase in nearby gene expression. We further identified molecular interactions between genic regions and intergenic transcribed regulatory elements using 3D chromosomal contact data, and found that these interactions were both associated with eQTLs as well as promoting transcription. We also compared the profile of accessible chromatin regions to our identified transcribed regulatory elements, and found less overlap than expected. Finally, we also observed that transcribed intergenic regions that overlapped partially or entirely with repetitive elements had a propensity to be enriched for cytosine methylation, and were likely involved in TE silencing rather than promoting gene transcription.

ConclusionThe characterization of eRNAs in the rice genome reveals that many share features of enhancers and are associated with transcription regulation, which could make them compelling candidate enhancer elements.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Choi, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platts, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johary, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purugganan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joly-Lopez, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.06.498888</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Nascent transcription and the associated cis-regulatory landscape in rice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.07.499216v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Grapevine leaf size influences vine canopy temperature 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.07.499216v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PremiseGrapevine leaves have diverse shapes and sizes. Their shape and size is known to be influenced by many factors including genetics, vine phytosanitary status, environment, leaf and vine age, and node position on the shoot. In order to determine the importance of grapevine leaf shape and size to canopy temperature, we examined the relationship in five seedling populations grown in a vineyard in California, USA.

MethodsAll of the populations had one parent with compound leaves of the Vitis piasezkii type and each population had a different second parent with non-compound leaves. In previous work, we measured leaf shape and size using 21 homologous landmarks. Here, we paired these morphology data with measurements taken using an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of the canopy. By recording time of sampling and canopy temperature, we were able to determine which vines were cooler or hotter than expected, using a linear model.

ResultsWe established a relationship between leaf size and canopy temperature: vines with larger leaves were cooler than expected. In contrast, leaf shape was not strongly correlated with variation in temperature.

ConclusionsUltimately, these findings indicate that vines with larger leaves may contribute to the reduction of overall vine canopy temperature, but further work is needed to determine if this is due to variation in leaf size, differences in the openness of the canopy, or other related traits.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swift, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Helget, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ly, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maimaitiyiming, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woodhouse, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fennell, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwasniewski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cousins, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.07.499216</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Grapevine leaf size influences vine canopy temperature]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.11.499557v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Machine learning reveals conserved chromatin patterns determining meiotic recombination sites in plants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.11.499557v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Distribution of meiotic recombination events in plants has been associated with local chromatin and DNA characteristics, chromosome landmark proximity, and other features1-7. However, relative importance of these characteristics is unclear and it is unknown if they are sufficient to unambiguously determine recombination landscape8. Here, we analyzed over 40 DNA sequence, chromatin, and chromosome location features of maize and Arabidopsis recombination sites using machine learning9,10. We discovered that a combination of just three features, CG methylation, CHG methylation, and nucleosome occupancy, enabled identification of exact crossover site with 90% accuracy. These results imply redundancy of most recombination site characteristics. Recombination takes place in a small fraction of the genome with chromatin features distinct from those of genome at large. Surprisingly, crossover sites show elevated heterochromatin histone marks despite low DNA methylation. Crossover site features show broad evolutionary conservation, which will enable creating genetic maps in species where conventional mapping is unfeasible.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shilo, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zelkowski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olson, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azuri, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shoshani-Hechel, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melamed-Bessudo, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marand, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Underwood, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henderson, I. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pillardy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kianian, P. M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kianian, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levy, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pawlowski, W. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.11.499557</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Machine learning reveals conserved chromatin patterns determining meiotic recombination sites in plants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.13.499928v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Molecular evolution of the ependymin-related gene epdl2 in African weakly electric fish 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.13.499928v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene duplication and subsequent molecular evolution can give rise to taxon-specific gene specializations. In a previous study, we found evidence that African weakly electric fish (Mormyridae) may have as many as three copies of the epdl2 gene, and the expression of two epdl2 genes is correlated with electric signal divergence. Epdl2 belongs to the ependymin-related family (EPDR), a functionally diverse family of secretory glycoproteins. In this study, we first describe vertebrate EPDR evolution and then present a detailed evolutionary history of epdl2 in Mormyridae with emphasis on the speciose genus Paramormyrops. Using Sanger sequencing, we confirm three apparently functional epdl2 genes in P. kingsleyae. Next, we developed a nanopore-based amplicon sequencing strategy and bioinformatics pipeline to obtain and classify full-length epdl2 gene sequences (N = 34) across Mormyridae. Our phylogenetic analysis proposes three or four epdl2 paralogs dating from early Paramormyrops evolution. Finally, we conducted selection tests which detected positive selection around the duplication events and identified ten sites likely targeted by selection in the resulting paralogs. These sites locations in our modeled 3D protein structure involve four sites in ligand binding and six sites in homodimer formation. Together, these findings strongly imply that epdl2 genes display signatures of selection-driven functional specialization after tandem duplications in the rapidly speciating Paramormyrops. Considering previous evidence, we propose that epdl2 may contribute to electric signal diversification in mormyrids, an important aspect of species recognition during mating.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Losilla, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallant, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.13.499928</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Molecular evolution of the ependymin-related gene epdl2 in African weakly electric fish]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.14.499987v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A custom library construction method for super-resolution ribosome profiling in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.14.499987v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ribosome profiling (aka Ribo-seq) is the deep sequencing of ribosome footprints (RFs). It maps and quantifies ribosome occupancy on mRNA, which enables the identification of coding regions and the accurate quantification of translation efficiency. We previously optimized the Ribo-seq method in Arabidopsis and tomato (Hsu et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2019; Wu and Hsu, 2022) to obtain precise RFs with strong 3-nucleotide periodicity, a feature displayed by actively translating ribosomes and a benchmark of high-quality Ribo-seq (Brar and Weissman, 2015). This strong periodicity allowed us to confidently define numerous unannotated translation events across plants (Hsu et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2019; Wu and Hsu, 2022). Recently, several key commercial reagents used in our methods were discontinued; thus, there is an urgent need to develop a new protocol. Here, we report an updated protocol that adapts two custom library construction methods (McGlincy and Ingolia, 2017; Li et al., 2021) for plants. We applied this new protocol to Arabidopsis seedlings and obtained high-quality data. We describe our step-by-step method and discuss crucial considerations for Ribo-seq experiments. We also provide a bioinformatic pipeline to perform essential quality control analyses on Ribo-seq data. Our approach should be readily applicable to other plant species with minimal modifications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, H.-Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.14.499987</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A custom library construction method for super-resolution ribosome profiling in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.14.500021v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Single-cell transcriptomics of the Arabidopsis floral abscission zone 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.14.500021v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Abscission is the programmed separation of plant organs. It is widespread in the plant kingdom with important functions in development and environmental response. In Arabidopsis, abscission of floral organs (sepals, petals, and stamens) is controlled by two receptor-like protein kinases HAESA (HAE) and HAESA LIKE-2 (HSL2), which orchestrate the programmed dissolution of the abscission zone connecting floral organs to the developing fruit. In this work, we use single-cell RNA-Sequencing to characterize the core HAE/HSL2 abscission gene expression program. We identify the MAP KINASE PHOSPHATASE-1/MKP1 gene as a negative regulator of this pathway. MKP1 acts prior to activation of HAE/HSL2 signaling to establish a signaling threshold required for the initiation of abscission. By analogy to electrical circuit control, we liken MKP1 to a molecular grounding mechanism that dissipates errant pathway activation absent HAE/HSL2 signaling. Furthermore, we use single-cell data to identify genes expressed in two sub-populations of abscission zone cells: those proximal and those distal to the plane of separation. We identify INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION/IDA, encoding the activating ligand of HAE/HSL2, as one of the mRNAs most highly enriched in distal abscission zone cells at the base of the abscising organs. We show how this expression pattern forms a biophysical circuit breaker whereby, when the organ is shed, the source of the IDA peptide is removed, leading to cessation of HAE/HSL2 signaling. Overall, this work provides insight into the multiple control mechanisms acting on the abscission-signaling pathway.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Taylor, I. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patharkar, O. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, C.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ohler, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benfey, P. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.14.500021</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Single-cell transcriptomics of the Arabidopsis floral abscission zone]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.16.500300v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Validity Assessment of Michigan's Proposed qPCR Threshold Value for Rapid Water-Quality Monitoring of E. coli Contamination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.16.500300v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Michigans water-quality standards specify that E. coli concentrations at bathing beaches must not exceed 300 E. coli per 100 mL, as determined by the geometric mean of culture-based concentrations in three or more representative samples from a given beach on a given day. Culture-based analyses require 18-24 h to complete, so results are not available for issuing beach notifications (advisories or closings) until the day following collection. This one-day delay is problematic because E. coli concentrations at beaches can change markedly from one day to the next. qPCR-based E. coli concentrations, by contrast, can be obtained in only 3-4 h, making same-day beach notifications possible. Michigan has proposed a qPCR threshold value (qTV) for E. coli of 1.863 log10 gene copies per reaction as a potential equivalent value to the state standard, based on statistical analyses of a set of training data from 2016-2018. The main purpose of the present study is to assess the validity of the proposed qTV by determining whether the implied qPCR-based beach notification decisions agree well with culture-based decisions on two sets of test data (from 2016-2018 and 2019-2020), and whether performance of the proposed threshold is similar on the test and training data. The results show that performance of the proposed qTV on both sets of test data was consistently good (e.g., 95% agreement with culture-based beach notification decisions during 2019-2020) and was at least as good as its performance on the training data set, supporting its use as an equivalent value to the state standard.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McNair, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lane, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hart, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porter, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Briggs, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Southwell, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sivy, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Szlag, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scull, B. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pike, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dreelin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vernier, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carter, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharp, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nowlin, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rediske, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.16.500300</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Validity Assessment of Michigan's Proposed qPCR Threshold Value for Rapid Water-Quality Monitoring of E. coli Contamination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.18.500308v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Changes in biomarkers of metabolic stress during late gestation of dairy cows associated with colostrum volume and immunoglobulins content 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.18.500308v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The objective of this observational study was to compare the metabolic status of dairy cows during the last 6 wk of gestation based on colostrum volume and Ig content. For this, healthy Holstein cows were randomly selected from 3 commercial herds in Michigan. In each farm, four cohorts of 21 cows (one per season), stratified by parity, were enrolled (n=228). Cows were blood sampled weekly during the last 6 wk of gestation, and biomarkers related to nutrient utilization, oxidant status, and inflammation were quantified in serum. Cows were milked within 6 h of calving and the volume of colostrum produced was recorded and an aliquot collected. Concentration of IgG, IgA, and IgM were measured by radial immunodiffusion. Cows were grouped into high colostrum producer (HCP) or low (LCP), high IgG (HIG) or low (LIG), high IgA (HIA) or low (LIA), and high IgM (HIM) or low (LIM). For volume category, we arbitrarily defined 6 L of colostrum (4 L for first and 2 L for second feeding of calves) as the cut-off point, whereas for IgG we used the industry standard of [&ge;] 50g/L. To create groups of low and high IgM or IgA, we used the median of these Ig as the cutoff point. Colostrum volume was lowest in winter, but no differences were observed among parity groups. Conversely, colostrum IgG concentration was highest in fall and winter, but colostrum IgM was lowest at these seasons. However, colostrum Ig content only showed a negative weak correlation with volume (Spearman rho < -0.28). Compared to LCP, HCP cows had higher concentrations of antioxidant potential, BHB and lower cholesterol and oxidant status index. HIG cows showed higher concentrations of glucose compared to LIG. HIA cows had higher concentrations of cholesterol, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, oxidant status index, and total protein, while BHB, and glucose were lower compared with LIA. Biomarkers of metabolic stress were not significantly different between HIM and LIM. Nevertheless, the differences observed did not result in differences in inflammatory status between animals in any of the colostrum variable categories analyzed, suggesting that physiological homeostasis was not disrupted during late gestation in association with the colostrum variables studied. Overall, the great variability observed in colostrum variables suggests that colostrogenesis is a complex and multifactorial process. However, our results suggest that greater availability of antioxidants during late gestation could support the production of higher volumes of colostrum, which needs to be explored in future trials.

INTERPRETIVE SUMMARYChanges in biomarkers of metabolic stress during late gestation of dairy cows associated with colostrum volume and immunoglobulins content. By Rossi et al., page XXXX. We investigated associations between metabolic stress during the last 6 wk of gestation and the volume and immunoglobulin content of the colostrum produced. We observed that cows producing more than 6 L of colostrum exhibited increased metabolic activity during late gestation. Also, a greater blood antioxidant activity throughout late gestation was observed in cows with higher yields of colostrum, suggesting that greater availability of antioxidants might support the production of higher volumes of colostrum. Therefore, further studies should evaluate whether supplementation with additional antioxidants supplement during late gestation can improve colostrum yield.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rossi, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cullens, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bacigalupo Sanguesa, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sordillo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abuelo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.18.500308</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Changes in biomarkers of metabolic stress during late gestation of dairy cows associated with colostrum volume and immunoglobulins content]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.18.500406v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phyllosphere exudates select for distinct microbiome members in sorghum epicuticular wax and aerial root mucilage 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.18.500406v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phyllosphere exudates create specialized microhabitats that shape microbial community diversity. Here, we explore the microbiome associated with two sorghum phyllosphere exudates, the epicuticular wax and aerial root mucilage. We hypothesized that these exudates selectively enrich for microbiome members that support host resilience to stress. Thus, we assessed the microbiome associated with the epicuticular wax from sorghum plants under non-limiting and limiting water conditions, and the aerial root mucilage from nitrogen-fertilized and non-fertilized plants. In parallel, we isolated and characterized hundreds of bacteria from wax and mucilage, and integrated data from cultivation-independent and -dependent approaches to gain deeper insights into phyllosphere functions and phenotypes. We found that Sphingomonadaceae and Rhizobiaceae families were the major taxa in the wax regardless of water availability to plants and that plant development only modestly affected wax bacterial community structure. The mucilage-associated bacterial microbiome contained several described diazotrophic species, and its structure was strongly influenced by sorghum development but only modestly influenced by fertilization. In contrast, the fungal community structure of mucilage was strongly affected by the year of sampling but not by fertilization or plant developmental stage, suggesting a decoupling of fungal-bacterial dynamics in the mucilage. Our bacterial isolate collection from wax and mucilage increased phylogenetic diversity of non-rhizosphere, plant-associated bacteria by ~20% from previous work, and several isolates matched 100% to detected amplicon sequence variants. This work expands our understanding of the microbiome of phyllosphere exudates and advances our long-term goal of translating microbiome research to support sorghum cultivation for biofuel production.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mechan Llontop, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mullet, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.18.500406</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phyllosphere exudates select for distinct microbiome members in sorghum epicuticular wax and aerial root mucilage]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.18.500534v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phase Heterogeneity in Cholesterol-containing Ternary Phospholipid Lamellar Phases 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.18.500534v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pseudo-ternary mixtures of lamellar phase phospholipids (DPPC and brain sphingomyelin with cholesterol) were studied below Tm, while comparing the influence of cholesterol content, temperature and the presence of small quantities of Vitamin D binding protein (DBP) or Vitamin D receptor (VDR). The measurements, conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), cover a range of cholesterol concentrations (20% mol. wt to 40% mol. wt.) and physiologically relevant temperature range (294 K - 314 K). In addition to rich intra-phase behaviour, data and modelling are used to approximate the lipids headgroup location variations under the above-mentioned experimental conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gater, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hughes, K. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stojanoff, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Isakovic, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.18.500534</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phase Heterogeneity in Cholesterol-containing Ternary Phospholipid Lamellar Phases]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.19.500644v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanism of strand displacement DNA synthesis by the coordinated activities of human mitochondrial DNA polymerase and SSB 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.19.500644v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many replicative DNA polymerases couple DNA replication and unwinding activities to perform strand displacement DNA synthesis, a critical ability for DNA metabolism. Strand displacement is tightly regulated by partner proteins, such as single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding proteins (SSBs) by a poorly understood mechanism. Here, we use single-molecule optical tweezers and biochemical assays to elucidate the molecular mechanism of strand displacement DNA synthesis by the human mitochondrial DNA polymerase, Pol{gamma}, and its modulation by cognate and noncognate SSBs. We show that Pol{gamma} exhibits a robust DNA unwinding mechanism, which entails lowering the energy barrier for unwinding of the first base pair of the DNA fork junction, by [~]55%. However, the polymerase cannot prevent the reannealing of the parental strands efficiently, which limits by [~]30-fold its strand displacement activity. We demonstrate that SSBs stimulate the Pol{gamma} strand displacement activity through several mechanisms. SSB binding energy to ssDNA additionally increases the destabilization energy at the DNA junction, by [~]25%. Furthermore, SSB interactions with the displaced ssDNA reduce the DNA fork reannealing pressure on Pol{gamma}, in turn promoting the productive polymerization state by [~]3-fold. These stimulatory effects are enhanced by species-specific functional interactions and have significant implications in the replication of the human mitochondrial DNA.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Plaza-G.A., I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lemishko, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crespo, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Truong, T. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaguni, L. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cao-Garcia, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ciesielski, G. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ibarra, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.19.500644</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanism of strand displacement DNA synthesis by the coordinated activities of human mitochondrial DNA polymerase and SSB]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.20.500858v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Developing cyanobacterial quorum sensing toolkits: towards interspecies coordination in mixed autotroph/heterotroph communities 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.20.500858v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
1.There has been substantial recent interest in the promise of sustainable, light-driven bioproduction using cyanobacteria, including developing efforts for microbial bioproduction using mixed autotroph/heterotroph communities, which could provide useful properties, such as division of metabolic labor. However, building stable mixed-species communities of sufficient productivity remains a challenge, partly due to the lack of strategies for synchronizing and coordinating biological activities across different species. To address this obstacle, we developed an inter-species communication system using quorum sensing (QS) modules derived from well-studied pathways in heterotrophic microbes. In the model cyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 (S. elongatus), we designed, integrated, and characterized genetic circuits that detect acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), diffusible signals utilized in many QS pathways. We showed that these receiver modules sense exogenously supplied AHL molecules and activate gene expression in a dose-dependent manner. We characterized these AHL receiver circuits in parallel in Escherichia coli W (E. coli W) to dissect species-specific properties, finding broad agreement, albeit with increased basal expression in S. elongatus. Our engineered "sender" E. coli strains accumulated biologically synthesized AHLs within the supernatant and activated receiver strains similarly to exogenous AHL activation. Our results will bolster the design of sophisticated genetic circuits in cyanobacterial/heterotroph consortia and the engineering of QS-like behaviors across cyanobacterial populations.

HighlightsO_LIDesigned, built, and tested an inter-species quorum sensing-based communication system.
C_LIO_LIThese genetic circuits can sense and respond to exogenous and secreted signals.
C_LIO_LICircuit function in S. elongatus was comparable to E. coli, albeit with increased basal expression and lower induction ratios
C_LIO_LIDemonstrated inter-species communication in direct co-cultivation
C_LIO_LIFirst demonstration of inducible promoters and cross-species gene regulation in S. elongatus based on quorum sensing
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kokarakis, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rillema, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sakkos, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-07-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.20.500858</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Developing cyanobacterial quorum sensing toolkits: towards interspecies coordination in mixed autotroph/heterotroph communities]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-07-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.30.502130v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Physiological responses to drought stress and recovery reflect differences in leaf function and anatomy among grass lineages 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.30.502130v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Grasses are cosmopolitan, existing in many biome and climate types from xeric to tropical. Traits that control physiological responses to drought vary strongly among grass lineages, suggesting that tolerance strategies may differ with evolutionary history. Here, we withheld water from 12 species representing six tribes of grasses to compare how species respond to drought in different grass lineages. We measured physiological, morphological, and anatomical traits. Dominant lineages from tropical savannas, like Andropogoneae, tolerated drought due to above and belowground morphological traits (specific leaf area and root length, SLA and SRL), while temperate grasses in this study utilized conservative leaf physiology (gas exchange) and anatomy traits. Increased intrinsic water-use efficiency coincided with a larger number of stomata, resulting in greater water loss (with inherently greater carbon gain) and increased drought sensitivity. Inherent leaf and root economic strategies impacting drought response were observed in all species, resulting in either high SLA or SRL, but not both. Our results indicate that grasses subjected to severe drought were influenced by anatomical traits (e.g., number of stomata and xylem area) and similar within lineages. In addition, grasses recovered at least 50% of physiological functioning across all lineages and 92% within Andropogoneae species, illustrating how drought can influence functional responses across diverse grass lineages.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bachle, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zaricor, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Griffith, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qui, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Still, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ungerer, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nippert, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.30.502130</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Physiological responses to drought stress and recovery reflect differences in leaf function and anatomy among grass lineages]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/204057v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
p53 suppresses mutagenic RAD52 and POLθ pathways by orchestrating DNA replication restart homeostasis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/204057v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Classically, p53 tumor-suppressor acts in transcription, apoptosis, and cell-cycle arrest. Yet, replication-mediated genomic instability is integral to oncogenesis, and p53 mutations promote tumor progression and drug-resistance. By delineating human and murine separation-of-function p53 alleles, we find that p53 null and gain-of-function (GOF) mutations exhibit defects in restart of stalled or damaged DNA replication forks driving genomic instability independent of transcription activation. By assaying protein-DNA fork interactions in single cells, we unveil a p53-MLL3-enabled recruitment of MRE11 DNA replication restart nuclease. Importantly, p53 defects or depletion unexpectedly allow mutagenic RAD52 and POL{theta} pathways to hijack stalled forks, which we find reflected in p53 defective breast-cancer patient COSMIC mutational signatures. These data uncover p53 as a keystone regulator of replication homeostasis within a DNA restart network. Mechanistically, this has important implications for development of resistance in cancer therapy. Combined, these results define an unexpected role for p53 suppression of replication genome instability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roy, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tomaszowski, K.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luzwick, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphy, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schlacher, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-10-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/204057</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[p53 suppresses mutagenic RAD52 and POLθ pathways by orchestrating DNA replication restart homeostasis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-10-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/206243v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Electrostatic Tuning of a Potassium Channel in Electric Fish 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/206243v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Molecular and biophysical variation contributes to the evolution of adaptive phenotypes, particularly behavior, though it is often difficult to understand precisely how. The adaptively significant electric organ discharge behavior of weakly electric fish is the direct result of biophysical membrane properties set by ion channels. Here we describe a voltage-gated potassium channel gene in African mormyrid electric fishes, that is under positive selection and highly expressed in the electric organ. The channel produced by this gene shortens electric organ action potentials by activating quickly and at hyperpolarized membrane potentials. Surprisingly, the source of these unique properties is a derived patch of negatively charged amino acids in an extracellular loop near the voltage sensor. Further, we demonstrate that this portion of the channel functions differently in vertebrates than the generally accepted model based on the shaker channel, and suggest a role for this loop in the evolutionary tuning of voltage-dependent channels.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Swapna, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghezzi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Markham, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Halling, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallant, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zakon, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-10-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/206243</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Electrostatic Tuning of a Potassium Channel in Electric Fish]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-10-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/207266v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
DDK has a primary role in processing stalled replication forks to initiate downstream checkpoint signaling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/207266v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
CDC7-DBF4 kinase (DDK) is required to initiate DNA replication in eukaryotes by activating the replicative MCM helicase. DDK has also been reported to have diverse and sometimes conflicting roles in the replication checkpoint response in various organisms but the underlying mechanisms are far from settled. Here we show that human DDK promotes limited resection of newly synthesized DNA at stalled replication forks or sites of DNA damage to initiate replication checkpoint signaling. DDK is also required for efficient fork restart and G2/M cell cycle arrest. DDK exhibits genetic interactions with the ssDNA exonuclease EXO1, and we show that EXO1 is also required for nascent strand degradation following exposure to HU, raising the possibility that DDK regulates EXO1 directly. Thus, DDK has a primary and previously undescribed role in the replication checkpoint to promote ssDNA accumulation at stalled forks, which is required to initiate a robust checkpoint response and cell cycle arrest to maintain genome integrity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sasi, N. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coquel, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Y.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacKeigan, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pasero, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weinreich, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-10-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/207266</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[DDK has a primary role in processing stalled replication forks to initiate downstream checkpoint signaling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-10-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/207845v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Stimulation of the final cell cycle in the stomatal lineage by the cyclin CYCD7;1 under regulation of the MYB transcription factor FOUR-LIPS 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/207845v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Abstract (180 words)Stomatal guard cells are formed through a sequence of asymmetric and symmetric divisions in the epidermis of the sporophyte of most land plants. We show that several D-type cyclins are consecutively activated in the stomatal linage in the epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana. Whereas CYCD2;1 and CYCD3;2 are activated in the meristemoids early in the lineage, CYCD7;1 is activated before the final division. CYCD7;1 expression peaks in the guard mother cell, where its transcription is modulated by the FOUR-LIPS/MYB88 transcription factor. FOUR-LIPS/MYB88 interacts with the CYCD7;1 promoter and represses CYCD7;1 transcription. CYCD7;1 stimulates the final symmetric division in the stomatal lineage, since guard cell formation is delayed in the cycd7;1 mutant epidermis and guard mother cell (GMC) divisions in four-lips mutant guard mother cells are limited by loss of function of CYCD7;1. Hence, the precise activation of a specific D-type cyclin, CYCD7;1, is required for correct timing of the last symmetric division that creates the stomatal guards cells, and CYCD7;1 expression is regulated by the FLP/MYB pathway that ensures cell cycle arrest in the stomatal guard cells.nnSummary StatementThe formation of paired guard cells in the epidermis of the Arabidopsis thaliana shoot, requires the activity of the D-type cyclin CYCD7;1 for the normal timing of the final division.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Patell-Socha, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newman, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collins, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotewold, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murray, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dewitte, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-10-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/207845</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Stimulation of the final cell cycle in the stomatal lineage by the cyclin CYCD7;1 under regulation of the MYB transcription factor FOUR-LIPS]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-10-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/208140v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
QTLseqr: An R package for bulk segregant analysis with next-generation sequencing 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/208140v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
1Next Generation Sequencing Bulk Segregant Analysis (NGS-BSA) is efficient in detecting quantitative trait loci (QTL). Despite the popularity of NGS-BSA and the R statistical platform, no R packages are currently available for NGS-BSA. We present QTLseqr, an R package for NGS-BSA that identifies QTL using two statistical approaches: QTL-seq and G. These approaches use a simulation method and a tricube smoothed G statistic, respectively, to identify and assess statistical significance of QTL. QTLseqr, can import and filter SNP data, calculate SNP distributions, relative allele frequencies, G values, and log10(p-values), enabling identification and plotting of QTL. The source code is available at https://github.com/bmansfeld/QTLseqr.nnCore ideasO_LIAn R package that performs Next Generation Sequencing Bulk Segregant Analysis was developednC_LIO_LITwo methods for analysis are provided: QTL-seq and GnC_LIO_LIThe QTLseqr package is quick and produces publication quality figures and tablesnC_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mansfeld, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grumet, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-10-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/208140</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[QTLseqr: An R package for bulk segregant analysis with next-generation sequencing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-10-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/229153v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Neural Coding of Noisy and Reverberant Speech in Human Auditory Cortex 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/229153v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Speech communication in daily listening environments is complicated by the phenomenon of reverberation, wherein any sound reaching the ear is a mixture of the direct component from the source and multiple reflections off surrounding objects and the environment. The brain plays a central role in comprehending speech accompanied by such distortion, which, frequently, is further complicated by the presence of additional noise sources in the vicinity. Here, using magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings from human subjects, we investigate the neural representation of speech in noisy, reverberant listening conditions as measured by phase-locked MEG responses to the slow temporal modulations of speech. Using systems-theoretic linear methods of stimulus encoding, we observe that the cortex maintains both distorted and distortion-free (cleaned) representations of speech. Also, we show that, while neural encoding of speech remains robust to additive noise in absence of reverberation, it is detrimentally affected by noise when present along with reverberation. Further, using linear methods of stimulus reconstruction, we show that theta-band neural responses are a likely candidate for the distortion free representation of speech, whereas delta band responses are more likely to carry non-speech specific information regarding the listening environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Puvvada, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villafane-Delgado, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brodbeck, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simon, J. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-12-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/229153</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Neural Coding of Noisy and Reverberant Speech in Human Auditory Cortex]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-12-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/233288v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Exploring the Genetics of Lesion and Nodal Resistance in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Using Genome-wide Association Studies and RNA-Seq 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/233288v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The disease white mold caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a significant threat to pea production and improved resistance to this disease is needed. Nodal resistance in plants is a phenomenon where a fungal infection is prevented from passing through a node and the infection is limited to an internode region. Nodal resistance has been observed in some pathosystems such as the pea (Pisum sativum L.)-S. sclerotiorum pathosystem. Other than nodal resistance, different pea lines display different levels of stem lesion size restriction, referred to as lesion resistance. It is unclear whether the genetics of lesion resistance and nodal resistance are identical or different. This study applied genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and RNA-Seq to understand the genetic makeup of these two types of resistance. The time series RNA-Seq experiment consisted of two pea lines (the susceptible  Lifter and the partially resistant PI 240515), two treatments (mock samples and S. sclerotiorum inoculated samples), and three time points (12, 24, and 48 hours post-inoculation). Integrated results from GWAS and RNA-Seq analyses identified different redox-related transcripts for lesion and nodal resistances. A transcript encoding a glutathione S-transferase was the only shared resistance source for both phenotypes. There were more leucine rich-repeat containing transcripts found for lesion resistance, while different candidate resistance transcripts such as a VQ motif-containing protein and a myo-inositol oxygenase were found for nodal resistance. This study demonstrated the robustness of combining GWAS and RNA-Seq for identifying white mold resistance in pea, and results suggest different genetics underlying lesion and nodal resistance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chang, H.-X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McPhee, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhuang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porter, L. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chilvers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/233288</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Exploring the Genetics of Lesion and Nodal Resistance in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Using Genome-wide Association Studies and RNA-Seq]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/233296v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genomic heritability estimates in sweet cherry reveal non-additive genetic variance is relevant for industry-prioritized traits 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/233296v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundSweet cherry is consumed widely across the world and provides substantial economic benefits in regions where it is grown. While cherry breeding has been conducted in the Pacific Northwest for over half a century, little is known about the genetic architecture of important traits. We used a genome-enabled mixed model to predict the genetic performance of 505 individuals for 32 phenological, disease response and fruit quality traits evaluated in the RosBREED sweet cherry crop data set. Genome-wide predictions were estimated using a repeated measures model for phenotypic data across 3 years, incorporating additive, dominance and epistatic variance components. Genomic relationship matrices were constructed with high-density SNP data and were used to estimate relatedness and account for incomplete replication across years.nnResultsHigh broad-sense heritabilities of 0.83, 0.77, and 0.75 were observed for days to maturity, firmness, and fruit weight, respectively. Epistatic variance exceeded 40% of the total genetic variance for maturing timing, firmness and powdery mildew response. Dominance variance was the largest for fruit weight and fruit size at 34% and 27%, respectively. Omission of non-additive sources of genetic variance from the genetic mode resulted in inflation of narrow-sense heritability but minimally influenced prediction accuracy of genetic values in validation. Predicted genetic rankings of individuals from single-year models were inconsistent across years, likely due to incomplete sampling of the population genetic variance.nnConclusionsPredicted breeding values and genetic values a measure revealed many high-performing individuals for use as parents and the most promising selections to advance for cultivar release consideration, respectively. This study highlights the importance of using the appropriate genetic model for calculating breeding values to avoid inflation of expected parental contribution to genetic gain. The genomic predictions obtained will enable breeders to efficiently leverage the genetic potential of North American sweet cherry germplasm by identifying high quality individuals more rapidly than with phenotypic data alone.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Piaskowski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardner, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iezzoni, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peace, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/233296</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genomic heritability estimates in sweet cherry reveal non-additive genetic variance is relevant for industry-prioritized traits]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/240184v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ClassificaIO: machine learning for classification graphical user interface 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/240184v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Machine learning methods are being used routinely by scientists in many research areas, typically requiring significant statistical and programing knowledge. Here we present ClassificaIO, an open-source Python graphical user interface for machine learning classification for the scikit-learn Python library. ClassificaIO provides an interactive way to train, validate, and test data on a range of classification algorithms. The software enables fast comparisons within and across classifiers, and facilitates uploading and exporting of trained models, and both validation and testing data results. ClassificaIO aims to provide not only a research utility, but also an educational tool that can enable biomedical and other researchers with minimal machine learning background to apply machine learning algorithms to their research in an interactive point-and-click way. The ClassificaIO package is available for download and installation through the Python Package Index (PyPI) (http://pypi.python.org/pypi/ClassificaIO) and it can be deployed using the "import" function in Python once the package is installed. The application is distributed under an MIT license and the source code is publicly available for download (for Mac OS X, Linux and Microsoft Windows) through PyPI and GitHub (http://github.com/gmiaslab/ClassificaIO, and https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1320465).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roushangar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2017-12-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/240184</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ClassificaIO: machine learning for classification graphical user interface]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2017-12-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/248146v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Resistance gene discovery and cloning by sequence capture and association genetics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/248146v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic resistance is the most economic and environmentally sustainable approach for crop disease protection. Disease resistance (R) genes from wild relatives are a valuable resource for breeding resistant crops. However, introgression of R genes into crops is a lengthy process often associated with co-integration of deleterious linked genes1, 2 and pathogens can rapidly evolve to overcome R genes when deployed singly3. Introducing multiple cloned R genes into crops as a stack would avoid linkage drag and delay emergence of resistance-breaking pathogen races4. However, current R gene cloning methods require segregating or mutant progenies5-10, which are difficult to generate for many wild relatives due to poor agronomic traits. We exploited natural pan-genome variation in a wild diploid wheat by combining association genetics with R gene enrichment sequencing (AgRenSeq) to clone four stem rust resistance genes in <6 months. RenSeq combined with diversity panels is therefore a major advance in isolating R genes for engineering broad-spectrum resistance in crops.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Arora, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steuernagel, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chandramohan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Long, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matny, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Enk, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Periyannan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hatta, M. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Athiyannan, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheema, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kangara, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghosh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Szabo, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poland, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bariana, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, J. D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bentley, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ayliffe, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steffenson, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lagudah, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wulff, B. B. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-01-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/248146</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Resistance gene discovery and cloning by sequence capture and association genetics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-01-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/249151v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Enabling the hypothesis-driven prioritization of ligand candidates in big databases: Screenlamp and its application to GPCR inhibitor discovery for invasive species control 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/249151v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While the advantage of screening vast databases of molecules to cover greater molecular diversity is often mentioned, in reality, only a few studies have been published demonstrating inhibitor discovery by screening more than a million compounds for features that mimic a known three-dimensional ligand. Two factors contribute: the general difficulty of discovering potent inhibitors, and the lack of free, user-friendly software to incorporate project-specific knowledge and user hypotheses into 3D ligand-based screening. The Screenlamp modular toolkit presented here was developed with these needs in mind. We show Screenlamps ability to screen more than 12 million commercially available molecules and identify potent in vivo inhibitors of a G protein-coupled bile acid receptor within the first year of a discovery project. This pheromone receptor governs sea lamprey reproductive behavior, and to our knowledge, this project is the first to establish the efficacy of computational screening in discovering lead compounds for aquatic invasive species control. Significant enhancement in activity came from selecting compounds based on one of the hypotheses: that matching two distal oxygen groups in the three-dimensional structure of the pheromone is crucial for activity. Six of the 15 most active compounds met these criteria. A second hypothesis - that presence of an alkyl sulfate side chain results in high activity - identified another 6 compounds in the top 10, demonstrating the significant benefits of hypothesis-driven screening.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raschka, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunturu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huertas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-01-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/249151</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Enabling the hypothesis-driven prioritization of ligand candidates in big databases: Screenlamp and its application to GPCR inhibitor discovery for invasive species control]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-01-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/254953v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
FlowPot axenic plant growth system for microbiota research 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/254953v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The presence of resident microbiota on and inside plants is hypothesized to influence many phenotypic attributes of the host. Likewise, host factors and microbe-microbe interactions are believed to influence microbial community assembly. Rigorous testing of these hypotheses necessitates the ability to grow plants in the absence or presence of resident or defined microbiota. To enable such experiments, we developed the scalable and inexpensive FlowPot growth platform. FlowPots have a sterile peat substrate amenable to colonization by microbiota, and the platform supports growth of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana in the absence or presence of soil-derived microbial communities. Mechanically, the FlowPot system is unique in that it allows for total-saturation of the sterile substrate by "flushing" with water and/or nutrient solution via an irrigation port. The irrigation port also facilitates passive drainage of the substrate, preventing root anoxia. Materials to construct an individual FlowPot total [~]$2. A simple experiment with 12 FlowPots requires [~]4.5 h of labor following peat and seed sterilization. Plants are grown on FlowPots within a standard tissue culture microbox after inoculation, thus the Flowpot system is modular and does not require a sterile growth chamber. Here, we provide a detailed assembly and microbiota inoculation protocol for the FlowPot system. Collectively, this standardized suite of tools and colonization protocols empowers the plant microbiome research community to conduct harmonized experiments to elucidate the rules microbial community assembly, the impact of microbiota on host phenotypes, and mechanisms by which host factors influence the structure and function of plant microbiota.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kremer, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paasch, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhodes, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thireault, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Froehlich, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schulze-Lefert, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiedje, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-01-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/254953</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[FlowPot axenic plant growth system for microbiota research]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-01-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/254987v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
De novo haplotype reconstruction in viral quasispecies using paired-end read guided path finding 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/254987v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationRNA virus populations contain closely related but different viral strains infecting an individual host. As the selection acts on clouds of mutants rather than single sequences, these viruses have abilities to escape host immune responses or develop drug resistance. Reconstruction of the viral haplotypes is a fundamental step to characterize the virus population, predict their viral phenotypes, and finally provide important information for clinical treatment and prevention. Advances of the next-generation sequencing technologies open up new opportunities to assemble full-length haplotypes. However, error-prone short reads, high similarity between related strains, unknown number of haplotypes pose computational challenges for reference-free haplotype reconstruction. There is still big room to improve the performance of existing haplotype assembly tools.nnResultsIn this work, we developed a de novo haplotype reconstruction tool PEHaplo for viral quasispecies data, which contains a group of related but different viral strains. PEHaplo employs paired-end reads to distinguish highly similar strains. We applied it to both simulated and real quasispecies data, and the results were benchmarked against several recently published haplotype reconstruction tools. The comparison shows that PEHaplo outperforms the benchmarked tools in a comprehensive set of metrics.nnAvailabilityThe source code and the documentation of PEHaplo is available at https://github.com/chjiao/PEHaplo.nnContactyannisun@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-01-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/254987</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[De novo haplotype reconstruction in viral quasispecies using paired-end read guided path finding]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-01-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/257758v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rare variants in the genetic background modulate the expressivity of neurodevelopmental disorders 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/257758v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PurposeTo assess the contribution of rare variants in the genetic background towards variability of neurodevelopmental phenotypes in individuals with rare copy-number variants (CNVs) and gene-disruptive mutations.nnMethodsWe analyzed quantitative clinical information, exome-sequencing, and microarray data from 757 probands and 233 parents and siblings who carry disease-associated mutations.nnResultsThe number of rare secondary mutations in functionally intolerant genes (second-hits) correlated with the expressivity of neurodevelopmental phenotypes in probands with 16p12.1 deletion (n=23, p=0.004) and in probands with autism carrying gene-disruptive mutations (n=184, p=0.03) compared to their carrier family members. Probands with 16p12.1 deletion and a strong family history presented more severe clinical features (p=0.04) and higher burden of second-hits compared to those with mild/no family history (p=0.001). The number of secondary variants also correlated with the severity of cognitive impairment in probands carrying pathogenic rare CNVs (n=53) or de novo mutations in disease genes (n=290), and negatively correlated with head size among 80 probands with 16p11.2 deletion. These second-hits involved known disease-associated genes such as SETD5, AUTS2, and NRXN1, and were enriched for genes affecting cellular and developmental processes.nnConclusionAccurate genetic diagnosis of complex disorders will require complete evaluation of the genetic background even after a candidate gene mutation is identified.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pizzo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jensen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Polyak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosenfeld, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mannik, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCready, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pichon, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Le Caignec, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Dijck, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pope, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Voorhoeve, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoon, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stankiewicz, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheung, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pazuchanics, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huber, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kember, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mari, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Curro, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castiglia, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Galesi, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Avola, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mattina, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fichera, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mandara, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vincent, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nizon, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mercier, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beneteau, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blesson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin-Coignard, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mosca-Boidron, A.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caberg, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bucan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeesman, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nowaczyk, M. J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lefebvre, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Faivre, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Callier, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skinner, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keren, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perrine, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pronte</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/257758</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rare variants in the genetic background modulate the expressivity of neurodevelopmental disorders]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/260018v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gene Coregulation and Coexpression in the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-mediated Transcriptional Regulatory Network in the Mouse Liver 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/260018v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Tissue-specific network models of chemical-induced gene perturbation can improve our mechanistic understanding of the intracellular events leading to adverse health effects resulting from chemical exposure. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-inducible transcription factor (TF) that activates a battery of genes and produces a variety of species-specific adverse effects in response to the potent and persistent environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Here we assemble a global map of the AHR gene regulatory network in TCDD-treated mouse liver from a combination of previously published gene expression and genome-wide TF binding data sets. Using Kohonen selforganizing maps and subspace clustering, we show that genes co-regulated by common upstream TFs in the AHR network exhibit a pattern of co-expression. Specifically, directly-bound, indirectly-bound and non-genomic AHR target genes exhibit distinct patterns of gene expression, with the directly bound targets generally associated with highest median expression. Further, among the directly bound AHR target genes, the expression level increases with the number of AHR binding sites in the proximal promoter regions. Finally, we show that co-regulated genes in the AHR network activate distinct groups of downstream biological processes, with AHR-bound target genes enriched for metabolic processes and enrichment of immune responses among AHR-unbound target genes, likely reflecting infiltration of immune cells into the mouse liver upon TCDD treatment. This work describes an approach to the reconstruction and analysis of transcriptional regulatory cascades underlying cellular stress response using bioinformatic and statistical tools.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Josyula, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andersen, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaminski, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dere, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/260018</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gene Coregulation and Coexpression in the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-mediated Transcriptional Regulatory Network in the Mouse Liver]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/260612v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Protein-ligand interfaces are polarized: Discovery of a strong trend for intermolecular hydrogen bonds to favor donors on the protein side with implications for predicting and designing ligand complexes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/260612v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding how proteins encode ligand specificity is fascinating and similar in importance to deciphering the genetic code. For protein-ligand recognition, the combination of an almost infinite variety of interfacial shapes and patterns of chemical groups makes the problem especially challenging. Here we analyze data across non-homologous proteins in complex with small biological ligands to address observations made in our inhibitor discovery projects: that proteins favor donating H-bonds to ligands and avoid using groups with both H-bond donor and acceptor capacity. The resulting clear and significant chemical group matching preferences elucidate the code for protein-native ligand binding, similar to the dominant patterns found in nucleic acid base-pairing. On average, 90% of the keto and carboxylate oxygens occurring in the biological ligands formed direct H-bonds to the protein. A two-fold preference was found for protein atoms to act as H-bond donors and ligand atoms to act as acceptors, and 76% of all intermolecular H-bonds involved an amine donor. Together, the tight chemical and geometric constraints associated with satisfying donor groups generate a hydrogen-bonding lock that can be matched only by ligands bearing the right acceptor-rich key. Measuring an index of H-bond preference based on the observed chemical trends proved sufficient to predict other protein-ligand complexes and can be used to guide molecular design. The resulting Hbind and Protein Recognition Index software packages are being made available for rigorously defining intermolecular H-bonds and measuring the extent to which H-bonding patterns in a given complex match the preference key.nnAbbreviations
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raschka, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolf, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bemister-Buffington, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/260612</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Protein-ligand interfaces are polarized: Discovery of a strong trend for intermolecular hydrogen bonds to favor donors on the protein side with implications for predicting and designing ligand complexes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/265066v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Atypical Rho GTPase CHW-1 Works With SAX-3/Robo to Mediate Axon Guidance in Caenorhabditis elegans 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/265066v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During development, neuronal cells extend an axon towards their target destination in response to a cue to form a properly functioning nervous system. Rho proteins, Ras-related small GTPases that regulate cytoskeletal organization and dynamics, cell adhesion, and motility, are known to regulate axon guidance. Despite extensive knowledge about canonical Rho proteins (RhoA/Rac1/Cdc42), little is known about the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) atypical Cdc42-like family members CHW-1 and CRP-1 in regards to axon pathfinding and neuronal migration. chw-1(Chp/Wrch) encodes a protein that resembles human Chp (Wrch-2/RhoV) and Wrch-1 (RhoU), and crp-1 encodes for a protein that resembles TC10 and TCL. Here, we show that chw-1 works redundantly with crp-1 and cdc-42 in axon guidance. Furthermore, proper levels of chw-1 expression and activity are required for proper axon guidance. When examining CHW-1 GTPase mutants, we found that the native CHW-1 protein is likely partially activated, and mutations at a conserved residue (position 12 using Ras numbering, position 18 in CHW-1) alter axon guidance and neural migration. Additionally, we showed that chw-1 genetically interacts with the guidance receptor sax-3 in PDE neurons. Finally, in VD/DD motor neurons, chw-1 works downstream of sax-3 to control axon guidance. In summary, this is the first study implicating the atypical Rho GTPases chw-1 and crp-1 in axon guidance. Furthermore, this is the first evidence of genetic interaction between chw-1 and the guidance receptor sax-3. These data suggest that chw-1 is likely acting downstream and/or in parallel to sax-3 in axon guidance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Alan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robinson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Magsig, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demarco, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundquist, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/265066</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Atypical Rho GTPase CHW-1 Works With SAX-3/Robo to Mediate Axon Guidance in Caenorhabditis elegans]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/268813v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ADAR1 A-to-I RNA alters codon usage 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/268813v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundFully grown mammalian oocytes and eggs are transcriptionally quiescent, and therefore have a unique RNA environment in which cellular processes depend on post-transcriptional regulation. RNA editing of adenosines into inosines (A-to-I) by adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) is a common post-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanism, yet it has not been systematically studied in oocytes.nnResultsA genome-wide RNA editing analysis of transcriptionally active growing oocytes from postnatal day 12 (PND12) mice, fully grown germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes, and transcriptionally quiescent metaphase II (MII) eggs indicates an abundant amount of A-to-I editing of mRNA transcripts. Editing of mRNA was greatest in GV oocyte and MII eggs compared to the PND12 immature oocytes, this was consistent with ADAR1 levels within these cells. Compared to somatic tissues, oocytes exhibited a different pattern of RNA editing, with a high proportion of RNA edits occurring in the coding regions. These edits resulted in nucleotide substitutions that were enriched at the third nucleotide of the codon (wobble position). Codon usage can affect mRNA stability and translation efficiency.nnConclusionsRNA editing in mouse oocytes is distinct from RNA editing in somatic cells due to increased frequencies of coding sequence RNA edits. We provide evidence in support of a previously unreported phenomenon of selective ADAR1 editing of the codon wobble position. Editing of the wobble position has the potential to fine tune post-transcriptional gene regulation through altering codon usage. This important observation advances our current understanding of RNA editing in mammalian cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Brachova, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alvarez, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hong, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vincent, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Latham, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christenson, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/268813</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ADAR1 A-to-I RNA alters codon usage]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/270009v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Factors influencing gene family size variation among related species in a plant family 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/270009v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene duplication and loss contribute to gene content differences as well as phenotypic divergence across species. However, the extent to which gene content varies among closely related plant species and the factors responsible for such variation remain unclear. Here, we used the Solanaceae family as a model to investigate differences in gene family size and the likely factors contributing to these differences. We found that genes in highly variable families have high turnover rate and tend to be involved in processes that have diverged between Solanaceae species, whereas genes in low-variability families tend to have housekeeping roles. In addition, genes in high-and low-variability gene families tend to be duplicated by tandem and whole genome duplication, respectively. This finding together with the observation that genes duplicated by different mechanisms experience different selection pressures suggests that duplication mechanism impacts gene family turnover. We explored using pseudogene number as a proxy for gene loss but discovered that a substantial number of pseudogenes are actually products of pseudogene duplication, contrary to the expectation that most plant pseudogenes are remnants of once-functional duplicates. Our findings reveal complex relationships between variation in gene family size, gene functions, duplication mechanism, and evolutionary rate. The patterns of lineage-specific gene family expansion within the Solanaceae provide the foundation for a better understanding of the genetic basis underlying phenotypic diversity in this economically important family.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panchy, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/270009</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Factors influencing gene family size variation among related species in a plant family]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/270298v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sexual stage-induced long noncoding RNAs in the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/270298v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plays important roles in morphological differentiation and development in eukaryotes. In filamentous fungi, however, little is known about lncRNAs and their roles in sexual development. Here we describe sexual stage-induced lncRNAs during the formation of perithecia, the sexual fruiting bodies of Fusarium graminearum. We have identified 547 lncRNAs whose expression was developmental stage-specific, with about 40% of which peaked during the development of asci, the sac-like structures containing meiospores. A large fraction of the lncRNAs were found to be antisense to mRNAs, forming 300 sense-antisense pairs. Although small RNAs (sRNAs) were produced from these overlapping loci, most of the antisense lncRNAs appeared not to be involved in gene silencing pathways. Genome-wide analysis of sRNA clusters identified many silenced loci at the meiotic stage. However, we found transcriptionally-active sRNA clusters, many of which were associated with lncRNAs. Also, we observed that many antisense lncRNAs and their respective sense transcripts were induced in parallel as the perithecia matured. To identify regulatory components for lncRNA expression, we analyzed mutants defective in the nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) pathway. A subset of the lncRNAs appeared to be targeted by the NMD before the perithecia formation, suggesting a suppressive role of the NMD in lncRNA expression during vegetative stage. This research provides fundamental genomic resources that will spur further investigations on developmental lncRNAs that may play important roles in shaping the fungal fruiting bodies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kim, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miguel-Rojas, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Townsend, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trail, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/270298</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sexual stage-induced long noncoding RNAs in the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/270728v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Elongation during segmentation shows axial variability, low mitotic rates, and synchronized cell cycle domains in the crustacean, Thamnocephalus platyurus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/270728v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Segmentation in arthropods typically occurs by sequential addition of segments from a posterior growth zone, but cell behaviors producing posterior elongation are not well known. Using precisely staged larvae of the crustacean, Thamnocephalus platyurus, we systematically examined cell division patterns and morphometric changes associated with posterior elongation during segmentation. We show that cell division is required for normal elongation but that cells in the growth zone need only divide ~1.5 times to meet that requirement; correspondingly, direct measures of cell division in the growth zone are low. Morphometric measurements of the growth zone and of newly formed segments suggest tagma-specific features of segment generation. Using methods for detecting two different phases in the cell cycle, we show distinct domains of synchronized cells in the posterior. Borders of cell cycle domains correlate with domains of segmental gene expression, suggesting an intimate link between segment generation and cell cycle regulation.nnSummary StatementPosterior growth zone has synchronized cell cycle domains but shows little cell division during segment addition in a crustacean. Dimensions of the shrinking posterior growth zone change at tagma boundaries.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Constantinou, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duan, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chipman, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nagy, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/270728</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Elongation during segmentation shows axial variability, low mitotic rates, and synchronized cell cycle domains in the crustacean, Thamnocephalus platyurus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/271536v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The role of AP-1 in self-sufficient proliferation and migration of cancer cells and its potential impact on an autocrine/paracrine loop. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/271536v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The activating protein-1 (AP-1) family members are highly expressed in invasive cancers, but the consequences of this are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to explore the significance of elevated levels of AP-1 family members under conditions that restrict growth. We observed that invasive MDA-MB-231 cells express high levels of Fra-1, c-Jun and, Jun-D during serum starvation and throughout the cell cycle compared to non-tumorigenic and non-invasive cell lines. We then analyzed Fra-1 levels in additional breast and other cancer cell lines. We found a correlation between the high levels of Fra-1 during serum starvation and the ability of the cells to proliferate and migrate under these conditions. Utilizing a dominant negative construct of AP-1, we demonstrated that proliferation and migration of MDA-MB-231 in the absence of serum requires AP-1 activity. Finally, we observed that MDA-MB-231 cells secrete factors(s) that induce Fra-1 expression and migration in non-tumorigenic and non-metastatic cells and that both the expression of and response to these factors require AP-1 activity. These results suggest the presence of an autocrine/paracrine loop that maintains high Fra-1 levels in aggressive cancer cells, enhancing their proliferative and metastatic ability and affecting neighbors to alter the tumor environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Abudu, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ibrahim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aftab, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fluck, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/271536</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The role of AP-1 in self-sufficient proliferation and migration of cancer cells and its potential impact on an autocrine/paracrine loop.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/273656v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Assessment and refinement of sample preparation methods for deep and quantitative plant proteome profiling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/273656v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A major challenge in the field of proteomics is obtaining high quality peptides for comprehensive proteome profiling by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for many organisms. Here we evaluate and modify a range of sample preparation methods using photosynthetically active Arabidopsis leaf tissues from several developmental timepoints. We find that inclusion of FASP-based on filter digestion improves all protein extraction methods tested. Ultimately, we show that a detergent-free urea-FASP approach enables deep and robust quantification of leaf proteomes. For example, from 4-day-old leaf tissue we profiled up to 11,690 proteins from a single sample replicate. This method should be broadly applicable to researchers working on difficult to process samples from a range of plant and non-plant organisms.nnAbbreviations
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Song, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walley, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-02-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/273656</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Assessment and refinement of sample preparation methods for deep and quantitative plant proteome profiling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-02-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/274241v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tripartite chromatin localization of budding yeast Shugoshin involves higher-ordered architecture of mitotic chromosomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/274241v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is key to faithful segregation of chromosomes. One requirement that satisfies SAC is appropriate tension between sister chromatids at the metaphase-anaphase juncture. Proper tension generated by poleward pulling of mitotic spindles signals biorientation of the underlying chromosome. In the budding yeast, the tension status is monitored by the conserved Shugoshin protein, Sgo1p, and the tension sensing motif (TSM) of histone H3. ChIP-seq reveals a unique TSM-dependent, tripartite domain of Sgo1p in each mitotic chromosome. This domain consists of one centromeric and two flanking peaks 3 - 4 kb away, and is present exclusively in mitosis. Strikingly, this trident motif coincides with cohesin localization, but only at the centromere and the two immediate adjacent loci, despite that cohesin is enriched at numerous regions throughout mitotic chromosomes. The TSM-Sgo1p-cohesin triad is at the center stage of higher-ordered chromatin architecture for error-free segregation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kuo, M.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deng, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-03-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/274241</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tripartite chromatin localization of budding yeast Shugoshin involves higher-ordered architecture of mitotic chromosomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-03-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/276584v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ecological selection for small microbial genomes along a temperate-to-thermal soil gradient 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/276584v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Small bacterial and archaeal genomes provide insights into the minimal requirements for life1 and seem to be widespread on the microbial phylogenetic tree2. We know that evolutionary processes, mainly selection and drift, can result in microbial genome reduction 3,4. However, we do not know the precise environmental pressures that constrain genome size in free-living microorganisms. A study including isolates 5 has shown that bacteria with high optimum growth temperatures, including thermophiles, often have small genomes 6. It is unclear how well this relationship may extend generally to microorganisms in nature 7,8, and in particular to those microbes inhabiting complex and highly variable environments like soil 3,6,9. To understand the genomic traits of thermally-adapted microorganisms, here we investigated bacterial and archaeal metagenomes from a 45{degrees}C gradient of temperate-to-thermal soils overlying the ongoing Centralia, Pennsylvania (USA) coal seam fire. There was a strong relationship between average genome size and temperature: hot soils had small genomes relative to ambient soils (Pearsons r = -0.910, p < 0.001). There was also an inverse relationship between soil temperature and cell size (Pearsons r = -0.65, p = 0.021), providing evidence that cell and genome size in the wild are together constrained by temperature. Notably, hot soils had different community structures than ambient soils, implicating ecological selection for thermo-tolerant cells that had small genomes, rather than contemporary genome streamlining within the local populations. Hot soils notably lacked genes for described two-component regulatory systems and antimicrobial production and resistance. Our work provides field evidence for the inverse relationship between microbial genome size and temperature requirements in a diverse, free-living community over a wide range of temperatures that support microbial life. Our findings demonstrate that ecological selection for thermophiles and thermo-tolerant microorganisms can result in smaller average genome sizes in situ, possibly because they have small genomes reminiscent of a more ancestral state.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sorensen, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunivin, T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tobin, T. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-03-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/276584</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ecological selection for small microbial genomes along a temperate-to-thermal soil gradient]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-03-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/278580v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Loss of Peroxisomal Hydroxypyruvate Reductase Inhibits Triose Phosphate Isomerase but Stimulates Cyclic Photosynthetic Electron Flow and the Glc-6P-Phosphate Shunt 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/278580v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The oxygenation of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate by Rubisco is the first step in photorespiration and reduces the efficiency of photosynthesis in C3 plants. Our recent data indicates that mutants in photorespiration have increased rates of photosynthetic cyclic electron flow around photosystem I. We investigated mutant lines lacking peroxisomal hydroxypyruvate reductase to determine if there are connections between 2-PG accumulation and cyclic electron flow. We found that 2-PG is a competitive inhibitor of triose phosphate isomerase (TPI), an enzyme in the Calvin-Benson cycle that converts glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate to dihydroxyacetone phosphate. This block in metabolism could be overcome if glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is exported to the cytosol where the cytosolic triose phosphate isomerase could convert it to dihydroxyacetone phosphate. We found evidence that carbon is reimported as Glc-6P-phosphate forming a cytosolic bypass around the block of stromal TPI. However, this also stimulates a Glc-6P-phosphate shunt, which consumes ATP, which can be compensated by higher rates of cyclic electron flow.nnOnce Sentence SummaryTriose phosphate isomerase is inhibited in plants lacking hydroxypyruvate reductase 1 and this is overcome by exporting triose phosphate to the cytosol and importing Glc-6P, which stimulates a Glc-6P-phosphate shunt and cyclic electron flow.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weraduwage, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Preiser, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weise, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strand, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Froehlich, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-03-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/278580</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Loss of Peroxisomal Hydroxypyruvate Reductase Inhibits Triose Phosphate Isomerase but Stimulates Cyclic Photosynthetic Electron Flow and the Glc-6P-Phosphate Shunt]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-03-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/289140v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Current production as a rapid response expression reporter under micro-oxic and anoxic conditions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/289140v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Inducible gene expression is crucial for regulating cellular processes and production of compounds within cellular pathways. Yet, inducing gene expression is only the first step to utilizing cellular processes for an applied purpose such as biosensors. Detecting when gene expression occurs is central to understanding the overall mechanism of the process as well as maximizing the process. Fluorescent proteins have been established as the primary tool for detecting gene expression in inducible systems. This study proposes electricity production as an alternate tool in reporting gene expression. Using a model organism for electricity production, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, current was shown to be an efficient reporter for gene expression and comparable to superfolder green fluorescent protein (GFP). Through regulation of the lac operator and T7 promoter, current production was induced by isopropyl {beta}-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) addition. IPTG addition induced translation of GFP and the MtrB protein, which complemented a {triangleup}mtrB strain of S. oneidensis MR-1 and restored current production. This inducible system generated reproducible current in 18 minutes in both micro-oxic and anoxic conditions. These results show that current is a fast reporter for gene expression.nnFinancial DisclosureThe team was supported by the following departments and colleges at Michigan State University: College of Natural Science, College of Engineering, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department and Plant Research Laboratory. The team also received support from the DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (DOE Office of Science BER DE-FC02-07ER64494) and startup funding from the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Michigan State University and support from Michigan State University AgBioResearch (MICL02454) (to B.H.). This work was also supported by NSF CAREER (Award #1254238) to T.A.W. MSU Alpha Chi Sigma also supported the team.nnCompeting InterestsThe authors declare that no competing interests exist.nnEthics StatementN/AnnData AvailabilityAll data will be supplied upon request by the corresponding author.nnThis work was assessed during the iGEM/PLOS Realtime Peer Review Jamboree on 23rd February 2018 and has been revised in response to the reviewers comments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Madsen, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barvo, N. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fromwiller, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tyll, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amburn, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamberger, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-03-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/289140</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Current production as a rapid response expression reporter under micro-oxic and anoxic conditions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-03-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/292078v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Non-parametric and semi-parametric support estimation using SEquential RESampling random walks on biomolecular sequences 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/292078v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Non-parametric and semi-parametric resampling procedures are widely used to perform support estimation in computational biology and bioinformatics. Among the most widely used methods in this class is the standard bootstrap method, which consists of random sampling with replacement. While not requiring assumptions about any particular parametric model for resampling purposes, the bootstrap and related techniques assume that sites are independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.). The i.i.d. assumption can be an over-simplification for many problems in computational biology and bioinformatics. In particular, sequential dependence within biomolecular sequences is often an essential biological feature due to biochemical function, evolutionary processes such as recombination, and other factors.nnTo relax the simplifying i.i.d. assumption, we propose a new non-parametric/semi-parametric sequential resampling technique that generalizes "Heads-or-Tails" mirrored inputs, a simple but clever technique due to Landan and Graur. The generalized procedure takes the form of random walks along either aligned or unaligned biomolecular sequences. We refer to our new method as the SERES (or "SEquential RESampling") method.nnTo demonstrate the flexibility of the new technique, we apply SERES to two different applications - one involving aligned inputs and the other involving unaligned inputs. Using simulated and empirical data, we show that SERES-based support estimation yields comparable or typically better performance compared to state-of-the-art methods for both applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hejase, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-03-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/292078</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Non-parametric and semi-parametric support estimation using SEquential RESampling random walks on biomolecular sequences]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-03-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/292193v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Stroke survivors show task-dependent modulation of motor variability during bimanual coordination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/292193v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Stroke often results in hemiparesis, leaving one side of the body  affected relative to the other side. Prior research has shown that the affected arm has higher variability - however, the extent to which this variability can be modulated is unclear. Here we used a shared bimanual task to examine the degree to which participants could modulate the variability in the affected arm after stroke. Participants with chronic stroke (n = 11), and age-matched controls (n = 11) performed unimanual and bimanual reaching movements to move a cursor on a screen to different targets. In the unimanual condition, the cursor was controlled only by the movement of a single arm whereas in the bimanual condition, the cursor position was "shared" between the two arms by using a weighted average of the two hand positions. Unknown to the participants, we altered the weightings of the affected and unaffected arms to cursor motion and examined how the movement variability on each arm changed depending on its contribution to the task. Results showed that stroke survivors had higher movement variability on the affected arm - however, like age-matched controls, they were able to modulate the variability in both the affected and unaffected arms according to the weighting condition. Specifically, as the weighting on a particular arm increased (i.e. it became more important to the task), the movement variability decreased. These results show that stroke survivors are capable of modulating variability depending on the task context, and this feature may potentially be exploited for rehabilitation paradigms
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ranganathan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gebara, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andary, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sylvain, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-03-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/292193</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Stroke survivors show task-dependent modulation of motor variability during bimanual coordination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-03-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/293407v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
On the deformability of an empirical fitness landscape by microbial evolution 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/293407v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A fitness landscape is a map between the genotype and its reproductive success in a given environment. The topography of fitness landscapes largely governs adaptive dynamics, constraining evolutionary trajectories and the predictability of evolution. Theory suggests that this topography can be "deformed" by mutations that produce substantial changes to the environment. In spite of its importance, the deformability of fitness landscapes has not been systematically studied beyond abstract models, and little is known about its reach and consequences in empirical systems. Here we have systematically characterized the deformability of the genome-wide metabolic fitness landscape of the bacterium E. coli. Deformability is quantified by the non-commutativity of epistatic interactions, which we experimentally demonstrate in mutant strains on the path to an evolutionary innovation. Our analysis shows that the deformation of fitness landscapes by metabolic mutations rarely affects evolutionary trajectories in the short-range. However, mutations with large environmental effects leave these as a "legacy", producing long-range landscape deformations in distant regions of the genotype space that affect the fitness of later descendants. Our methods and results provide the basis for an integration between adaptive and eco-evolutionary dynamics with complex genetics and genomics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bajic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vila, J. C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blount, Z. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-04-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/293407</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[On the deformability of an empirical fitness landscape by microbial evolution]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-04-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/298125v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mapping the Peaks: Fitness Landscapes of the Fittest and the Flattest 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/298125v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundPopulations exposed to a high mutation rate harbor abundant deleterious genetic variation, leading to depressed mean fitness. This reduction in mean fitness presents an opportunity for selection to restore adaptation through the evolution of mutational robustness. In extreme cases, selection for mutational robustness can lead to "flat" genotypes (with low fitness but high robustness) out-competing "fit" genotypes with high fitness but low robustness--a phenomenon known as "survival of the flattest". While this effect was previously explored using the digital evolution system Avida, a complete analysis of the local fitness landscapes of "fit" and "flat" genotypes has been lacking, leading to uncertainty about the genetic basis of the survival of the flattest effect.nnResultsHere, we repeated the survival of the flattest study and analyzed the mutational neighborhoods of fit and flat genotypes. We found that flat genotypes, compared to the fit genotypes, had a reduced likelihood of deleterious mutations as well as an increased likelihood of neutral and, surprisingly, of lethal mutations. This trend holds for mutants one to four substitutions away from the wild-type sequence. We also found that flat genotypes have, on average, no epistasis between mutations, while fit genotypes have, on average, positive epistasis.nnConclusionsOur results demonstrate that the genetic causes of mutational robustness on complex fitness landscapes are multifaceted. While the traditional idea of the survival of the flattest effect emphasized the evolution of increased neutrality, others have argued for increased mutational sensitivity in response to strong mutational loads. Our results show that both increased neutrality and increased lethality can lead to the evolution of mutational robustness. Furthermore, strong negative epistasis is not required for mutational sensitivity to lead to mutational robustness. Overall, these results suggest that mutational robustness is achieved by minimizing heritable deleterious variation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Franklin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaBar, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adami, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-04-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/298125</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mapping the Peaks: Fitness Landscapes of the Fittest and the Flattest]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-04-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/300764v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Monitoring Anti-Pythium insidiosum IgG Antibodies and (1->3)-β-D-Glucan in Vascular Pythiosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/300764v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundDespite aggressive treatment, vascular pythiosis has a mortality rate of 40%. This is due to the delay in diagnosis and lack of effective monitoring tools. To overcome this drawback, serum beta-D-glucan (BG) and P. insidiosum specific antibody (Pi-Ab) were examined as potential monitoring markers in vascular pythiosis.nnMethodsA prospective cohort study of vascular pythiosis patients was carried on during January 2010-July 2016. Clinical information and blood samples were collected and evaluated by the BG and Pi-Ab assays. Linear mixed effect models were used to compare BG and Pi-Ab levels. The in vitro susceptibility test was performed in all P. insidiosum isolates from culture positive cases.nnResultsA total of 50 patients were enrolled; 45 survived and 5 died during follow-up. The survivors had a significantly shorter time to medical care (p<0.0001) and a significantly shorter waiting time to the first surgery (p<0.0001). There were no differences in BG levels among the groups at diagnosis (p=0.17); however, BG levels among survivors were significantly lower than the deceased group at 0.5 months (p<0.0001) and became undetectable after 3 months. Survivors were able to maintain ELISA value (EV) of Pi-Ab above 8, whereas EV among deceased patients was less than 4. In vitro susceptibility results revealed no synergistic effects between itraconazole and terbinafine.nnConclusionsThis study showed that BG and Pi-Ab were potentially valuable markers to monitor the disease after treatment initiation. An unchanged BG level at 2 weeks after surgery should prompt an evaluation for residual disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Worasilchai, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Permpalung, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chongsathidkiet, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leelahavanichkul, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendoza, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palaga, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reantragoon, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Finkelman, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sutcharitchan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chindamporn, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-04-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/300764</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Monitoring Anti-Pythium insidiosum IgG Antibodies and (1->3)-β-D-Glucan in Vascular Pythiosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-04-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/304055v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An optimal kernel-based method for gene set association analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/304055v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Single-variant based genome-wide association studies have successfully detected many genetic variants that are associated with many complex traits. However, their power is limited due to weak marginal signals and ignoring potential complex interactions among genetic variants. Set-based strategy was proposed to provide a remedy where multiple genetic variants in a given set (e.g., gene or pathway) are jointly evaluated, so that the systematic effect of the set is considered. Among many, the kernel-based testing (KBT) framework is one of the most popular and powerful methods in set-based association studies. Given a set of candidate kernels, method has been proposed to choose the one with the smallest p-value. Such a method, however, can yield inflated type I error, especially when the number of variants in a set is large. Alternatively one can get p-values by permutations which, however, could be very time consuming. In this work, we proposed an efficient testing procedure that can not only control type I error rate but also generate power close to the one obtained under the optimal kernel. Our method is built upon the KBT framework and is based on asymptotic results under a high-dimensional setting. Hence it can efficiently deal with the case where the number of variants in a set is much larger than the sample size. Both simulation and real data analysis demonstrate the advantages of the method compared with its counterparts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cui, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhong, P.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-04-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/304055</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An optimal kernel-based method for gene set association analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-04-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/304873v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Robust predictions of specialized metabolism genes through machine learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/304873v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant specialized metabolism (SM) enzymes produce lineage-specific metabolites with important ecological, evolutionary, and biotechnological implications. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model, we identified distinguishing characteristics of SM and GM (general metabolism, traditionally referred to as primary metabolism) genes through a detailed study of features including duplication pattern, sequence conservation, transcription, protein domain content, and gene network properties. Analysis of multiple sets of benchmark genes revealed that SM genes tend to be tandemly duplicated, co-expressed with their paralogs, narrowly expressed at lower levels, less conserved, and less well connected in gene networks relative to GM genes. Although the values of each of these features significantly differed between SM and GM genes, any single feature was ineffective at predicting SM from GM genes. Using machine learning methods to integrate all features, a well performing prediction model was established with a true positive rate of 0.87 and a true negative rate of 0.71. In addition, 86% of known SM genes not used to create the machine learning model were predicted as SM genes, further demonstrating its accuracy. We also demonstrated that the model could be further improved when we distinguished between SM, GM, and junction genes responsible for reactions shared by SM and GM pathways. Application of the prediction model led to the identification of 1,217 A. thaliana genes with previously unknown functions, providing a global, high-confidence estimate of SM gene content in a plant genome.nnSignificanceSpecialized metabolites are critical for plant-environment interactions, e.g., attracting pollinators or defending against herbivores, and are important sources of plant-based pharmaceuticals. However, it is unclear what proportion of enzyme-encoding genes play roles in specialized metabolism (SM) as opposed to general metabolism (GM) in any plant species. This is because of the diversity of specialized metabolites and the considerable number of incompletely characterized pathways responsible for their production. In addition, SM gene ancestors frequently played roles in GM. We evaluate features distinguishing SM and GM genes and build a computational model that accurately predicts SM genes. Our predictions provide candidates for experimental studies, and our modeling approach can be applied to other species that produce medicinally or industrially useful compounds.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moore, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leong, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schenck, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lloyd, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pichersky, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/304873</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Robust predictions of specialized metabolism genes through machine learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/304931v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SpeciFlex: A Protocol for Mining Binding Site Conformational Selectivity in Structure-Based Inhibitor Discovery 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/304931v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Selectivity for a target site is challenging when the site is conserved in homologous proteins. A novel protocol is presented for attaining selectivity by taking advantage of conformational population differences between homologs. Conformational ensembles of the targeted protein and the homolog are compared to identify pockets significantly populated in the target, but rarely or never sampled in the homolog. SLIDE screening then identifies molecules that fit the unique pocket and also interact well with an adjacent substrate pocket. The SpeciFlex protocol, demonstrated for a pair of pyrophosphokinases, yields ligand candidates with good interactions in both the substrate and unique pockets of the target Yersinia pestis protein, while selecting against interactions with the homologous site in Escherichia coli.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tonero, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-04-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/304931</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SpeciFlex: A Protocol for Mining Binding Site Conformational Selectivity in Structure-Based Inhibitor Discovery]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-04-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/305722v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Elevated O-GlcNAcylation Enhances Pro-Inflammatory Th17 Function by Altering the Lipid Microenvironment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/305722v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chronic, low-grade inflammation increases the risk of atherosclerosis, cancer, and autoimmunity in diseases like obesity and diabetes. Here, we show that increased levels of the nutrient-responsive, post-translational protein modification, O-GlcNAc (O-linked {beta}-N-acetylglucosamine) are present in naive CD4+ T cells from a diet-induced obesity murine model, and elevation in O-GlcNAc leads to increased pro-inflammatory IL-17A production. Importantly, CD4+ T helper 17 (Th17) cells, which secrete IL-17A, are increased in obesity and contribute to the inflammatory milieu. We found increased binding of the Th17 master transcription factor, ROR{gamma}t, at the IL-17 locus and significant alterations in the lipid microenvironment, leading to increased ligands capable of increasing ROR{gamma}t transcriptional activity. Importantly, the rate-limiting enzyme of fatty acid biosynthesis, acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), is necessary for production of these ROR{gamma}t activating ligands and is O-GlcNAcylated. Thus, we have identified O-GlcNAc as a critical link between excess nutrients and pathological inflammation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Machacek, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tan, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villar, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Artigues, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lydic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Slawson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fields, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/305722</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Elevated O-GlcNAcylation Enhances Pro-Inflammatory Th17 Function by Altering the Lipid Microenvironment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/316539v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
HIPPO signaling provides a fail-safe for resolving embryonic cell fate conflicts during establishment of pluripotency in vivo 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/316539v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During mammalian development, the challenge for the embryo is to override intrinsic cellular plasticity to drive cells to distinct fates. Here, we unveil novel roles for the HIPPO signaling pathway segregates pluripotent and extraembryonic fates by controlling cell positioning as well as expression of Sox2, the first marker of pluripotency in the mouse early embryo. We show that maternal and zygotic YAP1 and WWTR1 repress Sox2 while promoting expression of the trophectoderm gene Cdx2 in parallel. Yet, Sox2 is more sensitive than Cdx2 to Yap1/Wwtr1 dosage, leading cells to a state of conflicted cell fate when YAP1/WWTR1 activity is moderate. Remarkably, HIPPO signaling activity resolves conflicted cell fate by repositioning cells to the interior of the embryo, independent of its role in regulating Sox2 expression. Rather, HIPPO antagonizes apical localization of Par complex components PARD6B and aPKC. Thus, negative feedback between HIPPO and Par complex components ensure robust lineage segregation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Frum, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-05-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/316539</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[HIPPO signaling provides a fail-safe for resolving embryonic cell fate conflicts during establishment of pluripotency in vivo]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-05-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/324582v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Sheep and the Goats: Distinguishing transcriptional enhancers in a complex chromatin landscape 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/324582v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Predicting regulatory function of non-coding DNA using genomic information remains a major goal in genomics, and an important step in interpreting the cis-regulatory code. Regulatory capacity can be partially inferred from transcription factor occupancy, histone modifications, motif enrichment, and evolutionary conservation. However, combinations of these features in well-studied systems such as Drosophila have limited predictive accuracy. Here we examine the current limits of computational enhancer prediction by applying machine-learning methods to an extensive set of genomic features, validating predictions with the Fly Enhancer Resource, which characterized the transcriptional activity of approximately fifteen percent of the genome. Supervised machine learning trained on a range of genomic features identify active elements with a high degree of accuracy, but are less successful at distinguishing tissue-specific expression patterns. Consistent with previous observations of their widespread genomic interactions, many transcription factors were associated with enhancers not known to be direct functional targets. Interestingly, no single factor was necessary for enhancer identification, although binding by the 'pioneer' transcription factor Zelda was the most predictive feature for enhancer activity. Using an increasing number of predictive features improved classification with diminishing returns. Thus, additional single-timepoint ChIP data may have only marginal utility for discerning true regulatory regions. On the other hand, spatially- and temporally-differentiated genomic features may provide more power for this type of computational enhancer identification. Inclusion of new types of information distinct from current chromatin-immunoprecipitation data may enable more precise identification of enhancers, and further insight into the features that distinguish their biological functions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sonnenschein, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dworkin, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnosti, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-05-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/324582</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Sheep and the Goats: Distinguishing transcriptional enhancers in a complex chromatin landscape]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-05-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/326348v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Regional neutrality evolves through local adaptive niche evolution 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/326348v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Joost Vanoverbeke, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Abstract: Biodiversity in natural systems can be maintained either because niche differentiation among competitors facilitates stable coexistence or because equal fitness among neutral species allows for their long-term co-occurrence despite a slow drift toward extinction. Whereas the relative importance of these two ecological mechanisms has been well-studied in the absence of evolution, the role of local adaptive evolution in maintaining biological diversity through these processes is less clear. Here we study the contribution of local adaptive evolution to coexistence in a landscape of interconnected patches subject to disturbance. Under these conditions, early colonists to empty patches following disturbance can often adapt to novel local conditions sufficiently fast to prevent successful colonization by other pre-adapted species. Over the long term, the iteration of these local-scale priority effects results in niche convergence of species at the regional scale even though species tend to monopolize local patches. Thus, the dynamics evolve from stable coexistence through niche differentiation to neutral co-occurrence at the landscape level while still maintaining strong local niche differentiation. Our model results show that neutrality can emerge at the regional scale from local, niche-based adaptive evolution, potentially resolving why ecologists often observe neutral distribution patterns at the landscape level despite strong niche divergence among local communities. Our results also demonstrate how local adaptive evolution can shape cryptic eco-evolutionary dynamics and thus alter the regional mechanisms that determine biological diversity and resistance to disturbance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Leibold, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Urban, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Meester, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klausmeier, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vanoverbeke, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-05-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/326348</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Regional neutrality evolves through local adaptive niche evolution]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-05-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/329011v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Investigation of lanthanide-dependent methylotrophy uncovers complementary roles for alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/329011v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The discovery that methylotrophic bacteria can utilize lanthanides as catalysts for methanol metabolism has opened new areas of biology and biochemistry. Recent studies of lanthanide-dependent enzymes have focused on biochemical and kinetic properties or the regulation of encoding genes. Kinetic analysis of a pyrroloquinoline quinone methanol dehydrogenase, XoxF1 (MexAM1_1746), from the model methylotroph Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 confirms the use of different lanthanides as cofactors and formaldehyde as a product of methanol oxidation, showing that not all XoxF MDH produce formate as the only end product in vivo. The dephosphotetrahydromethanopterin pathway for formaldehyde oxidation is still required for lanthanide-methylotrophic growth, as a fae mutant does not grow with methanol in the presence of exogenous lanthanides. Increases of 15-22% in growth rate and 10-12.5% in growth yield are observed when M. extorquens AM1 is grown in the presence of lanthanides with methanol. RNA-sequencing transcriptomics indicates remodeling of methanol, formaldehyde and formate oxidation gene expression, and targeted metabolomics shows increased accumulation of intracellular formate and decreased pools of several assimilatory intermediates. Methanol sensitivity growth assays show that the lanthanide-dependent pyrroloquinoline quinone alcohol dehydrogenase ExaF (MexAM1_1139), but not XoxF1, can reduce formaldehyde toxicity when lanthanides are present, providing evidence of a role for ExaF during lanthanide-dependent methylotrophy. We conclude from these results that lanthanide-dependent methylotrophy is more efficient than calcium-dependent methylotrophy in M. extorquens AM1, and that this change is due, at least in part, to the lanthanide-dependent enzymes XoxF1 and ExaF.nnIMPORTANCELanthanides serve as cofactors for pyrroloquinoline quinone containing alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes in methylotrophic bacteria. The present study addresses a fundamental gap in our understanding of how lanthanides impact metabolism, including a detailed assessment of the metabolic modifications to accommodate enhanced efficiency during methylotrophy. Kinetic characterization of XoxF1 provides a detailed description of the impact of diverse lanthanides on catalytic function for a lanthanide-dependent methanol dehydrogenase. We further show that the lanthanide-dependent ethanol dehydrogenase ExaF can oxidize formaldehyde in vivo, revealing complementary roles for these enzymes. This study provides novel insight into the effects of lanthanides on bacterial metabolism, highlighting the implementation of multiple, redundant and complementary oxidation systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Good, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walser, O. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Suriano, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huff, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Gomez, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/329011</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Investigation of lanthanide-dependent methylotrophy uncovers complementary roles for alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/330100v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biparental inheritance of chloroplasts is controlled by lipid biosynthesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/330100v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In most eukaryotes, organellar genomes are transmitted preferentially by the mother, but molecular mechanisms and evolutionary forces underlying this fundamental biological principle are far from understood. It is believed that biparental inheritance promotes competition between the cytoplasmic organelles and allows the spread of so-called selfish cytoplasmic elements. Those can be, for example, fast replicating or aggressive chloroplasts (plastids) that are incompatible with the hybrid nuclear genome and therefore maladaptive.nnHere we show that the ability of plastids to compete against each other is a metabolic phenotype determined by extremely rapidly evolving genes in the plastid genome of the evening primrose Oenothera. Repeats in the regulatory region of accD (the plastid-encoded subunit of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which catalyzes the first and rate limiting step of lipid biosynthesis), as well as in ycf2 (a giant reading frame of still unknown function), are responsible for the differences in competitive behavior of plastid genotypes. Polymorphisms in these genes influence lipid synthesis and most likely profiles of the plastid envelope membrane. These in turn determine plastid division and/or turn-over rates and hence competitiveness. This work uncovers cytoplasmic drive loci controlling the outcome of biparental chloroplast transmission. Here, they define the mode of chloroplast inheritance, since plastid competitiveness can result in uniparental inheritance (through elimination of the "weak" plastid) or biparental inheritance (when two similarly "strong" plastids are transmitted).nnSignificance statementPlastids and mitochondria are usually uniparentally inherited, typically maternally. When the DNA-containing organelles are transmitted to the progeny by both parents, evolutionary theory predicts that the maternal and paternal organelles will compete in the hybrid. As their genomes do not undergo sexual recombination, one organelle will "try" to outcompete the other, thus favoring the evolution and spread of aggressive cytoplasms. The investigations described here in the evening primrose, a model species for biparental plastid transmission, have discovered that chloroplast competition is a metabolic phenotype. It is conferred by rapidly evolving genes that are encoded on the chloroplast genome and control lipid biosynthesis. Due to their high mutation rate these loci can evolve and become fixed in a population very quickly.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sobanski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giavalisco, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fischer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walther, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schoettler, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pellizzer, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Golczyk, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Obata, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bock, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sears, B. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greiner, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-05-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/330100</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biparental inheritance of chloroplasts is controlled by lipid biosynthesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-05-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/334813v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Protein Gradients on the Nucleoid Position the Carbon-fixing Organelles of Cyanobacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/334813v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In BriefWe describe a novel positioning system that utilizes the cyanobacterial nucleoid to segregate, transport and equidistantly position the carbon-fixation machinery (carboxysomes).nnSummaryCarboxysomes are protein-based bacterial organelles that encapsulate a key enzyme of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle. Previous work has implicated a ParA-like protein (hereafter McdA) as important for spatially organizing carboxysomes along the longitudinal axis of the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. Yet, how self-organization of McdA emerges and contributes to carboxysome positioning is unknown. Here, we show that a small protein, termed McdB, localizes to carboxysomes through interactions with carboxysome shell proteins to drive emergent oscillatory patterning of McdA on the nucleoid. Our results demonstrate that McdB directly interacts to stimulate McdA ATPase activity, and indicate that carboxysome-dependent McdA depletion zone formation on the nucleoid is required for directed motion of carboxysomes towards increased concentrations of McdA. We propose that McdA and McdB are a new class of self-organizing proteins that follow a Brownian-ratchet mechanism, challenging the cytoskeletal model of organelle transport, for equidistant positioning of carboxysomes in cyanobacteria. These results have broader implications for understanding spatial organization of protein mega-complexes and organelles in bacteria more broadly.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>MacCready, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hakim, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Young, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osteryoung, K. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vecchiarelli, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-05-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/334813</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Protein Gradients on the Nucleoid Position the Carbon-fixing Organelles of Cyanobacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-05-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/336602v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Hook length of the bacterial flagellum is controlled to nanometer-scale for optimal motility performance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/336602v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Most bacteria swim in liquid environments by rotating one or several flagella. The long external filament of the flagellum is connected to a membrane-embedded basal-body by a flexible universal joint, the hook, which allows the transmission of motor torque to the filament. The length of the hook is controlled on a nanometer-scale by a sophisticated molecular ruler mechanism. However, why its length is stringently controlled has remained elusive. We engineered and studied a diverse set of hook-length variants of Salmonella enterica. Measurements of plate-assay motility, single-cell swimming speed and directional persistence in quasi 2D and population-averaged swimming speed and body angular velocity in 3D revealed that the motility performance is optimal around the wild type hook-length. We conclude that too short hooks may be too stiff to function as a junction and too long hooks may buckle and create instability in the flagellar bundle. Accordingly, peritrichously flagellated bacteria move most efficiently as the distance travelled per body rotation is maximal and body wobbling is minimized. Thus, our results suggest that the molecular ruler mechanism evolved to control flagellar hook growth to the optimal length consistent with efficient bundle formation. The hook-length control mechanism is therefore a prime example of how bacteria evolved elegant, but robust mechanisms to maximize their fitness under specific environmental constraints.nnAuthor summaryMany bacteria use flagella for directed movement in liquid environments. The flexible hook connects the membrane-embedded basal-body of the flagellum to the long, external filament. Flagellar function relies on self-assembly processes that define or self-limit the lengths of major parts. The length of the hook is precisely controlled on a nanometer-scale by a molecular ruler mechanism. However, the physiological benefit of tight hook-length control remains unclear. Here, we show that the molecular ruler mechanism evolved to control the optimal length of the flagellar hook, which is consistent with efficient motility performance. These results highlight the evolutionary forces that enable flagellated bacteria to optimize their fitness in diverse environments and might have important implications for the design of swimming micro-robots.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Spöring, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hotz, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schwarz-Linek, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grady, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nava-Sedeno, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vissers, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singer, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rohde, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bourquin, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hatzikirou, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poon, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dufour, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erhardt, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-06-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/336602</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Hook length of the bacterial flagellum is controlled to nanometer-scale for optimal motility performance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-06-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/336909v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Selecting precise reference normal tissue samples for cancer research using a deep learning approach 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/336909v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundNormal tissue samples are often employed as a control for understanding disease mechanisms, however, collecting matched normal tissues from patients is difficult in many instances. In cancer research, for example, the open cancer resources such as TCGA and TARGET do not provide matched tissue samples for every cancer or cancer subtype. The recent GTEx project has profiled samples from healthy individuals, providing an excellent resource for this field, yet the feasibility of using GTEx samples as the reference remains unanswered.nnMethodsWe analyze RNA-Seq data processed from the same computational pipeline and systematically evaluate GTEx as a potential reference resource. We use those cancers that have adjacent normal tissues in TCGA as a benchmark for the evaluation. To correlate tumor samples and normal samples, we explore top varying genes, reduced features from principal component analysis, and encoded features from an autoencoder neural network. We first evaluate whether these methods can identify the correct tissue of origin from GTEx for a given cancer and then seek to answer whether disease expression signatures are consistent between those derived from TCGA and from GTEx.nnResultsAmong 32 TCGA cancers, 18 cancers have less than 10 matched adjacent normal tissue samples. Among three methods, autoencoder performed the best in predicting tissue of origin, with 12 of 14 cancers correctly predicted. The reason for misclassification of two cancers is that none of normal samples from GTEx correlate well with any tumor samples in these cancers. This suggests that GTEx has matched tissues for the majority cancers, but not all. While using autoencoder to select proper normal samples for disease signature creation, we found that disease signatures derived from normal samples selected via an autoencoder from GTEx are consistent with those derived from adjacent samples from TCGA in many cases. Interestingly, choosing top 50 mostly correlated samples regardless of tissue type performed reasonably well or even better in some cancers.nnConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that samples from GTEx can serve as reference normal samples for cancers, especially those do not have available adjacent tissue samples. A deep-learning based approach holds promise to select proper normal samples.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zeng, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glicksberg, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-06-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/336909</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Selecting precise reference normal tissue samples for cancer research using a deep learning approach]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-06-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/337287v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evaluating cancer cell lines as models for metastatic breast cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/337287v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Metastasis is the most common cause of cancer-related death and, as such, there is an urgent need to discover new therapies to treat metastasized cancers. Cancer cell lines are widely-used models to study cancer biology and test drug candidates. However, it is still unknown to what extent they adequately resemble the disease in patients. The recent accumulation of large-scale genomic data in cell lines, mouse models, and patient tissue samples provides an unprecedented opportunity to evaluate the suitability of cell lines for metastatic cancer research. In this work, we used breast cancer as a case study. The comprehensive comparison of the genetic profiles of 57 breast cancer cell lines with those of metastatic breast cancer samples revealed substantial genetic differences. In addition, we identified cell lines that more closely resemble different subtypes of metastatic breast cancer. Surprisingly, a combined analysis of mutation, copy number variation and gene expression data suggested that MDA-MB-231, the most commonly used triple negative cell line for metastatic breast cancer research, had little genomic similarity with Basal-like metastatic breast cancer samples. We further compared cell lines with organoids, a new type of preclinical model which are becoming more popular in recent years. We found that organoids outperformed cell lines in resembling the transcriptome of metastatic breast cancer samples. However, additional differential expression analysis suggested that both types of models could not mimic the effects of tumor microenvironment and meanwhile had their own bias towards modeling specific biological processes. Our work provides a guide of cell line selection in metastasis-related study and sheds light on the potential of organoids in translational research.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newbury, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glicksberg, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-06-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/337287</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evaluating cancer cell lines as models for metastatic breast cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-06-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/339788v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
HaploBlocker: Creation of subgroup specific haplotype blocks and libraries 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/339788v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The concept of haplotype blocks has been shown to be useful in genetics. Fields of application range from the detection of regions under positive selection to statistical methods that make use of dimension reduction. We propose a novel approach ("HaploBlocker") for defining and inferring haplotype blocks that focuses on linkage instead of the commonly used population-wide measures of linkage disequilibrium (LD) which fail to identify segments shared by individuals in only a subset of the population. We define a haplotype block as a sequence of alleles that has a predefined minimum frequency in the population and only haplotypes with a similar sequence of alleles are considered to be carrying that block, effectively screening a dataset for group-wise identity-by-descent (IBD). Different to most other approaches these blocks are not restricted to shared start or end positions, but can overlap or even contain each other. From these haplotype blocks we construct a haplotype library that represents a large proportion of genetic variability of a population with a limited number of blocks. Our method is implemented in the associated R-package HaploBlocker and provides flexibility to not only optimize the structure of the obtained haplotype library for subsequent analyses (e.g., identification of shared segments between different populations), but is also able to handle datasets of different marker density and genetic diversity. By using haplotype blocks instead of SNPs, local epistatic interactions can be naturally modelled and the reduced number of parameter enables a wide variety of new methods for further genomic analyses. We illustrate our methodology with a dataset comprising 501 doubled haploid lines in a European maize landrace genotyped at 501124 SNPs. With the suggested approach, we identified 2851 haplotype blocks with an average length of 2633 SNPs (compared to 27.8 SNPs per block in HaploView) that together represent 94% of the dataset.nnAuthor summaryWhereas it is quite easy to identify segments of shared DNA between pairs of individuals, the problem becomes far more complex when analyzing a population. Especially for livestock and crop populations under strong selection one can observe long and possibly favourable segments that are segregating at high frequency. We propose here an adaptive and flexible approach to identify such segments ("haplotype blocks"). The main conceptual difference to other approaches is that we allow haplotype blocks to overlap so that patterns shared by a subset of the population can be mapped adequately. Afterwards, we select a set of those haplotype blocks that form a representation of the whole population ("haplotype library"). This haplotype library can be used similar to a SNP-dataset for subsequent genomic approaches with the advantage of a massive reduction of the number of parameters compared to standard haplotyping approaches. Since many breeding goals (e.g. grain yield, milk production) are known to be caused by complex interactions in genomic regions (or even the whole genome) using haplotype blocks instead of single base pairs provides a natural model for local interactions and enables the use of more complex models to incorporate distant interactions between genes, for instance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pook, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schlather, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schoen, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simianer, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-06-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/339788</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[HaploBlocker: Creation of subgroup specific haplotype blocks and libraries]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-06-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/346817v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mapping the ligand binding landscape 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/346817v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The interaction between a ligand and a protein involves a multitude of conformational states. To achieve a particular deeply-bound pose the ligand must search across a rough free energy landscape, with many metastable minima. Creating maps of the ligand binding landscape is a great challenge, as binding and release events typically occur on timescales that are beyond the reach of molecular simulation. The WExplore enhanced sampling method is well-suited to build these maps, as it is designed to broadly explore free-energy landscapes, and is capable of simulating ligand release pathways that occur on timescales as long as minutes. WExplore also uses only unbiased trajectory segments, allowing for the construction of Markov state models (MSM) and conformation space networks that combine the results of multiple simulations. Here we use WExplore to study two bromodomain-inhibitor systems using multiple docked starting poses (Brd4-MS436 and Baz2B-ICR7), and synthesize our results using a series of MSMs using time-lagged independent component analysis. Ranking the starting poses by exit rate agrees with the crystal structure pose in both cases. We also predict the most stable pose using the equilibrium populations from the MSM, but find that the prediction is not robust as a function of MSM parameters. The simulated trajectories are synthesized into network models that visualize the entire binding landscape for each system, and we examine transition paths between deeply-bound stable states. We find that, on average, transitions between deeply bound states convert through the unbound state 81% of the time, implying a trial-and-error approach to ligand binding. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of this result for both kinetics-based drug discovery and virtual screening pipelines that incorporate molecular dynamics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-06-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/346817</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mapping the ligand binding landscape]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-06-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/358267v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Imputation of Behavioral Candidate Gene Repeat Polymorphisms in 486,551 Publicly-Available UK Biobank Individuals. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/358267v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Some of the most widely studied polymorphisms in psychiatric genetics include variable number tandem repeat polymorphisms (VNTRs) in SLC6A3, DRD4, SLC6A4, and MAOA. While initial findings suggested large effects, their importance with respect to psychiatric phenotypes is the subject of much debate with broadly conflicting results. Despite broad interest, these loci remain absent from the largest available samples, such as the UK Biobank, limiting researchers ability to test these contentious hypotheses rigorously in large samples. Here, using two independent reference datasets, we report out-of-sample imputation accuracy estimates of >0.96 for all four VNTR polymorphisms and one modifying SNP, depending on the reference and target dataset. We describe the imputation procedures of these candidate polymorphisms in 486,551 UK Biobank individuals, and have made the imputed polymorphism data available to UK Biobank researchers. This resource, provided to the community, will allow the most rigorous tests to-date of the roles of these polymorphisms in behavioral and psychiatric phenotypes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Border, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smolen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corley, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stallings, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conger, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Derringer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Donnellan, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haberstick, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hewitt, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hopfer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krauter, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McQueen, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wall, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keller, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-06-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/358267</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Imputation of Behavioral Candidate Gene Repeat Polymorphisms in 486,551 Publicly-Available UK Biobank Individuals.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-06-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/358366v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Fast and Robust Deconvolution of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte from Expression Profiles using Least Trimmed Squares 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/358366v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene-expression deconvolution is used to quantify different types of cells in a mixed population. It provides a highly promising solution to rapidly characterize the tumor-infiltrating immune landscape and identify cold cancers. However, a major challenge is that gene-expression data are frequently contaminated by many outliers that decrease the estimation accuracy. Thus, it is imperative to develop a robust deconvolution method that automatically decontaminates data by reliably detecting and removing outliers. We developed a new machine learning tool, Fast And Robust DEconvolution of Expression Profiles (FARDEEP), to enumerate immune cell subsets from whole tumor tissue samples. To reduce noise in the tumor gene expression datasets, FARDEEP utilizes an adaptive least trimmed square to automatically detect and remove outliers before estimating the cell compositions. We show that FARDEEP is less susceptible to outliers and returns a better estimation of coefficients than the existing methods with both numerical simulations and real datasets. FARDEEP provides the absolute quantitation of each immune cell subset in addition to relative percentages. Hence, FARDEEP represents a novel robust algorithm to complement the existing toolkit for the characterization of tissue-infiltrating immune cell landscape. The source code for FARDEEP as implemented in R is available for download at https://goo.gl/SqGKuo.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lei, Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-06-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/358366</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Fast and Robust Deconvolution of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte from Expression Profiles using Least Trimmed Squares]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-06-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/358614v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mouse Models of GNAO1-Associated Movement Disorder: Allele- and sex-specific differences in phenotypes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/358614v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundnnInfants and children with dominant de novo mutations in GNAO1 exhibit movement disorders, epilepsy, or both. Children with loss-of-function (LOF) mutations exhibit Epileptiform Encephalopathy 17 (EIEE17). Gain-of-function (GOF) mutations or those with normal function are found in patients with Neurodevelopmental Disorder with Involuntary Movements (NEDIM). There is no animal model with a human mutant GNAO1 allele.nnObjectivesnnHere we develop a mouse model carrying a human GNAO1 mutation and determine whether clinical features of the GNAO1 mutation including movement disorder would be evident in the mouse model.nnMethodsnnA mouse Gnao1 knock-in GOF mutation (G203R) was created by CRISPR/Cas9 methods. The resulting offspring and littermate controls were subjected to a battery of behavioral tests. A previously reported GOF mutant mouse knock-in (Gnao1+/G184S) was also studied for comparison.nnResultsnnGnao1+/G203R mutant mice are viable and gain weight comparably to controls. Homozygotes are non-viable. Grip strength was decreased in both males and females. Male Gnao1+/G203R mice were strongly affected in movement assays (RotaRod and DigiGait) while females were not. Male Gnao1+/G203R mice also showed enhanced seizure propensity in the pentylenetetrazole kindling test. Mice with a G184S GOF knock-in also showed movement-related behavioral phenotypes but females were more strongly affected than males.nnConclusionsnnGnao1+/G203R mice phenocopy children with heterozygous GNAO1 G203R mutations, showing both movement disorder and a relatively mild epilepsy pattern. This mouse model should be useful in mechanistic and preclinical studies of GNAO1-related movement disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Feng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Larrivee, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demireva, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leipprandt, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-06-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/358614</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mouse Models of GNAO1-Associated Movement Disorder: Allele- and sex-specific differences in phenotypes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-06-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/363879v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of Endothelin signaling and diversification of adult pigment pattern in Danio fishes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/363879v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fishes of the genus Danio exhibit diverse pigment patterns that serve as useful models for understanding the genes and cell behaviors underlying the evolution of adult form. Among these species, zebrafish D. rerio exhibit several dark stripes of melanophores with sparse iridophores that alternate with light interstripes of dense iridophores and xanthophores. By contrast, the closely related species D. nigrofasciatus has an attenuated pattern with fewer melanophores, stripes and interstripes. Here we demonstrate species differences in iridophore development that presage the fully formed patterns. Using genetic and transgenic approaches we identify the secreted peptide Endothelin-3 (Edn3)--a known melanogenic factor of tetrapods--as contributing to reduced iridophore proliferation and fewer stripes and interstripes in D. nigrofasciatus. We further show the locus encoding this factor is expressed at lower levels in D. nigrofasciatus owing to cis-regulatory differences between species. Finally, we show that functions of two paralogous loci encoding Edn3 have been partitioned between skin and non-skin iridophores. Our findings reveal genetic and cellular mechanisms contributing to pattern differences between these species and suggest a model for evolutionary changes in Edn3 requirements across vertebrates.nnAuthor SummaryNeural crest derived pigment cells generate the spectacular variation in skin pigment patterns among vertebrates. Mammals and birds have just a single skin pigment cell, the melanocyte, whereas ectothermic vertebrates have several pigment cells including melanophores, iridophores and xanthophores, that together organize into a diverse array of patterns. In the teleost zebrafish, Danio rerio, an adult pattern of stripes depends on interactions between pigment cell classes and between pigment cells and their tissue environment. The close relative, D. nigrofasciatus has fewer stripes and prior analyses suggested a difference between these species that lies extrinsic to the pigment cells themselves. A candidate for mediating this difference is Endothelin-3 (Edn3), essential for melanocyte development in warm-blooded animals, and required by all three classes of pigment cells in an amphibian. We show that Edn3 specifically promotes iridophore development in Danio, and that differences in Edn3 expression contribute to differences in iridophore complements, and striping, between D. rerio and D. nigrofasciatus. Our study reveals a novel function for Edn3 and provides new insights into how changes in gene expression yield morphogenetic outcomes to effect diversification of adult form.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Spiewak, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bain, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kou, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sturiale, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diba, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eisen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ganz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parichy, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-07-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/363879</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of Endothelin signaling and diversification of adult pigment pattern in Danio fishes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-07-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/375154v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Integrated sequence and gene expression analysis of mouse models of breast cancer reveals critical events with human parallels 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/375154v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mouse models have an essential role in cancer research, yet little is known about how various models resemble human cancer at a genomic level. However, the shared genomic alterations in each model and corresponding human cancer are critical for translating findings in mice to the clinic. We have completed whole genome sequencing and transcriptome profiling of two widely used mouse models of breast cancer, MMTV-Neu and MMTV-PyMT. This genomic information was integrated with phenotypic data and CRISPR/Cas9 studies to understand the impact of key events on tumor biology. Despite the engineered initiating transgenic event in these mouse models, they contain similar copy number alterations, single nucleotide variants, and translocation events as human breast cancer. Through integrative in vitro and in vivo studies, we identified copy number alterations in key extracellular matrix proteins including Collagen 1 Type 1 alpha 1 (Col1a1) and Chondroadherin (CHAD) that drive metastasis in these mouse models. Importantly this amplification is also found in 25% of HER2+ human breast cancer and is associated with increased metastasis. In addition to copy number alterations, we observed a propensity of the tumors to modulate tyrosine kinase mediated signaling through mutation of phosphatases. Specifically, we found that 81% of MMTV-PyMT tumors have a mutation in the EGFR regulatory phosphatase, PTPRH. Mutation in PTPRH led to increased phospho-EGFR levels and decreased latency. Moreover, PTPRH mutations increased response to EGFR kinase inhibitors. Analogous PTPRH mutations are present in lung cancer patients and together this data suggests that a previously unidentified population of human lung cancer patients may respond to EGFR targeted therapy. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the complete genomic landscape of a mouse model and illustrate the utility this has in understanding human cancers.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rennhack, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swiatnicki, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bylett, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ross, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Szczepanek, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanrahan, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jayatissa, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hunter, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-07-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/375154</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Integrated sequence and gene expression analysis of mouse models of breast cancer reveals critical events with human parallels]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-07-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/378349v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
De novo mutations in the GTP/GDP-binding region of RALA, a RAS-like small GTPase, cause intellectual disability and developmental delay 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/378349v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mutations that alter signaling of RAS/MAPK-family proteins give rise to a group of Mendelian diseases known as RASopathies, but the matrix of genotype-phenotype relationships is still incomplete, in part because there are many RAS-related proteins, and in part because the phenotypic consequences may be variable and/or pleiotropic. Here, we describe a cohort of ten cases, drawn from six clinical sites and over 16,000 sequenced probands, with de novo protein-altering variation in RALA, a RAS-like small GTPase. All probands present with speech and motor delays, and most have intellectual disability, low weight, short stature, and facial dysmorphism. The observed rate of de novo RALA variants in affected probands is significantly higher (p=4.93 x 10-11) than expected from the estimated mutation rate. Further, all de novo variants described here affect conserved residues within the GTP/GDP-binding region of RALA; in fact, six alleles arose at only two codons, Val25 and Lys128. We directly assayed GTP hydrolysis and RALA effector-protein binding, and all but one tested variant significantly reduced both activities. The one exception, S157A, reduced GTP hydrolysis but significantly increased RALA-effector binding, an observation similar to that seen for oncogenic RAS variants. These results show the power of data sharing for the interpretation and analysis of rare variation, expand the spectrum of molecular causes of developmental disability to include RALA, and provide additional insight into the pathogenesis of human disease caused by mutations in small GTPases.nnAuthor SummaryWhile many causes of developmental disabilities have been identified, a large number of affected children cannot be diagnosed despite extensive medical testing. Previously unknown genetic factors are likely to be the culprits in many of these cases. Using DNA sequencing, and by sharing information among many doctors and researchers, we have identified a set of individuals with developmental problems who all have changes to the same gene, RALA. The affected individuals all have similar symptoms, including intellectual disability, speech delay (or no speech), and problems with motor skills like walking. In nearly all of these cases (10 of 11), the genetic change found in the child was not inherited from either parent. The locations and biological properties of these changes suggest that they are likely to disrupt the normal functions of RALA and cause significant health problems. We also performed experiments to show that the genetic changes found in these individuals alter two key functions of RALA. Together, we have provided evidence that genetic changes in RALA can cause DD/ID. These results will allow doctors and researchers to identify additional children with the same condition, providing a clinical diagnosis to these families and leading to new research opportunities.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hiatt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neu, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramaker, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardigan, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hancarova, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prchalova, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Havlovicova, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prchal, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stranecky, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yim, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Powis, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keren, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nava, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mignot, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rio, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Revah-Politi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hemati, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stong, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iglesias, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Suchy, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willaert, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wentzensen, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wheeler, P. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brick, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kozenko, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hurst, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wheless, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lacassie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sedlacek, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Myers, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barsh, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooper, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-07-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/378349</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[De novo mutations in the GTP/GDP-binding region of RALA, a RAS-like small GTPase, cause intellectual disability and developmental delay]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-07-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/378943v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A chromosome scale assembly of the model desiccation tolerant grass  Oropetium thomaeum 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/378943v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oropetium thomaeum is an emerging model for desiccation tolerance and genome size evolution in grasses. A high-quality draft genome of Oropetium was recently sequenced, but the lack of a chromosome scale assembly has hindered comparative analyses and downstream functional genomics. Here, we reassembled Oropetium, and anchored the genome into ten chromosomes using Hi-C based chromatin interactions. A combination of high-resolution RNAseq data and homology-based gene prediction identified thousands of new, conserved gene models that were absent from the V1 assembly. This includes thousands of new genes with high expression across a desiccation timecourse. The sorghum and Oropetium genomes have a surprising degree of chromosome-level collinearity, and several chromosome pairs have near perfect synteny. Other chromosomes are collinear in the gene rich chromosome arms but have experienced pericentric translocations. Together, these resources will be useful for the grass comparative genomic community and further establish Oropetium as a model resurrection plant.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wai, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keilwagen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pardo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-07-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/378943</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A chromosome scale assembly of the model desiccation tolerant grass  Oropetium thomaeum]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-07-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/379065v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Prospects for enhancing leaf photosynthetic capacity by manipulating mesophyll cell morphology 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/379065v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Leaves are beautifully specialized organs designed to maximize the use of light and CO2 for photosynthesis. Engineering leaf anatomy therefore brings great potential to enhance photosynthetic capacity. Here we review the effect of the dominant leaf anatomical traits on leaf photosynthesis and confirm that a high chloroplast surface area exposed to intercellular airspace per unit leaf area (Sc) is critical for efficient photosynthesis. The possibility of improving Sc through appropriately increasing mesophyll cell density is further analyzed. The potential influences of modifying mesophyll cell morphology on CO2 diffusion, light distribution within the leaf, and other physiological processes are also discussed. Some potential target genes regulating leaf mesophyll cell proliferation and expansion are explored. Indeed, more comprehensive research is needed to understand how manipulating mesophyll cell morphology through editing the potential target genes impact leaf photosynthetic capacity and related physiological processes. This will pinpoint the targets for engineering leaf anatomy to maximize photosynthetic capacity.nnHighlightCell morphology in leaves affects photosynthesis by controlling CO2 diffusion and light distribution. Recent work has uncovered genes that control cell size, shape, and number paving the way improved photosynthesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ren, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weraduwage, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-07-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/379065</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Prospects for enhancing leaf photosynthetic capacity by manipulating mesophyll cell morphology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-07-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/381806v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rho-mediated MRTF and YAP1 activation contributes to BRAF inhibitor resistance in Sox9High/Sox10Low melanoma cells. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/381806v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Over half of cutaneous melanoma tumors have BRAFV600E/K mutations. Acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) remains a major hurdle in attaining durable therapeutic responses. In this study we demonstrate that approximately 50-60% of melanoma cell lines with acquired vemurafenib resistance activate the RhoA family signaling pathway. RhoAHigh BRAFi-resistant cells are sensitive to the combination of ROCK inhibitors and vemurafenib. Further, these RhoAHigh cells have >100-fold increase in Sox9 expression and >100-fold decrease in Sox10 expression. Two transcriptional co-activators downstream of RhoA, MRTF and YAP1, are activated in Sox9High/Sox10Low BRAFi-resistant cells. Pharmacological inhibition of these transcriptional mechanisms re-sensitizes the cells to vemurafenib. Analysis of human BRAFi-resistant tumors reveals that many resistant tumors show gene expression signatures consistent with increased RhoA activation or activation of the transcriptional co-activators MRTF and YAP1. A subset of melanoma tumors in the TCGA dataset with low Sox10 expression also have elevated RhoA, MRTF, and YAP1 activation signatures. Taken together, these results support the concept of targeting RhoA-regulated gene transcription pathways as a promising approach for treating or preventing BRAFi-resistance in melanoma.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Misek, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Appleton, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dexheimer, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lisabeth, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lo, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Larsen, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallo, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/381806</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rho-mediated MRTF and YAP1 activation contributes to BRAF inhibitor resistance in Sox9High/Sox10Low melanoma cells.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/383851v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A galling insect activates plant reproductive programs during gall development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/383851v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Some insects can redirect plant development to form unique organs called galls, which provide these insects with unique, enhanced food and protection from enemies and the elements. Many galls resemble flowers or fruits, suggesting that elements of reproductive development may be involved. We tested this hypothesis using RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to quantify the transcriptional responses of wild grapevine (Vitis riparia Michx.) leaves to a galling parasite, phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifolia (Fitch 1855)). If development of reproductive structures is part of gall formation, we expected to find significantly elevated expression of genes involved in flower and/or fruit development in developing galls as opposed to ungalled leaves. We found that reproductive gene ontology (GO) categories were significantly enriched in developing galls, and that expression of many candidate genes involved in floral development were significantly increased, particularly in later gall stages. The patterns of gene expression found in galls suggest that phylloxera exploits vascular cambium to provide meristematic tissue and redirects leaf development towards formation of carpels. The phylloxera leaf gall appears to be phenotypically and transcriptionally similar to the carpel, due to the parasite hijacking underlying genetic machinery in the host plant.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schultz, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Body, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Appel, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/383851</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A galling insect activates plant reproductive programs during gall development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/386896v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
AICM: A Genuine Framework for Correcting Inconsistency Between Large Pharmacogenomics Datasets 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/386896v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The inconsistency of open pharmacogenomics datasets produced by different studies limits the usage of pharmacogenomics in biomarker discovery. Investigation of multiple pharmacogenomics datasets confirmed that the pairwise sensitivity data correlation between drugs, or rows, across different studies (drug-wise) is relatively low, while the pairwise sensitivity data correlation between cell-lines, or columns, across different studies (cell-wise) is considerably strong. This common interesting observation across multiple pharmacogenomics datasets suggests the existence of subtle consistency among the different studies (i.e., strong cell-wise correlation). However, significant noises are also shown (i.e., weak drug-wise correlation) and have prevented researchers from comfortably using the data directly. Motivated by this observation, we propose a novel framework for addressing the inconsistency between large-scale pharmacogenomics data sets. Our method can significantly boost the drug-wise correlation and can be easily applied to re-summarized and normalized datasets proposed by others. We also investigate our algorithm based on many different criteria to demonstrate that the corrected datasets are not only consistent, but also biologically meaningful. Eventually, we propose to extend our main algorithm into a framework, so that in the future when more data-sets become publicly available, our framework can hopefully offer a "ground-truth" guidance for references.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hu, Z. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ye, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newbury, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/386896</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[AICM: A Genuine Framework for Correcting Inconsistency Between Large Pharmacogenomics Datasets]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/387050v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predicting cell-cycle expressed genes identifies canonical and non-canonical regulators of time-specific expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/387050v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The collection all TFs, target genes and their interactions in an organism form a gene regulatory network (GRN), which underly complex patterns of transcription even in unicellular species. However, identifying which interactions regulate expression in a specific temporal context remains a challenging task. With multiple experimental and computational approaches to characterize GRNs, we predicted general and phase-specific cell-cycle expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using four regulatory data sets: chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), TF deletion data (Deletion), protein binding microarrays (PBMs), and position weight matrices (PWMs). Our results indicate that the source of regulatory interaction information significantly impacts our ability to predict cell-cycle expression where the best model was constructed by combining selected TF features from ChIP and Deletion data as well as TF-TF interaction features in the form of feed-forward loops. The TFs that were the best predictors of cell-cycle expression were enriched for known cell-cycle regulators but also include regulators not implicated in cell-cycle regulation previously. In addition, ChIP and Deletion datasets led to the identification different subsets of TFs important for predicting cell-cycle expression. Finally, analysis of important TF-TF interaction features suggests that the GRN regulating cell cycle expression is highly interconnected and clustered around four groups of genes, two of which represent known cell-cycle regulatory complexes, while the other two contain TFs that are not known cell-cycle regulators (Ste12-Tex1 and Rap1-Hap1-Msn4), but are nonetheless important to regulating the timing of expression. Thus, not only do our models accurately reflect what is known about the regulation of the S. cerevisiae cell cycle, they can be used to discover regulatory factors which play a role in controlling expression during the cell cycle as well as other contexts with discrete temporal patterns of expression.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Panchy, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lloyd, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/387050</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predicting cell-cycle expressed genes identifies canonical and non-canonical regulators of time-specific expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/388942v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Imperfect Linkage Disequilibrium Generates Phantom Epistasis (& Perils of Big Data) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/388942v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The genetic architecture of complex human traits and diseases is affected by large number of possibly interacting genes, but detecting epistatic interactions can be challenging. In the last decade, several studies have alluded to problems that linkage disequilibrium can create when testing for epistatic interactions between DNA markers. However, these problems have not been formalized nor have their consequences been quantified in a precise manner. Here we use a conceptually simple three locus model involving a causal locus and two markers to show that imperfect LD can generate the illusion of epistasis, even when the underlying genetic architecture is purely additive. We describe necessary conditions for such "phantom epistasis" to emerge and quantify its relevance using simulations. Our empirical results demonstrate that phantom epistasis can be a very serious problem in GWAS studies (with rejection rates against the additive model greater than 0.2 for nominal p-values of 0.05, even when the model is purely additive). Some studies have sought to avoid this problem by only testing interactions between SNPs with R-sq. <0.1. We show that this threshold is not appropriate and demonstrate that the magnitude of the problem is even greater with large sample size. We conclude that caution must be exercised when interpreting GWAS results derived from very large data sets showing strong evidence in support of epistatic interactions between markers.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sorensen, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toro, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/388942</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Imperfect Linkage Disequilibrium Generates Phantom Epistasis (& Perils of Big Data)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/392480v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A genus definition for Bacteria and Archaea based on genome relatedness and taxonomic affiliation. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/392480v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genus assignment is fundamental in the characterization of microbes, yet there is currently no unambiguous way to demarcate genera solely using standard genomic relatedness indices. Here, we propose an approach to demarcate genera that relies on the combined use of the average nucleotide identity, genome alignment fraction, and the distinction between type species and non-type species. More than 750 genomes representing type strains of species from 10 different phyla, and 19 different taxonomic orders/families in Gram-positive/negative, bacterial and archaeal lineages were tested. Overall, all 19 analyzed taxa conserved significant genomic differences between members of a genus and type species of other genera in the same taxonomic family. Bacillus, Flavobacterium, Hydrogenovibrio, Lactococcus, Methanosarcina, Thiomicrorhabdus, Thiomicrospira, Shewanella, and Vibrio are discussed in detail. Less than 1% of the type strains analyzed need reclassification, highlighting that the adoption of the 16S rRNA gene as a taxonomic marker has provided consistency to the classification of microorganisms in recent decades. One exception to this is the genus Bacillus with 61% of type strains needing reclassification, including the human pathogens B. cereus and B. anthracis. The results provide a first line of evidence that the combination of genomic indices provides appropriate resolution to effectively demarcate genera within the current taxonomic framework that is based on the 16S rRNA gene. We also identify the emergence of natural breakpoints at the genome level that can further help in the circumscription of genera. Altogether, these results show that a distinct difference between distant relatives and close relatives at the genome level (i.e., genomic coherence) is an emergent property of genera in Bacteria and Archaea.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Barco, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garrity, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amend, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nealson, K. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emerson, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/392480</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A genus definition for Bacteria and Archaea based on genome relatedness and taxonomic affiliation.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/393868v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Spatial Structure Can Decrease Symbiotic Cooperation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/393868v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mutualisms occur when at least two species provide a net fitness benefit to each other. These types of interactions are ubiquitous in nature, with more being discovered regularly. Mutualisms are vital to humankind: pollinators and soil microbes are critical in agriculture, bacterial microbiomes regulate our health, and domesticated animals provide us with food and companionship. Many hypotheses exist on how mutualisms evolve, however they are difficult to evaluate without bias due to the fragile and idiosyncratic systems most often investigated. Instead, we have created an artificial life simulation, Symbulation, that we use to examine mutualism evolution based on: 1) the probability of vertical transmission (symbiont being passed to offspring) and 2) the spatial structure of the environment. We found that spatial structure can lead to less mutualism at intermediate vertical transmission rates. We provide evidence that this effect is due to the ability of quasi-species to purge parasites, reducing the diversity of available symbionts. Our simulation is easily extended to test many additional hypotheses about the evolution of mutualism and serves as a general model to quantitatively compare how different environments affect the evolution of mutualism.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vostinar, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ofria, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/393868</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Spatial Structure Can Decrease Symbiotic Cooperation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/394676v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Fluctuating environments select for short-term phenotypic variation leading to long-term exploration 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/394676v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic spaces are often described in terms of fitness landscapes or genotype-to-phenotype maps, where each genetic sequence is associated with phenotypic properties and linked to other genotypes that are a single mutational step away. The positions close to a genotype make up its "mutational landscape" and, in aggregate, determine the short-term evolutionary potential of a population. Populations with wider ranges of phenotypes in their mutational neighborhood are known to be more evolvable. Likewise, those with fewer phenotypic changes available in their local neighborhoods are more mutationally robust. Here, we examine whether forces that change the distribution of phenotypes available by mutation profoundly alter subsequent evolutionary dynamics.nnWe compare evolved populations of digital organisms that were subject to either static or cyclically-changing environments. For each of these, we examine diversity of the phenotypes that are produced through mutations in order to characterize the local genotype-phenotype map. We demonstrate that environmental change can push populations toward more evolvable mutational landscapes where many alternate phenotypes are available, though purely deleterious mutations remain suppressed. Further, we show that populations in environments with harsh changes switch phenotypes more readily than those in environments with more benign changes. We trace this effect to repeated population bottlenecks in the harsh environments, which result in shorter coalescence times and keep populations in regions of the mutational landscape where the phenotypic shifts in question are more likely to occur. Typically, static environments select solely for immediate optimization, at the expensive of long-term evolvability. In contrast, we show that with changing environments, short-term pressures to deal with immediate challenges can align with long-term pressures to explore a more productive portion of the mutational landscape.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Canino-Koning, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ofria, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiser, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/394676</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Fluctuating environments select for short-term phenotypic variation leading to long-term exploration]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/396036v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
p38α in CD11c+ cells drives sex-specific differences during progression of autoimmune demyelination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/396036v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease with high variability of clinical symptoms. In most cases MS appears as a relapsing-remitting disease course that at a later stage transitions into irreversible progressive decline of neurologic function. The mechanisms underlying MS progression remain poorly understood. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of MS. Here we demonstrate that mice that develop mild EAE after immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55 are prone to undergo clinical progression around 30 days after EAE induction. EAE progression was associated with reduction in CD11c+ microglia and dispersed coalescent parenchymal infiltration. We found sex-dependent differences mediated by p38 signaling, a key regulator of inflammation. Selective reduction of CD11c+ microglia in female mice with CD11c-promoter driven p38 knockout (KO) correlated with increased rate of EAE progression. In protected animals, we found CD11c+ microglia forming contacts with astrocyte processes at the glia limitans and immune cells retained within perivascular spaces. Together, our study provides evidence on the protective role of CD11c+ microglia in controlling CNS immune cell parenchymal infiltration in autoimmune demyelination.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chechneva, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mayrhofer, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dariychuk, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pleasure, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deng, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/396036</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[p38α in CD11c+ cells drives sex-specific differences during progression of autoimmune demyelination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/399410v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Epigenetic factors coordinate intestinal development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/399410v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Intestinal epithelium development depends on epigenetic modifications, but whether that is also the case for other intestinal tract cell types remains unclear. We found that functional loss of a DNA methylation machinery component, ubiquitin-like protein containing PHD and RING finger domains 1 (uhrf1), leads to reduced enteric neuron number, changes in neuronal morphology, and severe intestinal smooth muscle disruption. Genetic chimeras revealed that Uhrf1 functions both cell-autonomously in enteric neuron progenitors and cell-non-autonomously in surrounding intestinal cells. Uhrf1 recruits the DNA methyltransferase Dnmt1 to unmethylated DNA during replication. Dnmt1 is also expressed in enteric neuron and smooth muscle progenitors. dnmt1 mutants show a strong reduction in enteric neuron number and disrupted intestinal smooth muscle. Because dnmt1;uhrf1 double mutants have a similar phenotype to dnmt1 and uhrf1 single mutants, Dnmt1 and Uhrf1 must function together during enteric neuron and intestinal muscle development. This work shows that genes controlling epigenetic modifications are important in coordinating intestinal tract development, provides the first demonstration that these genes are important in ENS development, and advances uhrf1 and dnmt1 as potential new Hirschsprung disease candidates.nnSummaryThis work provides evidence that DNA methylation factors are important in all cell types that contribute to development of a functional intestine.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ganz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melancon, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amores, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Batzel, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strader, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diba, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhlman, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Postlethwait, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eisen, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/399410</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Epigenetic factors coordinate intestinal development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/400119v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SPECIES-SPECIFIC ROOT MICROBIOTA DYNAMICS IN RESPONSE TO PLANT-AVAILABLE PHOSPHORUS 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/400119v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIPhosphorus (P) is a limiting element for plant growth. Several root microbes, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), have the capacity to improve plant nutrition and their abundance is known to depend on P fertility. However, how complex root-associated bacterial and fungal communities respond to changes in P availability remains ill-defined.nC_LIO_LIWe manipulated the availability of soil P in pots and compared the root microbiota of non-mycorrhizal Arabidopsis with mycorrhizal Petunia plants. Root bacteria and fungi were profiled using ribosomal operon gene fragment sequencing, we searched for P sensitive microbes and tested whether a P sensitive core microbiome could be identified.nC_LIO_LIRoot microbiota composition varied substantially by P availability. A P sensitive core microbiome was not identified as different bacterial and fungal groups responded to low-P conditions in Arabidopsis and Petunia. P sensitive microbes included Mortierellomycotina in Arabidopsis, while these were AMF and their symbiotic endobacteria in Petunia. Of note, their P-dependent root colonization was reliably quantified by sequencing.nC_LIO_LIThe species-specific root microbiota dynamics suggest that Arabidopsis and Petunia evolved different microbial associations under the selection pressure of low P availability. This implies that the development of microbial products that improve P availability requires the consideration of host-species specificity.nC_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bodenhausen, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Somerville, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desiro, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walser, J.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borghi, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van der Heijden, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schlaeppi, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/400119</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SPECIES-SPECIFIC ROOT MICROBIOTA DYNAMICS IN RESPONSE TO PLANT-AVAILABLE PHOSPHORUS]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/400523v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanisms of a locally adaptive shift in allocation among growth, reproduction, and herbivore resistance in Mimulus guttatus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/400523v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Environmental gradients can drive adaptive evolutionary shifts in plant resource allocation among growth, reproduction, and herbivore resistance. However, few studies have attempted to connect these adaptations to underlying physiological and genetic mechanisms. Here, we evaluate potential mechanisms responsible for a coordinated locally adaptive shift between growth, reproduction, and herbivore defense in the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus. Through manipulative laboratory experiments we found that gibberellin (GA) growth hormones may play a role in the developmental divergence between perennial and annual ecotypes of M. guttatus. Further, we detected an interaction between a locally adaptive chromosomal inversion, DIV1, and GA addition. This finding is consistent with the inversion contributing to the evolutionary divergence between inland annual and coastal perennial ecotypes by reducing GA biosynthesis/activity in perennials. Finally, we found evidence that the DIV1 inversion is partially responsible for a coordinated shift in the divergence of growth, reproduction, and herbivore resistance traits between coastal perennial and inland annual M. guttatus. The inversion has already been established to have a substantial impact on the life-history shift between long-term growth and rapid reproduction. Here, we demonstrate that the DIV1 inversion also has sizable impacts on both the total abundance and composition of phytochemical compounds involved in herbivore resistance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Popovic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brennan, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holeski, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/400523</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanisms of a locally adaptive shift in allocation among growth, reproduction, and herbivore resistance in Mimulus guttatus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/404988v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biotransformation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene in a phototrophic co-culture of engineered Synechococcus elongatus and Pseudomonas putida 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/404988v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In contrast to the current paradigm of using microbial monocultures in most biotechnological applications, increasing efforts are being directed towards engineering mixed-species consortia to perform functions that are difficult to program into individual strains. Additionally, the division of labor between specialist species found in natural consortia can lead to increased catalytic efficiency and stability relative to a monoculture or a community composed of generalists. In this work, we have designed a synthetic co-culture for phototrophic degradation of xenobiotics, composed of a cyanobacterium, (Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942) and a heterotrophic bacterium (Pseudomonas putida EM173). Cyanobacteria fix CO2 through photosynthetic metabolism and secrete sufficient carbohydrates to support the growth and active metabolism of P. putida, which has been engineered to consume sucrose as the only carbon source and to degrade the environmental pollutant 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). The synthetic consortium is able to degrade 2,4-DNT with only light and CO2 as inputs for the system, and it was stable over time through repeated backdilutions. Furthermore, cycling this consortium through low nitrogen medium promoted the accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-an added-value biopolymer-in P. putida, thus highlighting the versatility of this production platform. Altogether, the synthetic consortium allows for simultaneous bioproduction of PHA and remediation of the industrial pollutant 2,4-DNT, using light and CO2 as inputs.nnImportanceIn this study, we have created an artificial consortium composed of two bacterial species that enables the degradation of the industrially-produced environmental pollutant 2,4-DNT while simultaneously producing PHA bioplastic. In these co-cultures, the photosynthetic cyanobacteria fuel an engineered P. putida strain programmed both to use sucrose as a carbon source and to perform the biotransformation of 2,4-DNT. The division of labor in this synthetic co-culture is reminiscent of that commonly observed in microbial communities and represents a proof-of-principle example of how artificial consortia can be employed for bioremediation purposes. Furthermore, this co-culture system enabled the utilization of freshwater sources that could not be utilized in classical agriculture settings, reducing the potential competition of this alternative method of bioproduction with current agricultural practices, as well as remediation of contaminated water streams.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fedeson, D. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saake, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Calero, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nikel, P. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-08-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/404988</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biotransformation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene in a phototrophic co-culture of engineered Synechococcus elongatus and Pseudomonas putida]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-08-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/411595v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
OLIVER: A Tool for Visual Data Analysis on Longitudinal Plant Phenomics Data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/411595v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
There is a critical unmet need for new tools to analyze and understand "big data" in the biological sciences where breakthroughs come from connecting massive genomics data with complex phenomics data. By integrating instant data visualization and statistical hypothesis testing, we have developed a new tool called OLIVER for phenomics visual data analysis with a unique function that any user adjustment will trigger real-time display updates for any affected elements in the workspace. By visualizing and analyzing omics data with OLIVER, biomedical researchers can quickly generate hypotheses and then test their thoughts within the same tool, leading to efficient knowledge discovery from complex, multi-dimensional biological data. The practice of OLIVER on multiple plant phenotyping experiments has shown that OLIVER can facilitate scientific discoveries. In the use case of OLIVER for large-scale plant phenotyping, a quick visualization identified emergent phenotypes that are highly transient and heterogeneous. The unique circular heat map with false-color plant images also indicates that such emergent phenotypes appear in different leaves under different conditions, suggesting that such previously unseen processes are critical for plant responses to dynamic environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tessmer, O. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/411595</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[OLIVER: A Tool for Visual Data Analysis on Longitudinal Plant Phenomics Data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/411793v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DosRST two-component regulatory system signaling by targeting response regulator DNA binding and sensor kinase heme 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/411793v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) possesses a two-component regulatory system, DosRST, that enables Mtb to sense host immune cues and establish a state of non-replicating persistence (NRP). NRP bacteria are tolerant to several anti-mycobacterial drugs and are thought to play a role in the long course of tuberculosis (TB) therapy. Therefore, small molecules that inhibit Mtb from establishing or maintaining NRP could reduce the reservoir of drug tolerant bacteria and function as an adjunct therapy to reduce treatment time. Previously, we reported the discovery of six novel chemical inhibitors of DosRST, named HC101A-106A, from a whole cell, reporter-based phenotypic high throughput screen. Here, we report functional and mechanism of action studies of HC104A and HC106A. RNAseq transcriptional profiling shows that the compounds downregulate genes of the DosRST regulon. Both compounds reduce hypoxia-induced triacylglycerol synthesis by ~50%. HC106A inhibits Mtb survival during hypoxia-induced NRP, however, HC104A did not inhibit survival during NRP. An electrophoretic mobility assay shows that HC104A inhibits DosR DNA binding in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that HC104A may function by directly targeting DosR. In contrast, UV-visible spectroscopy studies suggest HC106A directly targets the histidine kinase heme, via a mechanism that is distinct from the oxidation and alkylation of heme previously observed with artemisinin (HC101A). Synergistic interactions were observed when DosRST inhibitors were examined in pair-wise combinations with the strongest potentiation observed between artemisinin paired with HC102A, HC103A, or HC106A. Our data collectively show that the DosRST pathway can be inhibited by multiple distinct mechanisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zheng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aleiwi, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ellsworth, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/411793</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DosRST two-component regulatory system signaling by targeting response regulator DNA binding and sensor kinase heme]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/415331v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Systematic analysis of the Myxococcus xanthus developmental gene regulatory network supports posttranslational regulation of FruA by C-signaling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/415331v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Upon starvation Myxococcus xanthus undergoes multicellular development. Rod-shaped cells move into mounds in which some cells differentiate into spores. Cells begin committing to sporulation at 24-30 h poststarvation, but the mechanisms governing commitment are unknown. FruA and MrpC are transcription factors that are necessary for commitment. They bind cooperatively to promoter regions and activate developmental gene transcription, including that of the dev operon. Leading up to and during the commitment period, dev mRNA increased in wild type, but not in a mutant defective in C-signaling, a short-range signaling interaction between cells that is also necessary for commitment. The C-signaling mutant exhibited [~]20-fold less dev mRNA than wild type at 30 h poststarvation, despite a similar level of MrpC and only twofold less FruA. Boosting the FruA level twofold in the C-signaling mutant had little effect on the dev mRNA level, and dev mRNA was not less stable in the C-signaling mutant. Neither did high cooperativity of MrpC and FruA binding upstream of the dev promoter explain the data. Rather, our systematic experimental and computational analyses support a model in which C-signaling activates FruA at least ninefold posttranslationally in order to commit a cell to spore formation.nnGraphical abstractnnO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=169 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/415331_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">nView larger version (28K):norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c16410org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@909252org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@17668a8org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d126c3_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG Abbreviated summaryStarvation promotes MrpC accumulation, whereas nutrients favor proteolysis. MrpC activates transcription of fruA, but FruA protein appears to be activated by short-range C-signaling in a cycle leading to mound formation and lysis of some cells. Activated FruA* and MrpC are proposed to cooperatively stimulate transcription of the dev operon and genes that commit starving rod-shaped cells to form spores, while Dev proteins slow commitment, resulting in a spore-filled fruiting body surrounded by peripheral rods.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Saha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patra, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Igoshin, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kroos, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/415331</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Systematic analysis of the Myxococcus xanthus developmental gene regulatory network supports posttranslational regulation of FruA by C-signaling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/419234v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deciphering the enigmatic role of the amidotransferase LipL in Bacillus subtilis lipoic acid utilization 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/419234v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lipoate is an essential cofactor for key enzymes of oxidative and one-carbon metabolism. It is covalently attached to E2 subunits of dehydrogenase (DH) complexes and the GcvH subunit of the glycine cleavage system. Bacillus subtilis possess two protein lipoylation pathways: biosynthesis and scavenging. The former requires octanoylation of GcvH, amidotransfer of the octanoate to E2s, and insertion of sulfur atoms. Lipoate scavenging is mediated by a lipoate ligase (LplJ), that catalizes a classical two-step ATP-dependent reaction. Although these pathways were thought to be redundant, a {Delta}lipL mutant, unable to transfer the octanoyl group from GcvH to the E2s during lipoate synthesis, showed growth defects in minimal media even when supplemented with this cofactor, despite the presence of a functional LplJ. In this study we demonstrated that LipL is essential to modify E2 subunits of branched chain ketoacid and pyruvate DH during lipoate scavenging. LipL must be functional and it is not forming a complex with LplJ, which suggests that these enzymes might be acting sequentially. We also show that the E2 subunit of oxoglutarate DH is a good donor for LipL amidotransfer reaction. The essential role of LipL during lipoate utilization relies on the strict substrate specificity of LplJ, determined by charge complementarity between the ligase and the lipoylable subunits. LplJ does not recognize E2 subunits without a negatively charged residue in key positions of the target protein, and thus LipL is required to transfer the lipoate to them. This model of lipoate scavenging seems widespread among Gram-positive bacteria.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rasetto, N. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lavatelli, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mansilla, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/419234</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deciphering the enigmatic role of the amidotransferase LipL in Bacillus subtilis lipoic acid utilization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/420992v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
How phage L capsid decoration protein distinguishes between nearly identical binding sites on an icosahedral virion 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/420992v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The major coat proteins of dsDNA tailed phages and herpesviruses form capsids by a mechanism that includes active packaging of the dsDNA genome into a precursor procapsid, followed by expansion and stabilization of the capsid. These viruses have evolved diverse strategies to fortify their capsids, such as non-covalent binding of auxiliary "decoration" (Dec) proteins. The Dec protein from the P22-like phage L has a highly unusual binding strategy that precisely distinguishes between nearly identical three-fold and quasi-three-fold sites of the icosahedral capsid. Cryo-electron microscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction were employed to determine the structure of native phage L particles. NMR was used to determine the structure/dynamics of Dec in solution. Lastly, the NMR structure and the cryo-EM density envelope were combined to build a model of the capsid-bound Dec trimer. Key regions that modulate the binding interface were verified by site-directed mutagenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Newcomer, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schrad, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilcrease, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Casjens, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teschke, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alexandrescu, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/420992</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[How phage L capsid decoration protein distinguishes between nearly identical binding sites on an icosahedral virion]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/421149v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantifying Heterogeneity in the Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits Between Ethnically Diverse Groups using Random Effect Interaction Models 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/421149v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In humans, most genome-wide association studies have been conducted using data from Caucasians and many of the reported findings have not replicated in other populations. This lack of replication may be due to statistical issues (small sample size, confounding) or perhaps more fundamentally to differences in the genetic architecture of traits between ethnically diverse subpopulations. What aspects of the genetic architecture of traits vary between subpopulations and how can this be quantified? We consider studying effect heterogeneity using random-effect Bayesian interaction models. The proposed methodology can be applied using shrinkage and variable selection methods and produces useful information about effect heterogeneity in the form of whole-genome summaries (e.g., SNP-heritability and the average correlation of effects) as well as SNP-specific attributes. Using simulations, we show that the proposed methodology yields (nearly) unbiased estimates of genomic heritability and of the average correlation of effects between groups when the sample size is not too small relative to the number of SNPs used. Subsequently, we used the proposed methodology for the analyses of four complex human traits (standing height, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and serum urate levels) in European-Americans (EAs) and African-Americans (AAs). The estimated correlations of effects between the two subpopulations was well below unity for all the traits, ranging from 0.73 to 0.50. The extent of effect heterogeneity varied between traits and SNP-sets. Height showed less differences in SNP effects between AAs and EAs whereas HDL, a trait highly influenced by life-style, exhibited greater extent of effect heterogeneity. For all the traits we observed substantial variability in effect heterogeneity across SNPs, suggesting it varies between regions of the genome.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Veturi, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yi, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhnel, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/421149</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantifying Heterogeneity in the Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits Between Ethnically Diverse Groups using Random Effect Interaction Models]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/422345v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Twin Study of Early-Onset Major Depression Finds DNA Methylation Enrichment for Neurodevelopmental Genes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/422345v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Major depression (MD) is a debilitating mental health condition with peak prevalence occurring early in life. Genome-wide examination of DNA methylation (DNAm) offers an attractive comple ment to studies of allelic risk given it can reflect the combined influence of genes and environment. The current study used a co-twin control design to identify differentially and variably methylated regions of the genome that distinguish monozygotic (MZ) twins with and without a lifetime history of early-onset MD. The sample included 150 Caucasian monozygotic twins (73% female; Mage=17.52 SD=1.28) assessed during a developmental stage characterized by relatively dis tinct neurophysiological changes. All twins were generally healthy and currently free of medica tions with psychotropic effects. DNAm was measured in peripheral blood cells using the Infinium Human BeadChip 450K Array. MD associations were detected at 760 differentially and variably methylated probes/regions that mapped to 428 genes. Results indicated an association between early-onset MD and many genes and genomic regions involved in neural circuitry formation, pro jection, functioning, and plasticity. Gene enrichment analyses implicated genes related to neuron structures and neurodevelopmental processes including cell-cell adhesion genes (e.g., CDHs, PCDHAs, PCDHA1C/2C). Genes previously implicated in mood and psychiatric disorders as well as chronic stress (e.g., HDAC4, NRG1) also were identified. DNAm regions associated with MD where found to overlap genetic loci observed in the latest Psychiatric Genomics Consortium meta- analysis of depression. Understanding the time course of epigenetic influences during emerging adulthood may clarify developmental phases where genes modulate individual differences in MD risk.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roberson-Nay, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolen, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapato, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lancaster, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webb, B. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verhulst, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hettema, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>York, T. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/422345</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Twin Study of Early-Onset Major Depression Finds DNA Methylation Enrichment for Neurodevelopmental Genes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/422592v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of cell lines as models of primary tumor samples across 22 tumor types 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/422592v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cancer cell lines are commonly used as models for cancer biology. While they are limited in their ability to capture complex interactions between tumors and their surrounding environment, they are a cornerstone of cancer research and many important findings have been discovered utilizing cell line models. Not all cell lines are appropriate models of primary tumors, however, which may contribute to the difficulty in translating in vitro findings to patients. Previous studies have leveraged public datasets to evaluate cell lines as models of primary tumors, but they have been limited in scope to specific tumor types and typically ignore the presence of tumor infiltrating cells in the primary tumor samples. We present here a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis utilizing approximately 9,000 transcriptomic profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia to evaluate cell lines as models of primary tumors across 22 different tumor types. After adjusting for tumor purity in the primary tumor samples, we performed correlation analysis and differential gene expression analysis between the primary tumor samples and cell lines. We found that cell-cycle pathways are consistently upregulated in cell lines, while no pathways are consistently upregulated across the primary tumor samples. In a case study, we compared colorectal cancer cell lines with primary tumor samples across the colorectal subtypes and identified three colorectal cell lines that were derived from fibroblasts rather than tumor epithelial cells. Lastly, we propose a new set of cell lines panel, the TCGA-110, which contains the most representative cell lines from 22 different tumor types as a more comprehensive and informative alternative to the NCI-60 panel. Our analysis of the other tumor types are available in our web app (http://comphealth.ucsf.edu/TCGA110) as a resource to the cancer research community, and we hope it will allow researchers to select more appropriate cell line models and increase the translatability of in vitro findings.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aran, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goldstein, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sirota, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/422592</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of cell lines as models of primary tumor samples across 22 tumor types]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/429787v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Age-dependent visualization of neural progenitor cells within the rostral migratory stream via MRI and endogenously labeled micron-sized iron oxide particles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/429787v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The subventricular zone (SVZ) is one of the primary sources for rodent neural progenitor cells (NPC), however, aging greatly impacts the substructure of the region and rate of new cell birth. To determine if age impacts the rate of in vivo migration within animals, we examined the rostral migratory stream (RMS) of animals across 12 days using an established MRI technique. To visualize NPCs, we injected micron sized particles of iron oxide (MPIO) into the lateral ventricle to endogenously label cells within the SVZ, which then appeared as hypo-intensive spots within MR images. Our in vivo MRI data showed that the rate of migration was significantly different between all ages examined, with decreases in the distance traveled as age progressed. The total number of iron oxide labeled cells within the olfactory bulb on day 12, decrease significantly when compared across ages in ex vivo high-resolution scans. We also, for the first time, demonstrated the endogenous labeling of cells within the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus. Here too, there was a significant decrease in the number of labeled cells within the structure across age. Histology of the NPCs verified the decrease in labeling of cells with doublecortin (DCX) as age progressed for both regions. The dramatic reduction of labeling in NPCs within the SVZ and DG observed with MRI, demonstrates the importance of understanding the impact of age on the relationship of NPC and disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shuboni-Mulligan, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chakravarty, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallett, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolf, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Forton, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-09-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/429787</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Age-dependent visualization of neural progenitor cells within the rostral migratory stream via MRI and endogenously labeled micron-sized iron oxide particles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-09-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/434928v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Triose phosphate utilization and beyond: from photosynthesis to end-product synthesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/434928v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During photosynthesis plants fix CO2 from the atmosphere onto ribulose-bisphosphate producing 3-phosphoglycerate, which is reduced to triose phosphates (TPs). The TPs are then converted into the end products of photosynthesis. When a plant is photosynthesizing very quickly it may not be possible to commit photosynthate to end product as fast as it is produced, causing a decrease in available phosphate and limiting the rate of photosynthesis to the rate of triose phosphate utilization (TPU). The occurrence of an observable TPU limitation is highly variable based on species and especially growth conditions, with TPU capacity seemingly regulated to be in just slight excess of the likely photosynthetic rate. The physiological effects of TPU limitation are discussed with an emphasis on interactions between the Calvin-Benson cycle and the light reactions. Methods for detecting TPU-limited data from gas exchange data are detailed, and the impact on modeling of some physiological effects are shown. Special consideration is given to common misconceptions about TPU.nnHighlightPhotosynthetic triose phosphate utilization limitation is discussed, highlighting misleading points in physiology and focusing on regulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McClain, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/434928</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Triose phosphate utilization and beyond: from photosynthesis to end-product synthesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/435099v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparing faster evolving rplB and rpsC versus SSU rRNA for improved microbial community resolution 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/435099v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many conserved protein-coding core genes are single copy and evolve faster, and thus are more resolving phylogenetic markers than the standard SSU rRNA gene but their use has been precluded by the lack of universal primers. Recent advances in gene targeted assembly methods for large shotgun metagenomes make their use feasible. To evaluate this approach, we compared the variation of two single copy ribosomal protein genes, rplB and rpsC, with the SSU rRNA gene for all completed bacterial genomes in NCBI RefSeq. As expected, among pairwise comparisons of all species that belong to the same genus, 94.9% and 91.0% of the pairs of rplB and rpsC, respectively, showed more variation than did their SSU rRNA gene sequences. We used a gene-targeted assembler, Xander, to assemble rplB and rpsC from shotgun metagenomic data from rhizosphere samples of three crops: corn (annual), and Miscanthus and switchgrass (both perennials). Both protein-coding genes separated all three communities whereas the SSU rRNA gene could only separate the annual from the two perennial communities in ordination analyses. Furthermore, assembled rplB and rpsC yielded significantly higher numbers of OTUs (alpha diversity) than the SSU rRNA gene. These results confirm these faster evolving marker genes offer increased resolution of for comparative microbiome studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Guo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiedje, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/435099</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparing faster evolving rplB and rpsC versus SSU rRNA for improved microbial community resolution]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/435107v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
RefSoil+: A reference for antimicrobial resistance genes on soil plasmids 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/435107v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plasmids harbor transferable genes that contribute to the functional repertoire of microbial communities, yet their contributions to metagenomes are often overlooked. Environmental plasmids have the potential to spread antibiotic resistance to clinical microbial strains. In soils, high microbiome diversity and high variability in plasmid characteristics present a challenge for studying plasmids. To improve understanding of soil plasmids, we present RefSoil+, a database containing plasmid sequences from 922 soil microorganisms. Soil plasmids were relatively larger than other described plasmids, which is a trait associated with plasmid mobility. There was no relationship between chromosome size and plasmid size or number, suggesting that these genomic traits are independent in soil. Soil-associated plasmids, but not chromosomes, had fewer antibiotic resistance genes than other microorganisms. These data suggest that soils may offer limited opportunity for plasmid-mediated transfer of described antibiotic resistance genes. RefSoil+ can serve as a baseline for the diversity, composition, and host-associations of plasmid-borne functional genes in soil, a utility that will be enhanced as the database expands. Our study improves understanding of soil plasmids and provides a resource for assessing the dynamics of the genes that they carry, especially genes conferring antibiotic resistances.nnImportanceSoil-associated plasmids have the potential to transfer antibiotic resistance genes from environmental to clinical microbial strains, which is a public health concern. A specific resource is needed to aggregate knowledge of soil plasmid characteristics so that the content, host-associations, and dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes can be assessed and then tracked between the environment and the clinic. Here, we present RefSoil+, a database of soil-associated plasmids. RefSoil+ presents a contemporary snapshot of antibiotic resistance genes in soil that can serve as a reference as novel plasmids and transferred antibiotic resistances are discovered. Our study broadens our understanding of plasmids in soil and provides a community resource for investigating clinic-environment dynamics of important plasmid-associated genes, including antibiotic resistance genes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dunivin, T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howe, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/435107</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[RefSoil+: A reference for antimicrobial resistance genes on soil plasmids]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/435925v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
16S rRNA:rDNA ratios and cell activity staining reveal consistent patterns of soil microbial activity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/435925v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microbial activity plays a major role in the processes that support life on Earth. Nevertheless, across diverse ecosystems many microbes are in a state of dormancy, characterized by strongly reduced metabolic rates. Of the methods used to assess microbial activity-dormancy dynamics, 16S rRNA: rDNA amplicons ("16S ratios") and active cell staining with 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) are two of the most common, yet each method has its own limitations. To better understand the applicability and potential complementarity of these two methods, we conducted two experiments investigating microbial activity in the rhizosphere. In the first experiment, we treated corn rhizosphere soil with common phytohormones to simulate plant-soil signaling during plant stress, and in the second experiment, we used bean exposed to drought or nutrient enrichment to more directly assess the impacts of plant stress on soil microbial activity. Overall, 16S ratios revealed numerous taxa with detectable RNA but no detectable DNA. However, overarching patterns in percent activity across treatments were unaffected by the method used to account for active taxa, or by the threshold 16S ratio used for taxa to be classified as active. 16S ratio distributions were highly similar across microbial phyla and were only weakly correlated with ribosomal operon number. Lastly, over relatively short time courses, 16S ratios are responsive earlier than CTC staining, a finding potentially related to the temporal sensitivity of activity changes detectable by the two methods. Our results suggest that 16S ratios and CTC staining provide robust and complementary estimates of bulk community activity.nnImportanceAlthough the majority of microorganisms in natural ecosystems are dormant, relatively little is known about the dynamics of the active and dormant microbial pools through both space and time. The limited knowledge of microbial activity-dormancy dynamics is in part due to uncertainty in the methods currently used to quantify active taxa. Here, we directly compared two of the most common methods (16S ratios and active cell staining) for estimating microbial activity in rhizosphere soil, and found that they were largely in agreement in the overarching patterns, suggesting that either method is robust for assessing comparative activity dynamics. Thus, our results suggest that 16S ratios and active cell staining provide robust and complementary information for measuring and interpreting microbial activity-dormancy dynamics in soils. They also support that 16S rRNA:rDNA ratios have comparative value and offer a high-throughput, sequencing-based option for understanding relative changes in microbiome activity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bowsher, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kearns, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/435925</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[16S rRNA:rDNA ratios and cell activity staining reveal consistent patterns of soil microbial activity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/437905v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptomic metaanalyses of autistic brains reveals shared gene expression and biological pathway abnormalities with cancer. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/437905v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Epidemiological and clinical evidence points to cancer as a comorbidity in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A significant overlap of genes and biological processes between both diseases has also been reported. Here, for the first time, we compared the gene expression profiles of ASD frontal cortex tissues and 22 cancer types obtained by differential expression meta-analysis. Four cancer types (brain, thyroid, kidney, and pancreatic cancers) presented a significant overlap in gene expression deregulations in the same direction as ASD whereas two cancer types (lung and prostate cancers) showed differential expression profiles significantly deregulated in the opposite direction from ASD. Functional enrichment and LINCS L1000 based drug set enrichment analyses revealed the implication of several biological processes and pathways that were affected jointly in both diseases, including impairments of the immune system, and impairments in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis among others. Our data also suggest that brain and kidney cancer have patterns of transcriptomic dysregulation in the PI3K/AKT/MTOR axis that are similar to those found in ASD. These shared transcriptomic alterations could help explain epidemiological observations suggesting direct and inverse comorbid associations between ASD and particular cancer types.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fores Martos, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Catala Lopez, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez Valle, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ibanez Garikano, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tejero, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palma Gaudiel, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Climent Bataller, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pancaldi, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fananas Saura, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arango Lopez, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parellada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baudot, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rubenstein, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valencia, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tabares Seisdedos, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/437905</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptomic metaanalyses of autistic brains reveals shared gene expression and biological pathway abnormalities with cancer.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/440933v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolutionary characteristics of intergenic transcribed regions indicate widespread noisy transcription in the Poaceae 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/440933v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extensive transcriptional activity occurring in unannotated, intergenic regions of genomes has raised the question whether intergenic transcription represents the activity of novel genes or noisy expression. To address this, we evaluated cross-species and post-duplication sequence and expression conservation of intergenic transcribed regions (ITRs) in four Poaceae species. Most ITR sequences are species-specific. Those found across species tend to be more divergent in expression and have more recent duplicates compared to annotated genes. To assess if ITRs are functional (under selection), machine learning models were established in Oryza sativa (rice) that could distinguish between benchmark functional (phenotype genes) and nonfunctional (pseudogenes) sequences with high accuracy based on 44 evolutionary and biochemical features. Based on the prediction models, 584 rice ITRs (8%) are classified as likely functional that tend to have conserved expression and ancient retained duplicates. However, most ITRs do not exhibit sequence or expression conservation across species or following duplication, consistent with computational predictions that suggest 61% ITRs are not under selection. We outline key evolutionary characteristics that are tightly associated with likely-functional ITRs and provide a framework to identify novel genes to improve genome annotation and move toward connecting genotype to phenotype in crop and model systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lloyd, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowman, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azodi, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moghe, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Childs, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/440933</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolutionary characteristics of intergenic transcribed regions indicate widespread noisy transcription in the Poaceae]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/442434v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Supply and consumption of glucose 6-phosphate in the chloroplast stroma 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/442434v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fructose 6-phosphate is an intermediate in the Calvin-Benson cycle and can be acted on by phosphoglucoisomerase to make glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) for starch synthesis. A high concentration of G6P is favorable for starch synthesis but can also stimulate G6P dehydrogenase initiating the glucose-6-phosphate shunt an alternative pathway around the Calvin-Benson cycle. A low concentration of glucose 6-phosphate will limit this futile cycle. In order to understand the biochemical regulation of plastidic glucose 6-phosphate supply and consumption, we characterized biochemical parameters of two key enzymes, phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI) and G6P dehydrogenase (G6PDH). We have found that the plastidic PGI in has a higher Km for G6P compared to that for fructose 6-phosphate. The Km of G6PDH isoform 1 is increased under reducing conditions. The other two isoforms exhibit less redox regulation; isoform 2 is the most inhibited by NADPH. Our results support the conclusion that PGI restricts stromal G6P synthesis limiting futile cycling via G6PDH. It also acts like a one-way valve, allowing carbon to leave the Calvin-Benson cycle but not reenter. We found flexible redox regulation of G6PDH that could regulate the glucose-6-phosphate shunt.nnHighlightGlucose 6-phosphate stimulates glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. This enzyme is less active during the day but retains significant activity that is very sensitive to the concentration of glucose 6-phopshate.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Preiser, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Banerjee, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fisher, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/442434</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Supply and consumption of glucose 6-phosphate in the chloroplast stroma]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/445502v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Targeting microbial arsenic resistance genes: a new bioinformatic toolkit informs arsenic ecology and evolution in soil genomes and metagenomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/445502v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Environmental resistomes include transferable microbial genes. One important resistome component is resistance to arsenic, a ubiquitous and toxic metalloid that can have negative and chronic consequences for human and animal health. The distribution of arsenic resistance and metabolism genes in the environment is not well understood. However, microbial communities and their resistomes mediate key transformations of arsenic that are expected to impact both biogeochemistry and local toxicity. We examined the phylogenetic diversity, genomic location (chromosome or plasmid), and biogeography of arsenic resistance and metabolism genes in 922 soil genomes and 38 metagenomes. To do so, we developed a bioinformatic toolkit that includes BLAST databases, hidden Markov models and resources for gene-targeted assembly of nine arsenic resistance and metabolism genes: acr3, aioA, arsB, arsC (grx), arsC (trx), arsD, arsM, arrA, and arxA. Though arsenic related genes were common, they were not universally detected, contradicting the common conjecture that all organisms have them. From major clades of arsenic related genes, we inferred their potential for horizontal and vertical transfer. Different types and proportions of genes were detected across soils, suggesting microbial community composition will, in part, determine local arsenic toxicity and biogeochemistry. While arsenic related genes were globally distributed, particular sequence variants were highly endemic (e.g., acr3), suggesting dispersal limitation. The gene encoding arsenic methylase arsM was unexpectedly abundant in soil metagenomes (median 48%), suggesting that it plays a prominent role in global arsenic biogeochemistry. Our analysis advances understanding of arsenic resistance, metabolism, and biogeochemistry, and our approach provides a roadmap for the ecological investigation of environmental resistomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dunivin, T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yeh, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/445502</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Targeting microbial arsenic resistance genes: a new bioinformatic toolkit informs arsenic ecology and evolution in soil genomes and metagenomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/446369v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Assembly and seasonality of core phyllosphere microbiota on perennial biofuel crops 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/446369v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Perennial grasses are promising feedstocks for biofuel production. The phyllosphere (aerial surfaces) of these cellulosic crops provide a sizable surface area of microbial habitation. Leaf microbial communities may benefit the host plant, have consequence for biomass deconstruction, and interact with foliar pathogens. Here, we characterized the origins, diversity, and assembly of bacterial and archaeal communities of two perennial cellulosic feedstocks: switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus). We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess microbiome structure on leaves and soils, following crop phenology every three weeks from pre-emergence through senescence for one miscanthus growing season and two consecutive switchgrass seasons. We found abundant and persistent core leaf taxa that originated in soil but were adapted for life on the leaf, rather than vagabonds that randomly disperse from air or soil. Seasonal and host-specific assembly suggested a functional relationship between the phyllosphere microbiomes and plants. This foundational knowledge advances goals to leverage native microbiomes to promote crop wellness and productivity in the field, and specifically in support of biofuels agriculture.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grady, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sorensen, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stopnisek, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/446369</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Assembly and seasonality of core phyllosphere microbiota on perennial biofuel crops]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/448381v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evaluation of the causal effect of fibrinogen on incident coronary heart disease via Mendelian randomization 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/448381v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundFibrinogen is an essential hemostatic factor and cardiovascular disease risk factor. Early attempts at evaluating the causal effect of fibrinogen on coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infraction (MI) using Mendelian randomization (MR) used single variant approaches, and did not take advantage of recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) or multi-variant, pleiotropy robust MR methodologies.nnMethods and FindingsWe evaluated evidence for a causal effect of fibrinogen on both CHD and MI using MR. We used both an allele score approach and pleiotropy robust MR models. The allele score was composed of 38 fibrinogen-associated variants from recent GWAS. Initial analyses using the allele score incorporated data from 11 European-ancestry prospective cohorts to examine incidence CHD and MI. We also applied 2 sample MR methods with data from a prevalent CHD and MI GWAS. Results are given in terms of the hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR), depending on the study design, and associated 95% confidence interval (CI).nnIn single variant analyses no causal effect of fibrinogen on CHD or MI was observed. In multi-variant analyses using incidence CHD cases and the allele score approach, the estimated causal effect (HR) of a 1 g/L higher fibrinogen concentration was 1.62 (CI = 1.12, 2.36) when using incident cases and the allele score approach. In 2 sample MR analyses that accounted for pleiotropy, the causal estimate (OR) was reduced to 1.18 (CI = 0.98, 1.42) and 1.09 (CI = 0.89, 1.33) in the 2 most precise (smallest CI) models, out of 4 models evaluated. In the 2 sample MR analyses for MI, there was only very weak evidence of a causal effect in only 1 out of 4 models.nnConclusionsA small causal effect of fibrinogen on CHD is observed using multi-variant MR approaches which account for pleiotropy, but not single variant MR approaches. Taken together, results indicate that even with large sample sizes and multi-variant approaches MR analyses still cannot exclude the null when estimating the causal effect of fibrinogen on CHD, but that any potential causal effect is likely to be much smaller than observed in epidemiological studies.nnAuthor SummaryInitial Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses of the causal effect of fibrinogen on coronary heart disease (CHD) utilized single variants and did not take advantage of modern, multivariant approaches. This manuscript provides an important update to these initial analyses by incorporating larger sample sizes and employing multiple, modern multi-variant MR approaches to account for pleiotropy. We used incident cases to perform a MR study of the causal effect of fibrinogen on incident CHD and the nested outcome of myocardial infarction (MI) using an allele score approach. Then using data from a case-control genome-wide association study for CHD and MI we performed two sample MR analyses with multiple, pleiotropy robust approaches. Overall, the results indicated that associations between fibrinogen and CHD in observational studies are likely upwardly biased from any underlying causal effect. Single variant MR approaches show little evidence of a causal effect of fibrinogen on CHD or MI. Multi-variant MR analyses of fibrinogen on CHD indicate there may be a small positive effect, however this result needs to be interpreted carefully as the 95% confidence intervals were still consistent with a null effect. Multi-variant MR approaches did not suggest evidence of even a small causal effect of fibrinogen on MI.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ward-Caviness, C. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Vries, P. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiggins, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huffman, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yanek, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bielak, L. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giulianini, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kleber, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kacprowski, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gross, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petersman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davey Smith, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hartwig, F. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowden, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hemani, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muller-Nuraysid, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strauch, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koenig, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waldenberger, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meitinger, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pankratz, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boerwinkle, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fu, Y.-P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Maat, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uitterlinden, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franco, O. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brody, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKnight, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.-D. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Psaty, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mathias, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peyser, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bielinski, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ridker, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ta</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/448381</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evaluation of the causal effect of fibrinogen on incident coronary heart disease via Mendelian randomization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/452342v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Integrated epigenome, exome and transcriptome analyses reveal molecular subtypes and homeotic transformation in uterine fibroids. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/452342v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Uterine fibroids are benign myometrial smooth muscle tumors of unknown etiology that when symptomatic are the most common indication for hysterectomy in the USA. We conducted an integrated analysis of fibroids and adjacent normal myometria by whole exome sequencing, Infinium MethylationEPIC array, and RNA-sequencing. Unsupervised clustering by DNA methylation segregated normal myometria from fibroids, and further separated the fibroids into subtypes marked by MED12 mutation, HMGA2 activation (HMGA2hi) and HMGA1 activation (HMGA1hi). Upregulation of HMGA2 expression in HMGA2hi fibroids did not always appear to be dependent on translocation, as has been historically described, and was associated with hypomethylation in the HMGA2 gene body. Furthermore, we found that expression of HOXA13 was highly upregulated in fibroids and that overexpression of HOXA13 in a myometrial cell line induced expression of genes classically associated with uterine fibroids. Transcriptome analyses of the most differentially expressed genes between cervix and myometrium also showed that uterine fibroids and normal cervix clustered together and apart from normal myometria. Together, our integrated analysis shows a role for epigenetic modification in fibroid biology and strongly suggests that homeotic transformation of myometrium cells to a more cervical phenotype is important for the etiology of the disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>George, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chatterjee, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koeman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adams, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madaj, Z. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chesla, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marsh, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teixeira, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/452342</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Integrated epigenome, exome and transcriptome analyses reveal molecular subtypes and homeotic transformation in uterine fibroids.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/454686v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identifying Emerging Phenomenon in Plant Long Temporal Phenotyping Experiments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/454686v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The rapid improvement of phenotyping capability, accuracy, and throughput have greatly increased the volume and diversity of phenomics data. A remaining challenge is an efficient way to identify phenotypic patterns to improve our understanding of the quantitative variation of complex phenotypes, and to attribute gene functions. To address this challenge, we developed a new algorithm to identify emerging phenomena from large-scale temporal plant phenotyping experiments. An emerging phenomenon is defined as a group of genotypes who exhibit a coherent phenotype pattern during a relatively short time. Emerging phenomena are highly transient and diverse, and are dependent in complex ways on both environmental conditions and development. Identifying emerging phenomena may help biologists to examine potential relationships among phenotypes and genotypes in a genetically diverse population and to associate such relationships with the change of environments or development. We present an emerging phenomenon identification tool called Temporal Emerging Phenomenon Finder (TEP-Finder). Using large-scale longitudinal phenomics data as input, TEP-Finder first encodes the complicated phenotypic patterns into a dynamic phenotype network. Then, emerging phenomena in different temporal scales are identified from dynamic phenotype network using a maximal clique based approach. Meanwhile, a directed acyclic network of emerging phenomena is composed to model the relationships among the emerging phenomena. The experiment that compares TEP-Finder with two state-of-art algorithms shows that the emerging phenomena identified by TEP-Finder are more functionally specific, robust, and biologically significant. The source code, manual, and sample data of TEP-Finder are all available at: http://phenomics.uky.edu/TEP-Finder/.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Peng, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoh, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dina, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/454686</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identifying Emerging Phenomenon in Plant Long Temporal Phenotyping Experiments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/458091v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Extracellular electron uptake by two Methanosarcina species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/458091v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Direct electron uptake by prokaryotes is a recently described mechanism with a potential application for energy and CO2 storage into value added chemicals. Members of Methanosarcinales, an environmentally and biotechnologically relevant group of methanogens, were previously shown to retrieve electrons from an extracellular electrogenic partner performing Direct Interspecies Electron Transfer (DIET) and were therefore proposed to be electroactive. However, their intrinsic electroactivity has never been examined. In this study, we tested two methanogens belonging to the genus Methanosarcina, M. barkeri and M. horonobensis, regarding their ability to accept electrons directly from insoluble electron donors like other cells, conductive particles and electrodes. Both methanogens were able to retrieve electrons from Geobacter metallireducens via DIET. Furthermore, DIET was also stimulated upon addition of electrically conductive granular activated carbon (GAC) when each was co-cultured with G. metallireducens. However, when provided with a cathode poised at -400 mV (vs. SHE), only M. barkeri could perform electromethanogenesis. In contrast, the strict hydrogenotrophic methanogen, Methanobacterium formicicum, did not produce methane regardless of the type of insoluble electron donor provided (Geobacter cells, GAC or electrodes). A comparison of functional gene categories between the two Methanosarcina showed differences regarding energy metabolism, which could explain dissimilarities concerning electromethanogenesis at fixed potentials. We suggest that these dissimilarities are minimized in the presence of an electrogenic DIET partner (e.g. Geobacter), which can modulate its surface redox potentials by adjusting the expression of electroactive surface proteins.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yee, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Snoeyenbos-West, O. L. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thamdrup, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ottosen, L. D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rotaru, A.-E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/458091</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Extracellular electron uptake by two Methanosarcina species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/458554v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of Pirin as a Molecular Target of the CCG-1423/CCG-203971 Series of Anti-Fibrotic and Anti-Metastatic Compounds 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/458554v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A series of compounds (including CCG-1423 and CCG-203971) discovered through an MRTF/SRF dependent luciferase screen has shown remarkable efficacy in a variety of in vitro and in vivo models, including melanoma metastasis and bleomycin-induced fibrosis. Although these compounds are efficacious, the molecular target is unknown. Here, we describe affinity isolation-based target identification efforts which yielded pirin, an iron-dependent co-transcription factor, as a target of this series of compounds. Using biophysical techniques including isothermal titration calorimetry and X-ray crystallography, we verify that pirin binds these compounds in vitro. We also show with genetic approaches that pirin modulates MRTF-dependent SRE.L Luciferase activation. Finally, using both siRNA and a previously validated pirin inhibitor, we show a role for pirin in TGF-p induced gene expression in primary dermal fibroblasts. A recently developed analog, CCG-257081, which co-crystallizes with pirin, is also effective in the prevention of bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lisabeth, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kahl, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gopallawa, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haynes, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Misek, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campbell, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dexheimer, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khanna, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fox, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, B. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Larsen, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-10-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/458554</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of Pirin as a Molecular Target of the CCG-1423/CCG-203971 Series of Anti-Fibrotic and Anti-Metastatic Compounds]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-10-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/464800v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Occupancy patterns of 208 DNA-associated proteins in a single human cell type 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/464800v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genome-wide occupancy maps of transcriptional regulators are important for understanding gene regulation and its effects on diverse biological processes, but only a small fraction of the >1,600 transcription factors (TFs) encoded in the human genome has been assayed. Here we present data and analyses of ChIP-seq experiments for 208 DNA-associated proteins (DAPs) in the HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma line, spanning nearly a quarter of its expressed TFs, transcriptional co-factors, and chromatin regulator proteins. The DAP binding profiles classify into major groups associated predominantly with promoters or enhancers, or with both. We confirm and expand the current catalog of DNA sequence motifs; 77 factors showed similar motifs to those previously described using in vivo and/or in vitro methods, and 17 yielded novel motifs. We also describe motifs corresponding to other TFs that co-enrich with the primary ChIP target. FOX family motifs are, for example, significantly enriched in ChIP-seq peaks of 37 other DAPs. We show that promoters and enhancers can be discriminated based on motif content and occupancy patterns. This large catalog reveals High Occupancy Target (HOT) regions at which many DAPs associate, although each contains motifs for only a minority of the numerous associated DAPs. These analyses provide a deeper and more complete overview of the gene regulatory networks that define this cell type.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Partridge, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chhetri, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramaker, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jansen, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goh, S.-T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackiewicz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newberry, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandsmeier, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meadows, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Messer, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardigan, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dean, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Savic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mortazavi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wold, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Myers, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendenhall, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-11-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/464800</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Occupancy patterns of 208 DNA-associated proteins in a single human cell type]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-11-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/466326v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cis-regulatory code for predicting plant cell-type specific high salinity response 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/466326v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Multicellular organisms have diverse cell types with distinct roles in development and responses to the environment. At the transcriptional level, the differences in environmental response between cell types are due to differences in regulatory programs. In plants, although cell-type environmental responses have been examined, details on how these responses are regulated remain spotty. Here, we identify a set of putative cis-regulatory elements (pCREs) enriched in the promoters of genes responsive to high salinity stress in six Arabidopsis thaliana root cell types. Using machine learning with pCREs as predictors, we establish cis-regulatory codes, i.e. models predicting whether a gene is responsive to high salinity for each cell type. These pCRE-based models outperform models utilizing in vitro binding data of 758 A. thaliana transcription factors. Surprisingly, organ pCREs identified based on whole root high salinity response can predict cell-type responses as well as pCREs derived from cell-type data -because organ and cell-type pCREs predict complementary subsets of high salinity response genes. Our findings not only advance our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of plant spatial transcriptional response through cis-regulatory codes, but also suggest broad applicability of the approach to any species, particularly those with little or no trans regulatory data.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Uygun, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azodi, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-11-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/466326</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cis-regulatory code for predicting plant cell-type specific high salinity response]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-11-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/468728v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Trust in scientists and rates of noncompliance with a fisheries rule in the Brazilian Pantanal 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/468728v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Natural resource rules exist to manage resources and the people that interact with them. These rules often fail because people do not comply with them. Decisions to comply with natural resource rules often are based on attitudes about legitimacy of rules and the perceived risks of breaking rules. Trust in agencies promulgating rules in part may determine perceptions of legitimacy of the rule, and in turn depends on individuals trust in different agency actors. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between fishing rule noncompliance and trust in scientists, a key group within management agencies. We interviewed 41 individuals in one rural fishing community in the Brazilian Pantanal from April to August, 2016, to assess (1) noncompliance rates, (2) noncompliance-related attitudes, and (3) the relationship between trust in scientists and noncompliance decisions in the region. We found that among study participants, noncompliance was common and overt. Trust in scientists performing research in the region was the best predictor of noncompliance rate with a fishing rule (nonparametric rank correlation{rho} = -0.717; Probit model pseudo-R2 = 0.241). Baseline data from this research may help inform future interventions to minimize IUU fishing and protect the Pantanal fishery. Although our results are specific to one community in the Pantanal, trust in scientists is potentially an important factor for compliance decisions in similar situations around the world. These results build not only on compliance theory but also speak to the important role that many scientists play in the geographic areas in which they conduct their research.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shirley, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-11-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/468728</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Trust in scientists and rates of noncompliance with a fisheries rule in the Brazilian Pantanal]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-11-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/469015v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Draft Genome and High-Density Genetic Mapof European Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/469015v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) is of global agricultural and economic significance, with genetic diversity existing in hundreds of accessions. Breeding efforts have focused on maximizing nut yield and quality and reducing susceptibility to diseases such as Eastern filbert blight (EFB). Here we present the first sequenced genome among the order Fagales, the EFB-resistant diploid hazelnut accession  Jefferson (OSU 703.007). We assembled the highly heterozygous hazelnut genome using an Illumina only approach and the final assembly has a scaffold N50 of 21.5kb. We captured approximately 91 percent (345 Mb) of the flow-cytometry-determined genome size and identified 34,910 putative gene loci. In addition, we identified over 2 million polymorphisms across seven diverse hazelnut accessions and characterized t heir effect on coding sequences. We produced t wo high-density genetic maps with 3,209 markers from an F1 hazelnut population, representing a five-fold increase in marker density over previous maps. These genomic resources will aide in the discovery of molecular markers linked to genes of interest for hazelnut breeding efforts, and are available to the community at https://www.cavellanagenomeportal.com/.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rowley, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryant, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Priest, H. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mehlenbacher, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mockler, T. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/469015</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Draft Genome and High-Density Genetic Mapof European Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/476481v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reversing an extracellular electron transfer pathway for electrode-driven NADH generation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/476481v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microbial electrosynthesis is an emerging technology with the potential to simultaneously store renewably generated energy, fix carbon dioxide, and produce high-value organic compounds. However, limited understanding of the route of electrons into the cell remains an obstacle to developing a robust microbial electrosynthesis platform. To address this challenge, we engineered an inward electron transfer pathway in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The pathway uses native Mtr proteins to transfer electrons from an electrode to the inner membrane quinone pool. Subsequently, electrons are transferred from quinones to NAD+ by native NADH dehydrogenases. This reverse functioning of NADH dehydrogenases is thermodynamically unfavorable, therefore we have added a light-driven proton pump (proteorhodopsin) to generate proton-motive force to drive this activity. Finally, we use reduction of acetoin to 2,3-butanediol via a heterologous butanediol dehydrogenase (Bdh) as an electron sink. Bdh is an NADH-dependent enzyme, therefore, observation of acetoin reduction supports our hypothesis that cathodic electrons are transferred to intracellular NAD+. Multiple lines of evidence indicate proper functioning of the engineered electrosynthesis system: electron flux from the cathode is influenced by both light and acetoin availability; and 2,3-butanediol production is highest when both light and a poised electrode are present. Using a hydrogenase-deficient S. oneidensis background strain resulted in a stronger correlation between electron transfer and 2,3-butanediol production, suggesting that hydrogen production is an off-target electron sink in the wild-type background. This system represents a promising genetically engineered microbial electrosynthesis platform and will enable a new focus on synthesis of specific compounds using electrical energy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tefft, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-11-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/476481</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reversing an extracellular electron transfer pathway for electrode-driven NADH generation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-11-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/477687v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reciprocal cybrids reveal how organellar genomes affect plant phenotypes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/477687v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Assessing the impact of variation in chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA (collectively termed the plasmotype) on plant phenotypes is challenging due to the difficulty in separating their effect from nuclear derived variation (the nucleotype). Haploid inducer lines can be used as efficient plasmotype donors to generate new plasmotype-nucleotype combinations (cybrids)(Ravi et al., 2014). We generated a panel comprising all possible cybrids of seven Arabidopsis thaliana accessions and extensively phenotyped these lines for 1859 phenotypes under stable and fluctuating conditions. We show that natural variation in the plasmotype results in additive as well as epistatic effects across all phenotypic categories. Plasmotypes which induce more additive phenotypic changes also cause more significant epistatic effects, suggesting a possible common basis for both additive and epistatic effects. On average epistatic interactions explained twice as much of the variance in phenotypes as additive plasmotype effects. The impact of plasmotypic variation was also more pronounced under fluctuating and stressful environmental conditions. Thus, the phenotypic impact of variation in plasmotypes is the outcome of multilevel Nucleotype X Plasmotype X Environment interactions and, as such, the plasmotype is likely to serve as a reservoir of variation which is only exposed under certain conditions. The production of cybrids using haploid inducers is a quick and precise method for assessing the phenotypic effects of natural variation in organellar genomes. It will facilitate efficient screening of unique nucleotype-plasmotype combinations to both improve our understanding of natural variation in nucleotype plasmotype interactions and identify favourable combinations to improve plant performance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Flood, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Theeuwen, T. P. J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schneeberger, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keizer, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kruijer, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Severing, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kouklas, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hageman, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, F. F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnabel, S. K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willems, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ligterink, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Arkel, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mumm, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gualberto, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Savage, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keurentjes, J. J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Eeuwijk, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koornneef, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harbinson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aarts, M. G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wijnker, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-11-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/477687</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reciprocal cybrids reveal how organellar genomes affect plant phenotypes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-11-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/478610v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An agent-based framework for improving wildlife disease surveillance: A case study of chronic wasting disease in Missouri white-tailed deer. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/478610v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Epidemiological surveillance for important wildlife diseases often relies on samples obtained from hunter-harvested animals. A problem, however, is that although convenient and cost-effective, hunter-harvest samples are not representative of the population due to heterogeneities in disease distribution and biased sampling. We developed an agent-based modeling framework that i) simulates a deer population in a user-generated landscape, and ii) uses a snapshot of the in silico deer population to simulate disease prevalence and distribution, harvest effort and sampling as per user-specified parameters. This framework can incorporate real-world heterogeneities in disease distribution, hunter harvest and harvest-based sampling, and therefore can be useful in informing wildlife disease surveillance strategies, specifically to determine population-specific sample sizes necessary for prompt detection of disease. Application of this framework is illustrated using the example of chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance in Missouris white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population. We show how confidence in detecting CWD is grossly overestimated under the unrealistic, but standard, assumptions that sampling effort and disease are randomly and independently distributed. We then provide adjusted sample size recommendations based on more realistic assumptions. These models can be readily adapted to other regions as well as other wildlife disease systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Belsare, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gompper, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keller, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sumners, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hansen, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Millspaugh, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-11-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/478610</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An agent-based framework for improving wildlife disease surveillance: A case study of chronic wasting disease in Missouri white-tailed deer.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-11-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/484212v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rootstock effects on scion phenotypes in a ‘Chambourcin’ experimental vineyard 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/484212v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding how root systems modulate shoot system phenotypes is a fundamental question in plant biology and will be useful in developing resilient agricultural crops. Grafting is a common horticultural practice that joins the roots (rootstock) of one plant to the shoot (scion) of another, providing an excellent method for investigating how these two organ systems affect each other. In this study, we use the French-American hybrid grapevine  Chambourcin (Vitis L.) as a model to explore the rootstock-scion relationship. We examined leaf shape, ion concentrations, and gene expression in  Chambourcin grown own-rooted as well as grafted to three different rootstocks ( SO4,  1103P and  3309C) across two years and three different irrigation treatments. Results described here demonstrate that 1) the largest source of variation in leaf shape stems from the interaction of rootstock by irrigation; 2) leaf position, but also rootstock and rootstock by irrigation interaction, are the primary sources of variation in leaf ion concentrations; and 3) gene expression in scion leaves exhibited significantly different patterns of gene expression from ungrafted vines, and these expression patterns were rootstock-specific. Our work provides an initial description of the subtle and complex effect of grafting on  Chambourcin leaf morphology, ionomics and gene expression in grapevine scions. Further work across multiple years, environments and additional phenotypes is required in order to determine how the relationship between the rootstock and the scion can best be leveraged for adapting grapevines to a changing climate.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, Z. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDermaid, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fennell, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kovacs, L. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwasniewski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Londo, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/484212</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rootstock effects on scion phenotypes in a ‘Chambourcin’ experimental vineyard]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/494237v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Developmental Dieldrin Exposure Alters DNA Methylation at Genes Related to Dopaminergic Neuron Development and Parkinson’s Disease in Mouse Midbrain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/494237v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human and animal studies have shown that exposure to the organochlorine pesticide dieldrin is associated with increased risk of Parkinsons disease (PD). Despite previous work showing a link between developmental dieldrin exposure and increased neuronal susceptibility to MPTP toxicity in male C57BL/6 mice, the mechanism mediating this effect has not been identified. Here, we tested the hypothesis that developmental exposure to dieldrin increases neuronal susceptibility via genome-wide changes in DNA methylation. Starting at 8 weeks of age and prior to mating, female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0.3 mg/kg dieldrin by feeding (every 3 days) throughout breeding, gestation, and lactation. At 12 weeks of age, pups were sacrificed and midbrains were dissected. DNA was isolated and dieldrin-related changes in DNA methylation were assessed via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). We identified significant, sex-specific differentially methylated CpGs (DMCs) and regions (DMRs) by developmental dieldrin exposure (FDR<0.05), including DMCs at the Nr4a2 and Lmx1b genes, which are involved in dopaminergic neuron development and maintenance. Developmental dieldrin exposure had distinct effects on the male and female epigenome. Furthermore, a separate set of changes in DNA methylation was identified after adult exposure to dieldrin, suggesting that adult and developmental dieldrin toxicity may not act through a shared epigenetic mechanism. Together, our data suggest that developmental dieldrin exposure establishes sex-specific poised epigenetic states early in life. These poised epigenomes may mediate sensitivity to additional environmental stimuli and contribute to the development of late-life neurodegenerative disease, including PD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kochmanski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanOeveren, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernstein, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/494237</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Developmental Dieldrin Exposure Alters DNA Methylation at Genes Related to Dopaminergic Neuron Development and Parkinson’s Disease in Mouse Midbrain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/494948v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Stratified computational meta-analysis of 2213 acute myeloid leukemia patients reveals age- and sex-dependent gene expression signatures 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/494948v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In 2018 alone, an estimated 20,000 new acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients were diagnosed, in the United States, and over 10,000 of them are expected to die from the disease. AML is primarily diagnosed among the elderly (median 68 years old at diagnosis). Prognoses have significantly improved for younger patients, but in patients older than 60 years old as much as 70% of patients will die within a year of diagnosis. In this study, we conducted stratified computational meta-analysis of 2,213 acute myeloid leukemia patients compared to 548 healthy individuals, using curated publicly available data. We carried out analysis of variance of normalized batch corrected data, including considerations for disease, age, tissue and sex. We identified 974 differentially expressed probe sets and 4 significant pathways associated with AML. Additionally, we identified 70 sex- and 375 age-related probe set expression signatures relevant to AML. Finally, we used a machine learning model (KNN model) to classify AML patients compared to healthy individuals with 90+% achieved accuracy. Overall our findings provide a new reanalysis of public datasets, that enabled the identification of potential new gene sets relevant to AML that can potentially be used in future experiments and possible stratified disease diagnostics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roushangar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/494948</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Stratified computational meta-analysis of 2213 acute myeloid leukemia patients reveals age- and sex-dependent gene expression signatures]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/495812v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genomic footprints of repeated evolution of CAM photosynthesis in tillandsioid bromeliads 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/495812v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The adaptive radiation of Bromeliaceae (pineapple family) is one of the most diverse among Neotropical flowering plants. Diversification in this group was facilitated by several  key innovations including the transition from C3 to CAM photosynthesis. We used a phylogenomic approach complemented by differential gene expression (RNA-seq) and targeted metabolite profiling to address the patterns and mechanisms of C3/CAM evolution in the extremely species-rich bromeliad genus Tillandsia and related taxa. Evolutionary analyses at a range of different levels (selection on protein-coding genes, gene duplication and loss, regulatory evolution) revealed three common themes driving the evolution of CAM: response to heat and drought, alterations to basic carbohydrate metabolism, and regulation of organic acid storage. At the level of genes and their products, CAM/C3 shifts were accompanied by gene expansion of a circadian regulator, re-programming of ABA-related gene expression, and adaptive sequence evolution of an enolase, effectively linking carbohydrate metabolism to ABA-mediated stress response. These changes include several pleiotropic regulators, which facilitated the evolution of correlated adaptive traits during a textbook adaptive radiation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>de La Harpe, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paris, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hess, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barfuss, M. H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serrano-Serrano, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghatak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaturvedi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weckwerth, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Till, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salamin, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wai, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ming, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lexer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/495812</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genomic footprints of repeated evolution of CAM photosynthesis in tillandsioid bromeliads]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/496018v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tissue distribution and tumor concentrations of hydroxychloroquine and quinacrine analogs in mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/496018v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a 4-aminoquinoline molecule used for the treatment of malaria, and more recently to treat rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and cancer. In cancer, HCQ is being used in multiple cancer clinical trials as an inhibitor of autophagy, a cytosolic degradation process employing the lysosome. Importantly, more potent lysosomotropic agents are being developed as autophagy inhibitors. Additional studies revealed that acridine-based compounds such as quinacrine (QN) increased potency over the 4-aminoquinoline HCQ. In line with these initial discoveries, we performed chemical synthesis of acridine-based compounds and screened for potent autophagy inhibition. The novel compound VATG-027 increased potency and cytotoxicity over HCQ in osteosarcoma and melanoma cell lines, supporting further investigation in vivo. Here, we developed a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to investigate HCQ, QN, and VATG-027 compound concentrations across various tissue types in mice. This method detected compound concentrations in whole blood, lung, liver, kidney, and subcutaneous tumor tissues. Concentrations of HCQ, QN, and VATG-027 varied within and between tissue types, suggesting unique tissue distribution profiles for 4-aminoquinoline and acridine compounds.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>MacKeigan, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Solitro, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/496018</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tissue distribution and tumor concentrations of hydroxychloroquine and quinacrine analogs in mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/498527v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Data-Driven Analysis of Age, Sex, and Tissue Effects on Gene Expression Variability in Alzheimer’s Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/498527v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Alzheimers disease (AD) has been categorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. AD is a significant health-care burden because of its increased occurrence (specifically in the elderly population) and the lack of effective treatments and preventive methods. With an increase in life expectancy, the CDC expects AD cases to rise to 15 million by 2060. Aging has been previously associated with susceptibility to AD, and there are ongoing efforts to effectively differentiate between normal and AD age-related brain degeneration and memory loss. AD targets neuronal function and can cause neuronal loss due to the buildup of amyloid-beta plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.nnOur study aims to identify temporal changes within gene expression profiles of healthy controls and AD subjects. We conducted a meta-analysis using publicly available microarray expression data from AD and healthy cohorts. For our meta-analysis, we selected datasets that reported donor age and gender, and used Affymetrix and Illumina microarray platforms (8 datasets, 2,088 samples). Raw microarray expression data were re-analyzed, and normalized across arrays. We then performed an analysis of variance, using a linear model that incorporated age, tissue type, sex, and disease state as effects, as well as study to account for batch effects, and including binary interaction between factors. Our results identified 3,735 statistically significant (Bonferroni adjusted p<0.05) gene expression differences between AD and healthy controls, which we filtered for biological effect (10% two-tailed quantiles of mean differences between groups) to obtain 352 genes. Interesting pathways identified as enriched comprised of neurodegenerative diseases pathways (including AD), and also mitochondrial translation and dysfunction, synaptic vesicle cycle and GABAergic synapse, and gene ontology terms enrichment in neuronal system, transmission across chemical synapses and mitochondrial translation.nnOverall our approach allowed us to effectively combine multiple available microarray datasets and identify gene expression differences between AD and healthy individuals including full age and tissue type considerations. Our findings provide potential gene and pathway associations that can be targeted to improve AD diagnostics and potentially treatment or prevention. (US).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Brooks, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/498527</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Data-Driven Analysis of Age, Sex, and Tissue Effects on Gene Expression Variability in Alzheimer’s Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/501866v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Diversification of retinoblastoma protein function associated with cis and trans adaptations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/501866v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Retinoblastoma proteins are eukaryotic transcriptional co-repressors that play central roles in cell cycle control, among other functions. Although most metazoan genomes encode a single retinoblastoma protein, gene duplications have occurred at least twice: in the vertebrate lineage, leading to three genes encoding Rb, p107, and p130, while separately in the Drosophila lineage an ancestral Rbf1 gene and a derived Rbf2 gene. Structurally, Rbf1 resembles p107 and p130 most closely, and mutation of the gene is lethal, while Rbf2 is more divergent, and is not essential for development. Rbf1 has been demonstrated to be a potent repressor of canonical cell-cycle promoters, unlike Rbf2. The retention of Rbf2 over 60 million years in the entire Drosophila lineage points to essential functions, however. We show here that Rbf2 regulates a broad set of cell growth control related genes, and can antagonize Rbf1 on specific sets of promoters. Rbf2 null mutants exhibit abnormal development of the female reproductive tract, with reduced egg laying, while heterozygous null mutants exhibit an increased rate of egg deposition, suggesting that the normal function of this protein is critical for optimal control of fertility. The structural alterations found in conserved regions of the Rbf2 gene suggest that this gene was sub- or neofunctionalized to develop specific regulatory specificity and activity. We define cis regulatory features of Rbf2 target genes that allow preferential repression by this protein, indicating that it is not merely a weaker version of the ancestral protein. The specialization of retinoblastoma function in Drosophila may reflect a parallel evolution found in vertebrates, and raises the possibility that cell growth control is equally important to cell cycle function for this conserved family of transcriptional corepressors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mouawad, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prasad, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorley, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Himadewi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kadiyala, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kapranov, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnosti, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/501866</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Diversification of retinoblastoma protein function associated with cis and trans adaptations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/502526v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biological Potencial of Colletotrichum typhae H.C Greene mycoherbicide for Typha domingensis Pers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/502526v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The anthropic interference in aquatic ecosystems, favors the disordered colonization of T. domingensis, damaging the production of hydroelectric power and river traffic. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of C. typhae as a mycoherbicide in the control of T. domingensis, in vitro and in greenhouse. 107 samples of symptomatic T. domingensis leaves were collected in flooded areas of rivers in Brazil, with identification and isolation of the collected fungal species. The concentration of inoculum was determined to evaluate the incidence and severity of the disease, the influence of temperature on mycelial growth and conidia germination, the effect of temperature and leaf wetness period on T. domingensis infection by C. typhae and the host range test. The growth of the colonies of C. typhae was higher at 25 to 30 {o}C, there was no interference of the photoperiod on germination of the spores, but the highest percentage of germination occurred at 17.39 {o}C. The influence of environmental conditions on infection of inoculated leaves of T. dominguensis indicated that at 15 {degrees}C and the period of leaf wetness of 48 hours promoted the highest incidence of the disease, as well as the severity for the same period of leaf wetness. The specificity test showed that C. typhae is specific and pathogenic to T. domingensis. Being this the first report of the occurrence of this pathogen in aquatic macrophytes of this species and in T. domingensis in Brazil.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maia, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodrigues de Melo, P. A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barreto, R. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maffia, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pinto, K. M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodrigues, A. A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Souza Serra, I. M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mesquita, M. L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mondego, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>da Silva, A. P. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/502526</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biological Potencial of Colletotrichum typhae H.C Greene mycoherbicide for Typha domingensis Pers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/502971v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of metabolic novelty: a trichome-expressed invertase creates specialized metabolic diversity in wild tomato 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/502971v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants produce myriad taxonomically restricted specialized metabolites. This diversity - and our ability to correlate genotype with phenotype - makes the evolution of these ecologically and medicinally important compounds interesting and experimentally tractable. Trichomes of tomato and other nightshade family plants produce structurally diverse protective compounds termed acylsugars. While cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) accumulates strictly acylsucroses, the South American wild relative Solanum pennellii produces copious amounts of acylglucoses. Genetic, transgenic and biochemical dissection of the S. pennellii acylglucose biosynthetic pathway identified a trichome gland cell expressed invertase-like enzyme that hydrolyzes acylsucroses (Sopen03g040490). This enzyme acts on the pyranose ring-acylated acylsucroses found in the wild tomato but not the furanose ring-decorated acylsucroses of cultivated tomato. These results show that modification of the core acylsucrose biosynthetic pathway leading to loss of furanose ring acylation set the stage for co-option of a general metabolic enzyme to produce a new class of protective compounds.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Leong, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lybrand, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lou, Y.-R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilmiller, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/502971</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of metabolic novelty: a trichome-expressed invertase creates specialized metabolic diversity in wild tomato]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/503011v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deep evolutionary origin of limb and fin regeneration 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/503011v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Salamanders and lungfishes are the only sarcopterygians (lobe-finned vertebrates) capable of complete limb and paired fin regeneration, respectively. Among actinopterygians (ray-finned fishes), regeneration after amputation at the fin endoskeleton has only been demonstrated in Polypterid fishes (Cladistia). Whether complete appendage regeneration in sarcopterygians and actinopterygians evolved independently or has a common origin remains unknown. Here we combine fin regeneration assays and comparative RNA-seq analysis to provide support for a common origin of a paired appendage regeneration in osteichthyes (bony vertebrates). We show that, in addition to Polypterids, regeneration after fin endoskeleton amputation occurs in extant representatives of all major actinopterygian clades: the American paddlefish, (Chondrostei), the spotted gar (Holostei), as well as in two cichlid species, the white convict and the oscar (Teleostei). Our comparative RNA-seq analysis of regenerating blastemas of axolotl and Polypterus reveals the activation of common genetic pathways and expression profiles, consistent with a pan-osteichthyes genetic program of appendage regeneration. Collectively, our findings support a deep evolutionary origin of paired appendage regeneration in osteichthyes and provide an evolutionary framework for studies on the genetic basis of appendage regeneration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Darnet, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cutrim Dragalzew, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baia Amaral, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cass, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lorena, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sousa, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Costa, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sousa, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Froebisch, N. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schneider, P. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schneider, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/503011</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deep evolutionary origin of limb and fin regeneration]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/503292v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Visualizing murine placental extracellular vesicle data with tidyNano: a computational framework for analyzing and visualizing nanoparticle data in R 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/503292v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly recognized as important mediators of intercellular communication, and in mammals are generally classified as ~50-150nm exosomes, ~100-1000nm microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies, each arising as a result of different biological processes. EVs carry protein, lipids, and nucleic acids within the circulation, to target cells whereupon they mediate physiological changes. Due to their small size, quantification and characterization by conventional microscopy is not possible. However, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) has provided a method to determine the fluid concentration and size of extracellular vesicles and other nanoparticles. While NTA provides statistical summaries of samples in an experiment, a recurring difficulty is the organization, manipulation, and management of raw particle count data because of the large size of datasets, and resultant vulnerability to user error. To address these limitations, we developed tidyNano, an R package that provides functions to import, clean, and quickly summarize raw NanoSight (Malvern Panalytical) data for efficient calculation of statistics and visualization. Here, we provide a framework for importing raw nanoparticle data and provide functions to facilitate rapid and efficient analysis, visualization and calculation of summary statistics. tidyNano was used to analyze murine plasma extracellular vesicles across gestation by aggregating and summarizing samples based on technical, biological and gestational parameters. In addition, we developed shinySIGHT, a Shiny web application that allows for interactive exploration and visualization of EV data. Using this package, we analyzed data generated from 36 samples of EV derived from the plasma of mice across gestation.nnPeripheral EV concentration increased linearly across pregnancy, with trending increases as early as gestation day (GD) 5.5 and significant rises at GD14.5, and 17.5 relative to EV concentrations in nonpregnant females. Thus, the data highlight the utility of the mouse as a model of EV biology in pregnancy. Further, the package provides a mechanism for seamless analysis of EV data generated by NanoSight. Importantly, this package provides a straightforward framework by which diverse types of large datasets can be simply and efficiently analyzed. tidyNano and shinySIGHT are freely available under the MIT license and is hosted on GitHub (https://nguyens7.github.io/tidyNano/).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenberg, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collaer, B. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petroff, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/503292</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Visualizing murine placental extracellular vesicle data with tidyNano: a computational framework for analyzing and visualizing nanoparticle data in R]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/506600v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genomic Prediction of Complex Disease Risk 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/506600v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We construct risk predictors using polygenic scores (PGS) computed from common Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) for a number of complex disease conditions, using L1-penalized regression (also known as LASSO) on case-control data from UK Biobank. Among the disease conditions studied are Hypothyroidism, (Resistant) Hypertension, Type 1 and 2 Diabetes, Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Gallstones, Glaucoma, Gout, Atrial Fibrillation, High Cholesterol, Asthma, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Malignant Melanoma, and Heart Attack. We obtain values for the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) in the range ~ 0.58 - 0.71 using SNP data alone. Substantially higher predictor AUCs are obtained when incorporating additional variables such as age and sex. Some SNP predictors alone are sufficient to identify outliers (e.g., in the 99th percentile of PGS) with 3 - 8 times higher risk than typical individuals. We validate predictors out-of-sample using the eMERGE dataset, and also with different ancestry subgroups within the UK Biobank population. Our results indicate that substantial improvements in predictive power are attainable using training sets with larger case populations. We anticipate rapid improvement in genomic prediction as more case-control data become available for analysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lello, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raben, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yong, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tellier, L. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, S. D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/506600</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genomic Prediction of Complex Disease Risk]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/508929v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Hybridisation or Incomplete Lineage Sorting: The convoluted story about the origin of the capped-golden langur lineage (Cercopithecidae: Colobinae) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/508929v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hybridisation and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) are two of the many naturally occurring evolutionary processes that contribute to variability in individual gene histories. However, distinguishing between hybridisation and ILS is challenging and these processes can lead to serious difficulties in inferring phylogenies. These processes have been invoked as a possible explanation for the evolution of the endangered golden langur and its sister species, the capped langur. Previous molecular studies have retrieved conflicting phylogenies, with mitochondrial tree grouping capped and golden langur (CG) lineage with a largely Indian genus Semnopithecus while nuclear markers supporting their affiliation with a Southeast Asian genus, Trachypithecus. However, as pointed by others, the use of nuclear copies of mitochondrial DNA in the above studies might have generated the discordance. Because of this discordance, the phylogenetic position of CG lineage has been much debated in recent times. In this study, we have used nine nuclear and eight mitochondrial markers in conjunction with coalescent based species tree approach to better understand the evolutionary origin of CG lineage. Concatenated nuclear as well as the mitochondrial dataset recovered congruent relationships where CG lineage was sister to Trachypithecus. However nuclear species tree estimated using different multispecies coalescent methods were incongruent with the above result, suggesting presence of ILS/hybridisation. Furthermore, CG lineage is morphologically intermediate between Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus with respect to skull and body measurements. Based on these evidences, we argue that CG lineage evolved through hybridisation between Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus. Taxonomic and conservation implications of these results are also discussed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Arekar, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parigi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karanth, K. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2018-12-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/508929</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Hybridisation or Incomplete Lineage Sorting: The convoluted story about the origin of the capped-golden langur lineage (Cercopithecidae: Colobinae)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2018-12-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/509570v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Remodeling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipids regulates prpCD during acid growth arrest 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/509570v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) establishes a state of non-replicating persistence when it is cultured at acidic pH with glycerol as a sole carbon source. Growth can be restored by spontaneous mutations in the ppe51 gene or supplementation with pyruvate, supporting that acid growth arrests is a genetically controlled, adaptive process and not simply a physiological limitation associated with acidic pH. Transcriptional profiling identified the methylcitrate synthase and methylcitrate dehydratase genes (prpC and prpD, respectively) as being selectively induced during acid growth arrest. prpCD along with isocitrate lyase (icl) enable Mtb to detoxify propionyl-CoA through the methylcitrate cycle. The goal of this study was to examine mechanisms underlying the regulation of prpCD during acid growth arrest. Induction of prpCD during acid growth arrest was reduced when the medium was supplemented with vitamin B12 (which enables an alternative propionate detoxification pathway) and enhanced in an icl mutant (which is required for the propionate detoxification), suggesting that Mtb is responding to elevated levels of propionyl-CoA during acidic growth arrest. We hypothesized that an endogenous source of propionyl-CoA generated during metabolism of methyl-branched lipids may be regulating prpCD. Using Mtb radiolabeled with 14C-propionate or 14C-acetate, it was observed that lipids are remodeled during acid growth arrest, with triacylglycerol being catabolized and sulfolipid and trehalose dimycolate being synthesized. Blocking TAG lipolysis using the lipase inhibitor tetrahydrolipstatin, resulted in enhanced prpC induction during acid growth arrest, suggesting that lipid remodeling may function, in part, to detoxify propionate. Notably, prpC was not induced during acid growth arrest when using lactate instead of glycerol. We propose that metabolism of glycerol at acidic pH may result in the accumulation of propionyl-CoA and that lipid remodeling may function as a detoxification mechanism.nnImportanceDuring infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) colonizes acidic environments, such as the macrophage phagosome and granuloma. Understanding regulatory and metabolic adaptations that occur in response to acidic pH can provide insights int0 mechanisms used by the bacterium to adapt to the host. We have previously shown that Mtb exhibits pH-dependent metabolic adaptations and requires anaplerotic enzymes, such as Icl1/2 and PckA, to grow optimally at acidic pH. Additionally, we have observed that Mtb can only grow on specific carbon sources at acidic pH. Together these findings show that Mtb integrates environmental pH and carbon source to regulate its metabolism. In this study, it is shown that Mtb remodels its lipids and modulates the expression of propionyl-CoA detoxifying genes prpCD when grown on glycerol at acidic pH. This finding suggests that lipid remodeling at acidic pH may contribute to detoxification of propionyl-CoA, by incorporating the metabolite into methyl-branched cell envelope lipids.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Baker, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/509570</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Remodeling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipids regulates prpCD during acid growth arrest]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/509588v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Birth-and-death evolution of the fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) gene family and diversification of cuticular hydrocarbon synthesis in Drosophila 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/509588v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The birth-and-death evolutionary model proposes that some members of a multigene family are phylogenetically stable and persist as a single copy over time whereas other members are phylogenetically unstable and undergo frequent duplication and loss. Functional studies suggest that stable genes are likely to encode essential functions, while rapidly evolving genes reflect phenotypic differences in traits that diverge rapidly among species. One such class of rapidly diverging traits are insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), which play dual roles in chemical communications as short-range recognition pheromones as well as protecting the insect from desiccation. Insect CHCs diverge rapidly between related species leading to ecological adaptation and/or reproductive isolation. Because the CHC and essential fatty acid biosynthetic pathways share common genes, we hypothesized that genes involved in the synthesis of CHCs would be evolutionary unstable, while those involved in fatty acid-associated essential functions would be evolutionary stable. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the evolutionary history of the fatty acyl-CoA reductases (FARs) gene family that encodes enzymes in CHC synthesis. We compiled a unique dataset of 200 FAR proteins across 12 Drosophila species. We uncovered a broad diversity in FAR content which is generated by gene duplications, subsequent gene losses, and alternative splicing. We also show that FARs expressed in oenocytes and presumably involved in CHC synthesis are more unstable than FARs from other tissues. We suggest that a comparative approach investigating the birth-and-death evolution of gene families can identify candidate genes involved in rapidly diverging traits between species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Finet, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Slavik, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carroll, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/509588</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Birth-and-death evolution of the fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) gene family and diversification of cuticular hydrocarbon synthesis in Drosophila]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/512343v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Trouble Interpreting fMRI Studies in Populations with Cerebrovascular Risk: The Use of a Subject-Specific Hemodynamic Response Function in a Study of Age, Vascular Risk, and Memory 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/512343v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is commonly used to investigate the neural bases of behavior ranging from basic cognitive mechanisms to aging to psychological disorders. However, the BOLD signal captured by fMRI is an indirect measure of neural function and is affected by many factors that are non-neural in origin. These non-neural factors, however, do affect brain vasculature such as the shape and timing of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) during task-evoked fMRI that, in turn, can cause inappropriate and/or misleading interpretations of fMRI differences between groups. In this study, we tested the proposition that vascular health risks, which often go unmeasured in neuroimaging studies, and aging interact to modify the shape and/or timing of the HRF (height, time-to-peak, width), which then affect the differences in patterns of brain activity in a task-evoked memory encoding paradigm. Adult participants (aged 20-74) answered questions about their health history and underwent two fMRI tasks: viewing of a flashing checkerboard using a slow event-related design and a paired associates memory encoding task during a fast event-related design. We found that aging and vascular risk had the largest impacts on the maximum peak value of the HRF. Using a subject-specific HRF resulted in an overall dampening of the estimated brain activity in both task-positive and task-negative regions due to a reduction in the inter-individual variance of that activity. Across three vascular risk factors, using a subject-specific HRF resulted in more consistent brain regions that reached significance and larger effect sizes compared with the canonical HRF. A slight advantage in the reliability of brain-behavior correlations also was found. The findings from this study have far reaching consequences for the interpretation of task-evoked fMRI activity, especially in populations known to experience alterations to brain vasculature including adults of all ages that have higher vascular risk, the majority of older adults, and people with neurocognitive disorders in which vasculature differences may play a role including dementia.nnHighlightsO_LIOlder age was associated with smaller maximum peak of the hemodynamic response.nC_LIO_LIYounger and middle-aged adults with more vascular risk had higher HRF peaks.nC_LIO_LIUsing a subject-specific HRF resulted in a "dampening" of brain activity.nC_LIO_LIA subject-specific HRF resulted in more consistent aging and vascular risk effects.nC_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McDonough, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bender, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patihis, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stinson, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Letang, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, W. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/512343</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Trouble Interpreting fMRI Studies in Populations with Cerebrovascular Risk: The Use of a Subject-Specific Hemodynamic Response Function in a Study of Age, Vascular Risk, and Memory]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/514281v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High-quality, genome-wide SNP genotypic data for pedigreed germplasm of the diploid outbreeding species apple, peach, and sweet cherry through a common workflow 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/514281v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
High-quality genotypic data is a requirement for many genetic analyses. For any crop, errors in genotype calls, phasing of markers, linkage maps, pedigree records, and unnoticed variation in ploidy levels can lead to spurious marker-locus-trait associations and incorrect origin assignment of alleles to individuals. High-throughput genotyping requires automated scoring, as manual inspection of thousands of scored loci is too time-consuming. However, automated SNP scoring can result in errors that should be corrected to ensure recorded genotypic data are accurate and thereby ensure confidence in downstream genetic analyses. To enable quick identification of errors in a large genotypic data set, we have developed a comprehensive workflow. This multiple-step workflow is based on inheritance principles and on removal of markers and individuals that do not follow these principles, as demonstrated here for apple, peach, and sweet cherry. Genotypic data was obtained on pedigreed germplasm using 6-9K SNP arrays for each crop and a subset of well-performing SNPs was created using ASSIsT. Use of correct (and corrected) pedigree records readily identified violations of simple inheritance principles in the genotypic data, streamlined with FlexQTL software. Retained SNPs were grouped into haploblocks to increase the information content of single alleles and reduce computational power needed in downstream genetic analyses. Haploblock borders were defined by recombination locations detected in ancestral generations of cultivars and selections. Another round of inheritance-checking was conducted, for haploblock alleles (i.e., haplotypes). High-quality genotypic data sets were created using this workflow for pedigreed collections representing the U.S. breeding germplasm of apple, peach, and sweet cherry evaluated within the RosBREED project. These data sets contain 3855, 4005, and 1617 SNPs spread over 932, 103, and 196 haploblocks in apple, peach, and sweet cherry, respectively. The highly curated phased SNP and haplotype data sets, as well as the raw iScan data, of germplasm in the apple, peach, and sweet cherry Crop Reference Sets is available through the Genome Database for Rosaceae.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vanderzande, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howard, N. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Da Silva Linge, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Antanaviciute, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bink, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kruisselbrink, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bassil, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gasic, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iezzoni, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van de Weg, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peace, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/514281</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High-quality, genome-wide SNP genotypic data for pedigreed germplasm of the diploid outbreeding species apple, peach, and sweet cherry through a common workflow]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/514372v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Feature Design for Protein Interface hotspots using KFC2 and Rosetta 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/514372v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Protein-protein interactions regulate many essential biological processes and play an important role in health and disease. The process of experimentally charac-terizing protein residues that contribute the most to protein-protein interaction affin-ity and specificity is laborious. Thus, developing models that accurately characterize hotspots at protein-protein interfaces provides important information about how to inhibit therapeutically relevant protein-protein interactions. During the course of the ICERM WiSDM workshop 2017, we combined the KFC2a protein-protein interaction hotspot prediction features with Rosetta scoring function terms and interface filter metrics. A 2-way and 3-way forward selection strategy was employed to train support vector machine classifiers, as was a reverse feature elimination strategy. From these results, we identified subsets of KFC2a and Rosetta combined features that show improved performance over KFC2a features alone.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Seeger, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Little, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woolf, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/514372</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Feature Design for Protein Interface hotspots using KFC2 and Rosetta]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/518811v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Alterations in ion channel expression surrounding implanted microelectrode arrays in the brain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/518811v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microelectrode arrays designed to map and modulate neuronal circuitry have enabled greater understanding and treatment of neurological injury and disease. Reliable detection of neuronal activity over time is critical for the successful application of chronic recording devices. Here, we assess device-related plasticity by exploring local changes in ion channel expression and their relationship to device performance over time. We investigated four voltage-gated ion channels (Kv1.1, Kv4.3, Kv7.2, and Nav1.6) based on their roles in regulating action potential generation, firing patterns, and synaptic efficacy. We found that a progressive increase in potassium channel expression and reduction in sodium channel expression accompanies signal loss over 6 weeks (both LFP amplitude and number of units). This motivated further investigation into a mechanistic role of ion channel expression in recorded signal instability. We employed siRNA in neuronal culture to find that Kv7.2 knockdown (as a model for the transient downregulation observed at 1 day in vivo) mimics excitatory synaptic remodeling around devices. This work provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying signal loss over time.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Salatino, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kale, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purcell, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/518811</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Alterations in ion channel expression surrounding implanted microelectrode arrays in the brain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/522631v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Regime Shift Detector: a model to identify changes in dynamic rules governing populations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/522631v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Environmental factors interact with internal rules of population regulation, sometimes perturbing systems to alternate dynamics though changes in parameter values. Yet, pinpointing when such changes occur in naturally fluctuating populations is difficult. An algorithmic approach that can identify the timing and magnitude of parameter shifts would facilitate understanding of abrupt ecological transitions with potential to inform conservation and management of species.nnThe "Dynamic Shift Detector" is an algorithm to identify changes in parameter values governing temporal fluctuations in populations with nonlinear dynamics. The algorithm examines population time series data for the presence, location, and magnitude of parameter shifts. It uses an iterative approach to fitting subsets of time series data, then ranks the fit of break point combinations using model selection, assigning a relative weight to each break. We examined the performance of the Dynamic Shift Detector with simulations and two case studies. Under low environmental/sampling noise, the break point sets selected by the Dynamic Shift Detector contained the true simulated breaks with 70-100% accuracy. The weighting tool generally assigned breaks intentionally placed in simulated data (i.e., true breaks) with weights averaging >0.8 and those due to sampling error (i.e., erroneous breaks) with weights averaging <0.2. In our case study examining an invasion process, the algorithm identified shifts in population cycling associated with variations in resource availability. The shifts identified for the conservation case study highlight a decline process that generally coincided with changing management practices affecting the availability of hostplant resources.nnWhen interpreted in the context of species biology, the Dynamic Shift Detector algorithm can aid management decisions and identify critical time periods related to species dynamics. In an era of rapid global change, such tools can provide key insights into the conditions under which population parameters, and their corresponding dynamics, can shift.nnAuthor SummaryPopulations naturally fluctuate in abundance, and the rules governing these fluctuations are a result of both internal (density dependent) and external (environmental) processes. For these reasons, pinpointing when changes in populations occur is difficult. In this study, we develop a novel break-point analysis tool for population time series data. Using a density dependent model to describe a populations underlying dynamic process, our tool iterates through all possible break point combinations (i.e., abrupt changes in parameter values) and applies information-theoretic decision tools (i.e. Akaikes Information Criterion corrected for small sample sizes) to determine best fits. Here, we develop the approach, simulate data under a variety of conditions to demonstrate its utility, and apply the tool to two case studies: an invasion of multicolored Asian ladybeetle and declining monarch butterflies. The Dynamic Shift Detector algorithm identified parameter changes that correspond to known environmental change events in both case studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bahlai, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zipkin, E. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/522631</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Regime Shift Detector: a model to identify changes in dynamic rules governing populations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/523902v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Oceanic salt spray and herbivore pressure contribute to local adaptation of coastal perennial and inland annual ecotypes of the Seep Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/523902v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Identifying the environmental factors responsible for natural selection across different habitats is crucial for understanding the process of local adaptation. Despite its importance, only a few studies have successfully isolated the environmental factors driving local adaptation in nature. In this study, we evaluated the agents of selection responsible local adaptation of the monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus to coastal and inland habitats in California. We implemented a manipulative field reciprocal transplant experiment at coastal and inland sites, where we excluded aboveground stressors in an effort to elucidate their role in the evolution of local adaptation. We found that excluding these stressors, most likely a combination of salt spray and herbivory, completely rescued inland plant fitness when transplanted to coastal habitat. In contrast, the exclosures in inland habitat provided limited fitness benefit for either coastal or inland plants. We have previously established that low soil water availability belowground is the most important agent of selection in inland habitat. Therefore, our study demonstrates that a distinct set of selective agents are responsible for local adaptation at opposite ends of an environmental gradient.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Popovic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/523902</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Oceanic salt spray and herbivore pressure contribute to local adaptation of coastal perennial and inland annual ecotypes of the Seep Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/525683v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ultra-rare genetic variation in the epilepsies: a whole-exome sequencing study of 17,606 individuals 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/525683v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sequencing-based studies have identified novel risk genes for rare, severe epilepsies and revealed a role of rare deleterious variation in common epilepsies. To identify the shared and distinct ultra-rare genetic risk factors for rare and common epilepsies, we performed a whole-exome sequencing (WES) analysis of 9,170 epilepsy-affected individuals and 8,364 controls of European ancestry. We focused on three phenotypic groups; the rare but severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE), and the commoner phenotypes of genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE) and non-acquired focal epilepsy (NAFE). We observed that compared to controls, individuals with any type of epilepsy carried an excess of ultra-rare, deleterious variants in constrained genes and in genes previously associated with epilepsy, with the strongest enrichment seen in DEE and the least in NAFE. Moreover, we found that inhibitory GABAA receptor genes were enriched for missense variants across all three classes of epilepsy, while no enrichment was seen in excitatory receptor genes. The larger gene groups for the GABAergic pathway or cation channels also showed a significant mutational burden in DEE and GGE. Although no single gene surpassed exome-wide significance among individuals with GGE or NAFE, highly constrained genes and genes encoding ion channels were among the top associations, including CACNA1G, EEF1A2, and GABRG2 for GGE and LGI1, TRIM3, and GABRG2 for NAFE. Our study confirms a convergence in the genetics of common and rare epilepsies associated with ultra-rare coding variation and highlights a ubiquitous role for GABAergic inhibition in epilepsy etiology in the largest epilepsy WES study to date.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Epi25 Collaborative,</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feng, Y.-C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howrigan, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abbott, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tashman, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cerrato, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heyne, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Byrnes, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Churchhouse, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lal, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heinzen, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cavalleri, G. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hakonarson, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Helbig, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krause, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>May, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weckhuysen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petrovski, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kamalakaran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sisodiya, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cossette, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cotsapas, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Jonghe, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dixon-Salazar, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guerrini, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marson, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stewart, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Depondt, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dlugos, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scheffer, I. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Striano, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Freyer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKenna, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Regan, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bellows, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennett, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johns, E. M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Macdonald, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shilling,</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/525683</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ultra-rare genetic variation in the epilepsies: a whole-exome sequencing study of 17,606 individuals]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/532796v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Plant growth regulators interact with elevated temperature to alter heat stress signaling via the Unfolded Protein Response 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/532796v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants are increasingly exposed to high temperatures, which can cause accumulation of unfolded protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This condition, known as ER stress, evokes the unfolded protein response (UPR), a cytoprotective signaling pathway. One important branch of the UPR is regulated by splicing of bZIP60 mRNA by the IRE1 stress sensor. There is increasing evidence that commercial plant growth regulators may protect against abiotic stressors including heat stress and drought, but there is very little mechanistic information about these effects or about the regulatory pathways involved. We evaluated evidence in the B73 Zea mays inbred for differences in the activity of the UPR between permissive and elevated temperature in conjunction with plant growth regulator application. Treatment with elevated temperature and plant growth regulators increased UPR activation, as assessed by an increase in splicing of the mRNA of the IRE1 target bZIP60 following paclobutrazol treatment. We propose that plant growth regulator treatment induces bZIP60 mRNA splicing which  primes plants for rapid adaptive response to subsequent endoplasmic reticulum-stress inducing conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Neill, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Byrd, M. C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Billman, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandizzi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stapleton, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/532796</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Plant growth regulators interact with elevated temperature to alter heat stress signaling via the Unfolded Protein Response]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/534677v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Translational landscape in tomato revealed by transcriptome assembly and ribosome profiling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/534677v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
mRNA translation is a critical step in gene expression, but our understanding of the landscape and control of translation in diverse crops remains lacking. Here, we combined de novo transcriptome assembly and ribosome profiling to study global mRNA translation in tomato roots. Taking advantage of the 3-nucleotide periodicity displayed by translating ribosomes, we identified 354 novel small ORFs (sORFs) translated from previously unannotated transcripts, as well as 1329 upstream ORFs (uORFs) translated within the 5 UTRs of annotated protein-coding genes. Proteomic analysis confirmed that some of these novel uORFs and sORFs generate stable proteins in planta. Compared with the annotated ORFs, the uORFs use more flexible Kozak sequences around translation start sites. Interestingly, uORF-containing genes are enriched for protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation and signaling transduction pathways, suggesting a regulatory role for uORFs in these processes. We also demonstrated that ribosome profiling is useful to facilitate the annotation of translated ORFs and noncanonical translation initiation sites. In addition to defining the translatome, our results revealed the global control of mRNA translation by uORFs and microRNAs in tomato. In summary, our approach provides a high-throughput method to discover unannotated ORFs, elucidates evolutionarily conserved translational features, and identifies new regulatory mechanisms hidden in a crop genome.

SignificanceSeveral studies have shown that altering mRNA translation is a powerful way of improving crop performance. However, due to limited genomic resources and methods, translational regulation remains poorly understood in crops. By leveraging de novo transcriptome assembly and ribosome profiling, we mapped and quantified translating ribosomes across the entire transcriptome in tomato roots. This is the first experiment-based survey to systematically identify actively translated ORFs in a crop. Our results reveal numerous unannotated translation events and uncover new regulatory mechanisms of gene expression in tomato. Our approach not only facilitates our understanding of the tomato translational landscape but also provides a practical strategy to study the translatomes of other species.

O_LIThe raw RNA-seq and Ribo-seq data have been deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database under accession no. GSE124962.
C_LIO_LIProteomics raw data files and MaxQuant Search results have been deposited at the MassIVE repository with dataset identifier: MSV000083363.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, H.-Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walley, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-01-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/534677</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Translational landscape in tomato revealed by transcriptome assembly and ribosome profiling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-01-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/539833v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Polled Digital Cell Sorter (p-DCS): Automatic identification of hematological cell types from single cell RNA-sequencing clusters 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/539833v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundSingle cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) brings unprecedented opportunities for mapping the heterogeneity of complex cellular environments such as bone marrow, and provides insight into many cellular processes. Single cell RNA-seq, however, has a far larger fraction of missing data reported as zeros (dropouts) than traditional bulk RNA-seq. This makes difficult not only the clustering of cells, but also the assignment of the resulting clusters into predefined cell types based on known molecular signatures, such as the expression of characteristic cell surface markers.

ResultsWe present a computational tool for processing single cell RNA-seq data that uses a voting algorithm to identify cells based on approval votes received by known molecular markers. Using a stochastic procedure that accounts for biases due to dropout errors and imbalances in the number of known molecular signatures for different cell types, the method computes the statistical significance of the final approval score and automatically assigns a cell type to clusters without an expert curator. We demonstrate the utility of the tool in the analysis of eight samples of bone marrow from the Human Cell Atlas. The tool provides a systematic identification of cell types in bone marrow based on a recently-published manually-curated cell marker database [1], and incorporates a suite of visualization tools that can be overlaid on a t-SNE representation. The software is freely available as a python package at https://github.com/sdomanskyi/DigitalCellSorter

ConclusionsThis methodology assures that extensive marker to cell type matching information is taken into account in a systematic way when assigning cell clusters to cell types. Moreover, the method allows for a high throughput processing of multiple scRNA-seq datasets, since it does not involve an expert curator, and it can be applied recursively to obtain cell sub-types. The software is designed to allow the user to substitute the marker to cell type matching information and apply the methodology to different cellular environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Domanskyi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Szedlak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hawkins, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paternostro, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/539833</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Polled Digital Cell Sorter (p-DCS): Automatic identification of hematological cell types from single cell RNA-sequencing clusters]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/541532v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Graph-to-Signal Transformation Based Classification of Functional Connectivity Brain Networks 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/541532v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Complex network theory has been successful at unveiling the topology of the brain and showing alterations to the network structure due to brain disease, cognitive function and behavior. Functional connectivity networks (FCNs) represent different brain regions as the nodes and the connectivity between them as the edges of a graph. Graph theoretic measures provide a way to extract features from these networks enabling subsequent characterization and discrimination of networks across conditions. However, these measures are constrained mostly to binary networks and highly dependent on the network size. In this paper, we propose a novel graph-to-signal transform that overcomes these shortcomings to extract features from functional connectivity networks. The proposed transformation is based on classical multidimensional scaling (CMDS) theory and transforms a graph into signals such that the Euclidean distance between the nodes of the network is preserved. In this paper, we propose to use the resistance distance matrix for transforming weighted functional connectivity networks into signals. Our results illustrate how well-known network structures transform into distinct signals using the proposed graph-to-signal transformation. We then compute well-known signal features on the extracted graph signals to discriminate between FCNs constructed across different experimental conditions. Based on our results, the signals obtained from the graph-to-signal transformation allow for the characterization of functional connectivity networks, and the corresponding features are more discriminative compared to graph theoretic measures.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Munia, T. T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aviyente, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/541532</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Graph-to-Signal Transformation Based Classification of Functional Connectivity Brain Networks]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/550954v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of circadian rhythms in Nannochloropsis species using bioluminescence reporter lines 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/550954v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Circadian clocks allow organisms to predict environmental changes caused by the rotation of the Earth. Although circadian rhythms are widespread among different taxa, the core components of circadian oscillators are not conserved and differ between bacteria, plants, animals and fungi. Stramenopiles are a large group of organisms in which circadian rhythms have been only poorly characterized and no clock components have been identified. We have investigated cell division and molecular rhythms in Nannochloropsis species. In the four strains tested, cell division occurred principally during the night period under diel conditions, however, rhythms dampened within 2-3 days after transfer to constant light. We developed firefly luciferase reporters for long-term monitoring of in vivo transcriptional rhythms in two Nannochlropsis species, N. oceanica CCMP1779 and N. salina CCMP537. The reporter lines express free-running bioluminescence rhythms with periods of ~21-31 h that dampen within ~3-4 days under constant light. Using different entrainment regimes, we demonstrate that these rhythms are regulated by a circadian-type oscillator. In addition, the phase of free-running luminescence rhythms can be modulated pharmacologically using a CK1 {varepsilon}/{delta} inhibitor, suggesting a role of this kinase in the Nannochloropsis clock. Together with the molecular and genomic tools available for Nannochloropsis species, these reporter lines represent an excellent system for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of stramenopile circadian oscillators.

Significance statementStramenopiles are a large and diverse line of eukaryotes in which circadian rhythms have been only poorly characterized and no clock components have been identified. We have developed bioluminescence reporter lines in Nannochloropsis species and provide evidence for the presence of a circadian oscillator in stramenopiles; these lines will serve as tools for future studies to uncover the molecular mechanisms of circadian oscillations in these species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Poliner, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cummings, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newton, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farre, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/550954</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of circadian rhythms in Nannochloropsis species using bioluminescence reporter lines]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/554170v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A global synthesis reveals biodiversity-mediated benefits for crop production 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/554170v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human land use threatens global biodiversity and compromises multiple ecosystem functions critical to food production. Whether crop yield-related ecosystem services can be maintained by few abundant species or rely on high richness remains unclear. Using a global database from 89 crop systems, we partition the relative importance of abundance and species richness for pollination, biological pest control and final yields in the context of on-going land-use change. Pollinator and enemy richness directly supported ecosystem services independent of abundance. Up to 50% of the negative effects of landscape simplification on ecosystem services was due to richness losses of service-providing organisms, with negative consequences for crop yields. Maintaining the biodiversity of ecosystem service providers is therefore vital to sustain the flow of key agroecosystem benefits to society.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dainese, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aizen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albrecht, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bartomeus, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bommarco, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carvalheiro, L. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaplin-Kramer, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gagic, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garibaldi, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghazoul, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grab, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jonsson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karp, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kennedy, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kleijn, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kremen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Landis, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Letourneau, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marini, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poveda, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rader, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, H. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tscharntke, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andersson, G. K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Badenhausser, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baensch, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bezerra, A. D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bianchi, F. J. J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boreux, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bretagnolle, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caballero-Lopez, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cavigliasso, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cetkovic, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chacoff, N. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Classen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cusser, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silva e Silva, F. D. d.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Groot, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dude</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/554170</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A global synthesis reveals biodiversity-mediated benefits for crop production]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/557819v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Characterizing grapevine (Vitis spp.) inflorescence architecture using X-ray imaging: implications for understanding cluster density 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/557819v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We characterized grapevine inflorescence architecture (the rachis and all branches without berries) to describe variation among 10 wild Vitis species, assess phylogenetic signals underlying inflorescence architecture traits, and interpret this variation in the context of breeding objectives.

Three-dimensional X-ray tomography scans of grapevine inflorescences were used to measure geometric traits and inflorescence topology using persistent homology, a mathematical approach that can comprehensively measure and compare shapes. We simulated potential space available for berry growth within a given inflorescence architecture by evaluating expanding spheres attached to pedicels, referred to as "berry potential." Lastly, we performed phylogenetic analysis and mapped trait variation.

We detected wide variation in inflorescence architecture features among Vitis species. Hierarchical clustering and correlation analyses revealed relationships among traits. Multivariate analyses identify traits contributing the most to variation and distinguish between species with high accuracy. Phylogenetic analyses revealed 12 morphological traits with strong phylogenetic signal.

Morphometric analysis uncovered novel differences in inflorescence architecture among clades and between Vitis species. Cluster density is an important trait for assessing crop quality and forecasting yield; analyses presented here can be used to tease apart subtle, heritable features and environmental influences on this major agronomic trait.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duncan, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Londo, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Topp, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/557819</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Characterizing grapevine (Vitis spp.) inflorescence architecture using X-ray imaging: implications for understanding cluster density]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/559096v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ANP32A and ANP32B are key factors in the Rev dependent CRM1 pathway for nuclear export of HIV-1 unspliced mRNA 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/559096v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The nuclear export receptor CRM1 is an important regulator involved in the shuttling of various cellular and viral RNAs between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. HIV-1 Rev interacts with CRM1 in the late phase of HIV-1 replication to promote nuclear export of unspliced and single spliced HIV-1 transcripts. However, the knowledge of cellular factors that are involved in the CRM1-dependent viral RNA nuclear export remains inadequate. Here, we identified that ANP32A and ANP32B mediate the export of unspliced or partially spliced viral mRNA via interacting with Rev and CRM1. We found that double, but not single, knockout of ANP32A and ANP32B, significantly decreased the expression of gag protein. Reconstitution of either ANP32A or ANP32B restored the viral production equally. Disruption of both ANP32A and ANP32B expression led to a dramatic accumulation of unspliced viral mRNA in the nucleus. We further identified that ANP32A and ANP32B interact with both Rev and CRM1 to promote RNA transport and that this function is Rev/RRE-dependent, but not CTE-dependent. Together our data suggests that ANP32A and ANP32B are required for HIV-1 unspliced RNA export in the Rev-CRM1 pathway.

Author summaryPosttranscriptional regulation of HIV-1 genome is very important for viral protein expression and viral replication. HIV-1 Rev protein bind to RRE structure of viral RNA and interacts with the mammalian nuclear export factor Chromosomal Maintenance 1 (CRM1) in the late phase of HIV-1 replication to promote nuclear export of unspliced and single spliced HIV-1 transcripts. The REV/RRE-CRM1 pathway has been investigated for years and many host factors have been reported to be involved, but the complicated complex and procedure remain largely unknown. Here the authors report that two host proteins, ANP32A and ANP32B, are novel key factors that support export of unspliced and partial spliced viral RNA from the nucleus to the cytosol. ANP32A/B can interact with both Rev and CRM1, and this interaction is necessary for Rev/RRE-CRM1 dependent viral RNA export. These results suggest that ANP32A and ANP32B are important in viral replication and could be potential targets for novel antiviral strategy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Na, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Du, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/559096</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ANP32A and ANP32B are key factors in the Rev dependent CRM1 pathway for nuclear export of HIV-1 unspliced mRNA]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/561605v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An oomycete RXLR effector triggers antagonistic plant hormone crosstalk to suppress host immunity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/561605v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding the mechanisms through which pathogens alter plant cell networks is essential for understanding plant-pathogen interactions and will inform efforts to reduce crop diseases. Oomycetes secrete diverse effector proteins into plant cells. The mechanisms through which these effectors promote virulence are largely unknown. We show that the HaRxL10 effector protein from the Arabidopsis thaliana pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa) targets a transcriptional repressor (JAZ3) involved in jasmonic acid (JA) signalling. This manipulation activates a regulatory cascade that inhibits salicylic acid (SA) signalling, which normally restricts Hpa infection. This virulence mechanism is functionally equivalent to but mechanistically distinct from activation of the antagonistic JA-SA hormone crosstalk by the bacterial JA-mimicking toxin coronatine and by bacterial Type III effectors. These results reveal a key role for JAZ3 in plant immunity and emphasize that JA-SA crosstalk is an Achilles heel in the plant immune system, vulnerable to manipulation by diverse microbes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Anderson, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deb, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Withers, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDowell, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/561605</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An oomycete RXLR effector triggers antagonistic plant hormone crosstalk to suppress host immunity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/563122v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Challenges and opportunities in population monitoring of cheetahs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/563122v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Population monitoring is key to wildlife conservation and management but is challenging at the spatial and temporal extents necessary for understanding changes. Non-invasive survey methods and spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models have revolutionized wildlife monitoring by providing the means to more easily acquire data at large scales and the framework to generate spatially-explicit predictions, respectively. Despite the opportunities for improved monitoring, challenges can remain in the study design and model fitting phases of an SCR approach. Here, we used a search-encounter design with multi-session SCR models to collect spatially-indexed photographs and estimate the changes in density of cheetahs between 2005 and 2013-2016 in the Masai Mara National Reserve (MMNR) in southwestern Kenya. Our SCR models of cheetah encounters suggested little change in cheetah density from 2005 to 2013-2016, though there was some evidence that density fluctuated annually in the MMNR. The sampling period length (5 vs. 10 months) and timing (early, late, full year) over which spatial encounters were included in the modeling did not substantially alter inferences about density when sample sizes were adequate (>20 spatially distinct encounters). We estimated an average cheetah density of ~1.2 cheetahs/100 km2, consistent with the impression that the MMNR provides important habitat for cheetahs in Africa. During most years and seasonal periods, the spatial distribution of vegetation greenness (a proxy for ungulate habitat quality) accounted for important variation in encounter rates. The search-encounter design used here could be applied to other regions for the purposes of cheetah monitoring. While snap-shot estimates of population size across time are useful for wildlife monitoring, open population models could identify the mechanisms behind changes and further facilitate better conservation and management decision making.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Linden, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Green, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chelysheva, E. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mandela, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dloniak, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/563122</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Challenges and opportunities in population monitoring of cheetahs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/563551v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Parasite histones mediate leak and coagulopathy in cerebral malaria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/563551v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Coagulopathy and leak, specific to the brain vasculature, are central pathogenetic components of cerebral malaria (CM). It is unclear how the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, triggers these processes. Extracellular histones, released from damaged host cells, bind to cell membranes and cause coagulation activation, platelet aggregation and vascular leak in diverse critical illnesses. In CM patients with P. falciparum, serum histones correlate with fibrin formation, thrombocytopenia, and endothelial activation and predict brain swelling on magnetic resonance imaging and fatal outcome. Post-mortem, histones bind to the luminal vascular surface, co-localizing with P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IE), and with thrombosis and leak. Purified P. falciparum histones cause toxicity and barrier disruption in cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells, as does serum from CM patients, reversed by anti-histone antibodies and non-anticoagulant heparin. These data implicate parasite histones as a key trigger of fatal brain swelling in CM. Neutralizing histones with agents such as non-anticoagulant heparin warrant exploration to prevent brain swelling and improve outcome.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moxon, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alhamdi, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Storm, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toh, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ko, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphy, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seydel, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kampondeni, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Potchen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Donnell, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Regan, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia-Cardena, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Molyneux, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Craig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abrams, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toh, C.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/563551</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Parasite histones mediate leak and coagulopathy in cerebral malaria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/564245v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of new MmpL3 inhibitors by untargeted and targeted mutant screens defines MmpL3 domains with differential resistance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/564245v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) mycolic acid flippase MmpL3 has been the proposed target for multiple inhibitors with diverse chemical scaffolds. This diversity in chemical scaffolds has made it difficult to predict compounds that inhibit MmpL3 without whole genome sequencing of isolated resistant mutants. Here we describe the identification of four new inhibitors that select for resistance mutations in mmpL3. Using these resistant mutants, we conducted a targeted whole-cell phenotypic screen of 163 novel Mtb growth inhibitors for differential growth inhibition of wild type Mtb as compared to a pool of twenty-four unique mmpL3 mutants. The screen successfully identified six additional putative MmpL3 inhibitors. The compounds were bactericidal both in vitro and against intracellular Mtb. Mtb cells treated with these compounds were shown to accumulate trehalose monomycolate and have reduced levels of trehalose dimycolate, supporting MmpL3 as the target. The inhibitors were mycobacteria specific with several also showing activity against the non-tuberculosis mycobacterial species M. abscessus. Cluster analysis of cross resistance profiles generated by dose response experiments for each combination of 13 MmpL3 inhibitors against each of the 24 mmpL3 mutants defined two clades of inhibitors and two clades of mmpL3 mutants. Pairwise combination studies of the inhibitors revealed interactions that were specific to the clades identified in the cross-resistance profiling. Additionally, modeling of resistance substitutions to the MmpL3 crystal structure revealed clade specific localization of the residues to specific domains of MmpL3, with the clades showing differential resistance. Several compounds exhibited high solubility and stability in microsomes and low cytotoxicity in macrophages, supporting their further development. The combined study of multiple mutants and novel compounds provides new insights into structure-function interactions of MmpL3 and small molecule inhibitors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Williams, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haiderer, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coulson, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ellsworth, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dick, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramovitch, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-02-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/564245</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of new MmpL3 inhibitors by untargeted and targeted mutant screens defines MmpL3 domains with differential resistance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-02-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/566323v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Differential in vivo biodistribution of 131I-labeled exosomes from diverse cellular origins and its implication in the theranostic application. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/566323v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Exosomes are critical mediators of intercellular crosstalk and regulator of cellular/tumor microenvironment. Exosomes have great prospects for clinical application as theranostic and prognostic probe. Nevertheless, the advancement of the exosomes research has been thwarted by limited knowledge elucidating the most efficient isolation method and their in vivo trafficking. Here we have showed that combination of two size-based methods using 0.20 {micro}m syringe filter and 100k centrifuge membrane filter followed by ultracentrifugation method yields a greater number of uniform exosomes. We also demonstrated the visual representation and quantification of differential in vivo distribution of radioisotope 131I-labelled exosomes from diverse cellular origins, e.g., tumor cells with or without treatments (HET0016 and GW2580), myeloid-derived suppressor cells and endothelial progenitor cells. We also determined that the distribution was dependent on the protein/cytokine contents of the exosomes. The applied in vivo imaging modalities can be utilized to monitor disease progression, metastasis, and exosome-based targeted therapy.

Abbreviations
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rashid, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borin, T. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ara, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angara, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Achyut, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arbab, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/566323</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Differential in vivo biodistribution of 131I-labeled exosomes from diverse cellular origins and its implication in the theranostic application.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/567586v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dispersal limitation and stage-specific local filtering processes vary with climate across a network of alpine grasslands 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/567586v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Dispersal dynamics and local filtering interactively generate regional vegetation patterns, but empirical evidence of their combined influence in nature is scarce, representing a missing link between our theoretical understanding of community assembly and real-world observation. Here, we compare seed and adult plant communities at twelve grassland sites with different climates in southern Norway to explore the degree to which community membership is shaped by dispersal limitation and local niche-based filtering, and how this varies with climate. To do this, we first divide species at each site into two groups: "locally-transient" species, which occur as seeds but are rare or absent as adults (i.e., they arrive but are filtered out), or "locally-persistent" species, which occur consistently as adults in annual vegetation surveys. We then ask questions to reveal where, when, why, and how locally-transient species are systematically disfavored during community assembly. Our results led to four main conclusions: (1) the strength of local filtering on community membership increased with temperature, (2) surprisingly, local filtering was stronger during seedling emergence than during seedling establishment, (3) climate-based niche differences drove differential performance among species, especially for seeds dispersing outside of their realized climate niches into more stressful (colder and drier) climates, and (4) locally-transient species had traits that may made them better dispersers (smaller seeds) but poorer competitors for light (shorter statures, less persistent clonal connections) than locally-persistent species, providing a potential explanation for why they arrived to new sites but failed to establish persistent adult populations. Our study is one of the first to combine seed, seedling, and adult survey data across multiple sites with different climates to provide a rigorous empirical evaluation of the combined influence of dispersal limitation and local filtering on the generation and maintenance of climate-associated vegetation patterns.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Guittar, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goldberg, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klanderud, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berge, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boixaderas, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meineri, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Topper, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vandvik, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/567586</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dispersal limitation and stage-specific local filtering processes vary with climate across a network of alpine grasslands]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/577296v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cell-length heterogeneity: a population-level solution to growth/virulence trade-offs in the plant pathogen Dickeya dadantii 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/577296v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Necrotrophic plant pathogens acquire nutrients from dead plant cells, which requires the disintegration of the plant cell wall and tissue structures by the pathogen. Infected plants lose tissue integrity and functional immunity as a result, exposing the nutrient rich, decayed tissues to the environment. One challenge for the necrotrophs to successfully cause secondary infection (infection spread from an initially infected plant to the nearby uninfected plants) is to effectively utilize nutrients released from hosts towards building up a large population before other saprophytes come. In this study, we observed that the necrotrophic pathogen Dickeya dadantii exhibited heterogeneity in bacterial cell length in an isogenic population during infection of potato tuber. While some cells were regular rod-shape (<10m), the rest elongated into filamentous cells (>10m). Short cells tended to occur at the interface of healthy and diseased tissues, during the early stage of infection when active attacking and killing is occurring, while filamentous cells tended to form when large amount of nutrients were released at a later stage of infection. Short cells expressed all necessary virulence factors and motility, whereas filamentous cells did not engage in virulence, were non-mobile and more sensitive to environmental stress. However, compared to the short cells, the filamentous cells displayed elevated metabolism and faster growth, which may benefit the pathogens to build up a large population necessary for the secondary infection. The segregation of the two subpopulations was dependent on differential expression of the alarmone guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp). When exposed to fresh tuber tissues or freestanding water, filamentous cells quickly transformed to short virulent cells. The pathogen adaptation of cell length heterogeneity identified in this study presents a model for how some necrotrophs balance virulence and vegetative growth to maximize fitness during infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cui, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, C.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kharadi, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sundin, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Triplett, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeng, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/577296</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cell-length heterogeneity: a population-level solution to growth/virulence trade-offs in the plant pathogen Dickeya dadantii]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/578567v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SMAUG: Analyzing single-molecule tracks with nonparametric Bayesian statistics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/578567v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy probes nanoscale, subcellular biology in real time. Existing methods for analyzing single-particle tracking data provide dynamical information, but can suffer from supervisory biases and high uncertainties. Here, we introduce a new approach to analyzing single-molecule trajectories: the Single-Molecule Analysis by Unsupervised Gibbs sampling (SMAUG) algorithm, which uses nonparametric Bayesian statistics to uncover the whole range of information contained within a single-particle trajectory (SPT) dataset. Even in complex systems where multiple biological states lead to a number of observed mobility states, SMAUG provides the number of mobility states, the average diffusion coefficient of single molecules in that state, the fraction of single molecules in that state, the localization noise, and the probability of transitioning between two different states. In this paper, we provide the theoretical background for the SMAUG analysis and then we validate the method using realistic simulations of SPT datasets as well as experiments on a controlled in vitro system. Finally, we demonstrate SMAUG on real experimental systems in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes to measure the motions of the regulatory protein TcpP in Vibrio cholerae and the dynamics of the B-cell receptor antigen response pathway in lymphocytes. Overall, SMAUG provides a mathematically rigorous approach to measuring the real-time dynamics of molecular interactions in living cells.nnStatement of SignificanceSuper-resolution microscopy allows researchers access to the motions of individual molecules inside living cells. However, due to experimental constraints and unknown interactions between molecules, rigorous conclusions cannot always be made from the resulting datasets when model fitting is used. SMAUG (Single-Molecule Analysis by Unsupervised Gibbs sampling) is an algorithm that uses Bayesian statistical methods to uncover the underlying behavior masked by noisy datasets. This paper outlines the theory behind the SMAUG approach, discusses its implementation, and then uses simulated data and simple experimental systems to show the efficacy of the SMAUG algorithm. Finally, this paper applies the SMAUG method to two model living cellular systems--one bacterial and one mammalian--and reports the dynamics of important membrane proteins to demonstrate the usefulness of SMAUG to a variety of systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Karslake, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Donarski, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shelby, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demey, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veatch, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Biteen, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/578567</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SMAUG: Analyzing single-molecule tracks with nonparametric Bayesian statistics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/580720v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Exceptional subgenome stability and functional divergence in allotetraploid teff, the primary cereal crop in Ethiopia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/580720v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Teff (Eragrostis tef) is a cornerstone of food security in the Horn of Africa, where it is prized for stress resilience, grain nutrition, and market value. Despite its overall importance to small-scale farmers and communities in Africa, teff suffers from low production compared to other cereals because of limited intensive selection and molecular breeding. Here we report a chromosome-scale genome assembly of allotetraploid teff (variety  Dabbi) and patterns of subgenome dynamics. The teff genome contains two complete sets of homoeologous chromosomes, with most genes maintained as syntenic gene pairs. Through analyzing the history of transposable element activity, we estimate the teff polyploidy event occurred [~]1.1 million years ago (mya) and the two subgenomes diverged [~]5.0 mya. Despite this divergence, we detected no large-scale structural rearrangements, homoeologous exchanges, or bias gene loss, contrasting most other allopolyploid plant systems. The exceptional subgenome stability observed in teff may enable the ubiquitous and recurrent polyploidy within Chloridoideae, possibly contributing to the increased resilience and diversification of these grasses. The two teff subgenomes have partitioned their ancestral functions based on divergent expression patterns among homoeologous gene pairs across a diverse expression atlas. The most striking differences in homoeolog expression bias are observed during seed development and under abiotic stress, and thus may be related to agronomic traits. Together these genomic resources will be useful for accelerating breeding efforts of this underutilized grain crop and for acquiring fundamental insights into polyploid genome evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wai, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pardo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaluvadi, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryant, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennetzen, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mockler, T. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michael, T. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/580720</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Exceptional subgenome stability and functional divergence in allotetraploid teff, the primary cereal crop in Ethiopia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/581801v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tracking trends in monarch abundances over the 20th century is currently impossible using museum records: a response to Boyle et al. (2019) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/581801v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The onslaught of opportunistic data offers new opportunities to examine biodiversity patterns at large scales. However, the techniques for tracking abundance trends with such data are new and require careful consideration to ensure that variations in sampling effort do not lead to biased estimates. The analysis by Boyle et al. (2019) showing a mid-century increase in monarch abundance followed by a decrease starting in the 1960s used an inappropriate correction with respect to three dimensions of sampling effort: taxonomy, place, and time. When the data presentenced by Boyle et al. (2019) are corrected to account for biases in the collection process, the results of their analyses do not hold. The paucity of data that remain after accounting for spatial and temporal biases suggests that analyses of monarch trends back to the beginning of the 20th are currently not possible. Continued digitization of museum records is needed to provide a firm data basis to estimate population trends.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ries, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zipkin, E. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guralnick, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/581801</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tracking trends in monarch abundances over the 20th century is currently impossible using museum records: a response to Boyle et al. (2019)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/584466v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Leaf shape is a predictor of fruit quality and cultivar performance in tomato 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/584466v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LICommercial tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most widely grown vegetable crops worldwide. Heirloom tomatoes retain extensive genetic diversity and a considerable range of fruit quality and leaf morphological traits.nC_LIO_LIHere the role of leaf morphology was investigated for its impact on fruit quality. Heirloom cultivars were grown in field conditions and BRIX by Yield (BY) and other traits measured over a fourteen-week period. The complex relationships among these morphological and physiological traits were evaluated using PLS-Path Modeling, and a consensus model developed.nC_LIO_LIPhotosynthesis contributed strongly to vegetative biomass and sugar content of fruits but had a negative impact on yield. Conversely leaf shape, specifically rounder leaves, had a strong positive impact on both fruit sugar content and yield. Cultivars such as Stupice and Glacier, with very round leaves, had the highest performance in both fruit sugar and yield. Our model accurately predicted BY for two commercial cultivars using leaf shape data as input.nC_LIO_LIThis study revealed the importance of leaf shape to fruit quality in tomato, with rounder leaves having significantly improved fruit quality. This correlation was maintained across a range of diverse genetic backgrounds and shows the importance of leaf morphology in tomato crop improvement.nC_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rowland, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zumstein, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nakayama, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheng, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flores, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maloof, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, N. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/584466</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Leaf shape is a predictor of fruit quality and cultivar performance in tomato]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/587121v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptome-based prediction of complex traits in maize 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/587121v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The ability to predict traits from genome-wide sequence information (Genomic Prediction, GP), has improved our understanding of the genetic basis of complex traits and transformed breeding practices. Transcriptome data may also be useful for GP. However, it remains unclear how well transcript levels can predict traits, particularly when traits are scored at different development stages. Using maize genetic markers and transcript levels from seedlings to predict mature plant traits, we found transcript and genetic marker models have similar performance. Surprisingly, genetic markers important for predictions were not close to or identified as regulatory variants for important transcripts. Thus, transcript levels are predictive not simply due to genetic variation. Furthermore, genetic marker models identified only one of 14 benchmark flowering time genes, while transcript models identified five. Our findings highlight that transcriptome data is useful for GP and can provide a link between traits and variation that cannot be readily captured at the sequence level.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Azodi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pardo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/587121</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptome-based prediction of complex traits in maize]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/590398v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Impact of initial protein stability on local fitness landscapes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/590398v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
It is incompletely understood how biophysical properties like protein stability impact molecular evolution and epistasis. Epistasis is defined as specific when a mutation exclusively influences the phenotypic effect of another mutation, often at physically interacting residues. By contrast, nonspecific epistasis results when a mutation is influenced by a large number of non-local mutations. As most mutations are pleiotropic, the in vivo folding probability - governed by basal protein stability - is thought to determine activity-enhancing mutational tolerance, which implies that nonspecific epistasis is dominant. However, evidence exists for both specific and nonspecific epistasis as the prevalent factor, with limited comprehensive datasets to validate either claim. Using deep mutational scanning we probe how in vivo enzyme folding probability impacts local fitness landscapes. We computationally designed two different variants of the amidase AmiE in which catalytic efficiencies are statistically indistinguishable but the enzyme variants have lower probabilities of folding in vivo. Local fitness landscapes show only slight alterations among variants, with essentially the same global distribution of fitness effects. However, specific epistasis was predominant for the subset of mutations exhibiting positive sign epistasis. These mutations mapped to spatially distinct locations on AmiE near the initial mutation or proximal to the active site. Intriguingly, the majority of specific epistatic mutations were codon-dependent, with different synonymous codons resulting in fitness sign reversals. Together, these results offer a nuanced view of how protein folding probability impacts local fitness landscapes, and suggest that transcriptional-translational effects are an equally important determinant as stability in determining evolutionary outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Faber, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wrenbeck, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azouz, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steiner, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitehead, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-03-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/590398</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Impact of initial protein stability on local fitness landscapes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-03-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/597674v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
FGF/MAPK signaling pathway regulates the genome-wide occupancy of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 in murine embryonic stem cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/597674v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The recruitment of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) to gene promoters is critical for its function in repressing gene expression in murine embryonic stem cells (mESCs). However, previous studies have demonstrated although the expression of early lineage-specific genes is largely repressed, the genome-wide PRC2 occupancy is unexpectedly reduced in naive mESCs. In this study, we provide evidence to show the FGF/ERK signaling determines the global PRC2 occupancy through regulating the expression of PRC2-recruting factor JARID2 in naive mESCs. At the transcriptional level, the de-repression of bivalent genes is predominantly determined by the presence of cell signaling-associated transcription factors but not the status of PRC2 occupancy at gene promoters. Hence, this study not only reveals a key molecular mechanism by which the FGF/ERK signaling in regulating the PRC2 occupancy in mESCs, but also elucidates a fundamental question regarding the functional roles of transcription factors and Polycomb-mediated epigenetic mechanisms in transcriptional regulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aljazi, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/597674</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[FGF/MAPK signaling pathway regulates the genome-wide occupancy of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 in murine embryonic stem cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/598292v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ultra-local adaptation due to genetic accommodation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/598292v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Models of  plasticity-first evolution are attractive because they explain the rapid evolution of new complex adaptations. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether plasticity can still facilitate rapid evolution when diverging populations are connected by gene flow. Here we show how plasticity has generated adaptive divergence in fecundity in wild populations of burying beetles Nicrophorus vespilloides, which are still connected by gene flow, which occupy distinct Cambridgeshire woodlands that are just 2.5km apart and which diverged from a common ancestral population c. 1000-4000 years ago. We show that adaptive divergence is due to the coupling of an evolved increase in the elevation of the reaction norm linking clutch size to carrion size (i.e. genetic accommodation) with plastic secondary elimination of surplus offspring. Working in combination, these two processes have facilitated rapid adaptation to fine-scale environmental differences, despite ongoing gene flow.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sun, S.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Catherall, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pascoal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jarrett, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sheehan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kilner, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/598292</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ultra-local adaptation due to genetic accommodation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/603290v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Putative cis-regulatory elements predict iron deficiency responses in Arabidopsis roots 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/603290v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Iron (Fe) is a key cofactor in many cellular redox processes, including respiration and photosynthesis. Plant Fe deficiency (-Fe) activates a complex regulatory network which coordinates root Fe uptake and distribution to sink tissues, while avoiding over-accumulation of Fe and other metals to toxic levels. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), FIT (FER-LIKE FE DEFICIENCY-INDUCED TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR), a bHLH transcription factor (TF), is required for up-regulation of root Fe acquisition genes. However, other root and shoot -Fe-induced genes involved in Fe allocation and signaling are FIT-independent. The cis-regulatory code, i.e. the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and their combinations that regulate plant -Fe-responses, remains largely elusive. Using Arabidopsis genome and transcriptome data, we identified over 100 putative CREs (pCREs) that were predictive of -Fe-induced up-regulation of genes in root tissue. We used large-scale in vitro TF binding data, association with FIT-dependent or FIT-independent co-expression clusters, positional bias, and evolutionary conservation to assess pCRE properties and possible functions. In addition to bHLH and MYB TFs, also B3, NAC, bZIP, and TCP TFs might be important regulators for -Fe responses. Our approach uncovered IDE1 (Iron Deficiency-responsive Element 1), a -Fe response CRE in grass species, to be conserved in regulating genes for biosynthesis of Fe-chelating compounds also in Arabidopsis. Our findings provide a comprehensive source of cis-regulatory information for -Fe-responsive genes, that advances our mechanistic understanding and informs future efforts in engineering plants with more efficient Fe uptake or transport systems.nnOne sentence summary>100 putative cis-regulatory elements robustly predict Arabidopsis root Fe deficiency-responses in computational models, and shed light on the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schwarz, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azodi, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauer, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/603290</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Putative cis-regulatory elements predict iron deficiency responses in Arabidopsis roots]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/605899v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Environmental drivers define contrasting microbial habitats, diversity and functional redundancy in Lake Baikal, Siberia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/605899v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding how microbial communities respond to environmental change requires knowing the main drivers of their structure, diversity and potential resilience. Lake Baikal is the worlds most ancient, deep, voluminous, and biodiverse lake, holding 20 percent of unfrozen fresh water that is undergoing rapid warming. Despite its global importance, little is known about Baikals bacterioplankton communities and their drivers. In this extensive survey, we show that temperature, along with stratification, nutrients, and dissolved oxygen, but not geographic distance, define major microbial habitats and community similarity. Mixed layer and deep water communities exhibited contrasting patterns of richness, diversity and evenness, and comprised different cohesive modules in the whole Baikal OTU co-occurrence network. The networks small-world properties indicated likely resistance to perturbations but sensitivity to abundance changes of central, most connected OTUs. Previous studies showed Baikal water temperature rising by over 1.2{degrees}C since 1946, and this trend is predicted to accelerate. Because temperature emerged as the most significant predictor of the mixed layer community structure, we hypothesize that it is most likely to drive future community changes. Understanding how temperature and other abiotic factors structure microbial communities in this and other rapidly changing ecosystems will allow better predictions of ecosystem responses to anthropogenic stressors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wilburn, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shchapov, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Theriot, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/605899</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Environmental drivers define contrasting microbial habitats, diversity and functional redundancy in Lake Baikal, Siberia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/609883v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome annotation of Poly(lactic acid) degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Sphingobacterium sp. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/609883v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Sphinogobacterium sp. are well known for their ability to decontaminate many environmental pollutants like PAHs, dyes, pesticides and plastics. The present study reports the annotation of genomes from P. aeruginosa and Sphinogobacterium sp. that were isolated from compost, based on their ability to degrade poly(lactic acid), PLA, at mesophillic temperatures (~30{degrees}C). Draft genomes of both the strains were assembled from Illumina reads, annotated and viewed with an aim of gaining insight into the genetic elements involved in degradation of PLA. The draft-assembled genome of strain Sphinogobacterium strain S2 was 5,604,691 bp in length with 435 contigs (maximum length of 434,971 bp) and an average G+C content of 43.5%. The assembled genome of P. aeruginosa strain S3 was 6,631,638 bp long with 303 contigs (maximum contig length of 659,181 bp) and an average G+C content 66.17 %. A total of 5,385 (60% with annotation) and 6,437 (80% with annotation) protein-coding genes were predicted for strains S2 and S3 respectively. Catabolic genes for biodegradation of xenobiotic and aromatic compounds were identified on both draft genomes. Both strains were found to have the genes attributable to the establishment and regulation of biofilm, with more extensive annotation for this in S3. The genome of P. aeruginosa S3 had the complete cascade of genes involved in the transport and utilization of lactate while Sphinogobacterium strain S2 lacked lactate permease, consistent with its inability to grow on lactate. As a whole, our results reveal and predict the genetic elements providing both strains with the ability to degrade PLA at mesophilic temperature.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Satti, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shah, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Auras, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marsh, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/609883</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome annotation of Poly(lactic acid) degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Sphingobacterium sp.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/613786v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Butterfly abundance declines over 20 years of systematic monitoring in Ohio, USA 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/613786v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Severe insect declines make headlines, but they are rarely based on systematic monitoring outside of Europe. We estimate the rate of change in total butterfly abundance and the population trends for 81 species using 21 years of systematic monitoring in Ohio, USA. Total abundance is declining at 2% per year, resulting in a cumulative 33% reduction in butterfly abundance. Three times as many species have negative population trends compared to positive trends. The rate of total decline and the proportion of species in decline mirror those documented in three comparable long-term European monitoring programs. Multiple environmental changes such as climate change, habitat degradation, and agricultural practices may contribute to these declines in Ohio and shift the makeup of the butterfly community by benefiting some species over others. Our analysis of life-history traits associated with population trends shows an impact of climate change, as species with northern distributions and fewer annual generations declined more rapidly. However, even common and invasive species associated with human-dominated landscapes are declining, suggesting widespread environmental causes for these trends. Declines in common species, although they may not be close to extinction, will have an outsized impact on the ecosystem services provided by insects. These results from the most extensive, systematic insect monitoring program in North America demonstrate an ongoing defaunation in butterflies that on an annual scale might be imperceptible, but cumulatively has reduced butterfly numbers by a third over 20 years.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wepprich, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adrion, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ries, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiedmann, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haddad, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/613786</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Butterfly abundance declines over 20 years of systematic monitoring in Ohio, USA]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/614404v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Novel engraftment and T cell differentiation of human hematopoietic cells in Art-/- IL2RG-/ SCID pigs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/614404v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pigs with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) are an emerging biomedical animal model. Swine are anatomically and physiologically more similar to humans than mice, making them an invaluable tool for preclinical regenerative medicine and cancer research. One essential step in further developing this model is the immunological humanization of SCID pigs. In this work we have generated T- B- NK- SCID pigs through site directed CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis of IL2RG within a naturally occurring DCLRE1C (Artemis)-/- genetic background. We confirmed Art-/- IL2RG-/Y pigs lacked T, B, and NK cells in both peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues. Additionally, we and successfully performed a bone marrow transplant on one Art-/- IL2RG-/Y male SCID pig with a bone marrow from a complete swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) matched donor without conditioning to reconstitute porcine T and NK cells. Next, we performed in utero injections of cultured human CD34+ selected cord blood cells into the fetal Art-/- IL2RG-/Y SCID pigs. At birth, human CD45+ CD3{varepsilon}+ cells were detected in peripheral blood of in utero injected SCID piglets. Human leukocytes were also detected within the bone marrow, spleen, liver, thymus, and mesenteric lymph nodes of these animals. Taken together, we describe critical steps forwards the development of an immunologically humanized SCID pig model.nnOne sentence summaryWe have generated a T- B- NK- SCID pig model through site directed mutagenesis of IL2RG in a naturally occurring Artemis null background and show successful engraftment of human T and B cells in blood and lymphoid organs after in utero injection of human hematopoietic stem cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Boettcher, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahrens, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiupel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Byrne, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loving, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cino-Ozuna, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiarda, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adur, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schultz, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swanson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Snella, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ho, C.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charley, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiefer, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cunnick, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Powell, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dell'Anna, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jens, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sathe, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goldman, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Westin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dekkers, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ross, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tuggle, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/614404</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Novel engraftment and T cell differentiation of human hematopoietic cells in Art-/- IL2RG-/ SCID pigs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/614479v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Benchmarking algorithms for genomic prediction of complex traits 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/614479v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The usefulness of Genomic Prediction (GP) in crop and livestock breeding programs has led to efforts to develop new and improved GP approaches including non-linear algorithm, such as artificial neural networks (ANN) (i.e. deep learning) and gradient tree boosting. However, the performance of these algorithms has not been compared in a systematic manner using a wide range of GP datasets and models. Using data of 18 traits across six plant species with different marker densities and training population sizes, we compared the performance of six linear and five non-linear algorithms, including ANNs. First, we found that hyperparameter selection was critical for all non-linear algorithms and that feature selection prior to model training was necessary for ANNs when the markers greatly outnumbered the number of training lines. Across all species and trait combinations, no one algorithm performed best, however predictions based on a combination of results from multiple GP algorithms (i.e. ensemble predictions) performed consistently well. While linear and non-linear algorithms performed best for a similar number of traits, the performance of non-linear algorithms vary more between traits than that of linear algorithms. Although ANNs did not perform best for any trait, we identified strategies (i.e. feature selection, seeded starting weights) that boosted their performance near the level of other algorithms. These results, together with the fact that even small improvements in GP performance could accumulate into large genetic gains over the course of a breeding program, highlights the importance of algorithm selection for the prediction of trait values.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Azodi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCarren, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roantree, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/614479</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Benchmarking algorithms for genomic prediction of complex traits]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/617340v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Vc2 cyclic di-GMP dependent riboswitch of Vibrio cholerae regulates expression of an upstream small RNA by controlling RNA stability 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/617340v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is a bacterial second messenger molecule that is important in the biology of Vibrio cholerae, but the molecular mechanisms by which this molecule regulates downstream phenotypes have not been fully characterized. We have previously shown that the Vc2 c-di-GMP-binding riboswitch, encoded upstream of the gene tfoY, functions as an off-switch in response to c-di-GMP. However, the mechanism by which c-di-GMP controls expression of tfoY has not been fully elucidated. During our studies of this mechanism, we determined that c-di-GMP binding to Vc2 also controls the abundance and stability of upstream non-coding small RNAs (sRNA) with 3-ends located immediately downstream of the Vc2 riboswitch. Our results suggest these sRNAs are not generated by transcriptional termination but rather by preventing degradation of the upstream untranslated RNA when c-di-GMP is bound to Vc2.nnIMPORTANCERiboswitches are typically RNA elements located in the 5 untranslated region of mRNAs. They are highly structured and specifically recognize and respond to a given chemical cue to alter transcription termination or the translation initiation. In this work, we report a novel mechanism of riboswitch mediated gene regulation in Vibrio cholerae whereby a 3 riboswitch, named Vc2, controls the stability of upstream untranslated RNA upon binding to its cognate ligand, the second messenger cyclic di-GMP, leading to the accumulation of previously undescribed sRNAs. We further demonstrate that binding of the ligand to the riboswitch prevents RNA degradation. As binding of riboswitches to their ligands often produces compactly structure RNA, we hypothesize this mechanism of gene regulation could be widespread.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pursley, B. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/617340</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Vc2 cyclic di-GMP dependent riboswitch of Vibrio cholerae regulates expression of an upstream small RNA by controlling RNA stability]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/619148v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Geographic variation in the genetic basis of resistance to leaf rust in locally adapted ecotypes of the biofuel crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/619148v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LILocal adaptation is an important process in plant evolution, which can be impacted by differential pathogen pressures along environmental gradients. However, the degree to which pathogen resistance loci vary in effect across space and time is incompletely described.
C_LIO_LITo understand how the genetic architecture of resistance varies across time and geographic space, we quantified rust (Puccinia spp.) severity in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) plantings at eight locations across the central United States for three years and conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for rust progression.
C_LIO_LIWe mapped several variable QTLs, but two large-effect QTLs which we have named Prr1 and Prr2 were consistently associated with rust severity in multiple sites and years, particularly in northern sites. In contrast, there were numerous small-effect QTLs at southern sites, indicating a genotype-by-environment interaction in rust resistance loci. Interestingly, Prr1 and Prr2 had a strong epistatic interaction, which also varied in strength and direction of effect across space.
C_LIO_LIOur results suggest that abiotic factors covarying with latitude interact with the genetic loci underlying plant resistance to control rust infection severity. Further, our results indicate that segregating genetic variation in epistatically interacting loci may play a key role in determining response to infection across geographic space.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanWallendael, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonnette, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Juenger, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fritschi, F. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fay, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lloyd-Reilley, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rouquette, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bergstrom, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/619148</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Geographic variation in the genetic basis of resistance to leaf rust in locally adapted ecotypes of the biofuel crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/622142v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
When does gene flow facilitate evolutionary rescue? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/622142v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWExperimental and theoretical studies have highlighted the impact of gene flow on the probability of evolutionary rescue in structured habitats. Mathematical modelling and simulations of evolutionary rescue in spatially or otherwise structured populations showed that intermediate migration rates can often maximize the probability of rescue in gradually or abruptly deteriorating habitats. These theoretical results corroborate the positive effect of gene flow on evolutionary rescue that has been identified in experimental yeast populations. The observations that gene flow can facilitate adaptation are in seeming conflict with traditional population genetics results that show that gene flow usually hampers (local) adaptation. Identifying conditions for when gene flow facilitates survival chances of populations rather than reducing them remains a key unresolved theoretical question. We here present a simple analytically tractable model for evolutionary rescue in a two-deme model with gene flow. Our main result is a simple condition for when migration facilitates evolutionary rescue, as opposed as no migration. We further investigate the roles of asymmetries in gene flow and / or carrying capacities, and the effects of density regulation and local growth rates on evolutionary rescue.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tomasini, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peischl, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/622142</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[When does gene flow facilitate evolutionary rescue?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/622373v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deceptive combined effects of short allele dominance and stuttering: an example with Ixodes scapularis, the main vector of Lyme disease in the U.S.A. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/622373v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Null alleles, short allele dominance (SAD), and stuttering increase the perceived relative inbreeding of individuals and subpopulations as measured by Wrights FIS and FST. Ascertainment bias, due to such amplifying problems are usually caused by inaccurate primer design (if developed from a different species or a distant population), poor DNA quality, low DNA concentration, or a combination of some or all these sources of inaccuracy. When combined, these issues can increase the correlation between polymorphism at concerned loci and, consequently, of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between those. In this note, we studied an original microsatellite data set generated by analyzing nine loci in Ixodes scapularis ticks from the eastern U.S.A. To detect null alleles and SAD we used correlation methods and variation measures. To detect stuttering, we evaluated heterozygote deficit between alleles displaying a single repeat difference. We demonstrated that an important proportion of loci affected by amplification problems (one with null alleles, two with SAD and three with stuttering) lead to highly significant heterozygote deficits (FIS=0.1, p-value<0.0001). This occurred together with an important proportion (22%) of pairs of loci in significant LD, two of which were still significant after a false discovery rate (FDR) correction, and some variation in the measurement of population subdivision across loci (Wrights FST). This suggested a strong Wahlund effect and/or selection at several loci. By finding small peaks corresponding to previously disregarded larger alleles in some homozygous profiles for loci with SAD and by pooling alleles close in size for loci with stuttering, we generated an amended dataset. Except for one locus with null alleles and another still displaying a modest SAD, the analyses of the corrected dataset revealed a significant excess of heterozygotes (FIS=-0.07 as expected in dioecious and strongly subdivided populations, with a more reasonable proportion (19%) of pairs of loci characterized by significant LD, none of which stayed significant after the FDR procedure. Strong subdivision was also confirmed by the standardized FST corrected for null alleles (FST=0.19) and small effective subpopulation sizes (Ne=7).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>De Meeus, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ludwig, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsao, J. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patel, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhagatwala, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beati, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/622373</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deceptive combined effects of short allele dominance and stuttering: an example with Ixodes scapularis, the main vector of Lyme disease in the U.S.A.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/622951v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multiple QTL mapping in autopolyploids: a random-effect model approach with application in a hexaploid sweetpotato full-sib population 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/622951v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In developing countries, the sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. (2n = 6x = 90), is an important autopolyploid species, both socially and economically. However, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping has remained limited due to its genetic complexity. Current fixed-effect models can only fit a single QTL and are generally hard to interpret. Here we report the use of a random-effect model approach to map multiple QTL based on score statistics in a sweetpotato bi-parental population ( Beauregard x  Tanzania) with 315 full-sibs. Phenotypic data were collected for eight yield component traits in six environments in Peru, and jointly predicted means were obtained using mixed-effect models. An integrated linkage map consisting of 30,684 markers distributed along 15 linkage groups (LGs) was used to obtain the genotype conditional probabilities of putative QTL at every cM position. Multiple interval mapping was performed using our R package QTLPOLY and detected a total of 41 QTL, ranging from one to ten QTL per trait. Some regions, such as those on LGs 3 and 15, were consistently detected among root number and yield traits and provided basis for candidate gene search. In addition, some QTL were found to affect commercial and noncommercial root traits distinctly. Further best linear unbiased predictions allowed us to characterize additive allele effects as well as to compute QTL-based breeding values for selection. Together with quantitative genotyping and its appropriate usage in linkage analyses, this QTL mapping methodology will facilitate the use of genomic tools in sweetpotato breeding as well as in other autopolyploids.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>da Silva Pereira, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gemenet, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mollinari, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olukolu, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diaz, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mosquera, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gruneberg, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yencho, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeng, Z.-B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-04-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/622951</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multiple QTL mapping in autopolyploids: a random-effect model approach with application in a hexaploid sweetpotato full-sib population]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-04-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/625251v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic image-processing using regularized selection indices 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/625251v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
High-throughput phenotyping (HTP) technologies can produce data on thousands of phenotypes per unit being monitored. These data can be used to breed for economically and environmentally relevant traits (e.g., drought tolerance); however, incorporating high-dimensional phenotypes in genetic analyses and in breeding schemes poses important statistical and computational challenges. To address this problem, we developed regularized selection indices; the methodology integrates techniques commonly used in high-dimensional phenotypic regressions (including penalization and rank-reduction approaches) into the selection index (SI) framework. Using extensive data from CIMMYTs (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) wheat breeding program we show that regularized SIs derived from hyper-spectral data offer consistently higher accuracy for grain yield than those achieved by canonical SIs, and by vegetation indices commonly used to predict agronomic traits. Regularized SIs offer an effective approach to leverage HTP data that is routinely generated in agriculture; the methodology can also be used to conduct genetic studies using high-dimensional phenotypes that are often collected in humans and model organisms including body images and whole-genome gene expression profiles.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lopez-Cruz, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rovere, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crossa, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dreisigacker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mondal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/625251</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic image-processing using regularized selection indices]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/625475v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The transcriptional correlates of divergent electric organ discharges in Paramormyrops electric fish 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/625475v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundUnderstanding the genomic basis of phenotypic diversity can be greatly facilitated by examining adaptive radiations with hypervariable traits. In this study, we focus on a rapidly diverged species group of mormyrid electric fish in the genus Paramormyrops, which are characterized by extensive phenotypic variation in electric organ discharges (EODs). The main components of EOD diversity are waveform duration, complexity and polarity. Using an RNA-sequencing based approach, we sought to identify gene expression correlates for each of these EOD waveform features by comparing 11 specimens of Paramormyrops that exhibit variation in these features.nnResultsPatterns of gene expression among Paramormyrops are highly correlated, and 3,274 genes (16%) were differentially expressed. Using our most restrictive criteria, we detected 71-144 differentially expressed genes correlated with each EOD feature, with little overlap between them. The predicted functions of several of these genes are related to extracellular matrix, cation homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and cytoskeletal and sarcomeric proteins. These genes are of significant interest given the known morphological differences between electric organs that underlie differences in the EOD waveform features studied.nnConclusionsIn this study, we identified plausible candidate genes that may contribute to phenotypic differences in EOD waveforms among a rapidly diverged group of mormyrid electric fish. These genes may be important targets of selection in the evolution of species-specific differences in mate-recognition signals.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Losilla, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallant, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/625475</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The transcriptional correlates of divergent electric organ discharges in Paramormyrops electric fish]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/626663v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Relapse prevention through health technology program reduces hospitalization in schizophrenia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/626663v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ImportancePsychiatric hospitalization is a major driver of cost in the treatment of schizophrenia. Symptom relapses are a frequent cause of hospitalization and both are primary source of burden to patients and their supporters.nnObjectiveTo determine whether a novel, multicomponent, and technology-enhanced approach to relapse prevention in outpatients following a psychiatric hospitalization could reduce days spent in a hospital after discharge.nnDesignThe Improving Care and Reducing Cost (ICRC) study was a quasi-experimental clinical trial in outpatients with schizophrenia conducted between February 2013 and April 2015 at 10 different sites in the US. Data were obtained from 89 participants who received usual relapse prevention services, followed by a second cohort of 349 participants who received the technology-enhanced relapse prevention program. Both groups were followed for 6 months.nnSettingOutpatient setting.nnParticipantsPatients were between 18 and 60 years old; had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified; and were currently hospitalized or had been hospitalized within the past 30 days.nnInterventionPatients received usual care or a technology-enhanced relapse prevention program during a 6-month period after discharge.nnMain Outcome(s) and Measure(s)Days spent in a psychiatric hospital during 6 months after discharge.nnResultsThe study included 438 patients. Control participants (N = 89; 37 females) were enrolled first and received usual care for relapse prevention, and followed by 349 participants (128 females) who received technology-enhanced relapse prevention. Days of hospitalization were reduced by 4 days (Mean days: b = -4.25, 95% CI: -8.29; -0.21, P = 0.039) during follow-up in the intervention condition compared to control.nnConclusions and RelevanceThe reduction in days spent in the hospital for participants in the technology-informed relapse prevention program compared to those who received usual care, and the previously reported high satisfaction and usability suggest that technology-enhanced relapse prevention is an effective and feasible way to reduce rehospitalization days among patients with schizophrenia.nnKey pointsO_ST_ABSQuestionC_ST_ABSCan rehospitalizations in schizophrenia be prevented at reduced cost by innovative mobile technology-delivered interventions?nnFindingsIn this clinical trial with 438 patients, a technology-enhanced relapse prevention program compared to usual services reduced an average of four days of hospitalization per patient during the first 6 months following an index hospitalization.nnMeaningRelapse prevention through a health technology may improve care while reducing costs associated with hospitalization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Homan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schooler, N. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brunette, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rotondi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ben-Zeev, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gottlieb, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mueser, K. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Achtyes, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gingerich, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marcy, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyer-Kalos, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hauser, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>John, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robinson, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kane, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/626663</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Relapse prevention through health technology program reduces hospitalization in schizophrenia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/630772v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reconciling Base-Pair Resolution 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine Data in Neuroepigenetics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/630772v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Epigenetic marks operate at multiple chromosomal levels to regulate gene expression, from direct covalent modification of DNA to 3D chromosomal structure. Research has shown that 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and its oxidized form, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), are stable epigenetic marks with distinct genomic distributions and separate regulatory functions. In addition, recent data indicate that 5-hmC plays a critical regulatory role in the mammalian brain, emphasizing the importance of considering this alternative DNA modification in the context of neuroepigenetics. Traditional bisulfite (BS) treatment-based methods to measure the methylome are not able to distinguish between 5-mC and 5-hmC, meaning much of the existing literature does not differentiate these two DNA modifications. Recently developed methods, including Tet-assisted bisulfite (TAB) treatment and oxidative bisulfite (oxBS) treatment, allow for differentiation of 5-hmC and/or 5-mC levels at base-pair resolution when combined with next-generation sequencing or methylation arrays. Despite these technological advances, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the appropriate statistical methods for integration of 5-mC and 5-hmC data. As a result, it can be difficult to determine the effects of an experimental treatment on 5-mC and 5-hmC dynamics. Here, we propose a statistical approach involving mixed effects to simultaneously model paired 5-mC and 5-hmC data as repeated measures. Using this approach, it will be possible to determine the effects of an experimental treatment on both 5-mC and 5-hmC at the base-pair level.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kochmanski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Savonen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernstein, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/630772</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reconciling Base-Pair Resolution 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine Data in Neuroepigenetics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/631267v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Strategies for building computing skills to support microbiome analysis: a five-year perspective from the EDAMAME workshop 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/631267v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Here, we report our educational approach and learner evaluations of the first five years of the Explorations in Data Analysis for Metagenomic Advances in Microbial Ecology (EDAMAME) workshop, held annually at Michigan State Universitys Kellogg Biological Station from 2014-2018. We hope this information will be useful for others who want to organize computing-intensive workshops and encourage quantitative skill development among microbiologists.nnImportanceHigh-throughput sequencing and related statistical and bioinformatic analyses have become routine in microbiology in the past decade, but there are few formal training opportunities to develop these skills. A week-long workshop can offer sufficient time for novices to become introduced to best computing practices and common workflows in sequence analysis. We report our experiences in executing such a workshop targeted to professional learners (graduate students, post-doctoral scientists, faculty, and research staff).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunivin, T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teal, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howe, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/631267</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Strategies for building computing skills to support microbiome analysis: a five-year perspective from the EDAMAME workshop]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/631275v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cyclic di-GMP Increases Catalase Production and Hydrogen Peroxide Tolerance in Vibrio cholerae 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/631275v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes the disease cholera, which affects nearly 1 million people each year. In between outbreaks, V. cholerae resides in fresh and salt water environments where it is able to persist through changes in temperature, oxygen, and salinity. One key characteristic that promotes environmental persistence of V. cholerae is the ability to form multicellular communities, called biofilms, that often adhere to biotic and abiotic sources. Biofilm formation in V. cholerae is positively regulated by the dinucleotide second messenger cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP). While most research on the c-di-GMP regulon has focused on biofilm formation or motility, we hypothesized the c-di-GMP signaling network encompassed a larger set of effector functions than reported. We found that high intracellular c-di-GMP increased catalase activity approximately 4-fold relative to strains with unaltered c-di-GMP. Genetic studies demonstrated that c-di-GMP mediated catalase activity was due to increased expression of the catalase encoding gene katB. Moreover, c-di-GMP mediated regulation of catalase activity and katB expression required the c-di-GMP dependent transcription factors VpsT and VpsR. Lastly, we found that high c-di-GMP increased survival after H2O2 challenge in a katB, vpsR, and vpsT dependent manner. Our results indicate antioxidant production is regulated by c-di-GMP in V. cholerae uncovering a new node in the growing VpsT and VpsR c-di-GMP signaling network.nnImportanceAs a result of infection with V. cholerae, patients become dehydrated leading to death if not properly treated. The marine environment is the natural reservoir for V. cholerae where it can survive alterations in temperature, salinity, and oxygen. The second messenger molecule c-di-GMP is an important signal regulating host and marine environmental persistence because it controls whether V. cholerae will form a biofilm or disperse through flagellar motility. In this work, we demonstrate another function of c-di-GMP in V. cholerae biology: promoting tolerance to the reactive oxygen species H2O2 through differential regulation of catalase expression. Our results suggest a mechanism where c-di-GMP simultaneously controls biofilm formation and antioxidant production, which could promote persistence in human and marine environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fernandez, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/631275</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cyclic di-GMP Increases Catalase Production and Hydrogen Peroxide Tolerance in Vibrio cholerae]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/634923v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Separation of hemodynamic signals from GCaMP fluorescence measured with widefield imaging 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/634923v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Widefield calcium imaging is often used to measure brain dynamics in behaving mice. With a large field of view and a high sampling rate, widefield imaging can monitor activity from several distant cortical areas simultaneously, revealing cortical interactions. Interpretation of widefield images is complicated, however, by the absorption of light by hemoglobin, which can substantially affect the measured fluorescence. One approach to separating hemodynamics and calcium signals is to use multi-wavelength backscatter recordings to measure light absorption by hemoglobin. Following this approach, we develop a spatially-detailed regression-based method to estimate hemodynamics. The spatially-detailed model is based on a linear form of the Beer-Lambert relationship, but is fit at every pixel in the image and does not rely on the estimation of physical parameters. In awake mice of three transgenic lines, the Spatial Model offers improved separation of hemodynamics and changes in GCaMP fluorescence. The improvement is pronounced near blood vessels and, in contrast with other models based on regression or the Beer-Lambert law, can remove vascular artifacts along the sagittal midline. Compared to other separation approaches, the spatially-detailed model permits more accurate fluorescence-based determination of neuronal activity across the cortex.nnNEW & NOTEWORTHYThis manuscript addresses a well-known and strong source of contamination in widefield calcium imaging data: hemodynamics. To guide researchers towards the best method to separate calcium signals from hemodynamics, we compare the performance of several commonly used methods in three commonly-used Cre-driver lines, and we present a novel regression model that out-performs the other techniques we consider.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Valley, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhuang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mesa, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castelli, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sullivan, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reimers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/634923</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Separation of hemodynamic signals from GCaMP fluorescence measured with widefield imaging]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/640763v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic and physiological mechanisms of freezing tolerance in locally adapted populations of a winter annual 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/640763v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Premise of the studyDespite myriad examples of local adaptation, the phenotypes and genetic variants underlying such adaptive differentiation are seldom known. Recent work on freezing tolerance and local adaptation in ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana from Sweden and Italy provides the essential foundation for uncovering the genotype-phenotype-fitness map for an adaptive response to a key environmental stress.nnMethodsHere we examine the consequences of a naturally occurring loss of function (LOF) mutation in an Italian allele of the gene that encodes the transcription factor CBF2, which underlies a major freezing tolerance locus. We used four lines with a Swedish genetic background, each containing a LOF CBF2 allele. Two lines had introgression segments containing of the Italian CBF2 allele, and two were created using CRISPR-Cas9. We used a growth chamber experiment to quantify freezing tolerance and gene expression both before and after cold acclimation.nnKey resultsFreezing tolerance was greater in the Swedish (72%) compared to the Italian (11%) ecotype, and all four experimental CBF2 LOF lines had reduced freezing tolerance compared to the Swedish ecotype. Differential expression analyses identified ten genes for which all CBF2 LOF lines and the IT ecotype showed similar patterns of reduced cold responsive expression compared to the SW ecotype.nnConclusionsWe identified ten genes that are at least partially regulated by CBF2 that may contribute to the differences in cold acclimated freezing tolerance between the Italian and Swedish ecotypes. These results provide novel insight into the molecular and physiological mechanisms connecting a naturally occurring sequence polymorphism to an adaptive response to freezing conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sanderson, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jameel, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kraft, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomashow, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schemske, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oakley, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/640763</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic and physiological mechanisms of freezing tolerance in locally adapted populations of a winter annual]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/644567v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rock the Chalk: A five-year comparative analysis of a large microbiology lecture course reveals improved outcomes of chalk-talk compared to PowerPoint 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/644567v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The rise of electronic assisted presentation programs such as PowerPoint in undergraduate large lecture biology classes has displaced more traditional hand-drawn lectures such as the blackboard or overhead projectors, referred here as "chalk-talk" approaches. But which method is more effective in a large lecture microbiology classroom is unclear. Here I present data from a large microbial genetics lecture course taken during a five-year span comparing PowerPoint to chalk-talk lecturing methods. The results indicate that the chalk-talk approach was preferred by the students and rated higher in all measured metrics including course enjoyment, learning of key concepts, and course outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/644567</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rock the Chalk: A five-year comparative analysis of a large microbiology lecture course reveals improved outcomes of chalk-talk compared to PowerPoint]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/646000v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Disease Resistance Genetics and Genomics in Octoploid Strawberry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/646000v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Octoploid strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) is a valuable specialty crop, but profitable production and availability are threatened by many pathogens. Efforts to identify and introgress useful disease resistance genes (R-genes) in breeding programs are complicated by strawberrys complex octoploid genome. Recently-developed resources in strawberry, including a complete octoploid reference genome and high-resolution octoploid genotyping, enable new analyses in strawberry disease resistance genetics. This study characterizes the complete R-gene collection in the genomes of commercial octoploid strawberry and two diploid ancestral relatives, and introduces several new technological and data resources for strawberry disease resistance research. These include octoploid R-gene transcription profiling, dN/dS analysis, eQTL analysis and RenSeq analysis in cultivars. Octoploid fruit transcript expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) were identified for 77 putative R-genes. R-genes from the ancestral diploids Fragaria vesca and Fragaria iinumae were compared, revealing differential inheritance and retention of various octoploid R-gene subtypes. The mode and magnitude of natural selection of individual F. x ananassa R-genes was also determined via dN/dS analysis. R-gene sequencing using enriched libraries (RenSeq) has been used recently for R-gene discovery in many crops, however this technique somewhat relies upon a priori knowledge of desired sequences. An octoploid strawberry capture-probe panel, derived from the results of this study, is validated in a RenSeq experiment and is presented for community use. These results give unprecedented insight into crop disease resistance genetics, and represent an advance towards exploiting variation for strawberry cultivar improvement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>barbey, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verma, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapp, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitaker, V. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Folta, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/646000</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Disease Resistance Genetics and Genomics in Octoploid Strawberry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/647156v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deconstructing higher-order interactions in the microbiota: A theoretical examination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/647156v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIA major objective of microbial ecology is to identify how the composition of gut microbial taxa shapes host phenotypes. However, most studies focus solely on community-level patterns and pairwise interactions and ignore the potentially significant effects of higher-order interactions involving three or more component taxa.
C_LIO_LIStudies on higher-order interactions among microbial taxa are scarce for many reasons, including experimental intractability, daunting diversity and complexity of many microbial systems, and the potential confounding role of the environment. Moreover, we still lack the empirical and statistical tools to isolate and understand the role of higher-order interactions on the host.
C_LIO_LIHere, we apply a mathematical approach to quantifying the effects of higher-order interactions among taxa on host infection risk. To do so, we adapt the Hadamard-Walsh method recently used in evolutionary genetics to quantify the nonlinear effects of mutations on fitness. We apply our approach to an in silico dataset built to resemble a population of insect hosts with gut-associated microbial communities at risk of infection from an intestinal parasite. Critically, we examine these interactions across a breadth of environmental contexts, using nutrient content of the insect diet as a model for context.
C_LIO_LIWe find that the effect of higher-order interactions is considerable and can change appreciably across environmental contexts. Strikingly, the relative eminence of different orders (pairwise vs. third order, fourth order, and fifth order) changes as a function of environmental context. Furthermore, we show-in our theoretical microcosm-that higher-order interactions can stabilize community structure thereby reducing host susceptibility to parasite invasion.
C_LIO_LIOur approach illustrates how incorporating the effects of higher-order interactions among gut microbiota across environments can be essential for understanding their effects on host phenotypes. We conclude that higher-order interactions among taxa can profoundly shape important organismal phenotypes, and they deserve greater attention in host-associated microbiome studies.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yitbarek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guittar, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knutie, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ogbunugafor, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/647156</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deconstructing higher-order interactions in the microbiota: A theoretical examination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/647677v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Lanthanide transport, storage, and beyond: genes and processes contributing to XoxF function in Methylorubrum extorquens AM1 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/647677v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lanthanide elements have been recently recognized as "new life metals" for diverse environmental microorganisms including Gram-negative methylotrophic bacteria and strains of Pseudomonas and Bradyrhizobium. Yet much remains unknown regarding lanthanide acquisition and homeostasis. In Methylorubrum extorquens AM1, the periplasmic lanthanide-dependent methanol dehydrogenase XoxF1 produces formaldehyde, which is lethal if allowed to accumulate. This property enabled a transposon mutagenesis study to expand knowledge of the metabolic network required for methanol oxidation when lanthanides are available. Growth studies were conducted to detail the involvement of novel gene products that impact the ability of XoxF-type enzymes to oxidize methanol to formaldehyde. The identified genes encode an MxaD homolog, an ABC-type transporter, an aminopeptidase, a putative homospermidine synthase, and two genes of unknown function annotated as orf6 and orf7. Lanthanide transport and trafficking genes were also identified. Growth and lanthanide uptake were measured using strains lacking individual lanthanide transport cluster genes and transmission electron microscopy was used to visualize lanthanide localization. We corroborated previous reports that a TonB-ABC transport system is required for lanthanide incorporation to the cytoplasm. However, cells are able to acclimate overtime and bypass the requirement for the TonB outer membrane transporter to allow expression of xoxF1 and growth. Transcriptional reporter fusions show that excess lanthanides repress the gene encoding the TonB-receptor. Using growth studies along with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we demonstrate that lanthanides are stored as cytoplasmic inclusions that resemble polyphosphate granules.

IMPORTANCEThe increasing genetic and biochemical evidence that lanthanide-dependent enzymes are widespread among numerous environmental microbes leads to the parallel questions of how these insoluble metals are scavenged, transported, and used by bacteria. Results herein describe the contribution of the different gene products that constitute the lanthanide utilization and transport machinery in the methylotroph M. extorquens AM1 and highlight possible redundancies by periplasmic components. The discovery and characterization of intracellular lanthanide storage in mineral form by these microbes opens the possibility of using methylotrophic platforms for concentration and recovery of these critical energy metals from diverse sources. In addition, methylotrophs are effective biotechnological platforms for the production of biofuels and bioplastics from pollutants such as methane, and inexpensive carbon feedstocks like methanol. Defining the lanthanide acquisition, transport, and storage machinery is a step forward in designing a sustainable platform to recover lanthanides efficiently.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roszczenko-Jasinska, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vu, H. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subuyuj, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crisostomo, R. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raghuraman, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ayala, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clippard, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lien, N. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ngo, R. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yarza, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoeber, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Gomez, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skovran, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/647677</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Lanthanide transport, storage, and beyond: genes and processes contributing to XoxF function in Methylorubrum extorquens AM1]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/652883v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Locally-adapted Mimulus ecotypes differentially impact rhizosphere bacterial and archaeal communities in an environment-dependent manner 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/652883v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant root-microbe interactions influence plant productivity, health, and resistance to stress. Although there is evidence that plant species and even genotypes can alter soil microbial community structure, environmental conditions can potentially outweigh plant genetic effects. Here, we used a reciprocal transplant experiment to understand the contributions of the environment and the host plant to rhizosphere microbiome composition in locally-adapted ecotypes of Mimulus guttatus (syn. Erythranthe guttata (Fisch. ex DC.) G.L. Nesom). Two genotypes of a coastal ecotype and two genotypes of an inland ecotype were planted at coastal and inland sites. After three months, we collected rhizosphere and bulk soil and assessed microbial communities by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We found that local environment (coastal versus inland site) strongly influenced rhizosphere communities, at least in part due to distinct local microbial species pools. Host identity played a smaller role: at each site, the ecotypes exhibited remarkably similar composition of microbial communities at the class level, indicating that divergent M. guttatus ecotypes recruit phylogenetically similar rhizosphere communities, even in environments to which they are maladapted. Nevertheless, the two ecotypes significantly differed in community composition at the inland site due to an exclusive set of rare taxa associated with each ecotype. Although our results indicate that locally-adapted M. guttatus ecotypes are genetically diverged in factors shaping rhizosphere communities, environmental factors can trump genetic factors in shaping the M. guttatus microbiome. Overall, our findings demonstrate that wild plants strongly impact root-associated microbial communities, but hierarchical drivers interact to shape microbial community assembly outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bowsher, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kearns, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Popovic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/652883</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Locally-adapted Mimulus ecotypes differentially impact rhizosphere bacterial and archaeal communities in an environment-dependent manner]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/653386v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deciphering sex-specific genetic architectures using local Bayesian regressions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/653386v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many complex human traits exhibit differences between sexes. While numerous factors likely contribute to this phenomenon, growing evidence from genome-wide studies suggest a partial explanation: that males and females from the same population possess differing genetic architectures. Despite this, mapping gene-by-sex (GxS) interactions remains a challenge likely because the magnitude of such an interaction is typically and exceedingly small; traditional genome-wide association techniques may be underpowered to detect such events partly due to the burden of multiple test correction. Here, we developed a local Bayesian regression (LBR) method to estimate sex-specific SNP marker effects after fully accounting for local linkage-disequilibrium (LD) patterns. This enabled us to infer sex-specific effects and GxS interactions either at the single SNP level, or by aggregating the effects of multiple SNPs to make inferences at the level of small LD-based regions. Using simulations in which there was imperfect LD between SNPs and causal variants, we showed that aggregating sex-specific marker effects with LBR provides improved power and resolution to detect GxS interactions over traditional single-SNP-based tests. When using LBR to analyze traits from the UK Biobank, we detected a relatively large GxS interaction impacting bone-mineral density within ABO and replicated many previously detected large-magnitude GxS interactions impacting waist-to-hip ratio. We also discovered many new GxS interactions impacting such traits as height and BMI within regions of the genome where both male- and female-specific effects explain a small proportion of phenotypic variance (R2 < 1x10-4), but are enriched in known expression quantitative trait loci. By combining biobank-level data and techniques to estimate sex-specific SNP effects after accounting for local-LD patterns, we are providing evidence that numerous small-magnitude GxS interactions exist to influence sex differences in a variety of complex traits.nnAuthor SummaryMany complex human traits are known to be influenced by an impressive number of causal variants each with very small effects, posing great challenges for genome-wide association studies (GWAS). To add to this challenge, many causal variants may possess context-dependent effects such as effects that are dependent on biological sex. While GWAS are commonly performed using specific methods in which one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at a time is tested for association with a trait, alternatively we utilize methods more commonly observed in the genomic prediction literature. Such methods are advantageous in that they are not burdened by multiple test correction in the same way as traditional GWAS techniques are, and can fully account for linkage-disequilibrium patterns to accurately estimate the true effects of SNP markers. Here we adapt such methods to estimate genetic effects within sexes and provide a powerful means to compare sex-specific genetic effects.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Funkhouser, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steibel, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ernst, C. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-05-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/653386</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deciphering sex-specific genetic architectures using local Bayesian regressions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-05-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/657668v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
NADH dehydrogenases contribute to extracellular electron transfer by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 in bioelectrochemical systems 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/657668v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is quickly becoming a synthetic biology workhorse for bioelectrochemical technologies due to a high level of understanding of its interaction with electrodes. Transmembrane electron transfer via the Mtr pathway has been well characterized, however, the role of NADH dehydrogenases in feeding electrons to Mtr has been only minimally studied in S. oneidensis MR-1. Four NADH dehydrogenases are encoded in the genome, suggesting significant metabolic flexibility in oxidizing NADH under a variety of conditions. Strains containing in-frame deletions of each of these dehydrogenases were grown in anodic bioelectrochemical systems with N-acetylglucosamine or D,L-lactate as the carbon source to determine impact on extracellular electron transfer. A strain lacking the two dehydrogenases essential for aerobic growth exhibited a severe growth defect with an anode (+0.4 VSHE) or Fe(III)-NTA as the terminal electron acceptor. Our study reveals that the same NADH dehydrogenase complexes are utilized under oxic conditions or with a high potential anode. Understanding the role of NADH in extracellular electron transfer may help improve biosensors and give insight into other applications for bioelectrochemical systems.nnTOC GraphicnnO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=119 SRC="FIGDIR/small/657668v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">nView larger version (20K):norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@163db4org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2cf477org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@165cb63org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c0bc5_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Madsen, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/657668</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[NADH dehydrogenases contribute to extracellular electron transfer by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 in bioelectrochemical systems]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/657890v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Benchmarking Transposable Element Annotation Methods for Creation of a Streamlined, Comprehensive Pipeline 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/657890v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sequencing technology and assembly algorithms have matured to the point that high-quality de novo assembly is possible for large, repetitive genomes. Current assemblies traverse transposable elements (TEs) and allow for annotation of TEs. There are numerous methods for each class of elements with unknown relative performance metrics. We benchmarked existing programs based on a curated library of rice TEs. Using the most robust programs, we created a comprehensive pipeline called Extensive de-novo TE Annotator (EDTA) that produces a condensed TE library for annotations of structurally intact and fragmented elements. EDTA is open-source and freely available: https://github.com/oushujun/EDTA.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chougule, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ware, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peterson, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hufford, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/657890</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Benchmarking Transposable Element Annotation Methods for Creation of a Streamlined, Comprehensive Pipeline]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/658823v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A gall-forming insect manipulates hostplant phytohormone synthesis, concentrations, and signaling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/658823v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Withdrawal StatementThe authors have withdrawn this manuscript because data for chemistry and gene expression were collected on different dates at different locations, invalidating results. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. If you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Body, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Appel, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schultz, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/658823</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A gall-forming insect manipulates hostplant phytohormone synthesis, concentrations, and signaling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/660316v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptional profiling of the murine airway response to acute ozone exposure 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/660316v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Exposure to ambient ozone (O3) pollution causes airway inflammation, epithelial injury, and decreased lung function. Long-term exposure is associated with increased mortality and exacerbations of respiratory conditions. While the adverse health effects of O3 exposure have been thoroughly described, less is known about the molecular processes that drive these outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe the cellular and molecular alterations observed in murine airways after exposure to either 1 or 2 ppm O3. After exposing adult, female C57BL/6J mice to filtered air, 1 or 2 ppm O3 for 3 hours, we assessed hallmark responses including airway inflammatory cell counts, epithelial permeability, cytokine secretion, and morphological alterations of the large airways. Further, we performed RNA-seq to profile gene expression in two critical tissues involved in O3 responses: conducting airways (CA) and airway macrophages (AM). We observed a concentration-dependent increase in airway inflammation and injury, and a large number of genes were differentially expressed in both target tissues at both concentrations of O3. Genes that were differentially expressed in CA were generally associated with barrier function, detoxification processes, and cellular proliferation. The differentially expressed genes in AM were associated with innate immune signaling, cytokine production, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Overall, our study has described transcriptional responses to acute O3 exposure, revealing both shared and unique gene expression patterns across multiple concentrations of O3 and in two important O3-responsive tissues. These profiles provide broad mechanistic insight into pulmonary O3 toxicity, and reveal a variety of targets for refined follow-up studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tovar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, G. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkema, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kelada, S. N. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/660316</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptional profiling of the murine airway response to acute ozone exposure]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/661702v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Hippocampal subfields and limbic white matter jointly predict learning rate in older adults 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/661702v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Age-related memory impairments have been linked to differences in structural brain parameters, including cerebral white matter (WM) microstructure and hippocampal (HC) volume, but their combined influences are rarely investigated. In a population-based sample of 337 older participants 61-82 years of age (Mage=69.66, SDage=3.92 years) we modeled the independent and joint effects of limbic WM microstructure and HC subfield volumes on verbal learning. Participants completed a verbal learning task over five learning trials and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including structural and diffusion scans. We segmented three HC subregions on high-resolution MRI data and sampled mean fractional anisotropy (FA) from bilateral limbic WM tracts identified via deterministic fiber tractography. Using structural equation modeling, we evaluated the associations between learning rate and latent factors representing FA sampled from limbic WM tracts, and HC subfield volumes, as well as their latent interaction. Results showed limbic WM and the interaction of HC and WM - but not HC volume alone - predicted verbal learning rates. Model decomposition revealed HC volume is only positively associated with learning rate in individuals with higher levels of WM anisotropy. We conclude that structural characteristics of limbic WM regions and HC volume jointly contribute to verbal learning in older adults.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bender, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandmaier, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Düzel, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keresztes, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pasternak, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lindenberger, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kühn, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/661702</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Hippocampal subfields and limbic white matter jointly predict learning rate in older adults]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/662031v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mice with GNAO1 R209H Movement Disorder Variant Display Hyperlocomotion Alleviated by Risperidone 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/662031v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neurodevelopmental disorder with involuntary movements (NEDIM, OMIM: 617493) is a severe, early onset neurological condition characterized by a delay in psychomotor development, hypotonia, and hyperkinetic involuntary movements. Heterozygous de novo mutations in the GNAO1 gene cause NEDIM. Go, the gene product of GNAO1, is the alpha subunit of Go, a member of the heterotrimeric Gi/o family of G-proteins. Go is found abundantly throughout the brain but the pathophysiological mechanisms linking Go functions to clinical manifestations of GNAO1-related disorders are still poorly understood. One of the most common mutant alleles among the GNAO1 encephalopathies is the c.626G>A or p.Arg209His (R209H) mutation. We developed heterozygous knock-in Gnao1+/R209H mutant mice using CRISPR/Cas9 methodology to assess whether a mouse model could replicate aspects of the NEDIM clinical pattern. Mice carrying the R209H mutation exhibited increased locomotor activity and a modest gait abnormality at 8-12 weeks. In contrast to mice carrying other mutations in Gnao1, the Gnao1+/R209H mice did not show enhanced seizure susceptibility. Levels of protein expression in multiple brain regions were unchanged from WT mice but the nucleotide exchange rate of mutant R209H Go was 9 times faster than WT. The atypical neuroleptic risperidone has shown efficacy in a patient with the R209H mutation. It also alleviated the hyperlocomotion phenotype observed in our mouse model but suppressed locomotion in WT mice as well. In this study, we show that Gnao1+/R209H mice mirror elements of the patient phenotype and respond to an approved pharmacological agent.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Larrivee, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leipprandt, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demireva, E. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/662031</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mice with GNAO1 R209H Movement Disorder Variant Display Hyperlocomotion Alleviated by Risperidone]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/662379v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Intertwined signatures of desiccation and drought tolerance in grasses 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/662379v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Grasses are among the most resilient plants and some can survive prolonged desiccation in semi-arid regions with seasonal rainfall. This vegetative desiccation tolerance has arisen independently multiple times within the grass family, but the genetic elements that differentiate desiccation tolerant and sensitive grasses are largely unknown. Here we leveraged comparative genomic approaches with the resurrection grass Eragrostis nindensis and the closely related desiccation sensitive cereal Eragrostis tef to identify changes underlying desiccation tolerance. We extended the analyses to include the grasses maize, sorghum, rice, and the model desiccation tolerant grass Oropetium thomaeum to identify broader evolutionary conservation and divergence. We identified changes in chromatin architecture and expression dynamics related to desiccation in E. nindensis. It was previously hypothesized that transcriptional re-wiring of seed desiccation pathways confers vegetative desiccation tolerance. We demonstrate that the majority of seed dehydration related genes show similar expression patterns in leaves of desiccation tolerant and sensitive species during dehydration. However, we discovered a small set of orthologs with expression specific to leaves of desiccation tolerant species, and seeds of sensitive species. This supports a nuanced role of seed-related genes where many overlap with typical drought responses but some crucial genes are desiccation specific in resurrection plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pardo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wai, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chay, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madden, C. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hilhorst, H. W. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrant, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/662379</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Intertwined signatures of desiccation and drought tolerance in grasses]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/663005v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TEAD4/YAP1/WWTR1 prevent the premature onset of pluripotency prior to the 16-cell stage 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/663005v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In the mouse embryo, pluripotent cells arise inside the embryo around the 16-cell stage. During these early stages, Sox2 is the only gene whose expression is known to be induced specifically within inside cells as they are established. To understand how pluripotent cells are created, we investigated the mechanisms regulating the initial activation of Sox2 expression. Surprisingly, Sox2 expression initiated normally in the absence of both Nanog and Oct4, highlighting differences between embryo and stem cell models of pluripotency. However, we observed precocious, ectopic expression of Sox2 prior to the 16-cell stage in the absence of Yap1, Wwtr1, and Tead4. Interestingly, the repression of premature Sox2 expression was sensitive to LATS1/2 activity, even though it normally does not limit TEAD4/YAP1/WWTR1 activity during these early stages. Finally, we present evidence for direct transcriptional repression of Sox2 by YAP1/WWTR1/TEAD4. Taken together, our observations reveal that, while embryos are initially competent to express Sox2 as early as the 4-cell stage, transcriptional repression prevents the premature expression of Sox2, thereby restricting the pluripotency program to the stage when inside cells are first created.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ralston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frum, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Watts, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/663005</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TEAD4/YAP1/WWTR1 prevent the premature onset of pluripotency prior to the 16-cell stage]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/667162v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Influence of genetic interactions on polygenic prediction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/667162v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Prediction of phenotypes from genotypes is an important objective to fulfill the promises of genomics, precision medicine and agriculture. Although its now possible to account for the majority of genetic variation through model fitting, prediction of phenotypes remains a challenge, especially across populations that have diverged in the past. In this study, we designed simulation experiments to specifically investigate the role of genetic interactions in failure of polygenic prediction. We found that non-additive genetic interactions can significantly reduce the accuracy of polygenic prediction. Our study demonstrated the importance of considering genetic interactions in genetic prediction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dai, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Long, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/667162</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Influence of genetic interactions on polygenic prediction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/668061v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparative genomic analyses reveal diverse virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in clinical Elizabethkingia meningoseptica strains 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/668061v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Three human clinical isolates of bacteria (designated strains Em1, Em2 and Em3) had high average nucleotide identity (ANI) to Elizabethkingia meningoseptica. Their genome sizes (3.89, 4.04 and 4.04 Mb) were comparable to those of other Elizabethkingia species and strains, and exhibited open pan-genome characteristics, with two strains being nearly identical and the third divergent. These strains were susceptible only to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin amongst 16 antibiotics in minimum inhibitory tests. The resistome exhibited a high diversity of resistance genes, including 5 different lactamase- and 18 efflux protein-encoding genes. Forty-four genes encoding virulence factors were conserved among the strains. Sialic acid transporters and curli synthesis genes were well conserved in E. meningoseptica but absent in E. anophelis and E. miricola. E. meningoseptica carried several genes contributing to biofilm formation. 58 glycoside hydrolases (GH) and 25 putative polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs) were found. The strains carried numerous genes encoding two-component system proteins (56), transcription factor proteins (187~191), and DNA-binding proteins (6~7). Several prophages and CRISPR/Cas elements were uniquely present in the genomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soehnlen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blom, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Terrapon, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henrissat, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/668061</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparative genomic analyses reveal diverse virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in clinical Elizabethkingia meningoseptica strains]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/668681v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Highly Genotype- and Tissue-specific Single-Parent Expression Drives Dynamic Gene Expression Complementation in Maize Hybrids 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/668681v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Maize exhibits tremendous gene expression variation between different lines. Complementation of diverse gene expression patterns in hybrids could play an important role in the manifestation of heterosis. In this study, we used transcriptome data of five different tissues from 33 maize inbreds and 89 hybrids (430 samples in total) to survey the global gene expression landscape of F1-hybrids relative to their inbred parents. Analysis of this data set revealed that single parent expression (SPE), which is defined as gene expression in only one of the two parents, while commonly observed, is highly genotype- and tissue-specific. Genes that have SPE in at least one pair of inbreds also tend to be tissue-specific. Genes with SPE caused by genomic presence/absence variation (PAV SPE) are much more frequently expressed in hybrids than genes that are present in the genome of both inbreds, but expressed in only a single-parent (non-PAV SPE) (74.7% vs. 59.7%). For non-PAV SPE genes, allele specific expression was used to investigate whether parental alleles not expressed in the inbred line ("silent allele") can be actively transcribed in the hybrid. We found that expression of the silent allele in the hybrid is relatively rare ([~]6.3% of non-PAV SPE genes), but is observed in almost all hybrids and tissues. Non-PAV SPE genes with expression of the silent allele in the hybrid are more likely to exhibit above high-parent expression level in the hybrid than those that do not express the silent allele. Finally, both PAV SPE and non-PAV SPE genes are highly enriched for being classified as non-syntenic, but depleted for curated genes with experimentally determined functions. This study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the potential role of non-PAV SPE and PAV SPE genes in heterosis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Della Coletta, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brohammer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipzen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daum, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Leon, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaeppler, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Springer, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/668681</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Highly Genotype- and Tissue-specific Single-Parent Expression Drives Dynamic Gene Expression Complementation in Maize Hybrids]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/671149v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
E2F1 Drives Breast Cancer Metastasis by Regulating the Target Gene FGF13 and Altering Cell Migration 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/671149v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In prior work we demonstrated that loss of E2F transcription factors inhibits metastasis. Here we address the mechanisms for this phenotype and identify the E2F regulated genes that coordinate tumor cell metastasis. Transcriptomic profiling of E2F1 knockout tumors identified a role for E2F1 as a master regulator of a suite of pro-metastatic genes, but also uncovered E2F1 target genes with an unknown role in pulmonary metastasis. High expression of one of these genes, Fgf13, is associated with early human breast cancer metastasis in a clinical dataset. Together these data led to the hypothesis that Fgf13 is critical for breast cancer metastasis, and that upregulation of Fgf13 may partially explain how E2F1 promotes breast cancer metastasis. To test this hypothesis we ablated Fgf13 via CRISPR. Deletion of Fgf13 in a MMTV-PyMT breast cancer cell line reduces the frequency of pulmonary metastasis. In addition, loss of Fgf13 reduced in vitro cell migration, suggesting that Fgf13 may be critical for tumor cells to invade out of and escape the primary tumor. The significance of this work is twofold: we have both uncovered genomic features by which E2F1 regulates metastasis and we have identified new pro-metastatic functions for the E2F1 target gene Fgf13.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hollern, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swiatnicki, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rennhack, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Misek, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matson, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McAuliff, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallo, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caron, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/671149</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[E2F1 Drives Breast Cancer Metastasis by Regulating the Target Gene FGF13 and Altering Cell Migration]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/671206v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Meta-analysis of Gene Expression Microarray Datasets in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/671206v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2014 as the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States (US). The main cause of COPD is exposure to tobacco smoke and air pollutants. Problems associated with COPD include under-diagnosis of the disease and an increase in the number of smokers worldwide. The goal of our study is to identify disease variability in the gene expression profiles of COPD subjects compared to controls. We used pre-existing, publicly available microarray expression datasets to conduct a meta-analysis. Our inclusion criteria for microarray datasets selected for smoking status, age and sex of blood donors reported. Our datasets used Affymetrix, Agilent microarray platforms (7 datasets, 1,262 samples). We re-analyzed the curated raw microarray expression data using R packages, and used Box-Cox power transformations to normalize datasets. To identify significant differentially expressed genes we ran an analysis of variance with a linear model with disease state, age, sex, smoking status and study as effects that also included binary interactions. We found 1,513 statistically significant (Benjamini-Hochberg-adjusted p-value <0.05) differentially expressed genes with respect to disease state (COPD or control). We further filtered these genes for biological effect using results from a Tukey test post-hoc analysis (Benjamini-Hochberg-adjusted p-value <0.05 and 10% two-tailed quantiles of mean differences between COPD and control), to identify 304 genes. Through analysis of disease, sex, age, and also smoking status and disease interactions we identified differentially expressed genes involved in a variety of immune responses and cell processes in COPD. We also trained a logistic regression model using the 304 genes as features, which enabled prediction of disease status with 84% accuracy. Our results give potential for improving the diagnosis of COPD through blood and highlight novel gene expression disease signatures.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rogers, L. R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verlinde, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/671206</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Meta-analysis of Gene Expression Microarray Datasets in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/679894v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Elizabethkingia anophelis response to iron stress: physiologic, genomic, and transcriptomic analyses 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/679894v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Elizabethkingia anophelis bacteria encounter fluxes of iron in the midgut of mosquitoes, where they live as symbionts. They also establish bacteremia with severe clinical manifestations in humans, and live in water service lines in hospitals. In this study, we investigated the global gene expression responses of E. anophelis to iron fluxes in the midgut of female Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes fed sucrose or blood, and in iron-poor or iron-rich culture conditions. Of 3,686 transcripts revealed by RNAseq technology, 218 were upregulated while 112 were down-regulated under iron-poor conditions. Most of these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in functional groups assigned within "biological process," "cell component" and "molecular function" categories. E. anophelis possessed 4 iron/heme acquisition systems. Hemolysin gene expression was significantly repressed when cells were grown under iron-rich or high temperature (37{degrees}C) conditions. Furthermore, hemolysin gene expression was down-regulated after a blood meal, indicating that E. anophelis cells responded to excess iron and its associated physiological stress by limiting iron loading. By contrast, genes encoding respiratory chain proteins were up-regulated under iron-rich conditions, allowing these iron-containing proteins to chelate intracellular free iron. In vivo studies showed that growth of E. anophelis cells increased 3-fold in blood-fed mosquitoes over those in sucrose-fed ones. Deletion of aerobactin synthesis genes led to impaired cell growth in both iron-rich and iron-poor media. Mutants showed more susceptibility to H2O2 toxicity and less biofilm formation than did wild-type cells. Mosquitoes with E. anophelis experimentally colonized in their guts produced more eggs than did those treated with erythromycin or left unmanipulated, as controls. Results reveal that E. anophelis bacteria respond to varying iron concentration in the mosquito gut, harvest iron while fending off iron-associated stress, contribute to lysis of red blood cells, and positively influence mosquito host fecundity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, B. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nelson, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/679894</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Elizabethkingia anophelis response to iron stress: physiologic, genomic, and transcriptomic analyses]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/683169v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Computational analysis of transcriptome signature repurposes low dose trifluoperazine for the treatment of fragile X syndrome in mouse model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/683169v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fragile X syndrome (FXS), caused by mutations in fragile X mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1), is a prevailing genetic disorder of intellectual disability and autism. Currently, there is no efficacious medication for FXS. Here, we use transcriptome landscape as a holistic molecular phenotype/endpoint to identify potential therapeutic intervention. Through in silico screening with public gene signature database, computational analysis of transcriptome profile in Fmr1 knockout (KO) neurons predicts therapeutic value of an FDA-approved drug trifluoperazine. Through experimental validation, we find that systemic administration of low dose trifluoperazine at 0.05 mg/kg attenuates multiple FXS- and autism-related behavioral symptoms. Moreover, computational analysis of transcriptome alteration caused by trifluoperazine suggests a new mechanism of action against PI3K (Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase) activity. Consistently, trifluoperazine suppresses PI3K activity and its down-stream targets Akt (protein kinase B) and S6K1 (S6 kinase 1) in neurons. Further, trifluoperazine normalizes the aberrantly elevated activity of Akt and S6K1 and enhanced protein synthesis in FXS mouse. In conclusion, our data demonstrate promising value of gene signature-based computation in identification of therapeutic strategy and repurposing drugs for neurological disorders, and suggest trifluoperazine as a potential practical treatment for FXS.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ding, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sethna, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, X.-T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miao, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feng, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feng, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/683169</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Computational analysis of transcriptome signature repurposes low dose trifluoperazine for the treatment of fragile X syndrome in mouse model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/683979v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Exogenous Protein as an Environmental Stimuli of Biofilm Formation in Select Bacterial Strains 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/683979v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A screening of environmental conditions that would elicit robust biofilm in a collection of Serratia marcescens isolated from soil revealed that exogenous milk protein increased biofilm productivity up to ten-fold. A select screening of fish pathogens, freshwater and human isolates identified several other species that responded similarly to exogenous protein. The optimal protein concentration was species specific; S. marcescens at 5% milk protein, Aeromonas sp. at 2-3%, Flavobacterium columnare at 1% and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 0.1-0.4%. Media supplemented with milk protein also increased the cell counts in biofilm as well as the protein incorporated into the biofilm matrix. These data suggest that relatively high concentrations of exogenous protein may serve as an environmental trigger for biofilm formation, particularly for pathogenic bacteria exposed to relatively high concentrations of protein in bodily fluids and mucosal surfaces.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ye, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bapu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cavalcante, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kato, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lauria Sneideman, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scribner, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loch, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marsh, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-06-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/683979</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Exogenous Protein as an Environmental Stimuli of Biofilm Formation in Select Bacterial Strains]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-06-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/688200v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Norepinephrine Metabolite DOPEGAL Confers Locus Coeruleus Tau Vulnerability and Propagation via Asparagine Endopeptidase 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/688200v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Aberrant Tau inclusions in the locus coeruleus (LC) are the earliest detectable Alzheimers disease (AD)-like neuropathology in the human brain; however, why LC neurons are selectively vulnerable to developing early Tau pathology and degenerating later in disease and whether the LC might seed the stereotypical spread of Tau pathology to the rest of the brain remain unclear. Here we show that 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycolaldehyde (DOPEGAL), which is produced exclusively in noradrenergic neurons by monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) metabolism of norepinephrine (NE), activates asparagine endopeptidase (AEP) that cleaves Tau at residue N368 into aggregation- and propagation-prone forms, thereby leading to LC degeneration and the spread of Tau pathology. DOPEGAL triggers AEP-cleaved Tau aggregation in vitro and in intact cells, resulting in LC neurotoxicity and propagation of pathology to the forebrain. Thus, our findings reveal a novel molecular mechanism underlying the selective vulnerability of LC neurons in AD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kang, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahn, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manfredsson, F. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, H. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liles, L. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weinshenker, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ye, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/688200</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Norepinephrine Metabolite DOPEGAL Confers Locus Coeruleus Tau Vulnerability and Propagation via Asparagine Endopeptidase]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/688226v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biased neural coding of feature-based attention in human brain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/688226v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Selective attention is a core cognitive function for efficient processing of information. Although it is well known that attention can modulate neural responses in many brain areas, the computational principles underlying attentional modulation remain unclear. Contrary to the prevailing view of a high-dimensional, distributed neural representation, here we show a surprisingly simple, biased neural representation for feature-based attention in a large dataset including five human fMRI studies. We found that when participants selected one feature from a compound stimulus, voxels in many cortical areas responded consistently higher to one attended feature over the other. This univariate bias was robust at the level of single brain areas and consistent across brain areas within individual subjects. Importantly, this univariate bias showed a progressively stronger magnitude along the cortical hierarchy. In frontoparietal areas, the bias was strongest and contributed largely to pattern-based decoding, whereas early visual areas lacked such a bias. These findings suggest a gradual transition from a more analog to a more abstract representation of attentional priority along the cortical hierarchy. Biased neural responses in high-level areas likely reflect a low-dimensional neural code that facilitates robust representation and simple read-out of cognitive variables.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gong, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/688226</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biased neural coding of feature-based attention in human brain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/688531v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Horse gluteus is a null-sarcolipin muscle with enhanced sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium transport 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/688531v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We have analyzed gene transcription, protein expression, and enzymatic activity of the Ca2+-transporting ATPase (SERCA) in horse gluteal muscle. Horses are bred for peak athletic performance but exhibit a high incidence of exertional rhabdomyolysis, with myosolic Ca2+ suggested as a correlative linkage. To assess Ca2+ regulation in horse gluteus, we developed an improved protocol for isolating horse sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles. RNA-seq and immunoblotting determined that the ATP2A1 gene (protein product SERCA1) is the predominant Ca2+-ATPase expressed in horse gluteus, as in rabbit muscle. Gene expression was assessed for four regulatory peptides of SERCA, finding that sarcolipin (SLN) is the predominant regulatory peptide transcript expressed in horse gluteus, as in rabbit muscle. Surprisingly, the RNA transcription ratio of SLN-to-ATP2A1 in horse gluteus is an order of magnitude higher than in rabbit muscle, but conversely, the protein expression ratio of SLN-to-SERCA1 in horse gluteus is an order of magnitude lower than in rabbit. Thus, the SLN gene is not translated to a stable protein in horse gluteus, yet the supra-high level of SLN RNA suggests a non-coding role. Gel-stain analysis revealed that horse SR expresses calsequestrin (CASQ) protein abundantly, with a CASQ-to-SERCA ratio [~]3-fold greater than rabbit SR. The Ca2+ transport rate of horse SR vesicles is [~]2-fold greater than rabbit SR, suggesting horse myocytes have enhanced luminal Ca2+ stores that increase intracellular Ca2+ release and muscular performance. The absence of SLN inhibition of SERCA and the abundant expression of CASQ may potentiate horse muscle contractility and susceptibility to exertional rhabdomyolysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Autry, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Svensson, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carlson, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Espinoza-Fonseca, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/688531</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Horse gluteus is a null-sarcolipin muscle with enhanced sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium transport]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/692293v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High density of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) and habitat quality in the Taboga Forest of Costa Rica 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/692293v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Across the globe, primate species and habitats are threatened by human activity. This is especially true for species found in tropical dry forests, which are widely distributed and comprise diverse habitats that remain largely unprotected. Evidence suggests that some primate species endemic to tropical dry forests may be more sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance than others, but our ability to predict primate abundance in the face of disturbance also depends on the specific variables for each site. Here, we consider the factors that explain the high density of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) found in the Taboga Forest, Costa Rica, a relatively small fragment of tropical dry forest surrounded by agricultural fields. Our analyses suggest that, for capuchins (and potentially for mantled howler monkeys, Alouatta palliata), the size and disturbance of a forest fragment may matter less than the composition and availability of key resources, like above-ground water. Group sightings for both species were higher near permanent water sources, but group sightings did not vary between edge and interior forest. These findings help explain why some primate species can flourish even alongside anthropogenic disturbance and thus carry important implications for conservation efforts. Smaller forest fragments, like Taboga, may be able to support high densities of some species because they provide a mosaic of habitats and key resources that buffer adverse ecological conditions. Future studies will assess the extent to which primates in the Taboga Forest rely on the canals versus the river and will consider how the high density of capuchins in Taboga influences ranging patterns, home range overlap, and the frequency and intensity of intergroup encounters.nnRESEARCH HIGHLIGHTSO_LIHere we introduce a new white-faced capuchin study site in the Taboga Forest, Costa Rica, a fragmented tropical dry forest.nC_LIO_LIForest fragments like Taboga may support high primate densities because they provide a mosaic of habitats and key resources.nC_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tinsley Johnson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benitez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fuentes, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLean, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Norford, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ordonez, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beehner, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bergman, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/692293</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High density of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) and habitat quality in the Taboga Forest of Costa Rica]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/692400v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Variation and inheritance of small RNAs in maize inbreds and F1 hybrids 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/692400v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Small RNAs (sRNAs) regulate gene expression, play important roles in epigenetic pathways, and have been hypothesised to contribute to hybrid vigor in plants. Prior investigations have provided valuable insights into associations between sRNAs and heterosis, often using a single hybrid genotype or tissue. However, our understanding of the role of sRNAs and their potential value to plant breeding are limited by an incomplete picture of sRNA variation between diverse genotypes and development stages. Here, we provide a deep exploration of sRNA variation and inheritance among a panel of 108 maize samples spanning five tissues from eight inbred parents and 12 hybrid genotypes, covering a spectrum of heterotic groups, genetic variation, and levels of heterosis for various traits. We document substantial developmental and genotypic influences on sRNA expression, with varying patterns for 21-nt, 22-nt and 24-nt sRNAs. We provide a detailed view of the distribution of sRNAs in the maize genome, revealing a complex make-up that also shows developmental plasticity, particularly for 22-nt sRNAs. sRNAs exhibited substantially more variation between inbreds as compared to observed variation for gene expression. In hybrids, we identify locus-specific examples of non-additive inheritance, mostly characterised as partial or complete dominance, but rarely outside the parental range. However, the global abundance of 21-nt, 22-nt and 24-nt sRNAs varies very little between inbreds and hybrids, suggesting that hybridization affects sRNA expression principally at specific loci rather than on a global scale. This study provides a valuable resource for understanding the potential role of sRNAs in hybrid vigor.nnOne-sentence summaryCharacterizing the roles of development and genotype in driving expression variation of different small RNA populations in maize inbreds and their F1 hybrids.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Crisp, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammond, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipzen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daum, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Leon, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaeppler, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyers, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Springer, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/692400</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Variation and inheritance of small RNAs in maize inbreds and F1 hybrids]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/693408v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Responses of Neurons in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla (RVLM) of Conscious Felines to Anticipated and Passive Movements 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/693408v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Considerable evidence demonstrates that the vestibular system contributes to regulating sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure. Initial studies in decerebrate animals showed that presumed pre-sympathetic neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) respond to small-amplitude (<10{degrees}) rotations of the body, as in other brain areas that process vestibular signals, despite the fact that such movements do not appreciably affect blood distribution in the body. However, a subsequent experiment in conscious animals showed that few RVLM neurons respond to small-amplitude movements. This study tested the hypothesis that vestibular inputs to RVLM neurons are modulated in conscious animals, such that vestibulosympathetic responses are only elicited when changes in body position are large enough to require changes in sympathetic nerve activity. The activity of approximately a third of RVLM neurons whose firing rate was related to the cardiac cycle, and thus likely received baroreceptor inputs, responded to vestibular inputs elicited by 40{degrees} head-up tilts in conscious cats, but not during 10{degrees} sinusoidal rotations in the pitch plane that affected the activity of neurons in brain regions providing inputs to the RVLM. These data suggest the existence of brain circuitry that suppresses vestibular influences on the activity of RVLM neurons and the sympathetic nervous system unless these inputs are physiologically warranted. We also determined that RVLM activity is not altered prior to tilts when a light cue is provided signaling the movement. The simplest interpretation of this findings is that feedforward cardiovascular responses are associated with active movement such as occurs during exercise, but not passive movements that require cardiovascular adjustments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Miller, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joshi, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kambouroglos, E. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Engstrom, I. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bielanin, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wittman, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCall, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barman, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yates, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/693408</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Responses of Neurons in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla (RVLM) of Conscious Felines to Anticipated and Passive Movements]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/694646v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Visualizing the periodic Ribo-seq reads with RiboPlotR 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/694646v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundRibo-seq has revolutionized the study of mRNA translation in a genome-wide scale. High-quality Ribo-seq data display strong 3-nucleotide (nt) periodicity, which corresponds to translating ribosomes decipher three nucleotides each time. While the 3-nt periodicity has been widely used to study novel translation events and identify small open reading frames on presumed non-coding RNAs, tools which allow the visualization of those events remain underdeveloped.nnFindingsRiboPlotR is a visualization package written in R that presents both RNA-seq coverage and Ribo-seq reads for all annotated transcript isoforms in a context of a given gene. In particular, RiboPlotR plots Ribo-seq reads mapped in three reading frames using three colors for one isoform model at a time. Moreover, RiboPlotR shows Ribo-seq reads on upstream ORFs, 5 and 3 untranslated regions and introns, which is critical for observing new translation events and potential regulatory mechanisms.nnConclusionsRiboPlotR is freely available (https://github.com/hsinyenwu/RiboPlotR) and allows the visualization of the translating features in Ribo-seq data.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, H.-Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/694646</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Visualizing the periodic Ribo-seq reads with RiboPlotR]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/695767v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Historical contingency in the evolution of antibiotic resistance after decades of relaxed selection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/695767v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Populations often encounter changed environments that remove selection for the maintenance of particular phenotypic traits. The resulting genetic decay of those traits under relaxed selection reduces an organisms fitness in its prior environment. However, whether and how such decay alters the subsequent evolvability of a population upon restoration of selection for a previously diminished trait is not well understood. We addressed this question using Escherichia coli strains from the long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) that independently evolved for multiple decades in the absence of antibiotics. We first confirmed that these derived strains are typically more sensitive to various antibiotics than their common ancestor. We then subjected the ancestral and derived strains to various concentrations of these drugs to examine their potential to evolve increased resistance. We found that evolvability was idiosyncratic with respect to initial genotype; that is, the derived strains did not generally compensate for their greater susceptibility by "catching up" to the resistance level of the ancestor. Instead, the capacity to evolve increased resistance was constrained in some backgrounds, implying that evolvability depended upon prior mutations in a historically contingent fashion. We further subjected a time-series of clones from one LTEE population to tetracycline and determined that an evolutionary constraint arose early in that population, corroborating the role of contingency. In summary, relaxed selection not only can drive populations to increased antibiotic susceptibility, but it can also affect the subsequent evolvability of antibiotic resistance in an unpredictable manner. This conclusion has potential implications for public health, and it underscores the need to consider the genetic context of pathogens when designing drug-treatment strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Card, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaBar, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gomez, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/695767</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Historical contingency in the evolution of antibiotic resistance after decades of relaxed selection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/696666v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Non-rainfall moisture: a key driver of carbon flux from standing litter in arid, semiarid, and mesic grasslands 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/696666v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Models assume that rainfall is the major source of moisture driving decomposition. Non-rainfall moisture (NRM: high humidity, dew, and fog) can also induce standing litter decomposition, but there have been few standard measurements of NRM-mediated decompositions across sites, and no efforts to extrapolate the contribution of NRM to larger scales to assess whether this mechanism can improve model predictions. Here we show that NRM is an important, year-round source of moisture in grassland sites with contrasting moisture regimes using field measurements and modeling. We first characterized NRM frequency and measured NRM-mediated decomposition in sites on the extreme dry and wet end of grassland systems: at two sites in the Namib Desert, Namibia (hyperarid desert) and at one site in Iowa, USA (tallgrass prairie). NRM was frequent at all sites (85-99% of hours that litter was likely to be wet were attributed to NRM) and tended to occur in cool, high-humidity periods for several hours or more at a time. NRM also caused respiration of standing litter at all sites when litter became sufficiently wet (>5% for fine litter and >13% for coarse), and contributed to mass loss, even in the Namib West site that had almost no rain. When we modeled annual mass loss induced by NRM and rain, and extrapolated our characterization of NRM decomposition to a final site with intermediate rainfall (Sevilleta, New Mexico, semiarid grassland), we found that models driven by rainfall alone underestimated mass loss, while including NRM produced estimates within the range of observed mass loss. Together these findings suggest that NRM is an important missing component in quantitative and conceptual models of litter decomposition, but there is nuance involved in modeling NRM at larger scales. Specifically, temperature and physical features of the substrate emerge as factors that affect the common microbial response to litter wetting under NRM across grasslands sites, and require further study. Hourly humidity can provide an adequate proxy of NRM frequency, but site-specific calibration with litter wetness is needed to accurately attribute decomposition to periods when NRM wets litter. Greater recognition of NRM-driven decomposition and its interaction with other processes (e.g. photodegradation) is needed, especially since fog, dew, and humidity are likely to shift under future climates.nnManuscript highlightsO_LINon-rainfall moisture (NRM; humidity, fog, dew) induces decomposition in grasslandsnC_LIO_LINRM decomposition depends on substrate type, and occurs at colder times than rainnC_LIO_LIIncluding NRM (instead of rain alone) improved predictions of litter decompositionnC_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Evans, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Todd-Brown, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobson, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/696666</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Non-rainfall moisture: a key driver of carbon flux from standing litter in arid, semiarid, and mesic grasslands]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/699892v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Tuberous Sclerosis gene, Tsc1, represses parvalbumin+/fast-spiking properties in somatostatin-lineage cortical interneurons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/699892v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Medial ganglionic eminence (MGE)-derived somatostatin (SST)+ and parvalbumin (PV)+ cortical interneurons (CINs), have characteristic molecular, anatomical and physiological properties. However, mechanisms regulating their diversity remain poorly understood. Here, we show that conditional loss of the Tuberous Sclerosis (TS) gene, Tsc1, which inhibits mammalian target of rapamycin (MTOR), causes a subset of SST+ CINs, to express PV and adopt fast-spiking (FS) properties, characteristic of PV+ CINs. These changes also occur when only one allele of Tsc1 is deleted, making these findings relevant to individuals with TS. Notably, treatment with rapamycin, which inhibits MTOR, reverses these changes in adult mice. These data reveal novel functions of MTOR signaling in regulating PV expression and FS properties, which may contribute to some neuropsychiatric symptoms observed in TS. Moreover, they suggest that CINs can exhibit properties intermediate between those classically associated with PV+ or SST+ CINs, which may be dynamically regulated by the MTOR signaling.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Malik, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pai, E. L.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rubin, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angara, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Minasi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rubenstein, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sohal, V. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/699892</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Tuberous Sclerosis gene, Tsc1, represses parvalbumin+/fast-spiking properties in somatostatin-lineage cortical interneurons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/699942v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High levels of endemism and local differentiation in the fungal and algal symbionts of saxicolous lecideoid lichens along a latitudinal gradient in southern South America 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/699942v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Saxicolous, lecideoid lichenized-fungi have a cosmopolitan distribution but, being mostly cold adapted, are especially abundant in polar and high-mountain regions. To date, little is known of their origin or the extent of their trans-equatorial dispersal. Several mycobiont genera and species are thought to be restricted to either the northern or southern hemisphere, whereas others are thought to be widely distributed and occur in both hemispheres. However, these assumptions often rely on morphological analyses and lack supporting molecular genetic data. Also unknown is the extent of regional differentiation in the southern Polar Regions.nnAn extensive set of lecideoid lichens (185) was collected along a latitudinal gradient at the southern end of South America, always staying in areas of subantarctic climate by increasing the elevation of the collecting sites with decreasing latitude. The investigated specimens were brought into a global context by including Antarctic and cosmopolitan sequences from other studies. For each symbiont three markers were used to identify intraspecific variation (mycobiont: ITS, mtSSU, RPB1; photobiont: ITS, psbJ-L, COX2). For the mycobiont the saxicolous genera Lecidea, Porpidia, Poeltidea and Lecidella and their photobionts Asterochloris and Trebouxia were phylogenetically revised. The results show for several globally distributed species groups geographically highly differentiated subclades, classified as operational taxonomical units (OTUs), which were assigned to the different regions of southern South America (sSA). Further, for sSA, several small endemic and well supported clades were detected at the species level for both symbionts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ruprecht, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandez Mendoza, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tuerk, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fryday, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/699942</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High levels of endemism and local differentiation in the fungal and algal symbionts of saxicolous lecideoid lichens along a latitudinal gradient in southern South America]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/700294v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanism of processive telomerase catalysis revealed by high-resolution optical tweezers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/700294v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Telomere maintenance by telomerase is essential for continuous proliferation of human cells and is vital for the survival of stem cells and 90% of cancer cells. To compensate for telomeric DNA lost during DNA replication, telomerase processively adds GGTTAG repeats to chromosome ends by copying the template region within its RNA subunit. Between repeat additions, the RNA template must be recycled. How telomerase remains associated with substrate DNA during this critical translocation step remains unknown. Using a newly developed single-molecule telomerase activity assay utilizing high-resolution optical tweezers, we demonstrate that stable substrate DNA binding at an anchor site within telomerase facilitates the processive synthesis of telomeric repeats. After release of multiple telomeric repeats from telomerase, we observed folding of product DNA into G-quadruplex structures. Our results provide detailed mechanistic insights into telomerase catalysis, a process of critical importance in aging and cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Patrick, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Slivka, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Payne, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Comstock, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/700294</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanism of processive telomerase catalysis revealed by high-resolution optical tweezers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/701706v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic rescue without genomic swamping in wild populations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/701706v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Gene flow is an enigmatic evolutionary force because it can limit adaptation but can also help populations escape inbreeding depression. Manipulating gene flow for conservation purposes is a controversial, but potentially powerful management strategy. We use multigenerational pedigrees and genomics to test demographic and evolutionary consequences of manipulating gene flow in two isolated wild Trinidadian guppy populations. We found that on average, hybrids lived longer and reproduced more. Despite overall genome-wide homogenization, alleles potentially associated with local adaptation were not entirely swamped by gene flow. Our results suggest that combining new genomic variation from immigrants with potentially adaptive variation from the recipient population resulted in highly fit hybrids and subsequent increases in population size. Contrary to the prevailing view that gene flow constrains adaptation, our study shows that immigration can produce long-term fitness benefits in small populations without swamping locally adaptive variation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kremer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salerno, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angeloni, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Funk, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/701706</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic rescue without genomic swamping in wild populations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/702068v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Microarray Gene Expression DatasetRe-Analysis Reveals Variability in InfluenzaInfection and Vaccination. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/702068v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Influenza, a communicable disease, affects thousands of people worldwide. Young children, elderly, immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women are at higher risk for being infected by the influenza virus. Our study aims to highlight differentially expressed genes in influenza disease compared to influenza vaccination. We also investigate genetic variation due to the age and sex of samples. To accomplish our goals, we conducted a meta-analysis using publicly available microarray expression data. Our inclusion criteria included subjects with influenza, subjects who received the influenza vaccine and healthy controls. We curated 18 microarray datasets for a total of 3,481 samples (1,277 controls, 297 influenza infection, 1,907 influenza vaccination). We pre-processed the raw microarray expression data in R using packages available to pre-process Affymetrix and Illumina microarray platforms. We used a Box-Cox power transformation of the data prior to our down-stream analysis to identify differentially expressed genes. Statistical analyses were based on linear mixed effects model with all study factors and successive likelihood ratio tests (LRT) to identify differentially-expressed genes. We filtered LRT results by disease (Bonferroni adjusted p-value < 0.05) and used a two-tailed 10% quantile cutoff to identify biologically significant genes. Furthermore, we assessed age and sex effects on the disease genes by filtering for genes with a statistically significant (Bonferroni adjusted p-value < 0.05) interaction between disease and age, and disease and sex. We identified 4,889 statistically significant genes when we filtered the LRT results by disease factor, and gene enrichment analysis (gene ontology and pathways) included innate immune response, viral process, defense response to virus, Hematopoietic cell lineage and NF-kappa B signaling pathway. Our quantile filtered gene lists comprised of 978 genes each associated with influenza infection and vaccination. We also identified 907 and 48 genes with statistically significant (Bonferroni adjusted p-value < 0.05) disease-age and disease-sex interactions respectively. Our meta-analysis approach highlights key gene signatures and their associated pathways for both influenza infection and vaccination. We also were able to identify genes with an age and sex effect. This gives potential for improving current vaccines and exploring genes that are expressed equally across ages when considering universal vaccinations for influenza.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rogers, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/702068</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Microarray Gene Expression DatasetRe-Analysis Reveals Variability in InfluenzaInfection and Vaccination.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/704288v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A binning tool to reconstruct viral haplotypes from assembled contigs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/704288v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationInfections by RNA viruses such as Influenza, HIV still pose a serious threat to human health despite extensive research on viral diseases. One challenge for producing effective prevention and treatment strategies is high intra-species genetic diversity. As different strains may have different biological properties, characterizing the genetic diversity is thus important to vaccine and drug design. Next-generation sequencing technology enables comprehensive characterization of both known and novel strains and has been widely adopted for sequencing viral populations. However, genome-scale reconstruction of haplotypes is still a challenging problem. In particular, haplotype assembly programs often produce contigs rather than full genomes. As a mutation in one gene can mask the phenotypic effects of a mutation at another locus, clustering these contigs into genome-scale haplotypes is still needed.nnResultsWe developed a contig binning tool, VirBin, which clusters contigs into different groups so that each group represents a haplotype. Commonly used features based on sequence composition and contig coverage cannot effectively distinguish viral haplotypes because of their high sequence similarity and heterogeneous sequencing coverage for RNA viruses. VirBin applied prototype-based clustering to cluster regions that are more likely to contain mutations specific to a haplotype. The tool was tested on multiple simulated sequencing data with different haplotype abundance distributions and contig sizes, and also on mock quasispecies sequencing data. The benchmark results with other contig binning tools demonstrated the superior sensitivity and precision of VirBin in contig binning for viral haplotype reconstruction.nnAvailabilityhttps://github.com/chjiao/VirBinnnContactyannisun@cityu.edu.hk
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/704288</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A binning tool to reconstruct viral haplotypes from assembled contigs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/706770v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rapid leaf trait response to growing-season meteorology in Vitis: Implications for leaf physiognomic paleoclimate reconstructions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/706770v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PREMISE OF THE STUDYThe size and shape (physiognomy) of woody, dicotyledonous angiosperm leaves are correlated with climate and these relationships have been used to develop. proxies. These proxies assume that leaf morphology plastically responds to meteorological conditions and that leaf traits change isometrically through development.nnMETHODSWe used Digital Leaf Physiognomy (DiLP) to measure leaf characters of multiple Vitis species from the USDA Germplasm Repository in Geneva, NY from the 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 growing seasons. These growing seasons had different temperature and precipitation.nnKEY RESULTSWe found three primary results: (1) there were predictable significant differences in leaf characters in leaves of different developmental stages along the vine, (2) there were significant differences in leaf characters in leaves of the same developmental stage between the growing seasons, and (3) there were significant differences in leaf characters between growing seasons.nnCONCLUSIONSWe found that Vitis leaf shape had the strongest relationship with growing season meteorological conditions in taxa growing in their native range. In addition, leaves have variable phenotypic plasticity along the vine. We interpret that the meteorological signal was strongest in those leaves that have completed allometric expansion. This is significant for leaf physiognomic-paleoclimate proxies because these leaves are most likely to be preserved in leaf litter and reflect the type of leaves included in paleoclimate reconstructions. We found that leaf development does have the potential to be a confounding factor, but it is unlikely to exert a significant influence on analysis due to differential preservation potential.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Baumgartner, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Donahoo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peppe, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/706770</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rapid leaf trait response to growing-season meteorology in Vitis: Implications for leaf physiognomic paleoclimate reconstructions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/708578v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
How well do crop models predict phenology, with emphasis on the effect of calibration? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/708578v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Predicting phenology is essential for adapting varieties to different environmental conditions and for crop management. Therefore, it is important to evaluate how well different crop modeling groups can predict phenology. Multiple evaluation studies have been previously published, but it is still difficult to generalize the findings from such studies since they often test some specific aspect of extrapolation to new conditions, or do not test on data that is truly independent of the data used for calibration. In this study, we analyzed the prediction of wheat phenology in Northern France under observed weather and current management, which is a problem of practical importance for wheat management. The results of 27 modeling groups are evaluated, where modeling group encompasses model structure, i.e. the model equations, the calibration method and the values of those parameters not affected by calibration. The data for calibration and evaluation are sampled from the same target population, thus extrapolation is limited. The calibration and evaluation data have neither year nor site in common, to guarantee rigorous evaluation of prediction for new weather and sites. The best modeling groups, and also the mean and median of the simulations, have a mean absolute error (MAE) of about 3 days, which is comparable to the measurement error. Almost all models do better than using average number of days or average sum of degree days to predict phenology. On the other hand, there are important differences between modeling groups, due to model structural differences and to differences between groups using the same model structure, which emphasizes that model structure alone does not completely determine prediction accuracy. In addition to providing information for our specific environments and varieties, these results are a useful contribution to a knowledge base of how well modeling groups can predict phenology, when provided with calibration data from the target population.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wallach, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palosuo, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorburn, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seidel, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gourdain, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Asseng, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basso, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buis, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crout, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dibari, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dumont, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferrise, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaiser, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gayler, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghahramani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hochman, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoogenboom, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jabloun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jing, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Justes, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kersebaum, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klosterhalfen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Launay, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maestrini, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mielenz, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moriondo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nariman Zadeh, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olesen, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poyda, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Priesack, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pullens, J. W. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Budong, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schuetze, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shelia, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Souissi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Specka, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srivastava, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stella, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Streck, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trombi, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallor</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/708578</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[How well do crop models predict phenology, with emphasis on the effect of calibration?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/708941v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PyIOmica: Longitudinal Omics Analysis and Classification 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/708941v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
SummaryPyIOmica is an open-source Python package focusing on integrating longitudinal multiple omics datasets, characterizing, and classifying temporal trends. The package includes multiple bioinformatics tools including data normalization, annotation, classification, visualization, and enrichment analysis for gene ontology terms and pathways. Additionally, the package includes an implementation of visibility graphs to visualize time series as networks.nnAvailability and implementationPyIOmica is implemented as a Python package (pyiomica), available for download and installation through the Python Package Index (PyPI) (https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pyiomica), and can be deployed using the Python import function following installation. PyIOmica has been tested on Mac OS X, Unix/Linux and Microsoft Windows. The application is distributed under an MIT license. Source code for each release is also available for download on Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3342612).nnContactgmias@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Domanskyi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/708941</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PyIOmica: Longitudinal Omics Analysis and Classification]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/712257v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Drug target discovery via network modeling: a mathematical model of the E. coli folate network response to trimethoprim 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/712257v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The antibiotic trimethoprim targets the bacterial dihydrofolate reductase enzyme and subsequently affects the entire folate network. We present an expanded mathematical model of trimethoprims action on the Escherichia coli folate network that greatly improves upon Kwon et al. (2008). The improvement upon the Kwon Model lends greater insight into the effects of trimethoprim at higher resolution and accuracy. More importantly, the presented mathematical model enables drug target discovery in a way the earlier model could not. Using the improved mathematical model as a scaffold, we use parameter optimization to search for new drug targets that replicate the effect of trimethoprim. We present the model and model-scaffold strategy as an efficient route for drug target discovery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jalli, I. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contreras, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilmot, C.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nijhout, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/712257</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Drug target discovery via network modeling: a mathematical model of the E. coli folate network response to trimethoprim]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/714352v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dietary vs non-dietary fatty acid profiles of lake trout morphs from Lake Superior and Great Bear Lake: Are fish really what they eat? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/714352v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fatty acids are well-established biomarkers used to characterize trophic ecology, food-web linkages, and the ecological niche of many different taxa. Most often, fatty acids that are examined include only those previously identified as "dietary" or "extended dietary" biomarkers. Fatty acids considered as non-dietary biomarkers, however, represent numerous fatty acids that can be extracted. Some studies may include non-dietary fatty acids (i.e., combined with dietary fatty acids), but do not specifically assess them, whereas in other studies, these data are discarded. In this study, we explored whether non-dietary biomarkers fatty acids can provide worthwhile information by assessing their ability to discriminate intraspecific diversity within and between lakes. Non-dietary fatty acids used as biomarkers delineated variation among regions, among locations within a lake, and among ecotypes within a species. Physiological differences that arise from differences in energy processing can be adaptive and linked to habitat use by a species ecotypes, and likely explains why non-dietary fatty acids biomarkers can be a relevant tool to delineate intraspecific diversity. Little is known about the non-dietary-mediated differences in fatty acid composition, but our results showed that non-dietary fatty acids biomarkers can be useful tool in identifying variation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chavarie, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoffmann, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muir, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krueger, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bronte, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howland, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallagher, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sitar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hansen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vinson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loseto, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tonn, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swanson, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/714352</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dietary vs non-dietary fatty acid profiles of lake trout morphs from Lake Superior and Great Bear Lake: Are fish really what they eat?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/716597v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Withdraw of prophylactic antimicrobials does not change the pigs’ resistome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/716597v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The use of antimicrobials in the animal industry has increased the prevalence of antimicrobial resistant commensal bacteria in food products derived from animals, which could be associated with antimicrobial resistance in human pathogens. To reduce the influx of antibiotic resistant bacteria (and genes) to the human microbiota, restrictions on antimicrobials (in food animals) have been implemented in different countries. We investigated the impact of antimicrobial restriction in the frequency of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in pigs. No differences in antimicrobial resistance or antimicrobial resistance genes (richness or abundance) was found when we compared animals fed with and without antibiotics. Fitness costs of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria (in the field) seems to be overestimated.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Trueba, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torres, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loayza, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-07-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/716597</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Withdraw of prophylactic antimicrobials does not change the pigs’ resistome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-07-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/721423v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Supervised-learning is an accurate method for network-based gene classification 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/721423v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundAssigning every human gene to specific functions, diseases, and traits is a grand challenge in modern genetics. Key to addressing this challenge are computational methods such as supervised-learning and label-propagation that can leverage molecular interaction networks to predict gene attributes. In spite of being a popular machine learning technique across fields, supervised-learning has been applied only in a few network-based studies for predicting pathway-, phenotype-, or disease-associated genes. It is unknown how supervised-learning broadly performs across different networks and diverse gene classification tasks, and how it compares to label-propagation, the widely-benchmarked canonical approach for this problem.nnResultsIn this study, we present a comprehensive benchmarking of supervised-learning for network-based gene classification, evaluating this approach and a state-of-the-art label-propagation technique on hundreds of diverse prediction tasks and multiple networks using stringent evaluation schemes. We demonstrate that supervised-learning on a genes full network connectivity outperforms label-propagation and achieves high prediction accuracy by efficiently capturing local network properties, rivaling label-propagations appeal for naturally using network topology. We further show that supervised-learning on the full network is also superior to learning on node-embeddings (derived using node2vec), an increasingly popular approach for concisely representing network connectivity.nnConclusionThese results show that supervised-learning is an accurate approach for prioritizing genes associated with diverse functions, diseases, and traits and should be considered a staple of network-based gene classification workflows. The datasets and the code used to reproduce the results and add new gene classification methods have been made freely available.nnContactarjun@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mancuso, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yannakopoulos, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/721423</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Supervised-learning is an accurate method for network-based gene classification]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/721597v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A carbonic anhydrase pseudogene sensitizes select Brucella lineages to low CO2 partial pressure 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/721597v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Brucella are intracellular pathogens that cause a disease known as brucellosis. Though the genus is highly monomorphic at the genetic level, species have animal host preferences and some defining physiologic characteristics. Of note is the requirement for increased CO2 tension to cultivate particular species, which confounded early efforts to isolate B. abortus from diseased cattle. Differences in the capacity of Brucella species to assimilate CO2 are determined by mutations in the carbonic anhydrase gene, bcaA. Ancestral single nucleotide insertions in bcaA have resulted in frameshifted pseudogenes in B. abortus and B. ovis lineages, which underlie their inability to grow under the low CO2 tension of a standard atmosphere. Incubation of wild-type B. ovis in air selects for mutations that "rescue" a functional bcaA reading frame, which enables growth under low CO2 and enhances growth rate in high CO2. Consistent with this result, we show that heterologous expression of functional E. coli carbonic anhydrases enables B. ovis growth in air. Growth of wild-type B. ovis is acutely sensitive to a reduction in CO2 tension, while frame-rescued B. ovis mutants are completely insensitive to CO2 shifts. Wild-type B. ovis initiates a gene expression program upon CO2 downshift that resembles the stringent response and results in activation of its virB type IV secretion system. Our study provides evidence that loss-of-function insertion mutations in bcaA sensitize the response of B. ovis and B. abortus to reduced CO2 tension relative to other Brucella lineages. CO2-dependent starvation and virulence gene expression programs in these species may influence persistence or transmission in natural hosts.nnImportanceBrucella spp. are highly related, but exhibit differences in animal host preference that must be determined by genome sequence differences. B. ovis and the majority of B. abortus strains require increased CO2 tension to be cultivated in vitro, and harbor conserved insertional mutations in the carbonic anhydrase, bcaA, which underlie this trait. Mutants that grow in a standard atmosphere, first reported nearly a century ago, are easily selected in the laboratory. These mutants harbor varied indel polymorphisms in bcaA that restore its consensus reading frame and rescue its function. Loss of bcaA function has evolved independently in the B. ovis and B. abortus lineages, and results in a dramatically increased sensitivity to CO2 limitation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Varesio, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willet, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/721597</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A carbonic anhydrase pseudogene sensitizes select Brucella lineages to low CO2 partial pressure]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/722736v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
LTR_FINDER_parallel: parallelization of LTR_FINDER enabling rapid identification of long terminal repeat retrotransposons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/722736v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
SummaryAnnotation of plant genomes is still a challenging task due to the abundance of repetitive sequences, especially long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons. LTR_FINDER is a widely used program for identification of LTR retrotransposons but its application on large genomes is hindered by its single threaded processes. Here we report an accessory program that allows parallel operation of LTR_FINDER, resulting up to 8,500X faster identification of LTR elements. It takes only 72 minutes to process the 14.5 Gb bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) genome in comparison to 1.16 years required by the original sequential version.nnAvailabilityLTR_FINDER_parallel is freely available at https://github.com/oushujun/LTR_FINDER_parallel.nnContactjiangn@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/722736</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[LTR_FINDER_parallel: parallelization of LTR_FINDER enabling rapid identification of long terminal repeat retrotransposons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/724674v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Computational mapping of the differentially expressed gene-lncRNA pairs present at the root nodule developmental stages of Arachis hypogaea 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/724674v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data analysis of the different stages of root nodules formation in peanut Arachis hypogaea investigate the genetic features. Genes related to the root nodules formations in this plant are extensively studied [1] [2] [3] [4] [5], but less information is present for their relations with long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Bioinformatics techniques are utilised here to identify the novel lncRNAs present in the publically available RNA-seq data reported [6] for the different stages of root nodules formation in this plant. Highly correlated, significant, and Differentially Expressed (DE) gene-lncRNA pairs are also detected to understand the epigenetic control of lncRNA. These pairs are further differentiated between cis and trans antisense lncRNAs and lincRNAs based on their functions and positions from the genes. Obtained results are the catalogue for the highly correlated and significant DE gene-lncRNA pairs related to root nodules formation in A. hypogaea.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rizvi, A. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dhusia, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/724674</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Computational mapping of the differentially expressed gene-lncRNA pairs present at the root nodule developmental stages of Arachis hypogaea]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/727461v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cross-continental biogeography of the common bean rhizosphere microbiome reveals a persistent core membership 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/727461v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The full potential of managing microbial communities to support plant health is yet-unrealized, in part because it remains difficult to ascertain which members are most important for the plant. However, microbes that consistently associate with a plant species across varied field conditions and over plant development likely engage with the host or host environment. Here, we applied abundance-occupancy concepts from macroecology to quantify the core membership of bacterial/archaeal and fungal communities in the rhizosphere of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Our study investigated the microbiome membership that persisted over multiple dimensions important for plant agriculture, including major growing regions, plant development, annual plantings, and divergent genotypes, and also included re-analysis of public data. We found 48 core bacterial taxa that were consistently detected in all samples, inclusive of all datasets and dimensions. This suggests reliable enrichment of these taxa to the plant environment and time-independence of their association with the plant. More generally, this work provides a robust approach for systematically prioritizing core microbiome memberships in any host or system.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stopnisek, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/727461</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cross-continental biogeography of the common bean rhizosphere microbiome reveals a persistent core membership]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/727669v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of conserved noncoding sequences in Arabidopsis thaliana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/727669v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recent pangenome studies have revealed a large fraction of the gene content within a species exhibits presence-absence variation (PAV). However, coding regions alone provide an incomplete assessment of functional genomic sequence variation at the species level. Little to no attention has been paid to noncoding regulatory regions in pangenome studies, though these sequences directly modulate gene expression and phenotype. To uncover regulatory genetic variation, we generated chromosome-scale genome assemblies for thirty Arabidopsis thaliana accessions from multiple distinct habitats and characterized species level variation in Conserved Noncoding Sequences (CNS). Our analyses uncovered not only evidence for PAV and positional variation (PosV) but that diversity in CNS is non-random, with variants shared across different accessions. Using evolutionary analyses and chromatin accessibility data, we provide further evidence supporting roles for conserved and variable CNS in gene regulation. Characterizing species-level diversity in all functional genomic sequences may later uncover previously unknown mechanistic links between genotype and phenotype.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmitz, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Freeling, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/727669</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of conserved noncoding sequences in Arabidopsis thaliana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/729053v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Feedback control of a two-component signaling system by a 4Fe-4S-binding receiver domain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/729053v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Two-component signaling systems (TCSs) function to detect environmental cues and transduce this information into a change in transcription. In its simplest form, TCS-dependent regulation of transcription entails phosphoryl-transfer from a sensory histidine kinase to its cognate DNA-binding receiver protein. However, in certain cases, auxiliary proteins may modulate TCSs in response to secondary environmental cues. Caulobacter crescentus FixT is one such auxiliary regulator. FixT is composed of a single receiver domain and functions as a feedback inhibitor of the FixL-FixJ (FixLJ) TCS, which regulates the transcription of genes involved in adaptation to microaerobiosis. We sought to define the impact of fixT on Caulobacter cell physiology and to understand the molecular mechanism by which FixT represses FixLJ signaling. fixT deletion results in excess production of porphyrins and premature entry into stationary phase, demonstrating the importance of feedback inhibition of the FixLJ signaling system. Although FixT is a receiver domain, it does not affect dephosphorylation of the oxygen-sensor kinase FixL or phosphoryltransfer from FixL to its cognate receiver FixJ. Rather, FixT represses FixLJ signaling by inhibiting the FixL autophosphorylation reaction. We have further identified a 4-cysteine motif in Caulobacter FixT that binds an Fe-S cluster and protects the protein from degradation by the Lon protease. Our data support a model in which oxidation of this Fe-S cluster promotes degradation of FixT in vivo. This proteolytic mechanism facilitates clearance the of the FixT feedback inhibitor from the cell under normoxia and resets the FixLJ system for a future microaerobic signaling event.

ImportanceTwo-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) are broadly conserved in the bacterial kingdom and generally contain two molecular components: a sensor histidine kinase and a receiver protein. Sensor histidine kinases alter their phosphorylation state in direct response to a physical or chemical cue, whereas receiver proteins "receive" the phosphoryl group from the kinase to regulate a change in cell physiology. We have discovered that a single-domain receiver protein, FixT, binds an Fe-S cluster and controls Caulobacter heme homeostasis though its function as a negative feedback regulator of the oxygen-sensor kinase, FixL. We provide evidence that the Fe-S cluster protects FixT from Lon-dependent proteolysis in the cell and endows FixT with the ability to function as a second, autonomous oxygen/redox sensor in the FixL-FixJ signaling pathway. This study introduces a novel mechanism of regulated TCS feedback control by an Fe-S-binding receiver domain.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stein, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/729053</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Feedback control of a two-component signaling system by a 4Fe-4S-binding receiver domain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/730283v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dormancy dynamics and dispersal contribute to soil microbiome resilience 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/730283v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In disturbance ecology, stability is composed of resistance to change and resilience towards recovery after the disturbance subsides. Two key microbial mechanisms that can support microbiome stability include dormancy and dispersal. Specifically, microbial populations that are sensitive to disturbance can be re-seeded by local dormant pools of viable and reactivated cells, or by immigrants dispersed from regional metacommunities. However, it is difficult to quantify the contributions of these mechanisms to stability without, first, distinguishing the active from inactive membership, and, second, distinguishing the populations recovered by local resuscitation from those recovered by dispersed immigrants. Here, we investigate the contributions of dormancy dynamics (activation and inactivation), and dispersal to soil microbial community resistance and resilience. We designed a replicated, 45-week time-series experiment to quantify the responses of the active soil microbial community to a thermal press disturbance, including control mesocosms, disturbed mesocosms without dispersal, and disturbed mesocosms with dispersal after the release of the stressor. Communities were sensitive within one week of warming. Though the disturbed mesocosms did not fully recover within 29 weeks, resuscitation of thermotolerant taxa was key for community transition during the press, and both resuscitation of opportunistic taxa and immigration contributed to community resilience. Also, mesocosms with dispersal were more resilient than mesocosms without. This work advances the mechanistic understanding of how microbiomes respond to disturbances in their environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sorensen, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/730283</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dormancy dynamics and dispersal contribute to soil microbiome resilience]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/731521v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High-Accuracy Protein Structures By Combining Machine-Learning With Physics-Based Refinement 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/731521v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Protein structure prediction has long been available as an alternative to experimental structure determination, especially via homology modeling based on templates from related sequences. Recently, models based on distance restraints from co-evoluttionary analysis via machine learning have significantly expanded the ability to predict structures for sequences without templates. One such method, AlphaFold, also performs well on sequences were templates are available but without using such information directly. Here we show that combining machine-learning based models from AlphaFold with state-of-the-art physics-based refinement via molecular dynamics simulations further improves predictions to outperform any other prediction method tested during the latest round of CASP. The resulting models have highly accurate global and local structure, including high accuracy at functionally important interface residues, and they are highly suitable as initial models for crystal structure determination via molecular replacement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/731521</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High-Accuracy Protein Structures By Combining Machine-Learning With Physics-Based Refinement]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/733147v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The finger 2 tip loop of Activin A is required for the formation of its non-signaling complex with ACVR1 and type II Bone Morphogenetic Protein receptors 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/733147v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Activin A functions in BMP signaling in two ways: it either engages ACVR1B to activate Smad2/3 signaling or binds ACVR1 to form a non-signaling complex (NSC). Although the former property has been studied extensively, the roles of the NSC remain unexplored. The genetic disorder fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) provides a unique window into ACVR1/Activin A signaling because in that disease Activin can either signal through FOP-mutant ACVR1 or form NSCs with wild type ACVR1. To explore the role of the NSC, we generated  agonist-only Activin A muteins that activate ACVR1B but cannot form the NSC with ACVR1. Using one of these muteins we demonstrate that failure to form the NSC in FOP results in more severe disease pathology. These results provide the first evidence for a biological role for the NSC in vivo and pave the way for further exploration of the NSCs physiological role in corresponding knock-in mice.

Impact StatementThe non-signaling complex formed by Activin A and ACVR1 is operant in vivo and is required to temper the degree of heterotopic ossification in the genetic disorder fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Idone, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corpina, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goebel, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cunanan, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dimitriou, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rafique, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leidich, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McClain, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphy, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, T. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Economides, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/733147</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The finger 2 tip loop of Activin A is required for the formation of its non-signaling complex with ACVR1 and type II Bone Morphogenetic Protein receptors]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/733493v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reconstructed protein sequence evolution consistent with the evolution of C4 photosynthesis via a C2 ancestor in the Paniceae 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/733493v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The grass tribe Paniceae includes a monophyletic subclade of species, the MPC clade, which specialize in each of the three primary C4 sub-pathways NADP-ME, NAD-ME and PCK. The evolutionary history of C4 photosynthesis in this subclade remains ambiguous. Leveraging newly sequenced grass genomes and syntenic orthology data, we estimated rates of protein sequence evolution on ancestral branches for both core enzymes shared across different C4 sub-pathways and enzymes specific to C4 sub-pathways. While core enzymes show elevated rates of protein sequence evolution in ancestral branches consistent with a transition from C3 to C4 photosynthesis in the ancestor for this clade, no subtype specific enzymes showed similar patterns. At least one protein involved in photorespiration also showed elevated rates of protein sequence evolution in the ancestral branch. The set of core C4 enzymes examined here combined with the photorespiratory pathway are necessary for the C2 photosynthetic cycle, a previously proposed intermediate between C3 and C4 photosynthesis. The patterns reported here are consistent with, but not conclusive proof that, C4 photosynthesis in the MPC clade of the Paniceae evolved via a C2 intermediate.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Carvalho, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kenchanmane Raju, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/733493</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reconstructed protein sequence evolution consistent with the evolution of C4 photosynthesis via a C2 ancestor in the Paniceae]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/741512v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Shared Genetic Risk between Eating Disorder- and Substance-Use-Related Phenotypes: Evidence from Genome-Wide Association Studies 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/741512v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Eating disorders and substance use disorders frequently co-occur. Twin studies reveal shared genetic variance between liabilities to eating disorders and substance use, with the strongest associations between symptoms of bulimia nervosa (BN) and problem alcohol use (genetic correlation [rg], twin-based=0.23-0.53). We estimated the genetic correlation between eating disorder and substance use and disorder phenotypes using data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Four eating disorder phenotypes (anorexia nervosa [AN], AN with binge-eating, AN without binge-eating, and a BN factor score), and eight substance-use-related phenotypes (drinks per week, alcohol use disorder [AUD], smoking initiation, current smoking, cigarettes per day, nicotine dependence, cannabis initiation, and cannabis use disorder) from eight studies were included. Significant genetic correlations were adjusted for variants associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). Total sample sizes per phenotype ranged from ~2,400 to ~537,000 individuals. We used linkage disequilibrium score regression to calculate single nucleotide polymorphism-based genetic correlations between eating disorder and substance-use-related phenotypes. Significant positive genetic associations emerged between AUD and AN (rg=0.18; false discovery rate q=0.0006), cannabis initiation and AN (rg=0.23; q<0.0001), and cannabis initiation and AN with binge-eating (rg=0.27; q=0.0016). Conversely, significant negative genetic correlations were observed between three non-diagnostic smoking phenotypes (smoking initiation, current smoking, and cigarettes per day) and AN without binge-eating (rgs=-0.19 to -0.23; qs<0.04). The genetic correlation between AUD and AN was no longer significant after co-varying for MDD loci. The patterns of association between eating disorder- and substance-use-related phenotypes highlights the potentially complex and substance-specific relationships between these behaviors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Munn-Chernoff, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chou, Y.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coleman, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thornton, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walters, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yilmaz, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hubel, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gordon, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medland, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Watson, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaspar, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryois, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hinney, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leppa, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mattheisen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ripke, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yao, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giusti-Rodriguez, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanscombe, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alredsson, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ando, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andreassen, O. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berrettini, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boehm, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boni, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boraska Perica, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buehren, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burghardt, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cassina, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cichon, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clementi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cone, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Courtet, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crow, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crowley, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Danner, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Zwaan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dedoussis, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Degortes, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeSocio, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/741512</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Shared Genetic Risk between Eating Disorder- and Substance-Use-Related Phenotypes: Evidence from Genome-Wide Association Studies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/743294v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Wheat inositol pyrophosphate kinase (TaVIH2-3B) interacts with Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan (FLA6) protein and alters the plant cell-wall composition 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/743294v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundInositol pyrophosphates (PP-InsPs) are high-energy cellular molecules involved in different signalling and regulatory responses. Two distinct classes of inositol phosphate kinases responsible for the synthesis of PP-InsPs have been identified in Arabidopsis i.e. ITPKinase (inositol 1,3,4 trisphosphate 5/6 kinase) and PP-IP5Kinase (diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate kinases). Plant PP-IP5Ks are capable of synthesizing InsP8 and were shown to control pathogenic defence and phosphate response signals. However, other roles offered by plant PP-IP5Ks, especially towards abiotic stress, remain poorly understood.

ResultsHere, we characterized two Triticum aestivum L. (hexaploid wheat) PPIP5K homologs, TaVIH1 and TaVIH2, for their physiological functions. We demonstrated that wheat VIH proteins could utilize InsP7 as the substrate to produce InsP8, a process that requires the functional VIH-kinase domains. At the transcriptional level, both TaVIH1 and TaVIH2 are expressed in different wheat tissues, including developing grains, but show selective response to abiotic stresses during drought-mimic experiments. Overexpression of TaVIH2-3B homolog in Arabidopsis conferred tolerance to drought stress and rescued the sensitivity of Atvih2 mutants. RNAseq analysis of TaVIH2-3B transgenic lines of Arabidopsis showed a genome-wide reprogramming with remarkable effects on cell-wall biosynthesis genes with enhanced the accumulation of polysaccharides (arabinogalactan, cellulose and arabinoxylan).

ConclusionsOverall, this work identifies a novel function of VIH proteins, implying their roles in modulating cell-wall homeostasis genes and providing water-deficit stress tolerance. This work suggests that the plant VIH enzymes could be linked to drought tolerance and also opens up investigations to address the roles of plant VIH derived products in generating drought resistant plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kaur, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shukla, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanwar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shukla, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaur, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharma, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aggarwal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhati, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pandey, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mazumder, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rishi, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pandey, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/743294</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Wheat inositol pyrophosphate kinase (TaVIH2-3B) interacts with Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan (FLA6) protein and alters the plant cell-wall composition]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/743716v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modulating cellular cytotoxicity and phototoxicity of fluorescent organic salts through counterion pairing 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/743716v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Light-activated theranostics offer promising opportunities for disease diagnosis, image-guided surgery, and site-specific personalized therapy. However, current fluorescent dyes are limited by low brightness, high cytotoxicity, poor tissue penetration, and unwanted side effects. To overcome these limitations, we demonstrate a platform for optoelectronic tuning, which allows independent control of the optical properties from the electronic properties of fluorescent organic salts. This is achieved through cation-anion pairing of organic salts that can modulate the frontier molecular orbital without impacting the bandgap. Optoelectronic tuning enables decoupled control over the cytotoxicity and phototoxicity of fluorescent organic salts through selective generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species that control cell viability. We show that through counterion pairing, organic salt nanoparticles can be tuned to be either nontoxic for enhanced imaging, or phototoxic for improved photodynamic therapy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Broadwater, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bates, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jayaram, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Young, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raithel, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamann, T. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borhan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/743716</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modulating cellular cytotoxicity and phototoxicity of fluorescent organic salts through counterion pairing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/746214v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Nf1 deletion results in depletion of the Lhx6 transcription factor and a specific loss of parvalbumin+ cortical interneurons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/746214v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1) is a monogenic disorder caused by mutations in the NF1 gene, which encodes the protein, Neurofibromin, an inhibitor of Ras GTPase activity. While NF-1 is often characterized by cafe-au-lait skin spots and benign tumors, the mechanisms underlying cognitive changes in NF-1 are poorly understood. Cortical GABAergic interneurons (CINs) are implicated in NF-1 pathology but cellular and molecular changes to CINs are poorly understood. We deleted Nf1 from the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE), which gives rise to both oligodendrocytes and CINs that express somatostatin and parvalbumin. Loss of Nf1 led to a persistence of immature oligodendrocytes that prevented later born oligodendrocytes from occupying the cortex. Moreover, PV+ CINs were uniquely lost, without changes in SST+ CINs. We discovered that loss of Nf1 results in a graded decrease in Lhx6 expression, the transcription factor necessary to establish SST+ and PV+ CINs, revealing a mechanism whereby Nf1 regulates a critical CIN developmental milestone.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vogt, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pai, E. L.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bilinovich, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paul, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rubenstein, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/746214</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Nf1 deletion results in depletion of the Lhx6 transcription factor and a specific loss of parvalbumin+ cortical interneurons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/748046v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome sequencing for early-onset dementia: high diagnostic yield and frequent observation of multiple contributory alleles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/748046v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We assessed the utility of genome sequencing for early-onset dementia. Participants were selected from a memory disorders clinic. Genome sequencing was performed along with C9orf72 repeat expansion testing. All returned sequencing results were Sanger validated clinically. Prior clinical diagnoses included Alzheimers disease, frontotemporal dementia, and unspecified dementia. The mean age-of-onset was 54 (41-76). 50% of patients had a strong family history, 37.5% had some, and 12.5% had no known family history. Nine of 32 patients (28%) had a variant defined as pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) by American College of Medical Genetics standards, including variants in APP, C9orf72, CSF1R, and MAPT. Nine patients (including three with P/LP variants) harbored established risk alleles with moderate penetrance (odds ratios of about 2-5) in ABCA7, AKAP9, GBA, PLD3, SORL1, and TREM2. All six patients harboring these moderate penetrance variants but not P/LP variants also had one or two APOE {varepsilon}4 alleles. One patient had two APOE {varepsilon}4 alleles with no other established contributors. In total, 16 patients (50%) harbored one or more genetic variants likely to explain symptoms. We identified variants of uncertain significance (VUSs) in ABI3, ADAM10, ARSA, GRID2IP, MME, NOTCH3, PLCD1, PSEN1, TM2D3, TNK1, TTC3, and VPS13C, also often along with other variants. In summary, genome sequencing for early-onset dementia demonstrated high utility, with particular advantages where targeted testing may fail such as atypical variant-disease associations or presence of multiple moderate impact alleles. One or more established contributory alleles is often present in early-onset dementia, supporting an oligogenic model.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cochran, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKinley, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cochran, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amaral, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moyers, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lasseigne, B. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gray, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lawlor, J. M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Geier, E. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holt, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newberry, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yokoyama, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Worthey, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Geldmacher, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Love, M. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooper, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Myers, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roberson, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/748046</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome sequencing for early-onset dementia: high diagnostic yield and frequent observation of multiple contributory alleles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/750430v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Expression and Purification of a Mammalian Protein: Cytosolic Domain of IRE1α from Insect Sf21 Cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/750430v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Eukaryotic proteins can be expressed in different heterologous systems. However, mammalian proteins in general have specific post-translational processing requirements that may not be fulfilled by a regular bacterial expression system. In this study, we use an insect cell system to express a mammalian protein of interest. Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf21) cells were used in conjunction with a baculoviral expression system to produce the cytosolic domain (CD) of IRE1, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress sensor protein. Inositol Requiring Enzyme 1 (IRE1) is a dual function kinase and endoribonuclease protein that cleaves X-box binding protein (XBP1) mRNA. We used the pFastBac plasmid to insert the coding sequence into a recombinant bacmid shuttle vector which was then used to infect Sf21 cells. The expressed protein was then purified with an MBPTrap column to obtain >85% pure protein.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Oak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jansen, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/750430</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Expression and Purification of a Mammalian Protein: Cytosolic Domain of IRE1α from Insect Sf21 Cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/750471v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Repository-scale Co- and Re-analysis of Tandem Mass Spectrometry Data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/750471v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Metabolomics data are difficult to find and reuse, even in public repositories. We, therefore, developed the Reanalysis of Data User (ReDU) interface (https://redu.ucsd.edu/), a community- and data-driven approach that solves this problem at the repository scale. ReDU enables public data discovery and co- or re-analysis via uniformly formatted, publicly available MS/MS data and metadata in the Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking Platform (GNPS), consistent with findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) principles.1
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jarmusch, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aceves, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Advani, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguire, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aksenov, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aleti, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aron, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauermeister, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bolleddu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bouslimani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caraballo-Rodriguez, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coras, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elijah, E. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ernst, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gauglitz, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gentry, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Husband, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jarmusch, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kamenik, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Le Gouellec, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCall, L.-I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McPhail, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meehan, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melnik, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Menezes, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montoya-Giraldo, Y. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, N. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nothias, L. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nothias-Esposito, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panitchpakdi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petras, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sikora, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van der Hooft, J. J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vargas, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vrbanac,</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/750471</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Repository-scale Co- and Re-analysis of Tandem Mass Spectrometry Data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/750687v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome-wide misexpression associated with hybrid sterility in Mimulus (monkeyflower) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/750687v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Divergence in gene expression regulation is common between closely related species and may give rise to incompatibilities in their hybrid progeny. In this study, we investigated the relationship between regulatory evolution within species and reproductive isolation between species. We focused on a well-studied case of hybrid sterility between Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus, two closely related yellow monkeyflower species, that is caused by two epistatic loci, hybrid male sterility 1 (hms1) and hybrid male sterility 2 (hms2). We quantified and compared global transcript abundance across male and female reproductive tissues (i.e. stamens and carpels) of M. guttatus and M. nasutus, as well as sterile and fertile progeny from an advanced M. nasutus-M. guttatus introgression line that carries the hms1-hms2 incompatibility. We observed substantial variation in transcript abundance between M. guttatus and M. nasutus, including distinct but overlapping patterns of tissue-biased expression, providing evidence for regulatory divergence between these species. Furthermore, we found pervasive genome-wide misexpression exclusively associated with hybrid sterility - only observed in the affected tissues (i.e. stamens) of sterile introgression hybrids. Examining patterns of allele-specific expression in sterile and fertile hybrids, we found evidence of cis- and trans- regulatory divergence, as well as cis-trans compensatory evolution (likely to be driven by stabilizing selection). However, regulatory divergence does not appear to cause misexpression in sterile hybrids, which instead likely manifests as a downstream consequence of sterility itself.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kerwin, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sweigart, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/750687</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome-wide misexpression associated with hybrid sterility in Mimulus (monkeyflower)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/751628v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Age-related differences in white matter: Comparing fixel based and tensor based analyses 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/751628v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Aging is associated with widespread alterations in cerebral white matter (WM). Most prior studies of age differences in WM have used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), but typical DTI metrics (e.g., fractional anisotropy; FA) can reflect multiple neurobiological features, making interpretation challenging. Here, we used fixel-based analysis (FBA) to investigate age-related WM differences observed using DTI in a sample of 45 older and 25 younger healthy adults. Age- related FA differences were widespread but were strongly associated with differences in multifiber complexity (CX), suggesting that they reflected differences in crossing fibers in addition to structural differences in individual fiber segments. FBA also revealed a frontolimbic locus of age-related effects and provided insights into distinct microstructural changes underlying them. Specifically, age differences in fiber density were prominent in fornix, bilateral anterior internal capsule, forceps minor, body of the corpus callosum and corticospinal tract, while age differences in fiber cross section were largest in cingulum bundle and forceps minor. These results provide novel insights into specific structural differences underlying major WM differences associated with aging.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kelley, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plass, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bender, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Polk, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/751628</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Age-related differences in white matter: Comparing fixel based and tensor based analyses]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/752535v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Moderate amounts of epistasis are not evolutionarily stable in small populations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/752535v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
High mutation rates select for the evolution of mutational robustness where populations inhabit flat fitness peaks with little epistasis, protecting them from lethal mutagenesis. Recent evidence suggests that a different effect protects small populations from extinction via the accumulation of deleterious mutations. In drift robustness, populations tend to occupy peaks with steep flanks and positive epistasis between mutations. However, it is not known what happens when mutation rates are high and population sizes are small at the same time. Using a simple fitness model with variable epistasis, we show that the equilibrium fitness has a minimum as a function of the parameter that tunes epistasis, implying that this critical point is an unstable fixed point for evolutionary trajectories. In agent-based simulations of evolution at finite mutation rate, we demonstrate that when mutations can change epistasis, trajectories with a subcritical value of epistasis evolve to decrease epistasis, while those with supercritical initial points evolve towards higher epistasis. These two fixed points can be identified with mutational and drift robustness, respectively.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sydykova, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaBar, T. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adami, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilke, C. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-08-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/752535</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Moderate amounts of epistasis are not evolutionarily stable in small populations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-08-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/755686v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evidence for pre-climacteric activation of AOX transcription during cold-induced conditioning to ripen in European pear (Pyrus communis L.) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/755686v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
European pears (Pyrus communis L.) require a range of cold-temperature exposure to induce ethylene biosynthesis and fruit ripening. Physiological and hormonal responses to cold temperature storage in pear have been well characterized, but the molecular underpinnings of these phenomena remain unclear. An established low-temperature conditioning model was used to induce ripening of  DAnjou and  Bartlett pear cultivars and quantify the expression of key genes representing ripening-related metabolic pathways in comparison to non-conditioned fruit. Physiological indicators of pear ripening were recorded, and fruit peel tissue sampled in parallel, during the cold-conditioning and ripening time-course experiment to correlate gene expression to ontogeny. Two complementary approaches, Nonparametric Multi-Dimensional Scaling and efficiency-corrected 2-({Delta}{Delta}Ct), were used to identify genes exhibiting the most variability in expression. Interestingly, the enhanced alternative oxidase (AOX) transcript abundance at the pre-climacteric stage in  Bartlett and  DAnjou at the peak of the conditioning treatments suggests that AOX may play a key and a novel role in the achievement of ripening competency. There were indications that cold-sensing and signaling elements from ABA and auxin pathways modulate the S1-S2 ethylene transition in European pears, and that the S1-S2 ethylene biosynthesis transition is more pronounced in  Bartlett as compared to  DAnjou pear. This information has implications in preventing post-harvest losses of this important crop.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hendrikckson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hewitt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swanson, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Einhorn, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dhingra, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/755686</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evidence for pre-climacteric activation of AOX transcription during cold-induced conditioning to ripen in European pear (Pyrus communis L.)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/759001v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Charting the native architecture of thylakoid membranes with single-molecule precision 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/759001v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Thylakoid membranes scaffold an assortment of large protein complexes that work together to harness the energy of light to produce oxygen, NADPH, and ATP. It has been a longstanding challenge to visualize how the intricate thylakoid network organizes these protein complexes to finely tune the photosynthetic reactions. Using cryo-electron tomography to analyze membrane surface topology, we have mapped the native molecular landscape of thylakoid membranes within green algae cells. Our tomograms provide insights into the molecular forces that drive thylakoid stacking and reveal that photosystems I and II are strictly segregated at the borders between appressed and non-appressed membrane domains. This new approach to charting thylakoid topology lays the foundation for dissecting photosynthetic regulation at the level of single protein complexes within the cell.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wietrzynski, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schaffer, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tegunov, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albert, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanazawa, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plitzko, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baumeister, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Engel, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/759001</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Charting the native architecture of thylakoid membranes with single-molecule precision]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/763870v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Common genetic variants shape broad patterns of within-population variation in gene expression. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/763870v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding the persistence of genetic variation within populations has long been a goal of evolutionary biology. One promising route towards achieving this goal is using population genetic approaches to describe how selection acts on the loci associated with trait variation. Gene expression provides a model trait for addressing the challenge of the maintenance of variation because it can be measured genome-wide without information about how gene expression affects traits. Previous work has shown that loci affecting the expression of nearby genes (local or cis-eQTLs) are under negative selection, but we lack a clear understanding of the selective forces acting on variants that affect the expression of genes in trans. Here, we identify loci that affect gene expression in trans using genomic and transcriptomic data from one population of the obligately outcrossing plant, Capsella grandiflora. The allele frequencies of trans-eQTLs are consistent with stronger negative selection acting on trans-eQTLs than cis-eQTLs, and even more strongly on trans-eQTLs associated with the expression of multiple genes. However, despite this general pattern, we still observe the presence of a trans-eQTL at intermediate frequency that affects the expression of a large number of genes in the same coexpression module. Overall, our work highlights the different selective pressures shaping variation in cis- and trans- gene regulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, Y. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, C. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schoen, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wright, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stinchcombe, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/763870</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Common genetic variants shape broad patterns of within-population variation in gene expression.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/764142v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Overexpression of Mig-6 in Cartilage Induces An Osteoarthritis-Like Phenotype In Mice. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/764142v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and characterized by degeneration of articular cartilage. Mitogen-inducible gene 6 (Mig-6) has been identified as a negative regulator of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). Cartilage-specific Mig-6 knockout (KO) mice display increased EGFR signaling, an anabolic buildup of articular cartilage and formation of chondro-osseous nodules. Since our understanding of the EGFR/Mig-6 network in cartilage remains incomplete, we characterized mice with cartilage-specific overexpression of Mig-6 in this study.nnMethodsUtilizing knee joints from cartilage-specific Mig-6 overexpressing (Mig-6over/over) mice (at multiple time points), we evaluated the articular cartilage using histology, immunohistochemical staining and semi-quantitative OARSI scoring at multiple ages. MicroCT analysis was employed to examine skeletal morphometry, body composition, and bone mineral density.nnResultsOur data show that cartilage-specific Mig-6 overexpression did not cause any major developmental abnormalities in articular cartilage, although Mig-6over/over mice have slightly shorter long bones compared to the control group. Moreover, there was no significant difference in bone mineral density and body composition in any of the groups. However, our results indicate that Mig-6over/over male mice show accelerated cartilage degeneration at 12 and 18 months of age. Immunohistochemistry for SOX9 demonstrated that the number of positively stained cells in Mig-6over/over mice decreased relative to controls. Immunostaining for MMP13 staining is increased in areas of cartilage degeneration in Mig-6over/over mice. Moreover, staining for phospho-EGFR (Tyr-1173) and lubricin (PRG4) was decreased in the articular cartilage of Mig-6over/over mice.nnConclusionOverexpression of Mig-6 in articular cartilage causes no major developmental phenotype; however these mice develop earlier OA during aging. These data demonstrate that Mig-6/EGFR pathways is critical for joint homeostasis and might present a promising therapeutic target for OA.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bellini, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miranda-Rodrigues, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeong, J.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beier, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/764142</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Overexpression of Mig-6 in Cartilage Induces An Osteoarthritis-Like Phenotype In Mice.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/768317v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Role of Cytosolic, Tyrosine-Insensitive Prephenate Dehydrogenase in Medicago truncatula 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/768317v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
L-Tyrosine (Tyr) is an aromatic amino acid synthesized de novo in plants and microbes downstream of the shikimate pathway. In plants, Tyr and a Tyr pathway intermediate, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (HPP), are precursors to numerous specialized metabolites, which are crucial for plant and human health. Tyr is synthesized in the plastids by a TyrA family enzyme, arogenate dehydrogenase (ADH/TyrAa), which is feedback inhibited by Tyr. In addition to ADH enzymes, many legumes possess prephenate dehydrogenases (PDH/TyrAp), which are insensitive to Tyr and localized to the cytosol. Yet the role of PDH in legumes is currently unknown. This study isolated and characterized Tnt1-transposon mutants of MtPDH1 (pdh1) in Medicago truncatula to investigate PDH function. The pdh1 mutants lacked PDH transcript, PDH activity, and displayed little aberrant morphological phenotypes under standard growth conditions providing genetic evidence that MtPDH1 is responsible for the PDH activity detected in M. truncatula. Though plant PDH enzymes and activity have been specifically found in legumes, nodule number and nitrogenase activity of pdh1 mutants were not significantly reduced compared to wild-type (Wt) during symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Although Tyr levels were not significantly different between Wt and mutants under standard conditions, when carbon flux was increased by shikimate precursor feeding, mutants accumulated significantly less Tyr than Wt. These data suggest that MtPDH1 is involved in Tyr biosynthesis when the shikimate pathway is stimulated, and possibly linked to unidentified legume-specific specialized metabolism.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schenck, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Westphal, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jayaraman, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mysore, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anee, J.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sumner, L. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maeda, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/768317</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Role of Cytosolic, Tyrosine-Insensitive Prephenate Dehydrogenase in Medicago truncatula]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/768374v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Striatal Nurr1 Facilitates the Dyskinetic State and Exacerbates Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia in a Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/768374v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundThe transcription factor Nurr1 has been identified to be ectopically induced in the striatum of dyskinetic rodents expressing L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID). In the present study, we sought to characterize Nurr1 as a causative factor in LID expression.nnMethodsWe used rAAV2/5 to overexpress Nurr1 or GFP in the parkinsonian striatum of LID-resistant Lewis or LID-prone Fischer-344 (F344) rats. In a second cohort, rats received the Nurr1 agonist amodiaquine (AQ) together with L-DOPA or ropinirole. All rats received a chronic DA agonist and were evaluated for LID severity. Finally, we performed single unit recordings and dendritic spine analyses in drug-naive rAAV-injected parkinsonian rats.nnResultsrAAV-GFP injected LID-resistant Lewis rats displayed mild LID and no induction of striatal Nurr1. However, Lewis rats transduced to overexpress Nurr1 developed severe LID. Nurr11 agonism with AQ exacerbated LID in F344 rats. We additionally determined that in L-DOPA-naive rats striatal rAAV-Nurr1 overexpression 1) increased firing activity in dopamine-depleted striatal direct pathway neurons, and 2) decreased spine density and thin-spine morphology on striatal medium spiny neurons, mimicking changes seen in dyskinetic rats. Finally, we provide post-mortem evidence of Nurr1 expression in the striatum of L-DOPA treated PD patients.nnConclusionsOur data demonstrate that ectopic induction of striatal Nurr1 is capable of inducing LID behavior and associated neuropathology, even in resistant subjects. These data support a direct role of Nurr1 in aberrant neuronal plasticity and LID induction, providing a potential novel target for therapeutic development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sellnow, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steece-Collier, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Altwal, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sandoval, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kordower, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collier, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sortwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>West, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manfredsson, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/768374</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Striatal Nurr1 Facilitates the Dyskinetic State and Exacerbates Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia in a Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/769273v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ASlive: a database for alternative splicing atlas in livestock animals 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/769273v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We present in this study the development and implementation of a database for alternative splicing atlas in livestock animals (ASlive.org). Alternative splicing is an important biological process whose precision must be tightly regulated during growth and development. Using publicly available RNASeq data sets across many tissues, cell types, and biological conditions totaling 28.6 tera bases, we built a database of alternative splicing events in five major livestock animal species (cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, and chickens). The database contains many types of information on alternative splicing events, including basic information such as genomic locations, genes, and event types, quantitative measurements of alternative splicing in the form of percent spliced in (PSI), overlap with known DNA variants, as well as orthologous events across different lineage groups. This database, the first of its kind in livestock animals, will provide a useful exploratory tool to assist functional annotation of animal genomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/769273</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ASlive: a database for alternative splicing atlas in livestock animals]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/773531v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inhibition of the Myocardin-Related Transcription Factor pathway increases efficacy of Trametinib in NRAS-mutant melanoma cell lines 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/773531v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Ras/MEK/ERK pathway has been the primary focus of targeted therapies in melanoma; it is aberrantly activated in almost 80% of human cutaneous melanomas ([~]50% BRAFV600 mutations and [~]30% NRAS mutations). While targeted therapies have yielded success in BRAFV600 mutant melanoma patients, such therapies have been ineffective in NRAS mutant melanomas in part due to their cytostatic effects and primary resistance in this patient population. Here, we demonstrate that increased Rho/MRTF-pathway activation correlates with high intrinsic resistance to the MEK inhibitor, trametinib, in a panel of NRAS mutant melanoma cell lines. Combination of trametinib with the Rho/MRTF-pathway inhibitor, CCG-222740, synergistically reduced cell viability in NRAS mutant melanoma cell lines in vitro. Furthermore, the combination of CCG-222740 with trametinib induced apoptosis and reduced clonogenicity in SK-Mel-147 cells which have a high level of trametinib resistance. These findings suggest a role of the Rho/MRTF-pathway in intrinsic trametinib resistance in a subset of NRAS mutant melanoma cell lines and highlights the potential of concurrently targeting the Rho/MRTF-pathway and MEK in NRAS mutant melanomas.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Appleton, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palsuledesai, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Misek, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blake, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zagorski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dexheimer, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/773531</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inhibition of the Myocardin-Related Transcription Factor pathway increases efficacy of Trametinib in NRAS-mutant melanoma cell lines]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/774265v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of gut microbiome markers for schizophrenia delineates a potential role of Streptococcus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/774265v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Emerging evidence has linked the gut microbiota to schizophrenia. However, the functional changes in the gut microbiota and the biological role of individual bacterial species in schizophrenia have not been explored systematically. Here, we characterized the gut microbiota in schizophrenia using shotgun metagenomic sequencing of feces from a discovery cohort of 90 drug-free patients and 81 controls, as well as a validation cohort of 45 patients taking antipsychotics and 45 controls. We screened 83 schizophrenia-associated bacterial species and constructed a classifier comprising 26 microbial biomarkers that distinguished patients from controls with a 0.896 area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) in the discovery cohort and 0.765 AUC in the validation cohort. Our analysis of fecal metagenomes revealed that schizophrenia-associated gut-brain modules included short-chain fatty acids synthesis, tryptophan metabolism, and synthesis/degradation of neurotransmitters including glutamate, {gamma}-aminobutyric acid, and nitric oxide. The schizophrenia-enriched gut bacterial species include several oral cavity-resident microbes, such as Streptococcus vestibularis. We transplanted Streptococcus vestibularis into the gut of the mice with antibiotic-induced microbiota depletion to explore its functional role. We observed that this microbe transiently inhabited the mouse gut and this was followed by hyperactivity and deficit in social behaviors, accompanied with altered neurotransmitter levels in peripheral tissues. In conclusion, our study identified 26 schizophrenia-associated bacterial species representing potential microbial targets for future treatment, as well as gut-brain modules, some of which may give rise to new microbial metabolites involved in the development of schizophrenia.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhu, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ju, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jie, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tao, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kristiansen, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jia, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/774265</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of gut microbiome markers for schizophrenia delineates a potential role of Streptococcus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/776849v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Carbon Assimilation Strategies in Ultrabasic Groundwater: Clues from the Integrated Study of a Serpentinization-Influenced Aquifer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/776849v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Serpentinization is a low-temperature metamorphic process by which ultramafic rock chemically reacts with water. These reactions provide energy and materials that may be harnessed by chemosynthetic microbial communities at hydrothermal springs and in the subsurface. However, the biogeochemistry of microbial populations that inhabit these environments are understudied and are complicated by overlapping biotic and abiotic processes. We applied metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and untargeted metabolomics techniques to environmental samples taken from the Coast Range Ophiolite Microbial Observatory (CROMO), a subsurface observatory consisting of twelve wells drilled into the ultramafic and serpentinite melange of the Coast Range Ophiolite in California. Using a combination of DNA and RNA sequence data and mass spectrometry data, we determined that several carbon assimilation strategies, including the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle, the reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle, the reductive acetyl-CoA pathway, and methylotrophy are used by the microbial communities inhabiting the serpentinite-hosted aquifer. Our data also suggests that the microbial inhabitants of CROMO use products of the serpentinization process, including methane and formate, as carbon sources in a hyperalkaline environment where dissolved inorganic carbon is unavailable.nnImportanceThis study describes the metabolic pathways by which microbial communities in a serpentinite-influenced aquifer may produce biomass from the products of serpentinization. Serpentinization is a widespread geochemical process, taking place over large regions of the seafloor, particularly in slow-spreading mid ocean ridge and subduction zone environments. The serpentinization process is implicated in the origin of life on Earth and as a possible environment for the discovery of life on other worlds in our solar system. Because of the difficulty in delineating abiotic and biotic processes in these environments, major questions remain related to microbial contributions to the carbon cycle and physiological adaptation to serpentinite habitats. This research explores multiple mechanisms of carbon assimilation in serpentinite-hosted microbial communities.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Seyler, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brazelton, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLean, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Putman, L. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hyer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kubo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoehler, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cardace, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schrenk, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/776849</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Carbon Assimilation Strategies in Ultrabasic Groundwater: Clues from the Integrated Study of a Serpentinization-Influenced Aquifer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/777854v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Boiling Acid Mimics Intracellular Giant Virus Genome Release 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/777854v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Since their discovery, giant viruses have expanded our understanding of the principles of virology. Due to their gargantuan size and complexity, little is known about the life cycles of these viruses. To answer outstanding questions regarding giant virus infection mechanisms, we set out to determine biomolecular conditions that promote giant virus genome release. We generated four metastable infection intermediates in Samba virus (lineage A Mimiviridae) as visualized by cryo-EM, cryo-ET, and SEM. Each of these four intermediates reflects a stage that occurs in vivo. We show that these genome release stages are conserved in other, diverse giant viruses. Finally, we identified proteins that are released from Samba and newly discovered Tupanvirus through differential mass spectrometry. Our work revealed the molecular forces that trigger infection are conserved amongst disparate giant viruses. This study is also the first to identify specific proteins released during the initial stages of giant virus infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schrad, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abrahao, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cortines, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/777854</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Boiling Acid Mimics Intracellular Giant Virus Genome Release]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/777870v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Low E2F2 activity is associated with high genomic instability and PARPi resistance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/777870v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The E2F family, classically known for a central role in cell cycle, has a number of emerging roles in cancer including angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, metastasis and DNA repair. E2F1 specifically has been shown to be a critical mediator of DNA repair; however, little is known about DNA repair and other E2F family members. Here we present an integrative bioinformatic and high throughput drug screening study to define the role of E2F2 in maintaining genomic integrity in breast cancer. We utilized in vitro E2F2 ChIP-chip and over expression data to identify transcriptional targets of E2F2. This data was integrated with gene expression from E2F2 knockout tumors in an MMTV-Neu background. Finally, this data was compared to human datasets to identify conserved roles of E2F2 in human breast cancer through the TCGA breast cancer, Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, and CancerRx datasets. Here we have computationally predicted that E2F2 transcriptionally regulates key mediators of DNA repair. Our gene expression data supports this hypothesis and low E2F2 activity is associated with a highly unstable tumor. In human breast cancer E2F2, status was also correlated with a patients response to PARP inhibition therapy. Taken together this manuscript defines a novel role of E2F2 in cancer progression beyond cell cycle and could be therapeutically relevant.nnAuthor SummaryThe E2F family of proteins have been known to regulate cell cycle and have recently been shown to have a number of roles in tumor progression. Here we use a combination of computational techniques and high-throughput drug screening data to establish a novel role of E2F2 in maintaining genomic integrity. We have shown that a number of direct and indirect target genes of E2F2 are involved in multiple classical DNA repair pathways. Importantly, this was shown to be unique to E2F2 and not present with other activator E2Fs like E2F1. We have also shown that E2F2 activity is positively correlated with PARP inhibitor sensitivity regardless of BRCA1/2 status. This is important due to the recent approval of PARP inhibitor therapy in the clinic. Based on our work E2F2 activity could serve as a novel biomarker of response and may identify a new cohort of patients which could benefit from PARPi therapy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rennhack, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/777870</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Low E2F2 activity is associated with high genomic instability and PARPi resistance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/781823v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High-resolution MEMRI characterizes laminar specific ascending and descending spinal cord pathways in rats 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/781823v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Manganese Enhanced MRI (MEMRI) utilizing different manganese chloride (MnCl2) delivery methods, has yielded valuable architectural, functional and connection information about the brain. MEMRI also has the potential in characterizing neural pathways in the spinal cord. The spinal cord grey matter is anatomically composed of nine distinct cellular laminae, where each of the laminae receives input from a specific type of neuronal population and process or serves as a relay region in a specific sensory or motor pathway. This type of laminar arrangement in the spinal cord is currently only visualized by histological methods. It is of significant interest to determine whether laminar specific enhancement by Mn2+ can be achieved in the spinal cord, as has been reported in the brain and olfactory pathway. Here we focus on using MEMRI to determine the specific laminae of the thoracic region of the spinal cord. We focus on MnCl2 changes in the ascending and descending tracts of the spinal cord. Major factors in applying this technique in the spinal cord are the ability to acquire high-resolution spinal cord images and to determine a noninvasive route of administration which will result in uptake by the central nervous system.nnWe have applied the MEMRI approach by intraperitoneal (i.p). delivery of MnCl2 and imaged lumbar and thoracic spinal cord levels in rats to determine whether T1 weighted MRI can detect spinal cord laminae 48 hours following MnCl2 administration. T1 weighted images of the lower lumbar level were obtained from MnCl2 injected and control rats. Here we demonstrate laminar specific signal enhancement in the spinal cord of rats administered with MnCl2 vs. controls in MRI of the cord with ultra-high, 69 m in-plane resolution. We also report reduced T1 values over time in MnCl2 groups across laminae I-IX. The regions with the largest T1 enhancements were observed to correspond to laminae that contain either high cell density or large motor neurons, making MEMRI an excellent tool for studying spinal cord architecture, physiology and function in different animal models.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendoza, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koretsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/781823</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High-resolution MEMRI characterizes laminar specific ascending and descending spinal cord pathways in rats]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/782748v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inherited Causes of Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential in TOPMed Whole Genomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/782748v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Age is the dominant risk factor for most chronic human diseases; yet the mechanisms by which aging confers this risk are largely unknown.1 Recently, the age-related acquisition of somatic mutations in regenerating hematopoietic stem cell populations was associated with both hematologic cancer incidence2-4 and coronary heart disease prevalence.5 Somatic mutations with leukemogenic potential may confer selective cellular advantages leading to clonal expansion, a phenomenon termed  Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP).6 Simultaneous germline and somatic whole genome sequence analysis now provides the opportunity to identify root causes of CHIP. Here, we analyze high-coverage whole genome sequences from 97,691 participants of diverse ancestries in the NHLBI TOPMed program and identify 4,229 individuals with CHIP. We identify associations with blood cell, lipid, and inflammatory traits specific to different CHIP genes. Association of a genome-wide set of germline genetic variants identified three genetic loci associated with CHIP status, including one locus at TET2 that was African ancestry specific. In silico-informed in vitro evaluation of the TET2 germline locus identified a causal variant that disrupts a TET2 distal enhancer. Aggregates of rare germline loss-of-function variants in CHEK2, a DNA damage repair gene, predisposed to CHIP acquisition. Overall, we observe that germline genetic variation altering hematopoietic stem cell function and the fidelity of DNA-damage repair increase the likelihood of somatic mutations leading to CHIP.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bick, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weinstock, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nandakumar, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fulco, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leventhal, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bao, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nasser, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zekavat, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Szeto, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laurie, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taub, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barnes, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moscati, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fornage, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Redline, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Psaty, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silverman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weiss, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palmer, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramachandran, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burchard, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kardia, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaplan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnett, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schwartz, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Correa, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Andrade, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Konkle, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Custer, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peralta, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gui, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyers, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGarvey, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shoemaker, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peyser, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broome, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gogarten, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, F. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wong, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montasser, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Da</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/782748</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inherited Causes of Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential in TOPMed Whole Genomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/783159v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High molecular weight DNA isolation method from diverse plant species for use with Oxford Nanopore sequencing 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/783159v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The ability to generate long reads on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies sequencing platform is dependent on the isolation of high molecular weight DNA free of impurities. For some taxa, this is relatively straightforward; however, for plants, the presence of cell walls and a diverse set of specialized metabolites such as lignin, phenolics, alkaloids, terpenes, and flavonoids present significant challenges in the generation of DNA suitable for production of long reads. Success in generating long read lengths and genome assemblies of plants has been reported using diverse DNA isolation methods, some of which were tailored to the target species and/or required extensive labor. To avoid the need to optimize DNA isolation for each species, we developed a taxa-independent DNA isolation method that is relatively simple and efficient. This method expands on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies high molecular weight genomic DNA protocol from plant leaves and utilizes a conventional cetyl trimethylammonium bromide extraction followed by removal of impurities and short DNA fragments using commercially available kits that yielded robust N50 read lengths and yield on Oxford Nanopore Technologies flow cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/783159</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High molecular weight DNA isolation method from diverse plant species for use with Oxford Nanopore sequencing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/783472v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Molecular Determinants of Substrate Selectivity of a Pneumococcal Rgg-regulated Peptidase-Containing ABC Transporter. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/783472v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Peptidase-containing ABC transporters (PCATs) are a widely distributed family of transporters which secrete double-glycine (GG) peptides. In the opportunistic pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), the PCATs ComAB and BlpAB have been shown to secrete quorum-sensing pheromones and bacteriocins related to the competence and pneumocin pathways. Here, we describe another pneumococcal PCAT, RtgAB, encoded by the rtg locus and found intact in 17% of strains. The Rgg/SHP-like quorum sensing system RtgR/S, which uses a peptide pheromone with a distinctive Trp-X-Trp motif, regulates expression of the rtg locus and provides a competitive fitness advantage in a mouse model of nasopharyngeal colonization. RtgAB secretes a set of co-regulated rtg GG peptides. ComAB and BlpAB, which share a substrate pool with each other, do not secrete the rtg GG peptides. Similarly, RtgAB does not efficiently secrete ComAB/BlpAB substrates. We examined the molecular determinants of substrate selectivity between ComAB, BlpAB, and RtgAB and found that the GG peptide signal sequences contain all the information necessary to direct secretion through specific transporters. Secretion through ComAB and BlpAB depends largely on the identity of four conserved hydrophobic signal sequence residues previously implicated in substrate recognition by PCATs. In contrast, a motif situated at the N-terminal end of the signal sequence, found only in rtg GG peptides, directs secretion through RtgAB. These findings illustrate the complexity in predicting substrate-PCAT pairings by demonstrating specificity that is not dictated solely by signal sequence residues previously implicated in substrate recognition.nnImportanceThe export of peptides from the cell is a fundamental process carried out by all bacteria. One method of bacterial peptide export relies on a family of transporters called peptidase-containing ABC transporters (PCATs). PCATs export so-called GG peptides which carry out diverse functions, including cell-to-cell communication and inter-bacterial competition. In this work, we describe a PCAT-encoding genetic locus, rtg, in the pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). The rtg locus is linked to increased competitive fitness advantage in a mouse model of nasopharyngeal colonization. We also describe how the rtg PCAT preferentially secretes a set of co-regulated GG peptides but not GG peptides secreted by other pneumococcal PCATs. These findings illuminate a relatively understudied part of PCAT biology: how these transporters discriminate between different subsets of GG peptides. Ultimately, expanding our knowledge of PCATs will advance our understanding of the many microbial processes dependent on these transporters.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, C. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medlin, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Disbennett, W. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dawid, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-09-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/783472</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Molecular Determinants of Substrate Selectivity of a Pneumococcal Rgg-regulated Peptidase-Containing ABC Transporter.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-09-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/784322v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Choosing Your Battles: Which Resistance Genes Warrant Global Action? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/784322v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The increasing accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in pathogens poses a severe threat to the treatment of bacterial infections. However, not all ARGs do not pose the same threats to human health. Here, we present a framework to rank the risk of ARGs based on three factors: "anthropogenic enrichment", "mobility", and "host pathogenicity". The framework is informed by all available bacterial genomes (55,000), plasmids (16,000), integrons (3,000), and 850 metagenomes covering diverse global eco-habitats. The framework prioritizes 3% of all known ARGs in Rank I (the most at risk of dissemination amongst pathogens) and 0.3% of ARGs in Rank II (high potential emergence of new resistance in pathogens). We further validated the framework using a list of 38 ARG families previously identified as high risk by the World Health Organization and published literature, and found that 36 of them were properly identified as top risk (Rank I) in our approach. Furthermore, we identified 43 unreported Rank I ARG families that should be prioritized for public health interventions. Within the same gene family, homologous genes pose different risks, host range, and ecological distributions, indicating the need for high resolution surveillance into their sequence variants. Finally, to help strategize the policy interventions, we studied the impact of industrialization on high risk ARGs in 1,120 human gut microbiome metagenomes of 36 diverse global populations. Our findings suggest that current policies on controlling the clinical antimicrobial consumptions could effectively control Rank I, while greater antibiotic stewardship in veterinary settings could help control Rank II. Overall, our framework offered a straightforward evaluation of the risk posed by ARGs, and prioritized a shortlist of current and emerging threats for global action to fight ARGs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, A.-N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yin, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dai, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Groussin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poyet, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Topp, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gillings, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanage, W. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiedje, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alm, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/784322</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Choosing Your Battles: Which Resistance Genes Warrant Global Action?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/785857v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Longitudinal study of persistence in professional development outcomes of early career biology faculty 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/785857v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The diversity of teaching professional development (PD) programs that occurred over the last few decades merits our collective attention to assess the impact of these programs over time. In general, the goal of PD programs is that participants continue to practice what they learn in the long term. However, we do not know the degree to which the outcomes of these programs were achieved and ultimately persist. We tracked postdoc participants from the Faculty Institutes for Reformed Science Teaching (FIRST) IV program into their current position as early-career faculty at institutions across the United States. We assessed their teaching approaches, practices, and student perceptions of the learning environment over 6-10 years. Additionally, the FIRST IV faculty were paired with colleagues of similar status in the same departments. We found that professional development outcomes from the FIRST IV program persisted over time and across a significant career transition, from postdoc to faculty. These participants not only maintained their student-centered practices, but were significantly more student-focused than their peers. Lastly, we found that faculty approaches to teaching were correlated with observed teaching practices in the classroom for both groups of faculty. These results provide compelling evidence for the success of the FIRST IV program and the long-term persistence of professional development outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Emery, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maher, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ebert-May, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/785857</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Longitudinal study of persistence in professional development outcomes of early career biology faculty]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/788240v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Long-term research needed to avoid spurious and misleading trends in sustainability attributes of no-till 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/788240v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Agricultural management recommendations based on short-term studies can produce findings inconsistent with long-term reality. Here, we test the long-term relative profitability and environmental sustainability of continuous no-till agriculture practices on crop yield, soil moisture, and N2O fluxes. Using a moving window approach, we investigate the development and stability of several attributes of continuous no-till as compared to conventional till agriculture over a 29-year period at a site in the upper Midwest, U.S. We find that over a decade is needed to detect the consistent benefits of no-till on important attributes at this site. Both crop yield and soil moisture required periods 15 years or longer to generate patterns consistent with 29-year trends. Only marginally significant trends for N2O fluxes appeared in this period. Importantly, significant but misleading short-term trends appeared in more than 20% of the periods examined. Relative profitability analysis suggests that 10 years after initial implementation, 86% of periods recuperated the initial expense of no-till implementation, with the probability of higher relative profit increasing with longevity. Results underscore the essential importance of decade and longer studies for revealing the long-term dynamics and emergent outcomes of agricultural practices for different sustainability attributes and are consistent with recommendations to support the long-term adoption of no-till management.nnGRAPHICAL ABSTRACTnnO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=187 SRC="FIGDIR/small/788240v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">nView larger version (42K):norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1e7529eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1e11268org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@17f8995org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2196fe_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG HIGHLIGHTSO_LIWe test long-term effects of no-till on yield, soil moisture, and N2O fluxesnC_LIO_LIWe examine 29 years of data with a moving window and relative profitability methodnC_LIO_LIIt takes at least a decade to detect consistent benefits of no-tillnC_LIO_LIShorter studies can produce significant but misleading findingsnC_LIO_LILong studies are essential to reveal the dynamics of agricultural managementnC_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cusser, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahlai, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swinton, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robertson, G. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haddad, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/788240</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Long-term research needed to avoid spurious and misleading trends in sustainability attributes of no-till]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/789040v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phylogeny and Multiple Independent Whole-Genome Duplication Events in the Brassicales 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/789040v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Whole-genome duplications (WGDs) are prevalent throughout the evolutionary history of plants. For example, dozens of WGDs have been phylogenetically localized across the order Brassicales, specifically, within the family Brassicaceae. However, while its sister family, Cleomaceae, has also been characterized by a WGD, its placement, as well as that of other WGD events in other families in the order, remains unclear. Using phylo-transcriptomics from 74 taxa and genome survey sequencing for 66 of those taxa, we infer nuclear and chloroplast phylogenies to assess relationships among the major families of the Brassicales and within the Brassicaceae. We then use multiple methods of WGD inference to assess placement of WGD events. We not only present well-supported chloroplast and nuclear phylogenies for the Brassicales, but we also putatively place Th- and provide evidence for previously unknown events, including one shared by at least two members of the Resedaceae, which we name Rs-. Given its economic importance and many genomic resources, the Brassicales are an ideal group to continue assessing WGD inference methods. We add to the current conversation on WGD inference difficulties, by demonstrating that sampling is especially important for WGD identification.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mabry, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brose, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blischak, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sutherland, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dismukes, W. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bottoms, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Washburn, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>An, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hall, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKain, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Al-Shehbaz, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barker, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schranz, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conant, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/789040</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phylogeny and Multiple Independent Whole-Genome Duplication Events in the Brassicales]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/789644v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Self-controlled practice and nudging during structural learning of a novel control interface 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/789644v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Self-controlled practice schedules have been shown to enhance motor learning in several contexts, but their effectiveness in structural learning tasks, where the goal is to eventually learn an underlying structure or rule, is not well known. Here we examined the use of self-controlled practice in a novel control interface requiring structural learning. In addition, we examined the effect of  nudging - i.e., whether altering task difficulty could influence self-selected strategies, and hence facilitate learning. Participants wore four inertial measurement units (IMUs) on their upper body and the goal was to use motions of the upper body to move a screen cursor to different targets presented on the screen. The structure in this task that had to be learned was based on the fact that the signals from the IMUs were linearly mapped to the x- and y-position of the cursor. Participants (N = 62) were split into 3 groups (random, self-selected, nudge) based on whether they had control over the sequence in which they could practice the targets. To test whether participants learned the underlying structure, participants were tested both on the trained targets, as well as novel targets that were not practiced during training. Results showed that during training, the self-selected group showed shorter movement times relative to the random group, and both self-selected and nudge groups adopted a strategy of tending to repeat targets. However, in the test phase, we found no significant differences in task performance between groups, indicating that structural learning was not reliably affected by the type of practice. In addition, nudging participants by adjusting task difficulty did not show any significant benefits to overall learning. These results suggest that although self-controlled practice influenced practice structure and facilitated learning, it did not provide any additional benefits relative to practicing on a random schedule in this task.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, M.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jayasinghe, S. A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/789644</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Self-controlled practice and nudging during structural learning of a novel control interface]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/790337v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Factors influencing read coverage variation in a genome assembled using short reads 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/790337v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Availability of genome sequences has led to significant advance in biology. With few exceptions, the great majority of existing genome assemblies are derived from short read sequencing technologies with highly uneven read coverages indicative of sequencing and assembly issues. In tomato, 0.6% (5.1 Mb) and 9.7% (79.6 Mb) of short-read based assembly had significantly higher and lower coverage compared to background, respectively. We established machine learning models capable of predicting genomic regions with variable coverages and found that high coverage regions tend to have lower simple sequence repeat but higher tandem gene densities compared to background regions. To determine if the high coverage regions were misassembled, we examined a recently available long-read based assembly and found that 27.8% (1.41 Mb) of high coverage regions were potentially mis-assembled of duplicate sequences, compared to 1.4% in background regions. In addition, using a machine learning model that can distinguish correctly and incorrectly assembled high coverage regions, we found that misassembled, high coverage regions tend to be flanked by simple sequence repeats, pseudogenes, and transposon elements. Our study provides insights on the causes of variable coverage regions and a quantitative assessment of factors contributing to misassembly when using short reads.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/790337</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Factors influencing read coverage variation in a genome assembled using short reads]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/794255v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Epigenetic contributions to hemisphere asymmetry in healthy brain, aging, and Parkinson’s disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/794255v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hemispheric asymmetry in neuronal processes is a fundamental feature of the human brain and drives symptom lateralization in Parkinsons disease (PD), but its molecular determinants are unknown. Here, we determine epigenetic differences involved in hemispheric asymmetry in the healthy and the PD brain. Neurons of the healthy brain exhibit numerous hemispheric differences in DNA methylation, which affect genes implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. In PD patients, hemispheric asymmetry in DNA methylation is even greater and involves many PD risk genes. The lateralization of clinical PD symptoms involves epigenetic, transcriptional, and proteomic differences across hemispheres that affect neurodevelopment, immune activation, and synaptic transmission. During aging, healthy neurons show a progressive loss of hemispheric asymmetry in the epigenome, which is amplified in PD. For PD patients, a long disease course is associated with greater hemispheric asymmetry in neuronal epigenomes than a short disease course. Hemispheric differences in epigenetic gene regulation are prevalent in neurons and may affect the progression and symptoms of PD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ensink, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marshall, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilthuis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamp, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vega, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Labrie, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/794255</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Epigenetic contributions to hemisphere asymmetry in healthy brain, aging, and Parkinson’s disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/794362v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Light activates the translational regulatory GCN2 kinase via reactive oxygen species emanating from the chloroplast 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/794362v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cytosolic mRNA translation is subject to global and mRNA-specific controls. Phosphorylation of translation initiation factor eIF2 anchors a reversible switch that represses translation globally. The stress-responsive GCN2 kinase is the only known kinase for eIF2 in Arabidopsis. Here we show that conditions that generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the chloroplast, such as dark-light transitions, high light, and the herbicide methyl viologen all rapidly activated the GCN2 kinase, whereas mitochondrial and ER stress did not. In addition, GCN2 activation was light dependent and mitigated by photosynthesis inhibitors and ROS quenchers. Accordingly, seedling growth of multiple gcn2 mutant alleles was retarded under conditions of excess light, implicating the GCN2-eIF2 pathway in responses to light and associated ROS. Once activated, the GCN2 kinase preferentially suppressed the ribosome loading of mRNAs for functions such as mitochondrial ATP synthesis, the chloroplast thylakoids, vesicle trafficking, and translation. The transcriptome of gcn2 mutants was sensitized to abiotic stress, including oxidative stress, as well as innate immune responses. Accordingly, gcn2 displayed defects in immune priming by the fungal elicitor, chitin. In conclusion, we provide evidence that reactive oxygen species produced by the photosynthetic apparatus help to activate the highly conserved GCN2 kinase, leading to eIF2 phosphorylation and thus affecting the status of the cytosolic protein synthesis apparatus.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lokdarshi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Urquidi-Camacho, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cho, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgan, P. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leonard, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shimono, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>von Arnim, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/794362</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Light activates the translational regulatory GCN2 kinase via reactive oxygen species emanating from the chloroplast]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/795005v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The SAMPL6 SAMPLing challenge: Assessing the reliability and efficiency of binding free energy calculations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/795005v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Approaches for computing small molecule binding free energies based on molecular simulations are now regularly being employed by academic and industry practitioners to study receptor-ligand systems and prioritize the synthesis of small molecules for ligand design. Given the variety of methods and implementations available, it is natural to ask how the convergence rates and final predictions of these methods compare. In this study, we describe the concept and results for the SAMPL6 SAMPLing challenge, the first challenge from the SAMPL series focusing on the assessment of convergence properties and reproducibility of binding free energy methodologies. We provided parameter files, partial charges, and multiple initial geometries for two octa-acid (OA) and one cucurbit[8]uril (CB8) host-guest systems. Participants submitted binding free energy predictions as a function of the number of force and energy evaluations for seven different alchemical and physical-pathway (i.e., potential of mean force and weighted ensemble of trajectories) methodologies implemented with the GROMACS, AMBER, NAMD, or OpenMM simulation engines. To rank the methods, we developed an efficiency statistic based on bias and variance of the free energy estimates. For the two small OA binders, the free energy estimates computed with alchemical and potential of mean force approaches show relatively similar variance and bias as a function of the number of energy/force evaluations, with the attach-pull-release (APR), GROMACS expanded ensemble, and NAMD double decoupling submissions obtaining the greatest efficiency. The differences between the methods increase when analyzing the CB8-quinine system, where both the guest size and correlation times for system dynamics are greater. For this system, nonequilibrium switching (GROMACS/NS-DS/SB) obtained the overall highest efficiency. Surprisingly, the results suggest that specifying force field parameters and partial charges is insufficient to generally ensure reproducibility, and we observe differences between seemingly converged predictions ranging approximately from 0.3 to 1.0 kcal/mol, even with almost identical simulations parameters and system setup (e.g., Lennard-Jones cutoff, ionic composition). Further work will be required to completely identify the exact source of these discrepancies. Among the conclusions emerging from the data, we found that Hamiltonian replica exchange--while displaying very small variance--can be affected by a slowly-decaying bias that depends on the initial population of the replicas, that bidirectional estimators are significantly more efficient than unidirectional estimators for nonequilibrium free energy calculations for systems considered, and that the Berendsen barostat introduces non-negligible artifacts in expanded ensemble simulations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rizzi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jensen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Slochower, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aldeghi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gapsys, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ntekoumes, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bosisio, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Papadourakis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henriksen, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Groot, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cournia, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michel, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilson, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shirts, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mobley, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chodera, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/795005</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The SAMPL6 SAMPLing challenge: Assessing the reliability and efficiency of binding free energy calculations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/796573v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Metabolomic profiling of mouse mammary tumor derived cell lines reveals targeted therapy options for cancer subtypes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/796573v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with several subtypes that currently do not have targeted therapy options. Metabolomics has the potential to uncover novel targeted treatment strategies by identifying metabolic pathways required for cancer cells to survive and proliferate. Here, we used tumor-derived cell lines derived from the MMTV-Myc mouse model to investigate metabolic pathways that are differentially utilized between two subtypes of breast cancer. Using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics techniques, we identified differences in glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glutathione metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism between subtypes. We further show the feasibility of targeting these pathways in a subtype-specific manner using metabolism-targeting compounds.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ogrodzinski, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/796573</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Metabolomic profiling of mouse mammary tumor derived cell lines reveals targeted therapy options for cancer subtypes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/798546v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Saturation mutagenesis genome engineering of infective {Phi}X174 bacteriophage via unamplified oligo pools and golden gate assembly 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/798546v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Here we present a novel protocol for the construction of saturation single-site--and massive multi-site--mutant libraries of a bacteriophage. We segmented the {Phi}X174 genome into 14 non-toxic and non-replicative fragments compatible with golden gate assembly. We next used nicking mutagenesis with oligonucleotides prepared from unamplified oligo pools with individual segments as templates to prepare near-comprehensive single-site mutagenesis libraries of genes encoding the F capsid protein (421 amino acids scanned) and G spike protein (172 amino acids scanned). Libraries possessed greater than 99% of all 11,860 programmed mutations. Golden Gate cloning was then used to assemble the complete {Phi}X174 mutant genome and generate libraries of infective viruses. This protocol will enable reverse genetics experiments for studying viral evolution and, with some modifications, can be applied for engineering of therapeutically relevant bacteriophages with larger genomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Faber, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Leuven, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ederer, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, Z. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sapozhnikov, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wichman, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitehead, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/798546</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Saturation mutagenesis genome engineering of infective {Phi}X174 bacteriophage via unamplified oligo pools and golden gate assembly]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/802926v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Switchgrass Rhizosphere Metabolite Chemistry Driven by Nitrogen Availability 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/802926v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants and soil microorganisms interact closely in the rhizosphere where plants may exchange carbon (C) for functional benefits from the microbial community. For example, the bioenergy crop, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is thought to exchange root-exuded C for nitrogen (N) fixed by diazotrophs (free-living N-fixers). However, this interaction is not well characterized and it is not known how or if switchgrass responds to diazotrophs or their activity. To explore this question, we assessed rhizosphere metabolite chemistry of switchgrass grown in a hydroponic system under two N levels and under inoculated or uninoculated conditions. We found switchgrass root exudate chemistry to be more responsive to N availability than to diazotroph presence. Total metabolite concentrations were generally greater under high N versus low N and unaffected by inoculation. Examination of rhizosphere chemical fingerprints indicates metabolite chemistry was also driven strongly by N availability with a greater relative abundance of carbohydrates under high N and greater relative abundance of organic acids under low N. We also found evidence of changes in rhizosphere chemical fingerprints by inoculation treatment suggesting a potential for switchgrass to respond or even recruit diazotrophs. However, we found little evidence of N treatment and inoculation interaction effects which suggests switchgrass response to diazotroph presence is not mediated by N availability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Smercina, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowsher, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Friesen, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eder, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoyt, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiemann, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/802926</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Switchgrass Rhizosphere Metabolite Chemistry Driven by Nitrogen Availability]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/805002v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predicting agronomic traits and associated genomic regions in diverse rice landraces using marker stability 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/805002v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
To secure the worlds food supply it is essential that we improve our knowledge of the genetic underpinnings of complex agronomic traits. In this paper, we report our findings from performing trait prediction and association mapping using marker stability in diverse rice landraces. We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator as our marker selection algorithm, and considered twelve real agronomic traits and a hundred simulated traits using a population with approximately a hundred thousand markers. For trait prediction, we considered several statistical/machine learning methods. We found that some of the methods considered performed best when preselected markers using marker stability were used. However, our results also show that one might need to make a trade-off between model size and performance for some learning methods. For association mapping, we compared marker stability to the genome-wide efficient mixed-model analysis (GEMMA), and for the simulated traits, we found that marker stability significantly outperforms GEMMA. For the real traits, marker stability successfully identifies multiple associated markers, which often entail those selected by GEMMA. Further analysis of the markers selected for the real traits using marker stability showed that they are located in known quantitative trait loci (QTL) using the QTL Annotation Rice Online database. Furthermore, co-functional network prediction of the selected markers using RiceNet v2 also showed association to known controlling genes. We argue that a wide adoption of the marker stability approach for the prediction of agronomic traits and association mapping could improve global rice breeding efforts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Orhobor, O. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alexandrov, N. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chebotarov, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kretzschmar, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McNally, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanciangco, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>King, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/805002</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predicting agronomic traits and associated genomic regions in diverse rice landraces using marker stability]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/806323v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-omic signatures identify pan-cancer classes of tumors beyond tissue of origin. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/806323v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Despite recent advances in treatment, cancer continues to be one of the most lethal human maladies. One of the challenges of cancer treatment is the extreme diversity among seemingly identical tumors: while some tumors may have good prognosis and are treatable, others are quite aggressive, and may lack of effective therapies. Most of this variability comes from wide-spread mutations and epigenetic alterations. Using a novel omic-integration method, we have exploited this molecular information to re-classify tumors beyond the constraints of cell type. Eight novel tumor groups (C1-8) emerged, characterized by unique cancer signatures. C3 had better prognosis, genome stability, and immune infiltration. C2 and C5 had higher genome instability and poorer clinical outcomes. Remaining clusters were characterized by worse outcomes, along with higher genome instability. C1, C7, and C8 were upregulated for cellular and mitochondrial translation, and relatively low proliferation. C6 and C4 were also downregulated for cellular and mitochondrial translation, and had high proliferation rates. C4 was represented by copy losses on chromosome 6, and had the highest number of metastatic samples. C8 was characterized by copy losses on chromosome 11, having also the lowest lymphocytic infiltration rate. C6 had the lowest natural killer infiltration rate and was represented by copy gains of genes in chromosome 11. C7 was represented by copy gains on chromosome 6, and had the highest upregulation in mitochondrial translation. We believe that, since molecularly alike tumors could respond similarly to treatment, our results could inform therapeutic action.nnSignificanceCancer has been traditionally studied as a family of different diseases from different anatomical sites. Nevertheless, regardless of the tissue of origin, cancer can be characterized by molecular alterations on mechanisms controlling cell fate and progression. In this study, we integrate 33 cancer types and show the existence of eight clusters with unique genomic signatures and clinical characteristics, beyond the site of origin of the tumor. The study and treatment of cancer, based on predominant molecular features, rather than site of origin, can potentially aid in the discovery of novel therapeutic alternatives.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez-Reymundez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/806323</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-omic signatures identify pan-cancer classes of tumors beyond tissue of origin.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/809475v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Involvement of orexin/hypocretin in the expression of social play behaviour in juvenile rats 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/809475v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social play is a highly rewarding and motivated behaviour displayed by juveniles of many mammalian species. We hypothesized that the orexin/hypocretin (ORX) system is involved in the expression of juvenile social play behaviour because this system is interconnected with brain regions that comprise the social behaviour and mesocorticolimbic reward networks. We found that exposure to social play increased recruitment of ORX-A neurons in juvenile rats. Furthermore, central administration of ORX-A decreased social play duration, while central blockade of ORX-1 receptors differentially altered social play duration in juvenile rats with low versus high baseline levels of social play (increasing social play in low baseline social play individuals and decreasing social play in high baseline social play individuals). Together, our results provided the first evidence of a role for the ORX system in the modulation of juvenile social play behaviour.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reppucci, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gergely, C. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bredewold, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veenema, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/809475</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Involvement of orexin/hypocretin in the expression of social play behaviour in juvenile rats]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/811851v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Trophic variation within a piscivorous lake trout morph from Great Bear Lake, Canada: The initial step toward ecological specialization? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/811851v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In a polymorphic species, stable differences in resource use are expected among ecotypes, and homogeneity in resource use is predicted within an ecotype. Yet, using a broad resource spectrum has been identified as a strategy for fishes living in unproductive northern environments, where food is patchily distributed and ephemeral. We investigated whether individual specialization of trophic resources occurred within the generalist piscivore ecotype of lake trout from Great Bear Lake, Canada, reflective of a form of diversity. Four distinct dietary patterns of resource use within the lake trout ecotype were detected from fatty acid composition, with some variation linked to spatial patterns within Great Bear Lake. Feeding habits of different groups within the ecotype were not associated with detectable morphological or genetic differentiation, suggesting that behavioral plasticity caused the trophic differences. A low level of genetic differentiation was detected between exceptionally large-sized individuals and other individuals. Investigating a geologically young system that displays high levels of intraspecific diversity and focusing on individual variation in diet suggested that individual trophic specialization can occur within an ecotype. The characterization of niche use among individuals, as done in this study, is necessary to understand the role that individual variation can play at the beginning of differentiation processes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chavarie, L. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howland, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallagher, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hansen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tonn, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muir, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krueger, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/811851</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Trophic variation within a piscivorous lake trout morph from Great Bear Lake, Canada: The initial step toward ecological specialization?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/812362v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Juvenile rank acquisition influences fitness independent of adult rank 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/812362v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social rank has been identified as a significant determinant of fitness in a variety of species. The importance of social rank suggests that the process by which juveniles come to establish their position in the social hierarchy is a critical component of social development. Here, we use the highly predictable process of rank acquisition in spotted hyenas to study the consequences of variation in rank acquisition in early life. In spotted hyenas, rank is  inherited through a learning process called  maternal rank inheritance. This pattern is highly predictable: ~80% of juveniles acquire the exact rank predicted by the rules of maternal rank inheritance. This predictable nature of rank acquisition in these societies allows the process of rank acquisition to be studied independently from the ultimate rank that each juvenile attains. In this study, we use a novel application of the Elo-rating method to calculate each juveniles deviation from expected pattern of maternal rank inheritance during development. Despite variability in rank acquisition in juveniles, most of these juveniles come to attain the exact rank expected of them according to the rules of maternal rank inheritance. Nevertheless, we find that transient variation in rank acquisition in early life predicts long term fitness consequences for these individuals: juveniles  underperforming their expected ranks show reduced survival and lower lifetime reproductive success than better-performing peers. Finally, we present evidence that this variability in rank acquisition in early life represents a source of early life adversity, and that multiple sources of early life adversity have cumulative, but not compounding, effects on fitness.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Strauss, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shizuka, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/812362</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Juvenile rank acquisition influences fitness independent of adult rank]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/812404v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Feature-based Molecular Networking in the GNPS Analysis Environment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/812404v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Molecular networking has become a key method used to visualize and annotate the chemical space in non-targeted mass spectrometry-based experiments. However, distinguishing isomeric compounds and quantitative interpretation are currently limited. Therefore, we created Feature-based Molecular Networking (FBMN) as a new analysis method in the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) infrastructure. FBMN leverages feature detection and alignment tools to enhance quantitative analyses and isomer distinction, including from ion-mobility spectrometry experiments, in molecular networks.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nothias, L. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petras, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmid, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duehrkop, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rainer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarvepalli, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Protsyuk, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ernst, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsugawa, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fleischauer, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aicheler, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aksenov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alka, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allard, P.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barsch, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cachet, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caraballo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Da Silva, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garg, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gauglitz, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gurevich, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Isaac, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jarmusch, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kamenik, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kang, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kessler, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koester, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Korf, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Le Gouellec, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ludwig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin H., C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCall, L.-I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McSayles, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyer, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mohimani, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morsy, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moyne, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neumann, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neuweger, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, N. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Esposito-Nothias, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paolini, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Phelan, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pluskal,</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/812404</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Feature-based Molecular Networking in the GNPS Analysis Environment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/814491v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Replaying the evolutionary tape to investigate subgenome dominance in allopolyploidBrassica napus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/814491v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Interspecific hybridization and allopolyploidization merges evolutionarily distinct parental genomes (subgenomes) into a single nucleus. A frequent observation is that one subgenome is "dominant" over the other subgenome, having a greater number of reatined duplicate genes and being more highly expressed. Which subgenome becomes dominantly expressed in allopolyploids remains poorly understood. Here we "replayed the evolutionary tape" with six isogenic resynthesized Brassica napus (rapeseed) allopolyploid lines and investigated subgenome dominance patterns over the first ten generations. We found that the same subgenome was consistently more dominantly expressed in all lines and generations. Furthermore, DNA methylation differences between subgenomes mirrored the observed gene expression bias towards the Brassica oleracea derived  C subgenome in all lines and generations. These differences in gene expression and methylation were also found when comparing the progenitor genomes, suggesting subgenome dominance is related to inherited parental genome differences rather than a byproduct of allopolyploidization. Gene network analyses indicated an enrichment for network interactions and several biological functions for  C subgenome biased pairs, but no enrichment was observed for  A subgenome biased pairs. These findings demonstrate that "replaying the evolutionary tape" in allopolyploids results in repeatable and predictable subgenome expression dominance patterns based on preexisting genetic differences among the parental species. These findings have major implications regarding the genotypic and phenotypic diversity observed following plant hybridization in both ecological and agricultural contexts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ou, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gehan, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiong, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/814491</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Replaying the evolutionary tape to investigate subgenome dominance in allopolyploidBrassica napus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/816579v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gene Expression Networks in the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/816579v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A major challenge in modern biology is to understand how naturally occurring variation in DNA sequences affects complex organismal traits through networks of intermediate molecular phenotypes. Here, we performed deep RNA sequencing of 200 Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel inbred lines with complete genome sequences, and mapped expression quantitative trait loci for annotated genes, novel transcribed regions (most of which are long noncoding RNAs), transposable elements and microbial species. We identified host variants that affect expression of transposable elements, independent of their copy number, as well as microbiome composition. We constructed sex-specific expression quantitative trait locus regulatory networks. These networks are enriched for novel transcribed regions and target genes in heterochromatin and euchromatic regions of reduced recombination, and genes regulating transposable element expression. This study provides new insights regarding the role of natural genetic variation in regulating gene expression and generates testable hypotheses for future functional analyses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Everett, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carbone, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arya, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Geisz, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgante, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>St. Armour, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turlapati, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anholt, R. R. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackay, T. F. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/816579</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gene Expression Networks in the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/819771v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Haptic assistance that restricts use of redundant solutions is detrimental to motor learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/819771v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding the use of haptic assistance to facilitate motor learning is a critical issue, especially in the context of tasks requiring control of motor variability. However, the question of how haptic assistance should be designed in tasks with redundancy, where multiple solutions are available, is currently unknown. Here we examined the effect of haptic assistance that either allowed or restricted the use of redundant solutions on the learning of a bimanual steering task. 60 college-aged participants practiced steered a single cursor placed in between their hands along a smooth W-shaped track of a certain width as quickly as possible. Haptic assistance was either applied at the  task level using a force channel that only constrained the cursor to the track, allowing for the use of different hand trajectories, or (ii) the  individual effector level using a force channel that constrained each hand to a specific trajectory. In addition, we also examined the effect of  fading - i.e., decreasing assistance with practice to reduce dependence on haptic assistance. Results showed all groups improved with practice - however, groups with haptic assistance at the individual effector level performed worse than those at the task level. Moreover, fading of assistance did not offer learning benefits over constant assistance. Overall, the results suggest that haptic assistance is not effective for motor learning when it restricts the use of redundant solutions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lokesh, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ranganathan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-10-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/819771</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Haptic assistance that restricts use of redundant solutions is detrimental to motor learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-10-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/821546v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
OCTAD: an open workplace for virtually screening therapeutics targeting precise cancer patient groups using gene expression features 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/821546v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
One approach to precision medicine is to discover drugs that target molecularly defined diseases. Voluminous cancer patient gene expression profiles have been accumulated in public databases, enabling the creation of a cancer-specific expression signature. By matching this signature to perturbagen-induced gene expression profiles from large drug libraries, researchers can prioritize small molecules that present high potency to reverse expression of signature genes for further experimental testing of their efficacy. This approach has proven to be an efficient and cost-effective way to identify efficacious drug candidates. However, the success of this approach requires multiscale procedures, imposing significant challenges to many labs. Therefore, we present OCTAD: an open workplace for virtually screening compounds targeting precise cancer patient groups using gene expression features. We release OCTAD as a web portal and standalone R workflow to allow experimental and computational scientists to easily navigate the tool. In this work, we describe this tool and demonstrate its potential for precision medicine.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zeng, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glicksberg, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newbury, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xing, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chow, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/821546</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[OCTAD: an open workplace for virtually screening therapeutics targeting precise cancer patient groups using gene expression features]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/829044v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Enzalutamide-induced PTH1R-mediated TGFBR2 decrease in osteoblasts contributes to resistance in bone-metastatic prostate cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/829044v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Over 80% of prostate cancer (PCa) patients in the United States die with bone metastases. Second-line hormonal therapies, such as enzalutamide, improve overall survival in about 50% of patients with bone metastases, but almost all responsive patients eventually develop enzalutamide resistance. Our study showed that although enzalutamide significantly inhibited the tumor growth of subcutaneously or orthotopically grafted PCa C4-2B cells, it had no effect on the bone lesion development when C4-2B tumors were grafted in the bone, suggesting a crucial role of the microenvironment in enzalutamide resistance in PCa bone metastasis. We found that enzalutamide significantly decreased the amount of the TGFBR2 (TGF-{beta} type II receptor) in osteoblasts, both in vitro and in patient samples. The osteoblast-specific knockout of Tgfbr2 significantly induced bone metastasis. We showed that the enzalutamide-induced TGFBR2 decrease in osteoblasts was mediated by increased PTH1R (parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor), which resulted in TGFBR2 degradation, and that blocking PTH1R rescued the TGFBR2 decrease. Furthermore, we found that PTH1R up-regulation by enzalutamide was correlated with increased Pth1r promoter occupancy by transcription factor NR2F1. Our findings highlight a potential enzalutamide-resistance mechanism through TGFBR2 decrease in osteoblasts, thus suggesting future PTH1R-blocking approaches to overcome enzalutamide resistance in PCa bone metastasis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Su, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cao, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vander Ark, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woodford, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stiver, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madaj, Z. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowman, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/829044</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Enzalutamide-induced PTH1R-mediated TGFBR2 decrease in osteoblasts contributes to resistance in bone-metastatic prostate cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/830554v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Alpha-synuclein antisense oligonucleotides as a disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson’s disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/830554v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Parkinsons disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease with no approved disease-modifying therapies. Multiplications, mutations, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the SNCA gene, encoding alpha-synuclein protein (aSyn), either cause or increase risk for PD. Intracellular accumulations of aSyn are pathological hallmarks of PD. Taken together, reduction of aSyn production may provide a disease-modifying therapy for PD. We show that antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) reduce production of aSyn in rodent pre-formed fibril (PFF) models of PD. Reduced aSyn production leads to prevention and removal of established aSyn pathology and prevents dopaminergic cell dysfunction. In addition, we address the translational potential of the approach through characterization of human SNCA targeting ASOs that efficiently suppress the human SNCA transcript in vivo. We demonstrate broad activity and distribution of the human SNCA ASOs throughout the non-human primate brain and a corresponding decrease in aSyn cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) levels. Taken together, these data suggest that by inhibiting production of aSyn it may be possible to reverse established pathology and thus supports the development of SNCA ASOs as a potentially disease modifying therapy for PD and related synucleinopathies.nnSummaryAntisense oligonucleotides designed against SNCA, which are progressing to the clinic, have the potential to be a disease modifying therapeutic for Parkinsons disease patients.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cole, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collier, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sandoval, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sortwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steece-Collier, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daley, B. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Booms, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipton, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welch, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berman, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jandreski, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graham, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weihofen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Celano, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schulz, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole-Strauss, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luna, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quach, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mohan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennett, C. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swayze, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kordasiewicz, H. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luk, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paumier, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/830554</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Alpha-synuclein antisense oligonucleotides as a disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson’s disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/831701v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Metastatic function of METTL18 in breast cancer via actin methylation and Src 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/831701v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recently, a SET domain containing 3 (SETD3) was identified as an actin histidine methyltransferase, functioning to control replication and pathogenesis in multiple mouse models for enterovirus infection as well as the regulation of smooth muscle contractility linked to primary dystocia. Here, in this study, we report another type of actin histidine methyltransferase, METTL18, that regulates the metastatic potential of breast cancer in human. Among methyltransferases, METTL18 was highly amplified in human breast cancer. In particular, poor prognosis was associated with high expression of METTL18 in HER2-negative breast cancer patients. This gene product was also found to be a critical component of metastatic responses. Loss of METTL18 expression significantly reduced metastatic responses of breast tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, it was observed that METTL18 increased actin polymerization, upregulated complex formation with HSP90AA1 and Src, enhanced the activity of an intermediate form of Src with tyrosine phosphorylation at both Y416 and Y527, and induced cellular metastatic responses, including morphological change, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro and in mice. Methylated actin at His73 served as a critical site for interaction with HSP90AA1 and Src to activate p85/PI3K and STAT3. Our findings suggest that METTL18 plays critical roles in metastatic responses of HER2-negative breast cancer cells via actin polymerization and the generation of an intermediate form of Src.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kim, H. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, W. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, Y. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hong, Y. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, C. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sung, N. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yi, Y.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ratan, Z. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoo, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kang, S.-U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, Y. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paik, H.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nam, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parameswaran, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, J.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cho, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/831701</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Metastatic function of METTL18 in breast cancer via actin methylation and Src]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/834937v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparative genomic analyses and a novel linkage map for cisco (Coregonus artedi) provides insight into chromosomal evolution and rediploidization across salmonids 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/834937v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Whole-genome duplication (WGD) is hypothesized to be an important evolutionary mechanism that can facilitate adaptation and speciation. Genomes that exist in states of both diploidy and residual tetraploidy are of particular interest, as mechanisms that maintain the ploidy mosaic after WGD may provide important insights into evolutionary processes. The Salmonidae family exhibits residual tetraploidy, and this, combined with the evolutionary diversity formed after an ancestral autotetraploidization event, makes this group a useful study system. In this study, we generate a novel linkage map for cisco (Coregonus artedi), an economically and culturally important fish in North America and a member of the subfamily Coregoninae, which previously lacked a high-density haploid linkage map. We also conduct comparative genomic analyses to refine our understanding of chromosomal fusion/fission history across salmonids. To facilitate this comparative approach, we use the naming strategy of protokaryotype identifiers (PKs) to associate duplicated chromosomes to their putative ancestral state. The female linkage map for cisco contains 20,292 loci, 3,225 of which are likely within residually tetraploid regions. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that patterns of residual tetrasomy are generally conserved across species, although interspecific variation persists. To determine the broad-scale retention of residual tetrasomy across the salmonids, we analyze sequence similarity of currently available genomes and find evidence of residual tetrasomy in seven of the eight chromosomes that have been previously hypothesized to show this pattern. This interspecific variation in extent of rediploidization may have important implications for understanding salmonid evolutionary histories and informing future conservation efforts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Blumstein, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campbell, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hale, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sutherland, B. J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKinney, G. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stott, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Larson, W. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/834937</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparative genomic analyses and a novel linkage map for cisco (Coregonus artedi) provides insight into chromosomal evolution and rediploidization across salmonids]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/836197v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Unravelling the genetic architecture of musical rhythm 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/836197v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Moving in synchrony to the beat is a fundamental component of musicality. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify common genetic variants associated with beat synchronization in 606,825 individuals. Beat synchronization exhibited a highly polygenic architecture, with sixty-nine loci reaching genome-wide significance (p<5x10-8) and SNP-based heritability (on the liability scale) of 13%-16%. Heritability was enriched for genes expressed in brain tissues, and for fetal and adult brain-specific gene regulatory elements, underscoring the role of central nervous system-expressed genes linked to the genetic basis of the trait. We performed validations of the self-report phenotype (through internet-based experiments) and of the GWAS (polygenic scores for beat synchronization were associated with patients algorithmically classified as musicians in medical records of a separate biobank). Genetic correlations with breathing function, motor function, processing speed, and chronotype suggest shared genetic architecture with beat synchronization and provide avenues for new phenotypic and genetic explorations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Niarchou, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sathirapongsasuti, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacoby, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bell, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McArthur, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Straub, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>The 23andMe Research Team,</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McAuley, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Capra, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ullen, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Creanza, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mosing, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hinds, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gordon, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/836197</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Unravelling the genetic architecture of musical rhythm]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/840801v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparative transcriptomics reveal distinct patterns of gene expression conservation through vertebrate embryogenesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/840801v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Despite lifes diversity, studies of variation across animals often remind us of our shared evolutionary past. Abundant genome sequencing over the last ~25 years reveals remarkable conservation of genes and recent analyses of gene regulatory networks illustrate that not only genes but entire pathways are conserved, reused, and elaborated in the evolution of diversity. Predating these discoveries, 19th-century embryologists observed that though morphology at birth varies tremendously, certain stages of embryogenesis appear remarkably similar across vertebrates. Specifically, while early and late stages are variable across species, anatomy of mid-stages embryos (the  phylotypic stage) is conserved. This model of vertebrate development and diversification has found mixed support in recent analyses comparing gene expression across species possibly owing to differences across studies in species, embryonic stages, and gene sets compared. Here we perform a comparative analysis using 186 microarray and RNA-seq expression data sets covering embryogenesis in six vertebrate species spanning ~420 million years of evolution. We use an unbiased clustering approach to group stages of embryogenesis by transcriptomic similarity and ask whether gene expression similarity of clustered embryonic stages deviates from the null hypothesis of no relationship between timing and diversification. We use a phylogenetic comparative approach to characterize expression conservation pattern (i.e., early conservation, hourglass, inverse hourglass, late conservation, or no relationship) of each gene at each evolutionary node. Across vertebrates, we find an enrichment of genes exhibiting early conservation, hourglass, late conservation patterns and a large depletion of gene exhibiting no distinguishable pattern of conservation in both microarray and RNA-seq data sets. Enrichment of genes showing patterned conservation through embryogenesis indicates diversification of embryogenesis may be temporally constrained. However, the circumstances (e.g., gene groups, evolutionary nodes, species) under which each pattern emerges remain unknown and require both broad evolutionary sampling and systematic examination of embryogenesis across species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chan, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhamidipati, P. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goldsby, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hintze, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hofmann, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Young, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/840801</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparative transcriptomics reveal distinct patterns of gene expression conservation through vertebrate embryogenesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/843771v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phosphate transporter PstSCAB of Campylobacter jejuni	 is essential for lactate-dependent growth and colonization in chickens 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/843771v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Campylobacter jejuni causes acute gastroenteritis world-wide and is transmitted primarily through poultry, in which it is often a commensal member of the intestinal microbiota. Previous RNASeq experiments showed that transcripts from an operon encoding a high affinity phosphate transporter (PstSCAB) of C. jejuni were among the most abundant when grown in chickens. Elevated levels of the pstSCAB mRNA were also identified in an RNASeq experiment from human infection studies. In this study, we explore the role of PstSCAB in the biology and colonization potential of C. jejuni. Our experimental results demonstrate that cells lacking PstSCAB survive poorly in stationary phase, nutrient-limiting media, and under osmotic conditions reflective of those in the chicken. Polyphosphate levels in the mutant cells were elevated at stationary phase, consistent with alterations in expression of polyphosphate metabolism genes. C. jejuni were highly attenuated in colonization of newly hatched chicks, recovered at levels several orders of magnitude below wild type. Mutant and wild type grew similarly in complex media but the pstSCAB mutant exhibited a significant growth defect in minimal media supplemented with L-lactate, postulated as a carbon source in vivo. Poor growth in lactate correlated with diminished expression of acetogenesis pathway genes previously demonstrated as important for colonizing chickens. The phosphate transport system is thus essential for diverse aspects of C. jejuni physiology and in vivo fitness and survival.

ImportanceC. jejuni causes millions of gastrointestinal infections annually worldwide. Poultry and poultry products are major sources of C. jejuni infection to human as the microbe is a commensal colonizer of the chicken gastrointestinal tract. Due to the emergence of multi-drug resistance in C. jejuni, there is need to identify alternative ways to control this pathogen. Genes encoding the high-affinity phosphate transporter PstSCAB were highly expressed during colonization of C. jejuni in chicken and human. In this study, we address the role this high-affinity phosphate transporter PstSCAB of C. jejuni on chicken colonization and for its general physiology. PstSCAB is required for colonization in chicken, metabolism and survival under different stress responses and during growth on lactate, a potential substrate for growth of C. jejuni in chickens. Our study highlights that PstSCAB may be an effective target to develop mechanisms to control the bacterial burden in both chicken and human.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LeVeque, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gray, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowlin, M. Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/843771</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phosphate transporter PstSCAB of Campylobacter jejuni	 is essential for lactate-dependent growth and colonization in chickens]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/844076v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MyD88-Syk axis is a critical determinant for inflammatory response in macrophages 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/844076v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Inhibition of Syk or MyD88 decreased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and consequent ROS/RNS-induced phagocytic activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Syk inhibition downregulated expression of ROS/RNS-generating enzymes by inhibiting the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa?B) signaling pathway and phagocytic activity by suppressing suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) via its nitration in the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Inhibition of ROS/RNS generation suppressed SOCS1 nitration, leading to a decrease in the phagocytic activity. Syk was activated by the interaction with MyD88, and the tyrosine 58 residue (Y58) in the hemi-immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) of MyD88 was critical for interaction and consequent activation of Syk in macrophages. Src activated MyD88 by phosphorylation at Y58 via the Src kinase domain. Moreover, LPS-induced formation of filamentous actin (F-actin) and Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) activation induced Src activation. Conclusivley, these results suggest that the MyD88-Syk axis plays a pivotal role in macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses by inducing ROS/RNS generation and phagocytic activity via activation of Src and its upstream stimulators, F-actin and Rac1.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yi, Y.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, W. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeong, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aziz, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parameswaran, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cho, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/844076</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MyD88-Syk axis is a critical determinant for inflammatory response in macrophages]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/844324v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Surface Sensing Stimulates Cellular Differentiation in Caulobacter crescentus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/844324v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cellular differentiation is a fundamental strategy used by cells to generate specialized functions at specific stages of development. The bacterium C. crescentus employs a specialized dimorphic life cycle consisting of two differentiated cell types. How environmental cues, including mechanical inputs such as contact with a surface, regulate this cell cycle remain unclear. Here, we find that surface sensing by the physical perturbation of retracting extracellular pilus filaments accelerates cell cycle progression and cellular differentiation. We show that physical obstruction of dynamic pilus activity by chemical perturbation or by a mutation in the outer membrane pilus pore protein, CpaC, stimulates early initiation of chromosome replication. In addition, we find that surface contact stimulates cell cycle progression by demonstrating that surface-stimulated cells initiate early chromosome replication to the same extent as planktonic cells with obstructed pilus activity. Finally, we show that obstruction of pilus retraction stimulates the synthesis of the cell cycle regulator, cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP) through changes in the activity and localization of two key regulatory histidine kinases that control cell fate and differentiation. Together, these results demonstrate that surface contact and mechanosensing by alterations in pilus activity stimulate C. crescentus to bypass its developmentally programmed temporal delay in cell differentiation to more quickly adapt to a surface-associated lifestyle.

SignificanceCells from all domains of life sense and respond to mechanical cues [1-3]. In eukaryotes, mechanical signals such as adhesion and surface stiffness are important for regulating fundamental processes including cell differentiation during embryonic development [4]. While mechanobiology is abundantly studied in eukaryotes, the role of mechanical influences on prokaryotic biology remains under-investigated. Here, we demonstrate that mechanosensing mediated through obstruction of the dynamic extension and retraction of tight adherence (tad) pili stimulates cell differentiation and cell cycle progression in the dimorphic -proteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus. Our results demonstrate an important intersection between mechanical stimuli and the regulation of a fundamental aspect of cell biology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Snyder, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ellison, C. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Severin, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brun, Y. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/844324</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Surface Sensing Stimulates Cellular Differentiation in Caulobacter crescentus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/850123v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Controlling a robotic arm for functional tasks using a wireless head-joystick: A case study of a child with congenital absence of upper and lower limbs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/850123v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Children with movement impairments needing assistive devices for activities of daily living often require novel methods for controlling these devices. Body-machine interfaces, which rely on body movements, are particularly well-suited for children as they are non-invasive and have high signal-to-noise ratios. Here, we examined the use of a head-joystick to enable a child with congenital absence of all four limbs to control a seven degree-of-freedom robotic arm. Head movements were measured with a wireless inertial measurement unit and used to control a robotic arm to perform two functional tasks - a drinking task and a block stacking task. The child practiced these tasks over multiple sessions; a control participant performed the same tasks with a manual joystick. Our results showed that the child was able to successfully perform both tasks, with movement times decreasing by ~40-50% over 6-8 sessions of training. The childs performance with the head-joystick was also comparable to the control participant using a manual joystick. These results demonstrate the potential of using head movements for the control of high degree-of-freedom tasks in children with limited movement repertoire.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aspelund, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patel, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, M.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kagerer, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ranganathan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mukherjee, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/850123</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Controlling a robotic arm for functional tasks using a wireless head-joystick: A case study of a child with congenital absence of upper and lower limbs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/850271v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dorsal raphe oxytocin receptors regulate the neurobehavioral consequences of social touch 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/850271v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Prosocial interactions are essential for group-living animals and are regulated by tactile cues shared among the group members. Neurobiological mechanisms through which social touch influences prosociality and related affective behaviors are relatively unknown. Using the evolutionarily ancient mother-young dyad as a model, we hypothesized that neurobehavioral consequences of social touch involves an interaction between central oxytocin (released during social touch) and serotonin (regulating affect and neuroplasticity). New mother rats showed upregulation of numerous aspects of the oxytocin system in the midbrain dorsal raphe (DR; source of forebrain serotonin) compared to non-maternal females. Preventing this upregulation by OTR knockdown in the maternal DR elicited infanticide, reduced nursing, increased aggression, and decreased active coping behavior. OTR knockdown also decreased serotonin-immunoreactive fibers, and increased neuroplasticity-restricting perineuronal nets, in the primary somatosensory cortex. Thus, oxytocin signaling in the DR regulates mechanisms involved in serotonin-induced cortical plasticity, which refines the tactile processing underlying prosocial behaviors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grieb, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ford, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manfredsson, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lonstein, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/850271</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dorsal raphe oxytocin receptors regulate the neurobehavioral consequences of social touch]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/851444v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Non-invasive neuromodulation using rTMS and the Electromagnetic-Preceptive Gene (EPG) facilitates plasticity after nerve injury 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/851444v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Peripheral nerve injury leads to altered cortical excitation-inhibition balance which is associated with sensory dysfunctions. We tested if non-invasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) which has shown to induce neuronal excitability, and cell-specific magnetic activation via the Electromagnetic-perceptive gene (EPG) which is a novel gene that was identified and cloned from Kryptopterrus bicirrhis and demonstrated to evoke neural responses when magnetically stimulated, can restore cortical excitability. A battery of behavioral tests, fMRI and immunochemistry were performed in the weeks following limb denervation in rats. The results demonstrate that neuromodulation significantly improved long-term mobility, decreased anxiety and enhanced neuroplasticity. The study also identifies the acute post-injury phase as a critical time for intervention. Moreover, the results implicate EPG as an effective cell-specific neuromodulation approach. Together, these results reinforce the growing amount of evidence from human and animal studies that are establishing neuromodulation as an effective strategy to promote plasticity and rehabilitation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cywiak, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashbaugh, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Metto, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Udpa, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhong, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/851444</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Non-invasive neuromodulation using rTMS and the Electromagnetic-Preceptive Gene (EPG) facilitates plasticity after nerve injury]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/854927v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic Association Study of Childhood Aggression across raters, instruments and age 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/854927v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Childhood aggressive behavior (AGG) has a substantial heritability of around 50%. Here we present a genome-wide association meta-analysis (GWAMA) of childhood AGG, in which all phenotype measures across childhood ages from multiple assessors were included. We analyzed phenotype assessments for a total of 328 935 observations from 87 485 children aged between 1.5 and 18 years, while accounting for sample overlap. We also meta-analyzed within subsets of the data - i.e. within rater, instrument and age. SNP-heritability for the overall meta-analysis (AGGoverall) was 3.31% (SE=0.0038). We found no genome-wide significant SNPs for AGGoverall. The gene-based analysis returned three significant genes: ST3GAL3 (P=1.6E-06), PCDH7 (P=2.0E-06) and IPO13 (P=2.5E-06). All three genes have previously been associated with educational traits. Polygenic scores based on our GWAMA significantly predicted aggression in a holdout sample of children (variance explained = 0.44%) and in retrospectively assessed childhood aggression (variance explained = 0.20%). Genetic correlations (rg) among rater-specific assessment of AGG ranged from rg =0.46 between self- and teacher-assessment to rg =0.81 between mother- and teacher-assessment. We obtained moderate to strong rgs with selected phenotypes from multiple domains, but hardly with any of the classical biomarkers thought to be associated with AGG. Significant genetic correlations were observed with most psychiatric and psychological traits (range |rg| : 0.19 - 1.00), except for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Aggression had a negative genetic correlation (rg =~ -0.5) with cognitive traits and age at first birth. Aggression was strongly genetically correlated with smoking phenotypes (range |rg| : 0.46 - 0.60). The genetic correlations between aggression and psychiatric disorders were weaker for teacher-reported AGG than for mother- and self-reported AGG. The current GWAMA of childhood aggression provides a powerful tool to interrogate the rater-specific genetic etiology of AGG.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ip, H. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van der Laan, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brikell, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez-Mora, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nolte, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>St Pourcain, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bolhuis, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palviainen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zafarmand, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colodro-Conde, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gordon, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zayats, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aliev, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saunders, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karhunen, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammerschlag, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adkins, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Border, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peterson, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prinz, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thiering, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seppälä, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vilor-Tejedor, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahluwalia, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, F. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hottenga, J.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allegrini, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krapohl, E. M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rimfeld, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soler Artigas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rovira, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bosch, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Espanol, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramos Quiroga, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neumann, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ensink, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/854927</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic Association Study of Childhood Aggression across raters, instruments and age]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/858068v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Metastasis is altered through multiple processes regulated by the E2F1 transcription factor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/858068v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The E2F family of transcription factors is important for many cellular processes, from their canonical role in cell cycle regulation to other roles in angiogenesis and metastasis. Alteration of the Rb/E2F pathway occurs in various forms of cancer, including breast cancer. E2F1 ablation has been shown to decrease metastasis in MMTV-Neu and MMTV-PyMT transgenic mouse models of breast cancer. Here we take a bioinformatic approach to determine the E2F1 regulated genomic alterations involved in the metastatic cascade, in both Neu and PyMT models. Through gene expression analysis, we reveal few transcriptome changes in non-metastatic E2F1-/- tumors relative to transgenic tumor controls. However investigation of these models through whole genome sequencing found numerous differences between the models, including differences in the proposed tumor etiology between E2F1-/- and E2F1+/+ tumors induced by Neu or PyMT. Investigating mutated genes through gene set analysis also found a significant number of genes mutated in the cell adhesion pathway in E2F1-/- tumors, indicating this may be a route for disruption of metastasis in E2F1-/- tumors. Overall, these findings illustrate the complicated nature of uncovering drivers of the metastatic process.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Swiatnicki, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/858068</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Metastasis is altered through multiple processes regulated by the E2F1 transcription factor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/859595v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CDK4 as a phytochemical based anticancer drug target 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/859595v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Success story of plant-based medicine had been overlooked during the advent of modern pharmaceutical industry. Despite the negligence of the multimillion-dollar drug industry, people entirely rely on medicinal plants in some part of the world. In this study, we have emphasized on going back to those traditional medicinal practices to figure out their underlying mechanism to move forward on phytochemical based drug development. We screened Medicinal Plant Database Bangladesh 1.0 (MPDB1.0) and on-going extension, MPDB2.0, of that database to find traditionally used medicinal plants and their active compounds. Here, Mangiferin, extracted from Mangifera indica, have been demonstrated to interact with cell cycle regulator Cyclin-dependent Kinase 4 (CDK4). CDK4 is differentially expressed during Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), Brain Lower Grade Glioma (LGG), and Sarcoma (SARC). Expression of CDK4 is interlinked to the patients survival rate and its consistent expression throughout different stages have provided the advantage to use it as diagnostic tool and drug target. Altogether, this study demonstrated that simple mango tree extracted active compounds, mangiferin, can work as potential anticancer drug and leveraging the recent advancement of sequencing and gene expression data can accelerate the phytochemical based drug discovery process.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chando, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hussain, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Islam Rana, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sayed, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alam, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmed Fakir, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharma, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rahman Tanu, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mobin, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoque Apu, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hasan, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sayed, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashraf, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-11-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/859595</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CDK4 as a phytochemical based anticancer drug target]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-11-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/861526v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Chromosome Evolution of Octoploid Strawberry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/861526v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The allo-octoploid cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) originated through a combination of polyploid and homoploid hybridization, domestication of an interspecific hybrid lineage, and continued admixture of wild species over the last 300 years. While genes appear to flow freely between the octoploid progenitors, the genome structures and diversity of the octoploid species remain poorly understood. The complexity and absence of an octoploid genome frustrated early efforts to study chromosome evolution, resolve subgenomic structure, and develop a single coherent linkage group nomenclature. Here, we show that octoploid Fragaria species harbor millions of subgenome-specific DNA variants. Their diversity was sufficient to distinguish duplicated (homoeologous and paralogous) DNA sequences and develop 50K and 850K SNP genotyping arrays populated with co-dominant, disomic SNP markers distributed throughout the octoploid genome. Whole-genome shotgun genotyping of an interspecific segregating population yielded 1.9M genetically mapped subgenome variants in 5,521 haploblocks spanning 3,394 cM in F. chiloensis subsp. lucida, and 1.6M genetically mapped subgenome variants in 3,179 haploblocks spanning 2,017 cM in F. x ananassa. These studies provide a dense genomic framework of subgenome-specific DNA markers for seamlessly cross-referencing genetic and physical mapping information, and unifying existing chromosome nomenclatures. Through comparative genetic mapping, we show that the genomes of geographically diverse wild octoploids are effectively diploidized and completely collinear. The preservation of genome structure among allo-octoploid taxa is a critical factor in the unique history of garden strawberry, where unimpeded gene flow supported both its origin and domestication through repeated cycles of interspecific hybridization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hardigan, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feldmann, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lorant, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Famula, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Acharya, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapp, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/861526</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Chromosome Evolution of Octoploid Strawberry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/864850v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rootstock choice can dramatically affect grapevine growth 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/864850v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Grape growers use rootstocks to provide protection against pests and pathogens and to modulate viticulture performance such as shoot growth. Our study examined two grapevine scion varieties ( Chardonnay and  Cabernet Sauvignon) grafted to 15 different rootstocks and determined the effect of rootstocks on eight traits important to viticulture. We assessed the vines across five years and identified both year and variety as contributing strongly to trait variation. The effect of rootstock was relatively consistent across years and varieties, explaining between 8.99% and 9.78% of the variation in growth-related traits including yield, pruning weight, berry weight, and Ravaz index (yield to pruning weight ratio). Increases in yield due to rootstock were generally the result of increases in berry weight, likely due to increased water uptake by vines grafted to a particular rootstock. We demonstrated a greater than 50% increase in yield, pruning weight, or Ravaz index by choosing the optimal rootstock, indicating that rootstock choice is crucial for grape growers looking to improve vine performance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cousins, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jordan, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Myles, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Striegler, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verdegaal, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/864850</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rootstock choice can dramatically affect grapevine growth]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/870501v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Analysis of Mammalian Succinate Dehydrogenase Kinetics and Reactive Oxygen Species Production 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/870501v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Succinate dehydrogenase is an inner mitochondrial membrane protein complex that links the tricarboxylic acid cycle to the electron transport system. It catalyzes the reaction between succinate and ubiquinone to produce fumarate and ubiquinol. In addition, it can produce significant amounts of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide under the right conditions. While the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is the putative site of reactive oxygen species production, free radical production from other sites are less certain. Herein, we developed a computational model to analyze free radical production data from complex II and identify the mechanism of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production. The model includes the major redox centers consisting of the FAD, three iron-sulfur clusters, and a transiently catalytic bound semi quinone. The model consists of five-states that represent oxidation status of the enzyme complex. Each step in the reaction scheme is thermodynamically constrained, and transitions between each state involve either one-electron or two-electron redox reactions. The model parameters were simultaneously fit using data consisting of enzyme kinetics and free radical production rates under a range of conditions. In the absence of respiratory chain inhibitors, model analysis revealed that the 3Fe-4S iron-sulfur cluster is the primary source of superoxide production followed by the FAD radical. However, when the quinone reductase site of complex II is inhibited or the quinone pool is highly reduced, superoxide production from the FAD site dominates at low succinate concentrations. In addition, hydrogen peroxide formation from the complex is only significant when these one of these conditions is met and the fumarate concentrations is in the low micromolar range. From the model simulations, the redox state of the quinone pool was found to be the primary determinant of free radical production from complex II. This study highlights the importance of evaluating enzyme kinetics and associated side-reactions in a consistent, quantitative and biophysical detailed manner. By incorporating the results from a diverse set of experiments, this computational approach can be used to interpret and explain key differences among the observations from a single, unified perspective.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Manhas, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duong, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bazil, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/870501</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Analysis of Mammalian Succinate Dehydrogenase Kinetics and Reactive Oxygen Species Production]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/870535v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanism of perceived duration in artificial brains suggests new model of attentional entrainment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/870535v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While cognitive theory has advanced several candidate frameworks to explain attentional entrainment, the neural basis for the temporal allocation of attention is unknown. Here we present a new model of attentional entrainment that is guided by empirical evidence obtained using a cohort of 50 artificial brains. These brains were evolved in silico to perform a duration judgement task similar to one where human subjects perform duration judgements in auditory oddball paradigms1. We found that the artificial brains display psychometric characteristics remarkably similar to those of human listeners, and also exhibit similar patterns of distortions of perception when presented with out-of-rhythm oddballs. A detailed analysis of mechanisms behind the duration distortion in the artificial brains suggests that their attention peaks at the end of the tone, which is inconsistent with previous attentional entrainment models. Instead, our extended model of entrainment emphasises increased attention to those aspects of the stimulus that the brain expects to be highly informative.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tehrani-Saleh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McAuley, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adami, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/870535</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanism of perceived duration in artificial brains suggests new model of attentional entrainment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/871350v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Overexpression Of Mig-6 In Limb Mesenchyme Leads To Accelerated Osteoarthritis In Mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/871350v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundMitogen-inducible gene 6 (Mig-6) is a tumour suppressor gene that is also associated with the development of osteoarthritis (OA)-like disorder. Recent evidence from our lab and others showed that cartilage-specific Mig-6 knockout (KO) mice develop chondro-osseous nodules, along with increased articular cartilage thickness and enhanced EGFR signaling in the articular cartilage. Here, we evaluate the phenotype of mice with skeletal-specific overexpression of Mig-6.

MethodsSynovial joint tissues of the knee were assessed in 12 and 36 weeks-old skeleton-specific Mig-6 overexpressing (Mig-6over/over) and control animals using histological stains, immunohistochemistry, semi-quantitative OARSI scoring, and microCT for skeletal morphometry. Measurement of articular cartilage and subchondral bone thickness were also performed using histomorphometry.

ResultsOur results show only subtle developmental effects of Mig-6 overexpression. However, male Mig-6over/over mice show accelerated cartilage degeneration at 36 weeks of age, in both medial and lateral compartments of the knee. Immunohistochemistry for SOX9 and PRG4 showed decreased staining in Mig-6over/over mice relative to controls, providing potential molecular mechanisms for the observed effects.

ConclusionOverexpression of Mig-6 in articular cartilage causes no major developmental phenotype but results in accelerated development of OA during aging. These data demonstrate that precise regulation of the Mig-6/EGFR pathway is critical for joint homeostasis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rodrigues Bellini, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeong, J.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beier, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/871350</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Overexpression Of Mig-6 In Limb Mesenchyme Leads To Accelerated Osteoarthritis In Mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/871475v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Acidic pH reduces Vibrio cholerae motility in mucus by weakening flagellar motor torque 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/871475v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Intestinal mucus is the first line of defense against intestinal pathogens. It acts as a physical barrier between the epithelial tissues and luminal microbes. Enteropathogens, such as Vibrio cholerae, must compromise or circumvent the mucus barrier to establish a successful infection. We investigated how motile V. cholerae is able to penetrate mucus using single cell tracking in unprocessed porcine intestinal mucus. We found that changes in pH within the range of what has been measured in the human small intestine indirectly affect V. cholerae flagellar motor torque, and consequently, mucus penetration. Microrheological measurements indicate that the viscoelasticity of mucus does not change substantially within the physiological pH range and that commercially available mucins do not form gels when rehydrated. Finally, we found that besides the reduction in motor torque, El Tor and Classical biotypes have different responses to acidic pH. For El Tor, acidic pH promotes surface attachment that is mediated by activation of the mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MshA) pilus without a measurable change in the total cellular concentration of the secondary messenger cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP). Overall, our results support that the high torque of V. cholerae flagellar motor is critical for mucus penetration and that the pH gradient in the small intestine is likely an important factor in determining the preferred site of infection.

Author summaryThe diarrheal disease cholera is still a burden for populations in developing countries with poor sanitation. To develop effective vaccines and prevention strategies against Vibrio cholerae, we must understand the initial steps of infection leading to the colonization of the small intestine. To infect the host and deliver the cholera toxin, V. cholerae has to penetrate the mucus layer protecting the intestinal tissues. However, V. choleraes interactions with intestinal mucus has not been extensively investigated. In this report, we demonstrate using single cell tracking that V. cholerae is able to penetrate native intestinal mucus using flagellar motility. In addition, we found that a strong motor torque is required for mucus penetration and, that torque is weakened in acidic environments even though the motor is powered by a sodium potential. This finding has important implications for understanding the dynamics of infection because pH varies significantly along the small intestine, between individuals, and between species. Blocking mucus penetration by interfering with V. choleraes flagellar motility, reinforcing the mucosa, controlling intestinal pH, or manipulating the intestinal microbiome, will offer new strategies to fight cholera.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dufour, Y. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nhu, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/871475</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Acidic pH reduces Vibrio cholerae motility in mucus by weakening flagellar motor torque]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/871822v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pharmacological and fasting-induced activation of SIRT1/LXRα signaling alleviates diabetes-induced retinopathy. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/871822v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In diabetes, the retina, a tissue with unique metabolic needs, demonstrates dysregulation of the intricate balance between nutrient availability and utilization. This results in cholesterol accumulation, pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic changes, and consequently neurovascular damage. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a nutrient sensing deacetylase, is downregulated in the diabetic retina. In this study, the effect of SIRT1 stimulation by fasting or by pharmacological activation using SRT1720, was evaluated on retinal cholesterol metabolism, inflammation and neurovascular damage. SIRT1 activation, in retinal endothelial cells (REC) and neuronal retinal progenitor cells (R28), led to Liver X Receptor alpha (LXR) deacetylation and subsequent increased activity, as measured by increased ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC) A1 and G1 mRNA expression. In turn, increased cholesterol export resulted in decreased REC cholesterol levels. SIRT1 activation also led to decreased inflammation. SIRT1 activation, in vivo, prevented diabetes-induced inflammation and vascular and neural degeneration. Diabetes-induced visual function impairment, as measured by electroretinogram and optokinetic response, was significantly improved as a result of SIRT1 activation. Taken together, activation of SIRT1 signaling is an effective therapeutic strategy that provides a mechanistic link between the advantageous effects associated with fasting regimes and prevention of diabetic retinopathy (DR).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hammer, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vieira, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McFarland, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sandler, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levitsky, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorweiler, T. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lydic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Asare-Bediako, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adu-Agyeiwaah, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sielski, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dupont, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Longhini, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Calzi, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chakraborty, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seigel, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Proshlyakov, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grant, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Busik, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2019-12-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/871822</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pharmacological and fasting-induced activation of SIRT1/LXRα signaling alleviates diabetes-induced retinopathy.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2019-12-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.29.502042v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adoption of modern pest control systems associated with declines in butterfly abundance across Midwestern monitoring network 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.29.502042v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mounting evidence shows overall insect abundances are in decline globally. Habitat loss, climate change, and pesticides have all been implicated, but their relative effects have never been evaluated in a comprehensive large-scale study. We harmonized 17 years of land use, climate, multiple classes of pesticides, and butterfly survey data across 81 counties in five states in the US Midwest. We find community-wide declines in total butterfly abundance and species richness to be most strongly associated with pesticides in general, and for butterflies species richness the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds in particular. This included the abundance of the migratory monarch (Danaus plexippus), whose decline is the focus of intensive debate and public concern. Insect declines cannot be understood without comprehensive data on all putative drivers, and the 2015 cessation of neonicotinoid data releases in the US will impede future research.

One Sentence SummaryShifts in insecticide use towards neonicotinoid-treated seeds are associated with an 8 percent decline in butterfly species diversity across the American Corn Belt.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Van Deynze, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swinton, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hennessy, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ries, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.07.29.502042</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adoption of modern pest control systems associated with declines in butterfly abundance across Midwestern monitoring network]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.02.502164v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Taxonomic, genomic, and functional variation in the gut microbiomes of wild spotted hyenas across two decades of study 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.02.502164v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The gut microbiome provides vital functions for mammalian hosts, yet research on the variability and function of the microbiome across adult lifespans and multiple generations is limited in large mammalian carnivores. Here we use 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic sequencing to profile the taxonomic composition, genomic diversity, and metabolic function of the gut microbiome of 12 wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) residing in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya over a 23-year period spanning three generations. We determined the extent to which host factors predict variation in the gut microbiome and identify the core microbes present in the guts of hyenas. We also investigate novel genomic diversity in the mammalian gut by reporting the first metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) for hyenas. We found that gut microbiome taxonomic composition was highly variable across the two decades of sampling, but despite this, a core set of 14 bacterial genera and 19 amplicon sequence variants were identified. The strongest predictors of microbiome alpha and beta-diversity were host identity and age, suggesting that hyenas possess individualized microbiomes, and that these may change with age during adulthood. Gut microbiome functional profiles were also individual-specific, and were moderately correlated with antelope prey abundance, indicating that the functions of the gut microbiome vary with host diet. We recovered 149 high-quality MAGs from the hyena gut, spanning 25 bacterial orders and 51 genera. Some MAGs were classified as taxa previously reported for other carnivores, but many were novel and lacked species level matches to genomes in existing reference databases.

ImportanceThere is a gap in knowledge regarding the genomic diversity and variation of the gut microbiome across a hosts lifespan and across multiple generations of hosts in wild mammals. Using two types of sequencing approaches, we demonstrate that although gut microbiomes are individualized and temporally variable among hyenas, they correlate similarly to large-scale changes in their hosts ecological environment. We also recovered 149 high-quality MAGs from the hyena gut, greatly expanding the microbial genome repertoire known for hyenas, carnivores and wild mammals in general. Some MAGs came from genera abundant in the gastrointestinal tracts of canid species and other carnivores but over 80% of MAGs were novel and from species previously not represented in genome databases. Collectively, our novel body of work illustrates the importance of surveying the gut microbiome of non-model wild hosts, using multiple sequencing methods and computational approaches, and at distinct scales of analysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rojas, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jasso, M. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Souza, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eisen, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Theis, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.02.502164</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Taxonomic, genomic, and functional variation in the gut microbiomes of wild spotted hyenas across two decades of study]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.01.502337v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: a multi-trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.01.502337v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Species vulnerability to global warming is often assessed using short-term metrics such as the critical thermal maximum (CTmax), which represents an organisms ability to survive extreme heat. However, an understanding of the long-term effects of sub-lethal warming is an essential link to fitness in the wild, and these effects are not adequately captured by metrics like CTmax. The meltwater stonefly, Lednia tumana, is endemic to high-elevation streams of Glacier National Park, MT, USA, and has long been considered acutely vulnerable to climate change-associated stream warming. In 2019, it was listed as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This presumed vulnerability to warming was challenged by a recent study showing that nymphs can withstand short-term exposure to temperatures as high as ~27 {degrees}C. But how this short-term tolerance relates to chronic, long-term warming has remained unclear. By measuring fitness-related traits at several ecologically relevant temperatures over several weeks, we show that L. tumana cannot complete its life-cycle at temperatures well below the CTmax values measured for its nymphs. Although warmer temperatures maximized growth rates, they appear to have a detrimental impact on other key traits (survival, emergence success, and wing development), thus extending our understanding of L. tumanas vulnerability to climate change. Our results call into question the use of CTmax as a measure of thermal sensitivity, while highlighting the power and complexity of multi-trait approaches to assessing climate vulnerability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shah, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hotaling, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapsansky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malison, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Birrell, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keeley, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giersch, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tronstad, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woods, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.01.502337</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: a multi-trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.01.502344v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Temporal Regulation of Cold Transcriptional Response in Switchgrass 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.01.502344v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Switchgrass low-land ecotypes have significantly higher biomass but lower cold tolerance compared to up-land ecotypes. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cold response, including the ones at transcriptional level, can contribute to improving tolerance of high-yield switchgrass under chilling and freezing environmental conditions. Here, by analyzing an existing switchgrass transcriptome dataset, the temporal cis-regulatory basis of switchgrass transcriptional response to cold is dissected computationally. We found that the number of cold-responsive genes and enriched Gene Ontology terms increased as duration of cold treatment increased from 30 min to 24 hours, suggesting an amplified response/cascading effect in cold-responsive gene expression. To identify genomic sequences likely important for regulating cold response, machine learning models predictive of cold response were established using k-mer sequences enriched in the genic and flanking regions of cold-responsive genes but not non-responsive genes. These k-mers, referred to as putative cis-regulatory elements (pCREs) are likely regulatory sequences of cold response in switchgrass. There are in total 655 pCREs where 54 are important in all cold treatment time points. Consistent with this, eight of 35 known cold-responsive CREs were similar to top-ranked pCREs in the models and only these eight were important for predicting temporal cold response. More importantly, most of the top-ranked pCREs were novel sequences in cold regulation. Our findings suggest additional sequence elements important for cold-responsive regulation previously not known that warrant further studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ranaweera, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, B. N. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.01.502344</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Temporal Regulation of Cold Transcriptional Response in Switchgrass]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.01.502398v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Recovery of forearm and fine digit function after chronic spinal cord injury by simultaneous blockade of inhibitory matrix CSPG production and the receptor PTPσ. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.01.502398v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spinal cord injuries, for which there are limited effective clinical treatments, result in enduring paralysis and hypoesthesia due, in part, to the inhibitory microenvironment that develops and limits regeneration/sprouting, especially during chronic stages. Recently, we discovered that targeted enzymatic modulation of the potently inhibitory chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) component of the extracellular and perineuronal net (PNN) matrix via Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) can rapidly restore robust respiratory function to the previously paralyzed hemi-diaphragm after remarkably long times post-injury (up to 1.5 years) following a cervical level 2 lateral hemi-transection. Importantly, ChABC treatment at cervical level 4 in this chronic model also elicited rapid, albeit modest, improvements in upper arm function. In the present study, we sought to further optimize and elucidate the capacity for nerve sprouting and/or regeneration to restore gross as well as fine motor control of the forearm and digits at lengthy chronic stages post injury. However, instead of using ChABC, we utilized a novel and more clinically relevant systemic, non-invasive combinatorial treatment strategy designed to both reduce and overcome inhibitory CSPGs simultaneously and spatially extensively. Following a three-month upper cervical spinal hemi-lesion using adult female Sprague Dawley rats, we show that the combined treatment has a profound effect on functional recovery of the chronically paralyzed forelimb and paw, specifically during walking as well as precision movements of the digits. Our exciting pre-clinical findings will begin to enhance our understanding of the basic mechanisms underlying functionally beneficial regenerative events occurring at chronic injury stages for clinically relevant translational benefits.

Significance statementOvercoming the persistent axon inhibitory environment following a functionally debilitating incomplete spinal cord lesion has long proven to be an elusive dilemma, especially months to years after the initial spinal injury. Current therapeutic and rehabilitative techniques for patients suffering from chronic cervical spinal insults minimally, if at all, address this structural hindrance and support limited return of crucial behaviors such as voluntary use of the arms and hands. Our investigation into the behavioral and anatomical consequences of systemically perturbing the high-affinity binding interaction between the receptor PTP{sigma} and the extracellular chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans highlight an underlying barrier to the restoration of forelimb/paw walking and eating behavior 12-weeks after a cervical spinal hemi-transection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Milton, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silver, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwok, J. C. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McClellan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warren, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silver, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.01.502398</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Recovery of forearm and fine digit function after chronic spinal cord injury by simultaneous blockade of inhibitory matrix CSPG production and the receptor PTPσ.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.02.502073v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multifunctional requirements for ERK1/2 signaling in the development of ganglionic eminence derived glia and cortical inhibitory neurons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.02.502073v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK1/2 intracellular signaling pathway is activated by numerous cues during brain development and dysregulated in neurodevelopmental syndromes, particularly the RASopathies and certain forms of autism. Cortical excitatory/inhibitory imbalance is thought to be critical in the neuropathogenesis of these conditions. However, the developmental functions of ERK1/2 signaling in cortical inhibitory neurons (CINs) and other medial ganglionic eminence (MGE)-derived non-neuronal cells are poorly understood. Here, we genetically modulated ERK1/2 signaling in mouse MGE neural progenitors or GABAergic neurons in vivo. We find that MEK-ERK1/2 signaling is essential for regulating MGE-derived oligodendrocyte number in the anterior commissure. While Erk1/2 inactivation does not alter CIN number, we discovered a significant and persistent reduction in somatostatin, but not parvalbumin, expression in a subset of CINs. ERK1/2 signaling is also necessary for chemogenetic activity-dependent FOSB expression in CINs in vivo. Interestingly, one week of chronic chemogenetic stimulation in juvenile or adult animals partially rescues the decrease in somatostatin expression in Erk1/2 mutant CINs. Our data demonstrate ERK1/2 signaling is required for the establishment of MGE-derived glia, whereas in CINs, ERK1/2 drives activity dependent-responses and the expression of somatostatin in a subset of neurons.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Knowles, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holter, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bjorklund, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rees, K. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Fuentes, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nishimura, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Afshari, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fry, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mangone, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newbern, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.02.502073</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multifunctional requirements for ERK1/2 signaling in the development of ganglionic eminence derived glia and cortical inhibitory neurons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.03.502680v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Systematic Analysis of Autophagy Identifies Atg9 Vesicles as the Origin of the Phagophore 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.03.502680v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autophagy is a catabolic pathway required for the clearance and recycling of cytoplasmic materials. Upregulation and dysfunction of autophagy contributes to the pathology of cancer and neurogenerative diseases, respectively. To define the molecular mechanisms that control autophagic flux it is critical to quantitatively characterize the dynamic behavior of autophagy factors in living cells. Using a panel of 9 cell lines expressing HaloTagged autophagy factors from their endogenous loci, we systematically analyze the abundance, single-molecule dynamics, and autophagosome association kinetics of a wide variety of autophagy proteins involved in the initiation and maturation of the autophagosome. Our results reveal that phagophores are initiated by the accumulation of autophagy factors on mobile ATG9 vesicles and tethering of these ATG9 vesicles to donor membranes by ATG2 is a key step in phagophore maturation. In addition, we demonstrate that the overall lifetime of an autophagosome is approximately 160 seconds and the majority of phagophore initiation events fail to produce mature autophagosomes. In total our work establishes a new experimental framework to quantitatively analyze autophagy and demonstrates that ATG9 vesicles are the seeds for autophagosome formation in human cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Broadbent, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barnaba, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.03.502680</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Systematic Analysis of Autophagy Identifies Atg9 Vesicles as the Origin of the Phagophore]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.04.502867v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distinct hyperactive RAS/MAPK alleles converge on common GABAergic interneuron core programs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.04.502867v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
RAS/MAPK gene dysfunction underlies various cancers and neurocognitive disorders. While the role of RAS/MAPK genes have been well studied in cancer, less is known about their function during neurodevelopment. There are many genes that work in concert to regulate RAS/MAPK signaling, suggesting that if common brain phenotypes could be discovered they could have a broad impact on the many other disorders caused by distinct RAS/MAPK genes. We assessed the cellular and molecular consequences of hyperactivating the RAS/MAPK pathway using two distinct genes in a cell type previously implicated in RAS/MAPK-mediated cognitive changes, cortical GABAergic interneurons. We uncovered some GABAergic core programs that are commonly altered in each of the mutants. Notably, hyperactive RAS/MAPK mutants bias developing cortical interneurons towards those that are somatostatin+. The increase in somatostatin+ interneurons could also be induced by elevated neural activity and we show the core RAS/MAPK signaling pathway is one mechanism by which this occurs. Overall, these findings present new insights into how different RAS/MAPK mutations can converge on GABAergic interneurons, which may be important for other RAS/MAPK genes/disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Knowles, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zaman, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angara, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newbern, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.04.502867</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distinct hyperactive RAS/MAPK alleles converge on common GABAergic interneuron core programs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.05.502984v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Characterizing Transient Protein-Protein Interactions by Trp-Cys Quenching and Computer Simulations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.05.502984v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Transient protein-protein interactions occur frequently under the crowded conditions encountered in biological environments, yet they remain poorly understood. Here, tryptophan-cysteine quenching is introduced as an experimental approach that is ideally suited to characterize such interactions between proteins with minimal labeling due to its sensitivity to nano- to microsecond dynamics on sub-nanometer length scales. The experiments are paired with computational modeling at different resolutions including fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to provide interpretation of the experimental observables and add further insights at the molecular level. This approach is applied to model systems, villin variants and the drkN SH3 domain, in the presence of protein G crowders. It is demonstrated that Trp-Cys quenching experiments are able to not only distinguish between overall attractive and repulsive interactions between different proteins, but they can also discern variations in interaction preferences at different protein surface locations. The close integration between experiment and simulations also provides an opportunity to evaluate different molecular force fields for the simulation of concentrated protein solutions.

Significance StatementBiological environments typically involve a variety of different proteins at very high concentrations where non-specific interactions are unavoidable. These interactions may go beyond simple crowding effects and involve transient contacts that may impact structure, dynamics, and ultimately function of proteins in vivo. While computer simulations have partially characterized such interactions, experimental data remain limited because established techniques are generally not well-suited to the characterization of dynamic processes on microsecond time and nanometer length scales. Tryptophan quenching by cysteine is introduced here as a new approach for studying transient protein encounters under concentrated conditions with the support of computational modeling. The study demonstrates that such experiments can resolve not just differences between different proteins but also residue-specific interaction preferences.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gamage, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valdes-Garcia, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapidus, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.05.502984</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Characterizing Transient Protein-Protein Interactions by Trp-Cys Quenching and Computer Simulations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.09.503331v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Theoretical and practical refinements of sans spike-in quantitative ChIP-seq with application to p300/CBP inhibition 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.09.503331v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Previously, we introduced an absolute and physical quantitative scale for chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing. The scale itself was determined directly from measurements routinely made on sequencing samples without additional reagents or spike-ins. We called this approach sans spike-in quantitative ChIP, or siQ-ChIP. In this paper we extend those results in several ways. First, we simplified the calculations defining the quantitative scale. Second, we highlight the normalization constraint implied by the quantitative scale and introduce a new scheme for generating tracks for siQ-ChIP. We next introduce some whole-genome analyses that are unique to siQ-ChIP which allow us, for example, to project the IP mass onto the genome to evaluate how much of any genomic interval was captured in the IP. We apply these analyses to p300/CBP inhibition and demonstrate that response to inhibition is a function of genomic architecture. In particular, active transcription start sites are only weakly perturbed by p300/CBP inhibition while enhancers are strongly perturbed. Similar observations have been reported in the literature, but without a quantitative scale, those observations have been misinterpreted. We discuss how the siQ-ChIP approach precludes such misinterpretations, which stem from the widespread community practice of treating unquantified and unnormalized ChIP-seq tracks as though they are quantitative.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dickson, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kupai, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaughan, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rothbart, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.09.503331</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Theoretical and practical refinements of sans spike-in quantitative ChIP-seq with application to p300/CBP inhibition]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.10.503555v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Group B streptococcal membrane vesicles induce proinflammatory cytokine production and are sensed in an NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent mechanism in human macrophages 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.10.503555v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of fetal and neonatal mortality worldwide. Many of the adverse effects associated with invasive GBS are associated with inflammation that leads to chorioamnionitis, preterm birth, sepsis, and meningitis; therefore, understanding bacterial factors that promote inflammation is of critical importance. Membrane vesicles (MVs), which are produced by many pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria, may modulate host inflammatory responses. In mice, GBS MVs injected intra-amniotically can induce preterm birth and fetal death. Although it is known that GBS MVs induce large-scale leukocyte recruitment into infected tissues, the immune effectors driving these responses are unclear. Here, we hypothesized that macrophages respond to GBS-derived MVs by producing proinflammatory cytokines and are recognized through one or more pattern recognition receptors. We show that THP-1 macrophage-like cells produce high levels of neutrophil- and monocyte-specific chemokines in response to MVs derived from different clinical isolates of GBS. Interleukin (IL)-1{beta} was significantly upregulated in response to MVs, which was independent of NF-kB signaling but dependent on both caspase-1 and NLRP3. These data indicate that MVs contain one or more pathogen-associated molecular patterns that can be sensed by the immune system. Furthermore, this study identifies the NLRP3 inflammasome as a novel sensor of GBS MVs. Our data additionally indicate that MVs may serve as immune effectors that can be targeted for immunotherapeutics, particularly given that similar responses were observed across this subset of GBS isolates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McCutcheon, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaddy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aronoff, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manning, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petroff, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.10.503555</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Group B streptococcal membrane vesicles induce proinflammatory cytokine production and are sensed in an NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent mechanism in human macrophages]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.11.503690v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Characterization of RNA Polymerase II Trigger Loop Mutations using Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Machine Learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.11.503690v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Catalysis and fidelity of multisubunit RNA polymerases rely on a highly conserved active site domain called the trigger loop (TL), which achieves roles in transcription through conformational changes and interaction with NTP substrates. The mutations of TL residues cause distinct effects on catalysis including hypo- and hyperactivity and altered fidelity. We applied molecular dynamics simulation (MD) and machine learning (ML) techniques to characterize TL mutations in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) system. We did so to determine relationships between individual mutations and phenotypes and to associate phenotypes with MD simulated structural alterations. Using fitness values of mutants under various stress conditions, we modeled phenotypes along a spectrum of continual values. We found that ML could predict the phenotypes with 0.68 R2 correlation from amino acid sequences alone. It was more difficult to incorporate MD data to improve predictions from machine learning, presumably because MD data is too noisy and possibly incomplete to directly infer functional phenotypes. However, a variational auto-encoder model based on the MD data allowed the clustering of mutants with different phenotypes based on structural details. Overall, we found that lethal mutations tended to increase distances of TL residues to the NTP substrate, while viable loss-of-function (LOF) substitutions tended to confer an increase in distances between TL and bridge helix (BH). In contrast, GOF mutants generally have a disrupting effect on hydrophobic contacts among TL and nearby helices.

AUTHOR SUMMARYRNA polymerase II (Pol II) synthesizes RNA with the help of an active site domain called trigger loop (TL). The mutations of TL cause changes in the activity of Pol II that could range from gain-of function (GOF) to loss-of-function (LOF) or lethal. This study provides a systematic characterization of the structural and functional outcomes of the TL mutations using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and machine learning (ML). We obtained functional phenotypes of mutants by ML using the genetic fitness scores as the input. We revealed that mutant TL sequences could predict the functional outcomes at a relatively high correlation. Then, we performed MD simulations to relate the structural information to the phenotypes. The analysis of the MD data suggested that the lethal mutants had increased distances between the TL and the substrate, while a subset of LOF mutants showed increased distances between TL and another active site domain called bridge helix (BH). On the other hand, GOF mutants had effects on the hydrophobic interactions around the active site. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the effects of TL mutations to the Pol II function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dutagaci, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaplan, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.11.503690</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Characterization of RNA Polymerase II Trigger Loop Mutations using Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Machine Learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.12.503788v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic architecture and evolution of color variation in American black bears 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.12.503788v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Color variation is a frequent evolutionary substrate for camouflage in small mammals but the underlying genetics and evolutionary forces that drive color variation in natural populations of large mammals are mostly unexplained. The American black bear, Ursus americanus, exhibits a range of colors including the cinnamon morph which has a similar color to the brown bear, U. arctos, and is found at high frequency in the American southwest. Reflectance and chemical melanin measurements showed little distinction between U. arctos and cinnamon U. americanus individuals. We used a genome-wide association for hair color as a quantitative trait in 151 U. americanus individuals and identified a single major locus (P < 10-13). Additional genomic and functional studies identified a missense alteration (R153C) in Tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) that impaired protein localization and decreased pigment production. Population genetic analyses and demographic modeling indicated that the R153C variant arose 9.36kya in a southwestern population where it likely provided a selective advantage, spreading both northwards and eastwards by gene flow. A different TYRP1 allele, R114C, contributes to the characteristic brown color of U. arctos, but is not fixed across the range.

HIGHLIGHTSO_LIThe cinnamon morph of American black bears and brown bears have different missense mutations in TYRP1 that account for their similar coloration
C_LIO_LITYRP1 variants in American black bears and brown bears are loss-of-function alleles associated with impaired protein localization to melanosomes
C_LIO_LIIn American black bears, the variant causing the cinnamon morph arose 9,360 years ago in the western lineage where it provides an adaptive advantage, and has spread northwards and eastwards by migration
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Puckett, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, I. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harper, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wakamatsu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Battu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Belant, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beyer, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carpenter, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crupi, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davidson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DePerno, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Forman, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fowler, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garshelis, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gould, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunther, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haroldson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ito, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kocka, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lackey, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leahy, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee-Roney, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewis, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lutto, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGowan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olfenbuttel, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orlando, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platt, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pollard, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramaker, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reich, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sajecki, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sell, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strules, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Manen, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitman, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williamson, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winslow, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaelin, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marks, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barsh, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.12.503788</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic architecture and evolution of color variation in American black bears]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.14.503926v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Accurately modeling biased random walks on weighted networks using node2vec+ 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.14.503926v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationAccurately representing biological networks in a low-dimensional space, also known as network embedding, is a critical step in network-based machine learning and is carried out widely using node2vec, an unsupervised method based on biased random walks. However, while many networks, including functional gene interaction networks, are dense, weighted graphs, node2vec is fundamentally limited in its ability to use edge weights during the biased random walk generation process, thus under-using all the information in the network.

ResultsHere, we present node2vec+, a natural extension of node2vec that accounts for edge weights when calculating walk biases and reduces to node2vec in the cases of unweighted graphs or unbiased walks. Using two synthetic datasets, we empirically show that node2vec+ is more robust to additive noise than node2vec in weighted graphs. Then, using genome-scale functional gene networks to solve a wide range of gene function and disease prediction tasks, we demonstrate the superior performance of node2vec+ over node2vec in the case of weighted graphs. Notably, due to the limited amount of training data in the gene classification tasks, graph neural networks such as GCN and GraphSAGE are outperformed by both node2vec and node2vec+

Contactarjun.krishnan@cuanschutz.edu

Code Availabilityhttps://github.com/krishnanlab/node2vecplus_benchmarks

Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirn, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.14.503926</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Accurately modeling biased random walks on weighted networks using node2vec+]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.15.504038v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Abiotic conditions alter effectiveness of a key seed defensive trait against granivores similarly across many plant species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.15.504038v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIEnvironmental conditions alter the function of many plant traits that drive species interactions, producing context-dependency in the outcomes of those interactions. Seed mucilage is a common, convergently-evolved trait found in thousands of plant species. When wetted, the seed coat swells into a viscid mass; when dried, the mucilage strands strongly cement the seed to whatever it is in contact with.
C_LIO_LIThis binding to the ground has been previously shown to protect seeds from granivory. Previous research found both that mucilage volume - and the correlated attachment strength - are higher in species from hot, dry, areas suggesting an environmental component of this traits function.
C_LIO_LIHere we (1) quantified the effect of temperature on attachment across many species in a lab setting, (2) tested the potential mechanism behind this correlation by accelerating desiccation speed without changing temperature, and (3) tested whether these relationships introduce context dependency of the defensive function of mucilage in the field, using field trials with harvester ants.
C_LIO_LIWe found that (1) increasing temperature during mucilage drying strongly reduced the force needed to dislodge seeds for most species, (2) drying time was likely the driving mechanism behind the loss of attachment strength at higher temperatures, not temperature per se, (3) seeds attached to substrate during higher temperatures or under accelerated drying conditions were far more susceptible to granivory.
C_LIO_LI Synthesis These results show not only the mechanism behind an abiotic modification of a functional trait of seeds, but that this change majorly alters a key interaction contributing to seed survival. These results add to a small, but growing, literature on the importance of seed mucilage in seed survival and demonstrate strong and largely predictable context-dependency in this traits defensive function.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>LoPresti, E. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stessman, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warren, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toll, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.15.504038</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Abiotic conditions alter effectiveness of a key seed defensive trait against granivores similarly across many plant species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.16.502005v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Leveraging prior biological knowledge improves prediction of tocochromanols in maize grain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.16.502005v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
With an essential role in human health, tocochromanols are mostly obtained by consuming seed oils; however, the vitamin E content of the most abundant tocochromanols in maize grain is low. Several large-effect genes with cis-acting variants affecting mRNA expression are mostly responsible for tocochromanol variation in maize grain, with other relevant associated quantitative trait loci (QTL) yet to be fully resolved. Leveraging existing genomic and transcriptomic information for maize inbreds could improve prediction when selecting for higher vitamin E content. Here, we first evaluated a multikernel genomic best linear unbiased prediction (MK-GBLUP) approach for modeling known QTL in the prediction of nine tocochromanol grain phenotypes (12-21 QTL per trait) within and between two panels of 1,462 and 242 maize inbred lines. On average, MK-GBLUP models improved predictive abilities by 7.0 to 13.6% when compared to GBLUP. In a second approach with a subset of 545 lines from the larger panel, the highest average improvement in predictive ability relative to GBLUP was achieved with a multi-trait GBLUP model (15.4%) that had a tocochromanol phenotype and transcript abundances in developing grain for a few large-effect candidate causal genes (1-3 genes per trait) as multiple response variables. Taken together, our study illustrates the enhancement of prediction models when informed by existing biological knowledge pertaining to QTL and candidate causal genes.

Core IdeasO_LIWith varying levels of vitamin E activity, tocochromanols found in maize grain are essential for human health
C_LIO_LISelecting for higher vitamin E content in maize grain can be enhanced with genomic prediction
C_LIO_LIPrediction models leveraging existing biological knowledge were evaluated in two panels of maize inbred lines
C_LIO_LIMultikernel prediction models based on previously identified QTL improved predictive ability
C_LIO_LIA multi-trait prediction model that had transcript abundances of a few large-effect causal genes performed the best
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tanaka, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tibbs-Cortes, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Magallanes-Lundback, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bornowski, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deason, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schoenbaum, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DellaPenna, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.16.502005</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Leveraging prior biological knowledge improves prediction of tocochromanols in maize grain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.19.504518v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modeling concentration-dependent phase separation processes involving peptides and RNA via residue-based coarse-graining 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.19.504518v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biomolecular condensation, especially liquid-liquid phase separation, is an important physical process with relevance for a number of different aspects of biological functions. Key questions of what drives such condensation, especially in terms of molecular composition, can be addressed via computer simulations, but the development of computationally efficient, yet physically realistic models has been challenging. Here, the coarse-grained model COCOMO is introduced that balances the polymer behavior of peptides and RNA chains with their propensity to phase separate as a function of composition and concentration. COCOMO is a residue-based model that combines bonded terms with short- and long-range terms, including a Debye-Huckel solvation term. The model is highly predictive of experimental data on phase-separating model systems. It is also computationally efficient and can reach the spatial and temporal scales on which biomolecular condensation is observed with moderate computational resources.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Valdes-Garcia, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapidus, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.19.504518</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modeling concentration-dependent phase separation processes involving peptides and RNA via residue-based coarse-graining]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.19.504501v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Magnetogenetic closed-loop reduction of seizure activity in a rat model of epilepsy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.19.504501v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
On-demand neurostimulation has shown success in epilepsy patients with pharmacoresistant seizures. Seizures produce magnetic fields that can be recorded using magnetoencephalography. We developed a new closed-loop approach to control seizure activity based on magnetogenetics using the electromagnetic perceptive gene (EPG) that encodes a protein that responds to magnetic fields. The EPG transgene was expressed in inhibitory interneurons under hDlx promoter and kainic acid was used to induce acute seizures. In vivo electrophysiological signals were recorded. We found that hDlx EPG rats exhibited a significant delay in the onset of first seizure (1142.72 {+/-} 186.35s) compared to controls (644.03 {+/-} 15.06s) and significantly less seizures (4.11 {+/-} 1.03) compared to controls (8.33 {+/-} 1.58). These preliminary findings suggest that on-demand activation of EPG expressed in inhibitory interneurons suppress seizure activity, and magnetogenetics via EPG may be an effective strategy to alleviate seizure severity in a minimally invasive, closed-loop and cell-specific fashion.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Metto, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.19.504501</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Magnetogenetic closed-loop reduction of seizure activity in a rat model of epilepsy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.19.504565v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sex-dependent role of hypocretin/orexin neurons in social behavior 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.19.504565v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Intraspecies social interactions are integral for survival and maintenance of society among all mammalian species. Yet, our understanding of the neural systems and mechanisms involved in the establishment of social connectedness are limited. Since their initial discovery as regulators of sleep/wakefulness and appetite in the brain, the hypocretin/orexin neurons have also been shown to play an essential role in modulating energy homeostasis, motivated and emotional behavior. These neurons are located exclusively in the hypothalamus which, regulates complex and goal-directed behaviors. The hypothalamus also plays an important role in the modulation of social behavior by encoding internal states. However, our understanding of the role of hypocretin neurons in social behavior is currently limited. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a combination of fiber photometry and machine learning based behavioral analysis in female and male mice expressing GCaMP6s in hypocretin neurons. We then applied optogenetic and pharmacological inhibition of hypocretin neuron signaling to determine the necessity of the hcrt neuron population for social behavior. Our results indicate that hypocretin neurons exhibit a robust increase in activity in response to social interaction in both female and male mice. We show here for the first time a social discrimination signal that is encoded differentially by hcrt neurons based on the nature of the social encounter. The intensity of the hcrt neuron activity predicts the subsequent duration of social interaction. The optogenetic inhibition of hypocretin neuron activity during social behavior leads to a reduction in the amount of time mice are engaged in social interaction in males but not in females. Blocking hcrt1 (orexin 1) receptors similarly reduces social interaction in males only. Reduced hcrt1 receptor signaling results in increased activity in the insular cortex and reduced activity in the VTA after social interaction in male mice. Together, these data implicate the lateral hypothalamus hypocretin neurons as a sexually dimorphic key regulator within the larger network of neural systems involved in social behavior. Our findings carry significant implications for the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases characterized by social dysfunction, particularly considering the varying prevalence observed across different sexes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dawson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Terstege, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jamani, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pavlov, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsutsui, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bugescu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Epp, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leinninger, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sargin, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.19.504565</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sex-dependent role of hypocretin/orexin neurons in social behavior]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.24.505184v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
C4 Grasses Employ Various Strategies to Acclimate Rubisco Activase to Heat Stress 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.24.505184v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
1Rising temperatures due to the current climate crisis will have devastating impacts on crop performance and resilience in the near future. One key step that limits plant photosynthetic performance under higher temperatures is the activity of the thermolabile enzyme rubisco activase (RCA). RCA is highly conserved in photosynthetic organisms, including C4 crops such as Zea mays (maize) and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum) which are crucial components of global food supply and the bioenergy sector. While rubisco is the most abundant protein on earth and responsible for carbon fixation, RCA is an essential chaperone required to remove inhibitory sugar phosphates from the active site of rubisco to allow for continued CO2 fixation. We set out to understand temperature-dependent RCA regulation in four different C4 plants, with a focus on the crop plants maize (two cultivars) and sorghum, as well as the model grass Setaria viridis (setaria). Gas exchange measurements confirm that CO2 assimilation is indeed limited by Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylation in these organisms and at high temperatures. All three species express distinct sets of RCA isoforms and each species alters the isoform and proteoform abundances in response to heat; however, the changes are species-specific. In order to understand how even subtle changes in the molecular environment of the chloroplast stroma affect RCA function during heat acclimation, we examined the regulation of RCA activity directly with respect thermostability, the ratio of ADP to ATP and the concentration of Mg2+ ions. As shown previously, the activity of RCA is modulated by a combination of these variables, but surprisingly, how these biochemical environment factors affect RCA function differs vastly between the different C4 species, and differences are even apparent between different cultivars within a single species, both with respect to proteoform abundance and regulation. Our results suggest that each grass evolved different parts of the RCA regulation portfolio and we conclude that a successful engineering approach aimed at improving carbon capture in C4 grasses will need to accommodate these individual regulatory mechanisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stainbrook, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aubuchon, L. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Si, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walton, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahrendt, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jez, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-08-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.08.24.505184</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[C4 Grasses Employ Various Strategies to Acclimate Rubisco Activase to Heat Stress]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-08-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.01.506188v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Global Phylogeny of the Brassicaceae Provides Important Insights into Gene Discordance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.01.506188v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mustard family (Brassicaceae) is a scientifically and economically important family, containing the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and numerous crop species that feed billions worldwide. Despite its relevance, most published family phylogenies are incompletely sampled, generally contain massive polytomies, and/or show incongruent topologies between datasets. Here, we present the most complete Brassicaceae genus-level family phylogenies to date (Brassicaceae Tree of Life, or BrassiToL) based on nuclear (>1,000 genes, almost all 349 genera and 53 tribes) and plastome (60 genes, 79% of the genera, all tribes) data. We found cytonuclear discordance between nuclear and plastome-derived phylogenies, which is likely a result of rampant hybridisation among closely and more distantly related species, and highlight rogue taxa. To evaluate the impact of this rampant hybridisation on the nuclear phylogeny reconstruction, we performed four different sampling routines that increasingly removed variable data and likely paralogs. Our resulting cleaned subset of 297 nuclear genes revealed high support for the tribes, while support for the main lineages remained relatively low. Calibration based on the 20 most clock-like nuclear genes suggests a late Eocene to late Oligocene  icehouse origin of the family. Finally, we propose five new or re-established tribes, including the recognition of Arabidopsideae, a monotypic tribe to accommodate Arabidopsis. With a worldwide community of thousands of researchers working on this family, our new, densely sampled family phylogeny will be an indispensable tool to further highlight Brassicaceae as an excellent model family for studies on biodiversity and plant biology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hendriks, K. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiefer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Al-Shehbaz, I. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bailey, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hooft van Huysduynen, A. A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nikolov, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nauheimer, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zuntini, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>German, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franzke, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koch, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lysak, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toro-Nunez, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ozudogru, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Invernon, V. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walden, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maurin, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hay, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sushkov, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mandakova, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thulin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Windham, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Resetnik, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spaniel, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ly, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkess, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neuffer, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braeuchler, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rainer, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janssens, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmull, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Forrest, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guggisberg, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zmarzty, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lepschi, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scarlett, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stauffer, F. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schonberger, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heenan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fore</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.01.506188</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Global Phylogeny of the Brassicaceae Provides Important Insights into Gene Discordance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.01.504602v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Principal Odor Map Unifies Diverse Tasks in Human Olfactory Perception 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.01.504602v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mapping molecular structure to odor perception is a key challenge in olfaction. Here, we use graph neural networks (GNN) to generate a Principal Odor Map (POM) that preserves perceptual relationships and enables odor quality prediction for novel odorants. The model is as reliable as a human in describing odor quality: on a prospective validation set of 400 novel odorants, the model-generated odor profile more closely matched the trained panel mean (n=15) than did the median panelist. Applying simple, interpretable, theoretically-rooted transformations, the POM outperformed chemoinformatic models on several other odor prediction tasks, indicating that the POM successfully encoded a generalized map of structure-odor relationships. This approach broadly enables odor prediction and paves the way toward digitizing odors.

One-Sentence SummaryAn odor map achieves human-level odor description performance and generalizes to diverse odor-prediction tasks.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, B. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mayhew, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez-Lengeling, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, W. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Little, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andres, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, B. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moloy, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parker, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gerkin, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mainland, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiltschko, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.01.504602</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Principal Odor Map Unifies Diverse Tasks in Human Olfactory Perception]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.02.506436v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tumor removal limits prostate cancer cell dissemination in bone cortex and osteoblasts induce cancer cell dormancy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.02.506436v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundDisseminated tumor cells (DTCs) can enter a dormant state and cause no symptoms in cancer patients. On the other hand, the dormant DTCs can reactivate and cause metastases progression and lethal relapses. In prostate cancer (PCa), relapse can happen after curative treatments such as primary tumor removal. The impact of surgical removal on PCa dissemination and dormancy remains elusive. Furthermore, as dormant DTCs are asymptomatic, dormancy-inducing can be an operational cure for preventing metastases and relapse of PCa patients.

MethodsWe used a PCa subcutaneous xenograft model and species-specific PCR to survey the DTCs in various organs at different time points of tumor growth and in response to tumor removal. We developed in vitro 2D and 3D co-culture models to recapitulate the dormant DTCs in the bone microenvironment. Proliferation assays, fluorescent cell cycle reporter, qRT-PCR, and Western Blot were used to characterize the dormancy phenotype. We performed RNA sequencing to determine the dormancy signature of PCa. A drug repurposing algorithm was applied to predict dormancy-inducing drugs and a top candidate was validated for the efficacy and the mechanism of dormancy induction.

ResultsWe found DTCs in almost all mouse organs examined, including bones, at week 2 post-tumor cell injections. Surgical removal of the primary tumor reduced the overall DTC abundance, but the DTCs were enriched only in the bones. We found that osteoblasts, but not other cells of the bones, induced PCa cell dormancy. RNA-Seq revealed the suppression of mitochondrial-related biological processes in osteoblast-induced dormant PCa cells. Importantly, the mitochondrial-related biological processes were found up-regulated in both circulating tumor cells and bone metastases from PCa patients data. We predicted and validated the dormancy-mimicking effect of PF-562271, an inhibitor of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in vitro. Decreased FAK phosphorylation and increased nuclear translocation were found in both co-cultured and PF-271-treated C4-2B cells, suggesting that FAK plays a key role in osteoblast-induced PCa dormancy.

ConclusionsOur study provides the first insights into how primary tumor removal enriches PCa cell dissemination in the bones, defines a unique osteoblast-induced PCa dormancy signature, and identifies FAK as a PCa cell dormancy gatekeeper.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xing, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stangis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacho, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yildirim-Ayan, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.02.506436</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tumor removal limits prostate cancer cell dissemination in bone cortex and osteoblasts induce cancer cell dormancy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.05.506655v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Accurate flux predictions using tissue-specific gene expression in plant metabolic modeling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.05.506655v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationThe accurate prediction of complex phenotypes such as metabolic fluxes in living systems is a grand challenge for systems biology and central to efficiently identifying biotechnological interventions that can address pressing industrial needs. The application of gene expression data to improve the accuracy of metabolic flux predictions using mechanistic modeling methods such as Flux Balance Analysis (FBA) has not been previously demonstrated in multi-tissue systems, despite their biotechnological importance. We hypothesized that a method for generating metabolic flux predictions informed by relative expression levels between tissues would improve prediction accuracy.

ResultsRelative gene expression levels derived from multiple transcriptomic and proteomic datasets were integrated into Flux Balance Analysis predictions of a multi-tissue, diel model of Arabidopsis thalianas central metabolism. This integration dramatically improved the agreement of flux predictions with experimentally based flux maps from 13C Metabolic Flux Analysis (MFA) compared with a standard parsimonious FBA approach. Disagreement between FBA predictions and MFA flux maps, as measured by weighted averaged percent error values, dropped from between 169-180% and 94-103% in high light and low light conditions, respectively, to between 10-12% and 9-11%, depending on the gene expression dataset used. The incorporation of gene expression data into the modeling process also substantially altered the predicted carbon and energy economy of the plant.

AvailabilityCode is available from https://github.com/Gibberella/ArabidopsisGeneExpressionWeights

Contactyairhill@msu.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kaste, J. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shachar-Hill, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.05.506655</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Accurate flux predictions using tissue-specific gene expression in plant metabolic modeling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.06.506722v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
1 Natural Genetic Variation in a Dopamine Receptor is Associated With Variation in Female Fertility in Drosophila melanogaster 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.06.506722v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fertility is a major component of fitness but its genetic architecture remains poorly understood. Using a full diallel cross of 50 Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel inbred lines with full genome sequences, we found substantial genetic variation in fertility largely attributable to females. We mapped genes associated with variation in female fertility by genome-wide association analysis of common variants in the fly genome. Validation of candidate genes by RNAi knockdown confirmed the role of the dopamine 2-like receptor (Dop2R) in promoting egg laying. We replicated the Dop2R effect in an independently collected productivity dataset and showed that the effect of the Dop2R variant was mediated in part by regulatory gene expression variation. This study demonstrates the strong potential of genome-wide association analysis in this diverse panel of inbred strains and subsequent functional analyses for understanding the genetic architecture of fitness traits.

Author SummaryIn evolutionary genetics, fitness is defined as the number of offspring an individual contributes to the next generation. This is determined by an individuals viability (its ability to survive past the reproductive age) and its fertility. Although understanding the genetic basis for natural variation in fitness is a major goal of evolutionary and population genetics, the genetic factors that contribute to variation in fertility in natural populations have remained largely unresolved. To address this issue, we took advantage of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel, a population of inbred, sequenced fly lines derived from a natural population. In this panel, there is minimal genetic variation among individuals within each line, whereas variation among the lines reflects the variation observed in the original population from which they were derived. We generated all possible pairwise crosses among 50 of these lines (2,500 distinct genotypes) and measured the productivity (number of offspring produced) for each genotype. We found considerable natural variation in productivity that was primarily determined by the female genotype. We performed a genome wide association as analysis and identified and functionally validated a dopamine receptor that plays a major role in determining variation in female fertility through an effect on egg-laying.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lyman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yamamoto, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harbison, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anholt, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackay, T. F. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.06.506722</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[1 Natural Genetic Variation in a Dopamine Receptor is Associated With Variation in Female Fertility in Drosophila melanogaster]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.06.506411v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Head and Neck Cancer-derived small extracellular vesicles sensitize TRPV1+ neurons to mediate cancer pain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.06.506411v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Severe pain is often experienced by patients with head and neck cancer and is associated with a poor prognosis. Despite its frequency and severity, current treatments fail to adequately control cancer-associated pain, because of our lack of mechanistic understanding. Cancer-derived small extracellular vesicles (Cancer-sEVs) are well- positioned to function as mediators of communication between cancer cells and neurons. Inhibition of Cancer-sEV release attenuated pain in tumor-bearing mice. Injection of purified Cancer-sEVs is sufficient to induce pain hypersensitivity in naive mice. Cancer-sEVs triggered calcium influx in nociceptors and inhibition or ablation of nociceptors protect against cancer pain. Interrogation of published sequencing data of human sensory neurons exposed to human Cancer-sEVs suggested a stimulation of protein translation in neurons. Induction of translation by Cancer-sEVs was validated in our mouse model and its inhibition alleviated cancer pain in mice. These findings define a role of Cancer-sEVs in cancer pain and identify several druggable targets.

Graphical abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=135 SRC="FIGDIR/small/506411v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (22K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2a13a2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6f305dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1d0417corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@17b36df_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Inyang, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heussner, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petroff, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reimers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermer, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tykocki, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Folger, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laumet, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.06.506411</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Head and Neck Cancer-derived small extracellular vesicles sensitize TRPV1+ neurons to mediate cancer pain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.06.506852v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-Omics Analysis of Magnetically Levitated Plasma Biomolecules 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.06.506852v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We recently discovered that superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) can levitate plasma biomolecules in the magnetic levitation (MagLev) system and cause formation of ellipsoidal biomolecular bands. To better understand the composition of the levitated biomolecules in various bands, we comprehensively characterized them by multi-omics analyses. To probe whether the biomolecular composition of the levitated ellipsoidal bands correlates with the health of plasma donors, we used plasma from individuals who had various types of multiple sclerosis (MS), as a model disease with significant clinical importance. Our findings reveal that, while the composition of proteins does not show much variability, there are significant differences in the lipidome and metabolome profiles of each magnetically levitated ellipsoidal band. By comparing the lipidome and metabolome compositions of various plasma samples, we found that the levitated biomolecular ellipsoidal bands do contain information on the health status of the plasma donors. More specifically, we demonstrate that there are particular lipids and metabolites in various layers of each specific plasma pattern that significantly contribute to the discrimination of different MS subtypes, i.e., relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), secondary-progressive MS (SPMS), and primary-progressive MS (PPMS). These findings will pave the way for utilization of MagLev of biomolecules in biomarker discovery and diagnosis of this and other complex disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ashkarran, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gharibi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeki, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Radu, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khalighinejad, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keyhanian, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abrahamsson, C. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ionete, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saei, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.06.506852</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-Omics Analysis of Magnetically Levitated Plasma Biomolecules]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.07.507063v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
HPV E6 upregulates MARCHF8 ubiquitin ligase and inhibits apoptosis by degrading the death receptors in head and neck cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.07.507063v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The membrane-associated RING-CH-type finger ubiquitin ligase MARCHF8 is a human homolog of the viral ubiquitin ligases Kaposis sarcoma herpesvirus K3 and K5 that promote host immune evasion. Previous studies have shown that MARCHF8 ubiquitinates several immune receptors, such as the major histocompatibility complex II and CD86. While human papillomavirus (HPV) does not encode any ubiquitin ligase, the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 are known to regulate host ubiquitin ligases. Here, we report that MARCHF8 expression is upregulated in HPV-positive head and neck cancer patients but not in HPV-negative head and neck cancer patients compared to normal individuals. MARCHF8 expression is highly upregulated by HPV oncoprotein E6-induced MYC/MAX transcriptional activation. The knockdown of MARCHF8 expression in human HPV-positive HNC cells restores cell surface expression of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) death receptors, FAS, TRAIL-R1, and TRAIL-R2, and enhances apoptosis. MARCHF8 protein directly interacts with and ubiquitinates the TNFRSF death receptors. Further, MARCHF8 knockout in mouse oral cancer cells expressing HPV16 E6 and E7 augments cancer cell apoptosis and suppresses tumor growth in vivo. Our findings suggest that HPV inhibits host cell apoptosis by upregulating MARCHF8 and degrading TNFRSF death receptors in HPV-positive HNC cells.

IMPORTANCESince host cell survival is essential for viruses to replicate persistently, many viruses have evolved to prevent host cell apoptosis. The human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoproteins are known to dysregulate proapoptotic proteins. However, our understanding of detailed mechanisms for HPV to inhibit apoptosis is limited. Here, we report that HPV E6 induces transcription of the membrane-associated ubiquitin ligase MARCHF8, which is upregulated in HPV-positive head and neck cancer. MARCHF8 ubiquitinates the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) death receptors, FAS, TRAIL-R1, and TRAIL-R2 for degradation. We further revealed that downregulation of the death receptors by MARCHF8 prevents cancer cell apoptosis and that knockout of MARCHF8 expression significantly inhibits in vivo tumor growth and enhances tumor-free survival of mice transplanted with mouse oral cancer cells expressing HPV16 E6 and E7.These results suggest that virus-induced degradation of death receptors leads to cancer cell survival in HPV-positive head and neck cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Khalil, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chadha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welbon, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>James, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgan, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spanos, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pyeon, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.07.507063</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[HPV E6 upregulates MARCHF8 ubiquitin ligase and inhibits apoptosis by degrading the death receptors in head and neck cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.07.506951v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The topological shape of gene expression across the evolution of flowering plants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.07.506951v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Since they emerged ~125 million years ago, flowering plants have evolved to dominate the terrestrial landscape and survive in the most inhospitable environments on earth. At their core, these adaptations have been shaped by changes in numerous, interconnected pathways and genes that collectively give rise to emergent biological phenomena. Linking gene expression to morphological outcomes remains a grand challenge in biology, and new approaches are needed to begin to address this gap. Here, we implemented topological data analysis (TDA) to summarize the high dimensionality and noisiness of gene expression data using lens functions that delineate plant tissue and stress responses. Using this framework, we created a topological representation of the shape of gene expression across plant evolution, development, and environment for the phylogenetically diverse flowering plants. The TDA-based Mapper graphs form a well-defined gradient of tissues from leaves to seeds, or from healthy to stressed samples, depending on the lens function. This suggests there are distinct and conserved expression patterns across angiosperms that delineate different tissue types or responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Genes that correlate with the tissue lens function are enriched in central processes such as photosynthetic, growth and development, housekeeping, or stress responses. Together, our results highlight the power of TDA for analyzing complex biological data and reveal a core expression backbone that defines plant form and function.

Significance statementA grand challenge in biology is to link gene expression to phenotypes across evolution, development, and the environment, but efforts have been hindered by biological complexity and dataset heterogeneity. Here, we implemented topological data analysis across thousands of gene expression datasets in phylogenetically diverse flowering plants. We created a topological representation of gene expression across plants and observed well-defined gradients of tissues from leaves to seeds, or from healthy to environmentally stressed. Using this framework, we identified a core and deeply conserved expression backbone that defines plant form and function, with key patterns that delineate plant tissues, abiotic, and biotic stresses. Our results highlight the power of topological approaches for analyzing complex biological datasets.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Palande, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaste, J. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roberts, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Segura Aba, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Claucherty, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dacon, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doko, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jayakody, T. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeffery, H. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kelly, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manousidaki, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parks, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roggenkamp, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schumacher, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Percival, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pardo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Husbands, A. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munch, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rougon-Cardoso, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.07.506951</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The topological shape of gene expression across the evolution of flowering plants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.09.507263v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy patient fibroblast-iPSC-derived astrocytes reveal phenotype-specific metabolic, inflammatory, and microRNA alterations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.09.507263v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is an inherited progressive metabolic disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the ABCD1 gene, which leads to accumulation of very long chain fatty acids in body fluids and tissues including brain and spinal cord. In the absence of a clear genotype-phenotype correlation the molecular mechanisms of the severe cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (cALD) and the milder adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) phenotypes remain unknown. Given our previous evidence of role of astrocytes in the neuroinflammatory response in X-ALD we investigated the metabolic and molecular profiles of astrocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). The iPSCs were in turn generated from skin fibroblasts from healthy controls and patients with AMN or cALD. AMN and cALD astrocytes exhibited lack of ABCD1 and accumulation of very long chain fatty acids, a hallmark of X-ALD disease. Further, cALD astrocytes harbor significantly higher phosphorylation of STAT3, increased Toll-like receptor expression and higher chemokine and cytokine expression. In this first report of miRNA sequencing in X-ALD astrocytes, we observed that miR-9 expression was associated with increasing disease severity phenotype. CRISPR-Cas9 knock-in of ABCD1ABCD1 gene expression differentially affected the expression of key molecular, metabolic and microRNA targets in AMN and cALD astrocytes. Extensive characterization of the AMN and cALD iPSC-derived astrocyte model demonstrates critical aspects of X-ALD inflammatory disease in response to ABCD1ABCD1 mutation and can be further utilized for exploring the contribution of astrocytes to differential inflammatory response in cALD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>PARASAR, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaur, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poisson, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.09.507263</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy patient fibroblast-iPSC-derived astrocytes reveal phenotype-specific metabolic, inflammatory, and microRNA alterations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.12.507034v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Metadata preservation and stewardship for genomic data is possible, but must happen now 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.12.507034v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic diversity within species represents a fundamental yet underappreciated level of biodiversity. Because genetic diversity can indicate species and population resilience to changing climate, its measurement is relevant to many national and global conservation policy targets. Many studies of evolutionary biology, molecular ecology and conservation genetics produce large amounts of genome-scale genetic diversity data for wild populations. While open data policies have ensured an abundance of freely available genomic data stored in the databases of the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC), only about 13% of current accessions have the associated spatial and temporal metadata in INSDC necessary to be reused in monitoring programs, macrogenetic studies, or for acknowledging the sovereignty of nations or Indigenous Peoples. We undertook a "distributed datathon" to quantify the availability of these missing metadata in sources external to the INSDC and to test the hypothesis that these metadata decay with time. We also worked to remediate these missing metadata by extracting them, when present, from associated published papers, online repositories, and/or from direct communication with authors. Starting with 848 programmatically identified candidate datasets (INSDC BioProjects), we manually determined that 561 contained samples from wild populations. We successfully restored spatiotemporal metadata (locality name and/or geospatial coordinates and collection year) for 78% of these 561 datasets (N = 440 BioProjects comprising 45,105 individuals or BioSamples from 762 species in 17 phyla). We also quantified the availability of 33 additional categories of metadata in sources external to the INSDC. Information about associated publications and the type of habitat from which the samples were taken was the most easily found; information about sampling permits was the most challenging to locate. Looking at papers and online repositories was much more fruitful than contacting authors, who only replied to our email requests 45% of the time. Overall, 23% of our email queries to authors discovered useful metadata. Importantly, we found that the probability of retrieving spatiotemporal metadata declines significantly with the age of the dataset, with a 13.5% yearly decrease for metadata located in published papers or online repositories and up to a 22% yearly decrease for metadata that were only available from authors. This observable metadata decay, mirrored in studies of other types of biological data, should motivate swift updates to data sharing policies and researcher practices to ensure that the valuable context provided by metadata is not lost forever.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Crandall, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toczydlowski, R. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liggins, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holmes, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghoojaei, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaither, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wham, B. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pritt, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noble, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barton, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berg, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beskid, S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delgado, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrell, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Himmelsbach, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Queeno, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trinh, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weyand, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bentley, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deck, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Riginos, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toonen, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.12.507034</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Metadata preservation and stewardship for genomic data is possible, but must happen now]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.14.508043v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural insights into the elevator-type transport mechanism of a bacterial ZIP metal transporter 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.14.508043v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Zrt-/Irt-like protein (ZIP) family consists of ubiquitously expressed divalent metal transporters critically involved in maintaining systemic and cellular homeostasis of zinc, iron, and manganese. Here, we present a study on a prokaryotic ZIP from Bordetella bronchiseptica (BbZIP) by combining structural biology, evolutionary covariance, computational modeling, and a variety of biochemical assays to tackle the issue of the transport mechanism which has not been established for the ZIP family. The apo state structure in an inward-facing conformation revealed a disassembled transport site, altered inter-helical interactions, and importantly, a rigid body movement of a 4-transmembrane helix (TM) bundle relative to the other TMs. The computationally generated and biochemically validated outward-facing conformation model revealed a slide of the 4-TM bundle, which carries the transport site(s), by approximately 8 [A] toward the extracellular side against the static TMs which mediate dimerization. These findings allowed us to conclude that BbZIP is an elevator-type transporter.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sui, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.14.508043</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural insights into the elevator-type transport mechanism of a bacterial ZIP metal transporter]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.15.507997v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural and functional changes of pyramidal neurons at the site of an implanted microelectrode array in rat primary motor cortex 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.15.507997v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Devices capable of recording or stimulating neuronal signals have created new opportunities to understand normal physiology and treat sources of pathology in the brain. However, it is possible that the initial surgical insertion and subsequent tissue response to implanted electrodes may influence the nature of the signals detected or stimulated. In this study, we characterized structural and functional changes in pyramidal neurons surrounding silicon or polyimide-based electrodes implanted in the motor cortex of rats. Devices were captured in 300 m-thick tissue slices collected at the 1 or 6 week time point post-implantation, and individual neurons were assessed using a combination of whole-cell electrophysiology and 2-photon imaging. We observed disruption of the dendritic arbor of neurons near (<100 m) the device surface at both time points, as well as a significant reduction in spine densities. These effects were accompanied by a decrease in the frequency of spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic currents (sEPSCs), a loss in sag amplitude, and an increase in spike frequency adaptation at the 6 week time point. Interestingly, we also noted a significant increase in filopodial density in neurons surrounding devices. Results were similar for polyimide and silicon-based electrodes. We hypothesize that the effects observed in this study may contribute to the signal loss and instability that often accompany chronically implanted electrodes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gregory, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salatino, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Railing, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zimmerman, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gupta, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beatty, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purcell, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.15.507997</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural and functional changes of pyramidal neurons at the site of an implanted microelectrode array in rat primary motor cortex]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.22.509105v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Polylactide Degradation Activates Immune Cells by Metabolic Reprogramming 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.22.509105v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Polylactide (PLA) is the most widely utilized biopolymer in medicine. However, chronic inflammation and excessive fibrosis resulting from its degradation remain significant obstacles to extended clinical use. Immune cell activation has been correlated to the acidity of breakdown products, yet methods to neutralize the pH have not significantly reduced adverse responses. Using a bioenergetic model, we observed delayed cellular changes that were not apparent in the short-term. Amorphous and semi-crystalline PLA degradation products, including monomeric L-lactic acid, mechanistically remodel metabolism in cells leading to a reactive immune microenvironment characterized by elevated proinflammatory cytokines. Selective inhibition of metabolic reprogramming and altered bioenergetics both reduce these undesirable high cytokine levels and stimulate anti-inflammatory signals. Our results present a new biocompatibility paradigm by identifying metabolism as a target for immunomodulation to increase tolerance to biomaterials, ensuring safe clinical application of PLA-based implants for soft- and hard-tissue regeneration, and advancing nanomedicine and drug delivery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alhaj, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Habeeb, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhnert, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pope, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hix, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallet, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, S.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hakun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tundo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zinn, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hankenson, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodman, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Narayan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.22.509105</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Polylactide Degradation Activates Immune Cells by Metabolic Reprogramming]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.24.509247v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Continuous directed evolution of a feedback-resistant Arabidopsis arogenate dehydratase in plantized E. coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.24.509247v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Continuous directed evolution (CDE) is a powerful tool for enzyme engineering due to the depth and scale of evolutionary search that it enables. If suitably controlled and calibrated, CDE could be widely applied in plant breeding and biotechnology to improve plant enzymes ex planta. We tested this concept by evolving Arabidopsis arogenate dehydratase (AtADT2) for resistance to feedback inhibition. We used an Escherichia coli platform with a phenylalanine biosynthesis pathway reconfigured ( plantized) to mimic the plant pathway, a T7RNA polymerase-base deaminase hypermutation system (eMutaT7), and 4-fluorophenylalanine as selective agent. Selection schemes were pre-validated using a known feedback-resistant AtADT2 variant. We obtained variants that had 4-fluorophenylalanine resistance at least matching the known variant and that carried mutations in the ACT domain responsible for feedback inhibition. We conclude that ex planta CDE of plant enzymes in a microbial platform is a viable way to tailor characteristics that involve interaction with small molecules.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Leong, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanson, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.24.509247</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Continuous directed evolution of a feedback-resistant Arabidopsis arogenate dehydratase in plantized E. coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.23.509270v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome-wide association study of water use patterns of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes in response to drying soil 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.23.509270v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the main legume crop for direct human consumption worldwide. Among abiotic factors affecting common bean, drought is the most limiting. This study aimed at characterizing genetic variability and architecture of transpiration, stomatal regulation and whole plant water use within the Mesoamerican germplasm. A critical fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSWc) was estimated as the inflection point at which NTR starts decreasing linearly. Genome-wide association (GWA) analyses for mean NTR and FTSWc were performed. High variation on mean NTR and FTSWc was found among genotypes. Genomic signals controlling the variation of these traits were identified on Pv01 and Pv07 some located in intergenic, intronic and exonic regions. A set of novel candidate genes and putative regulatory elements located in these QTL were identified. Some of the genes have been previously reported to be involved in abiotic tolerance in model species, including some of the five transcription factors (TF) identified. Four candidate genes, one with potential water transportation activity and three TFs were validated. The gene Phvul.001G108800, an aquaporin SIP2-1 related gene, showed water channel activity through oocyte water assays. Mutant Arabidopsis thaliana (Ath) lines for the homologous genes of common bean were evaluated in transpiration experiments. Two of the three evaluated TFs, UPBEAT1 and C2H2-type ZN finger protein, were involved in the control of transpiration responses to drying soil. Our results provide evidence of novel genes to accelerate the drought tolerance improvement in the crop and study the physiological basis of drought response in plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cordoba-Novoa, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kelly, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoyos-Villegas, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.23.509270</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome-wide association study of water use patterns of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes in response to drying soil]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.25.509400v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Heterogeneity of burst firing in mouse thalamic reticular nucleus neurons 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.25.509400v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) sits at the interface of the thalamus and neocortex and provides the majority of inhibition to thalamic relay nuclei. Functionally, the activity of TRN neurons can impact sensory processing and may influence arousal states. TRN neurons discharge action potentials in two distinct output modes: tonic or burst firing. Burst output, a transient high frequency discharge of action potentials, is dependent on the activation of transient low-threshold voltage-dependent T-type calcium current (IT). In our current study, we identify a broad range of burst firing frequencies in TRN neurons, which depend on the activation of IT. The amplitude of the low-threshold calcium spike (LTS) underlying the burst positively correlated with burst frequency and number of action potentials per burst. Activation of small conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels on TRN neurons can impact burst discharge. Attenuation of SK channels increased TRN neuron burst frequency through an increase in LTS duration, but not magnitude. The broad range of burst firing frequencies could provide distinct downstream inhibition within thalamic nuclei.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Harding-Jackson, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beatty, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.25.509400</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Heterogeneity of burst firing in mouse thalamic reticular nucleus neurons]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.26.509546v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A national professional development program fills mentoring gaps for postdoctoral researchers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.26.509546v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Postdoc Academy: Succeeding as a Postdoc was designed to build postdocs skills in career transition, career planning, collaborative research, resilience, and self-reflection. This study examined self-reported changes in five skills as learners progressed through the course. Data were collected from participants who responded to both pre- and post-surveys and engaged with the course learning activities. Results from repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance revealed that all of the self-reported perceptions of skills improved significantly upon completion of the course. Hierarchical regressions revealed that underrepresented minority learners had greater gains in their development of skills in career planning, resilience, and self-reflection. Qualitative analysis of learners responses to learning activities found that postdocs perceived networking and mentor support as contributing factors to their skill advancement while tensions among multiple obligations and concerns of uncertainties were significant challenges to applying those skills.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sun, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drane, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGee, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campa, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goldberg, B. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hokanson, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.26.509546</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A national professional development program fills mentoring gaps for postdoctoral researchers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.26.509568v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Seasonal models reveal niche changes in Capsella bursa-pastoris 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.26.509568v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Researchers often use ecological niche models to predict where species might establish and persist under future or novel climate conditions. However, these predictive methods assume species have stable niches across time and space. Furthermore, ignoring the time of occurrence data can obscure important information about species reproduction and ultimately fitness. In this study, we generate full-year and monthly ecological niche models for Capsella bursa-pastoris to see if we can detect changes in the seasonal niche of the species after long-distance dispersal. We find full-year ecological niche models have low transferability across continents and there are continental differences in the climate conditions that influence the distribution of C. bursa-pastoris. Monthly models have greater predictive accuracy than full-year models in cooler seasons, but the inability of any model to predict summer occurrence in North America suggests a change in the seasonal niche from the native range to the non-native range. These results highlight the utility of ecological niche models at finer temporal scales in predicting species distributions and unmasking subtle patterns of evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wilson Brown, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.26.509568</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Seasonal models reveal niche changes in Capsella bursa-pastoris]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.26.509573v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cross-species predictive modeling reveals conserved drought responses between maize and sorghum 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.26.509573v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Drought tolerance is a highly complex trait controlled by numerous interconnected pathways with substantial variation within and across plant species. This complexity makes it difficult to distill individual genetic loci underlying tolerance, and to identify core or conserved drought responsive pathways. Here, we collected drought physiology and gene expression datasets across diverse genotypes of the C4 cereals sorghum and maize and searched for signatures defining water deficit responses. Differential gene expression identified few overlapping drought associated genes across sorghum genotypes, but using a predictive modeling approach, we found a shared core drought response across development, genotype, and stress severity. Our model had similar robustness when applied to datasets in maize, reflecting a conserved drought response between sorghum and maize. The top predictors are enriched in functions associated with various abiotic stress responsive pathways as well as core cellular functions. These conserved drought response genes were less likely to contain deleterious mutations than other gene sets, suggesting that core drought responsive genes are under evolutionary and functional constraints. Our findings support a broad evolutionary conservation of drought responses in C4 grasses regardless of innate stress tolerance, which could have important implications for developing climate resilient cereals.

Significance StatementDrought is a complex and variable stress that is difficult to quantify and link to underlying mechanisms both within and across species. Here, we developed a predictive model to classify drought stress responses in sorghum and identify important features that are responsive to water deficit. Our model has high predictive accuracy across development, genotype, and stress severity, and the top features are enriched in genes related to classical stress responses and have functional and evolutionary conservation. We applied this sorghum trained model to maize, and observed similar predictive accuracy of drought responses, supporting transfer learning across plant species. Our findings suggest there are deeply conserved drought responses across C4 grasses that are unrelated to tolerance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pardo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wai, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harman, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kremling, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romay, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lepak, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauerle, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buckler, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.26.509573</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cross-species predictive modeling reveals conserved drought responses between maize and sorghum]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.26.509374v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Profound immunomodulatory effects of 225Ac-NM600 drive enhanced anti-tumor responsein prostate cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.26.509374v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
An immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has hampered the efficacy of immunotherapy in prostate cancer. However, radiation-induced immunological effects can partly mediate anti-tumor effects by promoting a pro-inflammatory environment potentially responsive to immunotherapy. Herein, we examined the immunomodulatory properties of a radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) with NM600 radiolabeled with either a beta or alpha emitter in two prostate cancer models. 225Ac-NM600, but not 177Lu-NM600, promoted significant anti-tumor effects and improved overall survival. Immunomodulatory effects were dose, radionuclide, and tumor type-dependent. 225Ac-NM600 elicited an array of immunomodulatory effects such as increased CD8/Treg ratio, activation of effector and memory T cells, abrogation of infiltrating suppressor cells (e.g., Tregs and MDSCs), and increased levels of Th1 cytokine and pro-inflammatory chemokines. Importantly, we demonstrate the need to carefully characterize the immune responses elicited by RPT both pre-clinically and clinically to maximize tumor control and avoid potential counterproductive immunosuppressive effects.

TeaserTargeted alpha therapy can create a pro-inflammatory tumor micro-environment that partly explains stronger anti-tumor responses in prostate cancer
]]></description>
<dc:creator>de Aguiar Ferreira, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Potluri, H. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Massey, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grudzinski, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clemons, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thickens, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosenkrans, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pinchuk, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwon, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeffery, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bednarz, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morris, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weichert, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McNeel, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hernandez, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.26.509374</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Profound immunomodulatory effects of 225Ac-NM600 drive enhanced anti-tumor responsein prostate cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.27.509807v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Acclimating to degraded environments: The social rationale for swift action on restoration 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.27.509807v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As environmental degradation progresses, economies and societies adapt to the loss of ecosystem services and public attention to degradation subsides. In systems experiencing such societal acclimation to degradation, net incentives for stakeholder mitigation peak during early degradation phases and subside over time. Using harmful algae blooms in western Lake Erie as a case study, we illustrate how declines in public attention and societal reliance on lake recreation (i.e., finding recreation alternatives) reduce the incentives for stakeholders to reduce pollution runoff (i.e., mitigation efforts throughout the watershed). We then analyze how acclimation can affect a broad array of conservation challenges by developing a general socio-ecological model of societal response to degradation. We find that delays in initiating stakeholder-driven mitigation efforts can exponentially prolong restoration projects. Furthermore, when alleviating intense degradation relies upon voluntary commitments by many individuals, windows of opportunity for mitigation can be very limited because feedback loops of societal adaptation doom late restoration efforts to failure and lock human-environment systems into degraded states. These windows of opportunity can be particularly narrow when a) stakeholder mitigation requires supportive public opinion or b) even modestly valuable alternative services are available in degraded ecosystems. In such cases, maintaining undegraded human-environment regimes may hinge on quickly initiating stakeholder mitigation movements and allocating limited government conservation funds soon after degradation begins instead of spreading mitigation efforts out over decades. Such initiatives, regardless of whether acclimation is slow or rapid in a given system, also greatly accelerate the pace of environmental restoration.

Significance StatementAs societies acclimate to degraded environments, mitigation efforts that hinge on action by many stakeholders can erode. Developing a socio-ecological model of acclimation, we reveal how social and environmental processes intertwine to create alternative stable socio-ecological regimes, with either: 1) undegraded ecosystem states sustained by widespread mitigation adoption, or 2) degraded states where societies neither maintain nor continue relying on traditional, local ecosystem services. This dynamic places a premium on prompt mitigation efforts, which may face narrow opportunity windows to get started and avert degraded regimes in systems that rely on stakeholder-driven mitigation. Moreover, in any system requiring stakeholder action, societal acclimation will increase the importance of early action because decaying mitigation incentives exponentially lengthen restoration efforts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Karatayev, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webster, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Axelrod, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauch, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anand, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.27.509807</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Acclimating to degraded environments: The social rationale for swift action on restoration]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.28.510001v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predicting partner fitness based on spatial structuring in a light-driven microbial community 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.28.510001v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microbial communities have vital roles in systems essential to human health and agriculture, such as gut and soil microbiomes, and there is growing interest in engineering designer consortia for applications in biotechnology (e.g., personalized probiotics, bioproduction of high-value products, biosensing). The capacity to monitor and model metabolite exchange in dynamic microbial consortia can provide foundational information important to understand the community level behaviors that emerge, a requirement for building novel consortia. Where experimental approaches for monitoring metabolic exchange are technologically challenging, computational tools can enable greater access to the fate of both chemicals and microbes within a consortium. In this study, we developed an in-silico model of a synthetic microbial consortia of sucrose-secreting Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 and Escherichia coli W. Our model was built on the NUFEB framework for Individual-based Modeling (IbM) and optimized for biological accuracy using experimental data. We showed that the relative level of sucrose secretion regulates not only the steady-state support for heterotrophic biomass, but also the temporal dynamics of consortia growth. In order to determine the importance of spatial organization within the consortium, we fit a regression model to spatial data and used it to accurately predict colony fitness. We found that some of the critical parameters for fitness prediction were inter-colony distance, initial biomass, induction level, and distance from the center of the simulation volume. We anticipate that the synergy between experimental and computational approaches will improve our ability to design consortia with novel function.

Author SummaryMicrobial communities, play important, yet poorly understood roles in health and agriculture. As we develop a better understanding of how these communities interact together, as well as with their host organisms, there is growing interest in engineering communities with specific functions, such as for treating disease, personalized probiotics, or aiding plants with nutrient uptake. To better understand how these microbes interact with each other, we want to monitor the exchange of metabolites and the locations of the microbes, tasks which at present are technically challenging, if not impossible. Where experimental approaches for monitoring metabolites are limited, computational tools can enable greater access to the fate of both chemicals and microbes within a community. In this study, we developed a computerized model of a synthetic microbial community of two bacteria, one which performs photosynthesis and supplies sugar and another which consumes the sugar for growth. We showed that the relative level of sugar secretion regulates not only the steady-state support for the consumer partners growth, but also how the community changes with time. To determine the importance of spatial organization within the community, we fit a model and used it to predict colony growth. We anticipate that the synergy between experimental and computational approaches will improve our ability to design microbial communities with new functions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sakkos, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos-Merino, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kokarakis, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fuentes-Cabrera, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zuliani, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.28.510001</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predicting partner fitness based on spatial structuring in a light-driven microbial community]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.29.509951v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Clarifying space use concepts in ecology: range vs. occurrence distributions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.29.509951v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Quantifying animal movements is necessary for answering a wide array of research questions in ecology and conservation biology. Consequently, ecologists have made considerable efforts to identify the best way to estimate an animals home range, and many methods of estimating home ranges have arisen over the past half century. Most of these methods fall into two distinct categories of estimators that have only recently been described in statistical detail: those that measure range distributions (methods such as Kernel Density Estimation that quantify the long-run behavior of a movement process that features restricted space use) and those that measure occurrence distributions (methods such as Brownian Bridge Movement Models and the Correlated Random Walk Library that quantify uncertainty in an animal movement path during a specific period of observation). In this paper, we use theory, simulations, and empirical analysis to demonstrate the importance of applying these two classes of space use estimators appropriately and distinctly. Conflating range and occurrence distributions can have serious consequences for ecological inference and conservation practice. For example, in most situations, home-range estimates quantified using occurrence estimators are too small, and this problem is exacerbated by ongoing improvements in tracking technology that enable more frequent and more accurate data on animal movements. We encourage researchers to use range estimators to estimate the area of home ranges and occurrence estimators to answer other questions in movement ecology, such as when and where an animal crosses a linear feature, visits a location of interest, or interacts with other animals.

Open Research StatementTracking data on Aepyceros melampus, Beatragus hunteri, Bycanistes bucinator, Cerdocyon thous, Eulemur rufifrons, Glyptemys insculpta, Gyps coprotheres, Madoqua guentheri, Ovis canadensis, Propithecus verreauxi, Sus scrofa, and Ursus arctos are publicly archived in the Dryad repository (Noonan et al. 2018; https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.v5051j2), as are data from Procapra gutturosa (Fleming et al. 2014a; https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.45157). Data on Panthera onca were taken from (Morato et al. 2018). Additional data are publicly archived in the Movebank repository under the following identifiers: Canis latrans, 8159699; Canis lupus, 8159399; Chrysocyon brachyurus, 18156143; Felis silvestris, 40386102; Gyps africanus, 2919708; Lepus europaeus, 25727477; Martes pennanti, 2964494; Panthera leo, 220229; Papio cynocephalus, 222027; Syncerus caffer, 1764627; Tapirus terrestris, 443607536; Torgos tracheliotus, 2919708; and Ursus americanus, 8170674.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Alston, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fleming, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noonan, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tucker, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silva, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Folta, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akre, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ali, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Belant, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beyer, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blaum, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boehning-Gaese, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cunha de Paula, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dekker, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drescher-Lehman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farwig, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fichtel, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fischer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ford, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janssen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeltsch, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kappeler, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaPoint, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Markham, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medici, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morato, R. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nathan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petroelje, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramalho, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roesner, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos, L. G. R. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schabo, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Selva, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sergiel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spiegel, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ullman, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zieba, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zwijacz-Kozica, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wittemyer, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fagan, W. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-09-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.29.509951</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Clarifying space use concepts in ecology: range vs. occurrence distributions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-09-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.30.510293v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Novel inductively-coupled ear-bars (ICEs) for fMRI signal enhancement in rat entorhinal cortex 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.30.510293v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Entorhinal cortex (EC) is a potential target of deep brain stimulation in Alzheimers disease (AD) and fMRI can enable whole-brain dynamic mapping noninvasively. However, it remains challenging to study EC-based fMRI connectivity in rodents due to image signal loss and the lower sensitivity of the surface coil ring or array coil for deep brain areas. To reduce the magnetic susceptibility artifacts driven signal loss issue, we introduced baby cream into the middle ear. To improve detection sensitivity, we implemented novel inductively-coupled ear-bars (ICEs) in the 7 T Bruker scanner, which resulted in an approximately 2-fold signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) increase in EC over the conventional surface array. The ICE can be conveniently utilized as an add-on device, with no modulation to the scanner interface. To demonstrate the applicability of ICEs for both task and resting-state (rs) fMRI, whole-brain echo-planar imaging (EPI) was performed in anesthetized rats modeling AD mixed dementia. Seed-based rs-fMRI connectivity maps emanating from the left entorhinal cortex demonstrated its connectivity to the hippocampus, piriform cortex, septal nuclei, and prefrontal cortex. Hence, this work demonstrates an optimized procedure for ICE by acquiring large scale networks emanating from a seed region that was not easily accessible by conventional MRI detectors, enabling better observation of EC-based brain fMRI connectivity studies with a higher signal-to-noise ratio in rodent models of dementia.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandez, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Counts, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorrance, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scheel, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gifani, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.09.30.510293</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Novel inductively-coupled ear-bars (ICEs) for fMRI signal enhancement in rat entorhinal cortex]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.04.510879v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Diversity-stability relationships become decoupled across spatial scales: a synthesis of organism and ecosystem types 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.04.510879v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The relationship between biodiversity and stability, or its inverse, temporal variability, is multidimensional and complex. Temporal variability in aggregate properties, like total biomass or abundance, is typically lower in communities with higher species diversity (i.e., the diversity-stability relationship or DSR). Recent work has shown that, at broader spatial extents, regional-scale aggregate variability is also lower with higher regional diversity (in plant systems) and with lower spatial synchrony. However, it is not yet clear whether regional DSRs hold across a broad range of organisms and ecosystem types. Furthermore, focusing exclusively on aggregate properties of communities may overlook potentially destabilizing compositional shifts. To test these questions, we compiled a large collection of long-term spatial metacommunity data spanning a wide range of taxonomic groups (e.g., birds, fish, plants, invertebrates) and ecosystem types (e.g., deserts, forests, oceans). We applied a newly developed quantitative framework for jointly analyzing aggregate and compositional variability across scales. We quantified DSRs for composition and total abundance in local communities and metacommunities. At the local scale, compositional DSRs suggested that higher local () diversity was associated with lower variability in animal populations but higher variability in plant populations, while aggregate DSRs supported the classic stabilizing effects of diversity. Spatial synchrony differed among taxa (birds had the lowest, plants the highest), suggesting differences in stabilization by spatial processes. Spatial synchrony declined with higher diversity among sites ({beta}) for both compositional and aggregate properties. However, at the regional ({gamma}) scale, we found no aggregate DSR, but a positive compositional DSR. Across a broader range of taxa, our results suggest that high {gamma}-diversity does not consistently stabilize aggregate properties at regional scales without sufficient spatial {beta}-diversity to reduce spatial synchrony.

Open research statementAll data sets are accessible via the Environmental Data Initiative, and a specific data package of the data sets used in this analysis will be made publicly available (doi: pending). Citations to original sources are included in Appendix S1. Code to reproduce the analyses is found in a Zenodo archive (doi: pending) of the GitHub repository for this project (https://github.com/sokole/ltermetacommunities/tree/master/Manuscripts/MS3).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wisnoski, N. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrade, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castorani, M. C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Catano, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Compagnoni, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamy, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lany, N. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marazzi, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Record, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swan, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tonkin, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Voelker, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarnetske, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sokol, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.04.510879</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Diversity-stability relationships become decoupled across spatial scales: a synthesis of organism and ecosystem types]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.05.510890v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Generative Modeling of Single Cell Gene Expression for Dose-Dependent Chemical Perturbations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.05.510890v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Single cell sequencing provides a new opportunity to study the heterogeneity of chemical perturbation within tissues. However, exploring the combinatorial space of all cell type-chemical combinations is experimentally and financially unfeasible. This space is significantly expanded by the dose axis of chemical perturbation. Thus, computational tools are needed to predict responses not only across tissues, but also across doses while capturing the nuances of cell type specific gene expression. Variational autoencoders simplify the single cell expression space allowing cross cell type predictions using simple vector arithmetic. However, differing sensitivities and non-linearities make cell type specific gene expression predictions following treatment at higher doses challenging. Here we introduce single cell Variational Inference of Dose-Response (scVIDR) which achieves high dose and cell type specific predictions better than other state of the art algorithms. scVIDR predicts in vivo and in vitro dose-dependent gene expression across cell types in mouse liver, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and cancer cell lines. We use regression to interpret the outputs of scVIDR. Additionally, we use scVIDR to order individual cells based on their sensitivities to a particular chemical by assigning a pseudo-dose value to each cell. Taken together, we show that scVIDR can effectively predict the dose and cell state dependent changes associated with chemical perturbations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kana, O. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Filipovic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marri, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.05.510890</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Generative Modeling of Single Cell Gene Expression for Dose-Dependent Chemical Perturbations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.07.511316v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Live imaging reveals chromatin compaction transitions and dynamic transcriptional bursting during stem cell differentiation in vivo 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.07.511316v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Stem cell differentiation requires dramatic changes in gene expression and global remodeling of chromatin architecture. How and when chromatin remodels relative to the transcriptional, behavioral, and morphological changes during differentiation remain unclear, particularly in an intact tissue context. Here, we develop a quantitative pipeline which leverages fluorescently-tagged histones and longitudinal imaging to track large-scale chromatin compaction changes within individual cells in a live mouse. Applying this pipeline to epidermal stem cells, we reveal that cell-to-cell chromatin compaction heterogeneity within the stem cell compartment emerges independent of cell cycle status, and instead is reflective of differentiation status. Chromatin compaction state gradually transitions over days as differentiating cells exit the stem cell compartment. Moreover, establishing live imaging of keratin-10 nascent RNA, which marks the onset of stem cell differentiation, we find that keratin-10 transcription is highly dynamic and largely precedes the global chromatin compaction changes associated with differentiation. Together, these analyses reveal that stem cell differentiation involves dynamic transcriptional states and gradual chromatin rearrangement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>May, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yun, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lathrop, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xin, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, H.-y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cockburn, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greco, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.07.511316</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Live imaging reveals chromatin compaction transitions and dynamic transcriptional bursting during stem cell differentiation in vivo]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.06.511090v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Preparing future STEM faculty nationwide through flexible teaching professional development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.06.511090v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We report on a five-year initiative that has prepared thousands of future STEM faculty around the world to adopt evidence-based instructional practices by participating in two massive open online courses (MOOCs) and facilitated in-person learning communities. This novel combination of asynchronous online and coordinated, structured face-to-face learning community experiences provides flexible options for STEM graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to pursue teaching professional development, while leveraging the affordances of educational technologies and the geographically clustered nature of this target learner demographic. A total of 14,977 participants enrolled in seven offerings of the introductory course held 2014-2018, with 1,725 participants from approximately 60 countries completing at an average course completion rate of 13%. The preparation of future STEM faculty makes an important difference in establishing high-quality instruction that meets the diverse needs of all undergraduate students, and the initiative described here can serve as a model for increasing access to such preparation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Goldberg, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruff, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenler, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barnicle, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Green, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campbell, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laursen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ford, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serafini, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mack, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carley, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maimone, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campa, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.06.511090</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Preparing future STEM faculty nationwide through flexible teaching professional development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.14.512318v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Glycolytic reprogramming underlies immune cell activation by polyethylene wear particles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.14.512318v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Primary total joint arthroplasties (TJAs) are widely and successfully applied reconstructive procedures to treat end-stage arthritis. Nearly 50% of TJAs are now performed in young patients, posing a new challenge: performing TJAs which last a lifetime. The urgency is justified because subsequent TJAs are costlier and fraught with higher complication rates, not to mention the toll taken on patients and their families. Polyethylene particles, generated by wear at joint articulations, drive aseptic loosening by inciting insidious inflammation associated with surrounding bone loss. Down modulating polyethylene particle-induced inflammation enhances integration of implants to bone (osseointegration), preventing loosening. A promising immunomodulation strategy could leverage immune cell metabolism, however, the role of immunometabolism in polyethylene particle-induced inflammation is unknown. Our findings reveal that immune cells exposed to sterile or contaminated polyethylene particles show fundamentally altered metabolism, resulting in glycolytic reprogramming. Inhibiting glycolysis controlled inflammation, inducing a pro-regenerative phenotype that could enhance osseointegration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Habeeb, O. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhnert, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hakun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodman, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.14.512318</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Glycolytic reprogramming underlies immune cell activation by polyethylene wear particles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.15.512190v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Global disparities in plant science: a legacy of colonialism, patriarchy, and exclusion 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.15.512190v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The field of plant science has grown dramatically in the past two decades, but global disparities and systemic inequalities persist. Here, we analyzed ~300,000 papers published over the past two decades to quantify disparities across nations, genders, and taxonomy in the plant science literature. Our analyses reveal striking geographical biases--affluent nations dominate the publishing landscape and vast areas of the globe having virtually no footprint in the literature. Authors in Northern America are cited nearly twice as many times as authors based in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, despite publishing in journals with similar impact factors. Gender imbalances are similarly stark and show remarkably little improvement over time. Some of the most affluent nations have extremely male biased publication records, despite supposed improvements in gender equality. In addition, we find that most studies focus on economically important crop and model species and a wealth of biodiversity is under-represented in the literature. Taken together, our analyses reveal a problematic system of publication, with persistent imbalances that poorly captures the global wealth of scientific knowledge and biological diversity. We conclude by highlighting disparities that can be addressed immediately and offer suggestions for long-term solutions to improve equity in the plant sciences.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTWe analyzed ~300,000 papers published over the past two decades to quantify global, gender, and taxonomic disparities in plant science. Our analyses reveal striking geographical biases that are correlated with national affluence. Gender imbalances were also evident, with far more papers led by authors with masculine names than authors with feminine names. Lastly, we identified substantial taxonomic sampling gaps. The vast majority of surveyed studies focused on major crop and model species and the remaining biodiversity accounted for only a fraction of publications. Taken together, our analyses represent an important addition to the growing conversation about diversifying and decolonizing science.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marks, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amezquita, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Percival, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rougon-Cardoso, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chibici-Revneanu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tebele, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrant, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.15.512190</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Global disparities in plant science: a legacy of colonialism, patriarchy, and exclusion]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.19.512702v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ecological drivers of sustained enzootic yellow fever virus transmission in Brazil, 2017-2021 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.19.512702v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Beginning December 2016, sylvatic yellow fever (YF) outbreaks spread into southeastern Brazil, and Minas Gerais state experienced two sylvatic YF waves (2017 and 2018). Following these massive YF waves, we screened 187 free-living non-human primate (NHPs) carcasses collected throughout the state between January 2019 and June 2021 for YF virus (YFV) using qPCR. One sample belonging to a Callithrix, collected in June 2020, was positive for YFV. The viral strain belonged to the same lineage associated with 2017-2018 outbreaks, showing the continued enzootic circulation of YFV in the state. Next, using data from 781 NHPs carcasses collected in 2017-18, we used generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) to identify the spatiotemporal and host-level drivers of YFV infection and intensity (an estimation of genomic viral load in the liver of infected NHP). Our GAMMs explained 65% and 68% of variation in virus infection and intensity, respectively, and uncovered strong temporal and spatial patterns for YFV infection and intensity. NHP infection was higher in the eastern part of Minas Gerais state, where 2017-2018 outbreaks affecting humans and NHPs were concentrated. The odds of YFV infection were significantly lower in NHPs from urban areas than from urban-rural or rural areas, while infection intensity was significantly lower in NHPs from urban areas or the urban-rural interface relative to rural areas. Both YFV infection and intensity were higher during the warm/rainy season compared to the cold/dry season. The higher YFV intensity in NHPs in warm/rainy periods could be a result of higher exposure to vectors and/or higher virus titers in vectors during this time resulting in the delivery of a higher virus dose and higher viral replication levels within NHPs. Further studies are needed to better test this hypothesis and further compare the dynamics of YFV enzootic cycles between different seasons.

Author SummaryIn 2017 and 2018 massive sylvatic yellow fever (YF) outbreaks took place in Minas Gerais Brazil. To investigate yellow fever virus (YFV) circulation following these massive outbreaks, we investigated samples from 187 free-living non-human primate (NHPs) collected between January 2019 and June 2021. One sample belonging to a Callithrix, collected in June 2020 was positive for YFV. This virus was closely related to YFV from previous outbreaks (2017-2018) showing the continued enzootic circulation of YFV in the state. Next, we investigated the drivers of YFV infection and intensity (an estimation of viral load in each infected NHP) during the 2017-18 outbreaks. The odds of YFV infection in NHPs were lower in urban areas compared to rural ones as expected in sylvatic cycles. There were strong temporal and spatial patterns were observed for YFV infection and intensity, especially in the eastern part of Minas Gerais state. The higher YFV infection and intensity observed during the warm/rainy season (as opposed to the cold/dry one) could be related to higher exposure to vectors and/or higher virus titers in vectors during this time. The possible delivery of a higher virus dose in NHPs could lead to higher viral replication levels within NHPs explaining the higher intensity of infection during warm/rainy season. Further studies are needed to better test this hypothesis and further compare the dynamics of YFV enzootic cycles between different seasons.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Silva, N. I. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albery, G. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arruda, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia, G. F. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Costa, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mello, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moreira, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reis, E. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silva, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silva, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Almeida, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carlson, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasilakis, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanley, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drumond, B. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.19.512702</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ecological drivers of sustained enzootic yellow fever virus transmission in Brazil, 2017-2021]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.19.512741v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
DANCE: A Deep Learning Library and Benchmark for Single-Cell Analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.19.512741v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In the realm of single-cell analysis, computational approaches have brought an increasing number of fantastic prospects for innovation and invention. Meanwhile, it also presents enormous hurdles to reproducing the results of these models due to their diversity and complexity. In addition, the lack of gold-standard benchmark datasets, metrics, and implementations prevents systematic evaluations and fair comparisons of available methods. Thus, we introduce the DANCE platform, the first standard, generic, and extensible benchmark platform for accessing and evaluating computational methods across the spectrum of benchmark datasets for numerous single-cell analysis tasks. Currently, DANCE supports 3 modules and 8 popular tasks with 32 state-of-art methods on 21 benchmark datasets. People can easily reproduce the results of supported algorithms across major benchmark datasets via minimal efforts (e.g., only one command line). In addition, DANCE provides an ecosystem of deep learning architectures and tools for researchers to develop their own models conveniently. The goal of DANCE is to accelerate the development of deep learning models with complete validation and facilitate the overall advancement of single-cell analysis research. DANCE is an open-source python package that welcomes all kinds of contributions. All resources are integrated and available at https://omicsml.ai/.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Venegas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Molho, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zuo, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.19.512741</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[DANCE: A Deep Learning Library and Benchmark for Single-Cell Analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.19.512774v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Elevated oxidative phosphorylation is critical for immune cell activation by polyethylene wear particles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.19.512774v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chronic inflammation is a major concern after total joint replacements (TJRs), as it is associated with bone loss, limited bone-implant integration (osseointegration), implant loosening and failure. Inflammation around implants could be directed away from adverse outcomes and toward enhanced osseointegration and improved surgical outcome. Activated macrophages exposed to polyethylene particles play a dominant inflammatory role, and exhibit elevated mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) whose role is unclear. By probing the contribution of the electron transport chain (ETC), we show that increased oxygen consumption does not contribute to bioenergetic (ATP) levels in fibroblasts and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages activated by polyethylene particles. Rather, it generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) at complex I by increasing mitochondrial membrane potential in macrophages. Inhibition of OXPHOS in a dosedependent manner without affecting glycolysis was accomplished by targeting complex I of the ETC using either rotenone or metformin. Metformin decreased mitochondrial ROS and, subsequently, expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1{beta}, IL-6 and MCP-1 but not TNF-a in macrophages. These results highlight the contribution of mitochondrial bioenergetics to activation of immune cells by polyethylene wear particles, offering new opportunities to modulate macrophage states toward desired clinical outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhnert, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Habeeb, O. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tundo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodman, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.19.512774</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Elevated oxidative phosphorylation is critical for immune cell activation by polyethylene wear particles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.24.513277v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A comparison of claw removal methods on the post-release survival and claw regeneration of stone crab (Menippe mercenaria) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.24.513277v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Commercial and recreational stone crab (Menippe mercenaria) fisheries primarily occur along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the southeastern United States and the northeastern Caribbean. The fishery is unique in that only the crabs claws are retained and the animal is returned to the water alive. While the fishery is often regarded as sustainable because it is believed to exploit the crabs natural ability to voluntarily drop (autotomize) and regenerate lost claws, the post-release survival of de-clawed stone crabs is often low, especially when both claws are harvested. In this study, a controlled laboratory experiment was used to compare a new method of claw removal to the typical method currently used in the fishery. For the two different claw removal methods, we compared crab survival and start time to claw regeneration as a function of harvester and whether one claw or both claws were removed. Overall, we found a significant effect of the removal method, harvester, and whether one claw or both claws were removed on crab survival, but these factors did not influence the time to start of claw regeneration. Although our new method was several seconds slower in processing time than the typical method, it resulted in a 28% increase in survival (up to 92% survival throughout the study) compared to the typical method of claw removal (64% survival throughout the study). Overall, these results suggest that our new method of claw removal significantly increases post-release survival of stone crabs, and most notably does so independent of harvester and whether one claw or both claws are removed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Walus, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schneider, E. V. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parker, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brittain, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGaw, I. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hayes, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peters, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanLeeuwen, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.24.513277</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A comparison of claw removal methods on the post-release survival and claw regeneration of stone crab (Menippe mercenaria)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.26.513896v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Weaker selection on genes with treatment-specific expression may limit plasticity evolution in Arabidopsis thaliana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.26.513896v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Differential gene expression between environments often underlies phenotypic plasticity. However, environment-specific expression patterns are hypothesized to relax selection on genes, and thus limit plasticity evolution. We collated over 27 terabases of RNA-sequencing data on Arabidopsis thaliana from over 300 peer-reviewed studies and 200 treatment conditions to investigate this hypothesis. Consistent with relaxed selection, genes with more treatment-specific expression have higher levels of nucleotide diversity and divergence at nonsynonymous sites but lack stronger signals of positive selection. This result persisted even after controlling for expression level, gene length, GC content, the tissue specificity of expression, and technical variation between studies. Overall, our investigation supports the existence of a hypothesized trade-off between the environment specificity of a genes expression and the strength of selection on said gene in A. thaliana. Future studies should leverage multiple genome-scale datasets to tease apart the contributions of many variables in limiting plasticity evolution.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roberts, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.26.513896</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Weaker selection on genes with treatment-specific expression may limit plasticity evolution in Arabidopsis thaliana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.27.513862v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Integrated PET and confocal imaging informs a functional timeline for the dynamic process of vascular reconnection during grafting. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.27.513862v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Grafting is a widely used agricultural technique that involves the physical joining of separate plant parts so they form a unified vascular system, enabling beneficial traits from independent genotypes to be captured in a single plant. This simple, yet powerful tool has been used for thousands of years to improve abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, enhance yield, and alter plant architecture in diverse crop systems. Despite the global importance and ancient history of grafting, our understanding of the fundamental biological processes that make this technique successful remains limited, making it difficult to efficiently expand on new genotypic graft combinations. One of the key determinants of successful grafting is the formation of the graft junction, an anatomically unique region where xylem and phloem strands connect between newly joined plant parts to form a unified vascular system. Here, we use an integrated imaging approach to establish a spatiotemporal framework for graft junction formation in the model crop Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), a plant that is commonly grafted worldwide to boost yield and improve abiotic and biotic stress resistance. By combining Positron Emission Tomography (PET), a technique that enables the spatio-temporal tracking of radiolabeled molecules, with high-resolution laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), we are able to merge detailed, anatomical differentiation of the graft junction with a quantitative timeline for when xylem and phloem connections are functionally re-established. In this timeline, we identify a 72-hour window when anatomically connected xylem and phloem strands regain functional capacity, with phloem restoration typically preceding xylem restoration by about 24-hours. Furthermore, we identify heterogeneity in this developmental and physiological timeline that corresponds with microvariability in the physical contact between newly joined rootstock-scion tissues. Our integration of PET and confocal imaging technologies provides a spatio-temporal timeline that will enable future investigations into cellular and tissue patterning events that underlie successful versus failed vascular restoration across the graft junction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Frank, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Komarov, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hecking, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fowler, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravenburg, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Widmier, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coneva, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tai, Y.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.27.513862</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Integrated PET and confocal imaging informs a functional timeline for the dynamic process of vascular reconnection during grafting.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.27.514093v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Characterisation of organised smooth endoplasmic reticulum suggests a route towards synthetic compartmentalisation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.27.514093v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Engineering of subcellular compartmentalisation is one of synthetic biologys key challenges. Among different approaches, de novo construction of a synthetic compartment is the most coveted but also most difficult option. Restructuring the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), via the introduction of recombinant oligomerising ER-membrane resident proteins, is an alternative starting point for building a new compartment. The presence of such proteins leads to a massive expansion of the ER and the formation of organised smooth endoplasmic reticulum (OSER), a large membranous compartment. However, OSER is poorly characterised and our understanding of its effect on the underlying biology of the plant is limited. Here we characterise a range of OSER compartments and show how the structure of the inducing polyprotein constructs affect the final compartment morphology, with the cytosolic-facing antiparallel oligomerisation domain demonstrated to be an essential component to trigger OSER formation. We show that while OSER retains a connection to the ER, a diffusional barrier exists to both the ER and the cytosol. Using high-resolution quantitative image analysis, we also show that the presence of this large compartment does not disrupt the rest of the ER network. Moreover, transgenic Arabidopsis constitutively expressing the compartment-forming polyproteins grew and developed normally. These properties collectively suggest that OSER could be developed as a plant synthetic biology tool for compartmentalisation, combining the benefits of several existing strategies. Only a single protein construct is necessary to induce its formation, and the compartment retains a delimiting membrane and a diffusional barrier to the rest of the cell.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sandor, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Samalova, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandizzi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kriechbaumer, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fricker, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sweetlove, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.27.514093</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Characterisation of organised smooth endoplasmic reticulum suggests a route towards synthetic compartmentalisation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.27.514118v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Stereochemistry Determines Immune Cellular Responses to Polylactide Implants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.27.514118v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Repeating L- and D-chiral configurations determine polylactide (PLA) stereochemistry which affects its thermal and physicochemical properties, including degradation profiles. Clinically, degradation of implanted PLA biomaterials promotes prolonged inflammation and excessive fibrosis, but the role of PLA stereochemistry is unclear. Additionally, although PLA of varied stereochemistries cause differential immune responses in-vivo, this observation has yet to be effectively modeled in-vitro. A bioenergetic model was applied to study immune cellular responses to PLA containing > 99% L-lactide (PLLA), > 99% D-lactide (PDLA) and a 50/50 melt-blend of PLLA and PDLA (stereocomplex PLA). Stereocomplex PLA breakdown products increased IL-1{beta}, TNF- and IL-6 protein levels but not MCP-1. Expression of these proinflammatory cytokines is mechanistically driven by increases in glycolysis in primary macrophages. In contrast, PLLA and PDLA degradation products selectively increase MCP-1 protein expression. Whereas both oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis are increased with PDLA, only oxidative phosphorylation is increased with PLLA. For each biomaterial, glycolytic inhibition reduces proinflammatory cytokines and markedly increases anti-inflammatory (IL-10) protein levels; differential metabolic changes in fibroblasts were observed. These findings provide mechanistic explanations for the diverse immune responses to PLA of different stereochemistries, and underscore the pivotal role of immunometabolism on the biocompatibility of biomaterials applied in medicine.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alhaj, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhnert, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Habeeb, O. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilmiller, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hankenson, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodman, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Narayan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.27.514118</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Stereochemistry Determines Immune Cellular Responses to Polylactide Implants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.28.514262v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
What is an urban bird? Trait-based predictions of urban tolerance for the world's birds are modulated by latitude and human population density 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.28.514262v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As human density increases, biodiversity must increasingly co-exist with urbanization or face local extinction. Tolerance of urban areas has been linked to numerous functional traits, yet few globally-consistent patterns have emerged to explain variation in urban tolerance, which stymies attempts at a generalizable predictive framework. Here, we calculate an Urban Association Index (UAI) for 3768 bird species in 137 cities across all permanently inhabited continents. We then assess how UAI varies as a function of ten species-specific traits and further test whether the strength of trait relationships vary as a function of three city-specific variables. Of the ten species traits, nine were significantly associated with urban tolerance. Urban-associated species tend to be smaller, less territorial, have greater dispersal ability, broader dietary and habitat niches, larger clutch sizes, greater longevity, and have lower elevational limits. Only bill shape showed no global association with urban tolerance. Additionally, the strength of several trait relationships varied across cities as a function of latitude and/or human population density. For example, the effects of body mass and diet breadth are more pronounced at higher latitudes, while the effects of territoriality and longevity were reduced in cities with higher population density. Thus, the importance of trait filters in birds varies predictably across cities, indicating biogeographic variation in selection for urban tolerance that could explain prior challenges in the search for global patterns. A globally-informed framework that predicts urban tolerance will be integral to conservation as increasing proportions of the worlds biodiversity are impacted by urbanization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Neate-Clegg, M. H. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tonelli, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Youngflesh, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, J. X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sekercioglu, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tingley, M. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-10-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.10.28.514262</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[What is an urban bird? Trait-based predictions of urban tolerance for the world's birds are modulated by latitude and human population density]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-10-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.09.515893v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Irreversible inactivation of lactate racemase by sodium borohydride reveals reactivity of the nickel-pincer nucleotide cofactor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.09.515893v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The nickel-pincer nucleotide (NPN) cofactor discovered in lactate racemase from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LarALp) is essential for the activities of racemases/epimerases in the highly diverse LarA superfamily. Prior mechanistic studies have established a proton-coupled hydride-transfer mechanism for LarALp, but direct evidence showing that hydride attacks the C4 atom in the pyridinium ring of NPN has been lacking. Here, we show that sodium borohydride (NaBH4) irreversibly inactivates LarALp accompanied by a rapid color change of the enzyme. The drastically altered ultraviolet-visible spectra during NaBH4 titration supported hydride transfer to C4 of NPN, and the concomitant Ni loss unraveled by mass spectrometry experiments accounted for the mechanism-based inactivation. High resolution structures of LarALp revealed a substantially weakened C-Ni bond in the metastable sulfite-NPN adduct where the NPN cofactor is in the reduced state. These findings allowed us to propose a mechanism of LarALp inactivation by NaBH4 that provides key insights into the enzyme-catalyzed reaction and sheds light on the reactivity of small molecule NPN mimetics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gatreddi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sui, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hausinger, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.09.515893</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Irreversible inactivation of lactate racemase by sodium borohydride reveals reactivity of the nickel-pincer nucleotide cofactor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.11.516192v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SUMO2 Protects Against Tau-induced Synaptic and Cognitive Dysfunction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.11.516192v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Abnormal intracellular accumulation of Tau aggregates is a hallmark of Alzheimers disease (AD) and other Tauopathies, such as Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which can be caused by mutations of Tau. Mutated and pathological Tau can undergo a range of post-translational modifications (PTMs) that might trigger or modulate disease pathology. Recent studies indicate that modification of wild type Tau by Small ubiquitin-like modifier SUMO isoform 1 (SUMO1) controls Tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation, suggesting that SUMOylation acts as a central regulator of Taus biochemical properties. Besides SUMO1, Tau is modified by SUMO2/3, however the consequences of this modification have not been investigated. Here, using viral approaches on primary hippocampal neurons, transgenic mice expressing mutant Tau and SUMO2, and iPSC-derived neurons from FTD patients, we evaluated whether SUMO2/3 conjugation modifies the neurodegenerative disease pathology associated with the aggregation-prone mutant Tau P301L, P301S, and R406W variants. We found that mutant forms of Tau are targets of SUMO2/3, and SUMO2/3 conjugation is neuroprotective. Importantly, expression of mutant Tau is accompanied by a significant reduction of SUMO2/3 conjugation levels, and restoring levels of SUMO2 reduces mutant Tau aggregation and phosphorylation in all model systems Furthermore, overexpression of SUMO2 restores levels of pre- and post-synaptic markers, associated with a complete rescue of the LTP and memory deficits in transgenic mice expressing mutant Tau. These findings bring to light the potential therapeutic implication of manipulating SUMO conjugation to detoxify Tau through PTM-based approaches.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Orsini, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Argyrousi, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Restelli, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ford, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takamura, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matsuzaki, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zentilin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pascente, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanaan, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soni, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Katayama, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chiesa, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Forloni, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kosik, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kandel, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fraser, P. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arancio, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fioriti, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.11.516192</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SUMO2 Protects Against Tau-induced Synaptic and Cognitive Dysfunction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.13.516254v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The NDH complex reveals a trade-off that constrains maximising photosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.13.516254v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Green Revolution has resulted in major improvements in crop productivity, but left photosynthesis largely unimproved. Despite ample variation of photosynthetic performance in crops and their wild relatives, the photosynthetic capacity of elite breeding lines remains well below its theoretical maximum. As yield is often the primary selective trait, current plant breeding approaches result in photosynthetic trade-offs that prevent positive selection for photosynthetic performance itself. Currently, genetic variation for photosynthetic performance is seldomly validated at the genetic level, and as a result these photosynthetic trade-offs remain poorly understood. Here we reveal the physiological nature of a photosynthetic trade-off caused by the NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH) complex. The use of an Arabidopsis thaliana cybrid panel revealed how a natural allele of the chloroplastic gene NAD(P)H-QUINONE OXIDOREDUCTASE SUBUNIT 6 - a subunit of the NDH complex - results in a faster recovery of photosystem II efficiency after a transition from high to low irradiances. This improvement is due to a reduction in NDH activity. Under low-light conditions this reduction in NDH activity has a neutral effect on biomass, while under highly fluctuating light conditions, including high irradiances, more NDH activity is favoured. This shows that while allelic variation in one gene can have beneficial effects on one aspect of photosynthesis, it can, depending on environmental conditions, have negative effects on other aspects of photosynthesis. As environmental conditions are hardly ever stable in agricultural systems, understanding photosynthetic trade-offs allows us to explore shifting photosynthetic performance closer to the theoretical maximum.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Theeuwen, T. P. J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lawson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tijink, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fornaguera, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, F. F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caracciolo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fisher, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wijnker, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harbinson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aarts, M. G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.13.516254</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The NDH complex reveals a trade-off that constrains maximising photosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.13.516256v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Plethora of QTLs found in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals complexity of genetic variation for photosynthesis in dynamic light conditions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.13.516256v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The environments in which plant species evolved are now generally understood to be dynamic rather than static. Photosynthesis has to operate within these dynamic environments, such as sudden changes to light intensities. Plants have evolved photoprotection mechanisms that prevent damage caused by sudden changes to high light intensities. The extent of genetic variation within plants species to deal with these dynamic light conditions remains largely unexplored. Here we show that one accession of A. thaliana has a more efficient photoprotection mechanism in dynamic light conditions, compared to six other accessions. The construction of a doubled haploid population and subsequent phenotyping in a dynamically controlled high-throughput system reveals up to 15 QTLs for photoprotection. Identifying the causal gene underlying one of the major QTLs shows that an allelic variant of cpFtsY results in more efficient photoprotection under high and fluctuating light intensities. Further analyses reveal this allelic variant to be overprotecting, reducing biomass in a range of dynamic environmental conditions. This suggests that within nature, adaptation can occur to more stressful environments and that revealing the causal genes and mechanisms can help improve the general understanding of photosynthetic functioning. The other QTLs possess different photosynthetic properties, and thus together they show how there is ample intraspecific genetic variation for photosynthetic functioning in dynamic environments. With photosynthesis being one of the last unimproved components of crop yield, this amount of genetic variation for photosynthesis forms excellent input for breeding approaches. In these breeding approaches, the interactions with the environmental conditions should however be precisely assessed. Doing so correctly, allows us to tap into natures solution to challenging environmental conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Theeuwen, T. P. J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Logie, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Put, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bagheri, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Losinski, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drouault, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flood, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanhart, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, F. F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wijfjes, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hall, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harbinson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aarts, M. G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.13.516256</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Plethora of QTLs found in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals complexity of genetic variation for photosynthesis in dynamic light conditions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.16.516820v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Integrative Teaching of Metabolic Modeling and Flux Analysis with Interactive Python Modules 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.16.516820v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The modeling of rates of biochemical reactions - fluxes - in metabolic networks is widely used for both basic biological research and biotechnological applications. A number of different modeling methods have been developed to estimate and predict fluxes, including kinetic and constraint-based (Metabolic Flux Analysis and Flux Balance Analysis) approaches. Although different resources exist for teaching these methods individually, to-date no resources have been developed to teach these approaches in an integrative way that equips learners with an understanding of each modeling paradigm, how they relate to one another, and the information that can be gleaned from each. We have developed a series of modeling simulations in Python to teach kinetic modeling, Metabolic Control Analysis, l3C-Metabolic Flux Analysis and Flux Balance Analysis. These simulations are presented in a series of interactive notebooks with guided lesson plans and associated lecture notes. Learners assimilate key principles using models of simple metabolic networks by running simulations, generating and using data, and making and validating predictions about the effects of modifying model parameters. We used these simulations as the hands-on computer laboratory component of a four-day metabolic modeling workshop and participant survey results showed improvements in learners self-assessed competence and confidence in understanding and applying metabolic modeling techniques after having attended the workshop. The resources provided can be incorporated in their entirety or individually into courses and workshops on bioengineering and metabolic modeling at the undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate level.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kaste, J. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Green, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shachar-Hill, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.16.516820</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Integrative Teaching of Metabolic Modeling and Flux Analysis with Interactive Python Modules]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.17.516966v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phosphatidylserine-exposing medium/large extracellular vesicles: potential cancer biomarkers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.17.516966v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Under physiological conditions, phosphatidylserine (PS) predominantly localizes to the cytosolic leaflet of the plasma membrane of cells. During apoptosis, PS is exposed on the cell surface and serves as an "eat-me" signal for macrophages to prevent releasing self-immunogenic cellular components from dying cells which could potentially lead to autoimmunity. However, increasing evidence indicates that viable cells can also expose PS on their surface. Interestingly, tumor cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) also externalize PS. Recent studies have proposed PS-exposing EVs as a potential biomarker for the early detection of cancer and other diseases. However, there are confounding results regarding subtypes of PS-positive EVs, and knowledge of PS exposure on the EV surface requires further elucidation. In this study, we enriched small EVs (sEVs) and medium/large EVs (m/lEVs) from conditioned media of breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468) and non-cancerous cells (keratinocytes, fibroblasts). Since several PS-binding molecules are available to date, we compared recombinant proteins of annexin A5 and the carboxylated glutamic acid domain of Protein S (GlaS), also specific for PS, to detect PS-exposing EVs. Firstly, PS externalization in each EV fraction was analyzed using a bead-based EV assay, which combines EV capture using microbeads and analysis of PS-exposing EVs by flow cytometry. The bulk EV assay showed higher PS externalization in m/lEVs derived from MDA-MB-468 cells but not from MDA-MB-231 cells, while higher binding of GlaS was also observed in m/lEVs from fibroblasts. Second, using single EV flow cytometry, PS externalization was also analyzed on individual sEVs and m/lEVs. Significantly higher PS externalization was detected in m/lEVs (annexin A1+) derived from cancer cells compared to m/lEVs (annexin A1+) from non-cancerous cells. These results emphasize the significance of PS-exposing m/lEVs as an undervalued EV subtype for early cancer detection and provide a better understanding of PS externalization in disease-associated EV subtypes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Perez, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernard, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vocelle, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarea, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schneider, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauzon, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hermiston, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.17.516966</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phosphatidylserine-exposing medium/large extracellular vesicles: potential cancer biomarkers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.18.517021v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Approximating carbon fixation - how important is the Calvin-Benson cycle steady-state assumption? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.18.517021v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants use light energy to produce ATP and redox equivalents for metabolism. Since during the course of a day plants are exposed to constantly fluctuating light, the supply of ATP and redox equivalents is also fluctuating. Further, if the metabolism cannot use all of the supplied energy, the excess absorbed energy can damage the plant in the form of reactive oxygen species. It is thus reasonable to assume that the metabolism downstream of the energy supply is dynamic and as being capable of dampening sudden spikes in supply is advantageous, it is further reasonable to assume that the immediate downstream metabolism is flexible as well. A flexible metabolism exposed to a fluctuating input is unlikely to be in metabolic steady-state, yet a lot of mathematical models for carbon fixation assume one for the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle. Here we present an analysis of the validity of this assumption by progressively simplifying an existing model of photosynthesis and carbon fixation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>van Aalst, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ebenhoeh, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.18.517021</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Approximating carbon fixation - how important is the Calvin-Benson cycle steady-state assumption?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.21.517354v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Effect of Polymer Length in Phase Separation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.21.517354v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding the thermodynamics that drives liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is quite important given the many numbers of diverse biomolecular systems undergoing this phenomenon. Regardless of the diversity, the processes underlying the formation of condensates exhibit physical similarities. Many studies have focused on condensates of long polymers, but very few systems of short polymer condensates have been observed and yet studied. Here we study a short polymer system of various lengths of poly-Adenine RNA and peptide formed by the RGRGG sequence repeats to understand the underlying thermodynamics of LLPS. We carried out MD simulations using the recently developed COCOMO coarse-grained (CG) model which revealed the possibility of condensates for lengths as short as 5-10 residues, which was then confirmed by experiment, making this one of the smallest LLPS systems yet observed. Condensation depends on polymer length and concentration, and phase boundaries were identified. A free energy model was also developed. Results show that the length dependent condensation is driven solely by entropy of confinement and identifies a negative free energy (-{Delta}G) of phase separation, indicating the stability of the condensates. The simplicity of this system will provide the basis for understanding more biologically realistic systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Valdes-Garcia, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gamage, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martirosova, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapidus, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.21.517354</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Effect of Polymer Length in Phase Separation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.20.517281v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mapping splice QTLs reveals distinct transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory variation of gene expression in pigs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.20.517281v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundAlternative splicing is an important step in gene expression, generating multiple isoforms for the same genes and greatly expanding the diversity of proteomes. Genetic variation in alternative splicing contributes to phenotypic diversity in natural populations. However, the genetic basis of variation in alternative splicing in livestock animals including pigs remains poorly understood.

ResultsIn this study, using a Duroc x Pietrain F2 pig population, we performed genome-wide analysis of alternative splicing estimated from stranded RNA-Seq data in skeletal muscle. We characterized the genetic architecture of alternative splicing and compared its basic features with overall gene expression. We detected a large number of novel alternative splicing events that were not previously annotated. We found heritability of quantitative alternative splicing scores (percent spliced in or PSI) to be lower than that of overall gene expression. In addition, heritabilities showed little correlation between alternative splicing and overall gene expression. Finally, we mapped expression QTLs (eQTLs) and splice QTLs (sQTLs) and found them to be largely non-overlapping.

ConclusionsOur results suggest that regulatory variation exists at multiple levels and that their genetic controls are distinct, offering opportunities for genetic improvement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Velez-Irizarry, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ernst, C. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.20.517281</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mapping splice QTLs reveals distinct transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory variation of gene expression in pigs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.22.517562v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MerCat2: a versatile k-mer counter and diversity estimator for database-independent property analysis obtained from omics data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.22.517562v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
SummaryMerCat2 ("Mer - Catenate2") is a versatile, parallel, scalable and modular property software package for robustly analyzing features in omics data. Using massively parallel sequencing raw reads, assembled contigs, and protein sequences from any platform as input, MerCat2 performs k-mer counting of any length k, resulting in feature abundance counts tables, quality control reports, protein feature metrics, ecological diversity metrics, and graphical representation (i.e., PCA). MerCat2 allows for direct analysis of data properties in a database-independent manner that initializes all data, which other profilers and assembly-based methods cannot perform. MerCat2 represents an integrated tool to illuminate omics data within a sample for rapid cross-examination and comparisons.

Availability and implementationMerCat2 is written in Python and distributed under a BSD-3 license. The source code of MerCat2 is freely available at https://github.com/raw-lab/mercat2. MerCat2 is compatible with Python 3 on Mac OS X and Linux. MerCat2 can also be easily installed using bioconda: conda install MerCat2.

ContactRichard Allen White III, UNC Charlotte, rwhit101@uncc.edu

Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available online.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Figueroa, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panyala, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colby, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Friesen, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiemann, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>White, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.22.517562</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MerCat2: a versatile k-mer counter and diversity estimator for database-independent property analysis obtained from omics data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.27.518106v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Global Endometrial DNA Multi-omics Analysis Reveals Insights into mQTL Regulation and Associated Endometriosis Disease Risk 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.27.518106v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Endometriosis is a leading cause of pain and infertility affecting millions of women globally. Identifying biologic and genetic effects on DNA methylation (DNAm) in endometrium increases understanding of mechanisms that influence gene regulation predisposing to endometriosis and offers an opportunity for novel therapeutic target discovery. Herein, we characterize variation in endometrial DNAm and its association with menstrual cycle phase, endometriosis, and genetic variants through analysis of genome-wide genotype data and methylation at 759,345 DNAm sites in endometrial samples from 984 deeply-phenotyped participants. We identify significant differences in DNAm profiles between menstrual cycle phases and at four DNAm sites between stage III/IV endometriosis and controls. We estimate that 15.4% of the variation in endometriosis is captured by DNAm, and identify DNAm networks associated with endometriosis. DNAm quantitative trait locus (mQTL) analysis identified 118,185 independent cis-mQTL including some tissue-specific effects. We find significant differences in DNAm profiles between endometriosis sub- phenotypes and a significant association between genetic regulation of methylation in endometrium and disease risk, providing functional evidence for genomic targets contributing to endometriosis risk and pathogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mortlock, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Houshdaran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kosti, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rahmioglu, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nezhat, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vitonis, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrews, S. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grosjean, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paranjpe, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horne, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacoby, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lager, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Opoku-Anane, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vo, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manvelyan, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghukasyan, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collins, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santamaria, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saunders, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kober, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McRae, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Terry, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vallve-Juanico, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rogers, P. A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Irwin, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zondervan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Missmer, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sirota, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giudice, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.27.518106</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Global Endometrial DNA Multi-omics Analysis Reveals Insights into mQTL Regulation and Associated Endometriosis Disease Risk]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.27.518113v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Triose phosphate utilization stress during photosynthesis addressed with dynamic assimilation measurements 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.27.518113v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oscillations in CO2 assimilation rate and associated fluorescence parameters have been observed alongside the triose phosphate utilization (TPU) limitation of photosynthesis for nearly 50 years. However, the mechanics of these oscillations are poorly understood. Here we utilize the recently developed Dynamic Assimilation Techniques (DAT) for measuring the rate of CO2 assimilation to increase our understanding of what physiological condition is required to cause oscillations. We found that TPU limiting conditions alone were insufficient, and that plants must enter TPU limitation quickly to cause oscillations. We found that ramps of CO2 caused oscillations proportional in strength to the speed of the ramp, and that ramps induce oscillations with worse outcomes than oscillations induced by step change of CO2 concentration. An initial overshoot is caused due to a temporary excess of available phosphate. During the overshoot, the plant out-performs steady state TPU and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate regeneration limitations of photosynthesis but cannot exceed the rubisco limitation. We performed additional optical measurements which support the role of photosystem I reduction and oscillations in availability of NADP+ and ATP in supporting oscillations.

HighlightRapid CO2 changes cause more oscillations of photosynthetic rate than a step change in CO2 or slowly changing CO2. Photosystem I acceptor side limitations may play a role.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McClain, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.27.518113</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Triose phosphate utilization stress during photosynthesis addressed with dynamic assimilation measurements]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.30.518522v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A putative design for electromagnetic activation of split proteins for molecular and cellular manipulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.30.518522v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The ability to manipulate cellular function using an external stimulus is a powerful strategy for studying complex biological phenomena. One approach to modulate the function of the cellular environment is split proteins. In this method, a biologically active protein or an enzyme is fragmented so that it reassembles only upon a specific stimulus. While there are many tools available to induce these systems, nature has provided other mechanisms that can be utilized to expand the split protein toolbox. Here we show a novel method for reconstituting split proteins using magnetic stimulation. We have found that the Electromagnetic Perceptive Gene (EPG) changes conformation due to magnetic fields stimulation. By fusing split fragments of a certain protein to both termini of the EPG, the fragments can be reassembled into a functional protein under magnetic stimulation due to conformational change. We show this effect with three separate split proteins; NanoLuc, APEX2, and Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Thymidine Kinase. Our results show for the first time, that reconstitution of split proteins can be achieved only with magnetic fields. We anticipate that this study will be a starting point for future magnetically inducible split protein designs for cellular perturbation and manipulation. With this technology, we can help to expand the toolbox of the split protein platform and allow better elucidation of complex biological systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grady, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schossau, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashbaugh, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-11-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.11.30.518522</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A putative design for electromagnetic activation of split proteins for molecular and cellular manipulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-11-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.06.519345v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evaluation of EV Storage Buffer for Efficient Preservation of Engineered Extracellular Vesicles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.06.519345v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), detectable in all bodily fluids, mediate intercellular communication by transporting molecules between cells. The capacity of EVs to transport molecules between distant organs has drawn interest for clinical applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. Although EVs hold potential for nucleic acid-based and other molecular therapeutics, the lack of standardized technologies, including isolation, characterization, and storage, leaves many challenges for clinical applications, potentially resulting in misinterpretation of crucial findings. Previously, several groups demonstrated the problems of commonly used storage methods that distort EV integrity. This work aims to evaluate the process to optimize the storage conditions of EVs and then characterize them according to the experimental conditions and the models used previously. Our study reports a highly efficient EV storage condition, focusing on EVs capacity to protect their molecular cargo from biological, chemical, and mechanical damage. Compared with commonly used EV storage conditions, our EV storage buffer leads to less size and particle number variation at both 4{degrees}C and -80 {degrees}C, enhancing the ability to protect EVs while maintaining targeting functionality.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kawai-Harada, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Komuro, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.06.519345</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evaluation of EV Storage Buffer for Efficient Preservation of Engineered Extracellular Vesicles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.05.519090v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
M-Band Wavelet-Based Imputation of scRNA-seq Matrix and Multi-view Clustering of Cell 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.05.519090v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Wavelet analysis has been recognized as a cutting-edge and promising tool in the fields of signal processing and data analysis. However, application of wavelet-based method in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data is little known. Here, we present M-band wavelet-based imputation of scRNA-seq matrix and multi-view clustering of cells (WIMC). We applied integration of M-band wavelet analysis and uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) to a panel of single cell sequencing datasets by breaking up the data matrix into a trend (low frequency or low resolution) component and (M-1) fluctuation (high frequency or high resolution) components. We leverage a non-parametric wavelet-based imputation algorithm of sparse data that integrates M-band wavelet transform for recovering dropout events of scRNA-seq datasets. Our method is armed with multi-view clustering of cell types, identity, and functional states, enabling missing cell types visualization and new cell types discovery. Distinct to standard scRNA-seq workflow, our wavelet-based approach is a new addition to resolve the notorious chaotic sparsity of scRNA-seq matrix and to uncover rare cell types with a fine-resolution.

Author summaryWe develop M-band wavelet-based imputation of scRNA-seq matrix and multi-view clustering of cells. Our new approach integrates M-band wavelet analysis and UMAP to a panel of single cell sequencing datasets via breaking up the data matrix into a trend (low frequency or low resolution) component and (M - 1) fluctuation (high frequency or high resolution) components. Our method enables us to efficiently impute sparse scRNA-seq data matrix and to examine multi-view clustering of cell types, identity, and functional states, potentializing missing cell types recovery, fine rare cell types discovery, as well as functional cell states exploration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.05.519090</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[M-Band Wavelet-Based Imputation of scRNA-seq Matrix and Multi-view Clustering of Cell]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.05.519202v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Validation of Fuze IMU system for ergonomics assessments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.05.519202v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This study aims to validate the Fuze system (SwiftMotion, CA, USA), against the gold standard for motion capture, a 3D infra-red motion capture system (Vicon Nexus, Oxford, UK). Fuze system uses inertial measurement units and proprietary algorithms to calculate position and orientation of each body segment

Six subjects (3M and 3F) performed two activities that simulate common occupational physical activities. For both systems, we calculated the following joint angles: trunk relative to horizontal, left and right shoulder and hip joint angles. We also calculated the horizontal distance of each wrist relative to the the fifth lumbar vertebra. For each measurement, we calculated Bias (average difference between Fuze and Vicon system) and root mean squared error (RMSE). We also compared each measurement using a Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) method with a statistical significance level set at 0.05.

Compared to Vicon, Fuze system had a maximum Bias of 5.63 {+/-} 1.60 degrees for the left shoulder angle and a maximum RMSE of 10.03 {+/-} 2.73 degrees for the left hip angle. SPM analysis evidenced that for all the measurements, comparisons were within the critical thresholds for significance for the whole duration of the trials, indicating that we could not find a significant difference between Vicon and Fuze measurements.

In conclusion: the Fuze system compares well with the Vicon system and provides reliable data for the measurement of joint angles and body positions, that can be used in particular in non labbased settings, for example in ergonomics risk assessments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Serra-Hsu, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taboga, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.05.519202</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Validation of Fuze IMU system for ergonomics assessments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.06.519262v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
First Biodegradable Bioactive Glass-based Humidity Sensor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.06.519262v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Monitoring changes in edema-associated intracranial pressure that complicates trauma or surgery would lead to improved outcomes. Implantable pressure sensors have been explored, but, these sensors require post-surgical removal leading to risks of injury to brain tissue. Biodegradable implantable sensors would eliminate the risks while providing sensing when needed. Here, we demonstrate a bioactive glass (BaG)-based hydration sensor. A fluorine (CaF2) containing BaG (BaG-F) was produced using a melting manufacturing technique. The structure and electrical properties of the resulting constructs were evaluated to understand the electrical behaviors of this BaG-based sensor. The synthetic process of producing the BaG-F-based sensor was validated by assessing the electrical properties. We demonstrated that this BaG-F chemical composition is highly sensitive to hydration, and that electrical activity (resistive-capacitive) is induced by hydration and reversed by dehydration. These properties make BaG-F suitable for use as a humidity sensor to monitor brain edema and consequently provide an alert for increasing intracranial pressure.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gharbi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kallel, A. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanoun, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheikhrouhou-Koubaa, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>H. Contag, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Antoniac, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Derbel, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashammakhi, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.06.519262</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[First Biodegradable Bioactive Glass-based Humidity Sensor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.08.519643v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Proposed three-phenylalanine motif involved in magnetoreception signaling of an Actinopterygii protein expressed in mammalian cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.08.519643v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Studies at the cellular and molecular level of magnetoreception - sensing and responding to magnetic fields - is a relatively new research area. As it appears that different mechanisms of magnetoreception in animals evolved from different origins, many questions about the mechanisms remain left open. Here we present new information regarding the Electromagnetic Perceptive Gene (EPG) from Kryptopterus vitreolus that may serve as part of the foundation to understanding and applying magnetoreception. Using HaloTag coupled with fluorescent ligands and phosphatidylinositol specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) we show that EPG is associated to the membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. EPGs function of increasing intracellular calcium was also used to generate an assay using GCaMP6m to observe the function of EPG and to compare its function with homologous proteins. It was also revealed that EPG relies on a motif of three phenylalanine residues in order to function - stably swapping these residues using site directed mutagenesis resulted in a loss of function in EPG. This information not only expands upon our current understanding of magnetoreception but may provide a foundation and template to continue characterizing and discovering more within the field.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/519643v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (58K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19a4f54org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ce17b2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@175b97borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1e45294_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG In BriefEPG is a magnetoreceptive GPI anchored protein. Critical to its function is a three-phenylalanine motif which allows EPG to sense and respond to EMF. When expressed in mammalian cell, an increase in intracellular calcium is observed using GCaMP6m. This work represents progress towards understanding magnetoreception for use in future technologies.

HighlightsO_LIEPG is associated to the cell membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchoring
C_LIO_LIIn mammalian cells, EPG increases intracellular calcium upon EMF stimulation
C_LIO_LIHomologs of EPG from the uPAR/Ly6 family show different responses to EMF
C_LIO_LIA three-phenylalanine motif in EPG is critical to its magnetoreceptive ability
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ricker, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitra, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castellanos, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grady, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.08.519643</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Proposed three-phenylalanine motif involved in magnetoreception signaling of an Actinopterygii protein expressed in mammalian cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.12.520030v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A genome-wide screen in macrophages identifies PTEN as required for myeloid restriction of Listeria monocytogenes infection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.12.520030v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is an intracellular foodborne pathogen which causes the severe disease listeriosis in immunocompromised individuals. Macrophages play a dual role during Lm infection by both promoting dissemination of Lm from the gastrointestinal tract and limiting bacterial growth upon immune activation. Despite the relevance of macrophages to Lm infection, the mechanisms underlying phagocytosis of Lm by macrophages are not well understood. To identify host factors important for Lm infection of macrophages, we performed an unbiased CRISPR/Cas9 screen which revealed pathways that are specific to phagocytosis of Lm and those that are required for internalization of bacteria generally. Specifically, we discovered the tumor suppressor PTEN promotes macrophage phagocytosis of Lm and L. ivanovii, but not other Gram-positive bacteria. Additionally, we found that PTEN enhances phagocytosis of Lm via its lipid phosphatase activity by promoting adherence to macrophages. Using conditional knockout mice lacking Pten in myeloid cells, we show that PTEN-dependent phagocytosis is important for host protection during oral Lm infection. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive identification of macrophage factors involved in regulating Lm uptake and characterizes the function of one factor, PTEN, during Lm infection in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, these results demonstrate a role for opsonin-independent phagocytosis in Lm pathogenesis and suggest that macrophages play a primarily protective role during foodborne listeriosis.

Author SummaryListeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a bacterial pathogen that causes the foodborne illness listeriosis primarily in immunocompromised, elderly, and pregnant individuals. Listeriosis is one of the deadliest bacterial infections known, with a mortality rate of ~30% even when treated with antibiotics. The high mortality rate of listeriosis is due to inefficient restriction of Lm by the immune system, and subsequent spread of bacteria beyond the gastrointestinal tract to internal organs such as the liver and brain. Macrophages are important for immune clearance of Lm but are also hypothesized to promote dissemination of intracellular Lm; thus, studies of Lm-macrophage interactions are critical for understanding the balance between bacterial growth and restriction by these phagocytes. We performed a forward genetic screen in macrophages and discovered that the tumor suppressor PTEN promotes phagocytosis of Lm by enhancing adherence to macrophages. These results demonstrate a novel function of macrophage PTEN, which canonically acts as a repressor of phagocytosis. In addition, we found that PTEN protects mice from severe disease and lowers bacterial burdens following oral inoculation of Lm. Our results demonstrate for the first time that macrophage phagocytosis is an important immune defense against invasive Lm during the foodborne route of infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Glover, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schwardt, N. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leano, S.-K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomason, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reniere, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.12.520030</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A genome-wide screen in macrophages identifies PTEN as required for myeloid restriction of Listeria monocytogenes infection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.12.520110v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Long COVID: G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) responsible for persistent post-COVID symptoms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.12.520110v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As of early December 2022, COVID-19 had a significant impact on the lives of people all around the world, with over 630 million documented cases and over 6 million deaths. A recent clinical analysis revealed that under certain conditions, a patients disease symptoms are more likely to persist. Long COVID is characterised by many symptoms that continue long after the SARS-CoV-2 infection has resolved. This work utilised computational methods to analyse the persistence of COVID symptoms after recovery and to identify the relevant genes. Based on functional similarity, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of SARS-CoV-2 infection and 255 symptoms of long covid were examined, and potential genes were identified based on the rank of functional similarity. Then, hub genes were identified by analysing the interactions between proteins. Using the identified key genes and the drug-gene interaction score, FDA drugs with potential for possible alternatives were identified. Also discovered were the gene ontology and pathways for 255 distinct symptoms. A website (https://longcovid.omicstutorials.com/) with a list of significant genes identified as biomarkers and potential treatments for each symptom was created. All of the hub genes associated with the symptoms, GNGT1, GNG12, GNB3, GNB4, GNG13, GNG8, GNG3, GNG7, GNG10, and GNAI1, were discovered to be associated with G-protein coupled receptors. This demonstrates that persistent COVID infection affects various organ systems and promotes chronic inflammation following infection. CTLA4, PTPN22, KIT, KRAS, NF1, RET, and CTNNB1 were identified as the common genes that regulate T-cell immunity via GPCR and cause a variety of symptoms, including autoimmunity, cardiovascular, dermatological, general symptoms, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, reproductive, genitourinary, and endocrine symptoms (RGEM). Among other functions, they were found to be involved in the positive regulation of protein localization to the cell cortex, the regulation of triglyceride metabolism, the binding of G protein-coupled receptors, the binding of G protein-coupled serotonin receptors, the heterotrimeric G-protein complex, and the cell cortex region. These biomarker data, together with the gene ontology and pathway information that accompanies them, are intended to aid in determining the cause and improving the efficacy of treatment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Das, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.12.520110</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Long COVID: G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) responsible for persistent post-COVID symptoms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.14.520320v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Exploring Viral Communities Associated With Terrestrial Cyanobacteria Metagenomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.14.520320v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Viruses are exceedingly common, but little is known about their diversity let alone how they behave in extreme environments, and whether viruses facilitate adaptation of their hosts to harsh conditions. To set a foundation for understanding of these understudied viral-host interactions, we created a catalog of viruses through analysis of metagenomes from 50 unialgal but nonaxenic Cyanobacteria cultures with 47 cultures isolated from various terrestrial habitats, including desert soil and rock surfaces, tropical soil, and vernal pools. These cultures represent low diversity microbial consortia dominated by the terrestrial Cyanobacteria and its associated cyanosphere microbiome containing heterotrophic microbes. We identified viral sequences in metagenomes, grouped these into viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) and then placed vOTUs into viral clusters (VCs). We also calculated vOTU relative abundance and predicted possible bacterial hosts. In total we predicted 814 viral sequences representing 726 vOTUs. We assigned putative taxonomy to 72 of the 814 putative viral sequences; these were distributed into 15 VCs -- mostly assigned to the recently abolished Caudovirales order (now Caudoviricetes class) of viruses. We found that nonaxenic cultures were dominated by unclassified and unclustered viral sequences. Furthermore, we predicted putative bacterial hosts for 211 vOTUs, with the majority of viruses predicted to infect a Proteobacteria (now Pseudomonadota) host. Overall, while limited, these results are consistent with the notion that both viruses and Cyanobacteria isolated from extreme environments are underrepresented in reference datasets. This work increases knowledge of viral diversity and sets a foundation for future exploration of viruses associated with terrestrial Cyanobacteria and their heterotroph associates, such as connecting specific viruses to critical cycling processes and investigating their metabolic functions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ettinger, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paul, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flores, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ward, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pietrasiak, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stajich, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.14.520320</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Exploring Viral Communities Associated With Terrestrial Cyanobacteria Metagenomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.16.519611v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A patterned human heart tube organoid model generated by pluripotent stem cell self-assembly 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.16.519611v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human pluripotent stem cells can recapitulate significant features of mammalian organ development in vitro, including key aspects of heart development. We hypothesized that the organoids thus created can be made substantially more relevant by mimicking aspects of in utero gestation, leading to higher physiological and anatomical resemblance to their in vivo counterparts. Here, we report steps towards generating developmentally inspired maturation methodologies to differentiate early human heart organoids into patterned heart-tube-like structures in a reproducible and high-throughput fashion by complete self-organization. The maturation strategy consists of the controlled and stepwise exposure to metabolic (glucose, fatty acids) and hormonal signals (T3, IGF-1) as present during early heart development. These conditions elicit important transcriptomic, cellular, morphological, metabolomic, and functional changes over a 10-day period consistent with continuously increasing heart complexity, maturation, and patterning. Our data reveals the emergence of atrial and ventricular cardiomyocyte populations, valvular cells, epicardial cells, proepicardial-derived cells, endothelial cells, stromal cells, conductance cells, and cardiac progenitors, all of them cell types present in the primitive heart tube. Anatomically, the organoids elongate and develop well-differentiated atrial and ventricular chambers with compacted myocardial muscle walls and a proepicardial organ. For the first time in a completely self-organizing heart organoid, we show anterior-posterior patterning due to an endogenous retinoic acid gradient originating at the atrial pole, where proepicardial and atrial populations reside, mimicking the developmental process present within the primitive heart tube. Collectively, these findings highlight the ability of self-organization and developmental maturation strategies to recapitulate human heart development. Our patterned human heart tube model constitutes a powerful in vitro tool for dissecting the role of different cell types and genes in human heart development, as well as disease modeling congenital heart defects, and represents a step forward in creating fully synthetic human hearts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Volmert, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Riggs, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Juhong, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiselev, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kostina, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Hern, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muniyandi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wasserman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewis-Israeli, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.16.519611</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A patterned human heart tube organoid model generated by pluripotent stem cell self-assembly]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.16.520723v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Varying molecular interactions explain crowder-dependent enzyme function of a viral protease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.16.520723v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biochemical processes in cells, including enzyme-catalyzed reactions, occur in crowded conditions with various background macromolecules occupying up to 40% of cytoplasms volume. Viral enzymes in the host cell also encounter such crowded conditions as they often function at the endoplasmic reticulum membranes. We focus on an enzyme encoded by the hepatitis C virus, the NS3/4A protease, which is crucial for viral replication. We have previously found experimentally that synthetic crowders, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and branched polysucrose (Ficoll), differently affect the kinetic parameters of peptide hydrolysis catalyzed by NS3/4A. To gain understanding of the reasons for such behavior, we perform atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of NS3/4A in the presence of either PEG or Ficoll crowders and with and without the peptide substrates. We find that both crowder types make nanosecond long contacts with the protease and slow down its diffusion. However, they also affect the enzyme structural dynamics; crowders induce functionally relevant helical structures in the disordered parts of the protease cofactor, NS4A, with the PEG effect being more pronounced. Overall, PEG interactions with NS3/4A are slightly stronger but Ficoll forms more hydrogen bonds with NS3. The crowders also interact with substrates; we find that the substrate diffusion is reduced much more in the presence of PEG than Ficoll. However, contrary to NS3, the substrate interacts more strongly with Ficoll than with PEG crowders, with the substrate diffusion being similar to crowder diffusion. Importantly, crowders affect also the substrate-enzyme interactions. We observe that both PEG and Ficoll enhance the presence of substrates near the active site, especially near catalytic His57 but Ficoll crowders increase substrate binding more than PEG molecules. The presence of crowders also enhances the stability of Zn2+ ion coordination necessary for structural stability of NS3/4A enabling catalysis.

AUTHOR SUMMARYEnzyme-catalyzed reactions in reality occur in the crowded environment of the cell. Therefore, viruses entering the host cells also encounter a crowded surrounding in which the viral enzymes are replicated. One such enzyme is the NS3/4A protease encoded by the hepatitis C virus. This enzyme is crucial for viral replication and is used as the therapeutic target for clinically approved drugs. To gain understanding of this enzyme function and explain our previous experiments on its in vitro activity, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations in the presence of synthetic crowders (polyethylene glycol and polysucrose) mimicking the cellular crowd. Based on these simulations we describe in detail how and why these crowders affect the diffusion and structural dynamics of this enzyme and enzyme-substrate interactions. In fact, crowders enhance substrate binding, which may have vast consequences for its function in the host cell and drug-design.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ostrowska, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trylska, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.16.520723</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Varying molecular interactions explain crowder-dependent enzyme function of a viral protease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.18.520933v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Persistent spectral theory-guided protein engineering 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.18.520933v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While protein engineering, which iteratively optimizes protein fitness by screening the gigantic mutational space, is constrained by experimental capacity, various machine learning models have substantially expedited protein engineering. Three-dimensional protein structures promise further advantages, but their intricate geometric complexity hinders their applications in deep mutational screening. Persistent homology, an established algebraic topology tool for protein structural complexity reduction, fails to capture the homotopic shape evolution during the filtration of a given data. This work introduces a Topology-offered protein Fitness (TopFit) framework to complement protein sequence and structure embeddings. Equipped with an ensemble regression strategy, TopFit integrates the persistent spectral theory, a new topological Laplacian, and two auxiliary sequence embeddings to capture mutation-induced topological invariant, shape evolution, and sequence disparity in the protein fitness landscape. The performance of TopFit is assessed by 34 benchmark datasets with 128,634 variants, involving a vast variety of protein structure acquisition modalities and training set size variations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Qiu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, G.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.18.520933</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Persistent spectral theory-guided protein engineering]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.19.521033v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The K+ exchange antiporter 3 senses the chloroplast energy status to synchronize photosynthesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.19.521033v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant photosynthesis contains two functional modules, the light-driven reactions in the thylakoid membrane and the carbon-fixing reactions in the chloroplast stroma. In nature, light availability for photosynthesis often undergoes massive and rapid fluctuations. Efficient and productive use of such variable light supply requires an instant crosstalk and rapid synchronization of both functional modules. Here, we show that this communication involves the stromal exposed regulatory C-terminus (RCT) of the thylakoid K+-exchange antiporter KEA3. RCT-mediated control of KEA3 contributes to the balance between light capture and photoprotection. By combining in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches, we demonstrate that the RCT senses the energy state of the chloroplast in form of both, phosphorylation and redox potential, in a pH-dependent manner and regulates KEA3 activity in response. Together our data pinpoint a regulatory feedback loop by which the stromal energy state orchestrates light capture and photoprotection via KEA3.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Uflewski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rindfleisch, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Korkmaz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tietz, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mielke, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Galvis, V. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duenschede, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luzarowski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schwarzlaender, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strand, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hertle, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schuenemann, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walther, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolff, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thalhammer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Armbruster, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.19.521033</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The K+ exchange antiporter 3 senses the chloroplast energy status to synchronize photosynthesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.20.521338v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A genome-wide screen in macrophages defines host genes regulating the uptake of Mycobacterium abscessus. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.20.521338v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The interactions between a host cell and a pathogen can dictate disease outcomes and are important targets for host-directed therapies. Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is a highly antibiotic resistant, rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacterium that infects patients with chronic lung diseases. Mab can infect host immune cells, such as macrophages, which contribute to its pathogenesis. However, our understanding of initial host-Mab interactions remains unclear. Here, we developed a functional genetic approach to define these host-Mab interactions by coupling a Mab fluorescent reporter with a genome-wide knockout library in murine macrophages. We used this approach to conduct a forward genetic screen to define host genes that contribute to the uptake of Mab by macrophages. We identified known regulators of phagocytosis, such as the integrin ITGB2, and uncovered a key requirement for glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) synthesis for macrophages to efficiently take up Mab. CRISPR-Cas9 targeting of three key sGAG biosynthesis regulators, Ugdh, B3gat3 and B4galt7 resulted in reduced uptake of both smooth and rough Mab variants by macrophages. Mechanistic studies suggest that sGAGs function upstream of pathogen engulfment and are required for the uptake of Mab, but not Escherichia coli or latex beads. Further investigation found that the loss of sGAGs reduced the surface expression, but not the mRNA expression, of key integrins suggesting an important role for sGAGs in modulating surface receptor availability. Together, these studies globally define and characterize important regulators of macrophage-Mab interactions and are a first step to understanding host genes that contribute to Mab pathogenesis and disease.

IMPORTANCEPathogen interactions with immune cells like macrophages contribute to pathogenesis, yet the mechanisms underlying these interactions remain largely undefined. For emerging respiratory pathogens, like Mycobacterium abscessus, understanding these host-pathogen interactions is important to fully understand disease progression. Given that M. abscessus is broadly recalcitrant to antibiotic treatments, new therapeutic approaches are needed. Here, we leveraged a genome-wide knockout library in murine macrophages to globally define host genes required for M. abscessus uptake. We identified new macrophage uptake regulators during M. abscessus infection, including a subset of integrins and the glycosaminoglycan synthesis (sGAG) pathway. While ionic characteristics of sGAGs are known to drive pathogen-cell interactions, we discovered a previously unrecognized requirement for sGAGs to maintain robust surface expression of key uptake receptors. Thus, we developed a flexible forward-genetic pipeline to define important interactions during M. abscessus infection and more broadly identified a new mechanism by which sGAGs control pathogen uptake.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gilliland, H. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beckman, O. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.20.521338</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A genome-wide screen in macrophages defines host genes regulating the uptake of Mycobacterium abscessus.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.26.521948v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Techniques for Developing Reliable Machine Learning Classifiers Applied to Understanding and Predicting Protein:Protein Interaction Hot Spots 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.26.521948v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
With machine learning now transforming the sciences, successful prediction of biological structure or activity is mainly limited by the extent and quality of data available for training, the astute choice of features for prediction, and thorough assessment of the robustness of prediction on a variety of new cases. Here we address these issues while developing and sharing protocols to build a robust dataset and rigorously compare several predictive classifiers using the opensource Python machine learning library, scikit-learn. We show how to evaluate whether enough data has been used for training and whether the classifier has been overfit to training data. The most telling experiment is 500-fold repartitioning of the training and test sets, followed by prediction, which gives a good indication of whether a classifier performs consistently well on different datasets. An intuitive method is used to quantify which features are most important for correct prediction.

The resulting well-trained classifier, hotspotter, can robustly predict the small subset of amino acid residues on the surface of a protein that are energetically most important for binding a protein partner: the interaction hot spots. Hotspotter has been trained and tested here on a curated dataset assembled from 1,046 non-redundant alanine scanning mutation sites with experimentally measured change in binding free energy values from 97 different protein complexes; this dataset is available to download. The accessible surface area of the wild-type residue at a given site and its degree of evolutionary conservation proved the most important features to identify hot spots. A variant classifier was trained and validated for proteins where only the amino acid sequence is available, augmented by secondary structure assignment. This version of hotspotter requiring fewer features is almost as robust as the structure-based classifier. Application to the ACE2 receptor, which mediates COVID-19 virus entry into human cells, identified the critical hot spot triad of ACE2 residues at the center of the small interface with the CoV-2 spike protein. Hotspotter results can be used to guide the strategic design of protein interfaces and ligands and also to identify likely interfacial residues for protein:protein docking.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raschka, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2022-12-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.26.521948</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Techniques for Developing Reliable Machine Learning Classifiers Applied to Understanding and Predicting Protein:Protein Interaction Hot Spots]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2022-12-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.31.521874v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The search behavior of terrestrial mammals 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.31.521874v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Animals moving through landscapes need to strike a balance between finding sufficient resources to grow and reproduce while minimizing encounters with predators 1,2. Because encounter rates are determined by the average distance over which directed motion persists 1,3-5, this trade-off should be apparent in individuals movement. Using GPS data from 1,396 individuals across 62 species of terrestrial mammals, we show how predators maintained directed motion ~7 times longer than for similarly-sized prey, revealing how prey species must trade off search efficiency against predator encounter rates. Individual search strategies were also modulated by resource abundance, with prey species forced to risk higher predator encounter rates when resources were scarce. These findings highlight the interplay between encounter rates and resource availability in shaping broad patterns mammalian movement strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Noonan, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Garcia, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fleming, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia De Figueiredo, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ali, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Attias, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Belant, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beyer, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berteaux, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bidner, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boone, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boutin, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brito, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carter, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castellanos, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castellanos, F. X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Darlington, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de la Torre, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dekker, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DePerno, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Droghini, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farhadinia, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fennessy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fichtel, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ford, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gill, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goheen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gustavo R. Oliveira-Santos, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hebblewhite, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hodges, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Isbell, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janssen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kappeler, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kays, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaczensky, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kauffman, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaPoint, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lashley, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2022.12.31.521874</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The search behavior of terrestrial mammals]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.05.522788v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Novel Protein for the Bioremediation of Gadolinium Waste 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.05.522788v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Several hundreds of tons of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are being dumped into the environment every year. Although macrocyclic GBCAs exhibit superior stability compared to their linear counterparts, we have found that the structural integrity of chelates are susceptible to ultraviolet light, regardless of configuration. In this study, we present a synthetic protein termed GLamouR that binds and reports gadolinium in an intensiometric manner. We then explore the extraction of gadolinium from GBCA-spiked artificial urine samples and investigate if the low picomolar concentrations reported in gadolinium-contaminated water sources pose a barrier for bioremediation. Based on promising results, we anticipate GLamouR can be used for detecting and mining REEs beyond gadolinium as well and hope to expand the biological toolbox for such applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, H. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grady, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krell, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strebeck, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Good, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Gomez, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.05.522788</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Novel Protein for the Bioremediation of Gadolinium Waste]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.05.522860v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Radiopaque Implantable Biomaterials for Nerve Repair 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.05.522860v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Repairing peripheral nerve injuries remains a clinical challenge. To enhance nerve regeneration and functional recovery, the use of auxiliary implantable biomaterial conduits has become widespread. After implantation, there is currently no way to assess the location or function of polymeric biomedical devices, as they cannot be easily differentiated from surrounding tissue using clinical imaging modalities. Adding nanoparticle contrast agents into polymer matrices can introduce radiopacity and enable imaging using computed tomography (CT), but radiopacity must be balanced with changes in material properties that impact device function and biological response. In this study radiopacity was introduced to porous films of polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) 50:50 and 85:15 with 0-40wt% biocompatible tantalum oxide (TaOx) nanoparticles. To achieve radiopacity, at least 5wt% TaOx was required, with [&ge;] 20wt% TaOx leading to reduced mechanical properties and increased nano-scale surface roughness of films. As polymers used for peripheral nerve injury devices, films facilitated nerve regeneration in an in vitro co-culture model of glia (Schwann cells) and dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRG), measured by expression markers for myelination. The ability of radiopaque films to support nerve regeneration was determined by the properties of the polymer matrix, with a range of 5-20wt% TaOx balancing both imaging functionality with biological response and proving that in situ monitoring of nerve repair devices is feasible.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pawelec, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hix, J. M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.05.522860</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Radiopaque Implantable Biomaterials for Nerve Repair]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.05.522913v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Durotaxis bridges phase transition as a function of tissue stiffness in vivo 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.05.522913v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Physical processes ultimately drive morphogenetic cell movements. Two proposals are that 1) cells migrate toward stiffer tissue (durotaxis) and that 2) the extent of cell rearrangements reflects liquid-solid tissue phase. It is unclear whether and how these concepts are related. Here, we identify fibronectin-dependent tissue stiffness as a control variable that underlies and unifies these phenomena in vivo. In murine limb bud mesoderm, cells are either caged, move directionally by durotaxis or intercalate as a function of their location along a stiffness gradient. A unifying stiffness-phase transition model that is based on a Landau equation accurately predicts cell diffusivity upon loss or gain of fibronectin. Fibronectin is regulated by a WNT5A-YAP positive feedback pathway that controls cell movements, tissue shape and skeletal pattern. The results identify a key determinant of phase transition and show how durotaxis emerges in a mixed phase environment in vivo.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yung, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rossant, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hopyan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.05.522913</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Durotaxis bridges phase transition as a function of tissue stiffness in vivo]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.06.522870v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gene Expression Changes in Cultured Reactive Rat Astrocyte Models and Comparison to Device-Associated Effects in the Brain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.06.522870v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Implanted microelectrode arrays hold immense therapeutic potential for many neurodegenerative diseases. However, a foreign body response limits long-term device performance. Recent literature supports the role of astrocytes in the response to damage to the central nervous system (CNS) and suggests that reactive astrocytes exist on a spectrum of phenotypes, from beneficial to neurotoxic. The goal of our study was to gain insight into the subtypes of reactive astrocytes responding to electrodes implanted in the brain. In this study, we tested the transcriptomic profile of two reactive astrocyte culture models (cytokine cocktail or lipopolysaccharide, LPS) utilizing RNA sequencing, which we then compared to differential gene expression surrounding devices inserted into rat motor cortex via spatial transcriptomics. We interpreted changes in the genetic expression of the culture models to that of 24 hour, 1 week and 6 week rat tissue samples at multiple distances radiating from the injury site. We found overlapping expression of up to [~]250 genes between in vitro models and in vivo effects, depending on duration of implantation. Cytokine-induced cells shared more genes in common with chronically implanted tissue ([&ge;]1 week) in comparison to LPS-exposed cells. We revealed localized expression of a subset of these intersecting genes (e.g., Serping1, Chi3l1, and Cyp7b1) in regions of device-encapsulating, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-expressing astrocytes identified with immunohistochemistry. We applied a factorization approach to assess the strength of the relationship between reactivity markers and the spatial distribution of GFAP-expressing astrocytes in vivo. We also provide lists of hundreds of differentially expressed genes between reactive culture models and untreated controls, and we observed 311 shared genes between the cytokine induced model and the LPS-reaction induced control model. Our results show that comparisons of reactive astrocyte culture models with spatial transcriptomics data can reveal new biomarkers of the foreign body response to implantable neurotechnology. These comparisons also provide a strategy to assess the development of in vitro models of the tissue response to implanted electrodes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Riggins, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitsitt, Q. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saxena, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hunter, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hunt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purcell, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.06.522870</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gene Expression Changes in Cultured Reactive Rat Astrocyte Models and Comparison to Device-Associated Effects in the Brain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.06.523025v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Incorporating Radiopacity into Implantable Polymeric Biomedical Devices for Clinical Radiological Monitoring 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.06.523025v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Longitudinal radiological monitoring of biomedical devices is increasingly important, driven by risk of device failure following implantation. Polymeric devices are poorly visualized with clinical imaging, hampering efforts to use diagnostic imaging to predict failure and enable intervention. Introducing nanoparticle contrast agents into polymers is a potential method for creating radiopaque materials that can be monitored via computed tomography. However, properties of composites may be altered with nanoparticle addition, jeopardizing device functionality. This, we investigated material and biomechanical response of model nanoparticle-doped biomedical devices (phantoms), created from 0-40wt% TaOx nanoparticles in polycaprolactone, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) 85:15 and 50:50, representing non-, slow and fast degrading systems, respectively. Phantoms degraded over 20 weeks in vitro, in simulated physiological environments: healthy tissue (pH 7.4), inflammation (pH 6.5), and lysosomal conditions (pH 5.5), while radiopacity, structural stability, mechanical strength and mass loss were monitored. The polymer matrix determined overall degradation kinetics, which increased with lower pH and higher TaOx content. Importantly, all radiopaque phantoms could be monitored for a full 20-weeks. Phantoms implanted in vivo and serially imaged, demonstrated similar results. An optimal range of 5-20wt% TaOx nanoparticles balanced radiopacity requirements with implant properties, facilitating next-generation biomedical devices.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pawelec, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tu, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chakravarty, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hix, J. M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buchanan, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kenney, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buchanan, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chatterjee, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Das, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alessio, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.06.523025</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Incorporating Radiopacity into Implantable Polymeric Biomedical Devices for Clinical Radiological Monitoring]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.10.523380v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The identification and analysis of meristematic mutations within the apple tree that developed the RubyMac sport mutation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.10.523380v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding the molecular basis of sport mutations in fruit trees can accelerate breeding of novel cultivars. For this, we analyzed the DNA of the apple tree that evolved the RubyMac phenotype through a sport mutation that introduced changes in fruit coloration in upper branches of the tree. Unexpectedly, we not only found 46 de novo mutations, but also 54 somatic gene conversions (i.e., loss-of-heterozygosity mutations) distinguishing the mutant and wild-type branches of the tree. Approximately 30% of the de novo mutations and 80% of the gene conversions were observed only in specific cells layers suggesting that they occurred in the corresponding meristematic layers. Interestingly, the de novo mutations were enriched for GC=>AT transitions, while the gene conversions showed the opposite bias for AT=>GC transitions suggesting that GC-biased gene conversions have the potential to counteract the AT-bias of de novo mutations. By comparing the gene expression patterns in fruit skins from mutant and wild-type branches, we found 56 differentially expressed genes including 18 that were involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. While none of the differently expressed genes harbored a mutation, we found that some of the mutations affected the integrity of candidate genes in regions of the genome that were recently associated with natural variation in fruit coloration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sun, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abeli, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campoy, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruetjes, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krause, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiao, W.-B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>von Korff, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beaudry, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schneeberger, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.10.523380</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The identification and analysis of meristematic mutations within the apple tree that developed the RubyMac sport mutation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.10.523438v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A chromosome-scale assembly for tetraploid sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) 'Montmorency' identifies three distinct ancestral Prunus genomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.10.523438v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundSour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is a valuable fruit crop in the Rosaceae family and a hybrid between progenitors most closely related to extant P. fruticosa (ground cherry) and P. avium (sweet cherry). Sour cherry is an allotetraploid with few genomic resources, so a genome sequence would greatly facilitate the improvement of this crop. In Prunus, two known classes of genes are of particular importance to breeding strategies: the self-incompatibility loci (S-alleles), which determine compatible crosses and are critically important for successful fertilization and fruit set, and the Dormancy Associated MADS-box genes (DAMs), which strongly affect dormancy transitions and flowering time.

ResultsHere we report a chromosome-scale genome assembly for sour cherry cultivar  Montmorency, the predominant sour cherry cultivar grown in the U.S. We also generated a draft assembly of P. fruticosa to use alongside a published P. avium sequence for syntelog-based subgenome assignments for  Montmorency. Using hierarchal k-mer clustering and phylogenomics, we provide compelling evidence this allotetraploid is trigenomic, containing two distinct subgenomes inherited from a P. fruticosa-like ancestor (A and A) and two copies of the same subgenome inherited from a P. avium-like ancestor (BB). We therefore assigned the genome composition of  Montmorency to be AABB and show little to no recombination has occurred between progenitor subgenomes (A/A and B). The S-alleles and DAMs in  Montmorency and P. fruticosa were manually annotated and demonstrated to support the three subgenome assignments. Lastly, the hybridization event that  Montmorency is descended from was estimated to have occurred less than 1.61 million years ago, making sour cherry a relatively recent allotetraploid.

ConclusionsThe genome of sour cherry cultivar Montmorency highlights the evolutionary complexity of the genus Prunus. These genomic resources will inform future breeding strategies for sour cherry, comparative genomics in the Rosaceae, and questions regarding neopolyploidy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Goeckeritz, C. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhoades, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Childs, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iezzoni, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hollender, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.10.523438</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A chromosome-scale assembly for tetraploid sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) 'Montmorency' identifies three distinct ancestral Prunus genomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.10.523485v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
nleval: A Python Toolkit for Generating Benchmarking Datasets for Machine Learning with Biological Networks 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.10.523485v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Over the past decades, network biology has been a major driver of computational methods developed to better understand the functional roles of each gene in the human genome in their cellular context. Following the application of traditional semi-supervised and supervised machine learning (ML) techniques, the next wave of advances in network biology will come from leveraging graph neural networks (GNN). However, to test new GNN-based approaches, a systematic and comprehensive benchmarking resource that spans a diverse selection of biomedical networks and gene classification tasks is lacking. Here, we present the Open Biomedical Network Benchmark (OBNB), a collection of benchmarking datasets derived using networks from 15 sources and tasks that include predicting genes associated with a wide range of functions, traits, and diseases. The accompanying Python package, obnb, contains reusable modules that enable researchers to download source data from public databases or archived versions and set up ML-ready datasets that are compatible with popular GNN frameworks such as PyG and DGL. Our work lays the foundation for novel GNN applications in network biology. obob will also help network biologists easily set-up custom benchmarking datasets for answering new questions of interest and collaboratively engage with graph ML practitioners to enhance our understanding of the human genome. OBNB is released under the MIT license and is freely available on GitHub: https://github.com/krishnanlab/obnb
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.10.523485</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[nleval: A Python Toolkit for Generating Benchmarking Datasets for Machine Learning with Biological Networks]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.13.523955v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adrenomedullin 2/intermedin is a slow off-rate, long-acting endogenous agonist of theadrenomedullin2 G protein-coupled receptor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.13.523955v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The signaling peptides adrenomedullin 2/intermedin (AM2/IMD), adrenomedullin (AM), and CGRP have overlapping and distinct functions in the cardiovascular, lymphatic, and nervous systems by activating three shared receptors comprised of the class B GPCR CLR in complex with a RAMP1, -2, or -3 modulatory subunit. Here, we report that AM2/IMD, which is thought to be a non-selective agonist, is kinetically selective for CLR-RAMP3, known as the AM2R. AM2/IMD-AM2R elicited substantially longer duration cAMP signaling than the eight other peptide-receptor combinations due to AM2/IMD slow off-rate binding kinetics. The regions responsible for the slow off-rate were mapped to the AM2/IMD mid-region and the RAMP3 extracellular domain. MD simulations revealed how these bestow enhanced stability to the complex. Our results uncover AM2/IMD-AM2R as a cognate pair with unique temporal features, define the mechanism of kinetic selectivity, and explain how AM2/IMD and RAMP3 collaborate to shape the signaling output of a clinically important GPCR.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Babin, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karim, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gordon, P. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lennon, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pioszak, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.13.523955</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adrenomedullin 2/intermedin is a slow off-rate, long-acting endogenous agonist of theadrenomedullin2 G protein-coupled receptor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.13.523990v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Recovery of the gut microbiome following enteric infection and persistence of antimicrobial resistance genes in specific microbial hosts 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.13.523990v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Enteric pathogens cause widespread foodborne illness and are increasingly found to harbor antimicrobial resistance. The ecological impact of these pathogens on the human gut microbiome and resistome, however, has yet to be fully elucidated. This study applied shotgun metagenome sequencing to stools from 60 patients (cases) with enteric bacterial infections for comparison to stools collected from the same patients post-recovery (follow-ups). Overall, the case samples harbored more antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and had greater resistome diversity than the follow-up samples (p<0.001), while follow-ups had much more diverse microbiomes (p<0.001). Although cases were primarily defined by genera Escherichia, Salmonella, and Shigella along with ARGs for multi-compound and multidrug resistance, follow-ups had a greater abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla and genes for tetracycline, macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramins (MLS), and aminoglycoside resistance. A host-tracking analysis revealed that Escherichia was the primary carrier of ARGs in both cases and follow-ups, with a greater abundance occurring during infection. Eleven distinct extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) were identified during infection, some of which appear to be lost or transferred to different microbial hosts upon recovery. The increasing incidence of disease caused by foodborne pathogens, coupled with their evolving role in harboring and transferring antimicrobial resistance determinants within communities, justifies further examination of the repercussions of enteric infection on human gut ecology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hansen, Z. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasco, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rudrik, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scribner, K. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manning, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.13.523990</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Recovery of the gut microbiome following enteric infection and persistence of antimicrobial resistance genes in specific microbial hosts]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.12.523554v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Long term anthropic management and associated loss of plant diversity deeply impact virome richness and composition of Poaceae communities 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.12.523554v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Modern agriculture has influenced plant virus emergence through ecosystem simplification, introduction of new host species, and reduction in crop genetic diversity. Therefore, it is crucial to better understand virus distributions across cultivated and uncultivated communities in agro-ecological interfaces, as well as virus exchange among them. Here we advance fundamental understanding in this area by characterizing the virome of three co-occurring replicated Poaceae community types that represent a gradient of grass species richness and management intensity, from highly managed crop monocultures to little-managed, species-rich grasslands. We performed a large-scale study on 950 wild and cultivated Poaceae over two years combining untargeted virome analysis down to virus species level with targeted detection of three plant viruses. Deep sequencing revealed i) a diversified and largely unknown Poaceae virome (at least 51 virus species/taxa), with an abundance of so-called persistent viruses; ii) an increase of virome richness with grass species richness within the community; iii) a stable virome richness over time but a large viral intraspecific variability; and iv) contrasted patterns of virus prevalence, co-infections and geographical distribution among plant communities and species. Our findings highlight the complex structure of plant virus communities in nature and suggest the influence of anthropic management on viral distribution and prevalence.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maclot, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Debue, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malmstrom, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Filloux, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roumagnac, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eck, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tamisier, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blouin, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Candresse, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Massart, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.12.523554</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Long term anthropic management and associated loss of plant diversity deeply impact virome richness and composition of Poaceae communities]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.15.524123v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A century of sampling at an ecological preserve reveals declining diversity of wild bees 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.15.524123v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We analyzed the wild bee community from 1921 to 2018 at a nature preserve in southern Michigan, USA using museum records and found significant shifts in the bee community. Across the near century of records, species richness peaked in the 1970s and 1980s. There was an intensive bee survey completed by F.C. Evans in 1972 and 1973. We attempted to replicate his effort in 2017 and 2018, and again found a significant decline in species richness and evenness. There was also evidence of declining abundance in many of the more common species. We also conducted traits analyses using neural networks, revealing that oligolectic ground-nesting bees and cleptoparasitic bees were more likely to be extirpated whereas polylectic cavity-nesting bees were more likely to have persisted. Additionally, larger body size was associated with increased probability of local extirpation for polylectic cavity-nesting species. Larger phenological range was associated with increased chances of persistence for polylectic species, while it was associated with extirpation for oligolectic ground-nesting species. Species in the contemporary samples also had a more southerly overall distribution compared to the historic one.

Open Research StatementData used for analyses in this manuscript, including Evans original dataset from 1972/1973 with updated species nomenclature, will be permanently archived at the USDA Ag Data Commons after the acceptance of this manuscript and will be citable and accessible here: https://data.nal.usda.gov/dataset/century-sampling-ecological-preserve-reveals-declining-diversity-wild-bees. Complete instructions on how to access all data referenced in this manuscript can be found in Appendix S1.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Graham, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glaum, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hartert, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gibbs, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tucker, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Isaacs, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valdovinos, F. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.15.524123</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A century of sampling at an ecological preserve reveals declining diversity of wild bees]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.23.525192v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Three-dimensional imaging and quantification of mouse ovarian follicles via optical coherence tomography 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.23.525192v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ovarian tissue cryopreservation has been successfully applied worldwide for fertility preservation. Correctly selecting the ovarian tissue with high follicle loading for freezing and reimplantation increases the likelihood of restoring ovarian function, but it is a challenging process. In this work, we explore the use of three-dimensional spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to identify different follicular stages, especially primary follicles, compare the identifications with H&E images, and measure the size and age-related follicular density distribution differences in mice ovaries. We use the thickness of the layers of granulosa cells to differentiate primordial and primary follicles from secondary follicles. The measured dimensions and age-related follicular distribution agree well with histological images and physiological aging. Finally, we apply attenuation coefficient map analyses to significantly improve the image contrast and the contrast-to-noise ratio (p < 0.001), facilitating follicle identification and quantification. We conclude that SD-OCT is a promising method to noninvasively evaluate ovarian follicles.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Amaral, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ren, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Truong, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nigam, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiao, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.23.525192</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Three-dimensional imaging and quantification of mouse ovarian follicles via optical coherence tomography]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.24.525446v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Impact of Species Tree Estimation Error on Cophylogenetic Reconstruction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.24.525446v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWJust as a phylogeny encodes the evolutionary relationships among a group of organisms, a cophylogeny represents the coevolutionary relationships among symbiotic partners. Both are widely used to investigate a range of topics in evolutionary biology and beyond. Both are also primarily reconstructed using computational analysis of biomolecular sequence data as well as other biological character data. The most widely used cophylogenetic reconstruction methods utilize an important simplifying assumption: species phylogenies for each set of coevolved taxa are required as input and assumed to be correct. Many theoretical and experimental studies have shown that this assumption is rarely - if ever - satisfied, and the consequences for cophylogenetic studies are poorly understood. To address this gap, we conduct a comprehensive performance study that quantifies the relationship between species tree estimation error and downstream cophylogenetic estimation accuracy. The study includes performance benchmarking using in silico model-based simulations. Our investigation also includes assessments of cophylogenetic reproducibility using genomic sequence datasets sampled from two important models of symbiosis: soil-associated fungi and their endosymbiotic bacteria, and bobtail squid and their bioluminescent bacterial symbionts. Our findings conclusively demonstrate the major impact that upstream phylogenetic estimation error has on downstream cophylogenetic reconstruction quality.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zheng, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nishida, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Okrasinska, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heath-Heckman, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.24.525446</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Impact of Species Tree Estimation Error on Cophylogenetic Reconstruction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.24.525451v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Impact of Multiple Sequence Alignment Error on Phylogenetic Estimation under Variable-Across-Phylogeny Substitution Models 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.24.525451v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In many different species, it has been observed that nucleotide compositions are not identical on the genic and even genomic scale. This observation contradicts a commonly held assumption in most maximum likelihood based phylogenetic estimation methods - that the process governing DNA evolution is identical across lineages. We show that when DNA evolution is nonhomogeneous, topological estimation and continuous parameter estimation are impacted both by alignment quality and model misspecification due to the homogeneity-across-lineages assumption.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Doko, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.24.525451</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Impact of Multiple Sequence Alignment Error on Phylogenetic Estimation under Variable-Across-Phylogeny Substitution Models]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.25.525497v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The worldwide invasion history of a pest ambrosia beetle inferred using population genomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.25.525497v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Xylosandrus crassiusculus, a fungus-farming wood borer native to Southeastern Asia, is the most rapidly spreading invasive ambrosia species worldwide. Previous studies focusing on its genetic structure suggested the existence of cryptic genetic variation in this species. Yet, these studies used different genetic markers, focused on different geographical areas, and did not include Europe. Our first goal was to determine the worldwide genetic structure of this species based on both mitochondrial and genomic markers. Our second goal was to study X. crassiusculus invasion history on a global level and identify the origins of the invasion in Europe. We used a COI and RAD sequencing design to characterize 188 and 206 specimens worldwide, building the most comprehensive genetic dataset for any ambrosia beetle to date. The results were largely consistent between markers. Two differentiated genetic clusters were invasive, albeit in different regions of the world. The two markers were inconsistent only for a few specimens found exclusively in Japan. Mainland USA could have acted as a source for further expansion to Canada and Argentina through stepping-stone expansion and bridgehead events. We showed that Europe was only colonized by Cluster 2 through a complex invasion history including several arrivals from multiple origins in the native area, and possibly including bridgehead from the USA. Our results also suggested that Spain was colonized directly from Italy through intracontinental dispersion. It is unclear whether the mutually exclusive allopatric distribution of the two Clusters is due to neutral effects or due to different ecological requirements.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Urvois, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perrier, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roques, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saune, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Courtin, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kajimura, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hulcr, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cognato, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Auger-Rozenberg, M.-A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerdelhue, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.25.525497</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The worldwide invasion history of a pest ambrosia beetle inferred using population genomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.30.526063v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of genes associated with abiotic stress tolerance in sweetpotato using weighted gene co-expression network analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.30.526063v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.), a key food security crop, is negatively impacted by heat, drought, and salinity stress. We exposed the orange-fleshed cultivar  Beauregard to 24 and 48 hours of heat and salt stresses to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leaves. Analysis revealed both shared and unique sets of up-regulated (650 for heat; 287 for salt) and down-regulated (1,249 for heat; 793 for salt) DEGs suggesting common, yet stress-specific transcriptional responses to these two abiotic stressors. Gene Ontology analysis of downregulated DEGs common to both heat and salt stress revealed enrichment of terms associated with  cell population proliferation suggestive of an impact on the cell cycle by the heat stress. To identify shared and unique gene coexpression networks under multiple abiotic stress conditions, weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed using gene expression profiles from heat, salt, and drought stress treated  Beauregard leaves yielding 18 coexpression modules. One module was enriched for  response to water deprivation,  response to abscisic acid, and  nitrate transport indicating synergetic crosstalk between nitrogen, water and phytohormones with genes encoding osmotin, cell expansion, and cell wall modification proteins present as key hub genes in this drought-associated module. This research lays the background for future research in mediating abiotic stress tolerance in sweetpotato.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kitavi, M. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gemenet, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fei, Z. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.30.526063</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of genes associated with abiotic stress tolerance in sweetpotato using weighted gene co-expression network analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.31.526503v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Three dominant Vibrio cholerae lytic phage all require O1 antigen for infection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.01.31.526503v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In its natural aquatic environment, the bacterial pathogen Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the enteric disease cholera, is in constant competition with bacterial viruses known as phages. Following ICP3 infection, V. cholerae cultures that exhibited phage killing always recovered overnight, and clones isolated from these regrowth populations exhibited complete resistance to subsequent infections. Whole genome sequencing of these resistant mutants revealed seven distinct mutations in genes encoding for enzymes involved in O1 antigen biosynthesis, demonstrating that the O1 antigen is a previously uncharacterized putative receptor of ICP3. To further elucidate the specificity of the resistance conferred by these mutations, they were challenged with the V. cholerae-specific phages ICP1 and ICP2. All seven O1 antigen mutants demonstrated pan-resistance to ICP1 but not ICP2, which utilizes the OmpU outer membrane protein as a receptor. We show that resistant mutations to ICP1 and ICP3 evolve at a significantly higher frequency than ICP2, but these mutations have a significant fitness tradeoff to V. cholerae and are unable to evolve in the presence of an antimicrobial that mimics host cell defensins.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Beckman, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-01-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.01.31.526503</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Three dominant Vibrio cholerae lytic phage all require O1 antigen for infection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-01-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.04.527143v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of a fatty acyl-CoA elongase underlies desert adaptation in Drosophila 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.04.527143v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
To survive in extreme environments such as hot-arid deserts, desert-dwelling species have evolved physiological traits to withstand the high temperatures and low aridity beyond the physiologically tolerable ranges of most species. Such traits which include reducing water loss have independently evolved in multiple taxa. However, the genetic and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these traits have thus far not been elucidated. Here we show that Drosophila mojavensis, a fruitfly species endemic to the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, had evolved extremely high desiccation resistance, by producing very long chained methylbranched cuticular hydrocarbons (mbCHCs) that contributes to a cuticular waterproofing lipid layer reducing water loss. We show that the ability to synthesize these longer mbCHCs is due to evolutionary changes in a fatty acyl-CoA elongase (mElo). CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of mElo in D. mojavensis led to loss of longer mbCHC production and significant reduction of desiccation resistance at high temperatures but did not affect mortality at high temperatures or desiccating conditions individually, indicating that this gene is crucial for desert adaptation. Phylogenetic analysis showed that mElo is a Drosophila specific gene with no clear ortholog outside Diptera. This suggests that while the physiological mechanisms underlying desert adaptation are general, the genetic mechanisms may be lineage-specific.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richards, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giannetti, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cong, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.04.527143</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of a fatty acyl-CoA elongase underlies desert adaptation in Drosophila]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.07.527511v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Cas9-fusion proximity-based approach generates an Irak1-Mecp2 tandem duplication mouse model for the study of MeCP2 duplication syndrome. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.07.527511v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by tandem duplication of the MECP2 locus and its surrounding genes, including IRAK1. Current MDS mouse models involve transgenic expression of MECP2 only, limiting their applicability to the study of the disease. Herein, we show that an efficient and precise CRISPR/Cas9 fusion proximity-based approach can be utilized to generate an Irak1-Mecp2 tandem duplication mouse model. The Mecp2 Dup model displays a neurological phenotype in keeping with MDS and demonstrates an abnormal immune response to infection not previously observed in other mouse models, possibly stemming from concurrent Irak1 overexpression. The Mecp2 Dup mouse line thus provides an innovative tool to investigate disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maino, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rizvi, S. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Visuvanathan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ben Zablah, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sengar, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salter, M. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jia, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rossant, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cohn, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ivakine, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.07.527511</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Cas9-fusion proximity-based approach generates an Irak1-Mecp2 tandem duplication mouse model for the study of MeCP2 duplication syndrome.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.09.527888v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pumping Iron: A Multi-omics Analysis of Two Extremophilic Algae Reveals Mechanisms of Iron Economy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.09.527888v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Marine algae are responsible for half of the worlds primary productivity, but this critical carbon sink is often constrained by insufficient iron. One species of marine algae, Dunaliella tertiolecta, is remarkable for its ability to maintain photosynthesis and thrive in low-iron environments. A related species, Dunaliella salina Bardawil, shares this attribute but is an extremophile found in hyper-saline environments. To elucidate how algae manage their iron requirements, we produced high-quality genome assemblies and transcriptomes for both species to serve as a foundation for a comparative multi-omics analysis. We identified a host of iron-uptake proteins in both species, including a massive expansion of transferrins and a novel family of siderophore-iron uptake proteins. Complementing these multiple iron-uptake routes, ferredoxin functions as a large iron reservoir that can be released by induction of flavodoxin. Proteomic analysis revealed reduced investment in the photosynthetic apparatus coupled with remodeling of antenna proteins by dramatic iron-deficiency induction of TIDI1, an LHCA-related protein found also in other chlorophytes. These combinatorial iron scavenging and sparing strategies make Dunaliella unique among photosynthetic organisms.

Significance StatementDespite their small size, microalgae play a huge role in CO2 uptake via photosynthesis, and represent an important target for climate crisis mitigation efforts. Most photosynthesis proteins require iron as a co-factor so that insufficient iron often limits algal CO2 sequestration. With this in mind, we examined a genus of microalgae called Dunaliella that is exceptionally well-adapted to low iron environments. We produced complete genomes, transcriptomes, and proteomes for two species of Dunaliella that hail from radically different environments: one from coastal ocean waters and the other from salt flats. We identified dozens of genes and multiple, complementary strategies that both species utilize for iron-uptake and management that explain Dunaliellas remarkable ability to thrive on low iron.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Davidi, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallaher, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ben-David, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purvine, S. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fillmore, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicora, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Craig, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmollinger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roje, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blaby-Haas, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Auber, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wisecaver, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merchant, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.09.527888</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pumping Iron: A Multi-omics Analysis of Two Extremophilic Algae Reveals Mechanisms of Iron Economy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.09.527362v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Protein Fitness Prediction is Impacted by the Interplay of Language Models, Ensemble Learning, and Sampling Methods 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.09.527362v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Advances in machine learning (ML) and the availability of protein sequences via high-throughput sequencing techniques have transformed our ability to design novel diagnostic and therapeutic proteins. ML allows protein engineers to capture complex trends hidden within protein sequences that would otherwise be difficult to identify in the context of the immense and rugged protein fitness landscape. Despite this potential, there persists a need for guidance during the training and evaluation of ML methods over sequencing data. Two key challenges for training discriminative models and evaluating their performance include handling severely imbalanced datasets (e.g., few high-fitness proteins among an abundance of non-functional proteins) and selecting appropriate protein sequence representations. Here, we present a framework for applying ML over assay-labeled datasets to elucidate the capacity of sampling methods and protein representations to improve model performance in two different datasets with binding affinity and thermal stability prediction tasks. For protein sequence representations, we incorporate two widely used methods (One-Hot encoding, physiochemical encoding) and two language-based methods (next-token prediction, UniRep; masked-token prediction, ESM). Elaboration on performance is provided over protein fitness, length, data size, and sampling methods. In addition, an ensemble of representation methods is generated to discover the contribution of distinct representations to the final prediction score. Within the context of these datasets, the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) outperformed undersampling while encoding sequences with One-Hot, UniRep, and ESM representations. In addition, ensemble learning increased the predictive performance of the affinity-based dataset by 4% compared to the best single encoding candidate (F1-score = 97%), while ESM alone was rigorous enough in stability prediction (F1-score = 92%).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mardikoraem, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woldring, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.09.527362</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Protein Fitness Prediction is Impacted by the Interplay of Language Models, Ensemble Learning, and Sampling Methods]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.09.527960v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Time to lysis determines phage sensitivity to a cytidine deaminase toxin/antitoxin bacterial defense system 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.09.527960v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous two-gene loci that bacteria use to regulate cellular processes such as phage defense. Here, we demonstrate the mechanism by which a novel type III TA system, avcID, is activated and confers resistance to phage infection. The toxin of the system (AvcD) is a deoxycytidylate deaminase that converts deoxycytidines (dC) to dexoyuridines (dU), while the RNA antitoxin (AvcI) inhibits AvcD activity. We have shown that AvcD deaminated dC nucleotides upon phage infection, but the molecular mechanism that activated AvcD was unknown. Here we show that the activation of AvcD arises from phage-induced shutoff of host transcription, leading to degradation of the labile AvcI. AvcD activation and nucleotide depletion not only decreases phage replication but also increases the formation of defective phage virions. Surprisingly, infection of phages such as T7 that are not inhibited by AvcID also lead to AvcI RNA antitoxin degradation and AvcD activation, suggesting that depletion of AvcI is not sufficient to confer protection against some phage. Rather, our results support that phage with a longer lysis time like T5 are sensitive to AvcID-mediated protection while those with a shorter lysis time like T7 are resistant.

AUTHORS SUMMARYNumerous diverse antiphage defense systems have been discovered in the past several years, but the mechanisms of how these systems are activated upon phage infection and why these systems protect against some phage but not others are poorly understood. The AvcID toxin-antitoxin phage defense system depletes nucleotides of the dC pool inside the host upon phage infection. We show that phage inhibition of host cell transcription activates this system by depleting the AvcI inhibitory sRNA, which inhibits production of phage and leads to the formation of defective virions. Additionally, we determined that phage lysis time is a key factor that influences sensitivity to AvcID with faster replicating phage exhibiting resistance to its effects. This study has implications for understanding the factors that influence bacterial host/phage dynamics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hsueh, B. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanath-Kumar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bedore, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.09.527960</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Time to lysis determines phage sensitivity to a cytidine deaminase toxin/antitoxin bacterial defense system]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.08.527787v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rapid lethality of mice lacking the phagocyte oxidase and Caspase1/11 following Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.08.527787v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Immune networks that control antimicrobial and inflammatory mechanisms have overlapping regulation and functions to ensure effective host responses. Genetic interaction studies of immune pathways that compare host responses in single and combined knockout backgrounds are a useful tool to identify new mechanisms of immune control during infection. For disease caused by pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, which currently lacks an effective vaccine, understanding genetic interactions between protective immune pathways may identify new therapeutic targets or disease-associated genes. Previous studies suggested a direct link between the activation of NLRP3-Caspase1 inflammasome and the NADPH-dependent phagocyte oxidase complex during Mtb infection. Loss of the phagocyte oxidase complex alone resulted in increased activation of Caspase1 and IL1{beta} production during Mtb infection, resulting in failed disease tolerance during the chronic stages of disease. To better understand this interaction, we generated mice lacking both Cybb, a key subunit of the phagocyte oxidase, and Caspase1/11. We found that ex vivo Mtb infection of Cybb-/-Caspase1/11-/- macrophages resulted in the expected loss of IL1{beta} secretion but an unexpected change in other inflammatory cytokines and bacterial control. Mtb infected Cybb-/-Caspase1/11-/- mice rapidly progressed to severe TB, succumbing within four weeks to disease characterized by high bacterial burden, increased inflammatory cytokines, and the recruitment of granulocytes that associated with Mtb in the lungs. These results uncover a key genetic interaction between the phagocyte oxidase complex and Caspase1/11 that controls protection against TB and highlight the need for a better understanding of the regulation of fundamental immune networks during Mtb infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thomas, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.08.527787</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rapid lethality of mice lacking the phagocyte oxidase and Caspase1/11 following Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.12.527706v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Efficient megakaryopoiesis and platelet production require phospholipid remodeling and PUFA uptake through CD36 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.12.527706v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lipids contribute to hematopoiesis and membrane properties and dynamics, however, little is known about the role of lipids in megakaryopoiesis. Here, a lipidomic analysis of megakaryocyte progenitors, megakaryocytes, and platelets revealed a unique lipidome progressively enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-containing phospholipids. In vitro, inhibition of both exogenous fatty acid functionalization and uptake and de novo lipogenesis impaired megakaryocyte differentiation and proplatelet production. In vivo, mice on a high saturated fatty acid diet had significantly lower platelet counts, which was prevented by eating a PUFA-enriched diet. Fatty acid uptake was largely dependent on CD36, and its deletion in mice resulted in thrombocytopenia. Moreover, patients with a CD36 loss-of-function mutation exhibited thrombocytopenia and increased bleeding. Our results suggest that fatty acid uptake and regulation is essential for megakaryocyte maturation and platelet production, and that changes in dietary fatty acids may be a novel and viable target to modulate platelet counts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Barrachina, M. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pernes, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, I. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allaeys, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, T. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Groeneveld, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khan, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Freire, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carminita, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgan, P. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collins, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mellett, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Almazni, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Italiano, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luyendyk, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meikle, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Puder, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgan, N. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boilard, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphy, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Machlus, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.12.527706</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Efficient megakaryopoiesis and platelet production require phospholipid remodeling and PUFA uptake through CD36]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.10.528043v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PyBrOpS: a Python package for breeding program simulation and optimization for multi-objective breeding 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.10.528043v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant breeding is a complex endeavor that is almost always multi-objective in nature. In recent years, stochastic breeding simulations have been used by breeders to assess the merits of alternative breeding strategies and assist in decision making. In addition to simulations, visualization of a Pareto frontier for multiple competing breeding objectives can assist breeders in decision making. This paper introduces Python Breeding Optimizer and Simulator (PyBrOpS), a Python package capable of performing multi-objective optimization of breeding objectives and stochastic simulations of breeding pipelines. PyBrOpS is unique among other simulation platforms in that it can perform multi-objective optimizations and incorporate these results into breeding simulations. PyBrOpS is built to be highly modular and has a script-based philosophy, making it highly extensible and customizable. In this paper, we describe some of the main features of PyBrOpS and demonstrate its ability to map Pareto frontiers for breeding possibilities and perform multi-objective selection in a simulated breeding pipeline.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shrote, R. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.10.528043</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PyBrOpS: a Python package for breeding program simulation and optimization for multi-objective breeding]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.20.529273v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cysteine-Rich Intestinal Protein 1 is a Novel Surface Marker for Myometrial Stem/Progenitor Cells. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.20.529273v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Myometrial stem/progenitor cells (MyoSPCs) have been proposed as the cells of origin for uterine fibroids, which are benign tumors that develop in the myometrium of most reproductive age women, but the identity of the MyoSPC has not been well established. We previously identified SUSD2 as a possible MyoSPC marker, but the relatively poor enrichment in stem cell characteristics of SUSD2+ over SUSD2- cells compelled us to find better discerning markers for more rigorous downstream analyses. We combined bulk RNA-seq of SUSD2+/- cells with single cell RNA-seq to identify markers capable of further enriching for MyoSPCs. We observed seven distinct cell clusters within the myometrium, with the vascular myocyte cluster most highly enriched for MyoSPC characteristics and markers, including SUSD2. CRIP1 expression was found highly upregulated in both techniques and was used as a marker to sort CRIP1+/PECAM1- cells that were both enriched for colony forming potential and able to differentiate into mesenchymal lineages, suggesting that CRIP1+/PECAM1- cells could be used to better study the etiology of uterine fibroids.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Paul, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carpenter, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitch, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sheridan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lau, K. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teixeira, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.20.529273</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cysteine-Rich Intestinal Protein 1 is a Novel Surface Marker for Myometrial Stem/Progenitor Cells.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.24.528524v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Piscichuviral encephalitis in marine and freshwater chelonians: first evidence of jingchuviral disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.24.528524v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chuviruses (family Chuviridae), which are in the recently discovered order Jingchuvirales, were first identified in arthropods in 2015 and have been detected through metagenomics in numerous invertebrates, but only a few vertebrates. With only few metagenomically based detections in vertebrates, their replication competency in vertebrates remained questioned, let alone their pathological significance. This study identified three novel chuviruses as the etiology of lymphocytic meningoencephalomyelitis in three wild aquatic turtles: an alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys sp.), a Kemps ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), and a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). The application of random, deep sequencing successfully assembled the complete snapping turtle chuvirus-1 [STCV-1], Kemps ridley turtle chuvirus-1 [KTCV-1] genome, and loggerhead turtle chuvirus-1 [LTCV-1]) genome. The STCV-1 and KTCV-1 sequences were used to create custom RNAscope probes for in situ hybridization, which confirmed STCV-1, KTCV-1, and LTCV-1 (cross reactivity to the KTCV-1 probe) RNA within the inflamed region of the brain and spinal cord. STCV-1 and KTCV-1 were isolated on several turtle-origin cell lines. Phylogenetic analysis illustrated that all three viruses clustered with other vertebrate chuviruses, all within the genus Piscichuvirus. With more than 91% pairwise amino acid identity of the polymerase proteins, STCV-1, KTCV-1, and LTCV-1 belong to the same novel species, putatively named Piscichuvirus testudinae. This study demonstrates the first in situ evidence of chuviral pathogenicity in animals and only the second instance of jingchuviral isolation. The association of these chuviruses in three different chelonians with neurologic disease suggests the possibility that chuviruses are a significant, previously unrecognized cause of lymphocytic meningoencephalomyelitis in freshwater and marine turtles. Additional studies of these viruses are needed to elucidate their role in chelonians and the possibility of related viruses in other related hosts.

ImportanceChuviruses have been identified in multiple animal species, including humans. However, most were identified metagenomically, and detection was not strongly associated with disease. This study provides the first evidence of chuviral disease in animals in diseased tissue: mononuclear meningoencephalomyelitis in three chelonians from three different genera, two distinct families. These pathogenic turtle chuviruses belong to the genus Piscichuvirus containing other non-mammalian vertebrate chuviruses and were classified together within a novel chuviral species. This study supports the need for further investigations into chuviruses to understand their biology, pathogenic potential, and their association with central nervous system inflammation in chelonians, other reptiles, and other vertebrates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Laovechprasit, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Young, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stacy, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tillis, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ossiboff, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vann, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subramaniam, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agnew, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitaker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orgill, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howell, L. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shaver, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stanton, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.24.528524</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Piscichuviral encephalitis in marine and freshwater chelonians: first evidence of jingchuviral disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.24.529965v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of anti-fungal bioactive terpenoids from the bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.24.529965v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant derived bioactive small molecules have attracted attention of scientists across fundamental and applied scientific disciplines. We seek to understand the influence of these phytochemicals on functional phytobiomes. Increased knowledge of specialized metabolite bioactivities could inform strategies for sustainable crop production. Our recent investigations of metabolomes of the upland and lowland ecotypes of the bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) revealed large differences in types and abundances of terpenoid specialized metabolites. We hypothesized that - consistent with accumulating evidence that switchgrass genotype impacts microbiome assembly - differential terpenoid accumulation contributes to switchgrass ecotype-specific microbiome composition. An initial in vitro plate-based disc diffusion screen of 18 switchgrass root derived fungal isolates revealed differential responses to upland- and lowland-isolated metabolites. To identify specific fungal growth-modulating metabolites, we tested fractions from root extracts on three ecologically important fungal isolates - Linnemania elongata, Trichoderma sp. and Fusarium sp. Saponins and diterpenoids were identified as the most prominent antifungal metabolites. Finally, analysis of liquid chromatography-purified terpenoids revealed fungal inhibition structure - activity relationships (SAR). Saponin antifungal activity was primarily determined by the number of sugar moieties - saponins glycosylated at a single core position were inhibitory whereas saponins glycosylated at two core positions were inactive. Saponin core hydroxylation and acetylation were also associated with reduced activity. Diterpenoid activity required the presence of an intact furan ring for strong fungal growth inhibition. This study demonstrates that switchgrass genotype-specific metabolites differentially inhibit fungal isolates from the root and rhizosphere, supporting the hypothesis that these small molecules contribute to microbiome assembly and function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chou, M.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-02-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.02.24.529965</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of anti-fungal bioactive terpenoids from the bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-02-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.01.530431v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bulk RNA-Sequencing of small airway cell cultures from IPF and post-COVID lung fibrosis patients illustrates disease signatures and differential responses to TGF-β1 treatment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.01.530431v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
IPF is a condition in which an injury to the lung leads to the accumulation of scar tissue. This fibrotic tissue reduces lung compliance and impairs gas exchange. Studies have shown that infection with COVID-19 significantly worsens the clinical outcomes of IPF patients. The exact etiology of IPF is unknown, but recent evidence suggests that the distal small airways, (those having a diameter less than 2 mm in adults), play a role in the early pathogenesis of IPF. TGF-{beta}1 is a main driver of fibrosis in a variety of tissues; the binding of TGF-{beta}1 to its receptor triggers a signaling cascade that results in inflammatory signaling, accumulation of collagen and other components of the extracellular matrix, and immune system activation. This study aimed to investigate possible mechanisms that contribute to worsening lung fibrosis in IPF patients after being diagnosed with COVID-19, with a particular focus on the role of TGF-{beta}1. Small airway cell cultures derived from IPF and post-COVID-19 IPF patient transplant tissues were submitted for RNA-sequencing and differential gene expression analysis. The genetic signatures for each disease state were determined by comparing the differentially expressed genes present in the cells cultured under control conditions to cells cultured with TGF-{beta}1. The genes shared between the culture conditions laid the framework for determining the genetic signatures of each disease. Our data found that genes associated with pulmonary fibrosis appeared to be more highly expressed in the post-COVID fibrosis samples, under both control and TGF-{beta}1-treated conditions. A similar trend was noted for genes involved in the TGF-{beta}1 signaling pathway; the post-COVID fibrosis cell cultures seemed to be more responsive to treatment with TGF-{beta}1. Gene expression analysis, RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry confirmed increased levels of BMP signaling in the IPF small airway cell cultures. These findings suggest that TGF-{beta}1 signaling in IPF small airway cells could be inhibited by BMP signaling, leading to the differences in genetic signatures between IPF and post-COVID fibrosis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Uhl, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leshchiner, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jager, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abdelgied, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tripp, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peraino, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kakazu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lawson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chesla, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murphy, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Girgis, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.01.530431</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bulk RNA-Sequencing of small airway cell cultures from IPF and post-COVID lung fibrosis patients illustrates disease signatures and differential responses to TGF-β1 treatment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.01.530633v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Vibrio cholerae viral satellite maximizes its spread and inhibits phage by remodeling hijacked phage coat proteins into small capsids 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.01.530633v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phage satellites commonly remodel capsids they hijack from the phages they parasitize, but only a few mechanisms regulating the change in capsid size have been reported. Here, we investigated how a satellite from Vibrio cholerae, PLE, remodels the capsid it has been predicted to steal from the phage ICP1 (1). We identified that a PLE-encoded protein, TcaP, is both necessary and sufficient to form small capsids during ICP1 infection. Interestingly, we found that PLE is dependent on small capsids for efficient transduction of its genome, making it the first satellite to have this requirement. ICP1 isolates that escaped TcaP-mediated remodeling acquired substitutions in the coat protein, suggesting an interaction between these two proteins. With a procapsid-like-particle (PLP) assembly platform in Escherichia coli, we demonstrated that TcaP is a bona fide scaffold that regulates the assembly of small capsids. Further, we studied the structure of PLE PLPs using cryogenic electron microscopy and found that TcaP is an external scaffold, that is functionally and somewhat structurally similar to the external scaffold, Sid, encoded by the unrelated satellite P4 (2). Finally, we showed that TcaP is largely conserved across PLEs. Together, these data support a model in which TcaP directs the assembly of small capsids comprised of ICP1 coat proteins, which inhibits the complete packaging of the ICP1 genome and permits more efficient packaging of replicated PLE genomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Boyd, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subramanian, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunham, D. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seed, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.01.530633</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Vibrio cholerae viral satellite maximizes its spread and inhibits phage by remodeling hijacked phage coat proteins into small capsids]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.01.530650v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cat LCA-CRX model, homozygous for an antimorphic mutation has a unique phenotype 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.01.530650v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PURPOSEHuman mutations in the CRX transcription factor are associated with dominant retinopathies often with more severe macular changes. The CRX-mutant cat (Rdy-A182d2) is the only animal model with the equivalent of the critical retinal region for high acuity vision, the macula. Heterozygous cats (CRXRdy/+) have a severe phenotype modeling Leber congenital amaurosis. This study reports the distinct ocular phenotype of homozygous cats (CRXRdy/Rdy).

METHODSGene expression changes were assessed at both mRNA and protein levels. Changes in globe morphology and retinal structure were analyzed.

RESULTSCRXRdy/Rdy cats had high levels of mutant CRX mRNA and protein. The expression of photoreceptor target genes was severely impaired while there were variable effects on the expression of other transcription factors. The photoreceptor cells remained immature and failed to elaborate outer segments consistent with the lack of retinal function. The retinal layers displayed a progressive remodeling with cell loss but maintained overall retinal thickness due to gliosis. Rapid photoreceptor loss largely occurred in the macula-equivalent retinal region. The homozygous cats developed markedly increased ocular globe length.

CONCLUSIONSThe phenotype of CRXRdy/Rdy cats was more severe compared to CRXRdy/+ cats by several metrics.

TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCEThe CRX-mutant cat is the only model for CRX-retinopathies with a macula-equivalent region. A prominent feature of the CRXRdy/Rdy cat phenotype not detectable in homozygous mouse models, was the rapid degeneration of the macula-equivalent retinal region highlighting the value of this large animal model and its future importance in the testing of translational therapies aiming to restore vision.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Occelli, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tran, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petersen-Jones, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.01.530650</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cat LCA-CRX model, homozygous for an antimorphic mutation has a unique phenotype]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.02.527037v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A critical role of a eubiotic microbiota in gating proper immunocompetence in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.02.527037v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Although many studies have shown that microbes can ectopically stimulate or suppress plant immune responses, the fundamental question of whether the entire preexisting microbiota is indeed required for proper development of plant immune response remains unanswered. Using a recently developed peat-based gnotobiotic plant growth system we found that Arabidopsis grown in the absence of a natural microbiota lacked age-dependent maturation of plant immune response and were defective in several aspects of pattern-triggered immunity. Axenic plants exhibited hypersusceptibility to infection by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 and the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Microbiota-mediated immunocompetence was suppressed by rich nutrient conditions, indicating a tripartite interaction between the host, microbiota, and abiotic environment. A synthetic microbiota composed of 48 culturable bacterial strains from the leaf endosphere of healthy Arabidopsis plants was able to substantially restore immunocompetence similar to plants inoculated with a soil-derived community. In contrast, a 52-member dysbiotic synthetic leaf microbiota overstimulated the immune transcriptome. Together, these results provide evidence for a causal role of a eubiotic microbiota in gating proper immunocompetence and age-dependent immunity in plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Paasch, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sohrabi, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kremer, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nomura, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kvitko, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiedje, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.02.527037</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A critical role of a eubiotic microbiota in gating proper immunocompetence in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.02.530917v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Epigenomic divergence underlies sequence polymorphism and the evolutionary fate of duplicate paralogs in A. thaliana. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.02.530917v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Processes affecting rates of sequence polymorphism are fundamental to molecular evolution and the evolutionary fate of gene duplicates. The relationship between gene activity and sequence polymorphism can influence the likelihood that functionally redundant gene copies are co-maintained in stable evolutionary equilibria versus other outcomes such as neo-functionalization. Here we investigate genic variation in epigenome-associated polymorphism rates in Arabidopsis thaliana and consider whether these affect the evolution of gene duplicates. We compared the frequency of sequence polymorphism and patterns of genetic differentiation between genes classified by exon methylation patterns: unmethylated (unM), gene-body methylated (gbM), and transposon-like methylated (teM) states, which reflect divergence in gene expression. We found that the frequency of polymorphism was higher in teM (transcriptionally repressed, tissue-specific) genes and lower in gbM (active, constitutively expressed) genes. Comparisons of gene duplicates were largely consistent with genome-wide patterns - gene copies that exhibit teM tend to accumulate higher sequence polymorphism, evolve faster, and are in chromatin states associated with reduced DNA repair. This relationship between expression, the epigenome, and polymorphism may lead to the breakdown of equilibrium states that would otherwise maintain genetic redundancies. Epigenome-mediated polymorphism rate variation may therefore aid the pseudogenization of duplicate paralogs or increase the evolution of novel gene functions in duplicate paralogs maintained over evolutionary time.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kenchanmane Raju, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lensink, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kliebenstein, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Monroe, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.02.530917</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Epigenomic divergence underlies sequence polymorphism and the evolutionary fate of duplicate paralogs in A. thaliana.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.02.530925v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Respiration is essential for aerobic growth of Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.02.530925v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Zymomonas mobilis is an alpha-proteobacterium that is a promising platform for industrial scale production of biofuels or valuable products due to its efficient ethanol fermentation and low biomass generation. Z. mobilis has also intriguing physiology, sometimes difficult to explain by the rules and strategies commonly observed in other bacteria. One of the most mysterious features of Z. mobilis is its growth in oxic conditions. Z. mobilis is an aerotolerant bacterium that encodes a complete respiratory electron transport chain but the benefit of respiration for growth in oxic conditions has never been confirmed, despite decades of research. Quite the opposite, growth and ethanol production of WT Z. mobilis is poor in oxic conditions indicating that it does not benefit from oxidative phosphorylation. Additionally, in previous studies, aerobic growth improved significantly when respiratory genes were disrupted (ndh) or acquired point mutations (cydA, cydB) even if respiration was significantly reduced by these changes. Here, we obtained clean deletions of respiratory genes ndh and cydAB, individually and in combination, and showed, for the first time, that deletion of cydAB completely inhibited O2 respiration and dramatically reduced growth in oxic conditions. Both respiration and aerobic growth were restored by expressing a heterologous, water-forming NADH oxidase, noxE. This result shows that the main role of the electron transport chain in Z. mobilis is reducing the toxicity of molecular oxygen, helping to explain why it is beneficial for Z. mobilis to use electron transport chain complexes that contribute little to oxidative phosphorylation.

ImportanceA key to producing next generation biofuels is to engineer microbes that efficiently convert non-food materials into drop-in fuels and to engineer microbes effectively we must understand their metabolism thoroughly. Zymomonas mobilis is a bacterium that is a promising candidate biofuel producer but its metabolism remains poorly understood, especially its metabolism when exposed to oxygen. Although Z. mobilis respires with oxygen, its aerobic growth is poor and disruption of genes related to respiration counterintuitively improves aerobic growth. This unusual result has sparked decades of research and debate regarding the function of respiration in Z. mobilis. Here, we used a new set of mutants to determine that respiration is essential for aerobic growth and likely protects the cells from oxidative damage caused by molecular oxygen. These results indicate that respiration has a non-canonical function in Z. mobilis and expand our understanding of the role of respiration in metabolism and oxidative stress.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Felczak, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.02.530925</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Respiration is essential for aerobic growth of Zymomonas mobilis ZM4]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.03.530969v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Litter Matters: The Importance of Decomposition Products for Soil Bacterial Diversity and abundance of key groups of the N cycle in Tropical Areas 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.03.530969v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This study investigated the contribution of soil organic layers to bacterial diversity evaluations. We used a forest in the eastern Amazon and an adjacent pasture as model systems. Distinct organic and organo-mineral layers were identified in the forest and pasture floors, including the litter, partially and wholly decomposed organic material, and the mineral and rhizospheric soils. DNA was extracted, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing and qPCR were performed to assess bacterial community structure and the abundance of critical groups of the N cycle. We observed a clear vertical gradient in bacterial community composition. Species followed a log-normal distribution, with the highest richness and diversity observed in transitional organic layers of both land uses. Generally, critical groups of the N cycle were more abundant in these transitional layers, especially in the pastures fragmented litter and in the forests partially decomposed organic material. Considering the organic layers increased diversity estimates significantly, with the highest alpha and gamma bacterial diversity observed on the pasture floor and the highest beta diversity on the forest floor. The results show that organic layers harbor significant bacterial diversity in natural and anthropized systems and suggest that they can be crucial for maintaining the N cycle in these ecosystems, highlighting the need to consider them when studying soil bacterial diversity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Diniz, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borges, B. M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oliveira, A. P. d.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coelho, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aragao, O. O. d. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ribeiro, T. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rocha, F. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coelho, M. R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dias, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cole, J. R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howe, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mui, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jesus, E. d. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.03.530969</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Litter Matters: The Importance of Decomposition Products for Soil Bacterial Diversity and abundance of key groups of the N cycle in Tropical Areas]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.06.531303v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Roles of microbiota in autoimmunity in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.06.531303v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Over the past three decades, researchers have isolated plant mutants that display constitutively activated defense responses in the absence of pathogen infection. These mutants are called autoimmune mutants and are typically dwarf and/or bearing chlorotic/necrotic lesions. From a genetic screen for Arabidopsis genes involved in maintaining a normal leaf microbiota, we identified TIP GROWTH DEFECTIVE 1 (TIP1), which encodes a S-acyltransferase, as a key player in guarding leaves against abnormal microbiota level and composition under high humidity conditions. The tip1 mutant has several characteristic phenotypes of classical autoimmune mutants, including a dwarf stature, displaying lesions, and having a high basal level of defense gene expression. Gnotobiotic experiments revealed that the autoimmune phenotypes of the tip1 mutant are largely dependent on the presence of microbiota as axenic tip1 plants have markedly reduced autoimmune phenotypes. We found that the microbiota dependency of autoimmune phenotypes is shared by several "lesion mimic"-type autoimmune mutants in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, autoimmune phenotypes caused by mutations in NLR genes do not require the presence of microbiota and can even be partially alleviated by microbiota. Our results therefore suggest the existence of two classes of autoimmunity (microbiota-dependent vs. microbiota-independent) in plants. The observed interplay between autoimmunity and microbiota in the lesion mimic class of autoimmunity is reminiscent of the interactions between autoimmunity and dysbiosis in the animal kingdom.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cheng, Y. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thireault, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paasch, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.06.531303</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Roles of microbiota in autoimmunity in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.06.531315v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Targeted development of diagnostic SNP markers for resistance to Fusarium wilt race 4 in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.06.531315v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fusarium wilt caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV) race 4 (FOV4) has become one of the most important emerging diseases in US cotton production. Numerous QTLs have been reported for resistance to FOV; however, no major FOV4-resistance QTL or gene has been identified and used in breeding Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) for FOV4 resistance. In this study, a panel of 223 Chinese Upland cotton accessions was evaluated for FOV4 resistance based on seedling mortality rate (MR) and stem and root vascular discoloration (SVD and RVD). SNP markers were developed based on targeted genome sequencing using AgriPlex Genomics. The chromosome region at 2.130-2.292 Mb on D03 was significantly correlated with both SVD and RVD but not with MR. Based on the two most significant SNP markers, accessions homozygous for AA or TT SNP genotype averaged significantly lower SVD (0.88 vs. 2.54) and RVD (1.46 vs. 3.02) than those homozygous for CC or GG SNP genotype. The results suggested that a gene or genes within the region conferred resistance to vascular discoloration caused by FOV4. The Chinese Upland accessions had 37.22% homozygous AA or TT SNP genotype and 11.66% heterozygous AC or TG SNP genotype, while 32 US elite public breeding lines all had the CC or GG SNP genotype. Among 463 obsolete US Upland accessions, only 0.86% possessed the AA or TT SNP genotype. This study, for the first time, has developed diagnostic SNPs for marker-assisted selection and identified FOV4-resistant Upland germplasms with the SNPs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wheeler, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dever, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hake, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bissonnette, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.06.531315</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Targeted development of diagnostic SNP markers for resistance to Fusarium wilt race 4 in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.08.531737v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Development of a Synthetic Biosensor for Chemical Exchange MRI Utilizing In Silico Optimized Peptides 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.08.531737v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
1Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been identified as a novel alternative to classical diagnostic imaging. Over the last several decades, many studies have been conducted to determine possible CEST agents, such as endogenously expressed compounds or proteins, that can be utilized to produce contrast with minimally invasive procedures and reduced or non-existent levels of toxicity. In recent years there has been an increased interest in the generation of genetically engineered CEST contrast agents, typically based on existing proteins with CEST contrast or modified to produce CEST contrast. We have developed an in-silico method for the evolution of peptide sequences to optimize CEST contrast and showed that these peptides could be combined to create de novo biosensors for CEST MRI. A single protein, superCESTide 2.0, was designed to be 198 amino acids. SuperCESTide 2.0 was expressed in E. coli and purified with size-exclusion chromatography. The magnetic transfer ratio asymmetry (MTRasym) generated by superCESTide 2.0 was comparable to levels seen in previous CEST reporters, such as protamine sulfate (salmon protamine, SP), Poly-L-Lysine (PLL), and human protamine (hPRM1). This data shows that novel peptides with sequences optimized in silico for CEST contrast that utilizes a more comprehensive range of amino acids can still produce contrast when assembled into protein units expressed in complex living environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fillion, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bricco, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, H. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Korenchan, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrar, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.08.531737</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Development of a Synthetic Biosensor for Chemical Exchange MRI Utilizing In Silico Optimized Peptides]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.08.531745v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Analysis of histone antibody specificity directly in sequencing data using siQ-ChIP 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.08.531745v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We previously developed sans spike-in quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (siQ-ChIP), a technique that introduces an absolute quantitative scale to ChIP-seq data without reliance on spike-in normalization approaches. The physical model of siQ-ChIP predicted that the IP step of ChIP would produce a classical binding isotherm when antibody or epitope was titrated. Here, we define experimental conditions in which this titration is observable for antibodies that recognize modified states of histone proteins. We show that minimally sequenced points along an isotherm can reveal differential binding specificities that are associated with on- and off-target epitope interactions. This work demonstrates that the interpretation of histone post-translational modification distribution from ChIP-seq data has a dependence on antibody concentration. Collectively, these studies introduce a simplified and reproducible experimental method to generate quantitative ChIP-seq data without spike-in normalization and demonstrate that histone antibody specificity can be analyzed directly in ChIP-seq experiments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kupai, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaughan, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rothbart, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.08.531745</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Analysis of histone antibody specificity directly in sequencing data using siQ-ChIP]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.10.532068v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pathology of natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b in wild terrestrial mammals in the United States in 2022 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.10.532068v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This article describes the first detections of disease due to natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIv) H5N1 of the Eurasian lineage goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b in wild terrestrial mammals throughout the United States during 2021-2022. Affected mammalian species include 50 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 6 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), 4 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 2 bobcats (Lynx rufus), 2 Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), 1 coyote (Canis latrans), 1 fisher (Pekania pennanti), and 1 gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Infected mammals primarily exhibited neurological signs. Necrotizing meningoencephalitis, interstitial pneumonia, and myocardial necrosis were the most common lesions; however, species variations in lesion distribution were observed. Genotype analysis of sequences from 48 animals indicates that these cases represent spillover infections from wild birds.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Elsmo, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wunschmann, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beckmen, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broughton-Neiswanger, L. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buckles, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ellis, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzgerald, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gerlach, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hawkins, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ip, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lankton, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lemley, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenoch, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Killian, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lantz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Long, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maes, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mainenti, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melotti, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moriarty, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nakagun, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruden, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shearn-Bochsler, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torchetti, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Wettere, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wise, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.10.532068</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pathology of natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b in wild terrestrial mammals in the United States in 2022]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.12.532247v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modulation of Polar Auxin Transport Identifies the Molecular Determinants of Source-Sink Carbon Relationships and Sink Strength in Poplar 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.12.532247v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Source-to-sink carbon (C) allocation driven by the sink strength, i.e., the ability of a sink organ to import C, plays a central role in tissue growth and biomass productivity. However, molecular drivers of sink strength have not been thoroughly characterized in trees. Auxin, as a major plant phytohormone, regulates the mobilization of photoassimilates in source tissues and elevates the translocation of carbohydrates toward sink organs, including roots. In this study, we used an  auxin-stimulated carbon sink approach to understand the molecular processes involved in the long-distance source-sink C allocation in poplar. Poplar cuttings were foliar sprayed with polar auxin transport modulators, including auxin enhancers (AE) (i.e., IBA and IAA) and auxin inhibitor (AI) (i.e., NPA), followed by a comprehensive analysis of leaf, stem, and root tissues using biomass evaluation, phenotyping, C isotope labeling, metabolomics, and transcriptomics approaches. Auxin modulators altered root dry weight and branching pattern, and AE increased photosynthetically fixed C allocation from leaf to root tissues. The transcriptome analysis identified highly expressed genes in root tissue under AE condition including transcripts encoding polygalacturonase and {beta}-amylase that could increase the sink size and activity. Metabolic analyses showed a shift in overall metabolism including an altered relative abundance levels of galactinol, and an opposite trend in citrate levels in root tissue under AE and AI conditions. In conclusion, we postulate a model suggesting that the source-sink C relationships in poplar could be fueled by mobile sugar alcohols, starch metabolism-derived sugars, and TCA-cycle intermediates as key molecular drivers of sink strength.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Balasubramanian, V. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rivas-Ubach, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winkler, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moran, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahkami, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.12.532247</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modulation of Polar Auxin Transport Identifies the Molecular Determinants of Source-Sink Carbon Relationships and Sink Strength in Poplar]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.15.532757v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cysteine: an ancestral Cu binding ligand in green algae? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.15.532757v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Growth of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in zinc (Zn) limited medium leads to disruption of copper (Cu) homeostasis, resulting in up to 40-fold Cu over-accumulation relative to its typical Cu quota. We show that Chlamydomonas controls its Cu quota by balancing Cu import and export, which is disrupted in a Zn deficient cell, thus establishing a mechanistic connection between Cu and Zn homeostasis. Transcriptomics, proteomics and elemental profiling revealed that Zn-limited Chlamydomonas cells up-regulate a subset of genes encoding "first responder" proteins involved in sulfur (S) assimilation and consequently accumulate more intracellular S, which is incorporated into L-cysteine, {gamma}-glutamylcysteine and homocysteine. Most prominently, in the absence of Zn, free L-cysteine is increased ~80-fold, corresponding to ~ 2.8 x 109 molecules/cell. Interestingly, classic S-containing metal binding ligands like glutathione and phytochelatins do not increase. X-ray fluorescence microscopy showed foci of S accumulation in Zn-limited cells that co-localize with Cu, phosphorus and calcium, consistent with Cu-thiol complexes in the acidocalcisome, the site of Cu(I) accumulation. Notably, cells that have been previously starved for Cu do not accumulate S or Cys, causally connecting cysteine synthesis with Cu accumulation. We suggest that cysteine is an in vivo Cu(I) ligand, perhaps ancestral, that buffers cytosolic Cu.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Strenkert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmollinger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hofmann, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holbrook, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, H. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purvine, S. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicora, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipton, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Northen, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clemens, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merchant, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.15.532757</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cysteine: an ancestral Cu binding ligand in green algae?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.15.532797v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distribution of blaCTX-M-gene variants in E. coli from different origins in Ecuador 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.15.532797v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The increasing abundance of extended spectrum {beta}-lactamase (ESBL) genes in E. coli, and other commensal and pathogenic bacteria, endangers the utility of third or more recent generation cephalosporins, which are major tools for fighting deadly infections. The role of domestic animals in the transmission of ESBL carrying bacteria has been recognized, especially in low- and middle-income countries, however the horizontal gene transfer of these genes is difficult to assess. Here we investigate blaCTX-M gene diversity (and flanking nucleotide sequences) in E. coli from chicken and humans, in an Ecuadorian rural community and from chickens in another location in Ecuador. The blaCTX-M associated sequences in isolates from humans and chickens in the same remote community showed greater similarity from those found in E. coli in a chicken industrial operation 200 km away. Our study may provide evidence of blaCTX-M transfer between chickens and humans in the community.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Valenzuela, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hedman, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villagomez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cardenas, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eisenberg, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levy, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trueba, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.15.532797</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distribution of blaCTX-M-gene variants in E. coli from different origins in Ecuador]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.15.532780v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Division of labor promotes the entrenchment of multicellularity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.15.532780v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Simple multicellularity evolves readily in diverse unicellular species, but nascent multicellular groups are prone to reversion to unicellularity. Successful transitions to multicellularity therefore require subsequent mutations that promote the entrenchment of the higher-level unit, stabilizing it through time. Here we explore the causes of entrenchment using digital evolution. When faced with a trade-off between cellular metabolic productivity and information fidelity, digital "multicells" often evolve reproductive division of labor. Because digital "unicells" cannot circumvent this trade-off, unicellular revertants tend to exhibit low fitness relative to their differentiated multicellular ancestors. Thus, division of labor can drive the entrenchment of multicellularity. More generally, division of labor may play a crucial role in major transitions, enriching the complexity and functionality of higher-level units while enhancing their evolutionary stability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Conlin, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goldsby, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Libby, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skocelas, K. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ratcliff, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ofria, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerr, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.15.532780</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Division of labor promotes the entrenchment of multicellularity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.16.532763v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
RHINO restricts MMEJ activity to mitosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.16.532763v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are toxic lesions that can lead to genome instability if not properly repaired. Breaks incurred in G1 phase of the cell cycle are predominantly fixed by non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), while homologous recombination (HR) is the primary repair pathway in S and G2. Microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ) is intrinsically error-prone and considered a backup DSB repair pathway that becomes essential when HR and NHEJ are compromised. In this study, we uncover MMEJ as the major DSB repair pathway in M phase. Using CRISPR/Cas9-based synthetic lethal screens, we identify subunits of the 9-1-1 complex (RAD9A-HUS1-RAD1) and its interacting partner, RHINO, as critical MMEJ factors. Mechanistically, we show that the function of 9-1-1 and RHINO in MMEJ is inconsistent with their well-established role in ATR signaling. Instead, RHINO plays an unexpected and essential role in directing mutagenic repair to M phase by directly binding to Polymerase theta (Pol{theta}) and promoting its recruitment to DSBs in mitosis. In addition, we provide evidence that mitotic MMEJ repairs persistent DNA damage that originates in S phase but is not repaired by HR. The latter findings could explain the synthetic lethal relationship between POLQ and BRCA1/2 and the synergistic effect of Pol{theta} and PARP inhibitors. In summary, our study identifies MMEJ as the primary pathway for repairing DSBs during mitosis and highlights an unanticipated role for RHINO in directing mutagenic repair to M phase.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sfeir, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brambati, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sacco, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porcella, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heyza, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kareh, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.16.532763</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[RHINO restricts MMEJ activity to mitosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.17.530234v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Time-resolved molecular measurements reveal changes in astronauts during spaceflight 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.17.530234v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
From the early days of spaceflight to current missions, astronauts continue to be exposed to multiple hazards that affect human health, including low gravity, high radiation, isolation during long-duration missions, a closed environment and distance from Earth. Their effects can lead to adverse physiological changes and necessitate countermeasure development and/or longitudinal monitoring. A time-resolved analysis of biological signals can detect and better characterize potential adverse events during spaceflight, ideally preventing them and maintaining astronauts wellness. Here we provide a time-resolved assessment of the impact of spaceflight on multiple astronauts (n=27) by studying multiple biochemical and immune measurements before, during, and after long-duration orbital spaceflight. We reveal space-associated changes of astronauts physiology on both the individual level and across astronauts, including associations with bone resorption and kidney function, as well as immune-system dysregulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zheng, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charvat, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zwart, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mehta, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crucian, B. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piermarocchi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.17.530234</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Time-resolved molecular measurements reveal changes in astronauts during spaceflight]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.19.533284v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Astrocytes control cocaine-induced synaptic plasticity and reward through the matricellular protein hevin 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.19.533284v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Drug addiction involves profound modifications of neuronal plasticity in the nucleus accumbens, which may engage various cell types. Here, we report prominent effects of cocaine on calcium signals in astrocytes characterized by in vivo fiber photometry. Astrocyte calcium signals in the nucleus accumbens are sufficient and necessary for the acquisition of cocaine seeking behavior. We identify the astrocyte-secreted matricellular protein hevin as an effector of the action of cocaine and calcium signals on reward and neuronal plasticity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mongredien, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anesio, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandes, G. J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eagle, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maldera, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pham, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vilette, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bianchi, P. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franco, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Louis, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gruszczynski, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Betancur, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erdozain, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boucard, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cruz, F. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gautron, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heck, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vialou, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.19.533284</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Astrocytes control cocaine-induced synaptic plasticity and reward through the matricellular protein hevin]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.18.533264v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Uncovering the Environmental Conditions Required for Phyllachora maydis Infection and Tar Spot Development on Corn in the United States for Use as Predictive Models for Future Epidemics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.18.533264v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phyllachora maydis is a fungal pathogen causing tar spot of corn (Zea mays L.), a new and emerging, yield-limiting disease in the United States. Since being first reported in Illinois and Indiana in 2015, P. maydis can now be found across much of the corn growing of the United States. Knowledge of the epidemiology of P. maydis is limited but could be useful in developing tar spot prediction tools. The research presented here aims to elucidate the environmental conditions necessary for the development of tar spot in the field and the creation of predictive models to anticipate future tar spot epidemics. Extended periods (30-day windowpanes) of moderate ambient temperature were most significant for explaining the development of tar spot. Shorter periods (14- to 21-day windowpanes) of moisture (relative humidity, dew point, number of hours with predicted leaf wetness) were negatively correlated with tar spot development. These weather variables were used to develop multiple logistic regression models, an ensembled model, and two machine learning models for the prediction of tar spot development. This work has improved the understanding of P. maydis epidemiology and provided the foundation for the development of a predictive tool for anticipating future tar spot epidemics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Webster, R. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicolli, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allen, T. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bish, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bissonette, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Check, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chilvers, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kleczewski, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mueller, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Price, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paul, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robertson, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ross, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Telenko, D. E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wise, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.18.533264</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Uncovering the Environmental Conditions Required for Phyllachora maydis Infection and Tar Spot Development on Corn in the United States for Use as Predictive Models for Future Epidemics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.22.533807v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Capturing Spatiotemporal Signaling Patterns in Cellular Data with Geometric Scattering Trajectory Homology 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.22.533807v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neural signals are high-dimensional, noisy, and dynamic, making it challenging to extract interpretable features linked to behavior or disease. We introduce Neurospectrum, a framework that encodes neural activity as latent trajectories shaped by spatial and temporal structure. At each timepoint, signals are represented on a graph capturing spatial relationships, with a learnable attention mechanism highlighting important regions. These are embedded using graph wavelets and passed through a manifold-regularized autoencoder that preserves temporal geometry. The resulting latent trajectory is summarized using a principled set of descriptors - including curvature, path signatures, persistent homology, and recurrent networks -that capture multiscale geometric, topological, and dynamical features. These features drive downstream prediction in a modular, interpretable, and end-to-end trainable framework.

We evaluate Neurospectrum on simulated and experimental datasets. It tracks phase synchronization in Kuramoto simulations, reconstructs visual stimuli from calcium imaging, and identifies biomarkers of obsessive-compulsive disorder in fMRI. Across tasks, Neurospectrum uncovers meaningful neural dynamics and outperforms traditional analysis methods.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bhaskar, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rieck, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khasawneh, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munch, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greco, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnaswamy, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.22.533807</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Capturing Spatiotemporal Signaling Patterns in Cellular Data with Geometric Scattering Trajectory Homology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.22.533842v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A haplotype resolved chromosome-scale assembly of North American wild apple Malus fusca and comparative genomics of the fire blight Mfu10 locus. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.22.533842v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Pacific crabapple (Malus fusca) is a wild relative of the commercial apple (Malus x domestica). With a range extending from Alaska to Northern California, M. fusca is extremely hardy and disease resistant. The species represents an untapped genetic resource for development of new apple cultivars with enhanced stress resistance. However, gene discovery and utilization of M. fusca has been hampered by the lack of genomic resources. Here, we present a high-quality, haplotype-resolved, chromosome-scale genome assembly and annotation for M. fusca. The genome was assembled using high-fidelity long-reads and scaffolded using genetic maps and high-throughput chromatin conformation capture sequencing, resulting in one of the most contiguous apple genomes to date. We annotated the genome using public transcriptomic data from the same species taken from diverse plant structures and developmental stages. Using this assembly, we explored haplotypic structural variation within the genome of M. fusca, identifying thousands of large variants. We further showed high sequence co-linearity with other domesticated and wild Malus species. Finally, we resolve a known quantitative trait locus associated with resistance to fire blight (Erwinia amylovora). Insights gained from the assembly of a reference-quality genome of this hardy wild apple relative will be invaluable as a tool to facilitate DNA-informed introgression breeding.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mansfeld, B. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkess, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burchard, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gutierrez, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Nocker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gottschalk, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.22.533842</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A haplotype resolved chromosome-scale assembly of North American wild apple Malus fusca and comparative genomics of the fire blight Mfu10 locus.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.28.534611v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Integrative multi-omic sequencing reveals the MMTV-Myc mouse model mimics human breast cancer heterogeneity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.28.534611v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundBreast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease with distinct subtypes and molecular profiles corresponding to different clinical outcomes. Mouse models of breast cancer are widely used, but their relevance in capturing the heterogeneity of human disease is unclear. Previous studies have shown the heterogeneity at the gene expression level for the MMTV-Myc model, but have only speculated on the underlying genetics.

ResultsHerein, we examine three common histological subtypes of the MMTV-Myc model through whole genome sequencing and have integrated these results with gene expression data. Significantly, key genomic alterations driving cell signaling pathways were well conserved within histological subtypes. Genomic changes included frequent, co-occurring mutations in KIT and RARA in the microacinar histological subtype as well as SCRIB mutations in the EMT subtype. EMT tumors additionally displayed strong KRAS activation signatures downstream of genetic activating events primarily ascribed to KRAS activating mutations, but also FGFR2 amplification. Analogous genetic events in human breast cancer showed stark decreases in overall survival. In further analyzing transcriptional heterogeneity of the MMTV-Myc model, we report a supervised machine learning model that classifies MMTV-Myc histological subtypes and other mouse models as being representative of different human intrinsic breast cancer subtypes.

ConclusionsWe conclude the well-established MMTV-Myc mouse model presents further opportunities for investigation of human breast cancer heterogeneity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Broeker, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ortiz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murillo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.28.534611</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Integrative multi-omic sequencing reveals the MMTV-Myc mouse model mimics human breast cancer heterogeneity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.31.535148v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Vasopressin regulates social play behavior in sex-specific ways through glutamate modulation in the lateral septum 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.31.535148v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social play is a highly rewarding behavior that is essential for the development of social skills. Social play is impaired in children diagnosed with autism, a disorder with a strong sex bias in prevalence. We recently showed that the arginine vasopressin (AVP) system in the lateral septum (LS) regulates social play behavior sex-specifically in juvenile rats: Administration of a AVP 1a receptor (V1aR) antagonist increased social play behavior in males and decreased it in females. Here, we demonstrate that glutamate, but not GABA, is involved in the sex-specific regulation of social play by the LS-AVP system. First, males show higher extracellular glutamate concentrations in the LS than females while they show similar extracellular GABA concentrations. This resulted in a baseline sex difference in excitatory/inhibitory balance, which was eliminated by V1aR antagonist administration into the LS: V1aR antagonist increased extracellular glutamate release in females but not in males. Second, administration of the glutamate receptor agonist L-glutamic acid into the LS prevented the V1aR antagonist-induced increase in social play behavior in males while mimicking the V1aR antagonist-induced decrease in social play behavior in females. Third, administration of the glutamate receptor antagonists AP-5 and CNQX into the LS prevented the V1aR antagonist-induced decrease in social play behavior in females. Last, both sexes showed increases in extracellular LS-GABA release upon V1aR antagonist administration into the LS and decreases in social play behavior upon administration of the GABA-A receptor agonist muscimol into the LS, suggesting that GABA is not involved in the sex-specific regulation of social play by the LS-AVP system. Finally, to start identifying the cellular mechanism mediating the sex-specific effects of the LS-AVP system on LS-glutamate, we determined the presence of potential sex differences in the type of LS cells expressing V1aR. However, no sex differences were found in the percentage of Avpr1a+ LS cells expressing markers for either GABAergic neurons, somatostatin-expressing neurons, calbindin 1-expressing neurons, or astrocytes. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that the LS-AVP system regulates social play sex-specifically via differential local glutamatergic neurotransmission in male and female juvenile rats. Further research is required to uncover the underlying cellular mechanism.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bredewold, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Washington, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veenema, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-03-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.03.31.535148</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Vasopressin regulates social play behavior in sex-specific ways through glutamate modulation in the lateral septum]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-03-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.04.535582v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Activation of a Vibrio cholerae CBASS anti-phage system by quorum sensing and folate depletion 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.04.535582v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A major challenge faced by bacteria is infection by bacteriophage (phage). Abortive infection is one strategy for combating phage in which an infected cell kills itself to limit phage replication, thus protecting neighboring kin. One class of abortive infection systems is the cyclic oligonucleotide based anti-phage signaling system (CBASS) which relies on two core enzymatic activities; an oligo-nucleotide cyclase that is activated following phage infection and a cyclic-oligo-nucleotide sensitive effector whose activity kills the infected cell. However, the mechanisms behind the deployment and activation of these lethal CBASS systems prior-to and following infection have largely remained a mystery. While exploring unique genomic features of the current pandemic Vibrio cholerae biotype El Tor for clues underlying its pandemic success we found its CBASS was spuriously activated by the folate biosynthesis inhibitor sulfamethoxazole, but only after the population had reached a high-cell density. This population density dependent activity revealed that transcription of both the oligo-nucleotide cyclase, dncV, and the CBASS phospholipase effector, capV, is enhanced at high-cell density by quorum sensing. Together, these results demonstrate that the V. cholerae CBASS is deployed when the environment is densely populated and activated in response to a perturbation in folate biosynthesis.

SignificanceTo counteract infection with phage, bacteria have evolved a myriad of molecular defense systems. Some of these systems initiate a process called abortive infection, in which the infected cell kills itself to prevent phage propagation. However, such systems must be inhibited in the absence of phage infection to prevent spurious death of the host. Here we show that the cyclic oligonucleotide based anti-phage signaling system (CBASS) accomplishes this by sensing intracellular folate molecules and only expressing this system in a group. These results enhance our understanding of the evolution of the 7th V. cholerae pandemic and more broadly how bacteria defend themselves against phage infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Severin, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramliden, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ford, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Alst, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanath-Kumar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Decker, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsueh, B. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoon, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demey, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Hara, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhoades, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ng, W. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-04-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.04.04.535582</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Activation of a Vibrio cholerae CBASS anti-phage system by quorum sensing and folate depletion]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-04-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.11.536333v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SpatialCTD: a large-scale TME spatial transcriptomic dataset to evaluate cell type deconvolution for immuno-oncology 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.11.536333v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recent technological advancements have enabled spatially resolved transcriptomic profiling but at multi-cellular resolution. The task of cell type deconvolution has been introduced to disentangle discrete cell types from such multi-cellular spots. However, existing datasets for cell type deconvolution are limited in scale, predominantly encompassing data on mice, and are not designed for human immuno-oncology. In order to overcome these limitations and promote comprehensive investigation of cell type deconvolution for human immuno-oncology, we introduce a large-scale spatial transcriptomic dataset named SO_SCPLOWPATIALC_SCPLOWCTD, encompassing 1.8 million cells from the human tumor microenvironment across the lung, kidney, and liver. Distinct from existing approaches that primarily depend on single-cell RNA sequencing data as a reference without incorporating spatial information, we introduce Graph Neural Network-based method (i.e., GNNDO_SCPLOWECONVOLVERC_SCPLOW) that effectively utilize the spatial information from reference samples, and extensive experiments show that GNNDO_SCPLOWECONVOLVERC_SCPLOW often outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods by a substantial margin, without requiring single-cell RNA-seq data. To enable comprehensive evaluations on spatial transcriptomics data from flexible protocols, we provide an online tool capable of converting spatial transcriptomic data from other platforms (e.g., 10x Visium, MERFISH and sci-Space) into pseudo spots, featuring adjustable spot size. The SO_SCPLOWPATIALC_SCPLOWCTD dataset and GNNDO_SCPLOWECONVOLVERC_SCPLOW implementation are available at https://github.com/OmicsML/SpatialCTD, and the online converter tool can be accessed at https://omicsml.github.io/SpatialCTD/.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Venegas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zuo, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lei, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Danaher, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-04-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.04.11.536333</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SpatialCTD: a large-scale TME spatial transcriptomic dataset to evaluate cell type deconvolution for immuno-oncology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-04-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.15.536747v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cross regulation in a three-component cell envelope stress signaling system 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.15.536747v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A multi-layered structure known as the cell envelope separates the controlled interior of bacterial cells from a fluctuating physical and chemical environment. The transcription of genes that determine cell envelope structure and function is commonly regulated by two-component signaling systems (TCS), comprising a sensor histidine kinase and a cognate response regulator. To identify TCS genes that contribute to cell envelope function in the intracellular mammalian pathogen, Brucella ovis, we subjected a collection of non-essential TCS deletion mutants to compounds that disrupt cell membranes and the peptidoglycan cell wall. Our screen led to the discovery of three TCS proteins that coordinately function to confer resistance to cell envelope stressors and to support B. ovis replication in the intracellular niche. This tripartite regulatory system includes the known cell envelope regulator, CenR, and a previously uncharacterized TCS, EssR-EssS, which is widely conserved in Alphaproteobacteria. The CenR and EssR response regulators bind a shared set of sites on the B. ovis chromosomes to control transcription of an overlapping set of genes with cell envelope functions. CenR directly interacts with EssR and functions to stimulate phosphoryl transfer from the EssS kinase to EssR, while CenR and EssR control the cellular levels of each other via a post-transcriptional mechanism. Our data provide evidence for a new mode of TCS cross-regulation in which a non-cognate response regulator affects both the activity and protein levels of a cognate TCS protein pair.

ImportanceAs intracellular pathogens, Brucella must contend with a variety of host-derived stressors when infecting a host cell. The inner membrane, cell wall, and outer membrane -- i.e. the cell envelope -- of Brucella provides a critical barrier to host assault. A conserved regulatory mechanism known as two-component signaling (TCS) commonly controls transcription of genes that determine the structure and biochemical composition of the cell envelope during stress. We report the identification of previously uncharacterized TCS genes that determine B. ovis fitness in the presence of cell envelope disruptors and within infected mammalian host cells. Our study reveals a new molecular mechanism of TCS-dependent gene regulation, and thereby advances fundamental understanding of transcriptional regulatory processes in bacteria.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aalakavuklar, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-04-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.04.15.536747</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cross regulation in a three-component cell envelope stress signaling system]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-04-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.15.537024v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural Organization of the Cell Wall of Halophilic Fungi 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.15.537024v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Halophilic fungi, which thrive in hypersaline habitats and face a range of extreme conditions. These fungal species have gained considerable attention due to their potential applications in harsh industrial processes, such as bioremediation and fermentation under unfavorable conditions of hypersalinity, low water activity, and extreme pH. However, the role of the cell wall in surviving these environmental conditions remains unclear. Here we employ solid-state NMR spectroscopy to compare the cell wall architecture of Aspergillus sydowii across salinity gradients. Analyses of intact cells reveal that A. sydowii cell walls contain a rigid core comprising chitin, {beta}-glucan, and chitosan, shielded by a surface shell composed of galactomannan and galactosaminogalactan. When exposed to hypersaline conditions, A. sydowii enhances chitin biosynthesis and incorporates -glucan to create thick, stiff, and hydrophobic cell walls. Such structural rearrangements enable the fungus to adapt to both hypersaline and salt-deprived conditions, providing a robust mechanism for withstanding external stress. These molecular principles can aid in the optimization of halophilic strains for biotechnology applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fernando, L. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez-Llano, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickwella Widanage, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Avila, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipton, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunde-Cimerman, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Latge, J.-P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Batista-Garcia, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-04-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.04.15.537024</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural Organization of the Cell Wall of Halophilic Fungi]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-04-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.20.536761v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Conserved enhancer logic controls the notochord expression of vertebrate Brachyury 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.20.536761v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The cell type-specific expression of key transcription factors is central to development. Brachyury/T/TBXT is a major transcription factor for gastrulation, tailbud patterning, and notochord formation; however, how its expression is controlled in the mammalian notochord has remained elusive. Here, we identify the complement of notochord-specific enhancers in the mammalian Brachyury/T/TBXT gene. Using transgenic assays in zebrafish, axolotl, and mouse, we discover three Brachyury-controlling notochord enhancers T3, C, and I in human, mouse, and marsupial genomes. Acting as Brachyury-responsive, auto-regulatory shadow enhancers, deletion of all three enhancers in mouse abolishes Brachyury/T expression selectively in the notochord, causing specific trunk and neural tube defects without gastrulation or tailbud defects. Sequence and functional conservation of Brachyury-driving notochord enhancers with the brachyury/tbxtb loci from diverse lineages of fishes dates their origin to the last common ancestor of jawed vertebrates. Our data define the enhancers for Brachyury/T/TBXTB notochord expression as ancient mechanism in axis development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kemmler, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smolikova, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moran, H. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mannion, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapp, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Czarkwiani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hermosilla Aguayo, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rapp, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitch, O. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boetschi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Selleri, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farley, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Visel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osterwalder, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mosimann, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kozmik, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burger, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.04.20.536761</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Conserved enhancer logic controls the notochord expression of vertebrate Brachyury]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.20.537755v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High-resolution structure of a mercury cross-linked ZIP metal transporter reveals delicate motions and metal relay for regulated zinc transport 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.20.537755v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Zrt-/Irt-like protein (ZIP) divalent metal transporters play a central role in maintaining trace element homeostasis. The prototypical ZIP from Bordetella bronchiseptica (BbZIP) is an elevator-type transporter, but the dynamic motions and detailed transport mechanism remain to be elucidated. Here, we report a high-resolution crystal structure of a mercury-crosslinked BbZIP variant at 1.95 [A], revealing an upward rotation of the transport domain in the new inward-facing conformation and a water-filled metal release channel that is divided into two parallel pathways by the previously disordered cytoplasmic loop. Mutagenesis and transport assays indicated that the newly identified high-affinity metal binding site in the primary pathway acts as a "metal sink" to reduce the transport rate. The discovery of a hinge motion around an extracellular axis allowed us to propose a sequential hinge-elevator-hinge movement of the transport domain to achieve alternating access. These findings provide key insights into the transport mechanisms and activity regulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sui, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-04-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.04.20.537755</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High-resolution structure of a mercury cross-linked ZIP metal transporter reveals delicate motions and metal relay for regulated zinc transport]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-04-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.20.537757v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic basis of aposematic coloration in a mimetic radiation of poison frogs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.20.537757v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The evolution of mimicry in a single species or population has rippling inter and intraspecific effects across ecological communities, providing a fascinating mechanism of phenotypic diversification. In this study we present the first identification of genes underlying Mullerian mimicry in a vertebrate, the Peruvian mimic poison frog, Ranitomeya imitator. We sequenced 124 R. imitator exomes and discovered loci with both strong divergence between different mimetic morphs and phenotypic associations within an intraspecific admixture zone, implicating mc1r, asip, bsn, retsat, and krt8.2 in the evolution of mimetic color phenotypes. We confirmed these associations for most candidate genes through linkage mapping in a lab-reared pedigree. We also sequenced transcriptomes from the model species, allowing tests for introgression and revealing that the mimetic resemblance between R. imitator and the models evolved independently. Selection analyses of the candidate genes show that the mimicry phenotypes likely have evolved through selective sweeps acting on polygenic variation. Our results suggest that the evolutionary origins and molecular mechanisms underlying mimicry phenotypes in vertebrates may be radically different from those previously documented in invertebrates such as the iconic Heliconius butterfly mimicry complex.

One Sentence SummaryMullerian mimicry evolved through independent selective sweeps on color and pattern loci in the mimic poison frog.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Linderoth, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguilar-Gomez, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>White, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Twomey, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stuckert, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bi, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ko, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graham, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rocha, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacManes, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Summers, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nielsen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-04-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.04.20.537757</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic basis of aposematic coloration in a mimetic radiation of poison frogs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-04-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.21.537887v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phylogeny, morphology, virulence, ecology, and host range of Ordospora pajunii (Ordosporidae),a microsporidian symbiont of Daphnia spp. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.21.537887v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Impacts of microsporidia on host individuals are frequently subtle and can be context dependent. A key example of the latter comes from a recently discovered microsporidian symbiont of Daphnia, the net impact of which was found to shift from negative to positive based on environmental context. Given this, we hypothesized low baseline virulence of the microsporidian; here, we investigated the impact of infection on hosts in controlled conditions and the absence of other stressors. We also investigated its phylogenetic position, ecology and host range. The genetic data indicates that the symbiont is Ordospora pajunii, a newly described microsporidian parasite of Daphnia. We show that O. pajunii infection damages the gut, causing infected epithelial cells to lose microvilli and then rupture. The prevalence of this microsporidian could be high (up to 100% in the lab and 77% of adults in the field). Its overall virulence was low in most cases, but some genotypes suffered reduced survival and/or reproduction. Susceptibility and virulence were strongly host-genotype dependent. We found that North American O. pajunii were able to infect multiple Daphnia species, including the European species D. longispina, as well as Ceriodaphnia spp. Given the low, often undetectable virulence of this microsporidian, and potentially far reaching consequences of infections for the host when interacting with other pathogens or food, this Daphnia - O. pajunii symbiosis emerges as a valuable system for studying the mechanisms of context-dependent shifts between mutualism and parasitism, as well as for understanding how symbionts might alter host interactions with resources.

ImportanceThe net outcome of symbiosis depends on the costs and benefits to each partner. Those can be context dependent, driving the potential for an interaction to change between parasitism and mutualism. Understanding the baseline fitness impact in an interaction can help us understand those shifts; for an organism that is generally parasitic, it should be easier for it to become a mutualist if its baseline virulence is relatively low. Recently, a microsporidian was found to become beneficial to its Daphnia hosts in certain ecological contexts, but little was known about the symbiont (including its species identity). Here, we identify it as the microsporidium Ordospora pajunii. Despite the parasitic nature of microsporidia, we found O. pajunii to be, at most, mildly virulent; this helps explain why it can shift towards mutualism in certain ecological contexts and helps establish O. pajunii is a valuable model for investigating shifts along the mutualism-parasitism continuum.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dziuba, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McIntire, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seto, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davenport, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rogalski, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gowler, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baird, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaandrager, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huerta, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jaye, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corcoran, F. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Withrow, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahrendt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salamov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nolan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tejomurthula, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grigoriev, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>James, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duffy, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-04-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.04.21.537887</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phylogeny, morphology, virulence, ecology, and host range of Ordospora pajunii (Ordosporidae),a microsporidian symbiont of Daphnia spp.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-04-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.10.540073v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adaptation invariant concentration discrimination in an insect olfactory system 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.10.540073v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neural responses evoked by a stimulus reduce upon repetition. While this adaptation allows the sensory system to attend to novel cues, does information about the recurring stimulus, particularly its intensity, get compromised? We explored this issue in the locust olfactory system. We found that locusts innate behavioral response to odorants varied with repetition and stimulus intensity. Counter-intuitively, the stimulus-intensity dependent differences became significant only after adaptation had set in. Adaptation altered responses of individual neurons in the antennal lobe (neural network downstream to insect antenna). These response variations to repetitions of the same stimulus were unpredictable and inconsistent across intensities. Although both adaptation and intensity decrements resulted in an overall reduction in spiking activities across neurons, these changes could be disentangled, and information about stimulus intensity was robustly maintained by ensemble neural responses. In sum, these results show how information about odor intensity can be preserved in an adaptation-invariant manner.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ling, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raman, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.10.540073</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adaptation invariant concentration discrimination in an insect olfactory system]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.11.540287v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-omics analysis of a Bacteroides fragilis isolate from an ulcerative colitis patient defines genetic determinants of fitness in bile 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.11.540287v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteroides fragilis comprises 1-5% of the gut microbiota in healthy humans but can expand to >50% of the population in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients experiencing inflammation. The mechanisms underlying such microbial blooms are poorly understood, but the gut of UC patients has physicochemical features that differ from healthy patients and likely impact microbial physiology. For example, levels of the secondary bile acid deoxycholate (DC) are highly reduced in the ileoanal J-pouch of UC colectomy patients. We isolated a B. fragilis strain from a UC patient with pouch inflammation (i.e. pouchitis) and developed it as a genetic model system to identify genes and pathways that are regulated by DC and that impact B. fragilis fitness in DC and crude bile. Treatment of B. fragilis with a physiologically relevant concentration of DC reduced cell growth and remodeled transcription of one-quarter of the genome. DC strongly induced expression of chaperones and select transcriptional regulators and efflux systems and downregulated protein synthesis genes. Using a barcoded collection of {approx}50,000 unique insertional mutants, we further defined B. fragilis genes that contribute to fitness in media containing DC or crude bile. Genes impacting cell envelope functions including cardiolipin synthesis, cell surface glycosylation, and systems implicated in sodium-dependent bioenergetics were major bile acid fitness factors. As expected, there was limited overlap between transcriptionally regulated genes and genes that impacted fitness in bile when disrupted. Our study provides a genome-scale view of a B. fragilis bile response and genetic determinants of its fitness in DC and crude bile.

ImportanceThe Gram-negative bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, is a common member of the human gut microbiota that colonizes multiple host niches and can influence human physiology through a variety of mechanisms. Identification of genes that enable B. fragilis to grow across a range of host environments has been impeded in part by the relatively limited genetic tractability of this species. We have developed a high-throughput genetic resource for a B. fragilis strain isolated from a UC pouchitis patient. Bile acids limit microbial growth and are altered in abundance in UC pouches, where B. fragilis often blooms. Using this resource, we uncovered pathways and processes that impact B. fragilis fitness in bile and that may contribute to population expansions during bouts of gut inflammation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnizlein, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pena-Rivera, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trigodet, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dubey, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hennessy, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basu, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pott, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dalal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rubin, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sogin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eren, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.11.540287</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-omics analysis of a Bacteroides fragilis isolate from an ulcerative colitis patient defines genetic determinants of fitness in bile]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.11.540170v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SMYD5 is a novel epigenetic gatekeeper of the mild hypothermia response 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.11.540170v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mild hypothermia response (MHR) maintains organismal homeostasis during cold exposure and is thought to be critical for the neuroprotection documented with therapeutic hypothermia. To date, little is known about the transcriptional regulation of the MHR. We utilize a forward CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis screen to identify the histone lysine methyltransferase SMYD5 as a regulator of the MHR. SMYD5 represses the key MHR gene SP1 at euthermia. This repression correlates with temperature-dependent levels of H3K36me3 at the SP1-locus and globally, indicating that the mammalian MHR is regulated at the level of histone modifications. We have identified 37 additional SMYD5 regulated temperature-dependent genes, suggesting a broader MHR-related role for SMYD5. Our study provides an example of how histone modifications integrate environmental cues into the genetic circuitry of mammalian cells and provides insights that may yield therapeutic avenues for neuroprotection after catastrophic events.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rafnsdottir, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jang, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Halldorsdottir, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tomasdottir, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vinod, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moller, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reynisdottir, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Atladottir, L. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allison, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Northington, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chavez-Valdez, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bjornsson, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.11.540170</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SMYD5 is a novel epigenetic gatekeeper of the mild hypothermia response]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.13.540640v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantitative flow cytometric selection of tau conformational nanobodies specific for pathological aggregates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.13.540640v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
1.Single-domain antibodies, also known as nanobodies, are broadly important for studying the structure and conformational states of several classes of proteins, including membrane proteins, enzymes, and amyloidogenic proteins. Conformational nanobodies specific for aggregated conformations of amyloidogenic proteins are particularly needed to better target and study aggregates associated with a growing class of associated diseases, especially neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons diseases. However, there are few reported nanobodies with both conformational and sequence specificity for amyloid aggregates, especially for large and complex proteins such as the tau protein associated with Alzheimers disease, due to difficulties in selecting nanobodies that bind to complex aggregated proteins. Here, we report the selection of conformational nanobodies that selectively recognize aggregated (fibrillar) tau relative to soluble (monomeric) tau. Notably, we demonstrate that these nanobodies can be directly isolated from immune libraries using quantitative flow cytometric sorting of yeast-displayed libraries against tau aggregates conjugated to quantum dots, and this process eliminates the need for secondary nanobody screening. The isolated nanobodies demonstrate conformational specificity for tau aggregates in brain samples from both transgenic tau mouse models and human tauopathies. We expect that our facile approach will be broadly useful for isolating conformational nanobodies against diverse amyloid aggregates and other complex antigens.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zupancic, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trzeciakiewicz, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skinner, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferris, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makowski, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lucas, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McArthur, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kane, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paulson, H. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tessier, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.13.540640</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantitative flow cytometric selection of tau conformational nanobodies specific for pathological aggregates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.13.540661v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
P-tau Inflicts Intracellular Stress Responses That Are Mitigated by Apomorphine 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.13.540661v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundAbnormal phosphorylation of the microtubule-binding protein tau in the brain is a key pathological marker for Alzheimers disease and additional neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, how hyperphosphorylated tau causes cellular dysfunction or death that underlie neurodegeneration remains an unsolved question critical for the understanding of disease mechanism and the design of efficacious drugs.

MethodsUsing a recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) synthesized by the PIMAX approach, we examined how cells responded to the cytotoxic tau and explored means to enhance cellular resistance to tau attack.

ResultsUpon p-tau uptake, the intracellular calcium levels rose promptly. Gene expression analyses revealed that p-tau potently triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), ER stress-associated apoptosis, and pro-inflammation in cells. Proteomics studies showed that p-tau diminished heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an ER stress associated anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress regulator, while stimulated the accumulation of MIOS and other proteins. P-tau-induced ER stress-associated apoptosis and pro-inflammation are ameliorated by apomorphine, a brain-permeable prescription drug widely used to treat Parkinsons disease symptoms, and by overexpression of HO-1.

ConclusionOur results reveal probable cellular functions targeted by hyperphosphorylated tau. Some of these dysfunctions and stress responses have been linked to neurodegeneration in Alzheimers disease. The observations that the ill effects of p-tau can be mitigated by a small compound and by overexpressing HO-1 that is otherwise diminished in the treated cells inform new directions of Alzheimers disease drug discovery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Song, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, K.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hagar, H.-T. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.-R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuan, C.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuo, M.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.13.540661</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[P-tau Inflicts Intracellular Stress Responses That Are Mitigated by Apomorphine]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.19.541454v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Retinoblastoma protein activity revealed by CRISPRi study of divergent Rbf1 and Rbf2 paralogs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.19.541454v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Retinoblastoma tumor suppressor proteins regulate the key transition from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle. The mammalian Rb family comprises Rb, p107, and p130, with overlapping and unique roles in gene regulation. Drosophila experienced an independent gene duplication event, leading to the Rbf1 and Rbf2 paralogs. To uncover the significance of paralogy in the Rb family, we used CRISPRi. We engineered dCas9 fusions to Rbf1 and Rbf2, and deployed them to gene promoters in developing Drosophila tissue to study their relative impacts on gene expression. On some genes, both Rbf1 and Rbf2 mediate potent repression, in a highly distance-dependent manner. In other cases, the two proteins have different effects on phenotype and gene expression, indicating different functional potential. In a direct comparison of Rb activity on endogenous genes and transiently transfected reporters, we found that only qualitative, but not key quantitative aspects of repression were conserved, indicating that the native chromatin environment generates context-specific effects of Rb activity. Our study uncovers the complexity of Rb-mediated transcriptional regulation in a living organism, which is clearly impacted by the different promoter landscapes and the evolution of the Rb proteins themselves.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raicu, A.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castanheira, P. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnosti, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.19.541454</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Retinoblastoma protein activity revealed by CRISPRi study of divergent Rbf1 and Rbf2 paralogs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.19.541472v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A regulatory role for the unstructured C-terminal domain of the CtBP transcriptional corepressor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.19.541472v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The C-terminal Binding Protein (CtBP) is a transcriptional corepressor that plays critical roles in development, tumorigenesis, and cell fate. CtBP proteins are structurally similar to alpha hydroxyacid dehydrogenases and feature a prominent intrinsically disordered region in the C-terminus. In the mammalian system, CtBP proteins lacking the C-terminal Domain (CTD) are able to function as transcriptional regulators and oligomerize, putting into question the significance of this unstructured domain for gene regulation. Yet, the presence of an unstructured CTD of [~]100 residues, including some short motifs, is conserved across Bilateria, indicating the importance of maintaining this domain over evolutionary time. To uncover the significance of the CtBP CTD, we functionally tested naturally occurring Drosophila isoforms of CtBP that possess or lack the CTD, namely CtBP(L) and CtBP(S). We used the CRISPRi system to recruit dCas9-CtBP(L) and dCas9-CtBP(S) to endogenous promoters to directly compare their transcriptional impacts in vivo. Interestingly, CtBP(S) was able to significantly repress transcription of the Mpp6 promoter, while CtBP(L) was much weaker, suggesting that the long CTD may modulate CtBPs repression activity. In contrast, in cell culture, the isoforms behaved similarly on a transfected Mpp6 reporter gene. The context-specific differences in activity of these two developmentally-regulated isoforms suggests that the CTD may help provide a spectrum of repression activity suitable for developmental programs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raicu, A.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Suresh, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnosti, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.19.541472</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A regulatory role for the unstructured C-terminal domain of the CtBP transcriptional corepressor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.19.541508v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Plasmid-free cheater cells commonly evolve during laboratory growth 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.19.541508v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
It has been nearly a century since the isolation and use of penicillin, heralding the discovery of a wide range of different antibiotics. In addition to clinical applications, such antibiotics have been essential laboratory tools, allowing for selection and maintenance of laboratory plasmids that encode cognate resistance genes. However, antibiotic resistance mechanisms can additionally function as public goods. For example, secretion of beta-lactamase from resistant cells, and subsequent degradation of nearby penicillin and related antibiotics, allows neighboring plasmid-free susceptible bacteria to survive antibiotic treatment. How such cooperative mechanisms impact selection of plasmids during experiments in laboratory conditions is poorly understood. Here, we show that the use of plasmid-encoded beta-lactamases leads to significant curing of plasmids in surface grown bacteria. Furthermore, such curing was also evident for aminoglycoside phosphotransferase and tetracycline antiporter resistance mechanisms. Alternatively, antibiotic selection in liquid growth led to more robust plasmid maintenance, although plasmid loss still occurred. The net outcome of such plasmid loss is the generation of a heterogenous population of plasmid-containing and plasmid-free cells, leading to experimental confounds that are not widely appreciated.

ImportancePlasmids are routinely used in microbiology as readouts of cell biology or tools to manipulate cell function. Central to these studies is the assumption that all cells in an experiment contain the plasmid. Plasmid maintenance in a host cell typically depends on a plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance marker, which provides a selective advantage when the plasmid containing cell is grown in the presence of antibiotic. Here we find that growth of plasmid-containing bacteria during laboratory conditions in the presence of three distinct antibiotic families leads to the evolution of a significant number of plasmid-free cells, which rely on the resistance mechanisms of the plasmid-containing cells for viability. This process generates a heterogenous population of plasmid-free and plasmid-containing bacteria, an outcome which could confound further experimentation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bedore, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.19.541508</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Plasmid-free cheater cells commonly evolve during laboratory growth]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.22.541336v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Nighthawk: acoustic monitoring of nocturnal bird migration in the Americas 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.22.541336v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIAnimal migration is one of natures most spectacular phenomena, but migratory animals and their journeys are imperiled across the globe. Migratory birds are among the most well-studied animals on Earth, yet relatively little is known about in-flight behavior during nocturnal migration. Because many migrating bird species vocalize during flight, passive acoustic monitoring shows great promise for facilitating widespread monitoring of bird migration.
C_LIO_LIHere, we present Nighthawk, a deep learning model designed to detect and identify the vocalizations of nocturnally migrating birds. We trained Nighthawk on the in-flight vocalizations of migratory birds using a diverse dataset of recordings from across the Americas.
C_LIO_LIOur results demonstrate that Nighthawk performs well as a nocturnal flight call detector and classifier for dozens of avian taxa, both at the species level and for broader taxonomic groups (e.g., orders and families). The model accurately quantified nightly nocturnal migration intensity and species phenology and performed well on data from across North America. Incorporating modest amounts of additional annotated audio (50-120 h) into model training yielded high performance on target datasets from both North and South America.
C_LIO_LIBy monitoring the vocalizations of actively migrating birds, Nighthawk provides a detailed window onto nocturnal bird migration that is not presently attainable by other means (e.g., radar or citizen science). Scientists, managers, and practitioners could use acoustic monitoring with Nighthawk for a number of applications, including: monitoring migration passage at wind farms; studying airspace usage during migratory flights; monitoring the changing migrations of species susceptible to climate change; and revealing previously unknown migration routes and behaviors. Overall, this work will empower diverse stakeholders to efficiently monitor migrating birds across the Western Hemisphere and collect data in aid of science and conservation. Nighthawk is freely available at https://github.com/bmvandoren/Nighthawk.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Van Doren, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farnsworth, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stone, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osterhaus, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drucker, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Horn, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.22.541336</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Nighthawk: acoustic monitoring of nocturnal bird migration in the Americas]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.22.541652v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
One particle per residue is sufficient to describe all-atom protein structures 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.22.541652v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Atomistic resolution is considered the standard for high-resolution biomolecular structures, but coarse-grained models are often necessary to reflect limited experimental resolution or to achieve feasibility in computational studies. It is generally assumed that reduced representations involve a loss of detail, accuracy, and transferability. This study explores the use of advanced machine-learning networks to learn from known structures of proteins how to reconstruct atomistic models from reduced representations to assess how much information is lost when the vast knowledge about protein structures is taken into account. The main finding is that highly accurate and stereochemically realistic all-atom structures can be recovered with minimal loss of information from just a single bead per amino acid residue, especially when placed at the side chain center of mass. High-accuracy reconstructions with better than 1 [A] heavy atom root-mean square deviations are still possible when only C coordinates are used as input. This suggests that lower-resolution representations are essentially sufficient to represent protein structures when combined with a machine-learning framework that encodes knowledge from known structures. Practical applications of this high-accuracy reconstruction scheme are illustrated for adding atomistic detail to low-resolution structures from experiment or coarse-grained models generated from computational modeling. Moreover, a rapid, deterministic all-atom reconstruction scheme allows the implementation of an efficient multi-scale framework. As a demonstration, the rapid refinement of accurate models against cryoEM densities is shown where sampling at the coarse-grained level is guided by map correlation functions applied at the atomistic level. With this approach, the accuracy of standard all-atom simulation based refinement schemes can be matched at a fraction of the computational cost.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEThe fundamental insight of this work is that atomistic detail of proteins can be recovered with minimal loss of information from highly reduced representations with just a single bead per amino acid residue. This is possible by encoding the existing knowledge about protein structures in a machine-learning model. This suggests that it is not strictly necessary to resolve structures in atomistic detail in experiments, computational modeling, or the generation of protein conformations via neural networks since atomistic details can inferred quickly via the neural network. This increases the relevance of experimental structures obtained at lower resolutions and broadens the impact of coarse-grained modeling.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.22.541652</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[One particle per residue is sufficient to describe all-atom protein structures]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.23.541945v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Long-range repression by ecdysone receptor on complex enhancers of the insulin receptor gene. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.23.541945v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The insulin signaling pathway is evolutionarily conserved throughout metazoans, playing key roles in development, growth, and metabolism. Misregulation of this pathway is associated with a multitude of disease states including diabetes, cancer, and neurodegeneration. Genome-wide association studies indicate that natural variants in putative intronic regulatory elements of the human insulin receptor gene (INSR) are associated with metabolic conditions, however, this genes transcriptional regulation remains incompletely studied. INSR is widely expressed throughout development and was previously described as a  housekeeping gene. Yet, there is abundant evidence that this gene is expressed in a cell-type specific manner, with dynamic regulation in response to environmental signals. The Drosophila insulin-like receptor gene (InR) is homologous to the human INSR gene and was previously shown to be regulated by multiple transcriptional elements located primarily within the introns of the gene. These elements were roughly defined in [~]1.5 kbp segments, but we lack an understanding of the potential detailed mechanisms of their regulation, as well as the integrative output of the battery of enhancers in the entire locus. Using luciferase assays, we characterized the substructure of these cis-regulatory elements in Drosophila S2 cells, focusing on regulation through the ecdysone receptor (EcR) and the dFOXO transcription factor. The direct action of EcR on Enhancer 2 reveals a bimodal form of regulation, with active repression in the absence of the ligand, and positive activation in the presence of 20E. By identifying the location of activators of this enhancer, we characterized a long-range of repression acting over at least 475 bp, similar to the action of long-range repressors found in the embryo. dFOXO and 20E have contrasting effects on some of the individual regulatory elements, and for the adjacent enhancers 2 and 3, their influence was/was not found to be additive, indicating that enhancer action on this locus can/cannot be characterized in part by additive models. Other characterized enhancers from within this locus exhibited "distributed" or "localized" modes of action, suggesting that predicting the joint functional output of multiple regulatory regions will require a deeper experimental characterization. The noncoding intronic regions of InR have demonstrated dynamic regulation of expression and cell type specificity. This complex transcriptional circuitry goes beyond the simple conception of a  housekeeping gene. Further studies are aimed at identifying how these elements work together in vivo to generate finely tuned expression in tissue- and temporal-specific manners, to provide a guide to understanding the impact of natural variation in this genes regulation, applicable to human genetic studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thompson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Suber, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicholas, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnosti, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.23.541945</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Long-range repression by ecdysone receptor on complex enhancers of the insulin receptor gene.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.18.541251v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The transcription factor OsbZIP48 governs rice responses to zinc deficiency 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.18.541251v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Zinc deficiency is the most prevalent micronutrient disorder in rice and leads to delayed development and decreased yield. Nevertheless, despite its primary importance, how rice responds to zinc deficiency remains poorly understood. Herein, we present genetic evidence that OsbZIP48 is essential for regulating rice responses to zinc deficiency. Using the reverse genetics approach, genetic inactivation of OsbZIP48 in rice seedlings caused a hyper sensitivity to zinc deficiency, associated with a significant decrease in the root-to-shoot translocation of zinc. Consistently, OsbZIP48 was constitutively expressed in roots, slightly induced by zinc deficiency in shoots, and localized into nuclei induced by Zn deficiency. Comparative transcriptome analysis of the wild-type plants and osbzip48 mutant grown under zinc deficiency enabled the identification of OsbZIP48 target genes, including key zinc transporter genes (OsZIP4 and OsZIP8). We demonstrated that OsbZIP48 controlled the expressions of these genes by directly binding to their promoters, specifically to the zinc deficiency response element (ZDRE) motif. Collectively, we showed that the OsbZIP48 gene encodes for a transcription factor in rice, and demonstrates its critical role in the response to zinc deficiency in this crop. This knowledge is crucial for the design of rice plants that are resilient to the globally prevalent zinc limitation through zinc bio-fortification programs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zheng, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Du, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>jiang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xia, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rouached, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.18.541251</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The transcription factor OsbZIP48 governs rice responses to zinc deficiency]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.22.541798v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The phycobilisome linker protein ApcG interacts with photosystem II and regulates energy transfer to photosystem I in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.22.541798v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Photosynthetic organisms harvest light using pigment-protein super-complexes. In cyanobacteria, these are water-soluble antennae known as phycobilisomes (PBSs). The light absorbed by PBS is transferred to the photosystems in the thylakoid membrane to drive photosynthesis. The energy transfer between these super-complexes implies that protein-protein interactions allow the association of PBS with the photosystems. However, the specific proteins involved in the interaction of PBS with the photosystems are not fully characterized. Here, we show that the newly discovered PBS linker protein ApcG interacts specifically with photosystem II through its N-terminal region. Growth of cyanobacteria is impaired in apcG deletion strains under light-limiting conditions. Furthermore, complementation of these strains using a phospho-mimicking version of ApcG exhibit reduced growth under normal growth conditions. Interestingly, the interaction of ApcG with photosystem II is affected when a phospho-mimicking version of ApcG is used, targeting the positively charged residues interacting with thylakoid membrane suggesting a regulatory role mediated by phosphorylation of ApcG. Low temperature fluorescence measurements showed increased photosystem I fluorescence in apcG deletion and complementation strains. The photosystem I fluorescence was the highest in the phospho-mimicking complementation strain while pull-down experiment showed no interaction of ApcG with PSI under any tested condition. Our results highlight the importance of ApcG for selectively directing energy harvested by the PBS and implies that the phosphorylation status of ApcG plays a role in regulating energy transfer from PSII to PSI.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>espinoza-corral, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iwai, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zavrel, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lechno-Yossef, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sutter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cerveny, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niyogi, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerfeld, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.22.541798</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The phycobilisome linker protein ApcG interacts with photosystem II and regulates energy transfer to photosystem I in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.24.541105v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Urbanisation generates multiple trait syndromes for terrestrial taxa worldwide 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.24.541105v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cities can host significant biological diversity. Yet, urbanisation leads to the loss of habitats and, potentially, to local extinctions. Understanding how multiple taxa respond to urbanisation globally is essential to promote and conserve biodiversity in cities and surrounding landscapes. Using a dataset with site-level occurrence and trait data of 5302 species from six terrestrial fauna taxonomic groups across 379 cities on 6 continents, we show that urbanisation produces taxon-specific changes in trait composition, with traits related to reproductive strategy consistently showing the strongest response. The effect of urbanisation on community trait composition is strongest at the largest spatial scale considered, and more closely linked to landscape composition (% urban) than arrangement (aggregation), although latitude and climatic variables remain a stronger influence. This study did not find evidence in support of a global urban taxa syndrome, but instead we suggest that there are four general urban trait syndromes, with resources associated with reproduction and diet likely to be driving patterns in traits associated with mobility and body size. Functional diversity measures showed a wide range of responses, leading to a shift in trait space that is most likely driven by the distribution and abundance of critical resources, and the urban trait syndrome displayed by individual species within a community. Further research is required to understand the interactions between the four general urban trait syndromes, resource distribution and abundance and changes in functional diversity of taxa at different spatial and temporal scales. Maximising opportunities to support species within taxa groups with different urban trait syndromes should be pivotal in conservation and management programmes within and among cities. This will reduce the likelihood of biotic homogenisation at the taxa level, and helps ensure that urban environments have the ecological capacity to respond to challenges such as climate change, further habitat fragmentation and loss, and other disruptions. These actions are critical if we are to reframe the role of cities in global biodiversity loss.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hahs, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fournier, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aronson, M. F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nilon, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herrera-Montes, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salisbury, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Threlfall, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rega-Brodsky, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lepczyk, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>La Sorte, F. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacGregor-Fors, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacIvor, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jung, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piana, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, N. S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapp, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Acevedo, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gainsbury, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rainho, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamer, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shwartz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Voigt, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewanzik, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowenstein, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Brien, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tommasi, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pineda, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sita Carpenter, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Belskaya, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovei, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makinson, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castaneda-Oviedo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coleman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sadler, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shroyer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baldock, K. C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ksiazek-Mikenas, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mat</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.24.541105</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Urbanisation generates multiple trait syndromes for terrestrial taxa worldwide]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.24.542177v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Liquid plug propagation in computer-controlled microfluidic airway-on-a-chip with semi-circular microchannels 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.24.542177v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This paper introduces a two-inlet, one-outlet lung-on-a-chip device with semi-circular cross-section microchannels and computer-controlled fluidic switching that enables a broader systematic investigation of liquid plug dynamics in a manner relevant to the distal airways. A leak-proof bonding protocol for micro-milled devices facilitates channel bonding and culture of confluent primary small airway epithelial cells. Production of liquid plugs with computer-controlled inlet channel valving and just one outlet allows more stable long-term plug generation and propagation compared to previous designs. The system also captures both plug speed and length as well as pressure drop concurrently. In one demonstration, the system reproducibly generates surfactant-containing liquid plugs, a challenging process due to lower surface tension that makes the plug formation less stable. The addition of surfactant decreases the pressure required to initiate plug propagation, a potentially significant effect in diseases where surfactant in the airways is absent or dysfunctional. Next, the device recapitulates the effect of increasing fluid viscosity, a challenging analysis due to higher resistance of viscous fluids that makes plug formation and propagation more difficult particularly in airway-relevant length scales. Experimental results show that increased fluid viscosity decreases plug propagation speed for a given air flow rate. These findings are supplemented by computational modeling of viscous plug propagation that demonstrate increased plug propagation time, increased maximum wall shear stress, and greater pressure differentials in more viscous conditions of plug propagation. These results match physiology as mucus viscosity is increased in various obstructive lung diseases where it is known that respiratory mechanics can be compromised due to mucus plugging of the distal airways. Finally, experiments evaluate the effect of channel geometry on primary human small airway epithelial cell injury in this lung-on-a-chip. There is more injury in the middle of the channel relative to the edges highlighting the role of channel shape, a physiologically relevant parameter as airway cross-sectional geometry can also be non-circular. In sum, this paper describes a system that pushes the device limits with regards to the types of liquid plugs that can be stably generated for studies of distal airway fluid mechanical injury.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Viola, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasani, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Washington, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Selva, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Llorente, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murayama, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotberg, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romano, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takayama, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.24.542177</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Liquid plug propagation in computer-controlled microfluidic airway-on-a-chip with semi-circular microchannels]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.25.542242v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Extensive DNA methylome rearrangement during early lamprey embryogenesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.25.542242v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
DNA methylation (5-methylcytosine, 5mC) is a repressive gene regulatory mark widespread in vertebrate genomes, yet the developmental dynamics in which 5mC patterns are established vary across species. While mammals undergo two rounds of global 5mC erasure, the zebrafish genome exhibits localized maternal-to-paternal 5mC remodeling, in which the sperm epigenome is inherited in the early embryo. To date, it is unclear how evolutionarily conserved such 5mC remodeling strategies are, and what their biological function is. Here, we studied 5mC dynamics during the embryonic development of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a jawless vertebrate which occupies a critical phylogenetic position as the sister group of the jawed vertebrates. We employed base-resolution 5mC quantification in the lamprey germline, embryonic and somatic tissues, and discovered large-scale maternal-to-paternal epigenome remodeling that affects >30% of the embryonic genome and is predominantly associated with partially methylated domains (PMDs). We further demonstrate that sequences eliminated during programmed genome rearrangement (PGR), a hallmark of lamprey embryogenesis, are hypermethylated in sperm prior to the onset of PGR. Our study thus unveils important insights into the evolutionary origins of vertebrate 5mC reprogramming, and how this process might participate in diverse developmental strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Angeloni, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fissette, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaya, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammond, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gamaarachchi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deveson, I. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klose, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bogdanovic, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.25.542242</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Extensive DNA methylome rearrangement during early lamprey embryogenesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.25.542271v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Accounting for active populations provides a new perspective on the degree and mechanisms of soil microbiome resilience 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.25.542271v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Long-term (press) disturbances like the climate crisis and other anthropogenic pressures are fundamentally altering ecosystems and their functions. Many critical ecosystem functions, such as biogeochemical cycling, are facilitated by microbial communities. Understanding the functional consequences of microbiome responses to press disturbances requires ongoing observations of the active populations that contribute functions. This study leverages a 7-year time series of a 60-year-old coal seam fire (Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA) to examine the resilience of soil bacterial microbiomes to a press disturbance. Using 16S rRNA and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we assessed the interannual dynamics of the active subset and the "whole" bacterial community. Contrary to our hypothesis, the whole communities demonstrated greater resilience than active subsets, suggesting that inactive members contributed to overall resilience. Thus, in addition to selection mechanisms of active populations, perceived microbiome resilience is also supported by mechanisms of dispersal, persistence, and revival from the local dormant pool.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Barnett, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.25.542271</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Accounting for active populations provides a new perspective on the degree and mechanisms of soil microbiome resilience]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.26.542472v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Defying Gravity: WEEP promotes negative gravitropism in Prunus persica (peach) shoots and roots by establishing asymmetric auxin gradients 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.26.542472v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Trees with weeping shoot architectures are valued for their beauty and serve as tremendous resources for understanding how plants regulate posture control. The Prunus persica (peach) weeping phenotype, which has elliptical downward arching branches, is caused by a homozygous mutation in the WEEP gene. Until now, little was known about the function of WEEP protein despite its high conservation throughout Plantae. Here, we present the results of anatomical, biochemical, biomechanical, physiological, and molecular experiments that provide insight into WEEP function. Our data suggest that weeping peach does not have defects in branch structure. Rather, transcriptomes from the adaxial (upper) and abaxial (lower) sides of standard and weeping branch shoot tips revealed flipped expression patterns for genes associated with early auxin response, tissue patterning, cell elongation, and tension wood development.

This suggests that WEEP promotes polar auxin transport toward the lower side during shoot gravitropic response, leading to cell elongation and tension wood development. In addition, weeping peach trees exhibited steeper root systems and faster root gravitropic response, just as barley and wheat with mutations in their WEEP homolog EGT2. This suggests that the role of WEEP in regulating lateral organ angles and orientations during gravitropism may be conserved. Additionally, size-exclusion chromatography indicated that WEEP proteins self-oligomerize, like other SAM-domain proteins. This oligomerization may be required for WEEP to function in formation of protein complexes during auxin transport. Collectively, our results from weeping peach provide new insight into polar auxin transport mechanisms associated with gravitropism and lateral shoot and root orientation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kohler, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scheil, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hill, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allen, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Al-Haddad, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goeckeritz, C. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strader, L. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Telewski, F. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hollender, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.26.542472</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Defying Gravity: WEEP promotes negative gravitropism in Prunus persica (peach) shoots and roots by establishing asymmetric auxin gradients]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.30.542885v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Kit Ligand and Kit receptor tyrosine kinase sustain synaptic inhibition of Purkinje Cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.30.542885v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The cell-type specific expression of ligand/receptor and cell-adhesion molecules is a fundamental mechanism through which neurons regulate connectivity. Here we determine a functional relevance of the long-established mutually exclusive expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase Kit and the trans-membrane protein Kit Ligand by discrete populations of neurons in the mammalian brain. Kit is enriched in molecular layer interneurons (MLIs) of the cerebellar cortex (i.e., stellate and basket cells), while cerebellar Kit Ligand is selectively expressed by a target of their inhibition, Purkinje cells (PCs). By in vivo genetic manipulation spanning embryonic development through adulthood, we demonstrate that PC Kit Ligand and MLI Kit are required for, and capable of driving changes in, inhibition of PCs. Collectively, these works in mice demonstrate that the Kit Ligand/Kit receptor dyad sustains mammalian central synapse function and suggest a rationale for the affiliation of Kit mutation with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Visual Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=192 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/542885v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (54K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1d53d9eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c05c4borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@eb58eeorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@11b8431_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zaman, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alsabia, Q. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simms, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luikart, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.30.542885</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Kit Ligand and Kit receptor tyrosine kinase sustain synaptic inhibition of Purkinje Cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.30.542905v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Lipid Bilayer Strengthens the Cooperative Network of a Membrane-Integral Enzyme 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.30.542905v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Although membrane proteins fold and function in a lipid bilayer constituting cell membranes, their structure and functionality can be recapitulated in diverse amphiphilic assemblies whose compositions deviate from native membranes. It remains unclear how various hydrophobic environments can stabilize membrane proteins and whether lipids play any role therein. Here, using the evolutionary unrelated -helical and {beta}-barrel membrane proteins of Escherichia coli, we find that the hydrophobic thickness and the strength of amphiphile- amphiphile packing are critical environmental determinants of membrane protein stability. Lipid solvation enhances stability by facilitating residue burial in the protein interior and strengthens the cooperative network by promoting the propagation of local structural perturbations. This study demonstrates that lipids not only modulate membrane proteins stability but also their response to external stimuli.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Muhammednazaar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yao, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, K. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kang, S.-g.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hong, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-05-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.30.542905</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Lipid Bilayer Strengthens the Cooperative Network of a Membrane-Integral Enzyme]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-05-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.31.543074v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CRISPRi-TnSeq: A genome-wide high-throughput tool for bacterial essential-nonessential genetic interaction mapping 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.31.543074v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic interaction networks can help identify functional connections between genes and pathways, which can be leveraged to establish (new) gene function, drug targets, and fill pathway gaps. Since there is no optimal tool that can map genetic interactions across many different bacterial strains and species, we develop CRISPRi-TnSeq, a genome-wide tool that maps genetic interactions between essential genes and nonessential genes through the knockdown of a targeted essential gene (CRISPRi) and the simultaneous knockout of individual nonessential genes (Tn-Seq). CRISPRi-TnSeq thereby identifies, on a genome-wide scale, synthetic and suppressor-type relationships between essential and nonessential genes, enabling the construction of essential-nonessential genetic interaction networks. To develop and optimize CRISPRi-TnSeq, CRISPRi strains were obtained for 13 essential genes in Streptococcus pneumoniae, involved in different biological processes including metabolism, DNA replication, transcription, cell division and cell envelope synthesis. Transposon-mutant libraries were constructed in each strain enabling screening of [~]24,000 gene-gene pairs, which led to the identification of 1,334 genetic interactions, including 754 negative and 580 positive genetic interactions. Through extensive network analyses and validation experiments we identify a set of 17 pleiotropic genes, of which a subset tentatively functions as genetic capacitors, dampening phenotypic outcomes and protecting against perturbations. Furthermore, we focus on the relationships between cell wall synthesis, integrity and cell division and highlight: 1) how essential gene knockdown can be compensated by rerouting flux through nonessential genes in a pathway; 2) the existence of a delicate balance between Z-ring formation and localization, and septal and peripheral peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis to successfully accomplish cell division; 3) the control of c-di-AMP over intracellular K+ and turgor, and thereby modulation of the cell wall synthesis machinery; 4) the dynamic nature of cell wall protein CozEb and its effect on PG synthesis, cell shape morphology and envelope integrity; 5) functional dependency between chromosome decatenation and segregation, and the critical link with cell division, and cell wall synthesis. Overall, we show that CRISPRi-TnSeq uncovers genetic interactions between closely functionally linked genes and pathways, as well as disparate genes and pathways, highlighting pathway dependencies and valuable leads for gene function. Importantly, since both CRISPRi and Tn-Seq are widely used tools, CRISPRi-TnSeq should be relatively easy to implement to construct genetic interaction networks across many different microbial strains and species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>van Opijnen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jana, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Denereaz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leshchiner, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallay, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veening, J.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.31.543074</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CRISPRi-TnSeq: A genome-wide high-throughput tool for bacterial essential-nonessential genetic interaction mapping]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.31.543053v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Accelerometer-based predictions of behaviour elucidate factors affecting the daily activity patterns of spotted hyenas 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.31.543053v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Animal activity patterns are highly variable and influenced by internal and external factors, including social processes. Quantifying activity patterns in natural settings can be challenging, as it is difficult to monitor animals over long time periods. Here, we developed and validated a machine-learning based classifier to identify behavioural states from accelerometer data of wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), social carnivores that live in large fission-fusion societies. By combining this classifier with continuous collar-based accelerometer data from five hyenas, we generated a complete record of activity patterns over more than one month. We used these continuous behavioural sequences to investigate how past activity, individual idiosyncrasies, and social synchronisation influence hyena activity patterns. We found that hyenas exhibit characteristic crepuscular-nocturnal daily activity patterns. Time spent active was independent of activity level on previous days, suggesting that hyenas do not show activity compensation. We also found limited evidence for an effect of individual identity on activity, and showed that pairs of hyenas who spent more time together synchronised their activity patterns. This study sheds light on the patterns and drivers of activity in spotted hyena societies, and also provides a useful tool for quantifying behavioural sequences from accelerometer data.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Minasandra, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jensen, F. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gersick, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strauss, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strandburg-Peshkin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.05.31.543053</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Accelerometer-based predictions of behaviour elucidate factors affecting the daily activity patterns of spotted hyenas]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.05.542877v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Trading acyls and swapping sugars: metabolic innovations in Solanum trichomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.05.542877v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Solanaceae (nightshade family) species synthesize a remarkable array of clade- and tissue-specific specialized metabolites. Protective acylsugars, one such class of structurally diverse metabolites, are produced by AcylSugar AcylTransferases from sugars and acyl-coenzyme A esters. Published research revealed trichome acylsugars composed of glucose and sucrose cores in species across the family. In addition, acylsugars were analyzed across a small fraction of the >1200 species in the phenotypically megadiverse Solanum genus, with a handful containing inositol and glycosylated inositol cores. The current study sampled several dozen species across subclades of the Solanum to get a more detailed view of acylsugar chemodiversity. In depth characterization of acylsugars from the Clade II species Solanum melongena (brinjal eggplant) led to the identification of eight unusual structures with inositol or inositol glycoside cores, and hydroxyacyl chains. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of 31 additional species in the Solanum genus revealed striking acylsugar diversity with some traits restricted to specific clades and species. Acylinositols and inositol-based acyldisaccharides were detected throughout much of the genus. In contrast, acylglucoses and acylsucroses were more restricted in distribution. Analysis of tissue-specific transcriptomes and interspecific acylsugar acetylation differences led to the identification of the S. melongena AcylSugar AcylTransferase 3-Like 1 (SmASAT3-L1; SMEL4.1_12g015780) enzyme. This enzyme is distinct from previously characterized acylsugar acetyltransferases, which are in the ASAT4 clade, and appears to be a functionally divergent ASAT3. This study provides a foundation for investigating the evolution and function of diverse Solanum acylsugar structures and harnessing this diversity in breeding and synthetic biology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fiesel, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerwin, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.05.542877</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Trading acyls and swapping sugars: metabolic innovations in Solanum trichomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.05.543741v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mutator transposon insertions within maize genes often provide a novel outward reading promoter 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.05.543741v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The highly active family of Mutator (Mu) DNA transposons has been widely used for forward and reverse genetics in maize. There are examples of Mu-suppressible alleles which result in conditional phenotypic effects based on the activity of Mu. Phenotypes from these Mu- suppressible mutations are observed in Mu-active genetic backgrounds, but absent when Mu activity is lost. For some Mu-suppressible alleles, phenotypic suppression likely results from an outward-reading promoter within Mu that is only active when the autonomous Mu element is silenced or lost. We isolated 35 Mu alleles from the UniformMu population that represent insertions in 24 different genes. Most of these mutant alleles are due to insertions within gene coding sequences, but several 5 UTR and intron insertions were included. RNA-seq and de novo transcript assembly were utilized to document the transcripts produced from 33 of these Mu insertion alleles. For 20 of the 33 alleles, there was evidence of transcripts initiating within the Mu sequence reading through the gene. This outward-reading promoter activity was detected in multiple types of Mu elements and doesnt depend on the orientation of Mu. Expression analyses of Mu-initiated transcripts revealed the Mu promoter often provides gene expression levels and patterns that are similar to the wild-type gene. These results suggest the Mu promoter may represent a minimal promoter that can respond to gene cis-regulatory elements. Findings from this study have implications for maize researchers using the UniformMu population, and more broadly highlights a strategy for transposons to co-exist with their host.

Article SummaryMutator (Mu) transposable elements are a widely used tool for insertional mutagenesis in maize and often insert in the 5 regions of genes. The characterization of transcripts for Mu insertion alleles reveals complex transcripts. These often result in one transcript that covers the first portion of the gene terminating in Mu and a second transcript initiating within Mu covering the latter portion of the gene. This may reflect a strategy for Mu to minimize the consequences of insertions within genes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ellison, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hermanson, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Read, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chu, Y.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotewold, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Springer, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.05.543741</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mutator transposon insertions within maize genes often provide a novel outward reading promoter]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.03.543559v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The VR Billboard Paradigm: Using VR and Eye-tracking to Examine the Exposure-Reception-Retention Link in Realistic Communication Environments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.03.543559v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Exposure is the cornerstone of media and message effects research. If a health, political, or commercial message is not noticed, no effects can ensue. Yet, existing research in communication, advertising, and related disciplines often fails to measure exposure and demonstrate the causal link between quantified exposure to outcomes because actual exposure (i.e., whether recipients were not only exposed to messages but also took notice of them) is difficult to capture. Here, we harness Virtual Reality (VR) technology integrated with eye tracking to overcome this challenge. While eye-tracking technology alone can capture whether people attend to messages in their communication environment, most eye-tracking research is bound by laboratory-based screen-reading paradigms that are not representative of the broader communication environments in which messages are encountered. Emerging eye-tracking field research suffers from an inability to control and experimentally manipulate key variables. Our solution is to measure eye-tracking within an immersive environment in VR that resembles a realistic message reception context. Specifically, we simulate driving down a highway alongside which billboards are placed and use VR-integrated eye-tracking to measure whether the drivers look at individual billboard messages. This allows us to rigorously quantify the nexus between exposure and reception, and to link our measures to subsequent memory, i.e., whether messages were remembered, forgotten, or not even encoded. We further demonstrate that manipulating drivers attention directly impacts gaze behavior and memory. We discuss the large potential of this paradigm to quantify exposure and message reception in realistic communication environments and the equally promising applications in new media contexts (e.g., the Metaverse).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmaelzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cho, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bente, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.03.543559</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The VR Billboard Paradigm: Using VR and Eye-tracking to Examine the Exposure-Reception-Retention Link in Realistic Communication Environments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.06.543716v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Disentangling plant- and environment-mediated drivers of active rhizosphere bacterial community dynamics during short-term drought 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.06.543716v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundMitigating the effects of climate stress on crops is important for global food security. The microbiome associated with plant roots, henceforth, the rhizobiome, can harbor beneficial microbes that alleviate stress impacts. However, the factors influencing the recruitment of the rhizobiome during stress are unclear. We conducted an experiment to understand bacterial rhizobiome responses to short-term drought for two crop species: switchgrass and common bean. We used 16S rRNA and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the impact of drought severity on the recruitment of active bacterial rhizobiome members. We included planted and unplanted conditions to distinguish the environment-versus plant-mediated drivers of the active rhizobiome.

ResultsThough each crop had a distinct rhizobiome, there were differences in the active microbiome structure between drought and watered and between planted and unplanted treatments. Despite their different community structures, the drought rhizobiome dynamics were similar across the two crops. However, the presence of a plant more strongly explained the rhizobiome variation in bean (17%) than in switchgrass (3%), with a small effect of plant mediation during drought only observed for the bean rhizobiome. The switchgrass rhizobiome was stable despite differences in the rhizosphere metabolite profiles between planted and unplanted treatments. Specifically, steroidal saponins and diterpennoids were enriched in drought, planted switchgrass soils.

ConclusionsWe conclude that rhizobiome benefits to resist short-term drought are crop-specific, with the possibility of decoupling of plant exudation and rhizobiome responses, as we observed in switchgrass. We propose bacterial taxa uniquely associated with common bean plants during the short-term drought, which could be further evaluated to determine any plant benefit during drought.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bandopadhyay, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowsher, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.06.543716</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Disentangling plant- and environment-mediated drivers of active rhizosphere bacterial community dynamics during short-term drought]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.06.543975v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Caulobacter NtrB-NtrC two-component system bridges nitrogen assimilation and cell development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.06.543975v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A suite of molecular sensory systems enables Caulobacter to control growth, development, and reproduction in re-sponse to levels of essential elements. The bacterial enhancer binding protein (bEBP) NtrC, and its cognate sensor histidine kinase NtrB, are key regulators of nitrogen assimilation in many bacteria, but their roles in Caulobacter metab-olism and development are not well defined. Notably, Caulobacter NtrC is an unconventional bEBP that lacks the {sigma}54- interacting loop commonly known as the GAFTGA motif. Here we show that deletion of C. crescentus ntrC slows cell growth in complex medium, and that ntrB and ntrC are essential when ammonium is the sole nitrogen source due to their requirement for glutamine synthetase (glnA) expression. Random transposition of a conserved IS3-family mobile genetic element frequently rescued the growth defect of ntrC mutant strains by restoring transcription of the glnBA operon, revealing a possible role for IS3 transposition in shaping the evolution of Caulobacter populations during nutri-ent limitation. We further identified dozens of direct NtrC binding sites on the C. crescentus chromosome, with a large fraction located near genes involved in polysaccharide biosynthesis. The majority of binding sites align with those of the essential nucleoid associated protein, GapR, or the cell cycle regulator, MucR1. NtrC is therefore predicted to directly impact the regulation of cell cycle and cell development. Indeed, loss of NtrC function led to elongated polar stalks and elevated synthesis of cell envelope polysaccharides. This study establishes regulatory connections between NtrC, nitrogen metabolism, polar morphogenesis, and envelope polysaccharide synthesis in Caulobacter.

ImportanceBacteria balance cellular processes with the availability of nutrients in their environment. The NtrB-NtrC two-component signaling system is responsible for controlling nitrogen assimilation in many bacteria. We have characterized the effect of ntrB and ntrC deletion on Caulobacter growth and development and uncovered a role for spontaneous IS element transposition in the rescue of transcriptional and nutritional deficiencies caused by ntrC mutation. We further defined the regulon of Caulobacter NtrC, a bacterial enhancer binding protein, and demonstrate that it shares specific binding sites with essential proteins involved in cell cycle regulation and chromosome organization. Our work provides a com-prehensive view of transcriptional regulation mediated by a distinctive NtrC protein, establishing its connection to nitro-gen assimilation and developmental processes in Caulobacter.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>North, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLaughlin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.06.543975</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Caulobacter NtrB-NtrC two-component system bridges nitrogen assimilation and cell development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.07.544081v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ER stress and lipid imbalance drive embryonic cardiomyopathy in a human heart organoid model of pregestational diabetes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.07.544081v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Congenital heart defects constitute the most common birth defect in humans, affecting approximately 1% of all live births. The incidence of congenital heart defects is exacerbated by maternal conditions, such as diabetes during the first trimester. Our ability to mechanistically understand these disorders is severely limited by the lack of human models and the inaccessibility to human tissue at relevant stages. Here, we used an advanced human heart organoid model that recapitulates complex aspects of heart development during the first trimester to model the effects of pregestational diabetes in the human embryonic heart. We observed that heart organoids in diabetic conditions develop pathophysiological hallmarks like those previously reported in mouse and human studies, including ROS-mediated stress and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, among others. Single cell RNA-seq revealed cardiac cell type specific-dysfunction affecting epicardial and cardiomyocyte populations, and suggested alterations in endoplasmic reticulum function and very long chain fatty acid lipid metabolism. Confocal imaging and LC-MS lipidomics confirmed our observations and showed that dyslipidemia was mediated by fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) mRNA decay dependent on IRE1-RIDD signaling. We also found that the effects of pregestational diabetes could be reversed to a significant extent using drug interventions targeting either IRE1 or restoring healthy lipid levels within organoids, opening the door to new preventative and therapeutic strategies in humans.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kostina, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewis-Israeli, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abdelhamid, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gabalski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Volmert, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lankerd, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wasserman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lydic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olomu, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.07.544081</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ER stress and lipid imbalance drive embryonic cardiomyopathy in a human heart organoid model of pregestational diabetes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.08.544200v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tonic Meningeal Interleukin-10 Upregulates Delta Opioid Receptor to Prevent Relapse to Pain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.08.544200v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chronic pain often alternates between transient remission and relapse of severe pain. While most research on chronic pain has focused on mechanisms maintaining pain, there is a critical unmet need to understand what prevents pain from re-emerging in those who recover from acute pain. We found that interleukin (IL)-10, a pain resolving cytokine, is persistently produced by resident macrophages in the spinal meninges during remission from pain. IL-10 upregulated expression and analgesic activity of {delta}-opioid receptor ({delta}OR) in the dorsal root ganglion. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of IL-10 signaling or {delta}OR triggered relapse to pain in both sexes. These data challenge the widespread assumption that remission of pain is simply a return to the naive state before pain was induced. Instead, our findings strongly suggest a novel concept that: remission is a state of lasting pain vulnerability that results from a long-lasting neuroimmune interactions in the nociceptive system.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Inyang, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sim, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Monahan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beng, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heijnen, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dantzer, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scherrer, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kavelaars, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernard, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aldhamen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Folger, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laumet, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.08.544200</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tonic Meningeal Interleukin-10 Upregulates Delta Opioid Receptor to Prevent Relapse to Pain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.12.544693v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Genetics of Aerotolerant Growth in a Naturally Reduced Genome Alphaproteobacterium 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.12.544693v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Reduced genome bacteria are genetically simplified systems that facilitate biological study and industrial use. The free-living Alphaproteobacterium, Zymomonas mobilis, has a naturally reduced genome containing fewer than 2000 protein coding genes. Despite its small genome, Z. mobilis thrives in diverse conditions including the presence or absence of atmospheric oxygen. However, insufficient characterization of essential and conditionally essential genes has limited broader adoption of Z. mobilis as a model Alphaproteobacterium. Here, we use genome-scale CRISPRi-seq to systematically identify and characterize Z. mobilis genes that are conditionally essential for aerotolerant or anaerobic growth, or are generally essential across both conditions. Comparative genomics revealed that the essentiality of most "generally essential" genes was shared between Z. mobilis and other Alphaproteobacteria, validating Z. mobilis as reduced genome model. Among conditionally essential genes, we found that the DNA repair gene, recJ, was critical only for aerobic growth but reduced the mutation rate under both conditions. Further, we show that genes encoding the F1FO ATP synthase and Rnf respiratory complex are required for anaerobic growth of Z. mobilis. Combining CRISPRi partial knockdowns with metabolomics and membrane potential measurements, we determined that the ATP synthase generates membrane potential that is consumed by Rnf to power downstream processes. Rnf knockdown strains accumulated isoprenoid biosynthesis intermediates, suggesting a key role for Rnf in powering essential biosynthetic reactions. Our work establishes Z. mobilis as a streamlined model for alphaproteobacterial genetics, has broad implications in bacterial energy coupling, and informs Z. mobilis genome manipulation for optimized production of valuable isoprenoid-based bioproducts.

ImportanceThe inherent complexity of biological systems is a major barrier to our understanding of cellular physiology. Bacteria with markedly fewer genes than their close relatives, or reduced genome bacteria, are promising biological models with less complexity. Reduced genome bacteria can also have superior properties for industrial use, provided the reduction does not overly restrict strain robustness. Naturally reduced genome bacteria, such as the Alphaproteobacterium, Zymomonas mobilis, have fewer genes but remain environmentally robust. In this study, we show that Z. mobilis is a simplified genetic model for Alphaproteobacteria, a class with important impacts on the environment, human health, and industry. We also identify genes that are only required in the absence of atmospheric oxygen, uncovering players that maintain and utilize the cellular energy state. Our findings have broad implications for the genetics of Alphaproteobacteria and industrial use of Z. mobilis to create biofuels and bioproducts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Enright, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Banta, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ward, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rivera Vazquez, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Felczak, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolfe, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amador-Noguez, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peters, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.12.544693</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Genetics of Aerotolerant Growth in a Naturally Reduced Genome Alphaproteobacterium]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.14.544965v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Subgenome dominance shapes novel gene evolution in the decaploid pitcher plant Nepenthes gracilis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.14.544965v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Subgenome dominance after whole-genome duplication generates distinction in gene number and expression at the level of chromosome sets, but it remains unclear how this process may be involved in evolutionary novelty. Here, we generated a chromosome-scale genome assembly of the Asian pitcher plant Nepenthes gracilis to analyze how its novel traits (dioecy and carnivorous pitcher leaves) are linked to genomic evolution. We found a decaploid karyotype with five complete sets of syntenic chromosomes (2n = 10x = 80) yet with a clear indication of subgenome dominance and highly diploidized gene contents. The male-linked and pericentromerically located region on the putative sex chromosome was identified in a recessive subgenome and was found to harbor three transcription factors involved in flower and pollen development, including a likely neofunctionalized LEAFY duplicate. Transcriptomic and syntenic analyses of carnivory-related genes suggested that the paleopolyploidization events seeded genes that subsequently formed tandem clusters in recessive subgenomes with specific expression in the digestive zone of the pitcher, where specialized cells digest prey and absorb derived nutrients. Novel gene evolution in recessive subgenomes is likely to be prevalent because duplicates were enriched with Nepenthes-specific genes with tissue-specific expression, including those expressed in trapping pitchers. Thus, subgenome dominance likely contributed to evolutionary novelty by allowing recessive subgenomes experiencing relaxed purifying selection to serve as a preferred host of novel tissue-specific duplicates. Our results provide insight into how polyploids, which may frequently be evolutionary dead-ends, have given rise to novel traits in exceptionally thriving high-ploidy lineages.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Saul, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scharmann, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wakatake, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rajaraman, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marques, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Freund, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bringmann, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Channon, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carroll, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Low, Y. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lindqvist, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilbert, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Renner, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Masuda, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogg, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shirasu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michael, T. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hedrich, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albert, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fukushima, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.14.544965</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Subgenome dominance shapes novel gene evolution in the decaploid pitcher plant Nepenthes gracilis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.16.545386v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CRISPR screens in iPSC-derived neurons reveal principles of tau proteostasis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.16.545386v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Aggregation of the protein tau is a hallmark of Alzheimers disease and other tauopathies. Specific neuronal subtypes are selectively vulnerable to tau aggregation, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. To systematically uncover the cellular factors controlling the accumulation of tau aggregates in human neurons, we conducted a genome-wide CRISPRi-based modifier screen in iPSC-derived neurons. The screen uncovered expected pathways, including autophagy, but also unexpected pathways, including UFMylation and GPI anchor synthesis, that control tau oligomer levels. We discover that the E3 ubiquitin ligase CUL5SOCS4 is a potent modifier of tau levels in human neurons, ubiquitinates tau, and is correlated with resilience to tauopathies in human disease. Disruption of mitochondrial function promotes proteasomal misprocessing of tau, which generates tau proteolytic fragments like those in disease and changes tau aggregation in vitro. These results reveal new principles of tau proteostasis in human neurons and pinpoint potential therapeutic targets for tauopathies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Samelson, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ariqat, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McKetney, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rohanitazangi, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parra Bravo, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodness, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tian, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grosjean, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abskharon, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eisenberg, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanaan, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gan, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Condello, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swaney, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kampmann, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.16.545386</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CRISPR screens in iPSC-derived neurons reveal principles of tau proteostasis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.19.545588v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rational engineering of an elevator-type metal transporter ZIP8 reveals a conditional selectivity filter critically involved in determining substrate specificity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.19.545588v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Engineering of transporters to alter substrate specificity as desired holds great potential for applications, including metabolic engineering. However, the lack of knowledge on molecular mechanisms of substrate specificity hinders designing effective strategies for transporter engineering. Here, we applied an integrated approach to rationally alter the substrate preference of ZIP8, a Zrt-/Irt-like protein (ZIP) metal transporter with multiple natural substrates, and uncovered the determinants of substrate specificity. By systematically replacing the differentially conserved residues with the counterparts in the zinc transporter ZIP4, we created a zinc-preferring quadruple variant (Q180H/E343H/C310A/N357H), which exhibited largely reduced transport activities towards Cd2+, Fe2+, and Mn2+ whereas increased activity toward Zn2+. Combined mutagenesis, modeling, covariance analysis, and computational studies revealed a conditional selectivity filter which functions only when the transporter adopts the outward-facing conformation. The demonstrated approach for transporter engineering and the gained knowledge about substrate specificity will facilitate engineering and mechanistic studies of other transporters.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jiang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sui, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharma, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacRenaris, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takahashi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.19.545588</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rational engineering of an elevator-type metal transporter ZIP8 reveals a conditional selectivity filter critically involved in determining substrate specificity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.20.545583v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Polyploidy enhances desiccation tolerance in the grass Microchloa caffra 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.20.545583v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Desiccation tolerance evolved recurrently across diverse plant lineages to enable survival in water limited conditions. Many resurrection plants are polyploid and several groups have hypothesized that polyploidy enabled the evolution of desiccation tolerance. However, due to the vast evolutionary divergence between resurrection plant lineages, the rarity of desiccation tolerance, and the prevalence of polyploidy in plants, this hypothesis has been difficult to test. Here, we surveyed variation in morphological, reproductive, and desiccation tolerance traits across natural populations of a single species that has differing ploidies and tested for links between polyploidy and resilience. We sampled multiple populations of the resurrection grass Microchloa caffra across an environmental gradient ranging from mesic to xeric in South Africa. We describe two distinct ecotypes of M. caffra that occupy different ends of the environmental gradient and exhibit consistent differences in ploidy, morphological, reproductive, and desiccation tolerance traits in both field and common growth conditions. Interestingly, plants with more polyploid genomes were consistently more desiccation tolerant, less reproductive, and larger than plants with smaller genomes and lower ploidy. These data suggest that polyploidy enhances desiccation tolerance and that stronger selective pressures in increasingly xeric sites may play a role in maintaining and increasing desiccation tolerance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marks, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delgado, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makonya, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooper, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrant, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.20.545583</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Polyploidy enhances desiccation tolerance in the grass Microchloa caffra]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.22.546088v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Single-molecule imaging reveals the kinetics of non-homologous end-joining in living cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.22.546088v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is the predominant pathway that repairs DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) in vertebrates. However, due to challenges in detecting DSBs in living cells, the repair capacity of the NHEJ pathway is unknown. The DNA termini of many DSBs must be processed to allow ligation while minimizing genetic changes that result from break repair. Emerging models propose that DNA termini are first synapsed ~115[A] apart in one of several long-range synaptic complexes before transitioning into a short-range synaptic complex that juxtaposes DNA ends to facilitate ligation. The transition from long-range to short-range synaptic complexes involves both conformational and compositional changes of the NHEJ factors bound to the DNA break. Importantly, it is unclear how NHEJ proceeds in vivo because of the challenges involved in analyzing recruitment of NHEJ factors to DSBs over time in living cells. Here, we develop a new approach to study the temporal and compositional dynamics of NHEJ complexes using live cell single-molecule imaging. Our results provide direct evidence for stepwise maturation of the NHEJ complex, pinpoint key regulatory steps in NHEJ progression, and define the overall repair capacity NHEJ in living cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mikhova, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heyza, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meek, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.22.546088</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Single-molecule imaging reveals the kinetics of non-homologous end-joining in living cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.21.545967v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Developmental exposure to the Parkinson's disease-associated organochlorine pesticide dieldrin alters dopamine neurotransmission in α-synuclein pre-formed fibril (PFF)-injected mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.21.545967v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Parkinsons disease (PD) is the most common movement disorder and one of the fastest-growing neurological diseases worldwide. This increase outpaces the rate of aging and is most rapid in recently industrialized areas, suggesting the role of environmental factors. Consistent with this, epidemiological studies show an association between exposure to persistent organic pollutants and an increased risk of PD. When combined with post-mortem analysis and mechanistic studies, a role for specific compounds, including the organochlorine pesticide dieldrin, emerges. In mouse models, developmental dieldrin exposure causes male-specific exacerbation of neuronal susceptibility to MPTP and synucleinopathy. Specifically, our novel two-hit model combining developmental dieldrin exposure with the -synuclein (-syn) pre-formed fibril (PFF) model showed a male-specific exacerbation of PFF-induced increases in striatal dopamine (DA) turnover and motor deficits on the challenging beam 6 months post-PFF injection in male offspring developmentally exposed to dieldrin. Here, we hypothesized that alterations in DA handling contribute to the observed changes and assessed vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) function and DA release in this dieldrin/PFF two-hit model. Female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0.3 mg/kg dieldrin or vehicle every 3 days, starting at 8 weeks of age by feeding and continuing throughout breeding, gestation, and lactation. Male offspring from independent litters underwent unilateral, intrastriatal injections of -syn PFFs via stereotaxic surgery at 12 weeks of age and DA handling was assessed 4 months post-PFF injection via vesicular 3H-DA uptake assay and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). We observed no dieldrin-associated change in VMAT2 activity, but a dieldrin-induced increase in DA release in striatal slices in PFF-injected animals. These results suggest that developmental dieldrin exposure alters the dopaminergic response to synucleinopathy-triggered toxicity and supports our hypothesis that alterations in DA handling may underly the observed exacerbation of PFF-induced deficits in motor behavior and DA turnover.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=67 SRC="FIGDIR/small/545967v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (24K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d679deorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@db0d70org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@14f368dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1868894_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Boyd, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stoll, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zimmerman, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kolanowski, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubecker, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luk, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramsson, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sortwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernstein, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.21.545967</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Developmental exposure to the Parkinson's disease-associated organochlorine pesticide dieldrin alters dopamine neurotransmission in α-synuclein pre-formed fibril (PFF)-injected mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.22.546040v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Wildlife vaccination strategies for eliminating bovine tuberculosis at the wildlife-livestock interface 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.22.546040v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many pathogens of humans and livestock also infect wildlife that can act as a reservoir and challenge disease control or elimination. Efficient and effective prioritization of research and management actions requires an understanding of the potential for new tools to improve elimination probability with feasible deployment strategies that can be implemented at scale. Wildlife vaccination is gaining interest as a tool for managing several wildlife diseases. To evaluate the effect of vaccinating white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), in combination with harvest, in reducing and eliminating bovine tuberculosis from deer populations in Michigan, we developed a mechanistic age-structured disease transmission model for bovine tuberculosis with integrated disease management. We evaluated the impact of pulse vaccination across a range of vaccine properties. Pulse vaccination was effective for reducing disease prevalence rapidly with even low (30%) to moderate (60%) vaccine coverage of the susceptible and exposed deer population and was further improved when combined with increased harvest. The impact of increased harvest depended on the relative strength of transmission modes, i.e., direct vs indirect transmission. Vaccine coverage and efficacy were the most important vaccine properties for reducing and eliminating disease from the local population. By fitting the model to the core endemic area of bovine tuberculosis in Michigan, USA, we identified feasible integrated management strategies involving vaccination and increased harvest that reduced disease prevalence in free-ranging deer. Few scenarios led to disease elimination due to the chronic nature of bovine tuberculosis. A long-term commitment to regular vaccination campaigns, and further research on increasing vaccines efficacy and uptake rate in free-ranging deer are important for disease management.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pandey, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feuka, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cosgrove, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moriarty, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duffiney, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VerCauteren, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campa, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pepin, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.22.546040</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Wildlife vaccination strategies for eliminating bovine tuberculosis at the wildlife-livestock interface]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.28.546956v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Characterization of a phyllosphere methylotroph community isolated with lanthanides 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.28.546956v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lanthanides have emerged as important metal cofactors for biological processes. Lanthanide-associated metabolisms are well-studied in leaf symbiont methylotrophic bacteria, which utilize reduced one-carbon compounds such as methanol for growth. Yet, the importance of lanthanides in plant-microbe interactions and on microbial physiology and colonization in plants remains poorly understood. To investigate this, 344 pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs were isolated from soybean leaves by selecting for bacteria capable of methanol oxidation with lanthanide cofactors, but none were obligately lanthanide-dependent. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that all strains were nearly identical to each other and are part of the extorquens clade of Methylobacterium, despite variability in genome and plasmid sizes. Strain-specific identification was enabled by the higher resolution provided with rpoB compared to 16S rRNA as marker genes. Despite the low strain-level diversity, the metabolic capabilities of the collection diverged greatly. Strains encoding identical lanthanide-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases displayed significantly different growth rates and/or final ODs from each other on alcohols in the presence and absence of lanthanides. Several strains also lacked well-characterized lanthanide-associated genes thought to be important for phyllosphere colonization. Additionally, 3% of our isolates were capable of growth on sugars and 23% were capable of growth on aromatic acids, substantially expanding the range of substrates utilized by Methylobacterium extorquens in the phyllosphere. Our findings suggest that the expansion of metabolic capabilities, as well as differential usage of lanthanides and their influence on metabolism, among closely related strains point to evolution of niche partitioning strategies to promote colonization of the phyllosphere.

ImportanceLanthanide metals have long been appreciated for their role in technology, but the recent identification of lanthanides as cofactors in methylotrophic metabolism has expanded the role of lanthanides into biology. In the phyllosphere, methylotrophs are some of the most abundant bacteria found on leaf surfaces, where lanthanide concentrations are sufficiently high to support their growth. Yet, the extent to which lanthanides influence methylotrophic metabolism in the phyllosphere remains unknown. Here, we characterize a methylotrophic enrichment isolated from the phyllosphere in a lanthanide-dependent manner. We have identified (1) closely related strains with identical lanthanide-dependent enzymes that exhibit different growth on alcohols in the presence of lanthanides, (2) resilient strains lacking lanthanide-associated genes thought to be important for phyllosphere colonization, and (3) many strains capable of metabolisms that were thought to be rare within this clade. Overall, our isolates serve as a model community to interrogate how lanthanides differentially influence methylotrophic physiology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Govindaraju, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Friel, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Good, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wayne, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Gomez, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.28.546956</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Characterization of a phyllosphere methylotroph community isolated with lanthanides]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.27.546670v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The ChickenGTEx pilot analysis: a reference of regulatory variants across 28 chicken tissues 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.27.546670v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chicken is a valuable model for understanding fundamental biology, vertebrate evolution and diseases, as well as a major source of nutrient-dense and lean-protein-enriched food globally. Although it is the first non-mammalian amniote genome to be sequenced, the chicken genome still lacks a systematic characterization of functional impacts of genetic variants. Here, through integrating 7,015 RNA-Seq and 2,869 whole-genome sequence data, the Chicken Genotype- Tissue Expression (ChickenGTEx) project presents the pilot reference of regulatory variants in 28 chicken tissue transcriptomes, including millions of regulatory effects on primary expression (including protein-coding genes, lncRNA and exon) and post-transcriptional modifications (alternative splicing and 3 untranslated region alternative polyadenylation). We explored the tissue-sharing and context-specificity of these regulatory variants, their underlying molecular mechanisms of action, and their utility in interpreting adaptation and genome-wide associations of 108 chicken complex traits. Finally, we illustrated shared and lineage-specific features of gene regulation between chickens and mammals, and demonstrated how the ChickenGTEx resource can further assist with translating genetic findings across species.

One-Sentence SummaryThe ChickenGTEx provides a multi-tissue reference of regulatory variants for chicken genetics and genomics, functional genomics, precision breeding, veterinary medicine, vertebrate evolution and even human biomedicine.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Guan, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bai, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhong, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hou, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lan, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diao, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pan, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zou, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yin, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teng, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shao, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Degalez, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lagarrigue, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peng, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rocha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charles, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Watson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buitenhuis, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sahana, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lund, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warren, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frantz, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Larson, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamont, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Si, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nie, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, G. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fang</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.27.546670</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The ChickenGTEx pilot analysis: a reference of regulatory variants across 28 chicken tissues]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.27.546727v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Implementing a framework of carbon and nitrogen feedback responses into a plant resource allocation model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.27.546727v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIThe allocation of resources to roots and shoots can greatly alter total plant mass. Allocation is thought to be the consequence of growth processes (i.e uptake rates, transport rates, growth rates) and the communication between them via signalling mechanisms. Feedbacks that alter growth processes are induced in nature by changes in the internal pools of carbon and nitrogen, but how these function together to define allocation remains unclear.
C_LIO_LIWe introduce a framework model of internal feedback responses to changes in plant carbon and nitrogen concentrations. We evaluate how well the model responds to changes in carbon and nitrogen availability by simulating external environmental perturbations that influence the uptake of resources.
C_LIO_LIThe model reflects experimental results when looking at the effect of atmospheric CO2 and soil nitrogen concentrations on total plant mass and replicates observed responses to leaf defoliation events. Overall this shows that a combination of known signalling mechanisms are sufficient to reproduce experimentally observed responses to external resource availability.
C_LIO_LIModel simulations highlight key areas of uncertainty where more empirical data is needed. In particular, quantitative data is needed to establish the strengths and rates at which feedback responses to carbon and nitrogen substrate concentrations alter growth and uptake rates.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Holland, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Monk, N. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clayton, R. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osborne, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.27.546727</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Implementing a framework of carbon and nitrogen feedback responses into a plant resource allocation model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.30.547187v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Immunologically mediated trade-offs shaping transmission of sylvatic dengue and Zika viruses in native and novel non-human primate hosts 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.30.547187v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mosquito-borne dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses originated in Old World sylvatic cycles involving monkey hosts, spilled over into human transmission, and were translocated to the Americas, creating potential for spillback into neotropical sylvatic cycles. Studies of the trade-offs that shape within-host dynamics and transmission of these viruses are lacking, hampering efforts to predict spillover and spillback. We exposed native (cynomolgus macaque) or novel (squirrel monkey) hosts to mosquitoes infected with either sylvatic DENV or ZIKV and monitored viremia, natural killer cells, transmission to mosquitoes, cytokines, and neutralizing antibody titers. Unexpectedly, DENV transmission from both host species occurred only when serum viremia was undetectable or near the limit of detection. ZIKV replicated in squirrel monkeys to much higher titers than DENV and was transmitted more efficiently but stimulated lower neutralizing antibody titers. Increasing ZIKV viremia led to greater instantaneous transmission and shorter duration of infection, consistent with a replication-clearance trade-off.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hanley, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cecilia, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azar, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moehn, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yun, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Althouse, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasilakis, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rossi, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-06-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.06.30.547187</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Immunologically mediated trade-offs shaping transmission of sylvatic dengue and Zika viruses in native and novel non-human primate hosts]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-06-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.04.547698v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Flow cytometric isolation of drug-like conformational antibodies specific for amyloid fibrils 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.04.547698v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Antibodies that recognize specific protein conformational states are broadly important for research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications, yet they are difficult to generate in a predictable and systematic manner using either immunization or in vitro antibody display methods. This problem is particularly severe for conformational antibodies that recognize insoluble antigens such as amyloid fibrils associated with many neurodegenerative disorders. Here we report a quantitative fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) method for directly selecting high-quality conformational antibodies against different types of insoluble (amyloid fibril) antigens using a single, off-the-shelf human library. Our approach uses quantum dots functionalized with antibodies to capture insoluble antigens, and the resulting quantum dot conjugates are used in a similar manner as conventional soluble antigens for multi-parameter FACS selections. Notably, we find that this approach is robust for isolating high-quality conformational antibodies against tau and -synuclein fibrils from the same human library with combinations of high affinity, high conformational specificity and, in some cases, low off-target binding that rival or exceed those of clinical-stage antibodies specific for tau (zagotenemab) and -synuclein (cinpanemab). This approach is expected to enable conformational antibody selection and engineering against diverse types of protein aggregates and other insoluble antigens (e.g., membrane proteins) that are compatible with presentation on the surface of antibody-functionalized quantum dots.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Desai, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zupancic, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trzeciakiewicz, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gerson, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DuBois, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skinner, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McArthur, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferris, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhatt, N. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makowski, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jerez, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kane, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanaan, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paulson, H. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tessier, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.04.547698</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Flow cytometric isolation of drug-like conformational antibodies specific for amyloid fibrils]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.05.547278v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Exogenous corticosterone administration during pregnancy alters placental and fetal thyroid hormone availability in females. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.05.547278v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
IntroductionMaternal prenatal stress is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and predisposition to long-term adverse health outcomes in children. While the molecular mechanisms that govern these associations has not been fully teased apart, stress-induced changes in placental function can drive sex-specific phenotypes in offspring. We sought to identify and examine molecular pathways in the placenta that are altered in response to maternal prenatal stress.

MethodsUsing a mouse model of maternal prenatal stress, we conducted RNA-seq analysis of whole placenta at E18.5. We used qRT-PCR to validate gene expression changes in the placenta and in a trophoblast cell line. ELISAs were used to measure the abundance of thyroid hormones in maternal and fetal serum and in the placenta.

ResultsDio2 was amongst the top differentially expressed genes in response to elevated maternal stress hormone. Dio2 expression was more downregulated in female placenta from stressed dams than both female control and male placenta. Consistent with Dio2s role in production of bioactive thyroid hormone (T3), we found that there was a reduction of T3 in placenta and serum of female embryos from stressed dams at E18.5. Both T3 and T4 were reduced in the fetal compartment of the female placenta from stressed dams at E16.5. Stress hormone induced reduction in thyroid hormone in females was independent of circulating levels of TH in the dams.

DiscussionThe placental thyroid hormone synthesis pathway may be a target of maternal stress and modulate fetal programming of health and disease of offspring in a sex-specific fashion.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Paul, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shubitidze, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rahim, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rucker, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Apostle, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pospisilik, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Racicot, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.05.547278</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Exogenous corticosterone administration during pregnancy alters placental and fetal thyroid hormone availability in females.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.14.549092v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Flagellar motor remodeling during swarming requires FliL 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.14.549092v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
FliL is an essential component of the flagellar machinery in some bacteria, but a conditional one in others. The conditional role is for optimal swarming in some bacteria. During swarming, physical forces associated with movement on a surface are expected to exert a higher load on the flagellum, requiring more motor torque to move. Bacterial physiology and morphology are also altered during swarming to cope with the challenges of surface navigation. FliL was reported to enhance motor output in several bacteria and observed to assemble as a ring around ion-conducting stators that power the motor. In this study we identify a common new function for FliL in diverse bacteria - Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Proteus mirabilis. During swarming, all these bacteria show increased cell speed and a skewed motor bias that suppresses cell tumbling. We demonstrate that these altered motor parameters, or  motor remodeling, require FliL. Both swarming and motor remodeling can be restored in an E. coli fliL mutant by complementation with fliL genes from P. mirabilis and B. subtilis, showing conservation of swarming-associated FliL function across phyla. In addition, we demonstrate that the strong interaction we reported earlier between FliL and the flagellar MS-ring protein FliF is confined to the RBM-3 domain of FliF that links the periplasmic rod to the cytoplasmic C-ring. This interaction may explain several phenotypes associated with the absence of FliL.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Harshey, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Partridge, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dufour, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hwang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.14.549092</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Flagellar motor remodeling during swarming requires FliL]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.14.549010v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Topological data analysis reveals a core heteroblastic program embedded in leaves of grapevine and maracuya 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.14.549010v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Leaves have a single shape. However, embedded in that shape are a multitude of latent shapes arising from evolutionary, developmental, environmental, and other effects. These confounded effects manifest at distinct developmental time points and evolve at different tempos. Here, revisiting datasets comprised of thousands of leaves of vining grapevine (Vitaceae) and maracuya (Passifloraceae) species, we apply a technique from the mathematical field of topological data analysis to comparatively visualize the structure of heteroblastic effects on leaf shape in each group. Consistent with a morphologically closer relationship, members of the grapevine dataset possess a strong core heteroblasty program with little deviation between species. Remarkably, we found that most members of the maracuya family also share a core heteroblasty program despite dramatic species-to-species leaf shape differences. This conservation was not detected using traditional analyses. We also identify two morphotypes of maracuya that deviate from the core structure, suggesting the evolution of new heteroblastic properties in this phylogenetically related sub-group. Our findings illustrate how topological data analysis can be used to disentangle previously confounded developmental and evolutionary effects to visualize latent shapes and hidden relationships, even ones embedded in complex, high-dimensional datasets.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Percival, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Husbands, A. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.14.549010</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Topological data analysis reveals a core heteroblastic program embedded in leaves of grapevine and maracuya]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.17.547998v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distinct ossification trade-offs illuminate the shoulder girdle reconfiguration at the water-to-land transition. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.17.547998v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mechanisms of the pectoral girdle transformation at the origin of terrestrial locomotion in vertebrates remains an outstanding problem in evolutionary biology1. The loss of dermal bones and the enlargement of endochondral bones resulted in the disarticulation of the pectoral girdle from the skull and the formation of the neck during the fish-to-tetrapod transition2-5. Despite the functional implications of this skeletal shift in the emergence of terrestrial vertebrates, the underlying genetic-developmental alterations have remained enigmatic. Here, we discovered that in zebrafish pectoral girdle mesodermal cells expressing gli3, a transcription factor in the Hedgehog signaling pathway, contribute to both dermal and endochondral bones. We show that Gli3 regulates expression of activin A receptor type 1-like, a BMP type 1 receptor lost in tetrapod lineages, and thereby determines endochondral and dermal ossification. Intriguingly, Gli and Hedgehog compound knockout fish exhibited an unexpected combination of actinopterygian fish and stem-tetrapod pectoral girdle characteristics. These ontogenetic and anatomical data suggest that a trade-off between the two distinct ossification pathways is a deeply embedded developmental program in bony fishes, with potential for tuning of this trade-off to generate novel pectoral girdle forms akin to stem-tetrapods at the dawn of vertebrate terrestrialization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wei, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, T. W. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flaherty, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Enny, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrescavage, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brazer, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Navon, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stewart, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cohen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shanabag, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuroda, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nakamura, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.17.547998</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distinct ossification trade-offs illuminate the shoulder girdle reconfiguration at the water-to-land transition.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.17.549362v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Persistent effects of intramammary ceftiofur treatment on the gut microbiome and antibiotic resistance in dairy cattle 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.17.549362v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Intramammary (IMM) ceftiofur treatment is commonly used in dairy farms to prevent mastitis, though its impact on the cattle gut microbiome and selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has not been elucidated. Herein, we enrolled 40 healthy dairy cows after lactation: 20 were treated with IMM ceftiofur (Spectramast(R)DC) and a non-antibiotic internal teat sealant (bismuth subnitrate) and 20 (controls) received only bismuth subnitrate. Fecal samples were collected before (day -1) and after treatment (weeks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9) for bacterial quantification and metagenomic next-generation sequencing. Overall, 90% and 24% of the 278 samples had Gram-negative bacteria with resistance to ampicillin and ceftiofur, respectively. Most of the cows treated with ceftiofur did not have an increase in the number of resistant bacteria; however, a subset (25%) shed higher levels of ceftiofur-resistant bacteria for up to 2 weeks post-treatment. At week 5, the antibiotic-treated cows had lower microbiome abundance and richness, whereas a greater abundance of genes encoding extended-spectrum {beta}-lactamases (ESBLs), CfxA, ACI-1, and CMY, was observed at weeks 1, 5 and 9. Moreover, the contig and network analyses detected associations between {beta}-lactam resistance genes and phages, mobile genetic elements, and specific genera. Commensal bacterial populations belonging to Bacteroidetes most often possessed ESBL genes followed by members of Enterobacteriaceae. This study highlights variable, persistent effects of IMM ceftiofur treatment on the gut microbiome and resistome in dairy cattle. Antibiotic-treated cattle had an increased abundance of specific taxa and genes encoding ESBL production that persisted for 9 weeks, while fecal shedding of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae varied across animals. Together, these findings highlight the need for additional studies that identify factors linked to shedding levels and the dissemination and persistence of resistance determinants on dairy farms in different geographic locations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vasco, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carbonell, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sloup, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowcutt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colwell, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graubics, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erskine, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Norby, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruegg, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manning, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.17.549362</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Persistent effects of intramammary ceftiofur treatment on the gut microbiome and antibiotic resistance in dairy cattle]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.17.549412v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Syntactic Constructions Drive Cortical Tracking in the Absence of Lexical Content: An Electrophysiological Investigation of Sentence Processing During Reading 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.17.549412v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
It has been suggested that the synchronization of neural oscillations to syntactic units, such as phrases or clauses, is dependent on lexically-derived projections of syntactic structure. This assertion is based on recent evidence that participants are unable to effectively track syntax when listening to jabberwocky sentences, in which content words are replaced with pseudowords thereby eliminating lexically-derived syntactic projections (Coopmans et al., 2022; Kaufeld et al., 2020). In the present study, we extend the findings from these two studies and present evidence that participants can in fact track syntactic units in jabberwocky sentences when the stimuli are presented visually - a methodological difference that allows participants to easily parse individual words in the sentence. We interpret this finding as indicating that tracking the phrase structure of a sentence can take place in the absence of content words and does not crucially depend on their lexical projections.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rafferty, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saltuklaroglu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paek, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reilly, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenson, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thornton, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Casenhiser, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.17.549412</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Syntactic Constructions Drive Cortical Tracking in the Absence of Lexical Content: An Electrophysiological Investigation of Sentence Processing During Reading]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.19.549613v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The International Weed Genomics Consortium: Community Resources for Weed Genomics Research 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.19.549613v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The International Weed Genomics Consortium is a collaborative group of researchers focused on developing genomic resources for the study of weedy plants. Weeds are attractive systems for basic and applied research due to their impacts on agricultural systems and capacity to swiftly adapt in response to anthropogenic selection pressures. Our goal is to use genomic information to develop sustainable and effective weed control methods and to provide insights about biotic and abiotic stress tolerance to assist crop breeding. Here, we outline resources under development by the consortium and highlight areas of research that will be impacted by these enabling resources.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacGregor, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McElroy, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neve, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neto, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vila-Aiub, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sandoval, M. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Menendez, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kreiner, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caicedo, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maughan, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martins, B. A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mika, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collavo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merotto, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subramanian, N. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bagavathiannan, M. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cutti, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Islam, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gill, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cicchillo, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gast, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soni, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wright, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zastrow-Hayes, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>May, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malone, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sehgal, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaundun, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dale, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vorster, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peters, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lerchl, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tranel, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beffa, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jugulam, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fengler, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Llaca, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaines, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.19.549613</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The International Weed Genomics Consortium: Community Resources for Weed Genomics Research]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.21.550094v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Detection of viral infection in cell lines using ViralCellDetector 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.21.550094v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cell lines are commonly used in research to study biology, including gene expression regulation, cancer progression, and drug responses. However, cross-contaminations with bacteria, mycoplasma, and viruses are common issues in cell line experiments. Detection of bacteria and mycoplasma infections in cell lines is relatively easy but identifying viral infections in cell lines is difficult. Currently, there are no established methods or tools available for detecting viral infections in cell lines. To address this challenge, we developed a tool called ViralCellDetector that detects viruses through mapping RNA-seq data to a library of virus genome. Using this tool, we observed that around 10% of experiments with the MCF7 cell line were likely infected with viruses. Furthermore, to facilitate the detection of samples with unknown sources of viral infection, we identified the differentially expressed genes involved in viral infection from two different cell lines and used these genes in a machine learning approach to classify infected samples based on the host response gene expression biomarkers. Our model reclassifies the infected and non-infected samples with an AUC of 0.91 and an accuracy of 0.93. Overall, our mapping- and marker-based approaches can detect viral infections in any cell line simply based on readily accessible RNA-seq data, allowing researchers to avoid the use of unintentionally infected cell lines in their studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gupta, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shankar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.21.550094</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Detection of viral infection in cell lines using ViralCellDetector]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.25.550527v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ribosome Heterogeneity in Development and Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.25.550527v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The functional ribosome is composed of [~]80 ribosome proteins. With the intensity-based absolute quantification (iBAQ) value, we calculate the stoichiometry ratio of each ribosome protein. We analyze the ribosome ratio-omics (RibosomeR), which reflects the holistic signature of ribosome composition, in various biological samples with distinct functions, developmental stages, and pathological outcomes. The RibosomeR reveals significant ribosome heterogeneity among different tissues of fat, spleen, liver, kidney, heart, and skeletal muscles. During tissue development, testes at various stages of spermatogenesis show distinct RibosomeR signatures. During in vitro neuronal maturation, the RibosomeR changes reveal functional association with certain molecular aspects of neurodevelopment. Regarding ribosome heterogeneity associated with pathological conditions, the RibosomeR signature of gastric tumors is functionally linked to pathways associated with tumorigenesis. Moreover, the RibosomeR undergoes dynamic changes in macrophages following immune challenges. Taken together, with the examination of a broad spectrum of biological samples, the RibosomeR barcode reveals ribosome heterogeneity and specialization in cell function, development, and disease.

One-Sentence SummaryRatio-omics signature of ribosome deciphers functionally relevant heterogeneity in development and disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.25.550527</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ribosome Heterogeneity in Development and Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.24.550335v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A cline within an ecotype of the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.24.550335v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PremiseA key goal of evolutionary biologists is to understand how and why genetic variation is partitioned within species. In the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus (syn. Erythranthe guttata), coastal perennial populations collectively constitute a single genetically and morphologically differentiated ecotype compared to inland populations of M. guttatus. While the distinctiveness of the coastal ecotype has now been well documented, there is also variation in environmental factors across the range of the coastal ecotype that could drive differentiation among its component populations in a more continuous way.

MethodsBased on previous observations of a potential cline within this ecotype, we quantified plant height across coastal perennial accessions from 74 total populations in a greenhouse common garden experiment. To evaluate possible environmental factors driving the relationship between trait variation and latitude, we regressed height against multiple climatic factors, including temperature, precipitation, and coastal wind speeds.

ResultsMultiple traits were correlated with latitude of origin, but none more than plant height. Plant height was negatively correlated with latitude and plants directly exposed to the open ocean were shorter than those that were more protected from onshore coastal winds. Further analyses revealed that height was correlated with climatic factors (precipitation, temperature, and windspeeds) that were autocorrelated with latitude. We hypothesize that one or more of these climatic factors drove the evolution of latitudinal clinal variation within the coastal ecotype.

ConclusionOverall, our study illustrates the complexity of how the distribution of environmental variation can simultaneously drive the evolution of distinct ecotypes as well as continuous clines within those ecotypes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zambiasi, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.24.550335</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A cline within an ecotype of the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.26.550624v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Regulation of late-acting operons by three transcription factors and a CRISPR-Cas component during Myxococcus xanthus development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.26.550624v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Upon starvation rod-shaped Myxococcus xanthus bacteria form mounds and then differentiate into round stress-resistant spores. Little is known about the regulation of late-acting operons important for spore formation. C-signaling has been proposed to activate FruA, which binds DNA cooperatively with MrpC to increase transcription of many genes. We report that this model can explain regulation of the fadIJ operon involved in spore metabolism, but not that of the spore coat biogenesis operons exoA-I, exoL-P, and nfsA-H. Rather, a mutation in fruA increased the transcript levels from these operons early in development, suggesting negative regulation by FruA initially, and a mutation in mrpC affected transcript levels from each operon differently. FruA bound to all four promoter regions in vitro, but strikingly each promoter region was unique in terms of whether or not MrpC and the DNA-binding domain of Nla6 bound, and in terms of cooperative binding. Furthermore, the DevI component of a CRISPR-Cas system is a negative regulator of all four operons, based on transcript measurements. Our results demonstrate complex regulation of sporulation genes by three transcription factors and a CRISPR-Cas component, which we propose thwarts viral intrusion while making spores suited to withstand starvation and environmental insults.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Saha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kroos, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.26.550624</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Regulation of late-acting operons by three transcription factors and a CRISPR-Cas component during Myxococcus xanthus development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.29.547699v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bacterial pathogens deliver water/solute-permeable channels as a virulence strategy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.29.547699v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many animal and plant pathogenic bacteria utilize a type III secretion system to deliver effector proteins into the host cell1,2. Elucidation of how these effector proteins function in the host cell is critical for understanding infectious diseases in animals and plants3-5. The widely conserved AvrE/DspE-family effectors play a central role in the pathogenesis of diverse phytopathogenic bacteria6. These conserved effectors are involved in the induction of "water-soaking" and host cell death that are conducive to bacterial multiplication in infected tissues. However, the exact biochemical functions of AvrE/DspE-family effectors have been recalcitrant to mechanistic understanding for three decades. Here we show that AvrE/DspE-family effectors fold into a {beta}-barrel structure that resembles bacterial porins. Expression of AvrE and DspE in Xenopus oocytes results in (i) inward and outward currents, (ii) permeability to water and (iii) osmolarity-dependent oocyte swelling and bursting. Liposome reconstitution confirmed that the DspE channel alone is sufficient to allow the passage of small molecules such as fluorescein dye. Targeted screening of chemical blockers based on the predicted pore size (15-20 [A]) of the DspE channel identified polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers as inhibitors of the DspE/AvrE channels. Remarkably, PAMAMs broadly inhibit AvrE/DspE virulence activities in Xenopus oocytes and during Erwinia amylovora and Pseudomonas syringae infections. Thus, we have unraveled the enigmatic function of a centrally important family of bacterial effectors with significant conceptual and practical implications in the study of bacterial pathogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nomura, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andreazza, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheng, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dong, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.29.547699</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bacterial pathogens deliver water/solute-permeable channels as a virulence strategy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.29.551125v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Brd4-Nutm1 fusion gene initiates NUT carcinoma in vivo 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.29.551125v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Nut carcinoma (NC) is an aggressive cancer with no effective treatment. The majority (70%) of NUT carcinoma is associated with chromosome translocation events that lead to the formation of a BRD4::NUTM1 fusion gene. However, because the BRD4::NUTM1 gene is unequivocally cytotoxic when ectopically expressed in cell lines, questions remain on whether the fusion gene can initiate NC. Here, we report the first genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) for NUT carcinoma recapitulating the human mutation. By stochastically inducing a chromosome translocation mirroring the human event, we demonstrated that the Brd4::Nutm1 fusion gene could induce aggressive carcinomas in mice. The tumors present histopathological and molecular features similar to human NC, with an enrichment of undifferentiated cells. Similar to the reports of human NC incidence, Brd4::Nutm1 can induce NC from a broad range of tissues, demonstrating that its oncogenic potential is not lineage-restricted. The consistent induction of tumors of squamous phenotypes, even from ductal epithelial and mesenchymal tissues, demonstrated a strong reprogramming activity of BRD4::NUTM1. The new mouse model provided a critical preclinical model for NC and opens new opportunities for understanding the oncogenic mechanism and developing new therapies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zheng, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>El Negiry, A. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bendahou, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsoi, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.29.551125</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Brd4-Nutm1 fusion gene initiates NUT carcinoma in vivo]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.30.550308v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mining threats in high-level biodiversity conservation policies 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.30.550308v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Amid a global infrastructure boom, there is increasing recognition of the ecological impacts of the extraction and consumption of construction minerals, mainly as concrete. Recent research highlights the significant and expanding threat these minerals pose to global biodiversity. To what extent is this pressure acknowledged in biodiversity conservation policy? We investigate how high-level national and international biodiversity conservation policies, including the 2011-2020 and post-2020 biodiversity strategies, the national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and the assessments of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, address mining threats with a special focus on construction minerals. We find that mining appears rarely in national targets, but more frequently in national strategies with greater coverage of aggregates mining than limestone mining, yet it is dealt with superficially in most countries. We then outline an 8-point strategy to reduce the biodiversity impacts of construction minerals, which comprises actions such as targeting, reporting, and monitoring systems, the evidence-base around mining impacts on biodiversity, and the behavior of financial agents and businesses. Implementing these measures can pave the way for a more sustainable approach to construction mineral use and safeguard biodiversity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Torres, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>zu Ermgassen, S. O. S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Navarro, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferri-Yanez, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teixeira, F. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wittkopp, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosa, I. M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.30.550308</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mining threats in high-level biodiversity conservation policies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.30.551180v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Immunometabolic cues recompose and reprogram the microenvironment around biomaterials 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.30.551180v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Circulating monocytes infiltrate and coordinate immune responses in various inflamed tissues, such as those surrounding implanted biomaterials, affecting therapeutic, diagnostic, tissue engineering and regenerative applications. Here, we show that immunometabolic cues in the biomaterial microenvironment govern CCR2- and CX3CR1-dependent trafficking of immune cells, including neutrophils and monocytes; ultimately, this affects the composition and activation states of macrophage and dendritic cell populations. Furthermore, immunometabolic cues around implants orchestrate the relative composition of proinflammatory, transitory and anti-inflammatory CCR2+, CX3CR1+ and CCR2+CX3CR1+ immune cell populations. Consequently, modifying immunometabolism by glycolytic inhibition drives a pro-regenerative microenvironment in part by myeloid cells around amorphous polylactide implants. In addition to, Arginase 1-expressing myeloid cells, T helper 2 cells and {gamma}{delta}+ T-cells producing IL-4 significantly contribute to shaping the metabolically reprogramed, pro-regenerative microenvironment around crystalline polylactide biomaterials. Taken together, we find that local metabolic states regulate inflammatory processes in the biomaterial microenvironment, with implications for translational medicine.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmitter-Sanchez, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stivers, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pope, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhnert, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Habeeb, O. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tundo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alhaj, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiselev, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hankenson, K. D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Narayan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elisseeff, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.30.551180</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Immunometabolic cues recompose and reprogram the microenvironment around biomaterials]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.30.551184v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Flavinated SDHA Underlies the Change in Intrinsic Optical Properties of Oral Cancers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.30.551184v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The molecular basis of reduced autofluorescence in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells relative to normal cells has been speculated to be due to lower levels of free flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). This speculation, along with differences in the intrinsic optical properties of extracellular collagen, lie at the foundation of the design of currently-used clinical optical detection devices. Here, we report that free FAD levels may not account for differences in autofluorescence of OSCC cells, but that the differences relate to FAD as a co-factor for flavination. Autofluorescence from a 70 kDa flavoprotein, succinate dehydrogenase A (SDHA), was found to be responsible for changes in optical properties within the FAD spectral region with lower levels of flavinated SDHA in OSCC cells. Since flavinated SDHA is required for functional complexation with succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB), decreased SDHB levels were observed in human OSCC tissue relative to normal tissues. Accordingly, the metabolism of OSCC cells was found to be significantly altered relative to normal cells, revealing vulnerabilities for both diagnosis and targeted therapy. Optimizing non-invasive tools based on optical and metabolic signatures of cancers will enable more precise and early diagnosis leading to improved outcomes in patients.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marumo, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Apu, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, S.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van den Berg, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosenthal, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shibahara, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-07-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.30.551184</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Flavinated SDHA Underlies the Change in Intrinsic Optical Properties of Oral Cancers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-07-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.31.551174v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Interdependence of a kinase and its cognate substrate plasma membrane nanoscale dynamics underlies Arabidopsis response to viral infection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.31.551174v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant viruses represent a risk to agricultural production and as only a few treatments exist, it is urgent to identify resistance mechanisms and factors. In plant immunity, plasma membrane (PM)-localized proteins play an essential role in sensing the extracellular threat presented by bacteria, fungi or herbivores. Viruses are intracellular pathogens and as such the role of the plant PM in detection and resistance against viruses is often overlooked. We investigated the role of the partially PM-bound Calcium-dependent protein kinase 3 (CPK3) in viral infection and we discovered that it displayed a specific ability to hamper viral propagation over CPK isoforms that are involved in immune response to extracellular pathogens. More and more evidence support that the lateral organization of PM proteins and lipids underlies signal transduction in plants. We showed here that CPK3 diffusion in the PM is reduced upon activation as well as upon viral infection and that such immobilization depended on its substrate, Remorin (REM1.2), a scaffold protein. Furthermore, we discovered that the viral infection induced a CPK3-dependent increase of REM1.2 PM diffusion. Such interdependence was also observable regarding viral propagation. This study unveils a complex relationship between a kinase and its substrate that contrasts with the commonly described co-stabilisation upon activation while it proposes a PM-based mechanism involved in decreased sensitivity to viral infection in plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>JOLIVET, M.-D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deroubaix, A.-F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boudsocq, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abel, N. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rocher, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robbe, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wattelet, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huard, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lefebvre, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, Y.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saias, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmed, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cotelle, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giovinazzo, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallois, J.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yamaji, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>German-Retana, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gronnier, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ott, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MONGRAND, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Germain, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.31.551174</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Interdependence of a kinase and its cognate substrate plasma membrane nanoscale dynamics underlies Arabidopsis response to viral infection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.31.551310v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multiple host targets of Pseudomonas effector protein HopM1 form a protein complex regulating apoplastic immunity and water homeostasis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.31.551310v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial type III effector proteins injected into the host cell play a critical role in mediating bacterial interactions with plant and animal hosts. Notably, some bacterial effectors are reported to target sequence-unrelated host proteins with unknown functional relationships. The Pseudomonas syringae effector HopM1 is such an example; it interacts with and/or degrades several HopM1-interacting (MIN) Arabidopsis proteins, including HopM1-interacting protein 2 (MIN2/RAD23), HopM1-interacting protein 7 (MIN7/BIG5), HopM1-interacting protein 10 (MIN10/14-3-3), and HopM1-interacting protein 13 (MIN13/BIG2). In this study, we purified the MIN7 complex formed in planta and found that it contains MIN7, MIN10, MIN13, as well as a tetratricopeptide repeat protein named HLB1. Mutational analysis showed that, like MIN7, HLB1 is required for pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-, effector-, and benzothiadiazole (BTH)-triggered immunity. HLB1 is recruited to the trans-Golgi network (TGN)/early endosome (EE) in a MIN7-dependent manner. Both min7 and hlb1 mutant leaves contained elevated water content in the leaf apoplast and artificial water infiltration into the leaf apoplast was sufficient to phenocopy immune-suppressing phenotype of HopM1. These results suggest that multiple HopM1-targeted MIN proteins form a protein complex with a dual role in modulating water level and immunity in the apoplast, which provides an explanation for the dual phenotypes of HopM1 during bacterial pathogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>He, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.31.551310</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multiple host targets of Pseudomonas effector protein HopM1 form a protein complex regulating apoplastic immunity and water homeostasis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.31.551392v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Blueberry and cranberry pangenomes as a resource for future genetic studies and breeding efforts 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.31.551392v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s, respectively, and in part owing to their flavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide. The industry continues to face a wide variety of production challenges (e.g. disease pressures) as well as a demand for higher-yielding cultivars with improved fruit quality characteristics. Unfortunately, molecular tools to help guide breeding efforts for these species have been relatively limited compared with those for other high-value crops. Here, we describe the construction and analysis of the first pangenome for both blueberry and cranberry. Our analysis of these pangenomes revealed both crops exhibit great genetic diversity, including the presence-absence variation of 48.4% genes in highbush blueberry and 47.0% genes in cranberry. Auxiliary genes, those not shared by all cultivars, are significantly enriched with molecular functions associated with disease resistance and the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites, including compounds previously associated with improving fruit quality traits. The discovery of thousands of genes, not present in the previous reference genomes for blueberry and cranberry, will serve as the basis of future research and as potential targets for future breeding efforts. The pangenome, as a multiple-sequence alignment, as well as individual annotated genomes, are publicly available for analysis on the Genome Database for Vaccinium - a curated and integrated web-based relational database. Lastly, the core-gene predictions from the pangenomes will serve useful to develop a community genotyping platform to guide future molecular breeding efforts across the family.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platts, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alger, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teresi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mengist, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benevenuto, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Felipe V. Ferrao, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobs, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Babinski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Magallanes-Lundback, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bayer, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Golicz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Humann, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Main, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Espley, R. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chagne, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albert, N. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montanari, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vorsa, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Polashock, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diaz-Garcia, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zalapa, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bassil, N. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munoz, P. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iorizzo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.07.31.551392</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Blueberry and cranberry pangenomes as a resource for future genetic studies and breeding efforts]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.01.551524v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CDDO-Methyl Ester Inhibits BRAF Inhibitor Resistance and Remodels the Myeloid Compartment in BRAF-mutant Melanoma 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.01.551524v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Approximately 50% of advanced melanomas harbor activating BRAFV600E mutations that are sensitive to BRAF inhibition. However, the duration of the response to BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) has been limited due to the development of acquired resistance, which is preceded by recruitment of immunosuppressive myeloid cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs). While the addition of MAPK/ERK kinase 1 inhibitors (MEKi) prolongs therapeutic response to BRAF inhibition, most patients still develop resistance. Using a BrafV600E/+/Pten-/- graft mouse model of melanoma, we now show that the addition of the methyl ester of the synthetic triterpenoid 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid (C-Me) to the BRAFi vemurafenib analog PLX4720 at resistance significantly reduces tumor burden. Dual treatment remodels the BRAFi resistant-tumor microenvironment (TME), reducing infiltration of Tregs and tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), and attenuates immunosuppressive cytokine production. For the first time, we characterize myeloid populations using scRNA-seq in BRAFi-resistant tumors and demonstrate that restoration of therapeutic response is associated with significant changes in immune-activated myeloid subset representation. Collectively, these studies suggest that C-Me inhibits acquired resistance to BRAFi. Use of C-Me in combination with other therapies may both inhibit melanoma growth and enhance therapeutic responsiveness more broadly.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Torres, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jarnagin, H. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kosarek, N. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhandari, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, C.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kolling, F. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitfield, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turk, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liby, K. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pioli, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.01.551524</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CDDO-Methyl Ester Inhibits BRAF Inhibitor Resistance and Remodels the Myeloid Compartment in BRAF-mutant Melanoma]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.04.552007v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MRI-based cell tracking of OATP-expressing cell transplants by pre-labeling with Gd-EOB-DTPA 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.04.552007v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PurposeTo detect cell transplants labeled with a clinical gadolinium-based contrast agent as hyperintense signals using a clinically familiar T1-weighted MRI protocol.

MethodsHEK293 cells were stably transduced to express human OATP1B3, a hepatic transporter that transport Gd-EOB-DTPA into cells that express the transporters, the intracellular accumulation of which cells causes signal enhancement on T1-weighted MRI. Cells were labeled in media containing Gd-EOB-DTPA for MRI evaluation and indocyanine green for cryofluorescence tomography validation. Labeled cells were injected into chicken hearts, in vitro, after which MRI and cryofluorescence tomography were performed in tandem.

ResultsOATP1B3-expressing cells had substantially reduced T1 following labeling with Gd-EOB-DTPA in culture. Following their implantation into chicken heart, these cells were easily identified in T1-weighted MRI. Cryofluorescence tomography validated that the areas of signal enhancement in MRI overlapped with areas of indocyanine green signal, indicating that signal enhancement was due to the transplanted cells.

ConclusionOATP1B3-expressing cells can be pre-labeled with Gd-EOB-DTPA prior to injection into tissue, affording the use of clinically familiar T1-weighted MRI to robustly detect cell transplants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharyya, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallett, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.04.552007</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MRI-based cell tracking of OATP-expressing cell transplants by pre-labeling with Gd-EOB-DTPA]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.04.552051v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Nutrient levels control root growth responses to high ambient temperature in plants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.04.552051v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Global warming will lead to significantly increased temperatures on earth. Plants respond to high ambient temperature with altered developmental and growth programs, termed thermomorphogenesis. Here we show that thermomorphogenesis is conserved in Arabidopsis, soybean, and rice and that it is linked to a decrease in the levels of the two macronutrients nitrogen and phosphorus. We also find that low external levels of these nutrients abolish root growth responses to high ambient temperature. We show that in Arabidopsis, this is due to the function of the transcription factor ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) and its transcriptional regulation of the transceptor NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1.1 (NRT1.1). Soybean and Rice homologs of these genes are expressed consistently with a conserved role in regulating temperature responses in a nitrogen and phosphorus level dependent manner. Overall, our data show that root thermomorphogenesis is a conserved feature in species of the two major groups of angiosperms, monocots and dicots, that it leads to a reduction of nutrient levels in the plant, and that it is dependent on sufficient environmental nutrient supply, a regulatory process mediated by the HY5-NRT1.1 module.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Showalter, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cassin-Ross, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rouached, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Busch, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.04.552051</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Nutrient levels control root growth responses to high ambient temperature in plants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.07.552326v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MRI of OATP-expressing transplanted cells using clinical doses of gadolinium contrast agent 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.07.552326v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hepatic organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs) transport off-the-shelf, FDA-approved, hepatospecific Gd-based MRI contrast agents into cells that express the transporters enhancing signal on clinical T1-weighted MRI. Studies have used MRI to identify OATP-overexpressing tumors and metastases in mice following the delivery of Gd-EOB-DTPA at 27-67-fold higher than clinical doses. With safety and regulatory concern over Gd-based contrast agents, translation of this imaging paradigm to humans for regenerative medicine cell therapy will require substantially lower doses of agent.

Here we complemented static T1-weighted MRI and/or T1-mapping with dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI and show that even low intracellular accumulation of contrast agent results in a sustained signal enhancement in OATP-overexpressing tumors while control, non-expressing tumors have rapid wash-in and wash-out dynamics which could be distinguished by performing area-under-the-curve (AUC) analyses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharyya, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallett, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hix, J. M.- L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.07.552326</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MRI of OATP-expressing transplanted cells using clinical doses of gadolinium contrast agent]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.09.552708v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural Remodeling of Fungal Cell Wall Promotes Resistance to Echinocandins 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.09.552708v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The insufficient efficacy of existing antifungal drugs and the rise in resistance necessitate the development of new therapeutic agents with novel functional mechanisms1,2. Echinocandins are an important class of antifungals that inhibit {beta}-1,3-glucan biosynthesis to interfere with cell wall structure and function3,4. However, their efficacy is limited by the fungistatic activity against Aspergillus species and the trailing effect during clinical application. Here, we describe how echinocandins remodel the supramolecular assembly of carbohydrate polymers in the fungal cell wall in an unexpected manner, possibly resulting in a subsequent inhibition of the activity of these drugs. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) analysis of intact cells from the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus showed that the loss of {beta}-1,3-glucan and the increase of chitin content led to a decrease in cell wall mobility and water-permeability, thus enhancing resistance to environmental stresses. Chitosan and -1,3-glucan were found to be important buffering molecules whose physical association with chitin maintained the wall integrity. These new findings revealed the difficult-to-understand structural principles governing fungal pathogens response to echinocandins and opened new avenues for designing novel antifungal agents with improved efficacy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dickwella Widanage, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gautam, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarkar, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mentink-Vigier, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermaas, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fontaine, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Latge, J.-P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.09.552708</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural Remodeling of Fungal Cell Wall Promotes Resistance to Echinocandins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.11.553014v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Electron Transport Chain of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 can Operate Bidirectionally to Enable Microbial Electrosynthesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.11.553014v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a process by which bacterial cells can exchange electrons with a redox active material located outside of the cell. In Shewanella oneidensis, this process is natively used to facilitate respiration using extracellular electron acceptors such as Fe(III) or an anode. Previously, it was demonstrated that this process can be used to drive microbial electrosynthesis of 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) in S. oneidensis exogenously expressing butanediol dehydrogenase (Bdh). Electrons taken into the cell from a cathode are used to generate NADH, which in turn is used to reduce acetoin to 2,3-BDO via Bdh. However, generating NADH via electron uptake from a cathode is energetically unfavorable, so NADH dehydrogenases couple the reaction to proton motive force. We therefore need to maintain the proton gradient across the membrane to sustain NADH production. This work explores accomplishing this task by bidirectional electron transfer, where electrons provided by the cathode go to both NADH formation and O2 reduction by oxidases. We show that oxidases use trace dissolved oxygen in a microaerobic bioelectrical chemical systems (BES), and the translocation of protons across the membrane during O2 reduction supports 2,3-BDO generation. Interestingly, this process is inhibited by high levels of dissolved oxygen in this system. In an aerated BES, O2 molecules react with the strong reductant (cathode) to form reactive oxygen species, resulting in cell death.

ImportanceMicrobial electrosynthesis is increasingly employed for the generation of specialty chemicals such as biofuels, bioplastics, and cancer therapeutics. For these systems to be viable for industrial scale-up, it is important to understand the energetic requirements of the bacteria to mitigate unnecessary costs. This work demonstrates sustained production of an industrially relevant chemical driven by a cathode. Additionally, it optimizes a previously published system by removing any requirement for phototrophic energy, thereby removing the additional cost of providing a light source. We also demonstrate the severe impact of oxygen intrusion into bioelectrochemical systems, offering insight to future researchers aiming to work in an anaerobic environment. These studies provide insight into both the thermodynamics of electrosynthesis and the importance of bioelectrochemical systems design.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ford, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.11.553014</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Electron Transport Chain of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 can Operate Bidirectionally to Enable Microbial Electrosynthesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.14.552623v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Does urbanization lead to parallel demographic shifts across the world in a cosmopolitan plant? 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.14.552623v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Urbanization is occurring globally, leading to dramatic environmental changes that are altering the ecology and evolution of species. In particular, the expansion of human infrastructure and the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats in cities is predicted to increase genetic drift and reduce gene flow by reducing the size and connectivity of populations. Alternatively, the "urban facilitation model" suggests that some species will have greater gene flow into and within cities leading to higher diversity and lower differentiation in urban populations. These alternative hypotheses have not been contrasted across multiple cities. Here, we used the genomic data from the Global Urban Evolution project (GLUE), to study the effects of urbanization on non-adaptive evolutionary processes of white clover (Trifolium repens) at a global scale. We found that white clover populations presented high genetic diversity and no evidence of a reduction in Ne linked to urbanization. On the contrary, we found that urban populations were less likely to experience a recent decrease in effective population size than rural ones. In addition, we found little genetic structure among populations both globally and between urban and rural populations, which showed extensive gene flow between habitats. Interestingly, white clover displayed overall higher gene flow within urban areas than within rural habitats. Our study provides one of the largest comprehensive tests of demographic effects of urbanization and our results contrast the common perception that heavily altered and fragmented urban environments will reduce the effective population size and genetic diversity of populations and contribute to their isolation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Caizergues, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santangelo, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ness, R. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angeoletto, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anstett, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anstett, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baena-Diaz, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carlen, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaves, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Comerford, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dyson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Falahati-Anbaran, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fellowes, M. D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hodgins, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hood, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iniguez-Armijos, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kooyers, N. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lazaro-Lobo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moles, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munshi-South, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paule, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porth, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santiago-Rosario, L. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stack Whitney, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tack, A. J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, M. T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.14.552623</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Does urbanization lead to parallel demographic shifts across the world in a cosmopolitan plant?]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.15.553356v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Intra-leaf modeling of Cannabis leaflet shape produces synthetic leaves that predict genetic and developmental identities 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.15.553356v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIThe iconic, palmately compound leaves of Cannabis have attracted significant attention in the past. However, investigations into the genetic basis of leaf shape or its connections to phytochemical composition have yielded inconclusive results. This is partly due to prominent changes in leaflet number within a single plant during development, which has so far prevented the proper use of common morphometric techniques.
C_LIO_LIHere we present a new method that overcomes the challenge of nonhomologous landmarks in palmate, pinnate and lobed leaves, using Cannabis as an example. We model corresponding pseudo-landmarks for each leaflet as angle-radius coordinates and model them as a function of leaflet to create continuous polynomial models, bypassing the problems associated with variable number of leaflets between leaves.
C_LIO_LIWe analyze 341 leaves from 24 individuals from nine Cannabis accessions. Using 3,591 pseudo-landmarks in modeled leaves, we accurately predict accession identity, leaflet number, and relative node number.
C_LIO_LIIntra-leaf modeling offers a rapid, cost-effective means of identifying Cannabis accessions, making it a valuable tool for future taxonomic studies, cultivar recognition, and possibly chemical content analysis and sex identification, in addition to permitting the morphometric analysis of leaves in any species with variable numbers of leaflets or lobes.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Balant, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garnatje, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vitales, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hidalgo, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.15.553356</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Intra-leaf modeling of Cannabis leaflet shape produces synthetic leaves that predict genetic and developmental identities]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.16.553574v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
GSK3α/β restrains IFNγ-inducible costimulatory molecule expression in alveolar macrophages, limiting CD4+ T cell activation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.16.553574v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Macrophages play a crucial role in eliminating respiratory pathogens. Both pulmonary resident alveolar macrophages (AMs) and recruited macrophages contribute to detecting, responding to, and resolving infections in the lungs. Despite their distinct functions, it remains unclear how these macrophage subsets regulate their responses to infection, including how activation by the cytokine IFN{gamma} is regulated. This shortcoming prevents the development of therapeutics that effectively target distinct lung macrophage populations without exacerbating inflammation. We aimed to better understand the transcriptional regulation of resting and IFN{gamma}-activated cells using a new ex vivo model of AMs from mice, fetal liver-derived alveolar-like macrophages (FLAMs), and immortalized bone marrow-derived macrophages (iBMDMs). Our findings reveal that IFN{gamma} robustly activates both macrophage types; however, the profile of activated IFN{gamma}-stimulated genes varies greatly between these cell types. Notably, FLAMs show limited expression of costimulatory markers essential for T cell activation upon stimulation with only IFN{gamma}. To understand cell type-specific differences, we examined how the inhibition of the regulatory kinases GSK3/{beta} alters the IFN{gamma} response. GSK3/{beta} controlled distinct IFN{gamma} responses, and in AM-like cells, we found GSK3/{beta} restrained the induction of type I IFN and TNF, thus preventing the robust expression of costimulatory molecules and limiting CD4+ T cell activation. Together, these data suggest that the capacity of AMs to respond to IFN{gamma} is restricted in a GSK3/{beta}-dependent manner and that IFN{gamma} responses differ across distinct macrophage populations. These findings lay the groundwork to identify new therapeutic targets that activate protective pulmonary responses without driving deleterious inflammation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ankley, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vielma, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thapa, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.16.553574</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[GSK3α/β restrains IFNγ-inducible costimulatory molecule expression in alveolar macrophages, limiting CD4+ T cell activation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.16.553601v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Warming alters cascading effects of a dominant arthropod predator on microbial community composition in the Arctic 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.16.553601v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Warming is expected to increase abundances of wolf spider, the top predator in soil communities in the Arctic, but we have little understanding on how increased wolf spider density under warmer conditions affects soil microbial structure through trophic cascades. We tested the effects of wolf spider density and warming on bacterial and fungal community structure in litter through a fully factorial mesocosm experiment in Arctic tundra over two summers. Replicated litter bags were deployed at the soil surface and underground in the organic soil profile and collected at 2- and 14-month incubation. The litter samples were analyzed for community structure of bacteria and fungi and mass weight loss. After 2-month incubation, bacterial and fungal community compositions were already structured interactively by the spider density and warming treatments. Such interaction effect was also found in litter microbial community structure as well as litter mass loss rates after 14-month incubation. Our results show that wolf spiders have indirect, cascading effects on microbial community structure but that warming can alter these effects. The non-linear responses of microbial communities and litter decomposition to warming and increased spider density cast uncertainty in predicting structure and function of Arctic terrestrial ecosystem under warmer conditions in the future.

IMPORTANCEThis is one of the first studies demonstrating that predator abundances and increased temperature interactively structure litter microbial communities in the Arctic. The Arctic is one of the fastest warming regions due to climate change and contains disproportionately large amounts of soil organic matter, including thick litter which accumulated over the long time because of slow decomposition. The accelerated soil organic matter decomposition due to the rapid warming can cause positive feedback where resulting greenhouse gas emission contribute to further global warming. Since microbial structure can affect decomposition rates of litter, the observed non-linear responses of soil microbial community compositions and litter decomposition rates indicate challenges in predicting Arctic ecosystem responses in the future.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Koltz, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koyama, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallenstein, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.16.553601</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Warming alters cascading effects of a dominant arthropod predator on microbial community composition in the Arctic]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.17.553705v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Loss of Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase 1a Reduces Docosahexaenoic Acid-Containing Phospholipids and Drives Sexually Dimorphic Liver Disease in Mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.17.553705v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Background and AimsGenome and epigenome wide association studies identified variants in carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (CPT1a) that associate with lipid traits. The goal of this study was to determine the impact by which liver-specific CPT1a deletion impacts hepatic lipid metabolism.

Approach and ResultsSix-to-eight-week old male and female liver-specific knockout (LKO) and littermate controls were placed on a low-fat or high-fat diet (HFD; 60% kcal fat) for 15 weeks. Mice were necropsied after a 16 hour fast, and tissues were collected for lipidomics, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI), kinome analysis, RNA-sequencing, and protein expression by immunoblotting. Female LKO mice had increased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels which were associated with greater deposition of hepatic lipids, while male mice were not affected by CPT1a deletion relative to male control mice. Mice with CPT1a deletion had reductions in DHA-containing phospholipids at the expense of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA)-containing phospholipids in both whole liver and at the level of the lipid droplet (LD). Male and female LKO mice increased RNA levels of genes involved in LD lipolysis (Plin2, Cidec, G0S2) and in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism (Elovl5, Fads1, Elovl2), while only female LKO mice increased genes involved in inflammation (Ly6d, Mmp12, Cxcl2). Kinase profiling showed decreased protein kinase A (PKA) activity, which coincided with increased PLIN2, PLIN5, and G0S2 protein levels and decreased triglyceride hydrolysis in LKO mice.

ConclusionsLiver-specific deletion of CPT1a promotes sexually dimorphic steatotic liver disease (SLD) in mice, and here we have identified new mechanisms by which females are protected from HFD-induced liver injury.

Graphical Summary

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=109 SRC="FIGDIR/small/553705v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (29K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f42ea0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@12135f2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@15cd9d0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@e0106b_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zelows, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cady, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dharanipragada, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mead, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kipp, Z. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bates, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Venkateshwari, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Banerjee, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shelman, N. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clarke, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hawkinson, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medina, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lydic, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hinds, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Softic, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graf, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Helsley, R. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.17.553705</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Loss of Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase 1a Reduces Docosahexaenoic Acid-Containing Phospholipids and Drives Sexually Dimorphic Liver Disease in Mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.20.554034v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
XRE Transcription Factors Conserved in Caulobacter and {varphi}CbK Modulate Adhesin Development and Phage Production 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.20.554034v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Upon infection, transcriptional shifts in both a host bacterium and its invading phage determine host and viral fitness. The xenobiotic response element (XRE) family of transcription factors (TFs), which are commonly encoded by bacteria and phages, regulate diverse features of bacterial cell physiology and impact phage infection dynamics. Through a pangenome analysis of Caulobacter species isolated from soil and aquatic ecosystems, we uncovered an apparent radiation of a paralogous XRE TF gene cluster, several of which have established functions in the regulation of holdfast adhesin development and biofilm formation in C. crescentus. We further discovered related XRE TFs across the class Alphaproteobacteria and its phages, including the {varphi}CbK Caulophage, suggesting that members of this gene cluster impact host-phage interactions. Here we show that that a closely related group of XRE proteins, encoded by both C. crescentus and {varphi}CbK, can form heteromeric associations and control the transcription of a common gene set, influencing processes including holdfast development and the production of {varphi}CbK virions. The {varphi}CbK XRE paralog, tgrL, is highly expressed at the earliest stages of infection and can directly repress transcription of hfiA, a potent holdfast inhibitor, and gafYZ, a transcriptional activator of prophage-like gene transfer agents (GTAs) encoded on the C. crescentus chromosome. XRE proteins encoded from the C. crescentus chromosome also directly repress gafYZ transcription, revealing a functionally redundant set of host regulators that may protect against spurious production of GTA particles and inadvertent cell lysis. Deleting host XRE transcription factors reduced {varphi}CbK burst size, while overexpressing these genes or {varphi}CbK tgrL rescued this burst defect. We conclude that an XRE TF gene cluster, shared by C. crescentus and {varphi}CbK, plays an important role in adhesion regulation under phage-free conditions, and influences host-phage dynamics during infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McLaughlin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.20.554034</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[XRE Transcription Factors Conserved in Caulobacter and {varphi}CbK Modulate Adhesin Development and Phage Production]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.18.553905v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phenotypic lags influence rapid evolution throughout a drought cycle 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.18.553905v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Climate anomalies pose strong selection which can lead to rapid evolution. These global mean trends occur on a backdrop of interannual variability that might weaken or even reverse selection. However, the impact of climatic interannual variability on rapid evolution is rarely considered. We study evolution through a seven-year period encompassing a severe drought across 12 populations of Mimulus cardinalis (scarlet monkeyflower). Plants were grown in a common greenhouse environment under wet and dry treatments, where specific leaf area and date of flowering were measured. We compare the ability of different climate metrics to explain the rapid evolution of trait values, examining different time-periods, including the collection year, prior years, and cumulative metrics across sequential years. We find that anomalies in mean annual precipitation best describe rapid evolution over our study period. Past climates, of one-to two-years ago, are often related to trait values in a conflicting direction to collection-year climate. Uncovering these complex climatic impacts on evolution is critical to better predict and interpret the impacts of climate change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Branch, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anstett, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angert, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.18.553905</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phenotypic lags influence rapid evolution throughout a drought cycle]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.19.553952v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Development and Validation of the Mentoring in Undergraduate Research Survey 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.19.553952v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Here we present the development and initial validation of the Mentoring in Undergraduate Research Survey (MURS) as a measure of a range of mentoring experienced by undergraduate science researchers. We drafted items based on qualitative research and refined the items through cognitive interviews and expert sorting. We used national dataset to evaluate the internal structure of the measure and a second national dataset to examine how responses on the MURS related to theoretically-relevant constructs and student characteristics. Our factor analytic results indicate seven lower order forms of mentoring experiences: abusive supervision, accessibility, career and technical support, psychosocial support, interpersonal mismatch, sexual harassment, and unfair treatment. These forms of mentoring mapped onto two higher-order factors: supportive and destructive mentoring experiences. Although most undergraduates reported experiencing supportive mentoring, some reported experiencing absence of supportive as well as destructive experiences. Undergraduates who experienced less supportive and more destructive mentoring also experienced lower scientific integration and a dampening of their beliefs about the value of research. The MURS should be useful for investigating the effects of mentoring experienced by undergraduate researchers and for testing interventions aimed at fostering supportive experiences and reducing or preventing destructive experiences and their impacts.

Highlight summaryThis study presents the development and initial validation of the Mentoring in Undergraduate Research Survey, including evidence of its internal structure as well as convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Limeri, L. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carter, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hess, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tuma, T. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koscik, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morrison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Outlaw, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Royston, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bridges, B. H. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dolan, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.19.553952</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Development and Validation of the Mentoring in Undergraduate Research Survey]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.20.554029v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A data-driven evaluation of Arabidopsis-centric research and the model species concept 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.20.554029v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The selection of Arabidopsis as a model organism played a pivotal role in advancing genomic science, firmly establishing the cornerstone of today  s plant molecular biology. Competing frameworks to select an agricultural- or ecological-based model species, or to decentralize plant science and study a multitude of diverse species, were selected against in favor of building core knowledge in a species that would facilitate genome-enabled research that could assumedly be transferred to other plants. Here, we examine the ability of models based on Arabidopsis gene expression data to predict tissue identity in other flowering plant species. Comparing different machine learning algorithms, models trained and tested on Arabidopsis data achieved near perfect precision and recall values using the K-Nearest Neighbor method, whereas when tissue identity is predicted across the flowering plants using models trained on Arabidopsis data, precision values range from 0.69 to 0.74 and recall from 0.54 to 0.64, depending on the algorithm used. Below-ground tissue is more predictable than other tissue types, and the ability to predict tissue identity is not correlated with phylogenetic distance from Arabidopsis. This suggests that gene expression signatures rather than marker genes are more valuable to create models for tissue and cell type prediction in plants. Our data-driven results highlight that, in hindsight, the assertion that knowledge from Arabidopsis is translatable to other plants is not always true. Considering the current landscape of abundant sequencing data and computational resources, it may be prudent to reevaluate the scientific emphasis on Arabidopsis and to prioritize the exploration of plant diversity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Palande, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arsenault, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basurto-Lozada, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bleich, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, B. N. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buysse, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Connors, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Das Adhikari, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dobson, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guerra-Castillo, F. X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guerrero-Carrillo, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harlow, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herrera-Orozco, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hightower, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Izquierdo, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobs, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leuenberger, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez-Hernandez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luckie-Duque, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Avila, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendoza-Galindo, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plancarte, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schuster, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shomer, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sitar, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steensma, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomson, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villasenor-Amador, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waterman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webster, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whyte, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zorrilla-Azcue, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Husbands, A. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.20.554029</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A data-driven evaluation of Arabidopsis-centric research and the model species concept]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.24.554725v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A deep learning phenotyping method for genetic analysis of 3D micro-CT data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.24.554725v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The number of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) has been growing rapidly in recent years due to developments in genotyping and sequencing platforms. When applied to quantitative traits, these and other statistical genetics approaches require large amounts of consistently and accurately measured phenotypes. Here, we introduce a computational toolbox based on deep convolutional neural networks that we have developed to phenotype quantitative traits describing morphology from micro-CT-scan image datasets. We illustrate the use of this Deep Learning Phenotyper (DLP) on a sample set of craniofacial CT scans of 118 samples from two very closely related species of Lake Malawi cichlid fish, Maylandia zebra and Cynotilapia zebroides. We show that the pipeline constructed and implemented here is capable of measuring morphological skeletal phenotypes with high accuracy. We also demonstrate how this pipeline can be integrated with existing GWAS frameworks to identify candidate association loci. We believe the methods we present here will be valuable for groups studying quantitative morphological traits not only in fishes, but in other vertebrates using CT scan datasets.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Karshenas, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Linderoth, T. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zatha, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>RusuWa, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Durbin, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.24.554725</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A deep learning phenotyping method for genetic analysis of 3D micro-CT data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.26.554799v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Uncovering the Infection Strategy of Phyllachora maydis during Maize Colonization: A Comprehensive Analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.26.554799v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Tar spot, a disease caused by the ascomycete fungal pathogen Phyllachora maydis, is considered one of the most significant yield-limiting diseases of maize (Zea mays L.) within the United States. P. maydis may also be found in association with other fungi, forming a disease complex with characteristic fish eye lesions. Understanding how P. maydis colonizes maize leaf cells is essential for developing effective disease control strategies. Here, we used histological approaches to elucidate how P. maydis infects and multiplies within susceptible maize leaves. We collected tar spot-infected maize leaf samples from four different fields in northern Indiana at three different time points during the growing season. Samples were chemically fixed and paraffin-embedded for high-resolution light and scanning electron microscopy. We observed a consistent pattern of disease progression in independent leaf samples collected across different geographical regions. Each stromata contained a central pycnidium that produced asexual spores. Perithecia with sexual spores developed in the stomatal chambers adjacent to the pycnidia, and a cap of spores formed over the stromata. P. maydis reproductive structures formed around but not within the vasculature. In our samples containing fish eye lesions, P. maydis is associated with two additional fungi, one of which is likely a member of the Paraphaeospheria genus; the other is an unknown fungi. Our data provide fundamental insights into how this pathogen colonizes and spreads within maize leaves. This knowledge can inform new approaches to managing tar spot, which could help mitigate the significant economic losses caused by this disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Caldwell, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Da Silva, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCoy, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Avila, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonkowski, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chilvers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Helm, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Telenko, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iyer-Pascuzzi, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.26.554799</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Uncovering the Infection Strategy of Phyllachora maydis during Maize Colonization: A Comprehensive Analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.29.554743v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Enhanced metabolic detoxification is associated with fluroxypyr resistance in Bassia scoparia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.29.554743v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Auxin-mimic herbicides chemically mimic the phytohormone indole-3-acetic-acid (IAA). Within the auxin-mimic herbicide class, the herbicide fluroxypyr has been extensively used to control an agronomically problematic Great Plains tumbleweed, kochia (Bassia scoparia). A 2014 field survey for herbicide resistance in kochia populations across Colorado identified a putative fluroxypyr resistant population that was assessed for response to five different herbicides representing four different herbicide modes of action. These included fluroxypyr and dicamba (auxin-mimics), atrazine (photosystem II inhibitor), glyphosate (EPSPS inhibitor), and chlorsulfuron (acetolactate synthase inhibitor). The greenhouse screen identified that this kochia population was resistant to fluroxypyr and chlorsulfuron, but sensitive to glyphosate, atrazine, and dicamba. This population was designated Flur-R. Subsequent dose response studies determined that 75% of the Flur-R population survived 628 g ae ha-1 of fluroxypyr (4X the label application rate in wheat fallow, which is 157 g ae ha-1 at 1X). Flur-R was 40 times more resistant to fluroxypyr than a susceptible population (J01-S) collected from the same field survey (LD50 720 and 20 g ae ha-1, respectively). Auxin-responsive gene expression increased following fluroxypyr treatment in Flur-R, J01-S, and in a dicamba-resistant, fluroxypyr-susceptible line 9425 in an RNA-sequencing experiment. In Flur-R, several transcripts with molecular functions for conjugation and transport were constitutively higher expressed, such as glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), UDP-glucosyl transferase (GT), and ATP binding cassette transporters (ABC transporters). After analyzing metabolic profiles over time, both Flur-R and J01-S rapidly converted [14C]-fluroxypyr ester, the herbicide formulation applied to plants, to [14C]-fluroxypyr acid, the biologically active form of the herbicide, and three unknown metabolites. Formation and flux of these metabolites was faster in Flur-R than J01-S, reducing the concentration of phytotoxic fluroxypyr acid. One unique metabolite was present in Flur-R that was not present in the J01-S metabolic profile. Gene sequence variant analysis specifically for auxin receptor and signaling proteins revealed the absence of non-synonymous mutations affecting auxin signaling and binding in candidate auxin target site genes, further supporting our hypothesis that non-target site metabolic degradation is contributing to fluroxypyr resistance in Flur-R.

Significance StatementHerbicide resistance is an ever-present issue in weeds of cropping and rangeland systems. By understanding genetic mechanisms of resistance in individual cases of herbicide resistance, we can extrapolate important information such as how quickly resistance to a specific herbicide can spread. Every characterized herbicide resistance mechanism contributes to a working database used to address herbicide resistance in an agricultural or open-space setting. Knowing the exact mechanism of resistance helps researchers and industry members understand why herbicide applications are failing, and if resistant plants can still be controlled with other herbicide modes of action. In kochia line Flur-R, there is strong evidence to support a non-target site resistance mechanism, specifically herbicide degradation via increased enzymatic activity. Increased fluroxypyr degradation represents a novel resistance mechanism to fluroxypyr in the weed Bassia scoparia.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Todd, O. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Westra, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simoes Araujo, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, W. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dayan, F. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaines, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-08-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.08.29.554743</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Enhanced metabolic detoxification is associated with fluroxypyr resistance in Bassia scoparia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-08-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.04.556264v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deep Whole-Genome Resequencing of Marek's Disease Virus Strains Reveals Intrastrain Variation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.04.556264v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Current strategies to understand the molecular basis of Mareks disease virus (MDV) virulence primarily consist of cataloguing divergent nucleotides between strains with different phenotypes. However, each MDV strain is typically represented by a single consensus genome despite the confirmed existence of mixed viral populations. To assess the reliability of single-consensus interstrain genomic comparisons, we obtained two additional consensus genomes of vaccine strain CVI988 (Rispens) and two additional consensus genomes of the very virulent strain Md5 by sequencing viral stocks and cultured field isolates. In conjunction with the published genomes of CVI988 and Md5, this allowed us to perform 3-way comparisons between consensus genomes of the same strain. We found that consensus genomes of CVI988 can vary in as many as 236 positions involving 13 open reading frames (ORFs). In contrast, we found that Md5 genomes varied only in 11 positions involving a single ORF. Phylogenomic analyses showed all three Md5 consensus genomes clustered closely together, while also showing that CVI988GenBank.BAC diverged from CVI988Pirbright.lab and CVI988USDA.PA.field. Comparison of CVI988 consensus genomes revealed 19 SNPs in the unique regions of CVI988GenBank.BAC that were not present in either CVI988Pirbright.lab or CVI988USDA.PA.field. Finally, we evaluated the genomic heterogeneity of CVI988 and Md5 populations by identifying positions with >2% read support for alternative alleles in two ultra-deeply sequenced samples. We were able to confirm that both populations of CVI988 and Md5 were mixed, exhibiting a total of 29 and 27 high-confidence minor variant positions, respectively. We did not find any evidence of minor variants in the positions corresponding to the 19 SNPs in the unique regions of CVI988GenBank.BAC. Taken together, our findings confirm that consensus genomes of the same strain of MDV can vary and suggest that multiple consensus genomes per strain are needed in order to maximize the accuracy of interstrain genomic comparisons.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ortigas-Vasquez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pandey, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Renner, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowen, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baigent, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunn, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheng, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Read, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nair, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kennedy, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Szpara, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.04.556264</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deep Whole-Genome Resequencing of Marek's Disease Virus Strains Reveals Intrastrain Variation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.08.556947v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Improved Super-Resolution Ribosome Profiling Revealed Prevalent Translation of Upstream ORFs and Small ORFs in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.08.556947v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A crucial step in functional genomics is identifying actively translated open reading frames (ORFs) that link biological functions. The challenge lies in identifying short ORFs, as they are greatly impacted by data quality and depth. Here, we improved the coverage of super-resolution Ribo-seq in Arabidopsis, revealing uncharacterized translation events in nucleus-, chloroplast-, and mitochondria-encoded genes. We identified 7,751 unconventional translation events, including 6,996 upstream ORFs (uORFs) and 209 downstream ORFs on annotated protein-coding genes, as well as 546 ncORFs on presumed non-coding RNAs. Proteomics data confirmed the production of stable proteins from some of the unannotated translation events. We present evidence of active translation on primary transcripts of tasiRNAs (TAS1-4) and microRNAs (pri-miR163, pri-miR169), and periodic ribosome stalling supporting co-translational decay. Additionally, we developed a method for identifying extremely short uORFs, including 370 minimum uORF (AUG-stop), and 2,984 tiny uORFs (2-10 aa), as well as 681 uORFs that overlap with each other. Remarkably, these short uORFs exhibit strong translational repression as longer uORFs. We also systematically discovered 594 uORFs regulated by alternative splicing, suggesting widespread isoform-specific translational control. Finally, these prevalent uORFs are associated with numerous important pathways. In summary, our improved Arabidopsis translational landscape provides valuable resources to study gene expression regulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ai, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teixeira, R. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montes-Serey, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elmore, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walley, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.08.556947</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Improved Super-Resolution Ribosome Profiling Revealed Prevalent Translation of Upstream ORFs and Small ORFs in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.11.557202v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Temperature, phenology, and plant defenses predict fitness near colder range limit 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.11.557202v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The space for time substitution posits that warmer locations can provide a source of genetic variation that could be adaptive for future climate change conditions. While this approximation might be useful for planning assisted gene flow, it relies on the importance of abiotic adaptations over biotic ones. Here I address this gap by assessing influence of anti-herbivore defenses, phenology, and morphology on the seed production of 146 populations of Oenothera biennis close to the plants cold range limit. Genotypes from 2.1{degrees} South of the common garden produce more seeds than most northern lineages. Adaptations across space are a suitable substitute for climate change, but there is still substantial fitness variability. These differences were best explained by bolt date, flowering time, and greater defenses against herbivores. Given the impacts of climate change, plant defenses might already be of similar adaptive importance to phenology close to northern rage limits.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Anstett, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.11.557202</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Temperature, phenology, and plant defenses predict fitness near colder range limit]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.11.557216v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predicting photosynthetic pathway from anatomy using machine learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.11.557216v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
- Plants with Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) have long been associated with a specialized anatomy, including succulence and thick photosynthetic tissues. Firm, quantitative boundaries between non-CAM and CAM plants have yet to be established - if they indeed exist.
- Using novel computer vision software to measure anatomy, we combined new measurements with published data across flowering plants. We then used machine learning and phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate relationships between CAM and anatomy.
- We found significant differences in photosynthetic tissue anatomy between plants with differing CAM phenotypes. Machine learning based classification was over 95% accurate in differentiating CAM from non-CAM anatomy, and had over 70% recall of distinct CAM phenotypes. Phylogenetic least squares regression and threshold analyses revealed that CAM evolution was significantly correlated with increased mesophyll cell size, thicker leaves, and decreased intercellular airspace.
- Our findings suggest that machine learning may be used to aid the discovery of new CAM species and that the evolutionary trajectory from non-CAM to strong, obligate CAM requires continual anatomical specialization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gilman, I. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heyduk, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maya-Lastra, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hancock, L. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.11.557216</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predicting photosynthetic pathway from anatomy using machine learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.12.557229v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genomic analysis reveals limited hybridization among three giraffe species in Kenya 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.12.557229v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundIn the speciation continuum the strength of reproductive isolation varies, and species boundaries are blurred by gene flow. Interbreeding among giraffe (Giraffa spp.) in captivity is known and anecdotal reports of natural hybrids exist. In Kenya, Nubian (G. camelopardalis camelopardalis), reticulated (G. reticulata), and Masai giraffe sensu stricto (G. tippelskirchi tippelskirchi) are parapatric, and thus the country might be a melting pot for these taxa. We analyzed 128 genomes of wild giraffe, 113 newly sequenced, representing these three taxa.

ResultsWe found varying levels of Nubian ancestry in 13 reticulated giraffe sampled across the Laikipia Plateau most likely reflecting historical gene flow between these two lineages. Although comparatively weaker signs of ancestral gene flow and potential mitochondrial introgression from reticulated into Masai giraffe were also detected, estimated admixture levels between these two lineages are minimal. Importantly, contemporary gene flow between East African giraffe lineages was not statistically significant. Effective population sizes have declined since the Late Pleistocene, more severely for Nubian and reticulated giraffe.

ConclusionsDespite historically hybridizing, these three giraffe lineages have maintained their overall genomic integrity suggesting effective reproductive isolation, consistent with the previous classification of giraffe into four species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Coimbra, R. T. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winter, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muneza, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fennessy, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Otiende, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mijele, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Masiaine, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stacy-Dawes, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fennessy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janke, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.12.557229</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genomic analysis reveals limited hybridization among three giraffe species in Kenya]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.557962v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mate choice in the brain: Species differ in how male traits 'turn on' gene expression in female brains 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.557962v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mate choice plays a fundamental role in speciation, yet we know little about the molecular mechanisms that underpin this crucial decision-making process. Female stickleback fish differentially adapted to limnetic and benthic habitats and considered members of reproductively isolated species use different male traits to evaluate prospective partners and reject heterospecific males. Here, we integrate behavioral data from a mate choice experiment involving benthic and limnetic fish with gene expression data from the brains of females making these mate choice decisions. We find substantial gene expression variation between limnetic and benthic species, regardless of behavioral context, suggesting general divergence in gene expression patterns in female brains, in accordance with their genetic differentiation. Intriguingly, female gene co-expression modules covary with male display traits but in opposing directions for sympatric populations of the two species, suggesting male displays elicit a genomic response that reflects known differences in female preferences which serve to isolate the species. Furthermore, our analysis confirms the role of numerous candidate genes previously implicated in female mate choice decision-making in other teleost species, suggesting that these cognitive molecular processes are, in part, evolutionarily conserved. Taken together, our study adds important new insights to our understanding of the molecular processes underlying female decision-making that maintain isolation between diverging species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Keagy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hofmann, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boughman, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.15.557962</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mate choice in the brain: Species differ in how male traits 'turn on' gene expression in female brains]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.557984v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pyruvate Kinase Activity Regulates Cystine Starvation Induced Ferroptosis through Malic Enzyme 1 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.557984v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with high mortality and limited efficacious therapeutic options. PDAC cells undergo metabolic alterations to survive within a nutrient-depleted tumor microenvironment. One critical metabolic shift in PDAC cells occurs through altered isoform expression of the glycolytic enzyme, pyruvate kinase (PK). Pancreatic cancer cells preferentially upregulate pyruvate kinase muscle isoform 2 isoform (PKM2). PKM2 expression reprograms many metabolic pathways, but little is known about its impact on cystine metabolism. Cystine metabolism is critical for supporting survival through its role in defense against ferroptosis, a non-apoptotic iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by unchecked lipid peroxidation. To improve our understanding of the role of PKM2 in cystine metabolism and ferroptosis in PDAC, we generated PKM2 knockout (KO) human PDAC cells. Fascinatingly, PKM2KO cells demonstrate a remarkable resistance to cystine starvation mediated ferroptosis. This resistance to ferroptosis is caused by decreased PK activity, rather than an isoform-specific effect. We further utilized stable isotope tracing to evaluate the impact of glucose and glutamine reprogramming in PKM2KO cells. PKM2KO cells depend on glutamine metabolism to support antioxidant defenses against lipid peroxidation, primarily by increased glutamine flux through the malate aspartate shuttle and utilization of ME1 to produce NADPH. Ferroptosis can be synergistically induced by the combination of PKM2 activation and inhibition of the cystine/glutamate antiporter in vitro. Proof-of-concept in vivo experiments demonstrate the efficacy of this mechanism as a novel treatment strategy for PDAC.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=114 SRC="FIGDIR/small/557984v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (31K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@fa23c2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@41c01dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@abc283org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6f53ef_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LIPKM2KO in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells produces enhanced defense against cystine starvation induced ferroptosis.
C_LIO_LIPharmacologic activation of pyruvate kinase (PK) activity promotes ferroptosis under cystine starvation, while inhibition promotes ferroptosis survival in PDAC cells.
C_LIO_LIDecrease in PK activity reprograms glutamine metabolism to increase use of malic enzyme 1 and promote survival under cystine starvation in PDAC cells.
C_LIO_LICystine starvation and activation of pyruvate kinase synergistically decreases progression of pancreatic cancer in vivo.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ensink, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jordan, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dias de Medeiros, H. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thurston, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pardal, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lunt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.15.557984</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pyruvate Kinase Activity Regulates Cystine Starvation Induced Ferroptosis through Malic Enzyme 1 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.558026v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
bamSliceR: cross-cohort variant and allelic bias analysis for rare variants and rare diseases 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.558026v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The NCI Genomic Data Commons (GDC) provides controlled access to sequencing data from thousands of subjects, enabling large-scale study of impactful genetic alterations such as simple and complex germline and structural variants. However, efficient analysis requires significant computational resources and expertise, especially when recalling variants from raw sequence reads. We thus developed bamSliceR, an R/Bioconductor package that builds upon the GenomicDataCommons package to extract aligned sequence reads from cross-GDC meta-cohorts, followed by targeted analysis of variants and effects (including transcript-aware variant annotation from transcriptome-aligned GDC RNA data). Here we demonstrate population-scale genomic & transcriptomic analyses with minimal compute burden via bamSliceR, identifying recurrent, clinically relevant sequence and structural variants in the TARGET AML and BEAT-AML cohorts. We then validate results in the (non-GDC) Leucegene cohort, demonstrating how the bamSliceR pipeline can be seamlessly applied to replicate findings in non-GDC cohorts. These variants directly yield clinically impactful and biologically testable hypotheses for mechanistic investigation. bamSliceR has been submitted to the Bioconductor project, where it is presently under review, and is available on GitHub at https://github.com/trichelab/bamSliceR.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Huang, Y. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harmon, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gardner, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harsh, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xue, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramos, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Triche, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.15.558026</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[bamSliceR: cross-cohort variant and allelic bias analysis for rare variants and rare diseases]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.19.558535v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An accurate probabilistic step finder for time-series analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.19.558535v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Noisy time-series data is commonly collected from sources including Forster Resonance Energy Transfer experiments, patch clamp and force spectroscopy setups, among many others. Two of the most common paradigms for the detection of discrete transitions in such time-series data include: hidden Markov models (HMMs) and step-finding algorithms. HMMs, including their extensions to infinite state-spaces, inherently assume in analysis that holding times in discrete states visited are geometrically-or, loosely speaking in common language, exponentially-distributed. Thus the determination of step locations, especially in sparse and noisy data, is biased by HMMs toward identifying steps resulting in geometric holding times. In contrast, existing step-finding algorithms, while free of this restraint, often rely on ad hoc metrics to penalize steps recovered in time traces (by using various information criteria) and otherwise rely on approximate greedy algorithms to identify putative global optima. Here, instead, we devise a robust and general probabilistic (Bayesian) step-finding tool that neither relies on ad hoc metrics to penalize step numbers nor assumes geometric holding times in each state. As the number of steps themselves in a time-series are, a priori unknown, we treat these within a Bayesian nonparametric (BNP) paradigm. We find that the method developed, Bayesian Nonparametric Step (BNP-Step), accurately determines the number and location of transitions between discrete states without any assumed kinetic model and learns the emission distribution characteristic of each state. In doing so, we verify that BNP-Step can analyze sparser data sets containing higher noise and more closely-spaced states than otherwise resolved by current state-of-the-art methods. What is more, BNP-Step rigorously propagates measurement uncertainty into uncertainty over state transition locations, numbers, and emission levels as characterized by the posterior. We demonstrate the performance of BNP-Step on both synthetic data as well as data drawn from force spectroscopy experiments.

SIGNIFICANCEMany time-series data sets exist which are challenging to analyze with current state-of-the-art methods, either because they contain excessive noise or because they violate one or more assumptions inherent to the chosen analysis method. To our knowledge, BNP-Step is the first time-series analysis algorithm which leverages Bayesian nonparametrics to learn the number and location of transitions between states and the emission levels associated to each state, while providing rigorous estimates of uncertainty for the learned quantities. We anticipate our algorithm will allow analysis of data sets at levels of noise or sparsity beyond what current state-of-the-art methods allow, and could potentially reveal previously unknown features in data sets analyzed using existing methods.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rojewski, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schweiger, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sgouralis, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Comstock, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Presse, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.19.558535</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An accurate probabilistic step finder for time-series analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.22.559052v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural basis of transcription: RNA Polymerase II substrate binding and metal coordination at 3.0 A using a free-electron laser 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.22.559052v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Catalysis and translocation of multi-subunit DNA-directed RNA polymerases underlie all cellular mRNA synthesis. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) synthesizes eukaryotic pre-mRNAs from a DNA template strand buried in its active site. Structural details of catalysis at near atomic resolution and precise arrangement of key active site components have been elusive. Here we present the free electron laser (FEL) structure of a matched ATP-bound Pol II, revealing the full active site interaction network at the highest resolution to date, including the trigger loop (TL) in the closed conformation, bonafide occupancy of both site A and B Mg2+, and a putative third (site C) Mg2+ analogous to that described for some DNA polymerases but not observed previously for cellular RNA polymerases. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the structure indicate that the third Mg2+ is coordinated and stabilized at its observed position. TL residues provide half of the substrate binding pocket while multiple TL/bridge helix (BH) interactions induce conformational changes that could propel translocation upon substrate hydrolysis. Consistent with TL/BH communication, a FEL structure and MD simulations of the hyperactive Rpb1 T834P bridge helix mutant reveals rearrangement of some active site interactions supporting potential plasticity in active site function and long-distance effects on both the width of the central channel and TL conformation, likely underlying its increased elongation rate at the expense of fidelity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Guowu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barnes, C. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weiss, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dutagaci, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyubimov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cohen, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaplan, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Calero, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.22.559052</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural basis of transcription: RNA Polymerase II substrate binding and metal coordination at 3.0 A using a free-electron laser]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.25.559407v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Microbially-catalyzed conjugation of GABA and tyramine to bile acids 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.25.559407v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bile acids (BAs) are cholesterol-derived molecules that aid in digestion and nutrient absorption, regulate host metabolic processes, and influence physiology of the gut microbiota. Both the host and its microbiome contribute to enzymatic modifications that shape the chemical diversity of BAs in the gut. Several bacterial species have been reported to conjugate standard amino acids to BAs, but it was not known if bacteria conjugate BAs to other amine classes. Here, we show that Bacteroides fragilis strain P207, isolated from a bacterial bloom in the J-pouch of a patient with ulcerative colitis (UC) pouchitis, conjugates standard amino acids and the neuroactive amines {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and tyramine to deoxycholic acid. We extended this analysis to other human gut isolates and identified species that are competent to conjugate GABA and tyramine to primary and secondary BAs, and further identified diverse BA-GABA and BA-tyramine amides in human stool. A longitudinal metabolomic analysis of J-pouch contents of the patient from whom B. fragilis P207 was isolated revealed highly reduced levels of secondary bile acids and a shifting BA amide profile before, during, and after onset of pouchitis, including temporal changes in several BA-GABA amides. Treatment of pouchitis with ciprofloxacin was associated with a marked reduction of nearly all BA amides in the J-pouch. Our study expands the known repertoire of conjugated bile acids produced by bacteria to include BA conjugates to GABA and tyramine and demonstrates that these molecules are present in the human gut.

ImportanceBile acids (BAs) are modified in multiple ways by host enzymes and the microbiota to produce a chemically diverse set of molecules that assist in the digestive process and impact many physiological functions. This study reports the discovery of bacteria isolated from the gut of human patients that conjugate the neuroactive amines, GABA and tyramine, to BAs and demonstrates that BA-GABA and BA-tyramine amides are present in the human gut. GABA and tyramine are common metabolic products of the gut microbiota and potent neuroactive molecules, and their conjugation to BAs may influence receptor-mediated regulatory mechanisms of humans and their gut microbes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mullowney, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnizlein, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McMillin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koval, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rubin, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dalal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sogin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sidebottom, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.25.559407</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Microbially-catalyzed conjugation of GABA and tyramine to bile acids]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.25.559343v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
From buds to shoots: Insights into grapevine development from the Witch's Broom bud sport 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.25.559343v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Premise of StudyDevelopment is relatively understudied in woody vines, such as grapevine (Vitis vinifera). We used the Witchs Broom bud sport in grapevine to understand the developmental trajectories of the bud sports, as well as the potential genetic basis of the bud sport.

MethodsWe phenotyped shoots, buds, and leaves of two independent cases of the Witchs Broom bud sport, in the Dakapo and Merlot varieties of grapevine, alongside wild-type counterparts of the same variety. We also performed Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing on the two independent cases and two wild-type counterparts of the same variety.

Key ResultsThe Dakapo and Merlot cases of Witchs Broom displayed severe developmental defects, with no fruit/clusters formed and dwarf vegetative features. However, the Dakapo and Merlot cases of Witchs Broom studied were also phenotypically different from one another, with distinct differences in bud and leaf development. We were able to identify unique genetic mutations in our two Witchs Broom cases that are strong candidates for the genetic basis of the bud sports.

ConclusionsThe Witchs Broom bud sport in grapevine serves as a useful natural mutant in which to study grapevine development. The Witchs Broom bud sports in both varieties studied had dwarf phenotypes, but the two instances studied were also vastly different from one another. Future work on Witchs Broom bud sports in grapevine could provide more insight into development and the genetic pathways involved in grapevine.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ritter, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cousins, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quigley, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kile, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raju, S. K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.25.559343</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[From buds to shoots: Insights into grapevine development from the Witch's Broom bud sport]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.26.557596v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Virulence and transmission biology of the widespread, ecologically important pathogen of zooplankton, Spirobacillus cienkowskii 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.26.557596v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spirobacillus cienkowskii (Spirobacillus, hereafter) is a widely distributed bacterial pathogen that has significant impacts on the population dynamics of zooplankton (Daphnia spp.), particularly in months when Daphnia are asexually reproducing. Yet little is known about Spirobacillus virulence, transmission mode and dynamics. As a result, we cannot explain the dynamics of Spirobacillus epidemics in nature or use Spirobacillus as a model pathogen, despite Daphnias tractability as a model-host. Here, we work to fill these knowledge gaps experimentally. We found that Spirobacillus is among the most virulent of Daphnia pathogens, killing its host within a week and reducing host fecundity. We further found that Spirobacillus did not transmit horizontally among hosts unless the host died or was destroyed (i.e., it is an "obligate killer"). In experiments aimed at quantifying the dynamics of horizontal transmission among asexually reproducing Daphnia, we demonstrated that Spirobacillus transmits poorly in the laboratory. In mesocosms, Spirobacillus failed to generate epidemics; in experiments wherein individual Daphnia were exposed, Spirobacillus transmission success was low. In the (limited) set of conditions we considered, Spirobacillus transmission success did not change with host density or pathogen dose and declined following environmental incubation. Lastly, we conducted a field survey of Spirobacillus prevalence within egg-cases (ephippia) made by sexually reproducing Daphnia. We found Spirobacillus DNA in [~]40% of ephippia, suggesting that, in addition to transmitting horizontally among asexually reproducing Daphnia, Spirobacillus may transmit vertically from sexually reproducing Daphnia. Our work fills critical gaps in the biology of Spirobacillus and illuminates new hypotheses vis-a-vis its life-history.

ImportanceSpirobacillus cienkowskii is a bacterial pathogen of zooplankton, first described in the 19th Century and recently placed in a new family of bacteria, the Silvanigrellaceae. Spirobacillus causes epidemics in lake zooplankton populations and increases the probability that zooplankton will be eaten by predators. However, little is known about how Spirobacillus transmits among hosts, its impact on host survival and reproduction (i.e., how virulent it is) in laboratory conditions and what role virulence plays in Spirobacillus life cycle. Here, we experimentally quantified Spirobacillus virulence and showed that Spirobacillus must kill its host to transmit horizontally. We also found evidence that Spirobacillus may transmit vertically via Daphnias seed-like egg cases. Our work will help scientists to (i) understand Spirobacillus epidemics, (ii) use Spirobacillus as a model pathogen for the study of host-parasite interactions and (iii) better understand the unusual group of bacteria to which Spirobacillus belongs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wale, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Freimark, C. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramirez, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kafri, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dziuba, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bilich, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duffy, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.26.557596</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Virulence and transmission biology of the widespread, ecologically important pathogen of zooplankton, Spirobacillus cienkowskii]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.25.559416v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Science abhors a surveillance vacuum: detection of ticks and tick-borne bacteria in southern New Mexico through passive surveillance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.25.559416v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Robust tick surveillance enhances diagnosis and prevention of tick-borne pathogens, yet surveillance efforts in the U.S. are highly uneven, resulting in large surveillance vacuums, one of which spans the state of New Mexico. As part of a larger effort to fill this vacuum, we conducted both active and passive tick sampling in New Mexico, focusing on the southern portion of the state. We conducted active tick sampling using dragging and CO2 trapping at 45 sites across Hidalgo, Dona Ana, Otero, and Eddy counties periodically between June 2021 and August 2022. We also conducted opportunistic, passive tick sampling in 2021 and 2022 from animals harvested by hunters or captured or collected by researchers and animals housed in animal hospitals, shelters, and farms. All pools of ticks were screened for Rickettsia rickettsii, R. parkeri, R. amblyommatis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and E. chaffeensis. Active sampling yielded no ticks. Passive sampling yielded 497 ticks comprising Carios kelleyi from pallid bats, Rhipicephalus sanguineus from dogs, mule deer, and Rocky Mountain elk, Otobius megnini from dogs, cats, horses, and Coues deer, Dermacentor parumapertus from dogs and black-tailed jackrabbits, D. albipictus from domesticated cats, mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk, and Dermacentor spp. from American black bear, Rocky Mountain elk, and mule deer. One pool of D. parumapterus from a black-tailed jackrabbit in Luna County tested positive for R. parkeri, an agent of spotted fever rickettsiosis. Additionally, a spotted fever group Rickettsia was detected in 6 of 7 Carios kelleyi pools. Two ticks showed morphological abnormalities; however, these samples did not test positive for any of the target pathogens, and the cause of the abnormalities is unknown. Passive surveillance yielded five identified species of ticks from three domestic and six wild mammal species. One tick pool from a black-tailed jackrabbit was found to harbor Rickettsia parkeri, and six pools of Carios kelleyi ticks, argasid ticks that have been reported to bite humans, were found to harbor a spotted fever group Rickettsia. Our findings update tick distributions and inform the public, medical, and veterinary communities of the potential tick-borne pathogens present in southern New Mexico.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Harman, P. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendell, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harman, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Draney, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boyle, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gompper, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orr, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bouyer, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teel, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanley, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.25.559416</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Science abhors a surveillance vacuum: detection of ticks and tick-borne bacteria in southern New Mexico through passive surveillance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.26.559576v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Non-destructive, whole-plant phenotyping reveals dynamic changes in water use efficiency, photosynthetic efficiency, and rhizosphere acidification of sorghum cultivars under osmotic stress 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.26.559576v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Noninvasive phenotyping can quantify dynamic plant growth processes at higher temporal resolution than destructive phenotyping and can reveal phenomena that would be missed by end-point analysis alone. Additionally, whole-plant phenotyping can identify growth conditions that are optimal for both above- and below-ground tissues. However, noninvasive, whole-plant phenotyping approaches available today are generally expensive, complex, and non-modular. We developed a low-cost and versatile approach to non-invasively measure whole-plant physiology over time by growing plants in isolated hydroponic chambers. We demonstrate the versatility of our approach by measuring whole-plant biomass accumulation, water use, and water use efficiency every two days on unstressed and osmotically-stressed sorghum accessions. We identified relationships between root zone acidification and photosynthetic efficiency on whole-plant water use efficiency over time. Our system can be implemented using cheap, basic components, requires no specific technical expertise, and is suitable for any non-aquatic vascular plant species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ginzburg, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.26.559576</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Non-destructive, whole-plant phenotyping reveals dynamic changes in water use efficiency, photosynthetic efficiency, and rhizosphere acidification of sorghum cultivars under osmotic stress]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.26.559651v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The shape and volume of air, kernels, and cracks, in a nutshell 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.26.559651v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Walnuts are the second most produced and consumed tree nut, with over 2.6 million metric tons produced in the 2022-23 harvest cycle alone. The United States is the second largest producer, accounting for 25% of the total global supply. Nonetheless, producers face an ever-growing demand in a more uncertain climate landscape, which requires effective and efficient walnut selection and breeding of new cultivars with increased kernel content and easy-to-open shells. Past and current efforts select for these traits using hand-held calipers and eye-based evaluations. Yet there is plenty of morphology that meets the eye but goes unmeasured, such as the volume of inner air or the convexity of the kernel. Here, we study the shape of walnut fruits based on X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) 3D reconstructions. We compute 49 different morphological phenotypes for 1264 individuals comprising 149 accessions. These phenotypes are complemented by traits of breeding interest such as ease of kernel removal and kernel weight. Through allometric relationships --relative growth of one tissue to another--, we identify possible biophysical constraints at play during development. We explore multiple correlations between all morphological and commercial traits, and identify which morphological traits can explain the most variability of commercial traits. We show that using only volume and thickness-based traits, especially inner air content, we can successfully encode several of the commercial traits.

Core IdeasO_LIX-ray Computed Tomography (CT) imaging is used to compute a broad array of morpho-logical phenotypes in walnuts.
C_LIO_LIThese morphological traits suggest biophysical constraints at play during walnut development.
C_LIO_LIRelative inner air, shell, and packing tissue volumes are significantly correlated to the rest of shape phenotypes.
C_LIO_LIThese volumes produce the best prediction models for traits of commercial interest such as shell strength.
C_LIO_LIInexpensive phenotyping platforms that focus solely on volume measurement would enable better walnut breeding.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Amezquita, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quigley, M. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munch, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.26.559651</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The shape and volume of air, kernels, and cracks, in a nutshell]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.28.559981v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
AMPK Regulates Phagophore-to-Autophagosome Maturation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.28.559981v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autophagy is an important metabolic pathway that can non-selectively recycle cellular material or lead to targeted degradation of protein aggregates or damaged organelles. Autophagosome formation starts with autophagy factors accumulating on lipid vesicles containing ATG9. These phagophores attach to donor membranes, expand via ATG2-mediated lipid transfer, capture cargo, and mature into autophagosomes, ultimately fusing with lysosomes for their degradation. Autophagy can be activated by nutrient stress, for example by a reduction in the cellular levels of amino acids. In contrast, how autophagy is regulated by low cellular ATP levels via the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an important therapeutic target, is less clear. Using live-cell imaging and an automated image analysis pipeline, we systematically dissect how nutrient starvation regulates autophagosome biogenesis. We demonstrate that glucose starvation downregulates autophagosome maturation by AMPK mediated inhibition of phagophores tethering to donor membranes. Our results clarify AMPKs regulatory role in autophagy and highlight its potential as a therapeutic target to reduce autophagy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barnaba, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broadbent, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.28.559981</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[AMPK Regulates Phagophore-to-Autophagosome Maturation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.26.559639v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Novel Epidermal Oxysterols Function as Alarm Substances in Zebrafish 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.26.559639v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Aquatic animals often use chemical cues to signal predation risk. When injured, shoaling fish skins release alarm substances that induce intense fear and a suite of anti-predator behaviors in other shoal members. However, the chemical nature of alarm substances remains largely unknown. Here we show that zebrafish alarm substance comprises 24-methyl-5-cholestane-3,7,12,24,28-pentahydroxy 28-sulfate, a novel oxysterol sulfate, and 5-cyprinol sulfate. These compounds are present in zebrafish skin extract and, at concentrations of less than one nanomolar, each induces anti-predator behaviors and increases cortisol levels. Their mixture, at its natural ratio, replicates the skin extract in eliciting the full suite of anti-predator behavior patterns. Our findings reveal a molecular-level mechanism whereby fish signal predation danger.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yin, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.26.559639</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Novel Epidermal Oxysterols Function as Alarm Substances in Zebrafish]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.28.559984v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An amphipathic helix drives interaction of Fibrillins with plastoglobule lipid droplets 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.28.559984v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plastoglobule lipid droplets of chloroplasts serve complex roles affecting plant development, stress tolerance and photosynthesis. They harbor a set of approximately 42 proteins that collectively dictate plastoglobule functions. Due to the monolayer structure of plastoglobules which encompass a neutral lipid core, these proteins must associate monotopically on the plastoglobule surface. However, targeting determinants have not been identified for plastoglobule proteins, and the protein-membrane interaction mechanisms that establish the plastoglobule proteome remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that plastoglobule-localized Fibrillins harbor an amphipathic helix at the lip of their {beta}-barrel that is necessary for proper plastoglobule association. Molecular dynamics simulations support the specific interaction of the amphipathic helix of AtFBN1a with membranes rich in lipid packing defects which are expected to be especially prevalent on the tightly curved surface of plastoglobules. Introduction of one of the amphipathic helices into stromal-or thylakoid-localized FBNs was ineffective at redirecting the proteins to plastoglobules, likely due to endogenous protein-protein interactions that override the influence of the amphipathic helix. Proteomic analyses indicate AtFBN1a influences the plastoglobule proteome through outcompeting and recruiting specific proteins. We also demonstrate that the plastoglobule-localized FBNs, AtFBN1a and AtFBN7a, bind unsaturated fatty acids, particularly C18:1, and that elimination of the amphipathic helix suppresses fatty acid binding in AtFBN1a, but promotes fatty acid binding in AtFBN7a. Predicted amphipathic helices can be identified on two-thirds of plastoglobule proteins, indicating the use of amphipathic helices may be a general mechanism by which proteins selectively associate with plastoglobules.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shivaiah, K.-K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boren, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herrera-Tequia, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermaas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundquist, P. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.28.559984</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An amphipathic helix drives interaction of Fibrillins with plastoglobule lipid droplets]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.30.560311v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural and quantum chemical basis for OCP-mediated quenching of phycobilisomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.30.560311v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cyanobacteria employ large antenna complexes called phycobilisomes (PBS) for light harvesting. However, intense light triggers non-photochemical quenching, where the Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP) binds to PBS, dissipating excess energy as heat. The mechanism of efficiently transferring energy from phycocyanobilins in PBS to canthaxanthin in OCP remains insufficiently understood. Using advanced cryogenic-electron microscopy, we unveiled the OCP-PBS complex structure at 1.6-2.1 [A] resolution, showcasing its inherent flexibility. Employing multiscale quantum chemistry, we disclosed the quenching mechanism. Identifying key protein residues, we clarified how canthaxanthins transition dipole moment in its lowest-energy dark state becomes large enough for efficient energy transfer from phycocyanobilins. Our energy transfer model offers a detailed understanding of the atomic determinants of light harvesting regulation and antenna architecture in cyanobacteria.

One sentence summaryHigh-resolution cryo-EM structure of the OCP-PBS complex reveals intrinsic motions and enables the atomic simulation of the quenching mechanism
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sauer, P. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cupellini, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sutter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bondanza, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dominguez Martin, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kirst, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bina, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koh, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kotecha, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greber, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nogales, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Polivka, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mennucci, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerfeld, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-09-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.09.30.560311</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural and quantum chemical basis for OCP-mediated quenching of phycobilisomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-09-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560527v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cytochrome P450 and Epoxide Hydrolase Metabolites in Aβ and tau-induced Neurodegeneration: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560527v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This study aims to uncover potent cytochrome P450 (CYP) and epoxide hydrolase (EH) metabolites implicated in A{beta} and/or tau-induced neurodegeneration, independent of neuroinflammation, by utilizing Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a model organism. Our research reveals that A{beta} and/or tau expression in C. elegans disrupts the oxylipin profile, and epoxide hydrolase inhibition alleviates the ensuing neurodegeneration, likely through elevating the epoxy-to-hydroxy ratio of various CYP-EH metabolites. In addition, our results indicated that the A{beta} and tau likely affect the CYP-EH metabolism of PUFA through different mechanism. These findings emphasize the intriguing relationship between lipid metabolites and neurodegenerations, in particular, those linked to A{beta} and/or tau aggregation. Furthermore, our investigation sheds light on the crucial and captivating role of CYP PUFA metabolites in C. elegans physiology, opening up possibilities for broader implications in mammalian and human contexts.



O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=92 SRC="FIGDIR/small/560527v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (22K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@8fd3fdorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a6c4e1org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c7a5a7org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@14c8ce2_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sarparast, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hinman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pourmand, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vonarx, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramirez, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liachko, N. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, K. S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.02.560527</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cytochrome P450 and Epoxide Hydrolase Metabolites in Aβ and tau-induced Neurodegeneration: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560557v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gut metabolite L-lactate supports Campylobacter jejuni population expansion during acute infection 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560557v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
How the microaerobic pathogen Campylobacter jejuni establishes its niche and expands in the gut lumen during infection is poorly understood. Using six-week-old ferrets as a natural disease model, we examined this aspect of C. jejuni pathogenicity. Unlike mice, which require significant genetic or physiological manipulation to become colonized with C. jejuni, ferrets are readily infected without the need to disarm the immune system or alter the gut microbiota. Disease after C. jejuni infection in ferrets reflects closely how human C. jejuni infection proceeds. Rapid growth of C. jejuni and associated intestinal inflammation was observed within two-three days of infection. We observed pathophysiological changes that were noted by cryptic hyperplasia through the induction of tissue repair systems, accumulation of undifferentiated amplifying cells on the colon surface, and instability of HIF-1 in colonocytes, which indicated increased epithelial oxygenation. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that lactate levels in colon content were elevated in infected animals. A C. jejuni mutant lacking lctP, which encodes an L-lactate transporter, was significantly decreased for colonization during infection. Lactate also influences adhesion and invasion by C. jejuni to a colon carcinoma cell line (HCT116). The oxygenation required for expression of lactate transporter (lctP) led to discovery of a putative thiol based redox switch regulator (LctR) that may repress lctP transcription under anaerobic conditions. Our work provides new insights into the pathogenicity of C. jejuni.

SignificanceThere is a gap in knowledge about the mechanisms by which C. jejuni populations expand during infection. Using an animal model which accurately reflects human infection without the need to alter the host microbiome or the immune system prior to infection, we explored pathophysiological alterations of the gut after C. jejuni infection. Our study identified the gut metabolite L-lactate as playing an important role as a growth substrate for C. jejuni during acute infection. We identified a DNA binding protein, LctR, that binds to the lctP promoter and may repress lctP expression, resulting in decreased lactate transport under low oxygen levels. This work provides new insights about C. jejuni pathogenicity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sinha, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LeVeque, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Callahan, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stopnisek, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuipel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.02.560557</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gut metabolite L-lactate supports Campylobacter jejuni population expansion during acute infection]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560560v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Non-canonical activation of IRE1α during Candida albicans infection enhances macrophage fungicidal activity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560560v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While the canonical function of IRE1 is to detect misfolded proteins and activate the unfolded protein response (UPR) to maintain cellular homeostasis, microbial pathogens can also activate IRE1, which modulates innate immunity and infection outcomes. However, how infection activates IRE1 and its associated inflammatory functions have not been fully elucidated. Recognition of microbe-associated molecular patterns can activate IRE1, but it is unclear whether this depends on protein misfolding. Here, we report that a common and deadly fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, activates macrophage IRE1 through C-type lectin receptor signaling, reinforcing a role for IRE1 as a central regulator of host responses to infection by a broad range of pathogens. This activation did not depend on protein misfolding in response to C. albicans infection. Moreover, lipopolysaccharide treatment was also able to activate IRE1 prior to protein misfolding, suggesting that pathogen-mediated activation of IRE1 occurs through non-canonical mechanisms. During C. albicans infection, we observed that IRE1 activity promotes phagolysosomal fusion that supports the fungicidal activity of macrophages. Consequently, macrophages lacking IRE1 activity displayed inefficient phagosome maturation, enabling C. albicans to lyse the phagosome, evade fungal killing, and drive aberrant inflammatory cytokine production. Mechanistically, we show that IRE1 activity supports phagosomal calcium flux after phagocytosis of C. albicans, which is crucial for phagosome maturation. Importantly, deletion of IRE1 activity decreased the fungicidal activity of phagocytes in vivo during systemic C. albicans infection. Together, these data provide mechanistic insight for the non-canonical activation of IRE1 during infection, and reveal central roles for IRE1 in macrophage antifungal responses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McFadden, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reynolds, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michmerhuizen, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Riordan, M. X. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Meara, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.02.560560</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Non-canonical activation of IRE1α during Candida albicans infection enhances macrophage fungicidal activity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560457v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of research topics and paradigms in plant sciences 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560457v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Scientific advances due to conceptual or technological innovations can be revealed by examining how research topics have evolved. But such topical evolution is difficult to uncover and quantify because of the large body of literature and the needs of expert knowledge from a wide range of areas in any field. Here we used machine learning and language models to classify plant science citations into topics representing interconnected, evolving subfields. The changes in prevalence of topical records over the last 50 years reflect major research paradigm shifts and recent radiation of new topics, as well as turnovers of model species and vastly different plant science research trajectories among countries. Our approaches readily summarize the topical diversity and evolution of a scientific field with hundreds of thousands of relevant papers, and they can be applied broadly to other fields.

Significance statementChanges in scientific paradigms are foundational for the advancement of science, but such changes are difficult to summarize, quantify, and illustrate. These challenges are exacerbated by the rapid, exponential growth of literature. Applying a combination of machine learning and language modeling to hundreds of thousands of published abstracts, we demonstrate that a scientific field (i.e., plant science) can be summarized as interconnected subfields evolving from one another. We also reveal insights into major research trends and the rise and decline in the use of model organisms in different countries. Our study demonstrates how artificial intelligence and language models can be broadly applied to understand scientific advances that inform science policy and funding decisions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.02.560457</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of research topics and paradigms in plant sciences]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560482v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Spiral NeuroString: High-Density Soft Bioelectronic Fibers for Multimodal Sensing and Stimulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560482v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bioelectronic fibers hold promise for both research and clinical applications due to their compactness, ease of implantation, and ability to incorporate various functionalities such as sensing and stimulation. However, existing devices suffer from bulkiness, rigidity, limited functionality, and low density of active components. These limitations stem from the difficulty to incorporate many components on one-dimensional (1D) fiber devices due to the incompatibility of conventional microfabrication methods (e.g., photolithography) with curved, thin and long fiber structures. Herein, we introduce a fabrication approach, "spiral transformation'', to convert two-dimensional (2D) films containing microfabricated devices into 1D soft fibers. This approach allows for the creation of high density multimodal soft bioelectronic fibers, termed Spiral NeuroString (S-NeuroString), while enabling precise control over the longitudinal, angular, and radial positioning and distribution of the functional components. We show the utility of S-NeuroString for motility mapping, serotonin sensing, and tissue stimulation within the dynamic and soft gastrointestinal (GI) system, as well as for single-unit recordings in the brain. The described bioelectronic fibers hold great promises for next-generation multifunctional implantable electronics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Khatib, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, E. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wei, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abramson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bishop, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, C.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, A.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamnett, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Root, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chakhtoura, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhong, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nishio, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salimi-Jazi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rafeeqi, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hemed, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tok, J. B.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaltschmidt, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunn, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bao, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.02.560482</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Spiral NeuroString: High-Density Soft Bioelectronic Fibers for Multimodal Sensing and Stimulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560544v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantitative Profiling Method for Oxylipins in Neurodegenerative Diseases by Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.02.560544v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Aging is one of the major risk factors for many chronic diseases, including diabetes, neuropathy, hypertension, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanism behind aging and how aging affects a variety of disease progression remains unknown. Recent research demonstrated the cytochrome P450 (CYP)-epoxide hydrolase (EH) metabolites of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play a critical role in the abovementioned age-associated diseases. Therefore, aging could affect the abovementioned chronic diseases by modulating CYP-EH PUFA metabolism. Unfortunately, investigating how aging affects CYP-EH metabolism in human and mammalian models poses significant challenges.

In this regard, we will use C. elegans as a model organism to investigate the aging effects on CYP-EH metabolism of PUFA, owing to its long history of being used to study aging and its associated benefits of conducting aging research. This project will develop analytical tools to measure the endogenous levels of CYP-EH PUFA metabolites in C. elegans using state-of-the-art ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). These metabolites are very potent but present in low abundance. The dramatic increase in sensitivity in UPLC-MS/MS allows us to monitor these metabolites over the lifespan of C. elegans with minimum samples. Our results show that C. elegans produces similar CYP PUFA metabolites to mammals and humans using our SPE-UPLC-MS/MS method. We will also show that our method successfully determined the CYP-EH PUFA metabolites profile changes induced by the inhibition of C. elegans EH. The method developed from this project will significantly improve our understanding of the role of dietary PUFAs and associated metabolism on aging and neurodegeneration and will uncover new mechanisms of how aging affects neurodegeneration through the modulation of PUFA metabolic pathways.

Graphical abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=121 SRC="FIGDIR/small/560544v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (22K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@415035org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1f8d81eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@34a9f8org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@182de04_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pourmand, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarparast, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alan, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, K. S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.02.560544</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantitative Profiling Method for Oxylipins in Neurodegenerative Diseases by Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.04.560816v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Establishment and comparative genomics of a high-quality collection of mosquito-associated bacterial isolates -- MosAIC (Mosquito-Associated Isolate Collection) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.04.560816v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mosquitoes transmit medically important human pathogens, including viruses like dengue virus and parasites such as Plasmodium spp., the causative agent of malaria. Mosquito microbiomes are critically important for the ability of mosquitoes to transmit disease-causing agents. However, while large collections of bacterial isolates and genomic data exist for vertebrate microbiomes, the vast majority of work in mosquitoes to date is based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon data that provides limited taxonomic resolution and no functional information. To address this gap and facilitate future studies using experimental microbiome manipulations, we generated a bacterial Mosquito-Associated Isolate Collection (MosAIC) consisting of 392 bacterial isolates with extensive metadata and high-quality draft genome assemblies that are publicly available for use by the scientific community. MosAIC encompasses 142 species spanning 29 bacterial families, with members of the Enterobacteriaceae comprising 40% of the collection. Phylogenomic analysis of three genera, Enterobacter, Serratia, and Elizabethkingia, reveal lineages of mosquito-associated bacteria isolated from different mosquito species in multiple laboratories. Investigation into species pangenomes further reveals clusters of genes specific to these lineages, which are of interest for future work to identify functions underlying mosquito host association. Altogether, we describe the generation of a physical collection of mosquito-associated bacterial isolates, their genomic data, and analyses of selected groups in context of genome data from closely related isolates, providing a unique, highly valuable resource to investigate factors for bacterial colonisation and adaptation within mosquito hosts. Future efforts will expand the collection to include broader geographic and host species representation, especially from individuals collected from field populations, as well as other mosquito-associated microbes, including fungi, archaea, and protozoa.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Foo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brettell, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nichols, H. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>2022 UW-Madison Capstone in Microbiology Students,</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medina Munoz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lysne, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dhokiya, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoque, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brackney, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caragata, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hutchinson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobs-Lorena, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lampe, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valiente Moro, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Povelones, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Short, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steven, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paustian, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rondon, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hughes, G. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coon, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heinz, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.04.560816</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Establishment and comparative genomics of a high-quality collection of mosquito-associated bacterial isolates -- MosAIC (Mosquito-Associated Isolate Collection)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.03.560734v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CellPLM: Pre-training of Cell Language Model Beyond Single Cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.03.560734v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The current state-of-the-art single-cell pre-trained models are greatly inspired by the success of large language models. They trained transformers by treating genes as tokens and cells as sentences. However, three fundamental differences between single-cell data and natural language data are overlooked: (1) scRNA-seq data are presented as bag-of-genes instead of sequences of RNAs; (2) Cell-cell relations are more intricate and important than inter-sentence relations; and (3) The quantity of single-cell data is considerably inferior to text data, and they are very noisy. In light of these characteristics, we propose a new pre-trained model CellPLM, which takes cells as tokens and tissues as sentences. In addition, we leverage spatially-resolved transcriptomic data in pre-training to facilitate learning cell-cell relationships and introduce a Gaussian mixture prior distribution as an additional inductive bias to overcome data limitation. CellPLM is the first single-cell pre-trained transformer that encodes cell-cell relations and it consistently outperforms existing pre-trained and non-pre-trained models in diverse downstream tasks, with 100x times higher inference speed compared to existing pre-trained models.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dai, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.03.560734</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CellPLM: Pre-training of Cell Language Model Beyond Single Cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.04.560899v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Employing a honeybee olfactory neural circuit as a novel gas sensor for the detection of human lung cancer biomarkers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.04.560899v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human breath contains biomarkers (odorants) that can be targeted for early disease detection. It is well known that honeybees have a keen sense of smell and can detect a wide variety of odors at low concentrations. Here, for the first time, we employ honeybee olfactory neuronal circuitry to classify human lung cancer volatile biomarkers and their mixtures at concentration ranges relevant to human breath, parts-per-billion to parts-per-trillion. Different lung cancer biomarkers evoked distinct spiking response dynamics in the honeybee antennal lobe neurons indicating that those neurons encoded biomarker-specific information. By investigating lung cancer biomarker-evoked population neuronal responses from the honeybee antennal lobe, we could classify individual human lung cancer biomarkers successfully (88% success rate). When we mixed six lung cancer biomarkers at different concentrations to create  synthetic lung cancer vs.  synthetic healthy breath, honeybee population neuronal responses were also able to classify those complex breath mixtures successfully (100% success rate with a leave-one-trial-out method). Finally, we used separate training and testing datasets containing responses to the synthetic lung cancer and healthy breath mixtures. We identified a simple metric, the peak response of the neuronal ensemble, with the ability to distinguish synthetic lung cancer breath from the healthy breath with 86.7% success rate. This study provides proof-of-concept results that a powerful biological gas sensor, the honeybee olfactory system, can be used to detect human lung cancer biomarkers and their complex mixtures at biological concentrations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Parnas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farnum, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lefevre, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.04.560899</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Employing a honeybee olfactory neural circuit as a novel gas sensor for the detection of human lung cancer biomarkers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.06.561151v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Population-specific responses to developmental temperature in the arboviral vector <Aedes albopictus>: implications for climate change 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.06.561151v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The increase of environmental temperature due to current global warming is not only favoring the expansion of the distribution range of many insect species, but it is also changing their phenology. Insect phenology is tightly linked to developmental timing, which is regulated by environmental temperatures. However, the degree to which effects of developmental temperatures extend across developmental stages and their inter-stage relationships have not been thoroughly quantified in mosquitoes. Here, we used the mosquito Aedes albopictus, which is an aggressive invasive species and an arboviral vector to study how developmental temperature influences fitness across developmental stages, thermal traits, energy reserves, transcriptome, and Wolbachia prevalence in populations from either temperate or tropical regions. We show that hatchability, larval and pupal viability, and developmental speed are strongly influenced by temperature and these effects extend to wing length, body mass, longevity, content of water, protein and lipids in adults, in a population-specific manner. On the contrary, neither adult thermal preference nor heat resistance significantly change with temperature. Development at 18{degrees}C revealed to be a limiting factor for the proliferation of Wolbachia in adults and transcriptome analysis showed enrichment for functions linked to stress responses (i.e. cuticle proteins and chitin, cytochrome p450, and heat shock proteins) in mosquitoes reared at both 18{degrees}C and 32{degrees}C. Our data showed an overall reduced vector fitness performance when mosquitoes were reared at 32{degrees}C, and the absence of isomorphy in the relationship between developmental stages and temperature in the temperate population. Altogether these results have important implications for reliable model projections of the invasion potentials of Ae. albopictus and its epidemiological impact.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Carlassara, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khorramnejad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oker, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahrami, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lozada-Chavez, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mancini, M. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Body, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lahondere, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonizzoni, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.06.561151</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Population-specific responses to developmental temperature in the arboviral vector <Aedes albopictus>: implications for climate change]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.05.561098v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mimetic butterfly wings through mimetic butterfly eyes: Evidence that brightness vision helps Adelpha fessonia identify potential mates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.05.561098v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Color vision is thought to play a key role in the evolution of animal coloration, while achromatic vision is rarely considered as a mechanism for species recognition. Here we test the hypothesis that brightness vision rather than color vision helps Adelpha fessonia butterflies identify potential mates while their co-mimetic wing coloration is indiscriminable to avian predators. We examine the trichromatic visual system of A. fessonia and characterize its photoreceptors using RNA-seq, eyeshine, epi- microspectrophotometry and optophysiology. We model the discriminability of its wing color patches in relation to those of its co-mimic, A. basiloides, through A. fessonia and avian eyes. Visual modeling suggests that neither A. fessonia nor avian predators can readily distinguish the co-mimics coloration using chromatic or achromatic vision under natural conditions. These results suggest that mimetic colors are well-matched to visual systems to maintain mimicry, and that mate avoidance between these two look-alike species relies on other cues.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dang, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernard, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Macias-Munoz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hill, R. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lawrence, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olguin, A. R. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luis-Martinez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mullen, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Llorente-Bousquets, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Briscoe, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.05.561098</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mimetic butterfly wings through mimetic butterfly eyes: Evidence that brightness vision helps Adelpha fessonia identify potential mates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.09.561581v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Cell Atlas of Thoracic Aortic Perivascular Adipose Tissue: a focus on mechanotransducers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.09.561581v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is increasingly recognized for its function in mechanotransduction. To examine the cell-specificity of recognized mechanotransducers we used single nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) of the thoracic aorta PVAT (taPVAT) from male Dahl SS rats compared to subscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT). Approximately 30,000 nuclei from taPVAT and BAT each were characterized by snRNAseq, identifying 8 major cell types expected and one unexpected (nuclei with oligodendrocyte marker genes). Cell-specific differential gene expression analysis between taPVAT and BAT identified up to 511 genes (adipocytes) with many ([&ge;]20%) being unique to individual cell types. Piezo1 was the most highly, widely expressed mechanotransducer. Presence of PIEZO1 in the PVAT was confirmed by RNAscope(R) and IHC; antagonism of PIEZO1 impaired the PVATs ability to hold tension. Collectively, the cell compositions of taPVAT and BAT are highly similar, and PIEZO1 is likely a mechanotransducer in taPVAT.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thompson, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Watts, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Terrian, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contreras, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rockwell, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rendon, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wabel, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lockwood, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.09.561581</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Cell Atlas of Thoracic Aortic Perivascular Adipose Tissue: a focus on mechanotransducers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.09.561537v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
AP-LASR: Automated Protein Libraries from Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.09.561537v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundAncestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) provides an informative roadmap of evolutionary protein sequence space that benefits protein design and engineering in pursuit of high stability and diverse functionality. Using statistical and biological knowledge, ASR can determine the most probable ancestor among potential alternative amino acid states. However, the inherent uncertainty of ASR can be further leveraged to determine viable "nearby" ancestors with wide-ranging functionalities by sampling alternative amino acid states.

ResultsHere we introduce AP-LASR which i) automates ASR and ii) leverages uncertainty in ASR to generate diverse protein sequence libraries that consist of ancestral sequences and near-ancestor sequences. In addition to automating pre-processing tasks (e.g., data cleaning, multiple sequence alignment, and software dependency management), AP-LASR offers several user-definable hyperparameters (e.g., input data size, ancestral probability cut-off, and sequence supplementation) to control the properties of the generated library. AP-LASR features an improved eLnP score (a metric for quantifying reconstructed ancestral sequence confidence) compared to FireProtASR, a well-established ASR workflow, for all four functionally diverse protein families studied. Furthermore, the rigorous statistical analysis undertaken in this study elucidates the influence of hyperparameters on ASR, enabling researchers to refine AP-LASR to their specific research.

ConclusionAP-LASR offers an automated ASR experience that surpasses existing software by including a novel library design feature, powering curated protein libraries for wet-lab evaluation. We demonstrate how computational parameters impact the quality of ASR results, library composition, and the tradeoffs therein. AP-LASR offers a powerful tool for protein engineers to efficiently navigate the vast protein sequence landscape.

Software available at: https://github.com/WoldringLabMSU/AP-LASR
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanAntwerp, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mardikoraem, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pascual, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woldring, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.09.561537</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[AP-LASR: Automated Protein Libraries from Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.13.562192v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cross-sector collaboration reduces SARS-CoV-2 risk in deer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.13.562192v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
One Health helps achieve optimal health outcomes for people, animals, plants, and their shared environments. We describe a multidisciplinary effort to better understand and mitigate SARS-CoV-2 spread in white-tailed deer across One Health sectors. We first framed the risk problem with three governance sectors that manage captive and wild deer and human public health. The framing included the objectives for each sector, interactions that facilitate human-to-deer and deer-to-deer transmission, and alternatives intended to reduce risk. We then developed a dynamic compartmental model that linked wild and captive deer herds and humans and simulated SARS-CoV-2 dynamics. For baseline conditions, we estimated that median SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in wild and captive herds varied between 0.03 - 0.07, incidence between 0.68 - 1.46, and probability of persistence between 0.64 - 0.97 across 120-day simulations. We then tested single-sector alternatives alone and in combination with other sector actions. We found that single sector alternatives varied in their ability to reduce transmission and that the best performing alternative required collaborative actions among wildlife management, agricultural management, and public health agencies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cook, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosenblatt, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRenzo, G. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campbell Grant, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mosher, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arce, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christensen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghai, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Runge, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.13.562192</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cross-sector collaboration reduces SARS-CoV-2 risk in deer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.13.562211v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Five amino acid mismatches in the zinc-finger domains of CELLULOSE SYNTHASE 5 and CELLULOSE SYNTHASE 6 modulate their incorporation into cellulose synthase complexes in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.13.562211v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Main conclusion Different capacities for the homodimerization of CESA5 and CESA6 are modulated by five amino acid mismatches in their zinc-finger domains and motivate discriminative incorporation of these CESAs into CSCs

Cellulose synthase 5 (CESA5) and CESA6 are known to share substantial functional overlap. In the zinc-finger domain of CESA5, there are five amino acid (AA) mismatches when compared to CESA6. These mismatches in CESA5 were replaced with their CESA6 counterparts one by one until all were replaced, generating nine engineered CESA5s. Each N-terminal enhanced yellow fluorescent protein-tagged engineered CESA5 was introduced to prc1-1, a cesa6 null mutant, and resulting mutants were subjected to phenotypic analyses. We found that five single AA-replaced CESA5 proteins partially rescue the prc1-1 mutant phenotypes to different extents. Multi-AA replaced CESA5s further rescued the mutant phenotypes in an additive manner, culminating in full recovery by CESA5G43R+S49T+S54P+S80A+Y88F. Investigations in cellulose content, cellulose synthase complex (CSC) motility, and cellulose microfibril organization in the same mutants support the results of the phenotypic analyses. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays demonstrated that the level of homodimerization in every engineered CESA5 is substantially higher than CESA5. The mean fluorescence intensity of CSCs carrying each engineered CESA5 fluctuates with the degree to which the prc1-1 mutant phenotypes are rescued by introducing a corresponding engineered CESA5, indicating that these mismatches modulate the incorporation of both CESAs into CSCs by controlling their ability to homodimerize.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, S.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.13.562211</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Five amino acid mismatches in the zinc-finger domains of CELLULOSE SYNTHASE 5 and CELLULOSE SYNTHASE 6 modulate their incorporation into cellulose synthase complexes in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.13.562243v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A General Single-Cell Analysis Framework via Conditional Diffusion Generative Models 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.13.562243v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWThe fast-growing single-cell analysis community extends the horizon of quantitative analysis to numerous computational tasks. While the tasks hold vastly different targets from each other, existing works typically design specific model frameworks according to the downstream objectives. In this work, we propose a general single-cell analysis framework by unifying common computational tasks as posterior estimation problems. In light of conditional diffusion generative models, we introduce scDiff through the proposed framework and study different conditioning strategies. With data-specific conditions, scDiff achieves competitive performance against state-of-the-art in various benchmarking tasks. In addition, we illustrate the flexibility of scDiff by incorporating prior information through large language models and graph neural networks. Additional few-shot and zero-shot experiments prove the effectiveness of the prior conditioner on scDiff. Our implementation is publicly available at https://github.com/OmicsML/scDiff.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dai, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.13.562243</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A General Single-Cell Analysis Framework via Conditional Diffusion Generative Models]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.16.562541v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Chronic social defeat stress induces a depression-relevant outcome in male prairie voles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.16.562541v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundStress-induced illnesses, like major depression, are among the leading causes of disability across the world. Consequently, there is a dire need for the validation of translationally-suited animal models incorporating social stress to uncover the etiology of depression. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are more translationally relevant than many other rodent models as they display monogamous social and parental behaviors and more primate-like neuroanatomy. Therefore, we evaluated whether a novel social defeat stress (SDS) model in male prairie voles induces depression-relevant behavioral outcomes.

MethodsAdult sexually-naive male prairie voles experienced SDS bouts from a conspecific pair-bonded male aggressor, 10 min per day for 10 consecutive days. Non-stressed controls (same-sex siblings) were housed in similar conditions but never experienced physical stress. Twenty-four hr later, voles were evaluated in social interaction, sucrose preference, and Morris water maze tests - behavioral endpoints validated to assess social withdrawal, anhedonia-related behavior, and spatial memory performance, respectively.

ResultsSDS-exposed voles displayed lower sociability and body weight, decreased preference for a sucrose solution, and impairment of spatial memory retrieval. Importantly, no differences in general locomotor activity were observed as a function of SDS exposure.

LimitationsThis study does not include female voles in the experimental design.

ConclusionsWe found that repeated SDS exposure, in male prairie voles, results in a depression-relevant phenotype resembling an anhedonia-like outcome (per reductions in sucrose preference) along with social withdrawal and spatial memory impairment - highlighting that the prairie vole is a valuable model with potential to study the neurobiology of social stress-induced depression-related outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rodriguez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Themann, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia-Carachure, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lira, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cushing, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iniguez, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.16.562541</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Chronic social defeat stress induces a depression-relevant outcome in male prairie voles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.16.562230v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
BUMBLE BEE RESPONSES TO CLIMATE AND LANDSCAPES: INVESTIGATING HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS AND SPECIES ASSEMBLAGES ACROSS GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.16.562230v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bumble bees are integral pollinators of native and cultivated plant communities, but species are undergoing significant changes in range and abundance on a global scale. Climate change and land cover alteration are key drivers in pollinator declines; however, limited research has evaluated the cumulative effects of these factors on bumble bee assemblages. This study tests bumble bee responses to climate and land use by modeling 1) occupancy (presence/absence); 2) species richness; 3) species-specific habitat requirements; and 4) assemblage-level responses across geographic regions. We integrated richness, abundance, and distribution data for 18 bumble bee species with site specific bioclimatic, landscape composition, and landscape configuration data to evaluate the effects of multiple environmental stressors on bumble bee assemblages throughout 433 agricultural fields in Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia from 2018 to 2020. Increased prevalence of attractive crops was associated with increased bumble bee presence, while higher maximum temperature of warmest month and unattractive crops were linked to bumble bee absences. Bumble bee species richness was positively correlated with attractive crops and elevation but declined with precipitation of the wettest month. Moreover, species richness increased as maximum temperature of warmest month approached 29{degrees}C but declined at they rose to 36{degrees}C, suggesting a potential temperature threshold around 33{degrees}C. Distinct east vs. west groupings emerged when evaluating species-specific habitat associations, prompting a detailed evaluation of bumble bee assemblages by geographic region. Overall, climate and land use combine to drive bumble bee occupancy and assemblages, but how those processes operate is idiosyncratic and spatially contingent across regions. From these findings, we suggested regionally specific management practices to best support rich bumble bee assemblages in agroecosystems. Results from this study contribute to a better understanding of climate and landscape factors affecting bumble bees and their habitats throughout the USA.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Christman, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spears, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burchfield, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pearse, W. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strange, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramirez, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.16.562230</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[BUMBLE BEE RESPONSES TO CLIMATE AND LANDSCAPES: INVESTIGATING HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS AND SPECIES ASSEMBLAGES ACROSS GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.16.562583v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Conflicts in natural selection constrain adaptation to climate change in Arabidopsis thaliana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.16.562583v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Climate change has already caused noticeable changes in species-wide traits, such as the well-documented acceleration of spring flowering. Because the evolutionary past has favored certain combinations of traits, some strategies like fast growth with early flowering that are adaptive today are at odds with other plant resilience strategies such as elevated water use efficiency. We know that the evolution of trait combinations is shaped by genomic constraints, but it is unclear whether and how this is affected by natural selection from climate change. Growing hundreds of Arabidopsis thaliana natural populations under different rainfall regimes revealed opposing natural selection on flowering time and water use efficiency, with strong antagonistic genetic correlations and contrasting causal alleles identified by Genome-Wide Association analyses. Inactivation of the central flowering regulator FLC in multiple, diverse accessions relaxed trait correlations in a genetic background-dependent manner and allowed for the emergence of a novel adaptive trait combination--early flowering and intermediate water use efficiency. Future climates are predicted to escalate conflicts in natural selection among adaptive traits, but our work shows that surprisingly simple genetic changes can help solve these conflicts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ruffley, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levanthal, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hateley, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Exposito-Alonso, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.16.562583</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Conflicts in natural selection constrain adaptation to climate change in Arabidopsis thaliana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.17.562711v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Computational discovery of co-expressed antigens as dual targeting candidates for cancer therapy through bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.17.562711v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationBispecific antibodies (bsAbs) that bind to two distinct surface antigens on cancer cells are emerging as an appealing therapeutic strategy in cancer immunotherapy. However, considering the vast number of surface proteins, experimental identification of potential antigen pairs that are selectively expressed in cancer cells and not in normal cells is both costly and time-consuming. Recent studies have utilized large bulk RNA-seq databases to propose bispecific targets for various cancers. But, co-expressed pairs derived from bulk RNA-seq do not necessarily indicate true co-expression of both markers in the same cell. Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) can circumvent this issue but the issues in dropouts and low-coverage of transcripts impede the large-scale characterization of co-expressed pairs.

ResultsWe present a computational pipeline for bsAbs identification which combines the advantages of bulk and scRNA-seq while minimizing the issues associated with using these approaches separately. We select Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) as a case study to demonstrate the utility of the approach. First, using the bulk RNA-seq samples in the OCTAD database, we identified target pairs that most distinctly differentiate tumors cases from healthy controls. Next, we confirmed our findings on the scRNA-seq database comprising 39,361 healthy cells from vital organs and 18,000 malignant cells from HCC. The top pair was GPC3[~]MUC13, where both genes are co-expressed on the surface of over 30% of malignant HCCs and have very low expression in other cells. Finally, we leveraged the emerging spatial transcriptomic to validate the co-expressed pair in situ.

Availability and ImplementationA standalone R package for bsAbs identification in bulk data is available via GitHub (https://github.com/Lionir/bsAbsFinder).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chekalin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shankar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xing, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.17.562711</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Computational discovery of co-expressed antigens as dual targeting candidates for cancer therapy through bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.19.563170v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distinct function of Chlamydomonas CTRA-CTR transporters in Cu assimilation and intracellular mobilization 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.19.563170v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Successful acclimation to copper (Cu) deficiency involves a fine balance between Cu import and export. In the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Cu import is dependent on Copper Response Regulator 1 (CRR1), the master regulator of Cu homeostasis. Among CRR1 target genes are two Cu transporters belonging to the CTR/COPT gene family (CTR1 and CTR2) and a related soluble cysteine-rich protein (CTR3). The ancestor of these green algal proteins was likely acquired from an ancient chytrid and contained conserved cysteine-rich domains (named the CTR-associated domains, CTRA) that are predicted to be involved in Cu acquisition. We show by reverse genetics that Chlamydomonas CTR1 and CTR2 are canonical Cu importers albeit with distinct affinities, while loss of CTR3 did not result in an observable phenotype under the conditions tested. Mutation of CTR1, but not CTR2, recapitulate the poor growth of crr1 in Cu-deficient medium, consistent with a dominant role for CTR1 in high affinity Cu(I) uptake. Notably, the over-accumulation of Cu(I) in Zinc (Zn)-deficiency (20 times the quota) depends on CRR1 and both CTR1 and CTR2. CRR1-dependent activation of CTR gene expression needed for Cu over-accumulation can be bypassed by the provision of excess Cu in the growth medium. Over-accumulated Cu is sequestered into the acidocalcisome but can become remobilized by restoring Zn nutrition. This mobilization is also CRR1-dependent, and requires activation of CTR2 expression, again distinguishing CTR2 from CTR1 and is consistent with the lower substrate affinity of CTR2.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Strenkert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmollinger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paruthiyil, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Green, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shafer, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salome, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nelson, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blaby-Haas, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moseley, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merchant, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.19.563170</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distinct function of Chlamydomonas CTRA-CTR transporters in Cu assimilation and intracellular mobilization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.18.562824v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
BayesKAT: Bayesian Optimal Kernel-based Test for genetic association studies reveals joint genetic effects in complex diseases 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.18.562824v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
GWAS methods have identified individual SNPs significantly associated with specific phenotypes. Nonetheless, many complex diseases are polygenic and are controlled by multiple genetic variants that are usually non-linearly dependent. These genetic variants are marginally less effective and remain undetected in GWAS analysis. Kernel-based tests (KBT), which evaluate the joint effect of a group of genetic variants, are therefore critical for complex disease analysis. However, choosing different kernel functions in KBT can significantly influence the type I error control and power, and selecting the optimal kernel remains a statistically challenging task. A few existing methods suffer from inflated type 1 errors, limited scalability, inferior power, or issues of ambiguous conclusions. Here, we present a new Bayesian framework, BayesKAT(https://github.com/wangjr03/BayesKAT), which overcomes these kernel specification issues by selecting the optimal composite kernel adaptively from the data while testing genetic associations simultaneously. Furthermore, BayesKAT implements a scalable computational strategy to boost its applicability, especially for high-dimensional cases where other methods become less effective. Based on a series of performance comparisons using both simulated and real large-scale genetics data, BayesKAT outperforms the available methods in detecting complex group-level associations and controlling type I errors simultaneously. Applied on a variety of groups of functionally related genetic variants based on biological pathways, co-expression gene modules, and protein complexes, BayesKAT deciphers the complex genetic basis and provides mechanistic insights into human diseases.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Das Adhikari, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cui, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.18.562824</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[BayesKAT: Bayesian Optimal Kernel-based Test for genetic association studies reveals joint genetic effects in complex diseases]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.21.563390v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CONE: COntext-specific Network Embedding via Contextualized Graph Attention 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.21.563390v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human gene interaction networks, commonly known as interactomes, encode genes functional relationships, which are invaluable knowledge for translational medical research and the mechanistic understanding of complex human diseases. Meanwhile, the advancement of network embedding techniques has inspired recent efforts to identify novel human disease-associated genes using canonical interac-tome embeddings. However, one pivotal challenge that persists stems from the fact that many complex diseases manifest in specific biological contexts, such as tissues or cell types, and many existing interactomes do not encapsulate such information. Here, we propose CONE3, a versatile approach to generate context-specific embeddings from a context-free interactome. The core component of CONE consists of a graph attention network with contextual conditioning, and it is trained in a noise contrastive fashion using contextualized interactome random walks localized around contextual genes. We demonstrate the strong performance of CONE embeddings in identifying disease-associated genes when using known associated biological contexts to the diseases. Furthermore, our approach offers insights into understanding the biological contexts associated with human diseases.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.21.563390</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CONE: COntext-specific Network Embedding via Contextualized Graph Attention]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.21.563447v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Regulating the proinflammatory response to implanted composite biomaterials comprising polylactide and hydroxyapatite by targeting immunometabolism 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.21.563447v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Composite biomaterials comprising polylactide (PLA) and hydroxyapatite (HA) are applied in bone, cartilage and dental regenerative medicine, where HA confers osteoconductive properties. However, after surgical implantation, adverse immune responses to these composites can occur, which have been attributed to size and morphology of HA particles. Approaches to effectively modulate these adverse immune responses have not been described. PLA degradation products have been shown to alter immune cell metabolism, which drives the inflammatory response. Therefore, we aimed to modulate the inflammatory response to composite biomaterials by regulating glycolytic flux with small molecule inhibitors incorporated into composites comprised of amorphous PLA (aPLA) and HA (aPLA+HA). Inhibition at specific steps in glycolysis reduced proinflammatory (CD86+CD206-) and increased pro-regenerative (CD206+) immune cell populations around implanted aPLA+HA resulting in a pro-regenerative microenvironment. Notably, neutrophil and dendritic cell (DC) numbers along with proinflammatory monocyte and macrophage populations were decreased, and Arginase 1 expression among DCs was increased. Targeting immunometabolism to control the inflammatory response to biomaterial composites, and creating a pro-regenerative microenvironment, is a significant advance in tissue engineering where immunomodulation enhances osseointegration, and angiogenesis, which will lead to improved bone regeneration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stivers, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhnert, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tundo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alhaj, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoque Apu, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashammakhi, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hankenson, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Narayan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elisseeff, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.21.563447</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Regulating the proinflammatory response to implanted composite biomaterials comprising polylactide and hydroxyapatite by targeting immunometabolism]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.24.563309v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Effect of Human Infant Gut Microbiota on Mouse Behavior, Dendritic Complexity, and Myelination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.24.563309v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mammalian gut microbiome influences numerous developmental processes. In human infants it has been linked with cognition, social skills, hormonal responses to stress, and brain connectivity. Yet, these associations are not necessarily causal. The present study tested whether two microbial stool communities, common in human infants, affected behavior, myelination, dendritic morphology, and spine density when used to colonize mouse models. Humanized animals were more like specific-pathogen free mice than germ-free mice for most phenotypes, although in males, both humanized groups were less social. Both humanized groups had thinner myelin sheaths in the hippocampus, than did germ-free animals. Humanized animals were similar to each other except for dendritic morphology and spine density where one group had greater dendritic length in the prefrontal cortex, greater dendritic volume in the nucleus accumbens, and greater spine density in both regions, compared to the other. Results add to a body of literature suggesting the gut microbiome impacts brain development.

TeaserFecal transplants from human infants with highly abundant Bifidobacterium, an important inhabitant of the intestinal tract of breastfed newborns, may promote brain connectivity in mice.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>DUBEY, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roychoudhury, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alex, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Best, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>White, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carlson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azcarate-Peril, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mansfield, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knickmeyer, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.24.563309</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Effect of Human Infant Gut Microbiota on Mouse Behavior, Dendritic Complexity, and Myelination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.26.564239v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Apple and banana fruits produce anteiso- and iso-branched-chain esters from newly synthesized precursors 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.26.564239v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Inhibitors of acetohydroxyacid synthase, the common enzyme of branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, were applied to ripening apple (Malus xdomestica Borkh.), banana (Musa spp.), and flowering quince (Chaenomeles xsuperba) fruits to discern the contribution of newly synthesized precursors to branched-chain ester formation. After treatment, anteiso- and iso-branched-chain volatiles (i.e., those related to isoleucine, and valine and leucine, respectively) were observed to universally decrease in content. Fruits recovered production following exogenous feeding of branched-chain -ketoacids. Furthermore, apple and banana fruits were capable of metabolizing all three branched-chain -ketoacids to esters. Among free amino acids, only the branched-chain amino acids with correspondingly reduced branched-chain esters had a lesser concentration following treatment with inhibitor. Our results ultimately reject the hypothesis that anteiso- and iso-branched-chain esters are derived from preexisting amino acids and instead support the hypothesis that these esters are the product of de novo precursor biosynthesis. The novel use of these inhibitors also allowed for further investigation of branched-chain volatile biosynthesis, the citramalate synthase pathway, and the importance of precursor availability in fruits. Notably, in  Valery banana fruit, ethyl acetate and butyl acetate were found to be dependent on acetohydroxyacid synthase activity for production whereas 1-methylbutyl acetate and 1-methylbutyl butanoate (sec-branched-chain esters) were not. Inhibitor usage on apples also allowed for a sensory study that found that humans can discern the absence of 2-methylbutyl and 2-methylbutanoate esters in apple fruit. Additionally, a population genetics analysis found that there is selection pressure against apples that lack these esters.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Engelgau, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wendakoon, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DuBois, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mayhew, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beaudry, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.26.564239</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Apple and banana fruits produce anteiso- and iso-branched-chain esters from newly synthesized precursors]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.29.564605v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Untangling the Role of Pathobionts from Bacteroides Species in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.29.564605v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) arise from a convergence of underlying genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and shifts in gut microbiota function and membership. Although the latter may trigger and contribute to IBD, there is little consensus on a specific causative pathogen. In this study, we demonstrate that commensal Bacteroides fragilis strains from ulcerative colitis (UC) patients before and during the development of ileal pouchitis engraft and promote colitis in specific pathogen free (SPF) IL-10 deficient (IL-10-/-) mice, but not in wild type SPF mice or when mono-associated in germ free mice. The colitis in IL-10-/- mice was also associated with significant alterations in commensal microbiota potentially important for maintaining intestinal and immune homeostasis. UC pouchitis B. fragilis also engrafts in DSS-induced colitis in WT SPF mice, indicating a fitness advantage under conditions of mucosal inflammation over other commensals in the gut microbiota. These findings show that gut inflammation promotes the expansion and fitness of UC-derived Bacteroides species that is associated with changes in the SPF gut microbiota and may be promote colitis in genetically susceptible hosts.

ImportanceThis study supports the notion that human inflammatory bowel diseases arise from the emergence of indigenous pathobionts in genetically-prone subjects. Colitis-promoting pathobionts are well-suited to establish themselves in the host inflammatory environment and outcompete endogenous microbiota. Once engrafted, the pathobiont can further aggravate inflammation in a genetically-susceptible host. Such complex interplay among several factors creates a vicious pro-inflammatory cycle and promotes disease development. These findings are consistent with our previous clinical observation that B. fragilis, an otherwise low-abundance commensal species, expands prior to the development of UC pouchitis. We believe these findings are relevant to the pathogenesis of UC pouchitis and possibly human inflammatory bowel diseases in general, underscoring the role of commensal to pathobiont transitions, rather than classical pathogens, in promoting and exacerbating the onset of human IBD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shan, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lake, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cham, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaur, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ringus, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fei, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spedale, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Theriault, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dalal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rubin, D. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lolans, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Comstock, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eren, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basu, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pott, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sogin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.29.564605</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Untangling the Role of Pathobionts from Bacteroides Species in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.25.563916v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of Hub Genes and Functional Annotation of Glaucoma Using Bioinformatic Analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.25.563916v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Glaucoma is a common eye condition that damages the optic nerve, leading to vision loss and potential blindness if not treated. It affects around 80 million people worldwide and is a major cause of irreversible blindness. This study aims to identify key genes and their functions in glaucoma using bioinformatic analysis. The research follows a five-step approach, including data retrieval, processing, identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), protein interaction analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and identification of hub genes. Three GSE datasets (GSE 4316, GSE 53985, and GSE 7144) were selected, resulting in a total of 632 upregulated and 625 downregulated genes. Analysis using the DAVID server revealed significant biological processes related to gene regulation, transcription, and cell adhesion. The protein networks for upregulated and downregulated genes consisted of 581 nodes and 1713 edges, and 575 nodes and 2428 edges, respectively. The Cytohubba plugin identified 10 significant genes for each group. The upregulated genes included PTPRC, INS, SRC, CXCR, FN1, TNF, ACTB, AKT1, ALB, and PECAM1, while the downregulated genes included VEGFA, FN1, TP53, ACTB, AKT1, CCND1, CTNNB1, MYC, CD44, and EGFR. These findings enhance our understanding of glaucomas molecular biology and provide valuable insights for prognosis prediction and the development of treatments and medications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Venkataramanan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.25.563916</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of Hub Genes and Functional Annotation of Glaucoma Using Bioinformatic Analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.26.564238v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
In vivo Biomedical Imaging of Immune Tolerant, Radiopaque Nanoparticle-Embedded Polymeric Device Degradation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.26.564238v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biomedical implants remain an important clinical tool for restoring patient mobility and quality of life after trauma. While polymers are often used for devices, their degradation profile remains difficult to determine post-implantation. CT monitoring could be a powerful tool for in situ monitoring of devices, but polymers require the introduction of radiopaque contrast agents, like nanoparticles, to be distinguishable from native tissue. As device function is mediated by the immune system, use of radiopaque nanoparticles for serial monitoring therefore requires a minimal impact on inflammatory response. Radiopaque polymer composites were produced by incorporating 0-20wt% TaOx nanoparticles into synthetic polymers: polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). In vitro inflammatory response to TaOx was determined by monitoring mouse bone marrow derived macrophages on composite films. Nanoparticle addition stimulated only a slight inflammatory reaction, namely increased TNF secretion, mediated by changes to the polymer matrix properties. When devices (PLGA 50:50 + 20wt% TaOx) were implanted subcutaneously in a mouse model of chronic inflammation, no changes to device degradation were noted although macrophage number was increased over 12 weeks. Serial CT monitoring of devices post-implantation provided a detailed timeline of device structural collapse, with no burst release of the nanoparticles from the implant. Changes to the device were not significantly altered with monitoring, nor was the immune system ablated when checked via blood cell count and histology. Thus, polymer devices incorporating radiopaque TaOx NPs can be used for in situ CT monitoring, and can be readily combined with multiple medical imaging techniques, for a truly dynamic view biomaterials interaction with tissues throughout regeneration, paving the way for a more structured approach to biomedical device design.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pawelec, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hix, J. M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Troia, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiupel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-10-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.26.564238</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[In vivo Biomedical Imaging of Immune Tolerant, Radiopaque Nanoparticle-Embedded Polymeric Device Degradation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-10-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.31.564941v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deployment of a Vibrio cholerae ordered transposon mutant library in a quorum-competent genetic background 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.31.564941v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, has sparked seven pandemics in recent centuries, with the current one being the most prolonged. V. choleraes pathogenesis hinges on its ability to switch between low and high cell density gene regulatory states, enabling transmission between host and the environment. Previously, a transposon mutant library for V. cholerae was created to support investigations aimed toward uncovering the genetic determinants of its pathogenesis. However, subsequent sequencing uncovered a mutation in the gene luxO of the parent strain, rendering mutants unable to exhibit high cell density behaviors. In this study, we used chitin-independent natural transformation to move transposon insertions from these low cell density mutants into a wildtype genomic background. Library transfer was aided by a novel gDNA extraction we developed using thymol, which also showed high lysis-specificity for Vibrio. The resulting Grant Library comprises 3,102 unique transposon mutants, covering 79.8% of V. choleraes open reading frames. Whole genome sequencing of randomly selected mutants demonstrates 100% precision in transposon transfer to cognate genomic positions of the recipient strain. Notably, in no instance did the luxO mutation transfer into the wildtype background. Our research uncovered density-dependent epistasis in growth on inosine, an immunomodulatory metabolite secreted by gut bacteria that is implicated in enhancing gut barrier functions. Additionally, Grant Library mutants retain the plasmid that enables rapid, scarless genomic editing. In summary, the Grant Library reintroduces organismal relevant genetic contexts absent in the low cell density locked library equivalent.

Significance StatementOrdered transposon mutant libraries are essential tools for catalyzing research by providing access to null mutants of all non-essential genes. Such a library was previously generated for Vibrio cholerae, but whole genome sequencing revealed that this library was made using a parent strain that is unable to exhibit cell-cell communication known as quorum sensing. Here, we utilize natural competence combined with a novel, high-throughput genomic DNA extraction method to regenerate the signaling incompetent V. cholerae ordered transposon mutant library in quorum sensing competent strain. Our library provides researchers with a powerful tool to understand V. cholerae biology within a genetic context that influences how it transitions from an environmentally benign organism to a disease-causing pathogen.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grant, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sontz, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.31.564941</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deployment of a Vibrio cholerae ordered transposon mutant library in a quorum-competent genetic background]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.31.565032v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Population level gene expression can repeatedly link genes to functions in maize 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.31.565032v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies (TWAS) can provide single gene resolution for candidate genes in plants, complementing Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) but efforts in plants have been met with, at best, mixed success. We generated expression data from 693 maize genotypes, measured in a common field experiment, sampled over a two-hour period to minimize diurnal and environmental effects, using full-length RNA-seq to maximize the accurate estimation of transcript abundance. TWAS could identify roughly ten times as many genes likely to play a role in flowering time regulation as GWAS conducted data from the same experiment. TWAS using mature leaf tissue identified known true positive flowering time genes known to act in the shoot apical meristem, and trait data from new environments enabled the identification of additional flowering time genes without the need for new expression data. eQTL analysis of TWAS-tagged genes identified at least one additional known maize flowering time gene through trans-eQTL interactions. Collectively these results suggest the gene expression resource described here can link genes to functions across different plant phenotypes expressed in a range of tissues and scored in different experiments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Torres-Rodriguez, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turkus, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newton, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez-Corona, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ali, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mural, R. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grzybowski, M. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.31.565032</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Population level gene expression can repeatedly link genes to functions in maize]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.31.563566v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Small but significant genetic differentiation among populations of Phyllachora maydis in the midwestern United States revealed by microsatellite (SSR) markers. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.31.563566v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phyllachora maydis Maubl, the causal pathogen of tar spot of corn (Zea mays L.), has emerged recently in the United States and Canada. Studies related to its genetic diversity and population structure are limited and are necessary to improve our understanding of this pathogens biology, ecology, epidemiology, and evolutionary potential within this region. This study developed and used 13 microsatellites (SSR markers) to assess the genetic population structure, diversity, gene flow and reproductive mode of 181 P. maydis samples across five states in the Midwest U.S. The polymorphic information content (PIC) of loci ranged from 0.32 to 0.72 per locus, indicating their high utility for assessing the dynamics of P. maydis populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) detected a significantly low, but statistically significant genetic differentiation (FST = 0.15) among populations, where 85% of the variance resided within populations. P. maydis populations were highly diverse (He = 0.55), with moderate gene flow (Nm = 2.80), and showed evidence of sexual recombination ([r]d; p = > 0.001). Structure analysis showed the samples were not geographically structured but rather grouped into two genetic clusters (k =2) of severe genetic admixture suggesting possible long-distance dispersal of aerial spores or infected corn materials among the five Midwest states. Both principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and discriminate analysis of principal component (DAPC) supported the STRUCTURE analysis of the two clusters. These 13 highly polymorphic molecular markers could be used for future investigations of this pathogens population dynamics within the U.S., and possibly populations outside.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ross, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jumbam, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonkowski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaky, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chilvers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodwin, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kleczewski, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mueller, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robertson, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Telenko, D. E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.10.31.563566</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Small but significant genetic differentiation among populations of Phyllachora maydis in the midwestern United States revealed by microsatellite (SSR) markers.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.01.565233v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Murine uterine gland branching is necessary for gland function in implantation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.01.565233v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Uterine glands are branched, tubular structures whose secretions are essential for pregnancy success. It is known that pre-implantation glandular expression of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is crucial for embryo implantation, however contribution of uterine gland structure to gland secretions such as LIF is not known. Here we use mice deficient in estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) signaling to uncover the role of ESR1 signaling in gland branching and the role of a branched structure in LIF secretion and embryo implantation. We observed that deletion of ESR1 in neonatal uterine epithelium, stroma and muscle using the progesterone receptor PgrCre causes a block in uterine gland development at the gland bud stage. Embryonic epithelial deletion of ESR1 using a mullerian duct Cre line - Pax2Cre, displays gland bud elongation but a failure in gland branching. Surprisingly, adult uterine epithelial deletion of ESR1 using the lactoferrin-Cre (LtfCre) displays normally branched uterine glands. Intriguingly, unbranched glands from Pax2Cre Esr1flox/flox uteri fail to express glandular pre-implantation Lif, preventing implantation chamber formation and embryo alignment along the uterine mesometrial-antimesometrial axis. In contrast, branched glands from LtfCre Esr1flox/flox uteri display reduced expression of glandular Lif resulting in delayed implantation chamber formation and embryo-uterine axes alignment but deliver a normal number of pups. Finally, pre-pubertal unbranched glands in control mice express Lif in the luminal epithelium but fail to express Lif in the glandular epithelium even in the presence of estrogen. These data strongly suggest that branched glands are necessary for pre-implantation glandular Lif expression for implantation success. Our study is the first to identify a relationship between the branched structure and secretory function of uterine glands and provides a framework for understanding how uterine gland structure-function contributes to pregnancy success.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Granger, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitch, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shen, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lloyd, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhurke, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hancock, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ye, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.01.565233</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Murine uterine gland branching is necessary for gland function in implantation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.03.565564v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The membrane-associated ubiquitin ligase MARCHF8 stabilizes the human papillomavirus oncoprotein E7 by degrading CUL1 and UBE2L3 in head and neck cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.03.565564v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoprotein E7 is a relatively short-lived protein required for HPV-driven cancer development and maintenance. E7 is degraded through ubiquitination mediated by cullin 1 (CUL1) and the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 L3 (UBE2L3). However, E7 proteins are maintained at high levels in most HPV-positive cancer cells. A previous proteomics study has shown that UBE2L3 and CUL1 protein levels are increased by the knockdown of the E3 ubiquitin ligase membrane-associated ring-CH-type finger 8 (MARCHF8). We have recently demonstrated that HPV upregulates MARCHF8 expression in HPV-positive keratinocytes and head and neck cancer (HPV+ HNC) cells. Here, we report that MARCHF8 stabilizes the E7 protein by degrading the components of the SKP1-CUL1-F-box (SCF) ubiquitin ligase complex in HPV+ HNC cells. We found that MARCHF8 knockdown in HPV+ HNC cells drastically decreases the E7 protein level while increasing the CUL1 and UBE2L3 protein levels. We further revealed that the MARCHF8 protein binds to and ubiquitinates CUL1 and UBE2L3 proteins and that MARCHF8 knockdown enhances the ubiquitination of the E7 protein. Conversely, the overexpression of CUL1 and UBE2L3 in HPV+ HNC cells decreases E7 protein levels and suppresses tumor growth in vivo. Our findings suggest that HPV-induced MARCHF8 prevents the degradation of the E7 protein in HPV+ HNC cells by ubiquitinating and degrading CUL1 and UBE2L3 proteins.

IMPORTANCESince HPV oncoprotein E7 is essential for virus replication, HPV has to maintain high levels of E7 expression in HPV-infected cells. However, HPV E7 can be efficiently ubiquitinated by a ubiquitin ligase and degraded by proteasomes in the host cell. Mechanistically, the components of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex CUL1 and UBE2L3 play an essential role in E7 ubiquitination and degradation. Here, we show that the membrane ubiquitin ligase MARCHF8 induced by HPV E6 stabilizes the E7 protein by degrading CUL1 and UBE2L3 and blocking E7 degradation through proteasomes. MARCHF8 knockout restores CUL1 and UBE2L3 expression, decreasing E7 protein levels and inhibiting the proliferation of HPV-positive cancer cells. Additionally, overexpression of CUL1 or UBE2L3 decreases E7 protein levels and suppresses in vivo tumor growth. Our results suggest that HPV maintains high E7 protein levels in the host cell by inducing MARCHF8, which may be critical for cell proliferation and tumorigenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Khalil, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chadha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nabors, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>James, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgan, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pyeon, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.03.565564</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The membrane-associated ubiquitin ligase MARCHF8 stabilizes the human papillomavirus oncoprotein E7 by degrading CUL1 and UBE2L3 in head and neck cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.03.565129v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Interleukin-10-producing monocytes contribute to sex differences in pain resolution in mice and humans. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.03.565129v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pain is closely associated with the immune system, which exhibits sexual dimorphism. For these reasons, neuro-immune interactions are suggested to drive sex differences in pain pathophysiology. However, our understanding of peripheral neuro-immune interactions on sex differences in pain resolution remains limited. Here, we have shown, in both a mouse model of inflammatory pain and in humans following traumatic pain, that males had higher levels of interleukin (IL)-10 than females, which were correlated with faster pain resolution. Following injury, we identified monocytes (CD11b+ Ly6C+ Ly6G-F4/80mid) as the primary source of IL-10, with IL-10-producing monocytes being more abundant in males than females. In a mouse model, neutralizing IL-10 signaling through antibodies, genetically ablating IL-10R1 in sensory neurons, or depleting monocytes with clodronate all impaired the resolution of pain hypersensitivity in both sexes. Furthermore, manipulating androgen levels in mice reversed the sexual dimorphism of pain resolution and the levels of IL-10-producing monocytes. These results highlight a novel role for androgen-driven peripheral IL-10-producing monocytes in the sexual dimorphism of pain resolution. These findings add to the growing concept that immune cells play a critical role in resolving pain and preventing the transition into chronic pain.

Graphical abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=135 SRC="FIGDIR/small/565129v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (46K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6e158corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@148c8b5org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1711d2dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@132a755_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sim, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Guin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Monahan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sugimoto, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLean, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albertorio-Saez, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dagenais, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laumet, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernard, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Folger, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Linnstaedt, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laumet, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.03.565129</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Interleukin-10-producing monocytes contribute to sex differences in pain resolution in mice and humans.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.03.565438v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Human Endogenous Retrovirus Expression is Dynamically Regulated in Parkinson's Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.03.565438v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Parkinsons disease (PD) is a progressive, debilitating neurodegenerative disease that afflicts approximately every 1000th individual. Recently, activation of genomic transposable elements (TE) has been suggested as a potential driver of PD onset. However, it is unclear where, when, and to what extent TEs are dysregulated in PD. Here, we performed a multi-tissue transcriptional analysis of multiple patient cohorts and identified TE transcriptional activation as a hallmark of PD. We find that PD patients exhibit up-regulation primarily of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) transcripts in prefrontal cortex tissue, prefrontal neurons as well as in blood, and we demonstrate that TE activation in the blood is highest at the time of PD diagnosis. Supporting a potentially causal association between ERV dysregulation and PD heterogeneity, reduced gene dosage of the TE repressor Trim28 triggers transcriptional changes highly correlated to those measured in animal models of synucleinopathy (PFF-injection), and importantly, to those exhibited by patients themselves. These data identify ERV up-regulation as a common feature of central and peripheral PD etiology, and highlight potential roles for Trim28-dependent TEs in stratifying and monitoring PD and treatment compliance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gordevicius, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goralski, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bergsma, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parham, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyerdirk, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonald, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Milciute, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Putten, E. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marshall, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brundin, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brundin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Labrie, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henderson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pospisilik, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.03.565438</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Human Endogenous Retrovirus Expression is Dynamically Regulated in Parkinson's Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.10.566612v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tick extracellular vesicles impair epidermal homeostasis through immune-epithelial networks during hematophagy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.10.566612v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Wound healing has been extensively studied through the lens of inflammatory disorders and cancer, but limited attention has been given to hematophagy and arthropod-borne diseases. Hematophagous ectoparasites, including ticks, subvert the wound healing response to maintain prolonged attachment and facilitate blood-feeding. Here, we unveil a strategy by which extracellular vesicles (EVs) ensure blood-feeding and arthropod survival in three medically relevant tick species. Through single cell RNA sequencing and murine genetics, we demonstrate that wildtype animals infested with EV-deficient Ixodes scapularis display a unique epidermal sub-population with a mesenchymal-like transcriptional program and an overrepresentation of pathways connected to wound healing. Furthermore, tick EVs inhibit proliferation and diminish the capacity of wound closure in keratinocytes. This occurrence was linked to phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity, keratinocyte growth factor 1 (KGF-1) and transforming growth factor {beta} (TGF-{beta}) levels. Collectively, we uncovered a strategy employed by a blood-feeding arthropod that disrupts the circuitry in cutaneous wound healing, contributing to ectoparasite fitness.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marnin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bogale, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laukaitis-Yousey, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valencia, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rolandelli, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Neal, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ferraz, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmitter-Sanchez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bencosme Cuevas, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, T.-T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leal-Galvan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rickert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruno, V. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendes, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Samaddar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Butler, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cabrera Paz, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oliver, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jameson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munderloh, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oliva Chavez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mulenga, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serre, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pedra, J. H. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.10.566612</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tick extracellular vesicles impair epidermal homeostasis through immune-epithelial networks during hematophagy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.08.566343v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MEM-GAN: A Pseudo Membrane Generator for Single-cell Imaging in Fluorescent Microscopy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.08.566343v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fluorescent microscopy imaging is vital to capturing single-cell spatial data, characterizing tissue organization and facilitating comprehensive analysis of cellular state. Advancements in fluorescent microscopy imaging technologies have enabled precise downstream cellular analysis, particularly in cell segmentation. Accurate segmentation of individual cells allows better profiling and understanding of cell properties and behaviors. The majority of existing segmentation methods predominantly concentrate on enhancing segmentation algorithms, and their effectiveness strongly relies on the input stained image quality. Factors such as high cellular density, indistinct cell boundaries, and staining artifacts can result in uneven and low-quality staining, particularly causing missing or unclear membrane staining. These artifacts adversely impact the efficacy of the subsequent cell segmentation methods. To tackle this insufficient membrane staining, we propose a novel approach, MO_SCPLOWEMC_SCPLOW-GAN, to generate high-quality membranes for cells with missing or weak membranes. Inspired by advanced style transfer techniques in computer vision, MO_SCPLOWEMC_SCPLOW-GAN styles the content of the cells with missing or weak membranes into cells with integrated membrane staining. Considering the differences in membrane morphology between epithelial/tumor cells and immune cells, MO_SCPLOWEMC_SCPLOW-GAN deals with tumor and immune cells separately, not only enhancing membrane staining for cells with partially weak membrane signals but also generating membranes for cells with only nuclear channels. The proposed MO_SCPLOWEMC_SCPLOW-GAN is evaluated using the publicly available CosMx dataset. Experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in image staining quality, more accurate representation of membrane morphology characteristics, and better performance in downstream segmentation tasks. MO_SCPLOWEMC_SCPLOW-GAN is flexibly adapted and applied to other spatially resolved transcriptomics datasets, such as MERFISH and FISHseq. Our work provides a new perspective on tackling the challenges in cell segmentation from fluorescent microscopy image restoration. The implementation of MO_SCPLOWEMC_SCPLOW-GAN is open-source and available at the github repository https://github.com/OmicsML/Mem-GAN. The interactive webserver-based demo of MO_SCPLOWEMC_SCPLOW-GAN can be accessed at http://omicsml.ai/memgan.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wardhani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Danaher, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lei, Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.08.566343</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MEM-GAN: A Pseudo Membrane Generator for Single-cell Imaging in Fluorescent Microscopy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.09.566501v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic factors acting prior to dormancy in sour cherry influence bloom time the following spring 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.09.566501v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bloom time is central to tree fruit production, and for Prunus species floral development leading up to bloom spans four seasons. Understanding this entire process is crucial for developing strategies to manipulate bloom time to prevent crop loss due to climate change. Here, we present a detailed examination of flower development from initiation until bloom for early- and late-blooming sour cherries (Prunus cerasus) from a population segregating for a major bloom time QTL on chromosome 4. Using a new staging system, we identified floral buds from early-blooming trees were persistently more advanced than those from late-blooming siblings. A gDNA coverage analysis revealed the late-blooming haplotype of this QTL, k, is located on a subgenome originating from the late-blooming P. fruticosa progenitor. Transcriptome analyses identified a large number of genes within this QTL as differentially expressed between early- and late-blooming trees during the vegetative-to-floral transition. From these, we identified candidate genes for the late bloom phenotype, including multiple transcription factors homologous to REproductive Meristem (REM) B3 domain-containing proteins. Additionally, we determined the basis of k in sour cherry is likely separate from candidate genes found in sweet cherry - suggesting several major regulators of bloom time are located on Prunus chromosome 4.

HIGHLIGHTDormancy is a main effector of bloom time in fruit trees. However, developmental, genetic, and transcriptomic analyses indicate differences in flower development before dormancy significantly influence flowering time in cherry.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Goeckeritz, C. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grabb, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grumet, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iezzoni, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hollender, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.09.566501</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic factors acting prior to dormancy in sour cherry influence bloom time the following spring]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.14.566971v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Prediction of plant complex traits via integration of multi-omics data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.14.566971v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The formation of complex traits is the consequence of genotype and activities at multiple molecular levels. However, connecting genotypes and these activities to complex traits remains challenging. Here, we investigated whether integrating different omics data could improve trait prediction. We built prediction models using genomic, transcriptomic, and methylomic data from the Arabidopsis 1001 Genomes Project for six Arabidopsis traits, and found that transcriptome- and methylome-based models had performances comparable to those of genome-based models. However, when comparing models for flowering time prediction, we found that models built using different omics data identified different benchmark genes. Nine novel genes identified as important for flowering time from our models were experimentally validated as regulating flowering. In addition, we found that gene contributions to flowering time prediction are accession-dependent and that distinct genes contribute to trait prediction in different genetic backgrounds. Models integrating multi-omics data performed best and revealed known and novel gene interactions, extending knowledge about existing regulatory networks underlying flowering time determination. These results demonstrate the feasibility of revealing molecular mechanisms underlying complex traits through multi-omics data integration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lotreck, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Segura Aba, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.14.566971</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Prediction of plant complex traits via integration of multi-omics data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.11.566550v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Translocations spur population growth but exacerbate inbreeding in an imperiled species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.11.566550v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Land and natural resource usage that supports human society can pose a risk to the survival of other species, spurring biodiversity loss. In extreme cases, when development threatens the existence of individuals, wildlife managers may perform mitigation translocations, relocating individuals out of harms way. We investigated the efficacy of mitigation translocations as a conservation strategy in Federally Threatened Florida Scrub-Jays using a dataset that provided unprecedented resolution into both the demographic and genomic outcomes of translocations. Over the course of seven years, a total of fourteen groups (51 jays) from five subpopulations that had been declining from agriculture and lack-of-fire driven habitat degradation were translocated to a larger site of more contiguous restored habitat with only four family groups, to mitigate for loss of these subpopulations from mining activity. Habitat restoration and translocations established a core population that increased 10-fold in size after only 17 years from the first translocations. Pedigree analyses of this population revealed that a small subset of mostly translocated individuals fueled the demographic expansion, with a single breeding pair responsible for [~]24% of the ancestral genetic contributions since 2008. Genomic comparisons between translocated individuals and individuals from the core population before and after translocations revealed that the high reproductive skew led to increased inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity. This study stresses the importance of demographic and genetic monitoring following translocations, and that subsequent, genetic-rescue-oriented translocations may be necessary in mitigation scenarios to counter the genetic consequences of reproductive skew in fragmented populations.

Significance StatementThere is ongoing debate surrounding the effectiveness of mitigation-driven translocations for conservation, however we show that translocations to mitigate the effects of mining on Federally Threatened Florida Scrub-Jays spurred population growth; a major boon to the viability of this species. We translocated individuals from at-risk subpopulations that were demographic sinks into recently restored habitat, which quickly established a rapidly growing core population. We demonstrate that demographic and genetic recovery do not necessarily go hand-in-hand, as reproduction was highly skewed towards a small subset of mostly translocated individuals, which increased inbreeding and eroded genetic diversity. This stresses the importance of demographic and genetic monitoring for identifying reproductive skew, allowing for adaptive management that addresses inbreeding and achieves broader conservation goals.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Linderoth, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deaner, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boughton, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.11.566550</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Translocations spur population growth but exacerbate inbreeding in an imperiled species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.16.567428v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genome of the North American wild apple species Malus angustifolia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.16.567428v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) production faces many challenges stemming from abiotic and biotic stresses. Abiotic stressors, such as extreme temperatures, droughts, and spring frosts, can lead to diminished yields and tree loss, while biotic stresses like fire blight and pest infestations further reduce tree health and fruit quality. To lessen the threat of these challenges, plant breeders aim to introduce resistance and resilience genes into cultivated varieties. However, high-relatedness among cultivated varieties and breeding lines, coupled with the long juvenility and generation times in apples, hinder the breeding process. The introduction of resistance traits from wild relatives is also constrained by these factors, as well as the lack of genomic resources that could assist in accelerating the introgression process. Herein, we report the assembly and annotation of Malus angustifolia, the Southern Crabapple, one of Eastern North Americas native species. Using a combination of Pacific Biosciences High Fidelity reads, Next-generation short read sequencing, as well as chromatin conformation capture sequencing, we achieve an extremely contiguous haplotype-resolved assembly. We perform comparative haplotypic analyses to identify SNPs and large structural variants, shedding light on the genomic landscape of M. angustifolia. Finally, we explore the phylogenetic and syntenic relationships between Eurasian Malus progenitors and the recently sequenced North American species, contributing valuable insights to the broader understanding of apple evolution and potential breeding strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mansfeld, B. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burchard, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkess, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gutierrez, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Nocker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gottschalk, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.16.567428</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genome of the North American wild apple species Malus angustifolia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.16.567462v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantifying potential abiotic drivers of the nurse-plant effect in two dominant shrub species of the northern Chihuahuan Desert 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.16.567462v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Aggregations of plants surrounded by areas without vegetation cover in dryland ecosystems are thought to arise when larger plants facilitate the recruitment and/or performance of smaller "protege" plants--a phenomenon referred to as the "nurse-plant" effect. While numerous drivers can generate a nurse-plant effect, efforts to quantify multiple drivers simultaneously are rare. After verifying a higher density of proteges beneath the foundational shrubs Larrea tridentata and Prosopis glandulosa, multiple potential mechanisms underlying the nurse-plant effect were quantified in the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico. Comparisons of properties under shrub canopies relative to unvegetated interspaces revealed significantly greater concentrations of soil nutrients and lower photosynthetically active radiation and soil temperatures beneath shrubs but a consistently higher soil moisture in interspaces despite a greater water holding capacity in soils beneath shrubs. Nutrient concentrations were greater, on average, in soils beneath P. glandulosa than L. tridentata but protege plant numbers did not significantly differ among the species. Further, in L. tridentata and P. glandulosa, canopy size was positively related to levels of understory shading, and canopy size of P. glandulosa was also positively related to soil nitrogen and microbial biomass. Results of this study suggest that a majority of the variance in the abiotic nurse-plant effect of this low-latitude system is explained by radiation interception and the concomitant reduction in temperatures experienced by protege plants as opposed to direct effects of shrubs on soil water availability. As global change pressures intensify in drylands, a loss of perennial plant cover through mortality or dieback in canopies could have substantial, negative effects on soil biogeochemical pools and plant diversity. Additional quantification of the spatial and temporal variance in different mechanisms driving the nurse-plant effect across environmental and climatic gradients is needed to improve our understanding of plant community dynamics in dryland ecosystems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ferrenberg, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Faist, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osborne, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.16.567462</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantifying potential abiotic drivers of the nurse-plant effect in two dominant shrub species of the northern Chihuahuan Desert]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.21.568070v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Aalbo1200: global genetic differentiation and variability of the mosquito Aedes albopictus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.21.568070v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mosquito Aedes albopictus transmits human viruses including dengue and chikungunya and is an extremely successful invasive species expanding into new regions of the world. New tools are needed to complement existing tools to help monitor and control this species. Genomic resources are improving for this species including genome reference sequences, and whole genome sequencing data will help to catalog genetic diversity in this species and further enable genetic analysis. We collected populations of Ae. albopictus from throughout its distribution and generated whole genome sequencing data from population samples. These data will be used to address a number of basic and applied questions for this species. Here, we show genetic differentiation patterns among the tropical and temperate forms, as well as finer scale genetic clustering at the regional and population scale. These data and results will be a valuable resource for further study and tool development for this species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Crawford, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beebe, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonizzoni, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caputo, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carter, B. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, C.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cosme, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Marco, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>della Torre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Estallo, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, W.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maringer, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mains, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maynard, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mogi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Livdahl, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rose, N. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scarafia, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Severson, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stein, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Surendran, S. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tuno, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wahid, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yee, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Armbruster, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caccone, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>White, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.21.568070</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Aalbo1200: global genetic differentiation and variability of the mosquito Aedes albopictus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.21.568089v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phenology across scales: an intercontinental analysis of leaf-out dates in temperate deciduous tree communities 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.21.568089v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AimTo quantify the intra-community variability of leaf-out (ICVLo) among dominant trees in temperate deciduous forests, assess its links with specific and phylogenetic diversity, identify its environmental drivers, and deduce its ecological consequences with regard to radiation received and exposure to late frost.

LocationEastern North America (ENA) and Europe (EUR).

Time period2009-2022

Major taxa studiedTemperate deciduous forest trees.

MethodsWe developed an approach to quantify ICVLo through the analysis of RGB images taken from phenological cameras. We related ICVLo to species richness, phylogenetic diversity and environmental conditions. We quantified the intra-community variability of the amount of radiation received and of exposure to late frost.

ResultsLeaf-out occurred over a longer time interval in ENA than in EUR. The sensitivity of leaf-out to temperature was identical in both regions (-3.4 days per {degrees}C). The distributions of ICVLo were similar in EUR and ENA forests, despite the latter being more species-rich and phylogenetically diverse. In both regions, cooler conditions and an earlier occurrence of leaf-out resulted in higher ICVLo. ICVLo resulted in a ca. 8% difference of radiation absorption over spring among individual trees. Forest communities in ENA had shorter safety margins as regards the exposure to late frosts, and were actually more frequently exposed to late frosts.

Main conclusionsWe conducted the first intercontinental analysis of the variability of leaf-out at the scale of tree communities. North American and European forests showed similar ICVLo, in spite of their differences in terms of species richness and phylogenetic diversity, highlighting the relevance of environmental controls on ICVLo. We quantified two ecological implications of ICVLo (difference in terms of radiation absorption and exposure to late frost), which should be explored in the context of ongoing climate change, which affects trees differently according to their phenological niche.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Delpierre, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garnier, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Treuil-Dussouet, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hufkens, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beier, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bell, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berveiller, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cuntz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Curioni, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dahlin, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Denham, S. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desai, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Domec, J.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hart, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ibrom, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joetzjer, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>King, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klosterhalfen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koebsch, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McHale, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morfin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munger, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Noormets, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pilegaard, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pohl, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rebmann, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richardson, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rothstein, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schwartz, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilkinson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soudani, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.21.568089</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phenology across scales: an intercontinental analysis of leaf-out dates in temperate deciduous tree communities]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.22.568340v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
QTL analysis of floral morphology polymorphisms between Gilia yorkii and G. capitata 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.22.568340v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Speciation is a complex process typically accompanied by significant genetic and morphological differences between sister populations. In plants, this can result in divergent floral morphologies causing pollinator differences and reproductive isolation between populations. Here, we explore floral trait differences between two recently diverged species, Gilia yorkii and G. capitata. The distributions of floral traits in parental, F1, and F2 populations are compared, and groups of correlated traits are identified. We describe the genetic architecture of floral traits through a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis using an F2 population of 187 individuals. While all identified QTLs were of moderate (10-25%) effect, interestingly, many QTL intervals colocalized on Chromosomes 6 and 9, suggesting that sets of traits may share a common genetic basis. Our results provide a framework for future identification of genes involved in the evolution of floral morphology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>DeTemple, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mosquera, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whipple, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.22.568340</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[QTL analysis of floral morphology polymorphisms between Gilia yorkii and G. capitata]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.28.569058v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The formation of ubiquitin rich condensates triggers recruitment of the ATG9A lipid transfer complex to initiate basal autophagy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.28.569058v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autophagy is an essential cellular recycling process that maintains protein and organelle homeostasis. ATG9A vesicle recruitment is a critical early step in autophagy to initiate autophagosome biogenesis. The mechanisms of ATG9A vesicle recruitment are best understood in the context of starvation-induced non-selective autophagy, whereas less is known about the signals driving ATG9A vesicle recruitment to autophagy initiation sites in the absence of nutrient stress. Here we demonstrate that loss of ATG9A or the lipid transfer protein ATG2 leads to the accumulation of phosphorylated p62 aggregates in the context of basal autophagy. Furthermore, we show that p62 degradation requires the lipid scramblase activity of ATG9A. Lastly, we present evidence that poly-ubiquitin is an essential signal that recruits ATG9A and mediates autophagy foci assembly in nutrient replete cells. Together, our data support a ubiquitin-driven model of ATG9A recruitment and autophagosome formation during basal autophagy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Broadbent, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McEwan, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsang, T.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poole, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Naylor, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Price, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andersen, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.28.569058</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The formation of ubiquitin rich condensates triggers recruitment of the ATG9A lipid transfer complex to initiate basal autophagy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.28.569066v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Morphometrics and phylogenomics of coca (Erythroxylum spp.) illuminate its reticulate evolution, with implications for taxonomy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.28.569066v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
South American coca (Erythroxylum coca and E. novogranatense) has been a key-stone crop for many Andean and Amazonian communities for at least 8,000 years. However, over the last half century, global demand for cocaine has placed this plant in the centre of armed conflict, deforestation, and explosive growth of illegal economies. While national and international agencies progress from a  war on drugs policy model towards locally appropriate, data-informed strategies to tackle coca plantations, monitoring their expansion and composition remains essential. The principal means to identify coca plants is leaf morphology, yet the extent to which it is reflected in taxonomy is uncertain. Here, we analyse the consistency of the current naming system of coca and its four closest wild relatives (the  coca clade), using morphometrics, phylogenomics, and population genomics. We include the name-bearing type specimens of cocas closest wild relatives E. gracilipes and E. cataractarum. Morphometrics of 342 digitized herbarium specimens show that leaf shape and size fail to reliably discriminate between species and varieties. However, the rounder and more obovate leaves of certain coca varieties could be associated with domestication syndrome of this crop. Our phylogenomic data indicate gene flow involving monophyletic clades of E. gracilipes and the E. coca clade. These results further clarify the evolution of coca and support a taxonomic framework wherein E. gracilipes is retained as a single species. Our findings have implications for the development of cost-effective genotyping methods to effectively discriminate varieties of cultural significance from high-yielding cultivars fuelling the lucrative cocaine market.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Przelomska, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diaz, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Avila, F. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ballen, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cortes-B, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kistler, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charitonidou, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Renner, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez-Escobar, O. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Antonelli, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.28.569066</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Morphometrics and phylogenomics of coca (Erythroxylum spp.) illuminate its reticulate evolution, with implications for taxonomy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.29.568958v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.29.568958v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a globally dominant crop and major source of calories and proteins for the human diet. Compared to its wild ancestors, modern bread wheat shows lower genetic diversity caused by polyploidisation, domestication, and breeding bottlenecks1,2. Wild wheat relatives represent genetic reservoirs, harbouring diversity and beneficial alleles that have not been incorporated into bread wheat. Here, we establish and analyse pangenome resources for Tauschs goatgrass, Aegilops tauschii, the donor of the bread wheat D genome. This new pangenome facilitated the cloning of a disease resistance gene and haplotype analysis across a complex disease resistance locus, allowing us to discern alleles from paralogous gene copies. We also reveal the complex genetic composition and history of the bread wheat D genome, involving previously unreported contributions from genetically and geographically discrete Ae. tauschii subpopulations. Together, our results reveal the complex history of the bread wheat D genome and demonstrate the potential of wild relatives in crop improvement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cavalet-Giorsa, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez-Munoz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Athiyannan, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holden, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salhi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gardener, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quiroz-Chavez, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rustamova, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elkot, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patpour, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rasheed, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mao, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lagudah, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Periyannan, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharon, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Himmelbach, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reif, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knauft, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mascher, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stein, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chayut, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghosh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perovic, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Putra, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perera, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, C.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmed, H. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laquai, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rivera, L. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gao, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raupp, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olson, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chhuneja, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaur, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, R. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, D.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nasyrova, F. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dvorak, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-11-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.29.568958</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-11-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.29.568906v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Imitating the 'breeder's eye': predicting grain yield from measurements of non-yield traits 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.29.568906v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant breeding relies on information gathered from field trials to select promising new crop varieties for release to farmers and to develop genomic prediction models that can enhance the efficiency and rate of genetic improvement in future breeding cycles. However, field trials conducted in one environment provide limited insight into how well crop varieties will perform in other environments. As the pace of climate change intensifies, the time lag of developing and deploying new crop varieties indicates that plant breeders will need to make decisions about new crop varieties without knowing the future environments those crop varieties will encounter in farmers fields. Therefore, significant improvements in cross-environment prediction of crop performance are essential for creating and maintaining resilient agricultural systems in the latter half of the twenty-first century. To address this challenge, we conducted linked yield trials of 752 public maize genotypes in two distinct environments: Lincoln, Nebraska, and East Lansing, Michigan. Our findings confirmed that genomic predictions of yield can outperform direct yield measurements used to train the genomic prediction model in predicting yield in a second environment. Additionally, we developed and trained another trait-based yield prediction model, which we refer to as the Silicon Breeders Eye (SBE). Our results demonstrate that SBE prediction has comparable predictive power to genomic prediction models. SBE prediction has the potential to be applied to a wider range of breeding programs, including those that lack the resources to genotype large populations of individuals, such as programs in the developing world, breeding programs for specialty crops, and public sector programs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jin, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tross, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newton, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mural, R. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.29.568906</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Imitating the 'breeder's eye': predicting grain yield from measurements of non-yield traits]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.29.569285v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Convergent evolution of desiccation tolerance in grasses 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.29.569285v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Desiccation tolerance has evolved repeatedly in plants as an adaptation to survive extreme environments. Plants use similar biophysical and cellular mechanisms to survive life without water, but convergence at the molecular, gene, and regulatory levels remains to be tested. Here, we explore the evolutionary mechanisms underlying the recurrent evolution of desiccation tolerance across grasses. We observed substantial convergence in gene duplication and expression patterns associated with desiccation. Syntenic genes of shared origin are activated across species, indicative of parallel evolution. In other cases, similar metabolic pathways are induced, but using different gene sets, pointing towards phenotypic convergence. Species-specific mechanisms supplement these shared core mechanisms, underlining the complexity and diversity of evolutionary adaptations to drought. Our findings provide insight into the evolutionary processes driving desiccation tolerance and highlight the roles of parallel and convergent evolution in response to environmental challenges.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marks, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Der Pas, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schuster, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.11.29.569285</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Convergent evolution of desiccation tolerance in grasses]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.01.569261v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Molecular dynamics simulations provide insights into ULK-101 potency and selectivity toward autophagic kinases ULK1/2 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.01.569261v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Kinase domains are highly conserved within protein kinases in both sequence and structure. Many factors, including phosphorylation, amino acid substitutions or mutations, and small molecule inhibitor binding, influence conformations of the kinase domain and enzymatic activity. The serine/threonine kinases ULK1 and ULK2 are highly conserved with N- and C-terminal domains, phosphate-binding P-loops, -C-helix, regulatory and catalytic spines, and activation loop DFG and APE motifs. Here, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand better the potency and selectivity of the ULK1/2 small molecule inhibitor, ULK-101. We observed stable bound states for ULK-101 to the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding site of ULK2, coordinated by hydrogen bonding with the hinge backbone and the catalytic lysine sidechain. Notably, ULK-101 occupies a hydrophobic pocket associated with the N-terminus of the -C-helix. Large movements in the P-loop are also associated with ULK-101 inhibitor binding and exit from ULK2. Our data further suggests that ULK-101 could induce a folded P-loop conformation and hydrophobic pocket reflected in its nanomolar potency and kinome selectivity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vaughan, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackeigan, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.01.569261</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Molecular dynamics simulations provide insights into ULK-101 potency and selectivity toward autophagic kinases ULK1/2]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.01.569679v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantitative Analysis of Autophagy in Single Cells: Differential Response to Amino Acid and Glucose Starvation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.01.569679v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autophagy is a highly conserved, intracellular recycling process by which cytoplasmic contents are degraded in the lysosome. This process occurs at a low level constitutively; however, it is induced robustly in response to stressors, in particular, starvation of critical nutrients such as amino acids and glucose. That said, the relative contribution of these inputs is ambiguous and many starvation medias are poorly defined or devoid of multiple nutrients. Here, we sought to generate a quantitative catalog of autophagy across multiple stages and in single, living cells under normal growth conditions as well as in media starved specifically of amino acids or glucose. We found that autophagy is induced by starvation of amino acids, but not glucose, in U2OS cells, and that MTORC1-mediated ULK1 regulation and autophagy are tightly linked to amino acid levels. While autophagy is engaged immediately during amino acid starvation, a heightened response occurs during a period marked by transcriptional upregulation of autophagy genes during sustained starvation. Finally, we demonstrated that cells immediately return to their initial, low-autophagy state when nutrients are restored, highlighting the dynamic relationship between autophagy and environmental conditions. In addition to sharing our findings here, we provide our data as a high-quality resource for others interested in mathematical modeling or otherwise exploring autophagy in individual cells across a population.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Martin, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Celano, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sheldon, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, R. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacKeigan, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.01.569679</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantitative Analysis of Autophagy in Single Cells: Differential Response to Amino Acid and Glucose Starvation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.06.570447v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Imaging the dynamics of uterine contractions in early pregnancy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.06.570447v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The myometrium or smooth muscle of the uterus contracts throughout the life of the organ. Uterine muscle contractility is essential for reproductive processes including sperm and embryo transport, and during the uterine cycle to remove menstrual effluent or estrus debris. Even still, uterine contractions have primarily only been studied in the context of preterm labor. This is partly due to a lack of methods for studying the contractile characteristics of the uterine muscle in the intact organ. Here, we describe an imaging-based method to evaluate the contractility of both the longitudinal and circular muscles of the uterus in the cycling stages and in early pregnancy. By transforming the image-based data into 3D spatiotemporal contractility maps, we calculate waveform characteristics of muscle contractions, including amplitude, frequency, wavelength, and velocity. We report that the native organ is highly contractile during the progesterone-dominant diestrus stage of the cycle when compared to the estrogen-dominant proestrus and estrus stages. We also observed correlations between contractility during pre-implantation stages of pregnancy and observed embryo movement patterns. During the first phase of embryo movement when clustered embryos move towards the middle of the uterine horn, uterine contractions are dynamic and non-uniform between different segments of the uterine horn. In the second phase of embryo movement, contractions are more uniform and rhythmic throughout the uterine horn. Finally, when our method is applied to Lpar3 mutant uteri that display faster embryo movement, we observe global and regional increases in contractility. Our method provides a means to understand the wave characteristics of uterine smooth muscle in response to modulators and in genetic mutants. Better understanding uterine contractility in the early pregnancy stages is critical for the advancement of artificial reproductive technologies and a possibility of modulating embryo movement during clinical embryo transfers.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dawson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flores, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zou, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anandhasenthil, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahesh, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zavala, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.06.570447</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Imaging the dynamics of uterine contractions in early pregnancy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.06.570460v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The role of breakpoint mutations, supergene effects, and ancient nested rearrangements in the evolution of adaptive chromosome inversions in the yellow monkey flower, Mimulus guttatus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.06.570460v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chromosomal inversion polymorphisms are ubiquitous across the diversity of diploid organisms and play a significant role in the evolution of adaptations in those species. Inversions are thought to operate as supergenes by trapping adaptive alleles at multiple linked loci through the suppression of recombination. While there is now considerable support for the supergene mechanism of inversion evolution, the extent to which inversions trap pre-existing adaptive genetic variation versus accumulate new adaptive variants over time remains unclear. In this study, we report new insights into the evolutionary dynamics of a locally adaptive chromosomal inversion polymorphism (inv_chr8A), which contributes to the evolutionary divergence between coastal perennial and inland annual ecotypes of the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus. This research was enabled by the sequencing, assembly, and annotation of new annual and perennial genomes of M. guttatus using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing technology. In addition to the adaptive inv_chr8A inversion, we identified three other large inversion polymorphisms, including a previously unknown large inversion (inv_chr8B) nested within the inv_chr8A. Through population genomic analyses and comparative genomics, we determined that the nested inv_chr8B inversion is significantly older than the larger chromosomal inversion in which it resides. We also evaluated key candidate genes involved in gibberellin biosynthesis and anthocyanin regulation, which we hypothesize to underlie the adaptive phenotypic effects of the inv_chr8A inversion. Although little evidence was found to suggest that inversion breakpoint mutations drive adaptive phenotypic effects, our findings support the supergene mechanism of adaptive evolution as a dynamic and continuous process.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kollar, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stanley, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kenchanmane Raju, S. K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niederhuth, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.06.570460</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The role of breakpoint mutations, supergene effects, and ancient nested rearrangements in the evolution of adaptive chromosome inversions in the yellow monkey flower, Mimulus guttatus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.07.570652v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The dysregulated IL-23/TH17 axis in endometriosis pathophysiology 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.07.570652v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease where endometrial-like tissue grows ectopically, resulting in pelvic pain and infertility. Interleukin (IL)-23 is established as a key contributor in the development and differentiation of a subset of T cells known as T-helper 17 (TH17) cells, driving TH17 cells towards a pathogenic profile. In a variety of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, TH17 cells secrete proinflammatory cytokines including IL-17, contributing to the disease pathophysiology. Our studies and others have implicated IL-17 and TH17 cell dysregulation in endometriosis, which is associated with disease severity. Here we address whether IL-23 driven TH17 cells contribute to the cardinal features of lesion proliferation, vascularization, and inflammation in endometriosis using patient samples, representative cell lines, and our established mouse model of endometriosis. Our results indicate significantly dysregulated expression of key genes in the IL-23/TH17 axis in patient ectopic and eutopic endometrial samples and increased IL-23 protein in patient plasma compared to healthy controls. In-vitro studies using primary human TH cells determined that IL-23 cocktail treatment significantly increased the frequency of pathogenic TH17 cells. Similarly, treatment with recombinant human (rh)IL-23 on cell lines (12Z, EECC, HUVEC, and hESC) representative of the endometriotic lesion microenvironment led to a significant increase in cytokines and growth factors known to play a role in lesion establishment and maintenance. In a syngeneic mouse model of endometriosis, treatment with recombinant mouse (rm)IL-23 led to significant alterations in numbers of myeloid and T cell subsets in peritoneal fluid and significantly increased numbers of giant cells within the lesion. Endometriotic lesions from rmIL-23 mice did not reveal significant alterations in proliferation and vascularization, although trends of increased proliferation and vascularization were observed. Collectively, these findings provide insights into the impact of the IL-23/TH17 axis on local immune dysfunction and broadly on the pathophysiology of endometriosis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sisnett, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zutautas, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lingegowda, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahn, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCallion, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bougie, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lessey, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tayade, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.07.570652</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The dysregulated IL-23/TH17 axis in endometriosis pathophysiology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.07.570659v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adapting to changing methodology in a long-term experiment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.07.570659v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Long-term experiments are critical for understanding ecological processes, but their management comes with unique challenges. As time passes, projects may encounter unavoidable changes due to external factors, like availability of materials, affecting aspects of their research methodology. At the Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research Site, one of many National Science Foundation-funded long-term research stations, a three-decade project recently experienced a supply-chain-induced change in insect sampling methodology in their lady beetle observation study. Since 1989, lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) have been sampled weekly over the growing season using yellow sticky cards. In 2021, the original sticky traps were discontinued by the manufacturer and replaced with a similar, but not identical trap. We conducted a 3-year study while the new traps were phased in to examine how the trap change would impact the observed biodiversity patterns at the site. We examined community metrics and individual taxa captures to examine within year and between year differences in performance between the card types. Overall, we noted several small but statistically detectable differences in capture patterns between the two trap types. After accounting for other sources of variation, we observed a difference in Shannon diversity of insects captured on the two card types, but not richness or abundance, in the overall insect community. Yet, these differences were dwarfed by the magnitude of difference observed between years within card types. For individual taxa, similar patterns held: between trap differences could be detected statistically, but the number of differences between capture rates of traps was less than the number of differences observed for the same trap, between years. Thus, we conclude that while subtle changes in methodology could impact data produced in long-term experiments, in this case the magnitude of this change is smaller than other factors such as time and plant treatment. However, if sustained changes in the capture rates of focal taxa are observed, future data users may use our observations to specifically quantify and correct for these shifting patterns related to the protocol change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McNamara Manning, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perrone, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petrycki, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Landis, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahlai, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.07.570659</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adapting to changing methodology in a long-term experiment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.07.570723v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Large-Scale Information Retrieval and Correction of Noisy Pharmacogenomic Datasets through Residual Thresholded Deep Matrix Factorization 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.07.570723v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pharmacogenomics studies are attracting an increasing amount of interest from researchers in precision medicine. The advances in high-throughput experiments and multiplexed approaches allow the large-scale quantification of drug sensitivities in molecularly characterized cancer cell lines (CCLs), resulting in a number of open drug sensitivity datasets for drug biomarker discovery. However, a significant inconsistency in drug sensitivity values among these datasets has been noted. Such inconsistency indicates the presence of substantial noise, subsequently hindering downstream analyses. To address the noise in drug sensitivity data, we introduce a robust and scalable deep learning framework, Residual Thresholded Deep Matrix Factorization (RT-DMF). This method takes a single drug sensitivity data matrix as its sole input and outputs a corrected and imputed matrix. Deep Matrix Factorization (DMF) excels at uncovering subtle patterns, due to its minimal reliance on data structure assumptions. This attribute significantly boosts DMFs ability to identify complex hidden patterns among nuisance effects in the data, thereby facilitating the detection of signals that are therapeutically relevant. Furthermore, RT-DMF incorporates an iterative residual thresholding (RT) procedure, which plays a crucial role in retaining signals more likely to hold therapeutic importance. Validation using simulated datasets and real pharmacogenomics datasets demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach in correcting noise and imputing missing data in drug sensitivity datasets (open source package available at https://github.com/tomwhoooo/rtdmf).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hu, Z. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yeh, S.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.07.570723</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Large-Scale Information Retrieval and Correction of Noisy Pharmacogenomic Datasets through Residual Thresholded Deep Matrix Factorization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.26.573375v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PNLDC1 catalysis and postnatal germline function are required for piRNA trimming, LINE1 silencing, and spermatogenesis in mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.26.573375v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) play critical and conserved roles in transposon silencing and gene regulation in the animal germline. Two distinct piRNA populations are present during mouse spermatogenesis: pre-pachytene piRNAs in fetal/neonatal testes and pachytene piRNAs in adult testes. PNLDC1 is required for both pre-pachytene piRNA and pachytene piRNA 3 end maturation in multiple species. However, whether PNLDC1 is the bona fide piRNA trimmer and the physiological role of 3 trimming of two distinct piRNA populations in spermatogenesis remain unclear. Here, by inactivating Pnldc1 exonuclease activity in vitro and in mice, we reveal that PNLDC1 trimmer activity is required for both pre-pachytene piRNA and pachytene piRNA 3 end trimming and male fertility. Furthermore, conditional inactivation of Pnldc1 in postnatal germ cells causes LINE1 transposon de-repression and spermatogenic arrest in mice. This indicates that pachytene piRNA trimming, but not pre-pachytene piRNA trimming, is essential for mouse germ cell development and transposon silencing. Our findings highlight the potential of inhibiting germline piRNA trimmer activity as a potential means for male contraception.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wei, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mann, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Geng, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demireva, E. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2023-12-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.26.573375</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PNLDC1 catalysis and postnatal germline function are required for piRNA trimming, LINE1 silencing, and spermatogenesis in mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2023-12-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.29.573599v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Candidate Genes for Differential Expression during Xenopus laevis Inner Ear Development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.29.573599v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundThe genes involved in inner ear development and maintenance of the adult organ have yet to be fully characterized. Previous genetic analysis has emphasized the early development that gives rise to the otic vesicle. This study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap and identify candidate genes that are expressed as the auditory and vestibular sensory organs continue to grow and develop until the systems reach postmetamorphic maturity.

MethodsAffymetrix microarrays were used to assess inner ear transcriptome profiles from three Xenopus laevis developmental ages where all eight endorgans comprise mechanosensory hair cells: larval stages 50 and 56, and the post-metamorphic juvenile. Pairwise comparisons were made between the three developmental stages and the resulting differentially expressed X. laevis Probe Set IDs (Xl-PSIDs) were assigned to four groups based on differential expression patterns. DAVID analysis was undertaken to impart functional annotation to the differentially regulated Xl-PSIDs.

ResultsAnalysis identified 1510 candidate genes for differential gene expression in one or more pairwise comparison. Annotated genes not previously associated with inner ear development emerged from this analysis, as well as annotated genes with established inner ear function, such as oncomodulin, neurod1, and sp7. Notably, 36% of differentially expressed Xl-PSIDs were unannotated.

ConclusionsResults draw attention to the complex gene regulatory patterns that characterize Xenopus inner ear development, and underscore the need for improved annotation of the X. laevis genome. Outcomes can be utilized to select candidate inner ear genes for functional analysis, and to promote Xenopus as a model organism for biomedical studies of hearing and balance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Virk, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trujillo-Provencio, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serrano, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-01-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2023.12.29.573599</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Candidate Genes for Differential Expression during Xenopus laevis Inner Ear Development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-01-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.12.575434v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
pGpG-signaling regulates virulence and global transcriptomic targets in Erwinia amylovora 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.12.575434v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is a critical bacterial second messenger that enables the physiological phase transition in Erwinia amylovora, the phytopathogenic bacterium that causes fire blight disease. C-di-GMP generation is dependent on diguanylate cyclase enzymes while the degradation of c-di-GMP can occur through the action of phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzymes that contain an active EAL and/or a HD-GYP domain. The HD-GYP-type PDEs, which are absent in E. amylovora, can directly degrade c-di-GMP into two GMP molecules. PDEs that contain an active EAL domain, as found in all active PDEs in E. amylovora, degrade c-di-GMP into pGpG. The signaling function of pGpG is not fully understood in bacterial systems. A transcriptomic approach revealed that elevated levels of pGpG in E. amylovora impacted several genes involved in metabolic and regulatory functions including several type III secretion and extracellular appendage related genes. The heterologous overexpression of an EAL or HD-GYP-type PDE in different background E. amylovora strains with varying c-di-GMP levels revealed that in contrast to the generation of pGpG, the direct breakdown of c-di-GMP into GMP by the HD-GYP-type PDE led to an elevation in amylovoran production and biofilm formation despite a decrease in c-di-GMP levels. The breakdown of c-di-GMP into pGpG (as opposed to GTP) also led to a decrease in virulence in apple shoots. The expression of hrpS was significantly increased in response to the breakdown of c-di-GMP into pGpG. Further, our model suggests that a balance in the intracellular ratio of pGpG and c-di-GMP is essential for biofilm regulation in E. amylovora.

Importancec-di-GMP is the keystone molecule for regulating the transition from motility to biofilm formation in most bacteria. Interestingly, there are two distinct enzymatic phosphodiesterase (PDE) domains, termed EAL and HD-GYP, that degrade c-di-GMP. EAL domains cleave one bond of the cyclic ring to generate pGpG while HD-GYP enzymes cleave c-di-GMP to two GMP molecules. A central question regarding c-di-GMP signaling is has whether or not pGpG itself functions as a signaling molecule. Here we demonstrate in the plant pathogen Erwinia amylovora that pGpG specifically regulates genes and contributes to biofilm formation and disease progression.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kharadi, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsueh, B. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sundin, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-01-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.01.12.575434</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[pGpG-signaling regulates virulence and global transcriptomic targets in Erwinia amylovora]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-01-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.20.576411v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Behavioral sequences across multiple animal species in the wild share common structural features 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.20.576411v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Animal behavior can be decomposed into a sequence of discrete activity bouts over time. Analyzing the statistical structure of such behavioral sequences can provide insights into the drivers of behavioral decisions. Laboratory studies, predominantly in invertebrates, have suggested that behavioral sequences exhibit multiple timescales and long-range memory, but whether these results can be generalized to other taxa and to animals in natural settings remains unclear. By analyzing accelerometer-inferred predictions of behavioral states in three species of social mammals (meerkats, white-nosed coatis, and spotted hyenas) in the wild, we discovered surprisingly consistent structuring of behavioral sequences across all behavioral states, all individuals, and all study species. Behavioral bouts were characterized by decreasing hazard functions, wherein the longer a behavioral bout had progressed, the less likely it was to end within the next instant. The predictability of an animals future behavioral state as a function of its present state always decreased as a truncated power-law for predictions made farther into the future, with very similar estimates for the power law exponent across all species. Finally, the distributions of bout durations were also heavy-tailed. Why such shared structural principles emerge remains unknown, and we explore multiple plausible explanations, including environmental non-stationarity, behavioral self-reinforcement, and the hierarchical nature of behavior. The existence of highly consistent patterns in behavioral sequences across our study species suggests that these phenomena could be widespread in nature, and points to the existence of fundamental properties of behavioral dynamics that could drive such convergent patterns.

Significance statementThe study of animal behavior seeks to understand how and why animals do what they do. This pursuit of general principles governing behavior across species can be approached by first understanding when animals choose to change their behavioral states (e.g., switching from walking to standing, or to running). Using accelerometer-inferred behaviors of three social mammals, we uncover common structural  long timescale patterns in their sequences of behavior. We explore two explanations, involving either positive feedbacks or the interaction of several independent time-scales, about how such common patterns arise.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Minasandra, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grout, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crofoot, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demartsev, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gersick, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, B. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson-Ulrich, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nayak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ortega, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roch, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strauss, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strandburg-Peshkin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.01.20.576411</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Behavioral sequences across multiple animal species in the wild share common structural features]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.18.576196v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Parasite contingency loci and the evolution of host specificity: Simple sequence repeats mediate Bartonella adaptation to a wild rodent host 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.18.576196v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Parasites can adapt to better exploit their hosts on many scales, ranging from within an infection of a single individual to series of infections spanning multiple host species. However, little is known about how the genomes of parasites in natural communities evolve when they face diverse hosts. We investigated how Bartonella bacteria that circulate in rodent communities in the dunes of the Negev Desert in Israel adapt to different species of rodent hosts. We propagated 15 Bartonella populations through infections of either a single host species (Gerbillus andersoni or Gerbillus pyramidum) or alternating between the two. After 20 rodent passages, strains with de novo mutations replaced the ancestor in most populations. Mutations in two mononucleotide simple sequence repeats (SSRs) that caused frameshifts in the same adhesin gene dominated the evolutionary dynamics. They appeared exclusively in populations that encountered G. andersoni and altered the dynamics of infections of this host. Similar SSRs in other genes are conserved and exhibit ON/OFF variation in Bartonella isolates from the Negev Desert dunes. Our results suggest that SSR-based contingency loci could be important not only for rapidly and reversibly generating antigenic variation to escape immune responses but that they may also mediate the evolution of host specificity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rodriguez-Pastor, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knossow, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shahar, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hasik, A. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deatherage, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gutierrez, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harrus, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zaman, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrick, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hawlena, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-01-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.01.18.576196</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Parasite contingency loci and the evolution of host specificity: Simple sequence repeats mediate Bartonella adaptation to a wild rodent host]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-01-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.18.576198v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Geographic variation in resistance of the invasive Drosophila suzukii to parasitism by the biological control agent, Ganaspis brasiliensis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.18.576198v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Host-parasitoid interactions are often tied in coevolutionary arms races where parasitoids continuously have to evolve increased virulence as hosts evolve increased resistance. Invasion theories predict that when a host is introduced to a novel region without its coevolved natural enemies, they will evolve lower defenses. Resistance may also differ geographically and temporally due to abiotic and biotic factors. We investigated spatial, temporal and host plant related differences in resistance of the invasive D. suzukii in seven geographically distinct populations in Michigan and of one population from Oregon against a coevolved parasitoid, Ganaspis brasiliensis. Encapsulation rates (resistance) of G. brasiliensis eggs by D. suzukii reached 39% in August and 48% in September regionally. These relatively high levels of resistance in North America contrast with expectations and may be due to the low levels of competition D. suzukii experiences in the invaded range. Encapsulation rates of D. suzukii differed regionally and temporally but not between fruit types. The northernmost site with the lowest encapsulation rate had the highest rate of parasitism suggesting that parasitoids may be able to detect the defensive capacities of their hosts and adjust attack rates accordingly. The lowest encapsulation rates at the northernmost and thus overall coldest site indicate a negative effect of temperature on resistance. However, temporal differences in resistance from August to September were not consistent among sites. These results indicate that there can be regional and temporal variation in the outcome of host-parasitoid interactions between D. suzukii and G. brasiliensis. This may influence the efficacy and biocontrol potential of G. brasiliensis that has been recently approved for field releases against D. suzukii in North America.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Istas, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Szucs, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-01-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.01.18.576198</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Geographic variation in resistance of the invasive Drosophila suzukii to parasitism by the biological control agent, Ganaspis brasiliensis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-01-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.22.576724v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
OCT4 is expressed in extraembryonic endoderm stem (XEN) cell progenitors during somatic cell reprogramming 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.22.576724v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During development, progenitors of embryonic stem (ES) and extraembryonic endoderm stem (XEN) cells are concomitantly specified within the inner cell mass (ICM) of the mouse blastocyst. Similarly, XEN cells are induced (iXEN cells) alongside induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells following overexpression of Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and Myc (OSKM) during somatic cell reprogramming. It is unclear how or why this cocktail produces both stem cell types, but OCT4 has been associated with non-pluripotent outcomes. In this report, we show that, during OSKM reprogramming, many individual Oct4-GFP-expressing cells are fated to become iXEN cells. Interestingly, SKM alone was also sufficient to induce iXEN cell formation, likely via activation of endogenous Oct4. These observations indicate that iXEN cell formation is not strictly an artifact of Oct4 overexpression. Moreover, our results suggest that a pathway to XEN may be an integral feature of establishing pluripotency during reprogramming, as in early embryo development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moauro, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hickey, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Halbisen, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parenti, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-01-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.01.22.576724</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[OCT4 is expressed in extraembryonic endoderm stem (XEN) cell progenitors during somatic cell reprogramming]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-01-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.23.576717v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Smad4 is essential for epiblast scaling and morphogenesis after implantation, but nonessential prior to implantation in the mouse 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.01.23.576717v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bone Morphogenic Protein (BMP) signaling plays an essential and highly conserved role in axial patterning in embryos of many externally developing animal species. However, in mammalian embryos, which develop inside the mother, early development includes an additional stage known as preimplantation. During preimplantation, the epiblast lineage is segregated from the extraembryonic lineages that enable implantation and development in utero. Yet, the requirement for BMP signaling in mouse preimplantation is imprecisely defined. We show that, in contrast to prior reports, BMP signaling (as reported by SMAD1/5/9 phosphorylation) is not detectable until implantation, when it is detected in the primitive endoderm - an extraembryonic lineage. Moreover, preimplantation development appears normal following deletion of maternal and zygotic Smad4, an essential effector of BMP signaling. In fact, mice lacking maternal Smad4 are viable. Finally, we uncover a new requirement for zygotic Smad4 in epiblast scaling and cavitation immediately after implantation, via a mechanism involving FGFR/ERK attenuation. Altogether, our results demonstrate no role for BMP4/SMAD4 in the first lineage decisions during mouse development. Rather, multi-pathway signaling among embryonic and extraembryonic cell types drives epiblast morphogenesis post-implantation.

Summary StatementGene expression, gene deletion, and pathway visualization evidence show that Smad4-dependent signaling is first active after mouse embryo implantation, when it promotes epiblast morphogenesis non-cell autonomously.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kruger, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frum, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brumm, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hickey, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niakan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aziz, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shammami, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roberts, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-01-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.01.23.576717</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Smad4 is essential for epiblast scaling and morphogenesis after implantation, but nonessential prior to implantation in the mouse]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-01-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.11.579683v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MR-SPLIT: a novel method to address selection and weak instrument bias in one-sample Mendelian randomization studies 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.11.579683v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mendelian Randomization (MR) is a widely embraced approach to assess causality in epidemiological studies. Two-stage least squares (2SLS) method is a predominant technique in MR analysis. However, it can lead to biased estimates when instrumental variables (IVs) are weak. Moreover, the issue of the winners curse could emerge when utilizing the same dataset for both IV selection and causal effect estimation, leading to biased estimates of causal effects and high false positives. Focusing on one-sample MR analysis, this paper introduces a novel method termed as Mendelian Randomization with adaptive Sample-sPLitting with cross-fitting InstrumenTs (MR-SPLIT), designed to address bias issues due to IV selection and weak IVs, under the 2SLS IV regression framework. We show that the MR-SPLIT estimator is more efficient than its counterpart cross-fitting MR (CFMR) estimator. Additionally, we introduce a multiple sample-splitting technique to enhance the robustness of the method. We conduct extensive simulation studies to compare the performance of our method with its counterparts. The results underscored its superiority in bias reduction, effective type I error control, and increased power. We further demonstrate its utility through the application of a real-world dataset. Our study underscores the importance of addressing bias issues due to IV selection in high dimensions and weak IVs in one-sample MR analyses and provides a robust solution to the challenge.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shi, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burgess, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cui, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.11.579683</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MR-SPLIT: a novel method to address selection and weak instrument bias in one-sample Mendelian randomization studies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.11.579810v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional dynamics and selectivity of two parallel corticocortical pathways from motor cortex to layer 5 circuits in somatosensory cortex 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.11.579810v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In the rodent whisker system, active sensing and sensorimotor integration are mediated in part by the dynamic interactions between the motor cortex (M1) and somatosensory cortex (S1). However, understanding these dynamic interactions requires knowledge about the synapses and how specific neurons respond to their input. Here, we combined optogenetics, retrograde labeling, and electrophysiology to characterize the synaptic connections between M1 and layer 5 (L5) intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons in S1 of mice (both sexes). We found that M1 synapses onto IT cells displayed modest short-term depression, whereas synapses onto PT neurons showed robust short-term facilitation. Despite M1 inputs to IT cells depressing, their slower kinetics resulted in summation and a response that increased during short trains. In contrast, summation was minimal in PT neurons due to the fast time course of their M1 responses. The functional consequences of this reduced summation, however, were outweighed by the strong facilitation at these M1 synapses, resulting in larger response amplitudes in PT neurons than IT cells during repetitive stimulation. To understand the impact of facilitating M1 inputs on PT output, we paired trains of inputs with single backpropagating action potentials, finding that repetitive M1 activation increased the probability of bursts in PT cells without impacting the time-dependence of this coupling. Thus, there are two parallel but dynamically distinct systems of M1 synaptic excitation in L5 of S1, each defined by the short-term dynamics of its synapses, the class of postsynaptic neurons, and how the neurons respond to those inputs.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTNormal sensorimotor integration depends in part on the dynamic interactions between the primary motor cortex and the somatosensory cortex, but the functional properties of the excitatory synapses interconnecting the motor cortex with the somatosensory cortex are poorly understood. Our results show that the short-term dynamics of excitatory motor cortex synapses and the nature of the postsynaptic response they generate onto layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the somatosensory cortex depend on the postsynaptic cell type and if their axons project to other cortical areas or subcortical regions. These two parallel but dynamically distinct channels of synaptic excitation constitute previously unknown synaptic circuits by which different temporal patterns of motor cortex activity can shape how signals propagate out of the somatosensory cortex.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kim, H.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gillie, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Autio, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keller, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crandall, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.11.579810</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional dynamics and selectivity of two parallel corticocortical pathways from motor cortex to layer 5 circuits in somatosensory cortex]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.13.580169v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
UHRF1 ubiquitin ligase activity supports the maintenance of low-density CpG methylation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.13.580169v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The RING E3 ubiquitin ligase UHRF1 is an established cofactor for DNA methylation inheritance. Nucleosomal engagement through histone and DNA interactions directs UHRF1 ubiquitin ligase activity toward lysines on histone H3 tails, creating binding sites for DNMT1 through ubiquitin interacting motifs (UIM1 and UIM2). Here, we profile contributions of UHRF1 and DNMT1 to genome-wide DNA methylation inheritance and dissect specific roles for ubiquitin signaling in this process. We reveal DNA methylation maintenance at low-density CpGs is vulnerable to disruption of UHRF1 ubiquitin ligase activity and DNMT1 ubiquitin reading activity through UIM1. Hypomethylation of low-density CpGs in this manner induces formation of partially methylated domains (PMD), a methylation signature observed across human cancers. Furthermore, disrupting DNMT1 UIM2 function abolishes DNA methylation maintenance. Collectively, we show DNMT1-dependent DNA methylation inheritance is a ubiquitin-regulated process and suggest a disrupted UHRF1-DNMT1 ubiquitin signaling axis contributes to the development of PMDs in human cancers.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tiedemann, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hrit, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Du, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiseman, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eden, H. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kong, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chomiak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaughan, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hebert, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>David, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, W. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baylin, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rothbart, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.13.580169</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[UHRF1 ubiquitin ligase activity supports the maintenance of low-density CpG methylation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.14.580295v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Engineering the cyanobacterial ATP-driven BCT1 bicarbonate transporter for functional targeting to C3 plant chloroplasts 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.14.580295v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The ATP-driven bicarbonate transporter 1 (BCT1), a four-component complex in the cyanobacterial CO2-concentrating mechanism, could enhance photosynthetic CO2 assimilation in plant chloroplasts. However, directing its subunits (CmpA, CmpB, CmpC and CmpD) to three chloroplast sub-compartments is highly complex. Investigating BCT1 integration into Nicotiana benthamiana chloroplasts revealed promising targeting strategies using transit peptides from the intermembrane space protein Tic22 for correct CmpA targeting, while the transit peptide of the chloroplastic ABCD2 transporter effectively targeted CmpB to the inner envelope membrane. CmpC and CmpD were targeted to the stroma by RecA and recruited to the inner envelope membrane by CmpB. Despite successful targeting, expression of this complex in CO2-dependent Escherichia coli failed to demonstrate bicarbonate uptake. We then used rational design and directed evolution to generate new BCT1 forms that were constitutively active. Several mutants were recovered, including a CmpCD fusion. Selected mutants were further characterized and stably expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana, but the transformed plants did not have higher carbon assimilation rates or decreased CO2 compensation points in mature leaves. While further analysis is required, this directed evolution and heterologous testing approach presents potential for iterative modification and assessment of CO2-concentrating mechanism components to improve plant photosynthesis.

HighlightWe describe the directed evolution and rational design of a cyanobacterial four-component bicarbonate transporter and the localization of its subunits to various chloroplast sub-compartments for improving C3 plant photosynthesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rottet, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rourke, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pabuayon, I. C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Phua, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yee, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weerasooriya, H. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mehra, H. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, N. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Long, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moroney, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Price, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.14.580295</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Engineering the cyanobacterial ATP-driven BCT1 bicarbonate transporter for functional targeting to C3 plant chloroplasts]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.16.580650v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional brain imaging predicts population-level visits to urban spaces 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.16.580650v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Urbanization is increasing around the world, and urban development strategies focusing on sustainability and the welfare of urban residents are needed. In response to this need, the field of neurourbanism has emerged, which leverages research on the human brain to understand and predict the influence of urban environments. For example, studying brain regions involved in reward processing and value-based decision making, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), may help us understand how people interact with and navigate through urban environments. In this study, we aimed to ascertain whether neural activity within the vmPFC can predict population-level visits around the urban spaces of a city - in our case, Lisbon, Portugal. We used the density of photographs taken around Lisbon as a proxy measure of these visits. To do this, we created a stimulus set featuring 160 images of Lisbon sourced from the social media platform, Flickr. Then, study participants in the U.S. who had never visited Lisbon, viewed these images while we recorded their brain activity. We found that in our sample, activity in the vmPFC predicted the density of photographs taken around Lisbon, and hence, the population-level visits. Our research highlights the crucial role of the brain, especially reward-related brain regions, in shaping human behavior within urban environments. By shedding light on the neural mechanisms underlying urban behavior in humans, our research opens exciting possibilities for the future of urban planning. With this knowledge, policymakers and urban planners can potentially design cities that can promote well-being, social interaction, and sustainable living.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kaur, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodrigues, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoogstraten, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blanco-Mora, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miranda, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgado, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meshi, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.16.580650</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional brain imaging predicts population-level visits to urban spaces]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.15.580454v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Arabidopsis thaliana RHAMNOSE 1 condensate formation drives UDP-rhamnose synthesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.15.580454v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Rhamnose is an essential component of the plant cell wall and is synthesized from uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose by the RHAMNOSE1 (RHM1) enzyme. RHM1 localizes to biomolecular condensates in plants, but their identity, formation, and function remain elusive. Combining live imaging, genetics, and biochemical approaches in Arabidopsis and heterologous systems, we show that RHM1 alone is sufficient to form enzymatically active condensates, which we name  rhamnosomes. Rhamnosome formation is required for UDP-rhamnose synthesis and organ development. Overall, our study demonstrates a novel role for biomolecular condensation in metabolism and organismal development, and provides further support for how organisms have harnessed this biophysical process to regulate small molecule metabolism.

One-Sentence SummaryCondensation of RHM1 drives UDP-rhamnose synthesis during plant development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Field, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorone, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dwyer, W. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raba, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Froehlich, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blea, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carmo, O. M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallace, I. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hastings, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boeynaems, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.15.580454</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Arabidopsis thaliana RHAMNOSE 1 condensate formation drives UDP-rhamnose synthesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.21.581474v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Convergent evolution of plant prickles is drivenby repeated gene co-option over deep time 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.21.581474v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
An enduring question in evolutionary biology concerns the degree to which episodes of convergent trait evolution depend on the same genetic programs, particularly over long timescales. Here we genetically dissected repeated origins and losses of prickles, sharp epidermal projections, that convergently evolved in numerous plant lineages. Mutations in a cytokinin hormone biosynthetic gene caused at least 16 independent losses of prickles in eggplants and wild relatives in the genus Solanum. Strikingly, homologs promote prickle formation across angiosperms that collectively diverged over 150 million years ago. By developing new Solanum genetic systems, we leveraged this discovery to eliminate prickles in a wild species and an indigenously foraged berry. Our findings implicate a shared hormone-activation genetic program underlying evolutionarily widespread and recurrent instances of plant morphological innovation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Satterlee, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alonso, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gramazio, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenike, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arrones, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villanueva, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plazas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramakrishnan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benoit, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gentile, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hendelman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shohat, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzgerald, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robitaille, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Green, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swartwood, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Passalacqua, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gagnon, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hilgenhof, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huggins, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eizenga, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gur, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rutten, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stein, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yao, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bellot, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bendahmane, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frary, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knapp, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarkinen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gillis, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Eck, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schatz, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eshed, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prohens, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vilanova, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lippman, Z. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.21.581474</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Convergent evolution of plant prickles is drivenby repeated gene co-option over deep time]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.20.581223v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biomaterial Degradation Products affect Regenerating Glia Independently of Surface Properties 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.20.581223v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Devices to treat peripheral nerve injury (PNI) must balance many considerations to effectively guide regenerating nerves across a gap and achieve functional recovery. To enhance efficacy, design features like luminal fillers have been explored extensively. Material choice for PNI devices is also critical, as the determining factor of device mechanics, and degradation rate and has increasingly been found to directly impact biological response. This study investigated the ways in which synthetic polymer materials impact the differentiation state and myelination potential of Schwann cells, peripheral nerve glia. Microporous substrates of polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) 85:15, or PLGA 50:50 were chosen, as materials already used in nerve repair devices, representing a wide range of mechanics and degradation profiles. Schwann cells co-cultured with dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons on the substrates expressed more mature myelination proteins (MPZ) on PLGA substrates compared to PCL. Changes to myelination and differentiation state of glia were reflected in adhesion proteins expressed by glia, including {beta}-dystroglycan and integrin 6, both laminin binding proteins. Importantly, degradation products of the polymers affected glial expression independently of direct attachment. Fast degrading PLGA 50:50 substrates released measurable amounts of degradation products (lactic acid) within the culture period, which may push Schwann cells towards glycolytic metabolism, decreasing expression of early transcription factors like sox10. This study shows the importance of understanding not only material effects on attachment, but also on cellular metabolism which drives myelination responses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pawelec, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hix, J. M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.20.581223</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biomaterial Degradation Products affect Regenerating Glia Independently of Surface Properties]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.20.581229v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Computed Tomography of Polymeric Biomedical Implants from Bench to Bedside 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.20.581229v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Implanted biomedical devices require porosity to encourage tissue regeneration. However, characterizing porosity, which affects many functional device properties, is non-trivial. Computed tomography (CT) is a quick, versatile, and non-destructive way to gain 3D structural information. While optimization of CT for polymeric devices has been investigated at the bench on high-resolution micro-CT (CT) scanners, pre-clinical and clinical systems cannot be tuned the same way, given an overriding objective to minimize ionizing radiation exposure to living tissues. Therefore, in this study we tested feasibility of obtaining structural information in pre-clinical systems and CT under physiological conditions. The size of resolved features in porous structures is highly dependent on the resolution (voxel size) of the scan. Lower resolution underestimated porosity and overestimated pore size. With the homogeneous introduction of radiopaque nanoparticle contrast agent into both biopolymers and synthetic polymers, devices could be imaged in the hydrated state, even at high-resolution. Biopolymers had significant structural changes at the micro-scale post-hydration, including a mean increase of 130% in pore wall thickness that could potentially impact biological response. Through optimizing devices for medical imaging, CT has the potential to be a facile way to monitor devices from initial design stages through to clinical translation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pawelec, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schoborg, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-02-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.02.20.581229</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Computed Tomography of Polymeric Biomedical Implants from Bench to Bedside]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-02-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.04.583350v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
NFixDB (Nitrogen Fixation DataBase) - A Comprehensive Integrated Database for Robust 'Omics Analysis of Diazotrophs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.04.583350v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biological nitrogen fixation is a fundamental biogeochemical process that transforms that provides fixed biologically available nitrogen by diazotrophic microbes. Diazotrophs anaerobically fix nitrogen using the nitrogenase enzyme which has three different gene clusters: 1) molybdenum nitrogenase (nifDHK) is the most abundant, followed by its alternatives 2) vanadium nitrogenase (vnfDHK), and 3) iron nitrogenase (anfDHK). Multiple databases have been constructed as resources for diazotrophic  omics analysis; however, an integrated database based on whole genome references does not exist. Here, we present NFixDB (Nitrogen Fixation DataBase), a comprehensive integrated whole genome based database for diazotrophs, which includes all nitrogenases (nifDHK, vnfDHK, anfDHK) and nitrogenase-like enzymes (e.g., nflDH) linked to ribosomal operons (16S-5.8S-23S). NFixDB was computed using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) against the entire whole genome based Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB R214), providing searchable reference HMMs for all nitrogenase and nitrogenase-like genes, complete ribosomal operons, both GTDB and NCBI/RefSeq taxonomy, and an SQL database for querying matches. We compared NFixDB to nifH databases from Buckley, Zehr, Mise, and FunGene finding extensive evidence of nifH, in addition to vnfH and nflH. NFixDB contains more than 4,000 verified nifHDK sequences contained on 50 unique phyla of bacteria and archaea. NFixDB offers the first comprehensive nitrogenase database available to researchers.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bellanger, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Figueroa, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiemann, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Friesen, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>White, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.04.583350</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[NFixDB (Nitrogen Fixation DataBase) - A Comprehensive Integrated Database for Robust 'Omics Analysis of Diazotrophs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.06.583756v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CD47 is Required for Mesenchymal Progenitor Proliferation and Fracture Repair 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.06.583756v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
CD47 is a ubiquitous and pleiotropic cell-surface receptor. Disrupting CD47 enhances injury repair in various tissues but the role of CD47 has not been studied in bone injuries. In a murine closed-fracture model, CD47-null mice showed decreased callus bone volume, bone mineral content, and tissue mineral content as assessed by microcomputed tomography 10 days post-fracture, and increased fibrous volume as determined by histology. To understand the cellular basis for this phenotype, mesenchymal progenitors (MSC) were harvested from bone marrow. CD47-null MSC showed decreased large fibroblast colony formation (CFU-F), significantly less proliferation, and fewer cells in S-phase, although osteoblast differentiation was unaffected. However, consistent with prior research, CD47-null endothelial cells showed increased proliferation relative to WT cells. Similarly, in a murine ischemic fracture model, CD47-null mice showed reduced fracture callus bone volume and bone mineral content relative to WT. Consistent with our in vitro results, in vivo EdU labeling showed decreased cell proliferation in the callus of CD47-null mice, while staining for CD31 and endomucin demonstrated increased endothelial cell mass. Finally, WT mice administered a CD47 morpholino, which blocks CD47 protein production, showed a callus phenotype similar to that of non-ischemic and ischemic fractures in CD47-null mice, suggesting the phenotype was not due to developmental changes in the knockout mice. Thus, inhibition of CD47 during bone healing reduces both non-ischemic and ischemic fracture healing, in part, by decreasing MSC proliferation. Furthermore, the increase in endothelial cell proliferation and early blood vessel density caused by CD47 disruption is not sufficient to overcome MSC dysfunction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zondervan, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Capobianco, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenkins, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reicha, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fredrick, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lam, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Isenberg, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahn, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marcucio, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hankenson, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.06.583756</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CD47 is Required for Mesenchymal Progenitor Proliferation and Fracture Repair]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.05.583524v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Atypical Cell Cycle Regulation Promotes Mammary Stem Cell Expansion and Therapeutic Resistance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.05.583524v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundThe cell cycle of mammary stem cells must be tightly regulated to ensure normal homeostasis of the mammary gland to prevent abnormal proliferation and susceptibility to tumorigenesis. The atypical cell cycle regulator, Spy1 can override cell cycle checkpoints, including those activated by the tumour suppressor p53 which mediates mammary stem cell homeostasis. Spy1 has also been shown to promote expansion of select stem cell populations in other developmental systems. Spy1 protein is elevated during proliferative stages of mammary gland development, is found at higher levels in human breast cancers, and promotes susceptibility to mammary tumourigenesis when combined with loss of p53. We hypothesized that Spy1 cooperates with loss of p53 to increase susceptibility to tumour initiation due to changes in susceptible mammary stem cell populations during development and drives the formation of more aggressive stem like tumours.

MethodsUsing a transgenic mouse model driving expression of Spy1 within the mammary gland, mammary development and stemness were assessed. These mice were intercrossed with p53 null mice to study the tumourigenic properties of Spy1 driven p53 null tumours, as well as global changes in signaling via RNA sequencing analysis.

ResultsWe show that elevated levels of Spy1 leads to expansion of mammary stem cells, even in the presence of p53, and an increase in mammary tumour formation. Spy1-driven tumours have an increased cancer stem cell population, decreased checkpoint signaling, and demonstrate an increase in therapy resistance. Loss of Spy1 decreases tumor onset and reduces the cancer stem cell population.

ConclusionsThis data demonstrates the potential of Spy1 to expand mammary stem cell populations and contribute to the initiation and progression of aggressive, drug resistant breast cancers with increased cancer stem cell populations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fifield, B.-A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vusich, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haberfellner, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porter, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.05.583524</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Atypical Cell Cycle Regulation Promotes Mammary Stem Cell Expansion and Therapeutic Resistance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.05.583621v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Conformational switch of a peptide provides a novel strategy to design peptide loaded porous organic polymer for Pyroptosis pathway mediated cancer therapy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.05.583621v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While peptide-based drug development is now extensively explored, this strategy does have limitations, which come from their rapid excretion from the body (or shorter half-life in the body), and vulnerability to protease-mediated degradation. To overcome these limitations, here we introduce a novel strategy for the development of a peptide-based anticancer agent using the conformation switch property of a chameleon sequence stretch, which we derived from a mycobacterium secretory protein, MPT63. Then, we loaded this peptide in a new porous organic polymer (PG-DFC-POP) synthesized using phloroglucinol and acresolderivative via condensation reaction for delivering the peptide selectively to the cancer cells. Employing an ensemble and single molecule approaches, we demonstrate that this peptide undergoes a disordered to alpha-helical conformational transition, which is triggered by a low pH environment inside cancer cells. This adopted alpha-helical conformation results in the formation of proteolysis-resistant oligomers, which show efficient membrane pore-forming activity selectively for negatively charged phospholipid which is accumulated in cancer cell membrane. Our in vitro and in vivo experimental results demonstrate that the peptide-loaded nanomaterial PG-DFC-POP-PEP 1 exhibits significant cytotoxicity in cancer cells, leading to cell death through the Pyroptosis pathway that is confirmed by monitoring numerous associated events starting from lysosome membrane damage to GSDMD-induced cell membrane demolition. We believe that this novel conformational switch-based drug design strategy has great potential in endogenous environment-responsive cancer therapy and the development of future drug candidates to mitigate cancers.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chattopahyay, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mishra, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sannigrahi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruidas, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chatterjee, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roy, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mishra, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maity, B. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paul, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Das Saha, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhaumik, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.05.583621</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Conformational switch of a peptide provides a novel strategy to design peptide loaded porous organic polymer for Pyroptosis pathway mediated cancer therapy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.06.582595v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deep Plasma Proteome Profiling by Modulating Single Nanoparticle Protein Corona with Small Molecules 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.06.582595v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The protein corona, a dynamic biomolecular layer that forms on nanoparticle (NP) surfaces upon exposure to biological fluids is emerging as a valuable diagnostic tool for improving plasma proteome coverage analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Here, we show that spiking small molecules, including metabolites, lipids, vitamins, and nutrients (namely, glucose, triglyceride, diglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, L--phosphatidylinositol, inosine 5'-monophosphate, and B complex), into plasma can induce diverse protein corona patterns on otherwise identical NPs, significantly enhancing the depth of plasma proteome profiling. The protein coronas on polystyrene NPs when exposed to plasma treated with an array of small molecules (n=10) allowed for detection of 1793 proteins marking an 8.25-fold increase in the number of quantified proteins compared to plasma alone (218 proteins) and a 2.63-fold increase relative to the untreated protein corona (681 proteins). Furthermore, we discovered that adding 1000 {micro}g/ml phosphatidylcholine could singularly enable the detection of 897 proteins. At this specific concentration, phosphatidylcholine selectively depleted the four most abundant plasma proteins, including albumin, thus reducing the dynamic range of plasma proteome and enabling the detection of proteins with lower abundance. By employing an optimized data-independent acquisition (DIA) approach, the inclusion of phosphatidylcholine led to the detection of 1436 proteins in a single plasma sample. Our molecular dynamic results revealed that phosphatidylcholine interacts with albumin via hydrophobic interactions, h-bonds, and water-bridges. Addition of phosphatidylcholine also enabled the detection of 337 additional proteoforms compared to untreated protein corona using a top-down proteomics approach. These significant achievements are made utilizing only a single NP type and one small molecule to analyze a single plasma sample, setting a new standard in plasma proteome profiling. Given the critical role of plasma proteomics in biomarker discovery and disease monitoring, we anticipate widespread adoption of this methodology for identification and clinical translation of proteomic biomarkers into FDA approved diagnostics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ashkarran, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gharibi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Modaresi, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sayadi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jafari, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ritz, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kakhniashvili, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Landry, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dibavar, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.06.582595</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deep Plasma Proteome Profiling by Modulating Single Nanoparticle Protein Corona with Small Molecules]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.11.584375v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sacbrood viruses and select Lake Sinai virus variants dominated Apis mellifera colonies symptomatic for European foulbrood 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.11.584375v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
European foulbrood (EFB) is a prevalent disease of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the US, which can lead to colony decline and collapse. The bacterial components of EFB are well studied, but the diversity of viral infections within infected colonies has not been explored. Here we use meta-transcriptomics sequencing of 12 honey bee hives, symptomatic (+) and asymptomatic (-) for EFB to explore viral infection associated with the disease. We identified 41 viral genomes, belonging to two families, with a predominant occurrence of 34 genomes observed in colonies with severe EFB. This is in contrast to fewer, and a complete absence of Dicistroviridae genomes, recovered from healthy colonies (7 genomes). Identified viruses included multiple lineages previously reported in honey bees, namely Lake Sinai virus, Deformed wing virus, Sacbrood virus, Black queen cell virus, and Israeli acute paralysis virus.

We observed specific Lake Sinai virus clades associated exclusively with EFB+ or EFB-colonies, in addition to EFB-afflicted colonies that exhibited an increase in relative abundance of sacbrood viruses. Multivariant analyses highlighted that a combination of site and EFB disease status influenced RNA virome composition, while EFB status alone didnt significantly impact it, presenting a challenge for comparisons between colonies kept in different yards. These findings contribute to the understanding of viral dynamics in honey bee colonies compromised by EFB and underscore the need for future investigations to consider viral composition when investigating EFB.

ImportanceThis study on the viromes of honey bee colonies affected by European foulbrood (EFB) sheds light on the dynamics of viral populations in bee colonies in the context of a prevalent bacterial brood disease. The identification of distinct Lake Sinai virus and Sacbrood virus clades associated with colonies with severe EFB suggests a potential connection between viral composition and disease status, emphasizing the need for further investigation into the role of viruses during EFB infection. The observed increase in sacbrood viruses during EFB infection implies a possible viral dysbiosis, with potential implications for honey bee brood health. These findings contribute valuable insights for apicultural practices, offering a foundation for future research aimed at understanding and mitigating the impact of bacterial and viral infection in commercial honey bee operations and the management of EFB.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hesketh-Best, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fowler, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Odogwu, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Milbrath, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schroeder, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.11.584375</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sacbrood viruses and select Lake Sinai virus variants dominated Apis mellifera colonies symptomatic for European foulbrood]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.08.584086v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A high resolution model of the grapevine leaf morphospace predicts synthetic leaves 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.08.584086v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIGrapevine leaves are a model morphometric system. Sampling over ten thousand leaves using dozens of landmarks, the genetic, developmental, and environmental basis of leaf shape has been studied and a morphospace for the genus Vitis predicted. Yet, these representations of leaf shape fail to capture the exquisite features of leaves at high resolution.
C_LIO_LIWe measure the shapes of 139 grapevine leaves using 1672 pseudo-landmarks derived from 90 homologous landmarks with Procrustean approaches. From hand traces of the vasculature and blade, we have derived a method to automatically detect landmarks and place pseudo-landmarks that results in a high-resolution representation of grapevine leaf shape. Using polynomial models, we create continuous representations of leaf development in 10 Vitis spp.
C_LIO_LIWe visualize a high-resolution morphospace in which genetic and developmental sources of leaf shape variance are orthogonal to each other. Using classifiers, V. vinifera, Vitis spp., rootstock and dissected leaf varieties as well as developmental stages are accurately predicted. Theoretical eigenleaf representations sampled from across the morphospace that we call synthetic leaves can be classified using models.
C_LIO_LIBy predicting a high-resolution morphospace and delimiting the boundaries of leaf shapes that can plausibly be produced within the genus Vitis, we can sample synthetic leaves with realistic qualities. From an ampelographic perspective, larger numbers of leaves sampled at lower resolution can be projected onto this high-resolution space; or, synthetic leaves can be used to increase the robustness and accuracy of machine learning classifiers.
C_LI

Societal Impact StatementGrapevine leaves are emblematic of the strong visual associations people make with plants. At a glance, leaf shape is immediately recognizable, and it is because of this reason it is used to distinguish grape varieties. In an era of computationally-enabled, machine learning-derived representations of reality, we can revisit how we view and use the shapes and forms that plants display to understand our relationship with them. Using computational approaches combined with time-honored methods, we can predict theoretical leaves that are possible to understand the genetics, development, and environmental responses of plants in new ways.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torres-Lomas, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hadi, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peterson, W. L. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fischer, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rogers, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Acierno, M. G. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azumaya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benjamin, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chalise, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chess, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Engelsma, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fu, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jaikham, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knight, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kodjak, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lengyel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munoz, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rincon, S. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schumann, F. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>St. Clair, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sweeney, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitaker, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diaz-Garcia, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.08.584086</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A high resolution model of the grapevine leaf morphospace predicts synthetic leaves]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.08.584192v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Graph Contrastive Learning of Subcellular-resolution Spatial Transcriptomics Improves Cell Type Annotation and Reveals Critical Molecular Pathways 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.08.584192v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Imaging based spatial transcriptomics (iST), such as MERFISH, CosMx SMI, and Xenium, quantify gene expression level across cells in space, but more importantly, they directly reveal the subcellular distribution of RNA transcripts at the single-molecule resolution. The subcellular localization of RNA molecules plays a crucial role in the compartmentalization-dependent regulation of genes within individual cells. Understanding the intracellular spatial distribution of RNA for a particular cell type thus not only improves the characterization of cell identity but also is of paramount importance in elucidating unique subcellular regulatory mechanisms specific to the cell type. However, current cell type annotation approaches of iST primarily utilize gene expression information while neglecting the spatial distribution of RNAs within cells. In this work, we introduce a semi-supervised graph contrastive learning method called Focus, the first method, to the best of our knowledge, that explicitly models RNAs subcellular distribution and community to improve cell type annotation. Focus first constructs gene neighborhood networks based on the subcellular colocalization relationship of RNA transcripts. Next, the subcellular graph of each cell can be augmented by adding important edges and nodes or removing trivial edges and nodes. Focus then aims to maximize the similarity between positive pairs from two augmented views of the same cell and minimize the similarity between negative pairs from different cells within a common batch. Guided by a limited amount of labeled data, Focus is capable of assigning cell type identities for the entire datasets at high accuracy. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of Focus compared to existing state-of-the-art approaches across a range of spatial transcriptomics platforms and biological systems. Furthermore, Focus enjoys the advantages of revealing intricate cell type-specific subcellular spatial gene patterns and providing interpretable subcellular gene analysis, such as defining the gene importance score. Importantly, with the importance score, Focus identifies genes harboring strong relevance to cell type-specific pathways, indicating its potential in uncovering novel regulatory programs across numerous biological systems. Focus is freely accessible at https://github.com/OmicsML/focus.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lu, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.08.584192</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Graph Contrastive Learning of Subcellular-resolution Spatial Transcriptomics Improves Cell Type Annotation and Reveals Critical Molecular Pathways]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.12.584146v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Magnetic particle imaging reveals that iron-labeled extracellular vesicles accumulate in brains of mice with metastases 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.12.584146v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The incidence of breast cancer remains high worldwide and is associated with a significant risk of metastasis to the brain that can be fatal; this is due, in part, to the inability of therapeutics to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been found to cross the BBB and further, have been used to deliver drugs to tumors. EVs from different cell types appear to have different patterns of accumulation and retention as well as efficiency of bioactive cargo delivery to recipient cells in the body. Engineering EVs as delivery tools to treat brain metastases, therefore, will require an understanding of the timing of EV accumulation, and their localization relative to metastatic sites. Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a sensitive and quantitative imaging method that directly detects superparamagnetic iron. Here, we demonstrate MPI as a novel tool to characterize EV biodistribution in metastatic disease after labeling EVs with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles. Iron-labeled EVs (FeEVs) were collected from iron-labeled parental primary 4T1 tumor cells and brain-seeking 4T1BR5 cells, followed by injection into mice with orthotopic tumors or brain metastases. MPI quantification revealed that FeEVs were retained for longer in orthotopic mammary carcinomas compared to SPIOs. MPI signal due to iron could only be detected in brains of mice bearing brain metastases after injection of FeEVs, but not SPIOs, or FeEVs when mice did not have brain metastases. These findings indicate the potential use of EVs as a therapeutic delivery tool in primary and metastatic tumors.

TOC Graphic

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=99 SRC="FIGDIR/small/584146v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (20K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@8cf21org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@56b6f0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@104626eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@da60cd_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Toomajian, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tundo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greeson, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.12.584146</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Magnetic particle imaging reveals that iron-labeled extracellular vesicles accumulate in brains of mice with metastases]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.13.584802v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Unveiling shared genetic regulators for plant architectural and biomass yield traits in sorghum 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.13.584802v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sorghum is emerging as an ideal genetic model for designing high-biomass bioenergy crops. Biomass yield, a complex trait influenced by various plant architectural features, is typically regulated by numerous genes. This study aims to dissect the genetic mechanisms underlying fourteen plant architectural and ten biomass yield traits in a sorghum association panel (SAP) across two growing seasons. We identified 321 associated loci via genome-wide association studies involving 234,264 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These loci encompass both genes with a priori links to biomass traits, such as  maturity,  dwarfing (Dw),  leafbladeless1,  cryptochrome, and several loci not previously linked to roles in determining these traits. We identified 22 pleiotropic loci associated with variation in multiple phenotypes. Three of these loci, located on chromosomes 3 (S03_15463061), 6 (S06_42790178; Dw2), and 9 (S09_57005346; Dw1), exert significant and consistent effects on multiple traits. Additionally, we identified three genomic hotspots on chromosomes 6, 7, and 9, containing multiple SNPs associated with variation in plant architecture and biomass yield traits. Positive correlations were observed among linked SNPs close to or within the same genomic regions. Thirteen haplotypes were identified from these positively correlated SNPs on chr 6, with haplotypes 8 and 11 emerging as optimal combinations, exhibiting pronounced effects on the traits. Lastly, network analysis revealed that loci associated with flowering, plant heights, leaf characteristics, plant number, and tiller number per plant were highly interconnected with other genetic loci linked to plant architecture and biomass yield traits. The pyramiding of favorable alleles related to these traits holds promise for enhancing the future development of bioenergy sorghum crops.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Singh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newton, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.13.584802</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Unveiling shared genetic regulators for plant architectural and biomass yield traits in sorghum]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.14.584694v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The transcription factor ATML1 maintains giant cell identity by inducing synthesis of its own (very) long-chain fatty acid-containing ligands 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.14.584694v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During development, cells not only adopt specialized identities but also maintain those identities. Endoreduplication is thought to maintain cell identity. High concentrations of ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA MERISTEM LAYER1 (ATML1) specify giant cell identity and induce endoreduplication in sepals. How different concentrations of ATML1 can specify different identities remains unclear. Here, we show that high concentrations of ATML1 induce the biosynthesis of both long-chain and very long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs/VLCFAs), and these fatty acids are required for the maintenance of giant cell identity. Inhibition of VLCFA biosynthesis causes endoreduplicated giant cells to resume division and lose their identity, indicating that endoreduplication is not sufficient to maintain cell identity. Structural predictions suggest that LCFA-containing lipids bind to the START domain 2 of ATML1, causing ATML1 dimerization and its auto-activation. Our data and modeling imply that ATML1 induces biosynthesis of its own lipid ligands in a positive feedback loop, shedding light on the intricate network dynamics that specify and maintain giant cell identity.

Teaser: Endoreduplicated cells in Arabidopsis thaliana sepals divide and de-differentiate in the absence of VLCFA biosynthesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vadde, B. V. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Russell, N. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bagde, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Askey, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saint-Antoine, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brownfield, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mughal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Apprill, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khosla, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, F. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schwarz, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alseekh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernie, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schrick, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fromme, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Formosa-Jordan, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roeder, A. H. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.14.584694</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The transcription factor ATML1 maintains giant cell identity by inducing synthesis of its own (very) long-chain fatty acid-containing ligands]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.19.585794v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Orthogonality of shell proteins across BMC subclasses in cyanobacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.19.585794v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial microcompartments (BMC) are protein-based organelles broadly distributed across all bacterial phyla and subclassified into [&ge;]60 functional variants. Despite their evolutionary and metabolic diversity, shell proteins that structurally compose the BMC surface are closely related across BMC classes. Herein, we sought to identify molecular and physiological features that could promote independent operation of more than one BMC type within the same cell by reducing inter-organelle cross-talk of shell proteins. We heterologously expressed shell proteins from the structurally well-defined BMC of Haliangium ochraceum (HO) within Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, a model cyanobacterium containing the {beta}-carboxysome. We find considerable cross-reactivity of the HO hexameric shell protein (HO BMC-H) with components of the {beta}-carboxysome; HO BMC-H can integrate into carboxysomes, disrupt its ultrastructural organization, and impair its associated CO2 fixation reactions. S. elongatus is unable to maintain the integrity of the {beta}-carboxysome over time when HO BMC-H is expressed in the absence of one or more of three broad strategies that act to increase the orthogonality between HO and carboxysome BMC shell proteins: i) reduced expression of promiscuous shell proteins; ii) sequestration of free HO BMC-H proteins via co-expression of other members of the same HO shell protein class, or; iii) heterologous expression of BMC positional system proteins McdAB (Maintenance of carboxysome distribution AB), revealing a putative moonlighting function of the McdAB protein family. Our results have implications for bacteria that encode more than one BMC within their genome and may have translational implications for the use of engineered BMCs for biotechnological applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>MacCready, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dwyer, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerfeld, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.19.585794</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Orthogonality of shell proteins across BMC subclasses in cyanobacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.23.586434v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Spatial Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Epithelium-Macrophage Crosstalk in Endometriotic Lesions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.23.586434v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of endometriosis, characterized by the presence of endometrium-like tissue outside the uterus, remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify cell type-specific gene expression changes in superficial peritoneal endometriotic lesions and elucidate the crosstalk among the stroma, epithelium, and macrophages compared to patient-matched eutopic endometrium. Surprisingly, comparison between lesions and eutopic endometrium revealed transcriptional similarities, indicating minimal alterations in the sub-epithelial stroma and epithelium of lesions. Spatial transcriptomics highlighted increased signaling between the lesion epithelium and macrophages, emphasizing the role of the epithelium in driving lesion inflammation. We propose that the superficial endometriotic lesion epithelium orchestrates inflammatory signaling and promotes a pro-repair phenotype in macrophages, providing a new role for Complement 3 in lesion pathobiology. This study underscores the significance of considering spatial context and cellular interactions in uncovering mechanisms governing disease in endometriotic lesions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Burns, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vegter, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madaj, Z. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greaves, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flores, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fazleabas, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.23.586434</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Spatial Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Epithelium-Macrophage Crosstalk in Endometriotic Lesions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.22.586273v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mass spectrometry-based top-down proteomics in nanomedicine: proteoform-specific measurement of protein corona 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.22.586273v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Conventional mass spectrometry (MS)-based bottom-up proteomics (BUP) analysis of protein corona [i.e., an evolving layer of biomolecules, mostly proteins, formed on the surface of nanoparticles (NPs) during their interactions with biomolecular fluids] enabled nanomedicine community to partly identify the biological identity of NPs. Such an approach, however, fails pinpoint the specific proteoforms--distinct molecular variants of proteins, which is essential for prediction of the biological fate and pharmacokinetics of nanomedicines. Recognizing this limitation, this study pioneers a robust and reproducible MS-based top-down proteomics (TDP) technique for precisely characterizing proteoforms in the protein corona. Our TDP approach has successfully identified hundreds of proteoforms in the protein corona of polystyrene NPs, ranging from 3-70 kDa, revealing over 20 protein biomarkers with combinations of post-translational modifications, signal peptide cleavages, and/or truncations--details that BUP could not fully discern. This advancement in MS-based TDP offers a more comprehensive and exact characterization of NP protein coronas, deepening our understanding of NPs biological identities and potentially revolutionizing the field of nanomedicine.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sadeghi, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashkarran, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>sun, l.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.22.586273</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mass spectrometry-based top-down proteomics in nanomedicine: proteoform-specific measurement of protein corona]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.22.586359v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mutation of negative regulatory gene CEHC1 encoding an FBXO3 protein results in normoxic expression of HYDA genes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.22.586359v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oxygen is known to prevent hydrogen production in Chlamydomonas, both by inhibiting the hydrogenase enzyme and by preventing the accumulation of HYDA-encoding transcripts. We developed a screen for mutants showing constitutive accumulation of HYDA1 transcripts in the presence of oxygen. A reporter gene required for ciliary motility, placed under the control of the HYDA1 promoter, conferred motility only in hypoxic conditions. By selecting for mutants able to swim even in the presence of oxygen we obtained strains that express the reporter gene constitutively. One mutant identified a gene encoding an F-box only protein 3 (FBXO3), known to participate in ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation pathways in other eukaryotes. Transcriptome profiles revealed that the mutation, termed cehc1-1, leads to constitutive expression of HYDA1 and other genes regulated by hypoxia, and of many genes known to be targets of CRR1, a transcription factor in the nutritional copper signaling pathway. CRR1 was required for the constitutive expression of the HYDA1 reporter gene in cehc1-1 mutants. The CRR1 protein, which is normally degraded in Cu-supplemented cells, was stabilized in cehc1-1 cells, supporting the conclusion that CEHC1 acts to facilitate the degradation of CRR1. Our results reveal a novel negative regulator in the CRR1 pathway and possibly other pathways leading to complex metabolic changes associated with response to hypoxia.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sun, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaVoie, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lefebvre, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallaher, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glaesener, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strenkert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mehta, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merchant, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silflow, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.22.586359</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mutation of negative regulatory gene CEHC1 encoding an FBXO3 protein results in normoxic expression of HYDA genes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.24.586459v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Nutrient Sensing Receptor GPRC6A Regulates mTORC1 Signaling and Tau Biology 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.24.586459v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Tauopathies, including Alzheimers disease (AD), comprise microtubule-associated protein tau aggregates that cause neuronal cell death and clinical cognitive decline. Reducing overall tau abundance remains a central strategy for therapeutics; however, no disease-modifying treatment exists to date. One principal pathway for balancing cellular proteostasis includes the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. Recently, arginine emerged as one of the primary amino acids to activate mTORC1 through several intracellular arginine sensors and an extracellular arginine receptor, namely the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family C, group 6, member A (GPRC6A). Human AD brains were previously reported with elevated mTORC1 signaling; however, it is unclear whether arginine sensing and signaling to mTORC1 plays a role in tauopathies. Herein, we examined arginine sensing associated with mTORC1 signaling in the human AD and animal models of tauopathy. We found that human AD brains maintained elevated levels of arginine sensors with potential uncoupling of arginine sensing pathways. Furthermore, we observed increased GPRC6A and arginine in the brain, accompanied by increased mTORC1 signaling and decreased autophagy in a mouse model of tauopathy (Tau PS19). We also discovered that both supplementing arginine and overexpressing GPRC6A in cell culture models could independently activate mTORC1 and promote tau accumulation. In addition, we found that suppressing GPRC6A signaling by either genetic reduction or pharmacological antagonism reduced tau accumulation, phosphorylation, and oligomerization. Overall, these findings uncover the crucial role of arginine sensing pathways in deregulating mTORC1 signaling in tauopathies and identify GPRC6A as a promising target for future therapeutics in tauopathies and other proteinopathies.

Significance StatementTauopathies, including Alzheimers disease (AD), accumulate pathogenic tau protein inclusions that potentially contribute to the hyperactive mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling and eventually cause neuronal cell death. Here, we presented novel findings that AD and animal models of tauopathy maintained increased expression of arginine sensors and uncoupling of arginine sensing associated with mTORC1 signaling. We investigated the role of a putative extracellular arginine and basic L-amino acid sensing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family C, group 6, member A (GPRC6A) in activating mTORC1 and accelerating pathogenic tau phenotypes in several cell models. Additionally, we showed that genetic repression or antagonism of GPRC6A signaling provides a novel therapeutic target for tauopathies and other proteinopathies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ma, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campbell, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kovalenko, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sandusky-Beltran, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hunt, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Calahatian, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kallupurackal, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pandey, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasisht, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quadri, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michalski, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fahnestock, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Papangelis, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pedersen, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ulven, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nash, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Selenica, M.-L. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morgan, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bickford, P. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.24.586459</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Nutrient Sensing Receptor GPRC6A Regulates mTORC1 Signaling and Tau Biology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.24.586502v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Analysis Pipeline to Quantify Uterine Gland Structural Variations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.24.586502v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Technical advances in whole tissue imaging and clearing have allowed 3D reconstruction of exocrine uterine glands deep seated in the endometrium. However, there are limited gland structure analysis platforms to analyze these imaging data sets. Here we present a pipeline for segmenting and analyzing uterine gland shape. Using this segmentation methodology, we derive individual metrics to describe gland length, shape, and branching patterns. These metrics are applied to quantify gland behavior with respect to organization around the embryo and proximity of each individual unit to the uterine lumen. Using this image analysis pipeline we evaluate uterine glands at the peri-implantation time points of a mouse pregnancy. Our analysis reveals that upon embryo entry into the uterus glands show changes in length, tortuosity, and proximity to the uterine lumen while gland branch number stays the same. These shape changes aid in reorganization of the glands around the site of embryo implantation. We further apply our analysis pipeline to human and guinea pig uterine glands, extending feasibility to other mammalian species. This work serves as a resource for researchers to extract quantitative, reproducible morphological features from three-dimensional uterine gland images in order to reveal insights about functional and structural patterns.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Khan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alessio, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.24.586502</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Analysis Pipeline to Quantify Uterine Gland Structural Variations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.26.586836v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Thermotherapy has Sexually Dimorphic Responses in APP/PS1 Mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.26.586836v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A thermoregulatory decline occurs with age due to changes in muscle mass, vasoconstriction, and metabolism that lowers core body temperature (Tc). Although lower Tc is a biomarker of successful aging, we have previously shown this worsens cognitive performance in the APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimers disease (AD) [1]. We hypothesized that elevating Tc with thermotherapy would improve metabolism and cognition in APP/PS1 mice. From 6-12 months of age, male and female APP/PS1 and C57BL/6 mice were chronically housed at 23 or 30{degrees}C. At 12 months of age, mice were assayed for insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and spatial cognition. Plasma, hippocampal, and peripheral (adipose, hepatic, and skeletal muscle) samples were procured postmortem and tissue-specific markers of amyloid accumulation, metabolism, and inflammation were assayed. Chronic 30{degrees}C exposure increased Tc in all groups except female APP/PS1 mice. All mice receiving thermotherapy had either improved glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity, but the underlying processes responsible for these effects varied across sexes. In males, glucose regulation was influenced predominantly by hormonal signaling in plasma and skeletal muscle glucose transporter 4 expression, whereas in females, this was modulated at the tissue level. Thermotherapy improved spatial navigation in male C57BL/6 and APP/PS1 mice, with the later attributed to reduced hippocampal soluble amyloid-{beta} (A{beta})42. Female APP/PS1 mice exhibited worse spatial memory recall after chronic thermotherapy. Together, the data highlights the metabolic benefits of passive thermotherapy, but future studies are needed to determine therapeutic benefits for those with AD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McFadden, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peck, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sime, L. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ikiz, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Findley, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bartke, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hascup, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hascup, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.26.586836</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Thermotherapy has Sexually Dimorphic Responses in APP/PS1 Mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.27.586886v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pitfalls and windfalls of detecting demographic declines using population genetics in long-lived species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.27.586886v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Detecting recent demographic changes is a crucial component of species conservation and management, as many natural populations face declines due to anthropogenic habitat alteration and climate change. Genetic methods allow researchers to detect changes in effective population size (Ne) from sampling at a single timepoint. However, in species with long lifespans, there is a lag between the start of a decline in a population and the resulting decrease in genetic diversity. This lag slows the rate at which diversity is lost, and therefore makes it difficult to detect recent declines using genetic data. However, the genomes of old individuals can provide a window into the past, and can be compared to those of younger individuals, a contrast that may help reveal recent demographic declines. To test whether comparing the genomes of young and old individuals can help infer recent demographic bottlenecks, we use forward-time, individual-based simulations with varying mean individual lifespans and extents of generational overlap. We find that age information can be used to aid in the detection of demographic declines when the decline has been severe. When average lifespan is long, comparing young and old individuals from a single timepoint has greater power to detect a recent (within the last 50 years) bottleneck event than comparing individuals sampled at different points in time. Our results demonstrate how longevity and generational overlap can be both a hindrance and a boon to detecting recent demographic declines from population genomic data.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Clark, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-03-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.27.586886</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pitfalls and windfalls of detecting demographic declines using population genetics in long-lived species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-03-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.31.587454v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Carbohydrate Hydrolytic Activity, Antibiotic Resistance and Stress Tolerance of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei BCRC-16100 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ZFM54 for Probiotics Using Genomic and Biochemical Approaches 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.31.587454v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Probiotics are microorganisms infused in products for health benefits including acceleration of nutrient digestion, however, it is also important to ensure the safety prior to incorporation. Here, we present evidence of the ability of two probiotic isolates, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei BCRC-16100 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ZFM54, in the (1) enhancement of carbohydrate digestion, (2) tolerance to stress, and (3) antibiotic resistance. Approaches include whole genome sequence (WGS) analysis and bioactivity assays. WGS revealed genes suggesting the ability of the two isolates to promote carbohydrate digestion, tolerance to stress and antibiotic resistance. Carbohydrate digestive ability was confirmed through a biochemical assay where the two isolates cause glucose release from starch. The two isolates also showed versatility in a range of temperature and alcohol concentration. For antibiotic resistance particularly on vancomycin, there are three mechanisms namely transporter control, transcriptional regulation, and efflux pump. Furthermore, promoter and transposable element analysis showed that some of the active antibiotic resistant (AbR) genes can be laterally transferred. Altogether, we show the potential of two probiotic isolates to be incorporated in products for improved carbohydrate digestion and the need to address the removal of active and mobile antibiotic resistance genes that may compromise safety.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gann, P. J. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fabia, J. Z. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baranda, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olivar, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agcaoili, M. J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Racho, A. J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.03.31.587454</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Carbohydrate Hydrolytic Activity, Antibiotic Resistance and Stress Tolerance of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei BCRC-16100 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ZFM54 for Probiotics Using Genomic and Biochemical Approaches]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.01.587592v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of cell-type-specific response to silicon treatment in soybean leaves through single nucleus RNA-sequencing 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.01.587592v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In agriculture, mineral nutrients uptake and deposition profoundly influence plant development, stress resilience, and productivity. Despite its classification as a non-essential element, silicon (Si) is crucial in plant physiology, particularly in defense response and stress mitigation. While genetic and molecular mechanisms of Si uptake and transport are well-studied in monocots, particularly rice, its role in dicot species, such as soybean, remains unclear at the cellular and molecular levels. Traditional bulk transcriptomics methods lack the resolution to uncover cellular heterogeneity. Here, we present a study by utilizing single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to dissect cellular responses to Si accumulation in soybean leaves. Our analysis revealed distinct cellular populations, including a novel Si-induced cell cluster within vascular cells, suggesting a specific mechanism of Si distribution. Si treatment induced the expression of defense-related genes, particularly enriched in vascular cells, highlighting their specialized role in activating plant defense mechanisms. Moreover, Si modulated the expression of genes involved in RNA silencing, phytoalexin biosynthesis, and immune receptor signaling, suggesting a mechanism of transcriptional priming of genes involved in defense responses. We further investigated putative Si transporters, revealing differential expression patterns in response to Si treatment, suggesting presence of active and gradient-based transport mechanisms. Our findings shed light on the vital biotic stress regulatory networks governed by Si treatment in soybean leaves, paving potential strategies for enhancing stress tolerance and agronomic performance in crops.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Devkar, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dagostino, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kshetry, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yong, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nadaf, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thirumlaikumar, V. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stupar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herrera Estrella, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deshmukh, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patil, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.01.587592</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of cell-type-specific response to silicon treatment in soybean leaves through single nucleus RNA-sequencing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.01.587590v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis selects for mutators in group B streptococci among persistently colonized patients 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.01.587590v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Through vaginal colonization, GBS causes severe outcomes including neonatal sepsis and meningitis. Although intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) has reduced neonatal disease rates, persistent GBS colonization has been observed in patients following prophylaxis. To determine whether IAP selects for genomic signatures that enhance GBS survival and persistence, a pangenome analysis was performed on 97 isolates from 58 participants before (prenatal) and after (postpartum) IAP/childbirth. Thirty-one of the 34 paired strains from participants with persistent colonization clustered together in the core gene phylogeny, suggesting that the strains recovered at the postpartum sampling were highly similar to those recovered at the prenatal visit. A core-gene mutation analysis identified mutations in 74% (n=23) of the 31 postpartum genomes when compared to the prenatal strains of the same multilocus sequence type recovered from the same individuals. Several strains had acquired mutations in the same colonization-associated genes, though two postpartum strains accounted for most of the mutations. These two outliers were classified as mutators based on high mutation rates and mutations within DNA repair system genes. Increased biofilm production was observed in half of the postpartum strains relative to the prenatal strains, which is supported by the presence of point mutations in genes associated with adherence. Together, these findings suggest that antibiotics may impose a selective pressure on GBS that selects for mutations and phenotypes that promote adaptation and survival in vivo. Enhanced survival in the genitourinary tract can lead to persistent colonization, increasing the likelihood of invasive disease in subsequent pregnancies and in newborns following IAP.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pell, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blankenship, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaddy, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davies, H. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manning, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.01.587590</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis selects for mutators in group B streptococci among persistently colonized patients]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.02.587833v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Terroir and rootstock effects on leaf shape in California Central Valley vineyards 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.02.587833v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
SummaryO_LIEmbedded in a single leaf shape are the latent signatures of genetic, developmental, and environmental effects. In viticulture, choice of location and rootstock are important decisions that affect the performance and production of the shoot. We hypothesize that these effects influence plant morphology, as reflected in leaf shape.
C_LIO_LIWe sample 1879 leaves arising from scion and rootstock combinations from commercial vineyards in the Central Valley of California. Our design tests 20 pairwise contrasts between Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay scions from San Joaquin, Merced, and Madera counties from vines grafted to Teleki 5C, 1103 Paulsen, and Freedom rootstocks.
C_LIO_LIUsing geometric morphometric approaches, we visualize a morphospace in which, in addition to clear separation of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay scion leaf shapes, an orthogonal source of shape variation affects both varieties. Comparing the Procrustes distances to within and between group means, the additional source of variance is found to arise from location and rootstock effects.
C_LIO_LIWe describe and visualize a specific shape feature, the angle of the proximal lobe to the midvein that defines the closure of the petiolar sinus, that is attributable to location and rootstock effects and orthogonal to and separate from genetic, developmental, or allometric effects attributable to leaf size.
C_LI

Societal Impact Statement (EN)The innumerable effects of terroir--including climate, soil, microbial environment, biotic interactions, and cultivation practice--collectively alter plant performance and production. A more direct agricultural intervention is grafting, in which genetically distinct shoot and root genotypes are surgically combined to create a chimera that alter shoot performance at a distance. Selection of location and rootstock are intentional decisions in viticulture to positively alter production outcomes. Here, we show that terroir and rootstock alter the shapes of grapevine leaves in commercial vineyards throughout the California Central Valley, documenting the profound effects of these agricultural interventions that alter plant morphology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swift, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Awale, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Helget, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pinkner, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woodhouse, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cousins, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fennell, A. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.02.587833</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Terroir and rootstock effects on leaf shape in California Central Valley vineyards]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.08.588357v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reduced selection during sweeps lead to adaptive momentum on rugged landscapes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.08.588357v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AbstractEvolutionary theory seeks to explain the remarkable diversity and adaptability of life on Earth. Current theory offers substantial explanatory power, but it overlooks important transient dynamics that are prominent only when populations are outside equilibrium, such as during selective sweeps. We identify a dynamic that we call "adaptive momentum" whereby lineages with a selective advantage can temporarily sustain more deleterious mutations. This reduction in the strength of purifying selection allows populations to explore fitness valleys that are usually too costly to enter, potentially leading to the discovery of otherwise inaccessible fitness peaks. Using mathematical and agent-based simulations, we demonstrate adaptive momentum and show how periods of disequilibrium become windows of enhanced adaptation. Genetic exploration can occur during these windows without requiring mechanisms such as changing environments or complex landscapes. Adaptive momentum provides a simple potential explanation for bursts of rapid evolution observed in nature, including in pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 and cancers. (152 words)
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bohm, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ragusa, V. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ofria, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adami, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.08.588357</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reduced selection during sweeps lead to adaptive momentum on rugged landscapes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.08.588572v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Remote sensing for estimating genetic parameters of biomass accumulation and modeling stability of growth curves in alfalfa 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.08.588572v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Multi-spectral imaging (MSI) collection by unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAV) is an important tool to measure growth of forage crops. Information from estimated growth curves can be used to infer harvest biomass and to gain insights in the relationship of growth dynamics and harvest biomass stability across cuttings and years. In this study, we used MSI to evaluate Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. subsp. sativa) to understand the longitudinal relationship between vegetative indices (VIs) and forage/biomass, as well as evaluation of irrigation treatments and genotype by environment interactions (GEI) of different alfalfa cultivars. Alfalfa is a widely cultivated perennial forage crop grown for high yield, nutritious forage quality for feed rations, tolerance to abiotic stress, and nitrogen fixation properties in crop rotations. The direct relationship between biomass and VIs such as Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI), red edge normalized difference vegetation index (NDRE), and Near infrared (NIR) provide a non-destructive and high throughput approach to measure biomass accumulation over subsequent alfalfa harvests. In this study, we aimed to estimate the genetic parameters of alfalfa VIs and utilize longitudinal modeling of VIs over growing seasons to identify potential relationships between stability in growth parameters and cultivar stability for alfalfa biomass yield across cuttings and years. We found VIs of GNDVI, NDRE, NDVI, NIR and simple ratios to be moderately heritable with median values for the field trial in Ithaca, NY to be 0.64, 0.56, 0.45, 0.45 and 0.40 respectively, Normal Irrigation (NI) trial in Leyendecker, NM to be 0.3967, 0.3813, 0.3751, 0.3239 and 0.3019 respectively, and Summer Irrigation Termination (SIT) trial in Leyendecker, NM to be of 0.11225, 0.1389, 0.1375, 0.2539 and 0.1343, respectively. Genetic correlations between NDVI and harvest biomass ranged from 0.52 - .99 in 2020 and 0.08 - .99 in 2021 in the NY trial. Genetic correlations for NI trial in NM for NDVI ranged from 0.72 - .98 in 2021 and SIT ranged from 0.34-1.0 in 2021. Genotype by genotype by interaction (GGE) biplots were used to differentiate between stable and unstable cultivars for locations NY and NM, and Random regression modeling approaches were used to estimate growth parameters for each cutting. Results showed high correspondence between stability in growth parameters and stability, or persistency, in harvest biomass across cuttings and years. In NM, the SIT trial showed more variation in growth curves due to stress conditions. The temporal growth curves derived from NDVI, NIR and Simple ratio were found to be the best phenotypic indices on studying the stability of growth parameters across different harvests. The strong correlation between VIs and biomass present opportunities for more efficient screening of cultivars, and the correlation between estimated growth parameters and harvest biomass suggest longitudinal modeling of VIs can provide insights into temporal factors influencing cultivar stability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thapa, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kunze, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hansen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pierce, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moore, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ray, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wickes-Do, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morales, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sabadin, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santantonio, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robbins, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.08.588572</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Remote sensing for estimating genetic parameters of biomass accumulation and modeling stability of growth curves in alfalfa]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.12.589284v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modeling With Uncertainty Quantification Identifies Essential Features of a Non-Canonical Algal Carbon-Concentrating Mechanism 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.12.589284v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The thermoacidophilic red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae survives its challenging environment likely in part by operating a carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM). Here, we demonstrated that C. merolaes cellular affinity for CO2 is stronger than its rubisco affinity for CO2. This provided further evidence that C. merolae operates a CCM while lacking structures and functions characteristic of CCMs in other organisms. To test how such a CCM could function, we created a mathematical compartmental model of a simple CCM distinct from those previously described in detail. The results supported the feasibility of this proposed minimal and non-canonical CCM in C. merolae. To facilitate robust modeling of this process, we incorporated new physiological and enzymatic data into the model, and we additionally trained a surrogate machine-learning model to emulate the mechanistic model and characterized the effects of model parameters on key outputs. This parameter exploration enabled us to identify model features that influenced whether the model met experimentally-derived criteria for functional carbon-concentration and efficient energy usage. Such parameters included cytosolic pH, bicarbonate pumping cost and kinetics, cell radius, carboxylation velocity, number of thylakoid membranes, and CO2 membrane permeability. Our exploration thus suggested that a novel CCM could exist in C. merolae and illuminated essential features necessary for CCMs to function.

SignificanceCarbon-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) are processes which boost photosynthetic efficiency. By developing modeling approaches to robustly describe CCMs in organisms where biochemical data is limited, such as extremophile algae, we can better understand how organisms survive environmental challenges. We demonstrate an interdisciplinary modeling approach which efficiently sampled from large parameter spaces and identified features (e.g., compartment permeability, pH, enzyme characteristics) which determine the function and energy cost of a simple CCM. This approach is new to compartmental photosynthetic modeling, and could facilitate effective use of models to inform experiments and rational engineering. For example, engineering CCMs into crops may improve agricultural productivity, and could benefit from models defining the structural and biochemical features necessary for CCM function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Steensma, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaste, J. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orr, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sung, C.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shachar-Hill, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.12.589284</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modeling With Uncertainty Quantification Identifies Essential Features of a Non-Canonical Algal Carbon-Concentrating Mechanism]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.15.589638v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Estimation of Species Abundance Based on the Number of Segregating Sites using Environmental DNA (eDNA) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.15.589638v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The advance of environmental DNA (eDNA) has enabled rapid and non-invasive species detection in aquatic environments. Although most studies focus on species detections, some recent studies explored the potential of using eDNA concentration to quantify species abundance. However, the differential individual DNA contribution to eDNA samples could easily obscure the concentration-species abundance relationship. We propose using the number of segregating sites as a proxy for estimating species abundance. Since segregating sites reflects the genetic diversity of the population, which is less sensitive to differential individual DNA contribution than eDNA concentration. We examined the relationship between the number of segregating sites and species abundance in silico, in vitro, and in situ using two brackish goby species, Acanthogobius hasta and Tridentiger bifasciatus. Analyses of the simulated data and in vitro data with DNA mixed from a known number of individuals showed a strong correlation between the number of segregating sites and species abundance (R2 > 0.9; P < 0.01). Results from the in situ experiment further validated the correlation (R2 = 0.70, P < 0.01), and such correlation was not affected by biotic factors, including body size and feeding behavior (P > 0.05). Results of the cross-validation test also showed that the number of segregating sites predicted species abundance with less bias and variability than the eDNA concentration. Overall, the number of segregating sites correlates stronger with species abundance and also provides a better estimate than eDNA concentration. This advancement can significantly enhance the quantitative capabilities of eDNA technology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ai, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.15.589638</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Estimation of Species Abundance Based on the Number of Segregating Sites using Environmental DNA (eDNA)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.16.589747v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Global patterns in the evolutionary relations between seed mass and germination traits 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.16.589747v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During stressful climatic periods, plant populations face significant challenges, especially during germination and seedling establishment. Theoretical studies present conflicting findings regarding the relationship between seed size and germination rate. Some analyses suggest that species with larger seeds should exhibit rapid germination, while others point to faster germination in smaller seeds. This discrepancy can, for example, be attributed to the higher vulnerability of larger seeds to post-dispersal seed predation. To assess the correlation between seed mass and seed germination characteristics at a global scale, we performed a rigorous meta-analysis of published data sources, covering a wide range of germination traits across 1877 species with diverse dormancy types and global distribution. Additionally, we investigated the potential relationship between seed mass and dormancy level. Our findings revealed contrasting responses of germination traits to seed mass, suggesting complex eco-evolutionary correlations among these traits. Trade-offs and corelated evolution likely played an important role in the evolutionary history of seed mass, with seed mass displaying notable trait conservation across the phylogeny. Interestingly, our study demonstrated that seed dormancy exhibited trade-offs with post-germination traits and seed mass. The meta-analysis demonstrated that any changes in the relationship between seed mass and dormancy is dependent on dormancy types with physiological dormancy showing lower seed mass while other dormancy types were has a higher seed mass. These results underscore the critical role of seed mass in shaping plant performance and provide valuable insights into plant trait evolution. Our findings clearly indicate that the hypothesis of larger seeds conferring advantages in both pre- and post-germination traits might not be empirically true in all cases as theoretical studies suggest and that this relationship is complex and varies among species and growth forms. We interpret these results within the context of germination strategies and correlated evolution between seed dormancy and seed mass. Considering these traits in future analyses of plant germination strategies and species distributions is crucial. Factors such as lifespan, seed mass, and germination-related traits should be carefully considered to gain a comprehensive understanding of plant adaptation to challenging environmental conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maleki, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vandelook, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saatkamp, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maleki, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heshmati, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soltani, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.16.589747</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Global patterns in the evolutionary relations between seed mass and germination traits]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.16.589760v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Effects of Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury on Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Modulation of Lateral Habenula Excitability and Motivated Behavior 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.16.589760v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a significant health burden due to mTBI-related chronic debilitating cognitive and psychiatric morbidities. Recent evidence from our laboratory suggests a possible dysregulation within reward/motivational circuit function at the level of a subcortical structure, the lateral habenula (LHb), where we demonstrated a causal role for hyperactive LHb in mTBI-induced motivational deficits in self-care grooming behavior in young adult male mice when exposed to mTBI injury during late adolescence (at [~]8 weeks old). Here we extended this observation by further characterizing neurobehavioral effects of this repetitive closed head injury model of mTBI in both young adult male and female mice on LHb excitability, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) modulation of LHb activity, and behavioral responses of motivation to self-care behavior, and approach versus avoidance behavior in the presence of a social- or threat-related stimulus. We show that mTBI increases LHb spontaneous tonic activity in female mice similar to what we previously observed in male mice as well as promoting LHb neuronal hyperexcitability and hyperpolarization-induced LHb bursting in both male and female mice. Interestingly, mTBI only increases LHb intrinsic excitability in male mice coincident with higher levels of the hyperpolarization-activated cation currents (HCN/Ih) and reduces levels of the M-type potassium currents while potentiating M-currents without altering intrinsic excitability in LHb neurons of female mice. Since persistent dysregulation of brain CRF systems is suggested to contribute to chronic psychiatric morbidities and that LHb neurons are highly responsive to CRF, we then tested whether LHb CRF subsystem becomes engaged following mTBI. We found that in vitro inhibition of CRF receptor type 1 (CRFR1) within the LHb normalizes mTBI-induced enhancement of LHb tonic activity and hyperexcitability in both sexes, suggesting that an augmented intra-LHb CRF-CRFR1-mediated signaling contributes to the overall LHb hyperactivity following mTBI. Behaviorally, mTBI diminishes motivation for self-care grooming in female mice as in male mice. mTBI also alters defensive behaviors in the looming shadow task by shifting the innate defensive behaviors towards more passive action-locking rather than escape behaviors in response to an aerial threat in both male and female mice as well as prolonging the latency to escape responses in female mice. While, this model of mTBI reduces social preference in male mice, it induces higher social novelty seeking during the novel social encounters in both male and female mice. Overall, our study provides further translational validity for the use of this preclinical model of mTBI for investigation of mTBI-related reward circuit dysfunction and mood/motivation-related behavioral deficits in both sexes while uncovering a few sexually dimorphic neurobehavioral effects of this model that may differentially affect young males and females when exposed to this type of mTBI injury during late adolescence.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Flerlage, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simmons, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gouty, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsuda, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Armstrong, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nugent, F. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.16.589760</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Effects of Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury on Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Modulation of Lateral Habenula Excitability and Motivated Behavior]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.24.590970v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Native proteomics by capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectrometry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.24.590970v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Native proteomics measures endogenous proteoforms and protein complexes under a near physiological condition using native mass spectrometry (nMS) coupled with liquid-phase separations. Native proteomics should provide the most accurate birds-eye view of proteome dynamics within cells, which is fundamental for understanding almost all biological processes. nMS has been widely employed to characterize well-purified protein complexes. However, there are only very few trials of utilizing nMS to measure proteoforms and protein complexes in a complex sample (i.e., a whole cell lysate). Here, we pioneer the native proteomics measurement of large proteoforms or protein complexes up to 400 kDa from a complex proteome via online coupling of native capillary zone electrophoresis (nCZE) to an ultra-high mass range (UHMR) Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The nCZE-MS technique enabled the measurement of a 115-kDa standard protein complex while consuming only about 0.1 ng of protein material. nCZE-MS analysis of an E.coli cell lysate detected 72 proteoforms or protein complexes in a mass range of 30-400 kDa in a single run while consuming only 50-ng protein material. The mass distribution of detected proteoforms or protein complexes agreed well with that from mass photometry measurement. This work represents a technical breakthrough in native proteomics for measuring complex proteomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qi, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moeller, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wysocki, V. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.24.590970</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Native proteomics by capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectrometry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.25.591109v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Standardizing protein corona characterization in nanomedicine: a multi-center study to enhance reproducibility and data homogeneity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.25.591109v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Our recent findings reveal substantial variability in the characterization of identical protein corona across different proteomics facilities, demonstrating that protein corona datasets are not easily comparable between independent studies. We have shown that heterogeneity in the final composition of the identical protein corona mainly originates from variations in sample preparation protocols, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) workflows, and raw data processing. Here, to address this issue, we developed standardized protocols and unified sample preparation workflows, and distributed identical protein corona digests to several proteomics centers that performed better in our previous study. Additionally, we examined the influence of using similar mass spectrometry instruments on data homogeneity. Furthermore, we evaluated whether standardizing database search parameters and data processing workflows could enhance data uniformity. More specifically, our new findings reveal a remarkable, stepwise improvement in protein corona data consistency across various proteomics facilities. Streamlining the whole workflow results in a dramatic increase in protein ID overlaps from 11% for good centers to 40% across core facilities that utilized similar instruments and were subjected to a uniform database search. This comprehensive analysis identifies key factors contributing to data heterogeneity in mass spectrometry-based proteomics of protein corona and plasma-related samples. By streamlining these processes, our findings significantly advance the potential for consistent and reliable nanomedicine-based diagnostics and therapeutics across different studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ashkarran, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gharibi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Modaresi, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saei, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.25.591109</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Standardizing protein corona characterization in nanomedicine: a multi-center study to enhance reproducibility and data homogeneity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.25.591216v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dispersed Transcription Start Sites Modulate uORF-Mediated Regulation in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.25.591216v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In eukaryotic mRNAs, upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the 5' untranslated regions (5' UTRs) often attenuate the translation of downstream main ORFs (mORFs). While some uORFs are beneficial by playing important regulatory roles, uORFs are generally disfavored in evolution. Here we studied how uORF repression is suppressed in Arabidopsis. We found that the heterogeneous distribution of transcription start sites (TSSs) results in heterogeneous 5' UTRs that selectively exclude uORFs from mRNAs. Thus, only a subset of the transcripts from "uORF-containing" genes truly contain uORFs. Importantly, the fraction of uORFs remaining within transcripts determines uORF overall repressiveness. Interestingly, uORFs that encode conserved peptides are almost exclusively preserved within mRNAs, implying coevolution between TSSs and functional uORFs. Consistent with TSSs determining uORF presence, a sharp transition of AUG frequency between promoters and 5' UTRs was observed, and this pattern differentiates between genes lacking and carrying translated uORFs. Remarkably, while 55% of the genes are predicted to contain uORFs, upon accounting for the heterogeneous TSSs, only 9% of the transcripts within the mRNA pool genuinely contain uORFs. Our results highlight a profound effect of TSS distribution in determining uORF repressiveness, a factor that was previously overlooked. As a warning note, the TSS heterogeneity should be taken into consideration when studying various 5' UTR features, such as RNA structures and protein binding motifs, in post-transcriptional gene regulation. The uORFs and other features preferentially preserved in 5' UTRs (i.e., downstream of TSSs) are more likely to be functional as the result of natural selection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, H.-Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.25.591216</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dispersed Transcription Start Sites Modulate uORF-Mediated Regulation in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.30.591837v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reversible host cell surface remodelling limits immune recognition and maximizes transmission of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.30.591837v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Reducing malaria transmission has been a major pillar of control programmes and is considered crucial for achieving malaria elimination. Gametocytes, the transmissible forms of the P. falciparum parasite, arise during the blood stage of the parasite and develop through 5 morphologically distinct stages. Immature gametocytes (stage I-IV) sequester and develop in the extravascular niche of the bone marrow and possibly spleen. Only mature stage V gametocytes re-enter peripheral circulation to be taken up by mosquitoes for successful onward transmission. We have recently shown that immature, but not mature gametocytes are targets of host immune responses and identified putative target surface antigens. We hypothesize that these antigens play a role in gametocyte sequestration and contribute to acquired transmission-reducing immunity. Here we demonstrate that surface antigen expression, serum reactivity by human IgG, and opsonic phagocytosis by macrophages all show similar dynamics during gametocyte maturation, i.e., on in immature and off in mature gametocytes. Moreover, the switch in surface reactivity coincides with reversal in phosphatidylserine (PS) surface exposure, a marker for red blood cell age and clearance. PS is exposed on the surface of immature gametocytes (as well as in late asexual stages) but is removed from the surface in later gametocyte stages (IV-V). Using parasite reverse genetics and drug perturbations, we confirm that parasite protein export into the host cell and phospholipid scramblase activity are required for the observed surface modifications in asexual and sexual P. falciparum stages. These findings suggest that the dynamic surface remodelling allows (i) immature gametocyte sequestration in bone marrow and (ii) mature gametocyte release into peripheral circulation and immune evasion, therefore contributing to mature gametocyte survival in vivo and onward transmission to mosquitoes. Importantly, blocking scramblase activity during gametocyte maturation results in efficient clearance of mature gametocytes, revealing a potential path for transmission blocking interventions. Our studies have important implications for our understanding of parasite biology and form a starting point for novel intervention strategies to simultaneously reduce parasite burden and transmission.

IMPORTANTO_LIManuscripts submitted to Review Commons are peer reviewed in a journal-agnostic way.
C_LIO_LIUpon transfer of the peer reviewed preprint to a journal, the referee reports will be available in full to the handling editor.
C_LIO_LIThe identity of the referees will NOT be communicated to the authors unless the reviewers choose to sign their report.
C_LIO_LIThe identity of the referee will be confidentially disclosed to any affiliate journals to which the manuscript is transferred.
C_LI

GUIDELINESO_LIFor reviewers: https://www.reviewcommons.org/reviewers
C_LIO_LIFor authors: https://www.reviewcommons.org/authors
C_LI

CONTACTThe Review Commons office can be contacted directly at: office@reviewcommons.org
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ngotho, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dantzler Press, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peedell, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muasya, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Omondi, B. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Otoboh, S. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seydel, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kapulu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laufer, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bousema, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marti, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.30.591837</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reversible host cell surface remodelling limits immune recognition and maximizes transmission of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.30.591943v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Proteomic Dynamics and Heat Stress Response in Arabidopsis Seedlings 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.30.591943v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Global warming poses a grave threat to plant survival, adversely affecting growth and agricultural productivity. To develop thermotolerant crops, a profound comprehension of plant responses to heat stress at the molecular level is imperative. Leveraging a novel fusion of 15N-stable isotope labeling and the ProteinTurnover algorithm, we meticulously investigated proteome dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings subjected to moderate heat stress (30{degrees}C). This innovative approach facilitated a comprehensive analysis of proteomic changes across diverse cellular fractions. Our study unveiled significant turnover rate alterations in 571 proteins, with a median increase of 1.4-fold, indicative of accelerated protein dynamics under heat stress. Notably, root soluble proteins exhibited more subdued changes, suggesting tissue-specific adaptations. Moreover, we observed noteworthy turnover variations in proteins associated with redox signaling, stress response, and metabolism, underscoring the complexity of the response network. Conversely, proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism and mitochondrial ATP synthesis displayed minimal turnover changes, signifying their stability. This exhaustive examination sheds light on the proteomic adjustments of Arabidopsis seedlings to moderate heat stress, elucidating the delicate balance between proteome stability and adaptability. These findings significantly augment our understanding of plant thermal resilience and offer crucial insights for the development of crops endowed with enhanced thermotolerance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fan, K.-T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-04-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.30.591943</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Proteomic Dynamics and Heat Stress Response in Arabidopsis Seedlings]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-04-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.30.591911v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Forest edge landscape context affects mosquito community composition and risk of pathogen emergence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.30.591911v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Forest edges, where humans, mosquitoes, and wildlife interact, may serve as a nexus for zoonotic arbovirus exchange. Although often treated as uniform interfaces, the landscape context of edge habitats can greatly impact ecological interactions. Here, we investigated how the landscape context of forest edges shapes mosquito community structure in an Amazon rainforest reserve near the city of Manaus, Brazil, using hand-nets to sample mosquitoes at three distinct forest edge types. Sampling sites were situated at edges bordering urban land cover, rural land cover, and natural treefall gaps, while sites in continuous forest served as controls. Community composition differed substantially among edge types, with rural edges supporting the highest species diversity. Rural edges also provided suitable habitat for forest specialists, including key sylvatic vectors, of which Haemagogus janthinomys was the most abundant species sampled overall. Our findings emphasize the importance of landscape context in assessing pathogen emergence risk at forest edges.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hendy, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fe, N. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pedrosa, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Girao, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Figueira dos Santos, T. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendonca, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andes Junior, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Assuncao, F. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Costa, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sluydts, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gordo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scarpassa, V. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buenemann, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lacerda, M. V. G. d.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mourao, M. P. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasilakis, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanley, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.04.30.591911</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Forest edge landscape context affects mosquito community composition and risk of pathogen emergence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.08.593125v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Repeat modules and N-linked glycans define structure and antigenicity of a critical enterotoxigenic E. coli adhesin 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.08.593125v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) cause hundreds of millions of cases of infectious diarrhea annually, predominantly in children from low-middle income regions. Notably, in children, as well as human volunteers challenged with ETEC, diarrheal severity is significantly increased severity in blood group A (bgA) individuals. EtpA, is a secreted glycoprotein adhesin that functions as a blood group A lectin to promote critical interactions between ETEC and blood group A glycans on intestinal epithelia for effective bacterial adhesion and toxin delivery. EtpA is highly immunogenic resulting in robust antibody responses following natural infection and experimental challenge of human volunteers with ETEC. To understand how EtpA directs ETEC-blood group A interactions and stimulates adaptive immunity, we mutated EtpA, mapped its glycosylation by mass-spectrometry (MS), isolated polyclonal (pAbs) and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from vaccinated mice and ETEC-infected human volunteers, and determined structures of antibody-EtpA complexes by cryo-electron microscopy. Both bgA and mAbs that inhibited EtpA-bgA interactions and ETEC adhesion, bound to the C-terminal repeat domain highlighting this region as crucial for ETEC pathogen-host interaction. MS analysis uncovered extensive and heterogeneous N-linked glycosylation of EtpA and cryo-EM structures revealed that mAbs directly engage these unique glycan containing epitopes. Finally, electron microscopy-based polyclonal epitope mapping revealed antibodies targeting numerous distinct epitopes on N and C-terminal domains, suggesting that EtpA vaccination generates responses against neutralizing and decoy regions of the molecule. Collectively, we anticipate that these data will inform our general understanding of pathogen-host glycan interactions and adaptive immunity relevant to rational vaccine subunit design.

Author summaryEnterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), a leading cause of diarrhea disproportionately affecting young children in low-income regions, are a priority for vaccine development. Individuals possessing A blood-type are more susceptible to severe cholera-like disease. EtpA, a secreted, immunogenic, blood group A binding protein, is a current vaccine target antigen. Here, we determined the atomic structure of EtpA in complex with protective as well as non-protective monoclonal antibodies targeting two different domains of the protein, allowing us to pinpoint key regions involved in blood-group A antigen recognition and uncover the mechanism of antibody-based protection. In addition, we show through mass-spectrometry that EtpA is extensively and heterogeneously glycosylated at surface-exposed asparagine residues by a promiscuous and low-fidelity glycosyltransferase, EtpC, and that this unique form of bacterial glycosylation is critical for to development of protective immune responses. Lastly, polyclonal antibodies from vaccinated mice as well as monoclonal antibodies obtained from ETEC-infected human volunteers revealed that the highly antigenic surface of EtpA exhibits both protective and non-protective epitopes. These results greatly expand our understanding of ETEC pathogenesis, and the immune responses elicited by these common infections, providing valuable information to aid in the rational design and testing of subunit vaccines.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Berndsen, Z. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akhtar, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thapa, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vickers, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmitz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torres, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khatoon, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sheikh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamrick, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diedrich, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Bartolome, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garrett, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yates, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laird, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porter, C. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poly, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Copps, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ellebedy, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ward, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fleckenstein, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.08.593125</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Repeat modules and N-linked glycans define structure and antigenicity of a critical enterotoxigenic E. coli adhesin]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.06.592473v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Post-translational Modification of α-Synuclein Modifies Monomer Dynamics and Aggregation Kinetics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.06.592473v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The intrinsically disordered protein -Synuclein is identified as a major toxic aggregate in Parkinsons as well as several other neurodegenerative diseases. Recent work on this protein has focused on the effects of posttranslational modifications on aggregation kinetics. Among these, O-GlcNAcylation of -Synuclein has been observed to inhibit the aggregation propensity of the protein. Here we investigate the monomer dynamics of two O-GlcNAcylated -Synucleins, -Syn(gT72) and -Syn(gS87) and correlate them with the aggregation kinetics. We find that, compared to the unmodified protein, glycosylation at T72 makes the protein less compact and more diffusive while glycosylation at S87 makes the protein more compact and less diffusive. Based on a model of the earliest steps in aggregation, we predict that T72 should aggregate slower than unmodified protein, which is confirmed by ThT fluorescence measurements. In contrast, S87 should aggregate faster, which is not mirrored in ThT kinetics of later fibril formation but does not rule out a higher rate of formation of small oligomers. Together, these results show that posttranslational modifications do not uniformly affect aggregation propensity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gamage, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hard, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Galesic, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Phillips, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pratt, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapidus, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.06.592473</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Post-translational Modification of α-Synuclein Modifies Monomer Dynamics and Aggregation Kinetics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.06.592755v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Activity-dependent FosB gene expression negatively regulates mast cell functions. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.06.592755v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mast cells are innate immune cells that regulate physiological processes by releasing pre-stored and newly synthesized mediators in response to allergens, infection, and other stimuli. Dysregulated mast cell activity can lead to multisystemic pathologies, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. We found that FOSB and {Delta}FOSB, transcription factors encoded by the FosB gene, are robustly expressed in mast cells following IgE-antigen stimulation, suggesting a role in modulating stimulus-induced mast cell functions. Using phenotypic, gene binding, and gene expression analyses in wild-type and mast cell-specific FosB knockout male mice, we demonstrate that FOSB/{Delta}FOSB modulates mast cell functions by limiting reactivity to allergen-like stimuli both in vitro and in vivo. These effects seem to be mediated, at least in part, by FOSB/{Delta}FOSB-driven enhanced expression of DUSP4, a dual-specificity phosphatase that attenuates MAPK signaling. These findings highlight FOSB/{Delta}FOSB as critical regulators of mast cell activity and potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=118 SRC="FIGDIR/small/592755v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (48K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@190be2corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b53f9borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@631997org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@250bc7_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Duque-Wilckens, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maradiaga, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yeh, S.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joseph, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srinavasan, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thelen, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sotomayor, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Durga, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nestler, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moeser, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.06.592755</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Activity-dependent FosB gene expression negatively regulates mast cell functions.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.10.593627v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Complete list of canonical post-transcriptional modifications in the Bacillus subtilis ribosome and their link to RbgA driven large subunit assembly 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.10.593627v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ribosomal RNA modifications in prokaryotes have been sporadically studied, but there is a lack of a comprehensive picture of modification sites across bacterial phylogeny. B. subtilis is a preeminent model organism for gram-positive bacteria, with a well-annotated and editable genome, convenient for fundamental studies and industrial use. Yet remarkably, there has been no complete characterization of its rRNA modification inventory. By expanding modern MS tools for the discovery of RNA modifications, we found a total of 25 modification sites in 16S and 23S rRNA of B. subtilis, including the chemical identity of the modified nucleosides and their precise sequence location. Furthermore, by perturbing large subunit biogenesis using depletion of an essential factor RbgA and measuring the completion of 23S modifications in the accumulated intermediate, we provide a first look at the order of modification steps during the late stages of assembly in B. subtilis. While our work expands the knowledge of bacterial rRNA modification patterns, adding B. subtilis to the list of fully annotated species after E. coli and T. thermophilus, in a broader context, it provides the experimental framework for discovery and functional profiling of rRNA modifications to ultimately elucidate their role in ribosome biogenesis and translation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Popova, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jain, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dong, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abdollah-Nia, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Britton, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williamson, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.10.593627</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Complete list of canonical post-transcriptional modifications in the Bacillus subtilis ribosome and their link to RbgA driven large subunit assembly]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.10.593626v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
LAGOS-US LANDSAT: Remotely sensed water quality estimates for U.S. lakes over 4 ha from 1984 to 2020 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.10.593626v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Broad-scale, long-term water quality (WQ) studies are critical for understanding increasing pressures on inland waters but remain rare due to cost. The LAGOS-US LANDSAT dataset provides 37-year remote sensing-derived WQ estimates for thousands of U.S. lakes > 4 ha (1984-2020). WQ estimates use machine-learning models with Landsat imagery and ground-truthed Water Quality Portal data (LAGOS-US LIMNO). The dataset includes: (a) 45.9 million whole-lake water reflectance (six bands and 15 band ratios); (b) 740,627 matchups from 13,756 lakes with in situ data for six WQ variables: chlorophyll, Secchi depth, true color, dissolved organic carbon, total suspended solids, or turbidity; and (c) predictions for each WQ variable across lake-time combinations with quality imagery. Two random forest models were fit for each variable: Holdout-data (75/25 spatially representative train-test split) and Full-data (trained on all data). Variance explained for the Full-data predictions ranged from 20.7% for TSS to 63.7% for Secchi depth. Imagery underwent cloud and pixel quality control, and workflow components were validated guiding future research.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hanly, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webster, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soranno, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.10.593626</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[LAGOS-US LANDSAT: Remotely sensed water quality estimates for U.S. lakes over 4 ha from 1984 to 2020]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.11.593573v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Climate resilience conserved in global germplasm repositories: Picking the most promising parents for agile plant breeding 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.11.593573v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Crop diversity is an essential resource for national and international breeding programs aimed at preparing global agriculture for a changing climate to ensure global food security. To do this there are related risks that need to be evaluated (1) does the genetic diversity needed for climate adaptation exist somewhere? And (2) is such genetic diversity accessible? To evaluate these risks, we consider the test case of publicly available genotyped and georeferenced sorghum landraces (n = 1,937) to ask if diversity is sufficient to support breeding for climate change adaptation. Answering these questions allows for characterization of the best potential parents and the geographies that harbor the most potentially promising genetypes for crop improvement. We subset this data into national, regional, and global geographic regions, and complete/mini core collections to understand the potential for climate adaptation in regional germplasm. Study accessions were given a future climate resilience score based on future climatic projections and a genomic adaptive capacity score using genomic estimated adaptive values (GEAVs) generated from environmental genomic selection - EGS) to ask whether this accessible diversity stored in germplasm repositories is potentially sufficient to meet forecasted changes in growing environments under climate change. We find that genomic resilience capacity is highly variable among countries and regions. High geographical variability was also found for climate resilience. To equitably adapt agriculture to future climate conditions, increased accessibility to plant genetic resources is essential.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Campbell, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castaneda-Alvarez, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Domingo, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bishop-von Wettberg, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Runck, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nandkangre, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCormick, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fumia, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neyhart, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kilian, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wambugu, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nyamongo, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hubner, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sitar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rieseberg, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gore, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kantar, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.11.593573</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Climate resilience conserved in global germplasm repositories: Picking the most promising parents for agile plant breeding]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.11.593687v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phenotype and function of IL-10 producing NK cells in individuals with malaria experience. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.11.593687v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plasmodium falciparum infection can trigger high levels of inflammation that lead to fever and sometimes severe disease. People living in malaria-endemic areas gradually develop resistance to symptomatic malaria and control both parasite numbers and the inflammatory response. We previously found that adaptive natural killer (NK) cells correlate with reduced parasite load and protection from symptoms. We also previously found that murine NK cell production of IL-10 can protect mice from experimental cerebral malaria. Human NK cells can also secrete IL-10, but it was unknown what NK cell subsets produce IL-10 and if this is affected by malaria experience. We hypothesize that NK cell immunoregulation may lower inflammation and reduce fever induction. Here, we show that NK cells from subjects with malaria experience make significantly more IL-10 than subjects with no malaria experience. We then determined the proportions of NK cells that are cytotoxic and produce interferon gamma and/or IL-10 and identified a signature of adaptive and checkpoint molecules on IL-10-producing NK cells. Lastly, we find that co-culture with primary monocytes, Plasmodium-infected RBCs, and antibody induces IL-10 production by NK cells. These data suggest that NK cells may contribute to protection from malaria symptoms via IL-10 production.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McNitt, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dick, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hernandez Castaneda, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sangala, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pierson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Macchietto, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burrack, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crompton, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seydel, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hart, G. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.11.593687</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phenotype and function of IL-10 producing NK cells in individuals with malaria experience.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.12.593736v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Acceleration of genome rearrangement in clitellate annelids 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.12.593736v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Comparisons of multiple metazoan genomes have revealed the existence of ancestral linkage groups (ALGs), genomic scaffolds sharing sets of orthologous genes that have been inherited from ancestral animals for hundreds of millions of years (Simakov et al. 2022; Schultz et al. 2023) These ALGs have persisted across major animal taxa including Cnidaria, Deuterostomia, Ecdysozoa and Spiralia. Notwithstanding this general trend of chromosome-scale conservation, ALGs have been obliterated by extensive genome rearrangements in certain groups, most notably including Clitellata (oligochaetes and leeches), a group of easily overlooked invertebrates that is of tremendous ecological, agricultural and economic importance (Charles 2019; Barrett 2016). To further investigate these rearrangements, we have undertaken a comparison of 12 clitellate genomes (including four newly sequenced species) and 11 outgroup representatives. We show that these rearrangements began at the base of the Clitellata (rather than progressing gradually throughout polychaete annelids), that the inter-chromosomal rearrangements continue in several clitellate lineages and that these events have substantially shaped the evolution of the otherwise highly conserved Hox cluster.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schultz, D. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heath-Heckman, E. A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Winchell, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuo, D.-H. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, Y.-s.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oberauer, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kocot, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cho, S.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simakov, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weisblat, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.12.593736</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Acceleration of genome rearrangement in clitellate annelids]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.17.594738v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
De novo pyrimidine biosynthesis inhibition synergizes with BCL-XL targeting in pancreatic cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.17.594738v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oncogenic KRAS, the genetic driver of 90% of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC), induces a metabolic rewiring characterized, in part, by dependency on de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. Pharmacologic inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), an enzyme in the de novo pyrimidine synthesis pathway, delays pancreatic tumor growth in vivo; however, limited monotherapy efficacy suggests compensatory pathways and that combinatorial strategies are required for enhanced efficacy. Here, we use an integrated metabolomic, quantitative temporal proteomic and in vitro and in vivo DHODH inhibitor anchored CRISPR/Cas9 genetic screening approach to identify compensatory pathways to DHODH inhibition (DHODHi) and targets for combination strategies. We demonstrate that DHODHi alters the apoptotic regulatory proteome thereby enhancing sensitivity to inhibitors of the anti-apoptotic BCL2L1 (BCL-XL) protein. Combinatorial regimens with DHODH and BCL-XL inhibition synergistically induce apoptosis in PDAC cell lines and patient-derived PDAC organoids. In vivo DHODH inhibition with Brequinar and BCL-XL degradation with DT2216, a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC), significantly inhibits the growth of PDAC tumors. Our data defines mechanisms of adaptation to DHODH inhibition and identifies a combination therapy strategy in PDAC.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santana-Codina, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poupault, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campos, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qin, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Padhye, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sindoni, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuljanin, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorman, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dougan, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarosiek, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mancias, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.17.594738</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[De novo pyrimidine biosynthesis inhibition synergizes with BCL-XL targeting in pancreatic cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.21.595193v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Parkinson's disease-associated shifts between DNA methylation and DNA hydroxymethylation in human brain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.21.595193v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Epigenetic mechanisms are mediators of interactions between aging, genetics, and environmental factors in sporadic Parkinsons disease (PD). Multiple studies have explored the DNA modifications in PD, but few focus on 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), which is important in the central nervous system and sensitive to environmental exposures. To date, studies have not differentiated between 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and 5-hmC or have analyzed them separately. In this study, we modeled paired 5-mC and 5-hmC data simultaneously. We identified 108 cytosines with significant PD-associated shifts between these marks in an enriched neuronal population from PD postmortem parietal cortex, within 83 genes and 34 enhancers associated with 67 genes. These data potentially link epigenetic regulation of genes related to LRRK2 and endolysosomal sort (RAB32 and AGAP1), and genes involved in neuroinflammation, the inflammasome, and neurodevelopment with early changes in PD and suggest that there are significant shifts between 5mC and 5hmC associated with PD in genes not captured by standard methods.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Choza, J. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Virani, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adams, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kochmanski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernstein, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.21.595193</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Parkinson's disease-associated shifts between DNA methylation and DNA hydroxymethylation in human brain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.22.595337v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A simple active fluid model unites cytokinesis, cell crawling, and axonal outgrowth 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.22.595337v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Axonal outgrowth, cell crawling, and cytokinesis utilize actomyosin, microtubule-based motors, cytoskeletal dynamics, and substrate adhesions to produce traction forces and bulk cellular motion. While it has long been appreciated that growth cones resemble crawling cells and that the mechanisms that drive cytokinesis help power cell crawling, they are typically viewed as unique processes. To better understand the relationship between these modes of motility, here, we developed a unified active fluid model of cytokinesis, amoeboid migration, mesenchymal migration, neuronal migration, and axonal outgrowth in terms of cytoskeletal flow, adhesions, viscosity, and force generation. Using numerical modeling, we fit subcellular velocity profiles of the motions of cytoskeletal structures and docked organelles from previously published studies to infer underlying patterns of force generation and adhesion. Our results indicate that, during cytokinesis, there is a primary converge zone at the cleavage furrow that drives flow towards it; adhesions are symmetric across the cell, and as a result, cells are stationary. In mesenchymal, amoeboid, and neuronal migration, the site of the converge zone shifts, and differences in adhesion between the front and back of the cell drive crawling. During neuronal migration and axonal outgrowth, the primary convergence zone lies within the growth cone, which drives actin retrograde flow in the P-domain and bulk anterograde flow of the axonal shaft. They differ in that during neuronal migration, the cell body is weakly attached to the substrate and thus moves forward at the same velocity as the axon. In contrast, during axonal outgrowth, the cell body strongly adheres to the substrate and remains stationary, resulting in a decrease in flow velocity away from the growth cone. The simplicity with which cytokinesis, cell crawling, and axonal outgrowth can be modeled by varying coefficients in a simple model suggests a deep connection between them.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Craig, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oprea, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alam, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grodsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.22.595337</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A simple active fluid model unites cytokinesis, cell crawling, and axonal outgrowth]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.23.595398v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantification of rose rosette emaravirus (RRV) titers in eriophyoid mites: insights into viral dynamics and vector competency 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.23.595398v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding the interaction between rose rosette emaravirus (RRV) and its vectors is pivotal in addressing the epidemic outbreak of rose rosette disease. This study employed quantitative real-time RT-PCR to assess RRV genome copy numbers in Phyllocoptes fructiphilus and P. adalius, providing insights into the viral dynamics and vector competency. Our findings suggest active virus replication within P. fructiphilus, a confirmed vector species, unlike P. adalius, highlighting its non-vector status. Furthermore, the study highlights the variability in virus concentration in mites over time, underlining possible developmental stage-specific response and influence of mite lifestyle on RRV retention and replication. This research is the first step in understanding the virus-mite interactome, which is essential for developing effective management strategies against rose rosette disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Druciarek, T. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rojas, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tzanetakis, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.23.595398</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantification of rose rosette emaravirus (RRV) titers in eriophyoid mites: insights into viral dynamics and vector competency]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.23.595613v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A reference-free algorithm discovers regulation in the plant transcriptome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.23.595613v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Most plant genomes and their regulation remain unknown. We used SPLASH - a new, reference-genome free sequence variation detection algorithm - to analyze transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation from RNA-seq data. We discovered differential homolog expression during maize pollen development, and imbibition-dependent cryptic splicing in Arabidopsis seeds. SPLASH enables discovery of novel regulatory mechanisms, including differential regulation of genes from hybrid parental haplotypes, without the use of alignment to a reference genome.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Meyer, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saldivar, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kokot, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xue, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deorowicz, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salzman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.23.595613</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A reference-free algorithm discovers regulation in the plant transcriptome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.26.595966v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Complimentary vertebrate Wac models exhibit phenotypes relevant to DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.26.595966v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Monogenic syndromes are associated with neurodevelopmental changes that result in cognitive impairments and neurobehavioral phenotypes including autism and seizures. Limited studies and resources are available to make meaningful headway into the underlying molecular mechanisms that result in these symptoms. One such example is DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome (DESSH), a rare disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the WAC gene. Individuals with DESSH syndrome exhibit a recognizable craniofacial gestalt, developmental delay/intellectual disability, neurobehavioral symptoms that include autism, ADHD, behavioral difficulties and seizures. However, no thorough studies from a vertebrate model exist to understand how these changes occur. To overcome this, we developed both murine and zebrafish Wac/wac deletion mutants and studied whether their phenotypes recapitulate those described in individuals with DESSH syndrome. We first show that the two Wac models exhibit craniofacial and behavioral changes, reminiscent of abnormalities found in DESSH syndrome. In addition, each model revealed impacts to GABAergic neurons and further studies showed that the mouse mutants are susceptible to seizures, changes in brain volumes that are different between sexes and relevant behaviors. Finally, we uncovered transcriptional impacts of Wac loss of function in mice that will pave the way for future molecular studies into DESSH. These studies present two new animals that begin to uncover some biological underpinnings of DESSH syndrome and elucidate the biology of Wac.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, K.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pacheco-Vergara, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cichewicz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Canales, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seban, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corea, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rahbarian, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonekamp, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gillie, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pacheco-Cruz, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gill, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hwang, H.-E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uhl, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shinawi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Obenaus, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crandall, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeong, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nord, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, C.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.26.595966</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Complimentary vertebrate Wac models exhibit phenotypes relevant to DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.23.595619v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Plant hormone manipulation impacts salt spray tolerance, which preempts herbivory as a driver of local adaptation in the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.23.595619v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A major challenge in evolutionary biology is identifying the selective agents and phenotypes underlying local adaptation. Local adaptation along environmental gradients may be driven by trade-offs in allocation to reproduction, growth, and herbivore resistance. To identify environmental agents of selection and their phenotypic targets, we performed a manipulative field reciprocal transplant experiment with coastal perennial and inland annual ecotypes of the common yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus). We manipulated herbivory with exclosures built in the field and exogenously manipulated gibberellin and jasmonic acid to shift allocation of plant resources among growth, reproduction, and herbivore resistance. Our hormone treatments influenced the timing of allocation to reproduction and allocation to phytochemical defense, but this shift was small relative to ecotype differences in allocation. Herbivore exclosures reduced herbivory and increased fitness of plants at the coastal site. However, this reduction in herbivory did not decrease the homesite advantage of coastal perennials. Unexpectedly, we found that the application of exogenous gibberellin increased mortality due to salt spray at the coastal site for both ecotypes. Our results suggest that divergence in salt spray tolerance, potentially mediated by ecotype differences in gibberellin synthesis or bioactivity, is a strong driver of local adaptation and preempts any impacts of herbivory in coastal habitats that experience salt spray.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Toll, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blanchard, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scharnagl, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holeski, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.23.595619</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Plant hormone manipulation impacts salt spray tolerance, which preempts herbivory as a driver of local adaptation in the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.28.596234v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Active E. coli heteromeric acetyl-CoA carboxylase forms polymorphic helical tubular filaments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.28.596234v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Escherichia coli heteromeric acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) has four subunits assumed to form an elusive catalytic complex and are involved in allosteric and transcriptional regulation. The E. coli ACC represents almost all ACCs from pathogenic bacteria making it a key antibiotic development target to fight growing antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, it is a model for cyanobacterial and plant plastid ACCs as biofuel engineering targets. Here we report the catalytic E. coli ACC complex surprisingly forms tubes rather than dispersed particles. The cryo-EM structure reveals key protein-protein interactions underpinning efficient catalysis and how transcriptional regulatory roles are masked during catalysis. Discovering the protein-protein interaction interfaces that facilitate catalysis, allosteric and transcriptional regulation provides new routes to engineering catalytic activity and new targets for drug discovery.

One-Sentence SummaryBacterial heteromeric acetyl-CoA carboxylase forms tubes to promote efficient catalysis and mask transcriptional regulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Silva de Sousa, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boram, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lohman, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.28.596234</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Active E. coli heteromeric acetyl-CoA carboxylase forms polymorphic helical tubular filaments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.28.596289v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Detection of neutralizing antibodies against arboviruses from liver homogenates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.28.596289v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Yellow fever virus (YFV) circulates in a sylvatic cycle between non-human primates (NHPs) and arboreal mosquitoes in Brazil. Passive monitoring of ill or deceased NHPs is a key component of the Brazilian yellow fever (YF) surveillance program. Samples from NHPs carcasses are usually suitable for molecular tests but not for serological assays. As an alternative to the conventional plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) based on sera, we tested the utility of liver homogenates from experimentally infected (YFV, Mayaro virus [MAYV], chikungunya virus [CHIKV], or mock) mice to quantify PRNTs. Although homogenates from mock-infected mice showed a low level of nonspecific virus neutralization against YFV, MAYV or CHIKV, homogenates from YFV-, MAYV- and CHIKV-infected mice demonstrated significantly higher levels of virus neutralization compared to controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyses were performed using the median neutralization values of three technical replicates for each infected group separately or collectively. Results showed scores [&ge;]0.97 (95% CI [&ge;] 0.89-1.0) for the area under the curve at dilutions 1:20 to 1:80, suggesting that median virus neutralization values effectively differentiated YFV-, MAYV-, or CHIKV-infected groups from controls. Liver homogenates obtained from 25 NHPs carcasses (collected during the 2017 YF outbreak in Brazil) were also tested using the adapted PRNT as well as rapid anti-YFV IgM immunochromatographic tests. Neutralization activity was detected in six NHPs samples that were also positive by PCR and anti-YFV IgM tests and one sample that tested negative by PCR and IgM test. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using liver homogenates as an alternative approach for serological investigation in viral epidemiologic surveillance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Costa, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arruda, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia-Oliveira, G. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reis, E. V. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guimaraes, A. C. D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moreira, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arias, N. E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beirao, M. d. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasilakis, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanley, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drumond, B. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-05-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.28.596289</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Detection of neutralizing antibodies against arboviruses from liver homogenates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-05-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.31.596603v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Circulating miR-126-3p is a mechanistic biomarker for knee osteoarthritis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.31.596603v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As a chronic joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) is a major contributor to pain and disability worldwide, and yet there are currently no validated soluble biomarkers or disease-modifying treatments. Since microRNAs are promising mechanistic biomarkers that can be therapeutically targeted, we aimed to prioritize reproducible circulating microRNAs in knee OA. We performed secondary analysis on two microRNA-sequencing datasets and found circulating miR-126-3p to be elevated in radiographic knee OA compared to non-OA individuals. This finding was validated in an independent cohort (N=145), where miR-126-3p showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.91 for distinguishing knee OA. Measuring miR-126-3p in six primary human knee OA tissues, subchondral bone, fat pad and synovium exhibited the highest levels, and cartilage the lowest. Following systemic miR-126-3p mimic treatment in a surgical mouse model of knee OA, we found reduced disease severity. Following miR-126-3p mimic treatment in human knee OA tissue explants, we found direct inhibition of genes associated with angiogenesis and indirect inhibition of genes associated with osteogenesis, adipogenesis, and synovitis. These findings suggest miR-126-3p becomes elevated during knee OA and mitigates disease processes to attenuate severity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wilson, T. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baghel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaur, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Datta, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loveless, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Potla, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendez, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hansen, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lynch, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moutzouros, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ali, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.31.596603</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Circulating miR-126-3p is a mechanistic biomarker for knee osteoarthritis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.31.596805v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Early life adversity promotes gastrointestinal dysfunction through a sex-dependent phenotypic switch in enteric glia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.31.596805v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Irritable bowel syndrome and related disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) are common and exhibit a complex, poorly understood etiology that manifests as abnormal gut motility and pain. Risk factors such as biological sex, stressors during critical periods, and inflammation are thought to influence DGBI vulnerability by reprogramming gut-brain circuits, but the specific cells affected are unclear. Here, we used a model of early life stress to understand cellular mechanisms in the gut that produce DGBIs. Our findings identify enteric glia as a key cellular substrate in which stress and biological sex converge to dictate DGBI susceptibility. Enteric glia exhibit sexual dimorphism in genes and functions related to cellular communication, inflammation, and disease susceptibility. Experiencing early life stress has sex-specific effects on enteric glia that cause a phenotypic switch in male glia toward a phenotype normally observed in females. This phenotypic transformation is followed by physiological changes in the gut, mirroring those observed in DGBI in humans. These effects are mediated, in part, by alterations to glial prostaglandin and endocannabinoid signaling. Together, these data identify enteric glia as a cellular integration site through which DGBI risk factors produce changes in gut physiology and suggest that manipulating glial signaling may represent an attractive target for sex-specific therapeutic strategies in DGBIs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gonzales, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dharshika, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mazhar, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morales-Soto, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McClain, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moeser, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Price, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gulbransen, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.31.596805</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Early life adversity promotes gastrointestinal dysfunction through a sex-dependent phenotypic switch in enteric glia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.31.596878v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Insights into Immune Gene Prediction and Function Through the Evolutionary History of ADF Gene Family 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.31.596878v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIACTIN DEPOLYMERIZING FACTORS (ADFs) are key regulators of actin cytoskeletal dynamics and plant immunity.
C_LIO_LIWe predicted the potential immune-associated function of 38 genes from Arabidopsis using gene expression values from 24,123 RNA-Seq datasets and 34 single-cell datasets through machine learning algorithms.
C_LIO_LIThe evolutionary relationships of ADF family members from 38 eukaryotic species were evaluated, including an assessment of the sub-function(s) of these members.
C_LIO_LIOur results show that the ADF clade in plant and other kingdoms are separated, with ADF3, 5, 7, 9, and 10 possessing collinear relationships within species, and ADF 2,3,4,6,7, and 10 possessing evolved, new, sub-functions related to response to Fe, copper-deficiency, and ABA signaling in Arabidopsis. Expanded, multiple, roles for ADF1,4, and 6 were also identified.
C_LIO_LIThis study not only provides an analysis of the expanded role for the ADF family of genes/proteins, but also provides insight into, and a framework for, the identification and study of the evolutionary history of genes having putative roles in immune signaling.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.05.31.596878</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Insights into Immune Gene Prediction and Function Through the Evolutionary History of ADF Gene Family]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.03.597206v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Annotating publicly-available samples and studies using interpretable modeling of unstructured metadata 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.03.597206v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Reusing massive collections of publicly available biomedical data can significantly impact knowledge discovery. However, these public samples and studies are typically described using unstructured plain text, hindering the findability and further reuse of the data. To combat this problem, we propose txt2onto 2.0, a general-purpose method based on natural language processing and machine learning for annotating biomedical unstructured metadata to controlled vocabularies of diseases and tissues. Compared to the previous version (txt2onto 1.0), which uses numerical embeddings as features, this new version uses words as features, resulting in improved interpretability and performance, especially when few positive training instances are available. Txt2onto 2.0 uses embeddings from a large language model during prediction to deal with unseen-yet-relevant words related to each disease and tissue term being predicted from the input text, thereby explaining the basis of every annotation. We demonstrate the generalizability of txt2onto 2.0 by accurately predicting disease annotations for studies from independent datasets, using proteomics and clinical trials as examples. Overall, our approach can annotate biomedical text regardless of experimental types or sources. Code, data, and trained models are available at https://github.com/krishnanlab/txt2onto2.0.

Key pointsO_LIWe developed txt2onto 2.0, a computational method that combines language models and machine learning to annotate public samples and studies with standardized tissue and disease terms, with a focus on interpretability and explainability.
C_LIO_LITxt2onto 2.0 uses word/phrase occurrence statistics to represent sample/study metadata, train machine learning models, and predict terms in controlled vocabularies to annotate each sample and study. This approach allows the model to keep track of predictive words related to model decisions and easily separate informative from uninformative words.
C_LIO_LITxt2onto 2.0 outperforms its predecessor, txt2onto 1.0, in tissue and disease annotation, especially when training data is limited.
C_LIO_LIThe predictive features learned by txt2onto 2.0 are highly interpretable. These features not only include explicit mentions of the actual disease or tissue terms but also related biomedical concepts, including words that are unseen by the model during training.
C_LIO_LIAlthough trained on metadata of transcriptomes, txt2onto 2.0 is capable of annotating disease and tissue for any kind of biomedical metadata, making it a versatile tool for sample and study annotation.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yuan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hicks, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmadian, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.03.597206</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Annotating publicly-available samples and studies using interpretable modeling of unstructured metadata]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.06.597802v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Unifying the Research Landscape of Desiccation Tolerance to Identify Trends, Gaps, and Opportunities 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.06.597802v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Desiccation tolerance, or the ability to survive extreme dehydration, has evolved recurrently across the tree of life. While our understanding of the mechanisms underlying desiccation tolerance continues to expand, the compartmentalization of findings by study system impedes progress. Here, we analyzed 5,963 papers related to desiccation and examined model systems, research topics, citation networks, and disciplinary siloing over time. Our results show significant siloing, with plant science dominating the field, and relatively isolated clustering of plants, animal, microbial, and fungal literature. Topic modeling identified 46 distinct research topics, highlighting both commonalities and divergences across the knowledge of desiccation tolerance in different systems. We observed a rich diversity of model desiccation tolerant species within the community, contrasting the single species model for most biology research areas. To address citation gaps, we developed a rule-based algorithm to recommend new invitees to a niche conference, DesWorks, enhancing the integration of diverse research areas. The algorithm, which considers co-citation, co-authorship, research topics, and geographic data, successfully identified candidates with novel expertise that was unrepresented in previous conferences. Our findings underscore the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing desiccation tolerance research and provide a framework for using bibliometric tools to foster scientific integration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lotreck, S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghassemi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.06.597802</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Unifying the Research Landscape of Desiccation Tolerance to Identify Trends, Gaps, and Opportunities]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.10.598308v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional Changes to Achilles Tendon and Enthesis in a Mouse Model of an Adolescent Masculine Gender-Affirming Hormone Treatment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.10.598308v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many transgender youth seek gender affirming care, such as puberty suppression, to prolong decision-making and to align their physical sex characteristics with their gender identity. During peripubertal growth, connective tissues such as tendon rapidly adapt to applied mechanical loads (e.g., exercise) yet if and how tendon adaptation is influenced by sex and gender affirming hormone therapy during growth remains unknown. The goal of this study was to understand the how pubertal suppression influences the structural and functional properties of the Achilles tendon using an established mouse model of transmasculine gender affirming hormone therapy. C57BL/6N female-born mice were assigned to experimental groups to mimic gender-affirming hormone therapy in human adolescents, and treatment was initiated prior to the onset of puberty (at postnatal day 26, P26). Experimental groups included controls and mice serially treated with gonadotropin release hormone analogue (GnRHa), delayed Testosterone (T), or GnRHa followed by T. We found that puberty suppression using GnRHa, with and without T, improved the overall tendon load capacity in female-born mice. Treatment with T resulted in an increase in the maximum load that tendon can withstand before failure. Additionally, we found that GnRHa, but not T, treatment resulted in a significant increase in cell density at the Achilles enthesis.

NEW & NOTEWORTHYThese findings demonstrate that puberty suppression or testosterone does not negatively influence tendon structural or functional properties in a mouse model of transmasculine gender affirming care. In all treatment groups, the ability of the tendon to withstand load was significantly increased. Puberty suppression with GnRHa significantly increased enthesis cell density, suggesting an extended growth phase. These findings elucidate the effects of gender affirming care on the structural and functional properties of the tendon and enthesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hold, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Phillips, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cordts, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steltzer, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bae, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henry, B. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Migotsky, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grossman, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cruz, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Padmanabhan, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moravek, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shikanov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abraham, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Killian, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.10.598308</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional Changes to Achilles Tendon and Enthesis in a Mouse Model of an Adolescent Masculine Gender-Affirming Hormone Treatment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.11.595169v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Local adaptation of both plant and pathogen: an arms-race compromise in switchgrass rust 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.11.595169v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIIn widespread species, parasites can locally adapt to host populations, or hosts can locally adapt to resist parasites. Parasites with rapid life cycles locally adapt more quickly, but host diversity, selective pressure, and climatic factors impact coevolution.
C_LIO_LITo better understand local adaptation in co-evolved host-parasite systems, we examined switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and its leaf rust pathogen (Puccinia novopanici) across a latitudinal range in North America. We grew diverse switchgrass genotypes in ten replicated common gardens spanning 16.78{degrees} latitude for three years, measuring rust severity from natural infection. We conducted genome wide association mapping to identify genetic loci associated with rust severity.
C_LIO_LIGenetically differentiated rust populations were locally adapted to northern and southern switchgrass, despite host local adaptation in the same regions. Rust resistance was highly polygenic, and distinct loci were associated with rust severity in the north and south. We narrowed a previously identified large-effect QTL for rust severity to a candidate YSL3-like gene, and linked numerous other loci to immunity-related genes.
C_LIO_LIBoth hosts and parasites can be locally adapted when parasites have a lower impact on fitness than other local selection pressures. In switchgrass, our results suggest variation in fungal resistance mechanisms between locally adapted regions.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanWallendael, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wijewardana, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonnette, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vormwald, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fritschi, F. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boe, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chambers, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rouquette, F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fay, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jastrow, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovell, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Juenger, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.11.595169</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Local adaptation of both plant and pathogen: an arms-race compromise in switchgrass rust]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.12.598682v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Large-scale genotyping and meta-analysis of PIEZO1 short tandem repeat alleles suggest a modest association with malaria susceptibility 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.12.598682v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PIEZO1 forms a mechanosensitive ion channel involved in regulating calcium levels in red blood cells. E756del, a deletion allele within a short tandem repeat (STR) in PIEZO1, is common in many African populations and has been proposed to be associated with protection from malarial disease, but epidemiological evidence has been inconsistent. Here, we use Illumina sequencing of amplicons covering the PIEZO1 STR to genotype 5,558 severe malaria cases and 8,174 population controls from The Gambia, Kenya, and Malawi. We estimate a modest effect for E756del and meta-analysis with two published studies, for a total of 8,224 cases and 10,103 controls, reveals a consistent protective effect (OR=0.93, 95% CI 0.88-0.99). By comprehensively genotyping the STR, we identify additional, less common alleles, with two (Q745del and E756ins) showing consistent, but also modest, risk effects across studies. Although allele frequency differentiation between African and non-African populations could be consistent with a selective effect, we show that it is not exceptional compared with STR variants genome wide. Thus, our results support a protective effect of E756del against risk of malaria but with a much smaller effect size than initially reported.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Leffler, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Band, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeffreys, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rowlands, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hubbart, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bojang, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conway, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jallow, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sisay-Joof, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>D'Alessandro, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ndila, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Macharia, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marsh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, T. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kachala, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Molyneux, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nyirongo, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rockett, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwiatkowski, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.12.598682</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Large-scale genotyping and meta-analysis of PIEZO1 short tandem repeat alleles suggest a modest association with malaria susceptibility]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.13.598915v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genotypic and Phenotypic Analyses Show Ralstonia solanacearum Cool Virulence is a Quantitative Trait Not Restricted to 'Race 3 biovar 2' 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.13.598915v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Most Ralstonia solanacearum species complex strains cause bacterial wilts in tropical or subtropical zones, but the group known as Race 3 biovar 2 (R3bv2) is cool virulent and causes potato brown rot at lower temperatures. R3bv2 has invaded potato-growing regions around the world but is not established in the United States. Phylogenetically, R3bv2 corresponds to a subset of the R. solanacearum phylotype IIB clade, but little is known about the distribution of the cool virulence phenotype within phylotype IIB. Therefore, genomes of 76 potentially cool virulent phylotype IIB strains and 30 public genomes were phylogenetically analyzed. A single clonal lineage within the sequevar 1 subclade of phylotype IIB that originated in South America has caused nearly all brown rot outbreaks worldwide. To correlate genotypes with relevant phenotypes, we quantified virulence of ten Ralstonia strains on tomato and potato at both 22{degrees}C and 28{degrees}C. Cool virulence on tomato did not predict cool virulence on potato. We found that cool virulence is a quantitative trait. Strains in the sequevar 1 pandemic clonal lineage caused the most disease, while other R3bv2 strains were only moderately cool virulent. However, some non-R3bv2 strains were highly cool virulent and aggressively colonized potato tubers. Thus, cool virulence is not consistently correlated with strains historically classified as R3bv2 group. To aid detection of sequevar 1 strains, this group was genomically delimited in the LINbase web server and a sequevar 1 diagnostic primer pair was developed and validated. We discuss implications of these results for the R3bv2 definition.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dewberry, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharma, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prom, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kinscherf, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowe-Power, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mazloom, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arif, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stulberg, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heath, L. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eversole, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beattie, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vinatzer, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.13.598915</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genotypic and Phenotypic Analyses Show Ralstonia solanacearum Cool Virulence is a Quantitative Trait Not Restricted to 'Race 3 biovar 2']]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.12.598645v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Roles of Drift and Selection on Short Stamen Loss in Arabidopsis thaliana along an Elevational Gradient in the Spanish Pyrenees 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.12.598645v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Traits that have lost function sometimes persist through evolutionary time. These traits may persist if there is not enough standing genetic variation for the trait to allow a response to selection, if selection against the trait is weak relative to drift, or if the trait has a residual function. To determine the evolutionary processes shaping whether nonfunctional traits are retained or lost, we investigated short stamens in 16 populations of Arabidopsis thaliana along an elevational cline in northeast Spain. We found a cline in short stamen number from retention of short stamens in high elevation populations to incomplete loss in low elevation populations. We did not find evidence that limited genetic variation constrains the loss of short stamens at high elevations, nor evidence for divergent selection on short stamens between high and low elevations. Finally, we identified loci associated with short stamens in northeast Spain that are different from loci associated with variation in short stamen number across latitudes from a previous study. Overall, we did not identify the evolutionary mechanisms contributing to an elevational cline in short stamen number but did identify different genetic loci underlying variation in short stamen along similar phenotypic clines.

Teaser textThe evolutionary mechanisms underlying loss or retention of traits that have lost function are poorly understood. Short stamens in Arabidopsis thaliana provide a compelling system to investigate the roles of genetic drift and selection in trait loss across latitudinal and elevational clines. This study investigates how drift and selection shape short stamen loss in 16 populations of A. thaliana along an elevational gradient in Northeast Spain. An investigation of the loci underlying variation in short stamen number suggests variants in different genes may cause trait loss in similar phenotypic clines within a species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Buysse, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Puzey, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garrison, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bradburd, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oakley, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pico, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tonsor, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.12.598645</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Roles of Drift and Selection on Short Stamen Loss in Arabidopsis thaliana along an Elevational Gradient in the Spanish Pyrenees]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.13.598886v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Unravelling biological processess and EGFR pathway regulation by the receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPRH in non-small cell lung cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.13.598886v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The balance of protein phosphorylation is often disrupted in cancer, with hyperactivity of kinases and inactivation of phosphatases driving cell proliferation and survival pathways. PTPRH, a protein tyrosine phosphatase, is mutated in [~]5% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). However, how PTPRH contributes to biological processes and tumorigenesis was unknown. We uncovered PTPRHs candidate interactors and associated pathways by applying a proximity-dependent biotinylation assay (BioID) and generating a signature transcriptome in two NSCLC cell lines derived from the primary tumor (NCI-H23) or a metastatic site (NCI-H2023), followed by functional validation. Candidate interactors included signaling molecules and structural proteins linked to integrins and focal adhesions, adherens junctions, migration, and the cytoskeleton, in addition to interactions with the receptor tyrosine kinases EGFR, EPHA2, and ROR2, and the phosphatases PTPN3 and PTPRJ. Considering the importance of EGFR in lung cancers and the role of EPHA2 in regulating cell adhesion, we examined how PTPRH regulates their signaling. Overexpression of PTPRH decreased EGFR phosphorylation at tyrosine 1173. It also reduced phospho-EPHA2, with one of the target tyrosine residues identified as the ligand-dependent Y588. At the cellular level, PTPRH and EPHA2 colocalize, with PTPRH gain inducing morphological alterations, such as increased eccentricity, smaller size and changes in the cytoskeleton organization in NCI-H23 cells. These changes are accompanied by increased FAK Y397 phosphorylation, but reduced cell adhesion to the ECM. Additionally, pathway enrichment analysis revealed downregulation of multiple oncogenic, metabolic, and cell adhesion signaling pathways, with increased levels of PTPRH leading to reduced migration in vitro, suppressed tumor growth and lung colonization and tumor differentiation in vivo. Interestingly, some alterations may be independent of PTPRH catalytic activity and tailored to a cell lines site of origin and genetic background. These results indicate that PTPRH regulates key signaling, structural networks, and tumor behavior with loss facilitating NSCLC progression.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ortiz, M. M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patel, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swiatnicki, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.13.598886</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Unravelling biological processess and EGFR pathway regulation by the receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPRH in non-small cell lung cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.14.598901v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Chromosome-scale Salvia hispanica L. (Chia) genome assembly reveals rampant Salvia interspecies introgression 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.14.598901v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Salvia hispanica L. (Chia), a member of the Lamiaceae, is an economically important crop in Mesoamerica, with health benefits associated with its seed fatty acid composition. Chia varieties are distinguished based on seed color including mixed white and black (Chia pinta) and black (Chia negra). To facilitate research on Chia and expand on comparative analyses within the Lamiaceae, we generated a chromosome-scale assembly of a Chia pinta accession and performed comparative genome analyses with a previously published Chia negra genome assembly. The Chia pinta and negra genome sequences were highly similar as shown by a limited number of single nucleotide polymorphisms and extensive shared orthologous gene membership. There is an enrichment of terpene synthases in the Chia pinta genome relative to the Chia negra genome. We sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 20 Chia accessions with differing seed color and geographic origin revealing population structure within S. hispanica and interspecific introgressions of Salvia species. As the genus Salvia is polyphyletic, its evolutionary history remains unclear. Using large-scale synteny analysis within the Lamiaceae and orthologous group membership, we resolved the phylogeny of Salvia species. This study and its collective resources further our understanding of genomic diversity in this food crop and the extent of inter-species hybridizations in Salvia.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARYChia pinta is an economically important crop due to the high fatty acid present in the seeds. There are multiple types of Chia based on the seeds color including mixed which and black (Chia pinta), black (Chia negra), and white (Chia blanca). We generated a genome assembly of Chia pinta and compared it to existing genome assemblies. While the assemblies are highly similar there are key differences in terpene synthase composition between Chia pinta and Chia negra. We also sequenced 20 other Chia accessions with different seed color and geographic origin to determine a population structure within Chia. We generated genomic resources to further our understanding of this food crop.

ABBREVIATIONSBGC Biosynthetic gene cluster

BUSCO Benchmarking Universal Single Copy Orthologs GO Gene ontology

SNP Single nucleotide polymorphism TIR Terminal inverted repeat

TPS Terpene synthase

WGS Whole genome shotgun
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Brose, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schlecht, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mejia-Ponce, P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cruz Perez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montes-Hernandez, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orozco de Rosas, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamberger, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cibrian Jaramillo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.14.598901</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Chromosome-scale Salvia hispanica L. (Chia) genome assembly reveals rampant Salvia interspecies introgression]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.14.599082v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural variants contribute to phenotypic variation in maize 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.14.599082v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Comprehensively identifying the loci shaping trait variation has been challenging, in part because standard approaches often miss many types of genetic variants. Structural variants (SVs), especially transposable elements (TEs), are likely to affect phenotypic variation but we lack methods that can detect polymorphic structural variants and TEs using short-read sequencing data. Here, we used a whole genome alignment between two maize genotypes to identify polymorphic structural variants and then genotyped a large maize diversity panel for these variants using short-read sequencing data. After characterizing SV variation in the panel, we identified SV polymorphisms that are associated with life history traits and genotype-by-environment (GxE) interactions. While most of the SVs associated with traits contained TEs, only two of the SVs had boundaries that clearly matched TE breakpoints indicative of a TE insertion, while the other polymorphisms were likely caused by deletions. One of the SVs that appeared to be caused by a TE insertion had the most associations with gene expression compared to other trait-associated SVs. All of the SVs associated with traits were in linkage disequilibrium with nearby single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), suggesting that the approach used here did not identify unique associations that would have been missed in a SNP association study. Overall, we have created a technique to genotype SV polymorphisms across a large diversity panel using support from genomic short-read sequencing alignments and connecting this presence/absence SV variation to diverse traits and GxE interactions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Catlin, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agha, H. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platts, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munasinghe, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jospehs, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.14.599082</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural variants contribute to phenotypic variation in maize]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.17.599440v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Impact of genome assemblies, genotyping methods, variant types, ploidy levels and population structures on genomic prediction in switchgrass 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.17.599440v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genomic prediction, the use of genetic information for predicting traits, has accelerated the breeding processes and provided mechanistic insights into the genetic bases of complex traits. While substantial efforts have been devoted to optimize genomic prediction, there remain areas that need to be further explored, including the impact of genome assemblies, genotyping approaches, variant types, allelic complexities, polyploidy levels, and population structures. Here, we assess the impact of these factors on the prediction of 20 complex traits in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a perennial biofuel feedstock. We found that short read-based genome assembly perform comparably to or even better than long read-based assembly in trait prediction; exome capture-based models have higher prediction accuracy than genotyping-by-sequencing-based models for 13 traits; bi-allelic insertion/deletions are as useful as bi-allelic single nucleotide polymorphisms in trait prediction, whereas multi-allelic variants outperform bi-allelic ones for 15 traits. Models built for tetraploids have higher prediction accuracy than those for octoploids for most traits. Traits of individuals with higher within-population genetic distances tend to have higher prediction accuracy. Finally, integrating different types of variants can improve the prediction accuracy. By exploring these factors, anthesis date prediction models built using multi-allelic insertion/deletions derived from exome capture led to the largest number of orthologs of benchmark flowering time genes compared to other models. Our study provides insights into the factors influencing genomic prediction outcomes that inform best practices for future studies and for improving agronomic traits in switchgrass and other species through selective breeding.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azodi, C. B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ab, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Casler, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.17.599440</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Impact of genome assemblies, genotyping methods, variant types, ploidy levels and population structures on genomic prediction in switchgrass]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.19.599776v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Interdisciplinarity through internationality: results from a US-Mexico graduate course bridging computational and plant science 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.19.599776v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Interdisciplinarity is used to integrate and synthesize new research directions between scientific domains, but it is not the only means by which to generate novelty by bringing diverse perspectives together. Internationality draws upon cultural and linguistic diversity that can potentially impact interdisciplinarity as well. We created an interdisciplinary class originally intended to bridge computational and plant science that eventually became international in scope, including students from the US and Mexico. We administered a survey over four years designed to evaluate student expertise. The first year of the survey included only US students and demonstrated that biology and computational student groups have distinct expertise but can learn the skills of the other group over the course of a semester. Modeling of survey responses shows that biological and computational science expertise is equally distributed between US and Mexico student groups, but that nonetheless these groups can be predicted based on survey responses due to sub-specialization within each domain. Unlike interdisciplinarity, differences arising from internationality are mostly static and do not change with educational intervention and include unique skills such as working across languages. We end by discussing a distinct form of interdisciplinarity that arises through internationality and the implications of globalizing research and education efforts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rougon-Cardoso, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.19.599776</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Interdisciplinarity through internationality: results from a US-Mexico graduate course bridging computational and plant science]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.28.601272v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PKA Activity-Driven Modulation of Bidirectional Long-Distance transport of Lysosomal vesicles During Synapse Maintenance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.28.601272v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The bidirectional long-distance transport of organelles is crucial for cell body-synapse communication. However, the mechanisms by which this transport is modulated for synapse formation, maintenance, and plasticity are not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate through quantitative analyses that maintaining sensory neuron-motor neuron synapses in the Aplysia gill-siphon withdrawal reflex is linked to a sustained reduction in the retrograde transport of lysosomal vesicles in sensory neurons. Interestingly, while mitochondrial transport in the anterograde direction increases within 12 hours of synapse formation, the reduction in lysosomal vesicle retrograde transport appears three days after synapse formation. Moreover, we find that formation of new synapses during learning induced by neuromodulatory neurotransmitter serotonin further reduces lysosomal vesicle transport within 24 hours, whereas mitochondrial transport increases in the anterograde direction within one hour of exposure. Pharmacological inhibition of several signaling pathways pinpoints PKA as a key regulator of retrograde transport of lysosomal vesicles during synapse maintenance. These results demonstrate that synapse formation leads to organelle-specific and direction specific enduring changes in long-distance transport, offering insights into the mechanisms underlying synapse maintenance and plasticity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Badal, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raveendra, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lozano-Villada, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Puthanveettil, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-06-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.06.28.601272</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PKA Activity-Driven Modulation of Bidirectional Long-Distance transport of Lysosomal vesicles During Synapse Maintenance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-06-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.02.601705v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Camelina CircRNA Landscape: Implications for Gene Regulation and Fatty Acid Metabolism 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.02.601705v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are closed-loop RNAs forming a covalent bond between their 3 and 5 ends, the backsplice junction (BSJ), rendering them resistant to exonucleases and thus more stable compared to linear RNAs. Identification of circRNAs and distinction from its cognate linear RNA is only possible by sequencing the BSJ that is unique to the circRNA. CircRNAs are involved in regulation of their cognate RNAs by increasing transcription rates, RNA stability and alternative splicing. We have identified circRNAs from Camelina sativa that are associated with the regulation of germination, light response, and lipid metabolism. We sequenced light-grown and etiolated seedlings after 5 or 7 days post-germination and identified a total of 3,447 circRNAs from 2,763 genes. Most circRNAs originate from a single homeolog of the three subgenomes from allohexaploid camelina and correlates with higher ratios of alternative splicing of their cognate genes. A network analysis shows the interactions of select miRNA:circRNA:mRNAs for regulation of transcript stabilities where circRNA can act as a competing endogenous RNA. Several key lipid metabolism genes can generate circRNA and we confirmed the presence of KASII circRNA as a true circRNA. CircRNA in camelina can be a novel target for breeding and engineering efforts.

Core ideasO_LIFirst discovery of 3,447 genic and 307 intergenic unique putative circRNAs from Camelina sativa.
C_LIO_LIWe identified circRNAs that were regulated in response to seedling de-etiolation.
C_LIO_LIMost circRNAs originate from only one homeolog of the three subgenomes in this allohexaploid Camelina.
C_LIO_LIAlternative splicing of exon skipping and intron retention positively correlate with circRNA occurrence.
C_LIO_LIValidation of KASII circRNAs as an example of lipid metabolism pathways potentially regulated by circRNA.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Utley, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Budnick, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotewold, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sederoff, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.02.601705</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Camelina CircRNA Landscape: Implications for Gene Regulation and Fatty Acid Metabolism]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.04.602093v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A pilot study for deciphering post-translational modifications and proteoforms of tau protein by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.04.602093v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Abnormal accumulation of tau proteins is one pathological hallmark of Alzheimer{square}s disease (AD). Many tau protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) are associated with the development of AD, such as phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation. Therefore, a complete picture of PTM landscape of tau is critical for understanding the molecular mechanisms of AD progression. Here, we offered a pilot study of combining two complementary analytical techniques, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC)-MS/MS, for bottom-up proteomics of recombinant human tau-0N3R. We identified 53 phosphorylation sites of tau-0N3R in total, which is about 30% higher than that from RPLC-MS/MS alone. CZE-MS/MS provided more PTM sites (i.e., phosphorylation) and modified peptides of tau-0N3R than RPLC-MS/MS, and its predicted electrophoretic mobility helped improve the confidence of the identified modified peptides. We developed a highly efficient capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF)-MS technique to offer a birds-eye view of tau-0N3R proteoforms, with 11 putative tau-0N3R proteoforms carrying up to nine phosphorylation sites and lower pI values from more phosphorylated proteoforms detected. Interestingly, under a native-like cIEF-MS condition, we observed three putative tau-0N3R dimers carrying phosphate groups. The findings demonstrate that CE-MS is a valuable analytical technique for the characterization of tau PTMs, proteoforms, and even oligomerization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chien Hagar, H.-T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hovde, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuo, M.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.04.602093</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A pilot study for deciphering post-translational modifications and proteoforms of tau protein by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.10.602918v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Impacts of Antiretroviral Therapy on the Oral Microbiome and Periodontal Health of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Positive Cats 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.10.602918v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is the domestic cat analogue of HIV infection in humans. Both viruses induce oral disease in untreated individuals, with clinical signs that include gingivitis and periodontal lesions. Oral disease manifestations in HIV patients are abated by highly effective combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), though certain oral manifestations persist despite therapy. Microorganisms associated with oral cavity opportunistic infections in patients with HIV cause similar pathologies in cats. To further develop this model, we evaluated characteristics of feline oral health and oral microbiome during experimental FIV infection over an 8-month period following cART. Using 16S metagenomics sequencing, we evaluated gingival bacterial communities at four timepoints in uninfected and FIV-infected cats treated with cART or placebo. Comprehensive oral examinations were also conducted by a veterinary dental specialist over the experimental period. Gingival inflammation was higher in FIV-infected cats treated with placebo compared to cART-treated cats and controls at study endpoint. Oral microbiome alpha diversity increased in all groups, while beta diversity differed among treatment groups, documenting a significant effect of cART therapy on microbiome community composition. This finding has not previously been reported and indicates cART ameliorates immunodeficiency virus-associated oral disease via preservation of oral mucosal microbiota. Further, this study illustrates the value of the FIV animal model for investigations of mechanistic associations and therapeutic interventions for HIV oral manifestations.

IMPORTANCEFeline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is the viral analogue to HIV in humans, and both infections are associated with oral disease. Our study explored how antiretroviral treatment affects the oral health and microbiome of domestic cats infected with FIV. Cats treated with antiretroviral therapy had less gum inflammation and a different community of oral bacteria compared to untreated FIV-positive cats. This suggests that antiretroviral therapy not only helps in controlling FIV infection but also benefits feline oral health. These findings advance our understanding of antiretroviral treatment for lentiviral-associated oral disease and highlight FIV as a valuable experimental model for the similar condition in humans.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bashor, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rawlinson, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kozakiewicz, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Behzadi, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conry, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nehring, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carver, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abdo, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VandeWoude, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.10.602918</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Impacts of Antiretroviral Therapy on the Oral Microbiome and Periodontal Health of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Positive Cats]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.10.602969v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantifying seed rain patterns in a remnant and a chronosequence of restored tallgrass prairies in north central Missouri 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.10.602969v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LISeed rain is an influential process related to plant community diversity, composition, and regeneration. However, knowledge of seed rain patterns is limited to those observed in forests and late-assembling grasslands, which might not reflect early-assembling communities such as newly restored grasslands. Resolving this gap in our understanding provides further insight into the role of seed dispersal.
C_LIO_LIHere, we measured seed rain in a remnant tallgrass prairie, which was the site of the foundational grassland seed rain study in 1978, and a nearby chronosequence of tallgrass prairie restorations. We sought to determine how the quantity, seed mass traits, timing, diversity, and composition of seed rain changed (1) long-term and (2) during community assembly. To do so, we deployed artificial turf grass seed traps into 2-year-old, 5-6-year-old, and 15-year-old restored prairies and the remnant prairie, replacing traps every two weeks from May to December 2019.
C_LIO_LIWe captured over twice the density and richness of seed rain in the remnant prairie in 2019 compared to 1978. We also found that seed rain patterns changed as prairies aged, with each prairie possessing a distinct community of dispersing species. Significantly more seeds, seed biomass, and species were captured in the youngest restored prairie. However, seed mass traits were similar in all prairies. Except for composition, all other seed rain metrics in the oldest restoration were eventually comparable to the remnant prairie.
C_LIO_LISynthesis and Applications: Our results revealed that grasslands, notably young prairies, produce larger quantities of seed rain than previously known (124,806 seeds m-2 year -1, 97.24 g m-2 year -1), and seed input in all sampled prairies far exceeded restoration broadcast seeding densities. We further found that decreases in seed rain quantity across the chronosequence did not correspond with increases in seed mass, suggesting a lack of tradeoffs between these metrics. Furthermore, tallgrass prairie restorations have not replicated the composition of seed rain seen in remnant systems. Increasing restoration seeding rates of desirable species may be needed to meet composition goals since current rates may not compete with the propagule pressure of undesirable species found in newly restored prairies.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wynne, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parker-Smith, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murdock, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sullivan, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.10.602969</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantifying seed rain patterns in a remnant and a chronosequence of restored tallgrass prairies in north central Missouri]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.10.602990v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Effects of clinically relevant radionuclides on the activation of a type I interferon response by radiopharmaceuticals in syngeneic murine tumor models 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.10.602990v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Radiopharmaceutical therapies (RPT) activate a type I interferon (IFN1) response in tumor cells. We hypothesized that the timing and amplitude of this response varies by isotope. We compared equal doses delivered by 90Y, 177Lu, and 225Ac in vitro as unbound radionuclides and in vivo when chelated to NM600, a tumor-selective alkylphosphocholine. Response in murine MOC2 head and neck carcinoma and B78 melanoma was evaluated by qPCR and flow cytometry. Therapeutic response to 225Ac-NM600+anti-CTLA4+anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) was evaluated in wild-type and stimulator of interferon genes knockout (STING KO) B78. The timing and magnitude of IFN1 response correlated with radionuclide half-life and linear energy transfer. CD8+/Treg ratios increased in tumors 7 days after 90Y- and 177Lu-NM600 and day 21 after 225Ac-NM600. 225Ac-NM600+ICI improved survival in mice with WT but not with STING KO tumors, relative to monotherapies. Immunomodulatory effects of RPT vary with radioisotope and promote STING-dependent enhanced response to ICIs in murine models.

TeaserThis study describes the time course and nature of tumor immunomodulation by radiopharmaceuticals with differing physical properties.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kerr, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sheehan-Klenk, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grudzinski, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adam, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, T. P. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Aguiar Ferreira, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bates, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwon, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olson, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hyun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jagodinsky, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Powers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sriramaneni, R. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shea, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Comas Rojas, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Massey, C. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zangl, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pinchuk, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aluicio-Sarduy, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Engle, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hernandez, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bednarz, B. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weichert, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morris, Z. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.10.602990</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Effects of clinically relevant radionuclides on the activation of a type I interferon response by radiopharmaceuticals in syngeneic murine tumor models]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.12.603232v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Species wide inventory of Arabidopsis thaliana organellar variation reveals ample phenotypic variation for photosynthetic performance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.12.603232v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Efforts to improve photosynthetic performance are increasingly employing natural genetic variation. However, genetic variation in the organellar genomes (plasmotypes) is often disregarded due to the difficulty of studying the plasmotypes and the lack of evidence that this is a worthwhile investment. Here, we systematically phenotyped plasmotype diversity using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model species. A reanalysis of whole genome resequencing data of 1,531 representative accessions shows that the genetic diversity amongst the mitochondrial genomes is eight times lower than amongst the chloroplast genomes. Plasmotype diversity of the accessions divides the species into two major phylogenetic clusters, within which highly divergent subclusters are distinguished. We combined plasmotypes from 60 A. thaliana accessions with the nuclear genomes (nucleotypes) of four A. thaliana accessions to create a panel of 232 novel cytonuclear genotypes (cybrids). The cybrid plants were grown in a range of different light and temperature conditions and phenotyped using high-throughput phenotyping platforms. Analysis of the phenotypes showed that several plasmotypes alone or in interaction with the nucleotypes have significant effects on photosynthesis, and that the effects are highly dependent on the environment. Moreover, we introduce Plasmotype Association Studies (PAS) as a novel method to reveal plasmotypic effects. Within A. thaliana, several organellar variants can influence photosynthetic phenotypes, which emphasizes the valuable role this variation has on improving photosynthetic performance. The increasing feasibility of producing cybrids in various species calls for further research into how these phenotypes may support breeding goals in crop species.

Significance statementPhotosynthesis is one of the few crop traits that has been largely unaddressed which can contribute to increasing crop yield potential. Exploiting genetic variation within organellar genomes presents a promising, yet untapped resource to improve photosynthesis. However, the extent of organellar variation and its impact on photosynthesis within a species remains largely unknown. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model species, we revealed highly divergent clusters of organellar variation. We constructed 232 novel combinations of species representative organellar and nuclear genomes, referred to as cybrids. High-throughput phenotyping of these cybrids revealed that organellar variants can substantially impact photosynthesis in different environments. These findings indicate that organellar genomes may be a valuable resource for improving photosynthesis in crops.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Theeuwen, T. P. J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wijfjes, R. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorussen, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lawson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lind, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boekeloo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tijink, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hall, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanhart, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, F. F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Eeuwijk, F. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wijnker, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harbinson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koornneef, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aarts, M. G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.12.603232</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Species wide inventory of Arabidopsis thaliana organellar variation reveals ample phenotypic variation for photosynthetic performance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.18.604190v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Engineered endosymbionts that modulate primary macrophage function and attenuate tumor growth by shifting the tumor microenvironment 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.18.604190v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Modulating gene expression in macrophages can be used to improve tissue regeneration and to redirect tumor microenvironments (TME) toward positive therapeutic outcomes. We have developed Bacillus subtilis as an engineered endosymbiont (EES) capable of residing inside the eukaryotic host cell cytoplasm and controlling the fate of macrophages. Secretion of mammalian transcription factors (TFs) from B. subtilis that expresses listeriolysin O (LLO; allowing the EES to escape destruction by the macrophage) modulated expression of surface markers, cytokines and chemokines, indicating functional changes in a macrophage/monocyte cell line. The engineered B. subtilis LLO TF strains were evaluated in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) by flow cytometry, chemokine/cytokine profiling, metabolic assays and RNA-Seq. Delivery of TFs by the EES shifted BMDM gene expression, production of cytokine and chemokines and metabolic patterns, indicating that the TF strains could guide primary macrophage function. Thereafter, the ability of the TF strains to alter the TME was characterized in vivo, in an orthotopic murine model of triple-negative breast cancer to assess therapeutic effects. The TF strains altered the TME by shifting immune cell composition and attenuating tumor growth. Additionally, multiple doses of the TF strains were well-tolerated by the mice. The use of B. subtilis LLO TF strains as EES showed promise as a unique cancer immunotherapy by directing immune function intracellularly. The uses of EES could be expanded to modulate other mammalian cells over a range of biomedical applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Madsen, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greeson, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tundo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kulkarni, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarea, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiupel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sayadi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.18.604190</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Engineered endosymbionts that modulate primary macrophage function and attenuate tumor growth by shifting the tumor microenvironment]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.19.604208v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Eyes on VR: Unpacking the Causal Chain Between Exposure, Reception, and Retention for Emotional Billboard Messages 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.19.604208v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The causal chain from message exposure to reception to effects is widely accepted as the basic explanatory model for communication outcomes. Problematically, the chains links are often studied in isolation, leaving measurement gaps that compromise the ecological validity and practical utility of experimental research. Here we introduce a VR-based paradigm that encompasses a realistic message reception context, i.e., a simulated car ride on a highway flanked by billboards. We varied attentional message factors (emotional content) as well as contextual task distractions (trash-counting). VR-integrated eye trackers were used to capture participants incidental message exposure dependent on their actual gaze behavior. Consistent with our predictions, results show that 1. exposure gates all subsequent effects; 2. distraction impacts likelihood of exposure; 3. both the manipulation of emotional content and distraction affect retention. This comprehensive analysis of the exposure-reception-retention chain can be broadly applied to a variety of message reception contexts that will be discussed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cho, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bente, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmalzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.19.604208</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Eyes on VR: Unpacking the Causal Chain Between Exposure, Reception, and Retention for Emotional Billboard Messages]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.19.604363v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A transposable element insertion in IAA16 interrupts normal splicing and generates a novel dicamba resistance allele in Bassia scoparia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.19.604363v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A dicamba-resistant population of kochia (Bassia scoparia) identified in Colorado, USA in 2012 was used to generate a synthetic mapping population that segregated for dicamba resistance. Linkage mapping associating dicamba injury with genotype derived from restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing identified a single locus in the kochia genome associated with resistance on chromosome 4. A mutant version of Auxin/Indole-3-Acetic Acid 16 (AUX/IAA16; a gene previously implicated in dicamba resistance in kochia) was found near the middle of this locus in resistant plants. Long read sequencing of dicamba-resistant plants identified a recently inserted Ty1/Copia retrotransposon near the beginning of the second exon of AUX/IAA16, leading to disruption of normal splicing. A molecular marker for this insertion allows for rapid detection of resistance. Stable transgenic lines of Arabidopsis thaliana ectopically expressing the mutant and wildtype alleles of AUX/IAA16 were developed. Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing the mutant AUX/IAA16 allele grew shorter roots on control media. However, transgenic root growth was less inhibited on media containing either dicamba (5 M) or IAA (0.5 M) when compared to non-transgenic plants or those expressing the wildtype allele of AUX/IAA16. In vitro assays indicate reduced binding affinity and more rapid dissociation of the mutant AUX/IAA with TIR1 in the presence of several auxins, and protein modeling suggests the substitution of the glycine residue in the degron domain of AUX/IAA16 is especially important for resistance. A fitness cost associated with the mutant allele of AUX/IAA16 has implications for resistance evolution and management of kochia populations with this resistance mechanism.

SignificanceAuxin mimics are amongst the most important herbicides in modern agriculture. Evolution of weeds that are resistant to these herbicides threatens sustainable crop production. Understanding the basis of auxin herbicide resistance informs the development of improved weed control technologies. Additionally, auxin-resistant mutations and their pleotropic effects help us understand auxin perception and signalling. We describe a transposable element insertion within an herbicide target site gene that alters splicing and reduces synthetic and natural auxin perception.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soni, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marques Hill, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ratnayake, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hung, Y.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pandesha, P. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Slotkin, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dayan, F. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaines, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.19.604363</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A transposable element insertion in IAA16 interrupts normal splicing and generates a novel dicamba resistance allele in Bassia scoparia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.22.604669v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Toward improved uncertainty quantification in predictions of forest dynamics: A dynamical model of forest change 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.22.604669v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Models of forest dynamics are an important tool to understand and predict forest responses to global change. Despite recent model development, predictions of forest dynamics under global change remain highly variable reflecting uncertainty in future conditions, forest demographic processes, and the data used to parameterize and validate models. Quantifying this uncertainty and accounting for it when making adaptive management decisions is critical to our ability to conserve forest ecosystems in the face of rapidly changing conditions. Dynamical spatio-temporal models (DSTMs) are a particularly powerful tool in this setting given they quantify uncertainty associated with process-based models of forest demography, the parameters upon which those models depend, and the forest data used to inform them. Further, DSTMs propa-gate this uncertainty to predictions of forest dynamics allowing for its formal integration within adaptive management decision frameworks. A major challenge to the application of DSTMs in applied forest ecology has been the lack of a scalable, theoretical model of forest dynamics that generates predictions at the stand level--the scale at which management decisions are made. We address this challenge by integrating a matrix projection model motivated by the McKendrick-von Foerster partial differential equation for size-structured population dynamics within a Bayesian hierarchical DSTM informed by forest inventory data. The model provides probabilistic predictions of species-specific demographic rates and changes in the size-species distribution over time. The model is applied to predict long-term dynamics (60+ years) within the Penobscot Experimental Forest in Maine, USA, accounting for uncertainty in inventory observations, process-based predictions, and model parameters for nine Acadian Forest species. We find that variability in inventory observations associated with heterogeneous stand conditions drives uncertainty in predictions of forest dynamics. We conclude with a discussion of how the initial DSTM can be refined and extended to better represent forest dynamics under global change and inform adaptive management.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Itter, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Finley, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.22.604669</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Toward improved uncertainty quantification in predictions of forest dynamics: A dynamical model of forest change]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.24.604993v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A novel method for integrating genomic and Tn-Seq data to identify common in vivo fitness mechanisms across multiple bacterial species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.24.604993v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction due to an unregulated immune response to infection. Bacteremia is a leading cause of sepsis, and members of the Enterobacterales cause nearly half of bacteremia cases annually. While previous Tn-Seq studies to identify novel bacteremia-fitness genes have provided valuable insight into virulence mechanisms, evidence for common pathways across species is lacking. To identify common fitness pathways in five bacteremia- caused Enterobacterales species, we utilized the JCVI pan-genome pipeline to integrate Tn-Seq fitness data with multiple available functional data types. Core genes from species pan-genomes were used to construct a multi-species core pan-genome, producing 2,850 core gene clusters found in four out of the five species. Integration of Tn-Seq fitness data enabled identification of 373 protein clusters that were conserved in all five species. A scoring rubric and filter was applied to these clusters, which incorporated Tn-Seq fitness defects, operon localization, and antibiotic susceptibility data, which reduced the number of bacteremia-fitness genes and identified seven common fitness mechanisms. Independent mutational validation of one prioritized fitness gene, tatC, showed reduced fitness in vivo and increased susceptibility to beta- lactams that were restored following tatC complementation in trans. By integrating known operon structures and antibiotic susceptibility with Tn-Seq fitness data, common genes within the core pan-genome emerged and revealed mechanisms that are essential for colonization of, or survival in, the mammalian bloodstream. Our prediction and validation of tatC as a common bacteremia fitness factor and contributor of antibiotic resistance supports the utility of this bioinformatic approach. This study represents a major step forward to prioritize potentially novel targets for therapy against these deadly widespread sepsis infections.

Author SummaryBacteremia is a leading cause of sepsis, a life-threatening condition where an unregulated immune response to infection causes systemic organ failure. Nearly half of bacteremia cases are caused by members of the Gram-negative bacterial taxonomic order Enterobacterales. Given the public health impact of bacteremia and the reduction of existing antibiotic treatment options, novel strategies are needed to combat these infections. Pan-genome software was used to predict seven shared fitness pathways in these bacteria that may serve as novel targets for treatment of bacteremia. Briefly, a scoring rubric was applied to shared pan-genome clusters, which incorporated multiple data types, including Tn-Seq fitness defects, operon localization, and antibiotic susceptibility data to rank and prioritize fitness genes. To validate one of our predictions, mutations were constructed in tatC, which showed both reduced fitness in mice and increased susceptibility to beta-lactam antibiotics; complementation restored fitness and antibiotic susceptibility to wild type levels. This study takes a novel bioinformatics approach to build a core pan-genome across multiple distantly related bacteria to integrate computational and experimental data to predict important shared fitness genes and represents a major step forward toward identifying novel targets of therapy against these deadly widespread life-threatening infections.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fouts, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clarke, T. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ottosen, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holmes, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moricz, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mason, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Severin, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bachman, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mobley, H. L. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.24.604993</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A novel method for integrating genomic and Tn-Seq data to identify common in vivo fitness mechanisms across multiple bacterial species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.28.605452v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Introgression dynamics of sex-linked chromosomal inversions shape the Malawi cichlid adaptive radiation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.28.605452v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chromosomal inversions contribute to adaptive speciation by linking co-adapted alleles. Querying 1,375 genomes of the species-rich Malawi cichlid fish radiation, we discovered five large inversions segregating in the benthic subradiation that each suppress recombination over more than half a chromosome. Two inversions were transferred from deepwater pelagic Diplotaxodon via admixture, while the others established early in the deep benthic clade. Introgression of haplotypes from lineages inside and outside the Malawi radiation coincided with bursts of species diversification. Inversions show evidence for transient sex linkage and a striking excess of protein changing substitutions points towards selection on neuro-sensory, physiological and reproductive genes. We conclude that repeated interplay between depth adaptation and sex-specific selection on large inversions has been central to the evolution of this iconic system.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Blumer, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burskaia, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Artiushin, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Camacho Garcia, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elkin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fischer, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gresham, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malinsky, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Linderoth, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sawasawa, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bista, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hickey, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kucka, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Louzada, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zatha, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rusuwa, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, Y. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joyce, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Böhne, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miska, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ngochera, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, G. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Durbin, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Svardal, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.28.605452</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Introgression dynamics of sex-linked chromosomal inversions shape the Malawi cichlid adaptive radiation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.29.605481v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
K-mer Genome-wide Association Study for Anthracnose and BCMV Resistance in the Andean Diversity Panel 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.29.605481v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Limited genomic resources and closely linked marker-trait associations for common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) have limited breeders from fully utilizing molecular genetics technologies to maximize genetic gain. The emergence of virulent races of anthracnose (caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) and Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV) highlight the need for improved methods to identify and incorporate pan-genomic variation in breeding for disease resistance. We sequenced the P. vulgaris Andean Diversity Panel (ADP) and performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify associations for resistance to BCMV and eight races of anthracnose. Historical single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-chip and phenotypic data enabled a three-way comparison between SNP-chip, reference-based whole genome shotgun sequence (WGS)-SNP, and reference-free k-mer GWAS. Across all traits, there was excellent concordance between SNP-chip, WGS-SNP, and k-mer GWAS results--albeit at a much higher marker resolution for the WGS data sets. Significant k-mer haplotype variation revealed selection of the linked I-gene and Co-u traits in North American breeding lines and cultivars. Due to k-mer mapping criteria and the absence of target loci in the reference genome due to structural variation, only 9.1 to 47.3% of the significantly associated k-mers were mapped to the reference genome. To determine the genetic context of cis-associated k-mers, we generated whole genome assemblies of four ADP accessions and identified an expanded local repertoire of disease resistance genes associated with resistance to anthracnose and BCMV. With access to variant data in the context of a pan-genome, high resolution mapping of agronomic traits for common bean is now feasible.

CORE IDEASO_LIK-mer-based GWAS offers new advantages for mapping pan-genomic variation
C_LIO_LIComparison of reference-based SNP to reference-free k-mer GWAS
C_LIO_LINovel discovery of cis-associated k-mers for dry bean disease resistance
C_LI

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARYImproving disease resistance in crop species such as bean is critical. We surveyed the genomes of a diverse set of bean lines and identified sequences associated with resistance to a fungal and viral pathogen. Access to the genomes of this diversity panel of beans will permit additional discoveries on the role of structural variation in phenotypes, including disease resistance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wiersma, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillanoucrt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brose, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Awale, H. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wright, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kelly, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.29.605481</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[K-mer Genome-wide Association Study for Anthracnose and BCMV Resistance in the Andean Diversity Panel]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.30.605884v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptome profiling of maize transcription factor mutants to probe gene regulatory network predictions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.30.605884v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in regulation of gene expression and phenotype. A variety of approaches have been utilized to develop gene-regulatory networks (GRNs) to predict the regulatory targets for each TF, such as yeast-one-hybrid (Y1H) screens and gene co-expression network (GCN) analysis. Here we identified potential TF targets and used a reverse genetics approach to test the predictions of several GRNs in maize. Loss-of-function mutant alleles were isolated for 22 maize TFs. These mutants did not exhibit obvious morphological phenotypes. However, transcriptomic profiling identified differentially expressed genes in each of the mutant genotypes, and targeted metabolic profiling indicated variable phenolic accumulation in some mutants. An analysis of expression levels for predicted target genes based on Y1H screens identified a small subset of predicted targets that exhibit altered expression levels. The analysis of predicted targets from GCN-based methods found significant enrichments for prediction sets of some TFs, but most predicted targets did not exhibit altered expression. This could result from false-positive GCN predictions, a TF with a secondary regulatory role resulting in minor effects on gene regulation, or redundant gene regulation by other TFs. Collectively, these findings suggest that loss-of-function for single uncharacterized TFs might have limited phenotypic impacts but can reveal subsets of GRN predicted targets with altered expression.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ellison, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chu, Y.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hermanson, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gomez-Cano, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Myers, Z. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abnave, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gray, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotewold, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Springer, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.30.605884</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptome profiling of maize transcription factor mutants to probe gene regulatory network predictions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.31.605432v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Imputing abundance of over 2500 surface proteins from single-cell transcriptomes with context-agnostic zero-shot deep ensembles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.31.605432v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cell surface proteins serve as primary drug targets and cell identity markers. The emergence of techniques like CITE-seq has enabled simultaneous quantification of surface protein abundance and transcript expression for multimodal data analysis within individual cells. The published data have been utilized to train machine learning models for predicting surface protein abundance based solely from transcript expression. However, the small scale of proteins predicted and the poor generalization ability for these computational approaches across diverse contexts, such as different tissues or disease states, impede their widespread adoption. Here we propose SPIDER (surface protein prediction using deep ensembles from single-cell RNA-seq), a context-agnostic zero-shot deep ensemble model, which enables the large-scale prediction of cell surface protein abundance and generalizes better to various contexts. Comprehensive benchmarking shows that SPIDER outperforms other state-of-the-art methods. Using the predicted surface abundance of >2500 proteins from single-cell transcriptomes, we demonstrate the broad applications of SPIDER including cell type annotation, biomarker/target identification, and cell-cell interaction analysis in hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-07-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.31.605432</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Imputing abundance of over 2500 surface proteins from single-cell transcriptomes with context-agnostic zero-shot deep ensembles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-07-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.30.605947v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
IDENTIFICATION OF IMMUNE RESPONSE AND RNA NETWORK OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND MOLECULAR DOCKING OF CELASTRUS PANICULATUS AS POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC AGENT 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.30.605947v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundRheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an acute autoimmune disease leading to critical joint damage and bone destruction, weakening extra-articular organs over time. The pathogenesis of RA is complex and still undiscovered. This study aims to identify immune response, microRNA-hub genes network (miRNA), and drug candidates against RA via bioinformatics analysis.

MethodologyThree Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets were obtained from the NCBI database and classified into upregulated and downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using GEO2R tool. Gene enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network analysis, top 10 hub genes identification, miRNA-hub genes network analysis, and immune response identification were performed using various bioinformatic tools. Moreover, Celastrus paniculatus phytochemical compounds were retrieved and subjected to autodocking with upregulated and downregulated hub genes that are closely associated with RA. The drug-likeness and PreADMET analysis were performed.

ResultsGSE30662, GSE766, GSE72100 datasets revealed 243 upregulated DEGs and 285 downregulated DEGs which exhibited RPS27A, UBB, UBC, UBA52, PSMD4, PSMD1, PSMD7, PSMB7, PSMD8, PSMA7 as top 10 upregulated hub genes and ACTB, TP53, AKT1, GAPDH, CTNNB1, EGFR, TNF, IL6, MYC, ANXA5 as top 10 downregulated hub genes. The miRNA network disclosed hsa-mir-23b-3p, as highly associated with upregulated hub genes whereas hsa-mir-34a-5p and hsa-mir-155-5p with downregulated hub genes. Additionally, immune responses of specific hub genes of RA were revealed while the docking analysis showed oleic acid and zeylasterone as novel drug candidates against RA.

ConclusionThus, hsa-mir-23b-3p, hsa-mir-34a-5p, and hsa-mir-155-5p can serve as therapeutic targets of RA while oleic acid and zeylasterone become potential drug candidates against RA.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>SWAMINATHAN, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.30.605947</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[IDENTIFICATION OF IMMUNE RESPONSE AND RNA NETWORK OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND MOLECULAR DOCKING OF CELASTRUS PANICULATUS AS POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC AGENT]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.31.606016v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A novel hybrid Wireless Integrated Sensing Detector for simultaneous EEG and MRI (WISDEM) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.31.606016v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Concurrent recording of EEG/fMRI signals reveals cross-scale neurovascular dynamics that are crucial for elucidating fundamental linkage between function and behaviors. However, MRI scanners generate tremendous artifacts for EEG detection. Despite existing denoising methods, cabled connections to EEG receivers are susceptible to environmental fluctuations inside MRI scanners, creating baseline drifts that complicate EEG signal retrieval from the noisy background. Here, a Wireless Integrated Sensing Detector for simultaneous EEG and MRI (WISDEM) is developed to encode fMRI and EEG signals on distinct sidebands of the detectors oscillation carrier wave for detection by a standard MRI console over the entire duration of fMRI sequence. Local field potential (LFP) and fMRI maps are retrieved through low-pass and high-pass filtering of frequency-demodulate signals. From optogenetically-stimulated somatosensory cortex, the positive correlation between evoked LFP and fMRI signals validates strong neurovascular coupling, enabling cross-scale brain mapping with this 2-in-1 transducer as a research and diagnostic tool.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Razansky, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qian, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.31.606016</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A novel hybrid Wireless Integrated Sensing Detector for simultaneous EEG and MRI (WISDEM)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.31.606021v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sustained Strain Applied at High Rates Drives Dynamic Tensioning in Epithelial Cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.31.606021v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Epithelial cells experience long lasting loads of different magnitudes and rates. How they adapt to these loads strongly impacts tissue health. Yet, much remains unknown about the evolution of cellular stress in response to sustained strain. Here, by subjecting cell pairs to sustained strain, we report a bimodal stress response, where in addition to the typically observed stress relaxation, a subset of cells exhibits a dynamic tensioning process with significant elevation in stress within 100s, resembling active pulling-back in muscle fibers. Strikingly, the fraction of cells exhibiting tensioning increases with increasing strain rate. The tensioning response is accompanied by actin remodeling, and perturbation to actin abrogates it, supporting cell contractilitys role in the response. Collectively, our data show that epithelial cells adjust their tensional states over short timescales in a strain-rate dependent manner to adapt to sustained strains, demonstrating that the active pulling-back behavior could be a common protective mechanism against environmental stress.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Safa, B. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosenbohm, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Esfahani, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Minnick, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moghaddam, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lavrik, N. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charras, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kabla, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.07.31.606021</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sustained Strain Applied at High Rates Drives Dynamic Tensioning in Epithelial Cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.01.606178v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Plasmids encode and can mobilize onion pathogenicity in Pantoea agglomerans 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.01.606178v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pantoea agglomerans is one of four Pantoea species for which strains have been reported in the United States to cause bacterial rot of onion bulbs. However, not all P. agglomerans strains are pathogenic to onion. We characterized onion-associated strains of P. agglomerans to elucidate the genetic and genomic signatures of onion-pathogenic P. agglomerans. We collected >300 P. agglomerans strains associated with symptomatic onion plants and bulbs from public culture collections, research laboratories, and a multi-year survey in 11 states in the USA. Genome assemblies were generated for 87 P. agglomerans strains that showed a range in onion virulence phenotypes. Combining the 87 genome assemblies with 100 high-quality, public P. agglomerans genome assemblies identified two well-represented and well-supported P. agglomerans phylogroups. Strains causing severe symptoms on onion leaves and bulbs were only identified in Phylogroup II and encoded the HiVir biosynthetic cluster for the phytotoxin pantaphos, supporting the role of HiVir as a crucial pathogenicity factor. Using a MASH-based plasmid classification system, the P. agglomerans HiVir cluster was determined to be encoded in two distinct plasmid contexts: 1) as an accessory gene cluster on a conserved P. agglomerans plasmid (pAggl), or 2) on a mosaic cluster of plasmids common among onion strains (pOnion). Analysis of closed genomes of P. agglomerans revealed that the pOnion plasmids harbored alt genes responsible for encoding tolerance to the thiosulfinate defensive chemistry in Allium spp. Additionally, many of these pOnion plasmids harbored cop gene clusters, which confer resistance to copper. However, the pOnion plasmids encoded the HiVir cluster less frequently. We demonstrated that the pOnion plasmid pCB1C, encoding HiVir and alt clusters as well as an intact conjugative type IV secretion system (T4SS), can act as a natively mobilizable pathogenicity plasmid that transforms P. agglomerans Phylogroup I strains, including environmental strains, into virulent pathogens of onion. This work indicates a central role for plasmids and plasmid ecology in mediating P. agglomerans interactions with onion plants, with potential implications for onion bacterial disease management.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shin, G. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Asselin, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aegerter, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coutinho, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dutta, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mazzone, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neupane, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gugino, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoepting, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khanal, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malla, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nischwitz, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sidhu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burke, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davey, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uchanski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Derie, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>du Toit, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stresow, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonasera, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stodghill, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kvitko, B. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.01.606178</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Plasmids encode and can mobilize onion pathogenicity in Pantoea agglomerans]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.12.607552v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Varietal screening of newly developed blackgram genotypes against Cercospora Leaf Spot (Cercospora canescens) in the Terai region of Nepal. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.12.607552v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Screening of 12 blackgram genotypes against Cercospora Leaf Spot (Cercospora canescens) was carried out in RCB design with 3 replications in research plot of Mid-West Academy and Research Institute, Tulsipur, Dang during Bhadra to Mangsir, 2078 B.S. The blackgram genotypes were brought from Grain Legumes Research Program, Khajura, Banke. Disease severity was taken 3 times at 40, 47, and 54 days after sowing. Disease scoring was done as a percentage of leaf area infected on the individual plant at 7-day intervals and disease incidence, disease severity, mean AUDPC, and mean yield was calculated. Disease incidence was not significant among the tested genotypes. Disease severity at 40, 47, and 54 DAS was highly significant among the genotypes. Mean disease score and mean area under disease progressive curve (AUDPC) were also highly significant. Among the genotypes, 10 genotypes were categorized as moderately resistant and 2 genotypes (BLG 0066-1-1 and BLG 0035-1) were categorized as moderately susceptible. The highest Mean AUDPC value (324.1) was possessed by BLG 0035-1 followed by BLG 0066-1-1 (317.6). The lowest mean AUDPC value (175) was possessed by BLG 0069-1. A highly significant difference was found in yield among the black gram genotypes. The highest yield (799 kg/ha) by obtained by BLG 0068-2 followed by Rampur mas (769 kg/ha). The lowest yield (495 kg/ha) was obtained by BLG 0066-1.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shrestha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bohara, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oli, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nainabasti, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bohara, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Upadhyaya, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Banet, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.12.607552</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Varietal screening of newly developed blackgram genotypes against Cercospora Leaf Spot (Cercospora canescens) in the Terai region of Nepal.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.12.607680v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The role of mitochondrial complex I in the proinflammatory response to polylactide implants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.12.607680v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During the foreign body response, immune cells are metabolically rewired after exposure to breakdown products of various biomaterials, including polylactide (PLA) and polyethylene. Particles of polyethylene interact with Toll-like receptor 4 on macrophages, resulting in increased oxygen consumption that forms reactive oxygen species at complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (mETC). However, PLA degradation products bind to monocarboxylate transporters for downstream signaling with elevated oxygen consumption rates, whose functional implication is unclear and remains inferred from cellular responses to polyethylene biomaterials. By chemically probing the function of the mETC, we show that proinflammatory macrophages activated by exposure to amorphous PLA (aPLA) breakdown products rely on mitochondrial respiration for ATP production, independent of oxygen consumption rates. In contrast, macrophages activated by semi-crystalline PLA (cPLA) breakdown products exhibit a metabolic phenotype wherein ATP levels are unaffected by changing oxygen consumption rates. In subcutaneous implants, the incorporation of metformin in aPLA or cPLA to chemically inhibit complex I did not effectively modulate the proinflammatory response to biomaterials, suggesting that PLA degradation products elicit a distinct metabolic program, thus providing an alternative perspective on the role of mitochondrial respiration in the inflammatory response to biomaterials.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tundo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stivers, K. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alhaj, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Narayan, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodman, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashammakhi, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elisseeff, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hankenson, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.12.607680</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The role of mitochondrial complex I in the proinflammatory response to polylactide implants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.13.607619v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Allopolyploidy expanded gene content but not pangenomic variation in the hexaploid oilseed Camelina sativa 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.13.607619v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ancient whole-genome duplications (WGDs) are believed to facilitate novelty and adaptation by providing the raw fuel for new genes. However, it is unclear how recent WGDs may contribute to evolvability within recent polyploids. Hybridization accompanying some WGDs may combine divergent gene content among diploid species. Some theory and evidence suggest that polyploids have a greater accumulation and tolerance of gene presence-absence and genomic structural variation, but it is unclear to what extent either is true. To test how recent polyploidy may influence pangenomic variation, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated twelve complete, chromosome-scale genomes of Camelina sativa, an allohexaploid biofuel crop with three distinct subgenomes. Using pangenomic comparative analyses, we characterized gene presence-absence and genomic structural variation both within and between the subgenomes. We found over 75% of ortholog gene clusters are core in Camelina sativa and <10% of sequence space was affected by genomic structural rearrangements. In contrast, 19% of gene clusters were unique to one subgenome, and the majority of these were Camelina-specific (no ortholog in Arabidopsis). We identified an inversion that may contribute to vernalization requirements in winter-type Camelina, and an enrichment of Camelina-specific genes with enzymatic processes related to seed oil quality and Camelinas unique glucosinolate profile. Genes related to these traits exhibited little presence-absence variation. Our results reveal minimal pangenomic variation in this species, and instead show how hybridization accompanied by WGD may benefit polyploids by merging diverged gene content of different species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brock, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grabowski, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harder, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boston, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daum, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipzen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walstead, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grimwood, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmutz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lu, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovell, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kliebenstein, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.13.607619</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Allopolyploidy expanded gene content but not pangenomic variation in the hexaploid oilseed Camelina sativa]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.13.607833v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparative Analysis of Polysaccharide and Cell Wall Structure in Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus fumigatus by Solid-State NMR 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.13.607833v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Invasive aspergillosis poses a significant threat to immunocompromised patients, leading to high mortality rates associated with these infections. Targeting the biosynthesis of cell wall carbohydrates is a promising strategy for antifungal drug development and will be advanced by a molecular-level understanding of the native structures of polysaccharides within their cellular context. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy has recently provided detailed insights into the cell wall organization of Aspergillus fumigatus, but genetic and biochemical evidence highlights species-specific differences among Aspergillus species. In this study, we employed a combination of 13C, 15N, and 1H-detection solid-state NMR, supplemented by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP), to compare the structural organization of cell wall polymers and their assembly in the cell walls of A. fumigatus and A. nidulans, both of which are key model organisms and human pathogens. The two species exhibited a similar rigid core architecture, consisting of chitin, -glucan, and {beta}-glucan, which contributed to comparable cell wall properties, including polymer dynamics, water retention, and supramolecular organization. However, differences were observed in the chitin, galactosaminogalactan, protein, and lipid content, as well as in the dynamics of galactomannan and the structure of the glucan matrix.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gautam, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yarava, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mentink-Vigier, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Momany, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Latge, J.-P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.13.607833</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparative Analysis of Polysaccharide and Cell Wall Structure in Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus fumigatus by Solid-State NMR]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.15.608027v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Prediction of Oligomeric Status of Quaternary Protein Structure by using Sequential Minimal Optimization for Support Vector Machine 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.15.608027v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The prediction of quaternary structure and its function is important in pharmaceutical applications, drug design, medical or engineering applications. With the drastic rise in the number of protein sequences presented to the public database, acquiring an understanding of possible quaternary structural characteristics of their interested proteins in a timely way is essential for structural genomics research. There is a need for a method to identify quaternary attributes based on its amino acid sequence. In this study, discrimination of hetero-oligomer from non hetero-oligomer was demonstrated using amino acid composition implemented using a support vector machine with a minimum sequential optimization technique.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kumar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.15.608027</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Prediction of Oligomeric Status of Quaternary Protein Structure by using Sequential Minimal Optimization for Support Vector Machine]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.14.607821v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The heat sensitivity of sperm in the lizard Anolis sagrei 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.14.607821v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The heat sensitivity of reproduction is a critical determinant of population persistence under climate change. However, the heat sensitivity of gametes is poorly known relative to adults. We developed a method to measure the heat tolerance of lizard sperm cells, and used the method to test several aspects of sperm cell thermal biology in the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei). We estimated the repeatability of sperm traits by measuring heat tolerance and baseline motility of ejaculated sperm from the same individuals multiple times over 21 days. To investigate co-adaptation of sperm and adult thermal traits, we tested for a correlation between sperm heat tolerance and the heat tolerance of adults that produced them. Furthermore, we tested for effects of episodic heat stress experienced by males on sperm performance. Sperm heat tolerance and motility were both repeatable, consistent with evolutionary potential, though there was clear evidence for environmental effects on these traits as well. Contrary to the expectation of thermal co-adaptation, we found no correlation between sperm and adult heat tolerance. A single, episodic extreme heat event experienced by adult males immediately impaired sperm motility, consistent with detrimental effects of adult heat stress on stored sperm. Our study adds to the mounting evidence that sperm are heat-sensitive and represent a vulnerability to global warming, but also suggest evolutionary potential for thermal adaptation at the gamete level.

Summary statementThis study investigates gamete heat sensitivity in lizards, revealing heat tolerance and repeatability in sperm thermal traits. These findings are essential for understanding reproductive responses to climate change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, W. W.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunderson, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Page, N. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strickler, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kusaka, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.14.607821</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The heat sensitivity of sperm in the lizard Anolis sagrei]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.15.607684v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Using VR and eye-tracking to study attention to and retention of AI-generated ads in outdoor advertising environments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.15.607684v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In contemporary urban environments, advertisements are ubiquitous, capturing the attention of individuals navigating through cityscapes. This study simulates this situation by using VR as an advertising research tool and combining it with eye-tracking to rigorously assess attention to and retention of visual advertisements. Specifically, participants drove through a virtual city with 40 AI-generated, experimentally manipulated, and randomly assigned advertisements (20 commercial, 20 health) distributed throughout. Our results confirm theoretical predictions about the link between exposure, visual attention, and incidental memory. Specifically, we found that attended ads are likely to be recalled and recognized, and concurrent task demands (counting sales signs) decreased visual attention and subsequent recall and recognition of the ads. Finally, we identify the influence of ad placement in the city as a very important but previously hard-to-study factor influencing advertising effects. This paradigm offers great flexibility for biometric advertising research and can be adapted to varying contexts, including highways, airports, and subway stations, and theoretically manipulate other variables. Moreover, considering the metaverse as a next-generation advertising environment, our work demonstrates how causal mechanisms can be identified in ways that are of equally high interest to both theoretical as well as applied advertising research.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cho, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeon, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cui, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmaelzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.15.607684</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Using VR and eye-tracking to study attention to and retention of AI-generated ads in outdoor advertising environments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.16.608335v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Title: 4-week GLP immunotoxicity assessment of lactoferrin alpha produced by Komagataella phaffii in Sprague Dawley rats 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.16.608335v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oral toxicity and toxicokinetic properties of human lactoferrin (LF) alpha produced in Komagataella Phaffii (effera) were investigated in adult Sprague-Dawley rats over a 28-day period under good laboratory practice conditions. Main study dosing used groups of 10 rats/sex/dose, and a secondary study evaluating toxicokinetic parameters used 6 rats/sex/dose. The vehicle control group received sodium citrate buffer, test groups received daily doses of 200, 600, and 2000 mg of effera per kg body weight, and the comparative control group received 2000 mg bovine LF (bLF)/kg body weight per day. T-cell dependent antibody response against keyhole limpet hemocyanin and immunophenotyping of the spleen were performed as measures of immunotoxicity. Clinical observations, body weight, hematology, coagulation, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, immunotoxicity, gross necropsy, and histopathology were assessed. Toxicokinetic parameters were analyzed as an indication of LF bioavailability, and anti-LF antibody assays were conducted to detect antibodies produced against LF to measure immunogenicity. No treatment related toxicologically significant changes were observed. Based on the absence of toxicologically relevant changes, effera is well tolerated in rats at doses up to 2000 mg rhLF/kg/day, an amount [~]400 times that of the estimated daily intake at the 90th percentile proposed for human adult use.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Peterson, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crawford, R. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blevins, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaminski, N. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malinczak, C.-A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.16.608335</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Title: 4-week GLP immunotoxicity assessment of lactoferrin alpha produced by Komagataella phaffii in Sprague Dawley rats]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.17.608395v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phased chromosome-level genome assembly provides insight into the origin of hexaploid sweetpotato 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.17.608395v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The hexaploid sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) is a globally important stable crop and plays a significant role in biofortification. The high resilience and adaptability of sweetpotato provide it with advantages in addressing food security and climate change issues. Here we report a haplotype-resolved chromosome-level genome assembly of an African cultivar,  Tanzania, which enables ancestry inference along the haplotype-phased chromosomes. Our analyses reveal that the wild tetraploid I. aequatoriensis, currently found in coastal Ecuador, is the closest known relative of sweetpotato and likely a direct descendant of one of the sweetpotato progenitors. The other unknown progenitor(s) of sweetpotato have a closer genetic relationship to the wild tetraploid I. batatas 4x, distributed in Central America, than to I. aequatoriensis. The different ancestral sequences are not distributed in typical subgenomes but are intertwined on the same chromosomes, possibly due to the known non-preferential recombination among haplotypes. Although I. batatas 4x was not involved in the hexaploidization event, introgression from I. batatas 4x to the hexaploid sweetpotato is evident. Our study improves our understanding of sweetpotato origin and provides valuable genomic resources to accelerate sweetpotato breeding.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mollinari, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gesteira, G. D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kitavi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yencho, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fei, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.17.608395</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phased chromosome-level genome assembly provides insight into the origin of hexaploid sweetpotato]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.19.608648v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
UnigeneFinder: An automated pipeline for gene calling from transcriptome assemblies without a reference genome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.19.608648v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
For most species in nature, transcriptome data is much more readily available than genome data. Without a reference genome, however, gene calling is cumbersome and inaccurate due to the high degree of redundancy in de novo transcriptome assemblies. To simplify and increase the accuracy of de novo transcriptome assembly in the absence of a reference genome, we developed UnigeneFinder. Combining several clustering methods, UnigeneFinder substantially reduces the redundancy typical of raw transcriptome assemblies. This pipeline offers an effective solution to the problem of inflated transcript numbers, achieving a closer representation of the actual underlying genome. UnigeneFinder performs comparably or better, compared to existing tools, on plant species with varying genome complexities. UnigeneFinder is the only available transcriptome redundancy solution that fully automates the generation of primary transcript, coding region, and protein sequences, analogous to those available for high quality reference genomes. These features, coupled with the pipelines cross-platform implementation and focus on automation and an accessible user interface, make UnigeneFinder a useful tool for many downstream sequence-based analyses in non-model organisms lacking a reference genome, including differential gene expression analysis, accurate ortholog identification, functional enrichments, and evolutionary analyses. UnigeneFinder also runs efficiently both on high-performance computing (HPC) systems and personal computers, further reducing barriers to use.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xue, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prado, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stata, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.19.608648</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[UnigeneFinder: An automated pipeline for gene calling from transcriptome assemblies without a reference genome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.20.608804v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
EEG Biomarkers of Age-Related Memory Change 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.20.608804v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The current study investigates whether electroencephalographic (EEG) activity reflects age-related memory changes during encoding. We recorded scalp EEG in 151 young adults (aged 18-30) and 37 older adults (aged 60-85) as they memorized lists of words. Subjects studied the word lists either under full attention or while performing a secondary task that required them to make semantic judgments about each word. Although the secondary task reduced recall among all subjects, differences in recall performance between the age groups were smaller when participants performed a secondary task at encoding. Older adults also exhibited distinct neural subsequent memory effects, characterized by less negativity in the alpha frequencies compared to young adults. Multivariate classifiers trained on neural features successfully predicted subsequent memory at the trial level in both young and older adults, and captured the differential effects of task demands on memory performance between young and older adults. The findings indicate that neural biomarkers of successful memory vary with both cognitive aging and task demands.

Public significanceThe current study investigates the EEG spectral biomarkers of memory encoding in young and older adults, and identifies key features of neural activity associated with age-related memory change. We further find that age-related memory differences are smaller when participants perform a semantic judgment task during encoding, and that multivariate classifiers trained on the EEG data predict these effects.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Broitman, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Healey, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kahana, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.20.608804</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[EEG Biomarkers of Age-Related Memory Change]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.23.609397v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Playtime for Cephalopods: Understanding the Significance of Play Behavior inOctopus bimaculoides 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.23.609397v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Play is considered to be an essential part of development that supports learning, memory, and the development of flexible behavioral strategies. It may also serve as an informative factor in assessing an animals welfare state and in improving care and husbandry practices. An increasing number of non-mammalian species have been discovered to engage in play behavior, including several cephalopod species. Here, we characterized play behavior in wild-caught, laboratory-housed California Two-Spot Octopuses, Octopus bimaculoides, a species with growing relevance as a model in biomedical research, with the goal of establishing a behavioral repertoire and encouraging further research into the behavior and welfare of this species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jarmoluk, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.23.609397</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Playtime for Cephalopods: Understanding the Significance of Play Behavior inOctopus bimaculoides]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.27.609944v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Flanker task parameters are related to the strength of association between the ERN and anxiety: a meta-analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.27.609944v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The error-related negativity (ERN)--an index of error monitoring--is associated with anxiety symptomatology. Although recent work suggests associations between the ERN and anxiety are relatively modest, little attention has been paid to how variation in task parameters may influence the strength of ERN-anxiety associations. To close this gap, the current meta-analysis assesses the possible influence of task parameter variation in the Flanker task--the most commonly used task to elicit the ERN--on observed ERN-anxiety associations. Here, we leveraged an existing open database of published/unpublished ERN-anxiety effect sizes, supplementing this database by further coding for variation in stimulus type (letter vs. arrow), response type (one-handed vs. two-handed), and block-level feedback (with vs. without). We then performed meta-regression analyses to assess whether variation in these Flanker task parameters moderated the effect size of ERN-anxiety associations. No evidence for an effect of stimulus type was identified. However, both response type and block-level feedback significantly moderated the magnitude of ERN-anxiety associations. Specifically, studies employing either a two-handed (vs. one-handed) task, or those with (vs. without) block-level feedback exhibited more than a two-fold increase in the estimated ERN-anxiety effect size. Thus, accounting for common variation in task parameters may at least partially explain apparent inconsistencies in the literature regarding the magnitude of ERN-anxiety associations. At a practical level, these data can inform the design of studies seeking to maximize ERN-anxiety associations. At a theoretical level, the results also inform testable hypotheses regarding the exact nature of the association between the ERN and anxiety.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Buzzell, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Machado, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickinson, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moser, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morales, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Troller-Renfree, S. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.27.609944</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Flanker task parameters are related to the strength of association between the ERN and anxiety: a meta-analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.28.610064v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Charting the Silent Signals of Social Gaze: Automating Eye Contact Assessment in Face-to-Face Conversations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.28.610064v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social gaze is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of nonverbal communication. During conversations, it typically operates subconsciously, following automatic co-regulation patterns. However, deviations from typical patterns, such as avoiding eye contact or excessive gazing, can significantly affect social interactions and perceived relationship quality. The principles and effects of social gaze have intrigued researchers across various fields, including communication science, social psychology, animal biology, and psychiatry. Despite its significance, research in social gaze has been limited by methodological challenges in assessing eye movements and gaze direction during natural social interactions. To address these obstacles, we have developed a new approach combining mobile eye tracking technology with automated analysis tools. In this paper, we introduce, validate, and apply a pipeline for recording and analyzing gaze behavior in dyadic conversations. We present a sample study where dyads engaged in two types of interactions: a get-to-know conversation and a conflictual conversation. Our new analysis pipeline corroborated previous findings, such as people directing more eye gaze while listening than talking, and gaze typically lasting about three seconds before averting. These results demonstrate the potential of our methodology to advance the study of social gaze in natural interactions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmaelzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jahn, N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bente, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.28.610064</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Charting the Silent Signals of Social Gaze: Automating Eye Contact Assessment in Face-to-Face Conversations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.610333v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Impact of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor rs6265 (Val66Met) Polymorphism on Therapeutic Electrical Stimulation for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration: A Preclinical Study of Therapy-Genotype Interactions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.610333v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Impact of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor rs6265 (Val66Met) Polymorphism on Therapeutic Electrical Stimulation for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration: A Preclinical Study of Therapy-Genotype Interactions

IntroductionPeripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) significantly impact patient quality of life. Therapeutic electrical stimulation (TES) shows promise in enhancing nerve regeneration, but outcomes vary widely. This study investigates the impact of the rs6265 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on TES efficacy in a preclinical rat model and human stem cell-derived motor neurons.

MethodsWild-type (WT) and rs6265 variant rats underwent sciatic nerve transection and received either TES or sham treatment. Muscle reinnervation was assessed through compound muscle action potentials and muscle fiber cross-sectional area. Isogenic human iPSC-derived motor neurons were used to study activity-dependent BDNF secretion.

ResultsTES improved muscle reinnervation and fiber size in WT but not rs6265 allele carriers. rs6265 allele carriers exhibited impaired activity-dependent BDNF secretion in vitro.

DiscussionThe rs6265 polymorphism influences TES efficacy, highlighting the need for personalized approaches in PNI treatment. These findings suggest that genetic screening could optimize therapeutic outcomes.

Clinical RelevanceUnderstanding genetic factors affecting TES response can enhance treatment strategies for PNI, potentially improving patient recovery and reducing outcome variability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Walters, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quezada, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steece-Collier, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collier, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sortwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franz, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-08-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.08.29.610333</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Impact of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor rs6265 (Val66Met) Polymorphism on Therapeutic Electrical Stimulation for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration: A Preclinical Study of Therapy-Genotype Interactions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-08-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.02.610879v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanistic insights into gene expression changes and electric organ discharge elongation in mormyrid electric fish 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.02.610879v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Electric organ discharge (EOD) duration in African weakly electric fish (Mormyridae) is the most variable waveform component between species and the basis for distinguishing species-specific signals. EOD duration is thought to be influenced by morphological and physiological features of electrocytes (the cells that comprise the electric organ), but the mechanistic details are poorly understood. It has long been known that EOD duration is modulated by androgen hormones, affording an opportunity to identify gene expression correlates of EOD duration differences. We induced EOD elongation in the mormyrid Brienomyrus brachyistius by administering 17-methyltestosterone (17MT) to three treatment groups: control (no 17MT exposure), T1day and T8day (samples taken one and eight days after a single exposure to 17MT, respectively). We then performed RNAseq, differential gene expression, and functional enrichment analysis to detect gene expression changes during EOD duration change. Our analyses indicate 44 genes whose expression changed in tandem with EOD elongation and include genes responsible for actin filaments and microtubules, extracellular matrix organization, and membrane lipid metabolism. Additionally, we found expression changes in one Na+ channel beta subunit, and five K+ voltage-gated channels. Together, these genes point toward specific cellular processes that contribute to morphological and physiological changes that contribute to EOD duration changes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Losilla, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gallant, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.02.610879</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanistic insights into gene expression changes and electric organ discharge elongation in mormyrid electric fish]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.03.611011v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Effect of Genotype and Age on a Defined Microbiota in Gnotobiotic SCID Piglets 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.03.611011v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) individuals lack functional T and B lymphocytes, leading to a deficient adaptive immune system. SCID pigs are a unique large animal biomedical model as they possess many similarities to humans, allowing for the collection of translatable data in regenerative medicine, cancer, and other biomedical research topics. While many studies suggest early gut microbiota development is necessary for developing the intestinal barrier and immune system, these animals are often cesarian section derived, leaving them uncolonized for normal intestinal microflora. The hypothesis was that an increase in complexity of microbiota inoculum will allow for more stability in the composition of the gut microbiota of SCID piglets. This was tested across multiple litters of SCID piglets with three different defined microbiota consortium (2-strain, 6-strain, 7-strain). All piglets received their designated defined microbiota by oral gavage immediately after birth and again 24 hours later. There was no effect of SCID genotype on the composition of the gut microbiota, but there was a significant effect due to piglet age. Additionally, all three defined microbiota consortia were deemed safe to use in SCID piglets, and the 7-strain microbiota was the most stable over time. Based on these results, the 7-strain defined microbiota will be added to the SCID pig husbandry protocol, allowing for a more reproducible model.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Widmer, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rahic-Seggerman, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Forster, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahrens-Kress, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sauer, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mooyottu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vinithakumari, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunkerson-Kurzhumov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sponseller, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiupel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmitz-Esser, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tuggle, C. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.03.611011</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Effect of Genotype and Age on a Defined Microbiota in Gnotobiotic SCID Piglets]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.04.611226v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TGFβ primes alveolar-like macrophages to induce type I IFN following TLR2 activation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.04.611226v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are key mediators of lung function and are potential targets for therapies during respiratory infections. TGF{beta} is an important regulator of AM differentiation and maintenance, but how TGF{beta} directly modulates the innate immune responses of AMs remains unclear. This shortcoming prevents effective targeting of AMs to improve lung function in health and disease. Here we leveraged an optimized ex vivo AM model system, fetal-liver derived alveolar-like macrophages (FLAMs), to dissect the role of TGF{beta} in AMs. Using transcriptional analysis, we first globally defined how TGF{beta} regulates gene expression of resting FLAMs. We found that TGF{beta} maintains the baseline metabolic state of AMs by driving lipid metabolism through oxidative phosphorylation and restricting inflammation. To better understand inflammatory regulation in FLAMs, we next directly tested how TGF{beta} alters the response to TLR2 agonists. While both TGF{beta} (+) and TGF{beta} (-) FLAMs robustly responded to TLR2 agonists, we found an unexpected activation of type I interferon (IFN) responses in FLAMs and primary AMs in a TGF{beta}-dependent manner. Surprisingly, mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein and the interferon regulator factors 3 and 7 were required for IFN production by TLR2 agonists and the IFN response was dependent on mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. Together, these data suggest that TGF{beta} modulates AM metabolic networks and innate immune signaling cascades to control inflammatory pathways in AMs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thomas, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ankley, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rapp, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGee, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LeSage, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tanner, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vielma, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scheeres, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Obar, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.04.611226</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TGFβ primes alveolar-like macrophages to induce type I IFN following TLR2 activation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.07.611728v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Human microRNA-153-3p targets specific neuronal genes and is associated with the risk of Alzheimer's disease. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.07.611728v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Alzheimers disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative disease characterized by a significant loss of neurons and synapses in cognitive brain regions and is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. AD pathology comprises extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. However, the triggers of this pathology are still poorly understood. Repressor element 1-silencing transcription/neuron-restrictive silencer factor (REST/NRSF), a transcription repressor of neuronal genes, is dysregulated during AD pathogenesis. How REST is dysregulated is still poorly understood, especially at the post-transcriptional level. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a group of short non-coding RNAs, typically regulate protein expression by interacting with target mRNA transcript 3-untranslated region (UTR) and play essential roles in AD pathogenesis. Herein, we demonstrate that miR-153-3p reduces REST 3-UTR activities, mRNA, and protein levels in human cell lines, along with downregulating amyloid-{beta} precursor protein (APP) and -synuclein (SNCA). We determine by mutational analyses that miR-153-3p interacts with specific targets via the seed sequence present within the respective mRNA 3UTR. We show that miR-153-3p treatment alters the expression of these specific proteins in human neuronally differentiated cell lines and human induced pluripotent stem cells and that miR-153-3p is itself dysregulated in AD. We further find that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 5kb of the MIR153-1 and MIR153-2 genes are associated with AD-related endophenotypes. Elevation of miR-153-3p is associated with a reduced probability of AD, while elevated REST may associate with a greater probability of AD. Our work suggests that a supplement of miR-153-3p would reduce levels of toxic protein aggregates by reduced expression of APP, SNCA and REST expression, all pointing towards a therapeutic and biomarker potential of miR-153-3p in AD and related dementias.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maloney, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nho, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beck, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Counts, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lahiri, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.07.611728</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Human microRNA-153-3p targets specific neuronal genes and is associated with the risk of Alzheimer's disease.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.10.612356v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Causality Analysis of Protein Corona Composition: Phosphatidylcholine-Enhances Plasma Proteome Profiling by Proteomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.10.612356v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The study of the protein corona, the immediate and evolving biomolecular coating that forms on the surface of nanoparticles when exposed to a biological environment, is a crucial area in nanomedicine. This phenomenon significantly influences the behavior, functionality, and biological interactions of nanoparticles with biosystems. Until now, conclusions regarding the role of the protein corona in specific biological applications have been based on establishing correlation rather than causation. By understanding causality, researchers can predict how changes in nanoparticle properties or biological conditions will affect protein corona composition, in turn affecting the nanoparticle interactions with the biosystems and their applications. This predictive capability is essential for designing nanoparticles with specific characteristics tailored for therapeutic and diagnostic nanomedicine applications. Here, we explore the concept of "actual causality" (by Halpern and Pearl) to mathematically prove how various small molecules, including metabolites, lipids, vitamins, and nutrients, spiked into plasma can induce diverse protein corona patterns on identical nanoparticles. This approach significantly enhances the depth of plasma proteome profiling. Our findings reveal that among the various spiked small molecules, phosphatidylcholine was the actual cause of the observed increase in the proteomic depth of the plasma sample. By considering the concept of causality in the field of protein corona, the nanomedicine community can substantially improve their ability to design safer and more efficient nanoparticles for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rafieioskouei, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rogale, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dibavar, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonakdarpour, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.10.612356</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Causality Analysis of Protein Corona Composition: Phosphatidylcholine-Enhances Plasma Proteome Profiling by Proteomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.12.602176v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dual-format attentional template during preparation in human visual cortex 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.12.602176v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Goal-directed attention relies on forming internal templates of key information relevant for guiding behavior, particularly when preparing for upcoming sensory inputs. However, evidence on how these attentional templates is represented during preparation remains controversial. Here, we combine functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with an orientation cueing task to isolate preparatory activity from stimulus-evoked responses. Using multivariate pattern analysis, we found decodable information of the to-be-attended orientation during preparation; yet preparatory activity patterns were different from those evoked when actual orientations were perceived. When perturbing the neural activity by means of a visual impulse (pinging technique), the preparatory activity patterns in visual cortex resembled those associated with perceiving these orientations. The observed differential patterns with and without the impulse perturbation suggest a predominantly non-sensory format and a latent, sensory-like format of representation during preparation. Furthermore, the emergence of the sensory-like template coincided with enhanced information connectivity between V1 and frontoparietal areas and was associated with improved behavioral performance. By engaging this dual-format mechanism during preparation, the brain is able to encode both abstract, non-sensory information and more detailed, sensory information, potentially providing advantages for adaptive attentional control. For example, consistent with recent theories of visual search, a predominantly non-sensory template can support the initial guidance and a latent sensory-like format can support prospective stimulus processing.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jia, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Theeuwes, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gong, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.12.602176</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dual-format attentional template during preparation in human visual cortex]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.09.612062v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The new phycobilisome linker protein ApcI regulates high light adaptation in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.09.612062v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phycobilisomes are versatile cyanobacterial antenna complexes that harvest light energy to drive photosynthesis. These complexes can also adapt to various light conditions, dismantling under high light to prevent photo-oxidation and arranging in rows under low light to increase light harvesting efficiency. Light quality also influences phycobilisome structure and function, as observed under far-red light exposure. Here we describe a new, phycobilisome linker protein, ApcI (previously hypothetical protein sll1911), expressed specifically under red light. We characterized ApcI in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 using mutant strain analyses, phycobilisome binding experiments, and protein interaction studies. Mutation of apcI conferred high light tolerance to Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 compared to wild type with reduced energy transfer from phycobilisomes to the photosystems. Binding experiments revealed that ApcI replaces the linker protein ApcG at the membrane-facing side of the phycobilisome core using a paralogous C-terminal domain. Additionally, the N-terminal extension of ApcI was found to interact with photosystem II. Our findings highlight the importance of phycobilisome remodeling for adaptation under different light conditions. The characterization of ApcI provides new insights into the mechanisms by which cyanobacteria optimize light-harvesting in response to varying light environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Espinoza-Corral, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zavrel, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sutter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leslie, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beck, W. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cerveny, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerfeld, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.09.612062</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The new phycobilisome linker protein ApcI regulates high light adaptation in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.10.610975v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Attention and Retention Effects of Culturally Targeted Billboard Messages: An Eye-Tracking Study Using Immersive Virtual Reality 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.10.610975v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Targeting, the creation of a match between message content and receiver characteristics, is a key strategy in communication message design. Cultural targeting, or adapting message characteristics to be congruent with a groups cultural knowledge, appearance, or beliefs of recipients, is used in practice and is a potentially effective strategy to boost the relevance of a message, affecting attention to messages and enhancing effects. However, many open questions remain regarding the mechanisms and consequences of targeting. This is partly due to methodological challenges in experimentally manipulating messages that match cultural recipient characteristics while simultaneously measuring effects and balancing experimental control and realism. Here, we used a novel VR-based paradigm in which participants drove along a virtual highway flanked by billboards with varying message designs. Specifically, we manipulated the message design to either match or mismatch peoples cultures of origin. We used unobtrusive eye tracking to assess participants attention (i.e., for how long and how often they look at matched vs. unmatched billboards). Results show a tendency of the participants to inspect culturally matched billboards more often and for longer. We further found that matched billboards produce better recall, indicating more efficient encoding and storage of the messages. Our results underscore the effectiveness of cultural targeting and demonstrate how researchers can rigorously manipulate relevant message factors using virtual environments. We discuss the implications of these findings regarding theories of cultural targeting and methodological perspectives for the objective measurement of exposure factors through eye tracking.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jeon, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapinski, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bente, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spates, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmaezle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.10.610975</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Attention and Retention Effects of Culturally Targeted Billboard Messages: An Eye-Tracking Study Using Immersive Virtual Reality]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.13.612676v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Single unit electrophysiology recordings and computational modeling can predict octopus arm movement 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.13.612676v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The octopus simplified nervous system holds the potential to reveal principles of motor circuits and improve brain-machine interface devices through computational modeling with machine learning and statistical analysis. Here, an array of carbon electrodes providing single-unit electrophysiology recordings were implanted into the octopus anterior nerve cord. The number of spikes and arm movements in response to stimulation at different locations along the arm were recorded. We observed that the number of spikes occurring within the first 100ms after stimulation were predictive of the resultant movement response. Computational models showed that temporal electrophysiological features could be used to predict whether an arm movement occurred with 88.64% confidence, and if it was a lateral arm movement or a grasping motion with 75.45% confidence. Both supervised and unsupervised methods were applied to gain streaming measurements of octopus arm movements and how their motor circuitry produces rich movement types in real time. Deep learning models and unsupervised dimension reduction identified a consistent set of features that could be used to distinguish different types of arm movements. These models generated predictions for how to evoke a particular, complex movement in an orchestrated sequence for an individual motor circuit.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gedela, N. S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Radawiec, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richie, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chestek, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Draelos, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.13.612676</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Single unit electrophysiology recordings and computational modeling can predict octopus arm movement]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.18.613805v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Molecular insights into substrate translocation in an elevator-type metal transporter 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.18.613805v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Zrt/Irt-like protein (ZIP) metal transporters are key players in maintaining the homeostasis of a panel of essential microelements. The prototypical ZIP from Bordetella bronchiseptica (BbZIP) is an elevator transporter, but how the metal substrate moves along the transport pathway and how the transporter changes conformation to allow alternating access remain to be elucidated. Here, we combined structural, biochemical, and computational approaches to investigate the process of metal substrate translocation along with the global structural rearrangement. Our study revealed an upward hinge motion of the transport domain in a high-resolution crystal structure of a cross-linked variant, elucidated the mechanisms of metal release from the transport site into the cytoplasm and activity regulation by a cytoplasmic metal-binding loop, and unraveled an unusual elevator mode in enhanced sampling simulations that distinguishes BbZIP from other elevator transporters. This work provides important insights into the metal transport mechanism of the ZIP family.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jafari, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sui, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sagresti, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.18.613805</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Molecular insights into substrate translocation in an elevator-type metal transporter]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.13.612969v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Global Genotype by Environment Prediction Competition Reveals That Diverse Modeling Strategies Can Deliver Satisfactory Maize Yield Estimates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.13.612969v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Predicting phenotypes from a combination of genetic and environmental factors is a grand challenge of modern biology. Slight improvements in this area have the potential to save lives, improve food and fuel security, permit better care of the planet, and create other positive outcomes. In 2022 and 2023 the first open-to-the-public Genomes to Fields (G2F) initiative Genotype by Environment (GxE) prediction competition was held using a large dataset including genomic variation, phenotype and weather measurements and field management notes, gathered by the project over nine years. The competition attracted registrants from around the world with representation from academic, government, industry, and non-profit institutions as well as unaffiliated. These participants came from diverse disciplines include plant science, animal science, breeding, statistics, computational biology and others. Some participants had no formal genetics or plant-related training, and some were just beginning their graduate education. The teams applied varied methods and strategies, providing a wealth of modeling knowledge based on a common dataset. The winners strategy involved two models combining machine learning and traditional breeding tools: one model emphasized environment using features extracted by Random Forest, Ridge Regression and Least-squares, and one focused on genetics. Other high-performing teams methods included quantitative genetics, classical machine learning/deep learning, mechanistic models, and model ensembles. The dataset factors used, such as genetics; weather; and management data, were also diverse, demonstrating that no single model or strategy is far superior to all others within the context of this competition.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Washburn, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Varela, J. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xavier, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ertl, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gage, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holland, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lima, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romay, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez-Cruz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barber, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zimmer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trucillo Silva, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rocha, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rincent, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ali, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Runcie, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gusev, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Slabodkin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bax, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aubert, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gangloff, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mary-Huard, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vanrenterghem, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quesada-Traver, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yates, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ariza-Suarez, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ulrich, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wyler, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kick, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bellis, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Causey, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soriano Chavez, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piyush, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernando, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Timon, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Venkatesh, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Segura Aba, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.13.612969</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Global Genotype by Environment Prediction Competition Reveals That Diverse Modeling Strategies Can Deliver Satisfactory Maize Yield Estimates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.18.613719v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Chromosome-level assemblies of Amaranthus palmeri, Amaranthus retroflexus, and Amaranthus hybridus allow for genomic comparisons and identification of a sex-determining region 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.18.613719v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Amaranthus palmeri (Palmer amaranth), A. retroflexus (redroot pigweed), and A. hybridus (smooth pigweed) are troublesome weeds that are economically damaging to several cropping systems. Collectively referred to as  pigweeds, these species are incredibly adaptive and have become successful competitors in diverse agricultural settings. Development of genomic resources for these species promises to facilitate the elucidation of the genetic basis of traits such as biotic and abiotic stress tolerance (e.g., herbicide resistance) and sex determination. Here, we sequenced and assembled chromosome-level genomes of these three pigweed weed species. By combining the haplotype-resolved assembly of A. palmeri with existing restriction site-associated DNA sequencing data, we identified a [~]2.84 Mb region on chromosome 3 of Hap1 that is male-specific and contains 37 genes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed two genes within the male-specific region, RESTORER OF FERTILITY 1 (Rf1) and TLC DOMAIN-CONTAINING PROTEIN (TLC), were upregulated in male individuals across the shoot apical meristem, the floral meristem, and mature flowers, indicating their potential involvement in sex determination in A. palmeri. In addition, we rigorously classified cytochrome P450 genes in all three pigweeds due to their involvement in non-target site herbicide resistance. Finally, we identified contiguous extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) in A. palmeri, a critical component of glyphosate resistance in this species. The findings of this study advance our understanding of sex determination in A. palmeri and provide genomic resources for elucidating the genetic basis and evolutionary origins of adaptive traits within the genus.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raiyemo, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cutti, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abdollahi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Llaca, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fengler, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saski, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nelson, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaines, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tranel, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.18.613719</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Chromosome-level assemblies of Amaranthus palmeri, Amaranthus retroflexus, and Amaranthus hybridus allow for genomic comparisons and identification of a sex-determining region]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.19.613936v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
How interactions between temperature and resources scale from populations to communities 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.19.613936v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Temperature and resources are fundamental factors that determine the ability of organisms to function and survive, while influencing their development, growth, and reproduction. Major bodies of ecological theory have emerged, largely independently, to address temperature and resource effects. It remains a major challenge to unite these ideas and determine the interactive effects of temperature and resources on ecological patterns and processes, and their consequences across ecological scales. Here, we propose a simple, physiologically motivated model capturing the interactive effects of temperature and resources (including inorganic nutrients and light) on the growth of microbial ectotherms over multiple ecological scales. From this model we derive a set of key predictions. At the population level, we predict (i) interactive effects of resource limitation on thermal traits, (ii) consistent differences in the temperature sensitivity of auto- and heterotrophs, and (iii) the existence of specific tradeoffs between traits that determine the shape of thermal performance curves. At the community level, we derive predictions for (iv) how limitation by nutrients and light can change the relationship between temperature and productivity. All four predictions are upheld, based on our analyses of a large compilation of laboratory data on microbial growth, as well as field experiments with marine phytoplankton communities. Collectively, our modeling framework provides a new way of thinking about the interplay between two fundamental aspects of life -- temperature and resources -- and how they constrain and structure ecological properties across scales. Providing links between population and community responses to simultaneous changes in abiotic factors is essential to anticipating the multifaceted effects of global change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kremer, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klausmeier, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.19.613936</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[How interactions between temperature and resources scale from populations to communities]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.19.614009v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanistic insights into Rho/MRTF inhibition-induced apoptotic events and prevention of drug resistance in melanoma: Implications for the involvement of pirin 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.19.614009v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AimOvercoming therapy resistance is critical for effective melanoma control. Upregulation of Rho/MRTF signaling in human and mouse melanomas causes resistance to targeted therapies. Inhibition of this pathway by MRTFi, CCG-257081 resensitized resistant melanomas to BRAF and MEK inhibitors. It also prevented the development of resistance to vemurafenib (Vem). Here, we investigate the role of apoptosis and the protein pirin in CCG-257081-mediated suppression of drug resistance.

MethodsUsing naive and resistant mouse YUMMER melanoma cells, we studied the effect of the BRAF inhibitor Vem with or without CCG-257081 on real-time growth and apoptosis (activation of caspase, Propidium iodide (PI) staining, and PARP cleavage). The effects of CCG-257081 on proliferation (Ki67) and caspase-3 activation were assessed in resistant YUMMER_R tumors in vivo. Finally, two CCG-257081 enantiomers were tested for pirin binding, inhibition of the Rho/MRTF-mediated activation of ACTA2 gene expression in fibroblasts, and the prevention of Vem resistance development by YUMMER_P cells.

ResultsVem reduced growth of parental but not resistant cells, while CCG-257081 inhibited both. The combination was more effective than Vem alone. CCG-257081, but not Vem, induced activation of caspase-3 and -7 in resistant cells and increased PARP cleavage and PI staining. CCG-257081 reduced proliferation and activated caspase-3 in YUMMER_R melanoma tumors. Both CCG-257081 enantiomers robustly suppressed development of Vem-resistant colonies with the S isomer being more potent (1 M IC50).

ConclusionCCG-257081 appears to target pre-resistant cells and Vem-induced resistant cells through enhanced apoptosis. Inhibition of pirin or the Rho/MRTF pathway can be employed to prevent melanoma resistance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Foda, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joachimiak, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mazur, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.19.614009</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanistic insights into Rho/MRTF inhibition-induced apoptotic events and prevention of drug resistance in melanoma: Implications for the involvement of pirin]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.22.614385v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
STANCE: a unified statistical model to detect cell-type-specific spatially variable genes in spatial transcriptomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.22.614385v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A significant challenge in analyzing spatial transcriptomics data is the effective and efficient detection of spatially variable genes (SVGs), whose expression exhibits non-random spatial patterns in tissues. Many SVGs show spatial variation in expression that is highly correlated with cell type categories or compositions, leading to the concept of cell type-specific spatially variable genes (ctSVGs). Existing statistical methods for detecting ctSVGs treat cell type-specific spatial effects as fixed effects when modeling, resulting in a critical issue: the testing results are not invariant to the rotation of spatial coordinates. Additionally, an SVG may display random spatial patterns within a cell type, and a ctSVG may exhibit random spatial patterns from a general perspective, indicating that an SVG does not necessarily have to be a ctSVG, and vice versa. This poses challenges in real analysis when detecting SVGs or ctSVGs. To address these problems, we propose STANCE, a unified statistical model developed to detect both SVG and ctSVGs in spatial transcriptomics. By integrating gene expression, spatial location, and cell type composition through a linear mixed-effect model, STANCE enables the identification of both SVGs and ctSVGs in an initial stage, followed by a second stage test dedicated to ctSVG detection. Its design ensures robustness in complex scenarios and the results are spatial rotation invariant. We demonstrated the performance of STANCE through comprehensive simulations and analyses of three public datasets. The downstream analyses based on ctSVGs detected by STANCE suggest promising future applications of the model in spatial transcriptomics and various areas of genome biology. A software implementation of STANCE is available at https://github.com/Cui-STT-Lab/STANCE.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Su, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cui, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.22.614385</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[STANCE: a unified statistical model to detect cell-type-specific spatially variable genes in spatial transcriptomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.25.615021v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacter hormaechei Uses Mucus Metabolism to Facilitate Gastrointestinal Colonization 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.25.615021v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The emergence and global spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae complex species presents a pressing public health challenge. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter species cause a wide variety of infections, including septic shock fatalities in newborns and immunocompromised adults. The intestine may be a major reservoir for these resistant strains, either by facilitating contamination of fomites and transfer to susceptible individuals, or through translocation from the gut to the bloodstream. For this reason, we sought to establish a neonatal mouse model to investigate the mechanisms underpinning gut colonization by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter hormaechei. We describe a new mouse model to study gut colonization by Enterobacter species, leading to vital insights into the adaptation of carbapenem-resistant E. hormaechei to the gut environment during the early stages of intestinal colonization. We observed successful colonization and proliferation of E. hormaechei in the five-day old infant mouse gut, with primary localization to the colon following oral inoculation. We also uncovered evidence that E. hormaechei uses mucus as a carbon source during colonization of the colon. Our findings underscore the importance of oxygen-dependent metabolic pathways, including the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine metabolism, in gut colonization and proliferation, which aligns with previous human studies. These insights are essential for developing novel therapeutic strategies that can serve as decolonization therapies in at-risk populations.

ImportanceBloodstream infections caused by Enterobacter species pose a significant clinical threat. The intestine acts as the primary site for colonization and serves as a reservoir for infection. To combat this pathogen, it is crucial to understand how carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter species colonize the gut, as such knowledge can pave the way for alternative therapeutic targets. In this study, we developed a novel neonatal mouse model for gastrointestinal colonization by Enterobacter species and discovered that mucus plays a key role as a carbon source during colonization. Additionally, we identified two mucus catabolism pathways that contribute to intestinal colonization by carbapenem-resistant E. hormaechei. This new mouse model offers valuable insights into host-pathogen interactions and helps identify critical gastrointestinal fitness factors of Enterobacter, potentially guiding the development of vaccines and alternative therapeutic strategies to minimize intestinal carriage in patient populations at risk for infection with Enterobacter species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sinha, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ottosen, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ngwaga, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shames, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DiRita, V. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.25.615021</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacter hormaechei Uses Mucus Metabolism to Facilitate Gastrointestinal Colonization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.28.615565v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Aspergillus nidulans cell wall integrity kinase, MpkA, impacts cellular phenotypes that alter mycelial-material mechanical properties 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.28.615565v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mycelial materials are an emerging, natural material made from filamentous fungi that have the potential to replace unsustainable materials used in numerous commercial applications (e.g., packaging, textiles, construction). Efforts to change the mechanical properties of mycelial-materials have typically involved altering growth medium, processing approaches, or fungal species. Although these efforts have shown varying levels of success, all approaches have shown there is a strong correlation between phenotype (of both fungal mycelia and mycelial materials assembly) and resultant mechanical properties. We hypothesize that genetic means can be used to generate specific fungal phenotypes, leading to mycelial materials with specific mechanical properties. To begin to test this hypothesis, we used a mutant of the model filamentous fungus, Aspergillus nidulans, with a deletion of the last kinase in the cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling pathway, mpkA. We generated one set of mycelial materials from the {Delta}mpkA deletion mutant (A1404), and another from its isogenic parent (A1405; control). When subjected to tensile testing, and compared to material generated from the control, {Delta}mpkA material has similar elastic modulus, but significantly increased ultimate tensile strength, and strain at failure. When subjected to a fragmentation assay (i.e., resistance to shear-stress), the {Delta}mpkA material also had higher relative mechanical strength. To determine possible causes for this behavior, we carried out a comprehensive set of phenotype assessments focused on: three-dimensional structure, hyphal morphology, hyphal growth behaviors, and conidial development. We find, compared to the control, material generated from the {Delta}mpkA mutant manifests significantly less development, a modified cell wall composition, larger diameter hyphae, more total biomass, higher water capacity and more densely packed material, which all appear to impact the altered mechanical properties.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gray, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doan, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huso, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pan, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bolima, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morse, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoda, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gautam, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zupan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>deCarvalho, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marten, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-09-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.09.28.615565</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Aspergillus nidulans cell wall integrity kinase, MpkA, impacts cellular phenotypes that alter mycelial-material mechanical properties]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-09-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.01.616173v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A molecular representation system with a common reference frame for natural products pathway discovery and structural diversity tasks. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.01.616173v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Researchers have uncovered hundreds of thousands of natural products, many of which contribute to medicine, materials, and agriculture. However, missing knowledge of the biosynthetic pathways to these products hinders their expanded use. Nucleotide sequencing is key in pathway elucidation efforts, and analyses of natural products molecular structures, though seldom discussed explicitly, also play an important role by suggesting hypothetical pathways for testing. Structural analyses are also important in drug discovery, where many molecular representation systems - methods of representing molecular structures in a computer-friendly format - have been developed. Unfortunately, pathway elucidation investigations seldom use these representation systems. This gap is likely because those systems are primarily built to document molecular connectivity and topology, rather than the absolute positions of bonds and atoms in a common reference frame, the latter of which enables chemical structures to be connected with potential underlying biosynthetic steps. Here, we present a unique molecular representation system built around a common reference frame. We tested this system using triterpenoid structures as a case study and explored the systems applications in biosynthesis and structural diversity tasks. The common reference frame system can identify structural regions of high or low variability on the scale of atoms and bonds and enable hierarchical clustering that is closely connected to underlying biosynthesis. Combined with phylogenetic distribution information, the system illuminates distinct sources of structural variability, such as different enzyme families operating in the same pathway. These characteristics outline the potential of common reference frame molecular representation systems to support large-scale pathway elucidation efforts.

Significance StatementStudying natural products and their biosynthetic pathways aids in identifying, characterizing, and developing new therapeutics, materials, and biotechnologies. Analyzing chemical structures is key to understanding biosynthesis and such analyses enhance pathway elucidation efforts, but few molecular representation systems have been designed with biosynthesis in mind. This study developed a new molecular representation system using a common reference frame, identifying corresponding atoms and bonds across many chemical structures. This system revealed hotspots and dimensions of variation in chemical structures, distinct overall structural groups, and parallels between molecules structural features and underlying biosynthesis. More widespread use of common reference frame molecular representation systems could hasten pathway elucidation efforts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Babineau, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, L. T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mathieu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCue, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schlecht, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abrahamson, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamberger, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Busta, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.01.616173</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A molecular representation system with a common reference frame for natural products pathway discovery and structural diversity tasks.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.01.615464v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predicting Inhibitors of OATP1B1 via Heterogeneous OATP-Ligand Interaction Graph Neural Network (HOLI-GNN) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.01.615464v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs) are membrane transporters crucial for drug uptake and distribution in the human body. OATPs can mediate drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in which the interaction of one drug with an OATP impairs the uptake of another drug, resulting in potentially fatal pharmacological effects. Predicting OATP-mediated DDIs is challenging, due to limited information on OATP inhibition mechanisms and inconsistent experimental OATP inhibition data across different studies. This study introduces Heterogeneous OATP-Ligand Interaction Graph Neural Network (HOLIgraph), a novel computational model that integrates molecular modeling with a graph neural network to enhance the prediction of drug-induced OATP inhibition. By combining ligand (i.e., drug) molecular features with protein-ligand interaction data from rigorous docking simulations, HOLIgraph outperforms traditional DDI prediction models which rely solely on ligand molecular features. HOLIgraph achieved a median balanced accuracy of over 90 percent when predicting inhibitors for OATP1B1, significantly outperforming purely ligand-based models. Beyond improving inhibition prediction, the data used to train HOLIgraph can enable the characterization of protein residues involved in inhibitory drug-OATP interactions. We identified certain OATP1B1 residues that preferentially interact with inhibitors, including I46 and K49. We anticipate such interaction information will be valuable to future structural and mechanistic investigations of OATP1B1.

Scientific ContributionHOLIgraph introduces a new paradigm for DDI prediction by incorporating protein-ligand interactions derived from docking simulations into a graph neural net framework. This approach, enabled by recent structural breakthroughs for OATP1B1, represents a significant departure from traditional models that rely only on ligand features. By achieving high predictive accuracy and uncovering mechanistic insights, HOLIgraph sets a new trajectory for computational tools in drug design and DDI prediction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mardikoraem, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eaves, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Belecciu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pascual, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aljets, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orlando, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woldring, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.01.615464</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predicting Inhibitors of OATP1B1 via Heterogeneous OATP-Ligand Interaction Graph Neural Network (HOLI-GNN)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.01.616091v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Proton channel inactivation results in loss of chloroplast NDH complex activity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.01.616091v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The plastidal photosynthetic complex I (formerly NAD(P)H dehydrogenase-like complex, NDH) remains enigmatic in its function within the electron transport chain of higher plants. While the NDH complex shares high homology with complex I, a key component of the respiratory electron transport chain, electron transport rates through the NDH complex in thylakoids are relatively low. In this study, we took a structure-function approach and mutated the plastid genome-encoded ndhF gene to abolish the NdhF proton channel of the NDH complex. These mutations led to loss of plastoquinone reductase activity, indicating tight coupling between the proton and electron transfer reactions within NDH. Additionally, loss of the transverse helix of NdhF led to loss of the NDH complex, suggesting that this region of the NdhF subunit is required for complex stability. In agreement with previous studies using ndh knockout mutants, loss of NDH complex activity did not result in measurable changes in rates of steady-state cyclic electron flow. However, all mutants displayed a shift in the sensitivity of pH-dependent feedback regulation of the photosystem II antennae to total protonmotive force (pmf), indicating a defect in either stromal redox state or pmf distribution into {Delta}pH and {Delta}{psi}.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Strand, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruf, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sandoval-Ibanez, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bock, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.01.616091</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Proton channel inactivation results in loss of chloroplast NDH complex activity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.02.616138v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptome-based identification of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) across the genome of Anopheles gambiae 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.02.616138v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Anopheles gambiae is a primary malaria vector mosquito in Africa. RNA-seq based transcriptome analysis has been widely used to study gene expression underlying mosquito life traits such as development, reproduction, immunity, metabolism, and behavior. While it is well known that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are expressed ubiquitously in transcriptomes across metazoans, lncRNAs remain relatively underexplored in mosquitoes including their identity, expression profiles, and biological functions. In this study, publicly available RNA-seq datasets were leveraged to identify lncRNAs across diverse contexts, including whole mosquitoes, mosquito cells or tissues including midguts, salivary glands, and hemocytes, as well as under different physiological conditions including sugar-feeding, blood-feeding, bacterial challenges, and Plasmodium infections. Across this pool of transcriptomes, 2684 unique lncRNA genes, comprising 4082 transcripts, were identified. Following their identification, these lncRNA genes were integrated into the mosquito transcriptome annotation, which was then used as a reference to analyze both mRNAs and lncRNAs for transcriptional dynamics in different conditions. Like mRNAs, lncRNAs exhibited context-dependent expression patterns. Co-expression networks constructed using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) highlighted the interconnections among lncRNAs and mRNAs. Furthermore, we identified polysome-associated lncRNAs within polysome-captured transcripts, suggesting their involvement in translation regulation and coding capacity for micropeptides. A published ChIP-seq dataset was explored to correlate epigenetic signatures with transcriptional activities of lncRNAs. Overall, our analysis demonstrated that lncRNAs are transcribed alongside mRNAs in various biological contexts. Given their prevalence in the transcriptome, incorporating lncRNAs into transcriptome analyses will enhance our understanding of their functions, shedding light on their regulatory roles in An. gambiae biology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Riehle, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khadka, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.02.616138</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptome-based identification of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) across the genome of Anopheles gambiae]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.01.616072v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Differential composition of lymphocyte subpopulations and activation between the hypertensive Bph/2 and normotensive Bpn/3 mouse strains 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.01.616072v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Numerous studies point to a role for the immune system in various animal models of hypertension. However, little is known about the immune system of Bph/2 mice, a spontaneously hypertensive strain. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive comparison of immune cell composition and response to polyclonal T cell activation in hypertensive Bph/2 mice and normotensive Bpn/3 control mice. We quantified immune cell populations by flow cytometry from spleen and inguinal, brachial and mesenteric lymph nodes. While composition of myeloid immune cell types was largely comparable between strains, we observed differences in B and T cell subpopulations. Specifically, we found an increased percentage of IgM+ IgDLo and IgM+ IgD-B cells in Bph/2 mice, suggesting greater baseline B cell activation. In addition, we observed a decreased percentage of CD4 effector memory T cells and CD8 central memory T cells. The diminished proportion of memory T cells in Bph/2 mice correlated with decreased proliferation and cytokine response of splenic T cells to polyclonal T cell activation. In splenic T cells from Bph/2 mice 24 h after activation we observed a pronounced decrease in the majority of T cell cytokines. At 120 h after activation, the Th1 and Th17 cytokine responses of splenic T cells from Bph/2 mice were decreased, but other T cell cytokines were largely comparable. Overall, the data suggest a decreased percentage of memory T cells in Bph/2 mice that correlates with markedly diminished proliferation and a reduced cytokine response to polyclonal activation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dattmore, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonald, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chowdhury, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Awali, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boss, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sather, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lauver, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rockwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.01.616072</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Differential composition of lymphocyte subpopulations and activation between the hypertensive Bph/2 and normotensive Bpn/3 mouse strains]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.02.615399v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Microplate micromilling: A customizable platform to support the prototyping, development and testing of microphysiological culture models 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.02.615399v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The development of microphysiological cell culture models (MPMs) that align with the throughput demands of drug and chemical testing are needed to help reduce animal testing, aide in the discovery of new drugs, and identify harmful chemical exposures. To address this need, we have developed a process for rapid prototyping MPM devices using computer numerical control (CNC) micromilling of commercially available microplates. Microchannels are cut out of the existing microplate structure and ports are drilled into the bottom of the wells to interface the wells. To test versatility and benchmark to another rapid-prototyping approach, we manufactured common microfluidic features into microplates using four different CNC mills as well as a 3D printer. Cell viability was assessed for polystyrene (PS) well plates and two 3D printed resins (MED610 and VeroClear) with the PS showing >2.5-fold increase in cell growth after three days. Machines were tested on their ability to create common device features including a traditional microfluidic device as well as a custom design incorporating complex geometries. Features were measured by confocal microscopy. We found that features including 1000{micro}m ports, 800{micro}m microchannels, 200{micro}m phase-guides, and 500{micro}m post arrays were machined and the range of CVs for features were 1.02-4.42, 1.32-3.50, 2.34-16.58, 6.25-16.40 respectively, while the 3D printed features exhibited maximal CVs of 20.98, 11.68, 23.60, and 10.01 for the same features. Predictably, more expensive machines generally showed higher accuracy and lower variation, but many features could be created accurately and precisely by inexpensive (<$3000) machines facilitating the broader use of this technology to create a user customizable platform to support the prototyping, development, and testing of human relevant models with broad applications across the life sciences.

Graphical abstractMultiple CNC mills are assessed on accuracy and precision of microfluidic features of interest for microphysiological model development creation.



O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=112 SRC="FIGDIR/small/615399v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (42K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1be08eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@33b0a4org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@192167borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@200b7_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reynolds, J. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adams, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jimenez, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, B. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.02.615399</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Microplate micromilling: A customizable platform to support the prototyping, development and testing of microphysiological culture models]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.02.616302v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
EvoSeq-ML: Advancing Data-Centric Machine Learning with Evolutionary-Informed Protein Sequence Representation and Generation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.02.616302v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In protein engineering, machine learning (ML) advancements have led to significant progress, including protein structure prediction (e.g., AlphaFold), sequence representation through language models, and novel protein generation. However, the impact of data curation on ML model performance is underexplored. As more sequence and structural data become available, a datacentric approach is increasingly favored over a model-centric method. A data-centric approach prioritizes high-quality, domain-specific data, ensuring ML tools are trained on datasets that accurately reflect biological complexity and diversity. This paper introduces a novel methodology that integrates ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) into ML models, enhancing data-centric strategies in the field. ASR uses computational techniques to infer ancient protein sequences from modern descendants, providing diverse, stable sequences with rich evolutionary information. While multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) are commonly used in protein engineering frameworks to incorporate evolutionary information, ASR offers deeper insights into protein evolution. Unlike MSAs, ASR captures mutation rates, phylogenic relationships, evolutionary trajectories, and specific ancestral sequences, giving access to novel protein sequences beyond what is available in public databases by natural selection. We employed two statistical methods for ASR: joint Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood. Bayesian approaches infer ancestral sequences by sampling from the entire posterior distribution, accounting for epistatic interactions between multiple amino acid positions to capture the nuances and uncertainties of ancestral sequences. In contrast, maximum likelihood methods estimate the most probable amino acids at individual positions in isolation. Both methods provide extensive ancestral data, enhancing ML model performance in protein sequence generation and fitness prediction tasks. Our results demonstrate that generative ML models training on either Bayesian or maximum likelihood approaches produce highly stable and diverse protein sequences. We also fine-tuned the evolutionary scale ESM protein language model with reconstructed ancestral data to obtain evolutionary-driven protein representations, and downstream stability prediction tasks for Endolysin and Lysozyme C families. For Lysozyme C, ancestral-based representations outperformed the baseline ESM in KNN classification and matched the established InterPro method. In Endolysin, our novel ASR-Dist method performed on par with or better than the baseline and other fine-tuning approaches across various classification metrics. ASR-Dist showed consistent performance in both simple and complex classification models, suggesting the effectiveness of this data-centric approach in enhancing protein representations. This work demonstrates how evolutionary data can improve ML-driven protein engineering, presenting a novel data-centric approach that expands our exploration of protein sequence space and enhances our ability to predict and design functional proteins.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mardikoraem, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pascual, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Finneran, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woldring, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.02.616302</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[EvoSeq-ML: Advancing Data-Centric Machine Learning with Evolutionary-Informed Protein Sequence Representation and Generation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.04.616599v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Single-Cell Data Integration and Cell Type Annotation through Contrastive Adversarial Open-set Domain Adaptation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.04.616599v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Single-cell sequencing technologies have enabled in-depth analysis of cellular heterogeneity across tissues and disease contexts. However, as datasets increase in size and complexity, characterizing diverse cellular populations, integrating data across multiple modalities, and correcting batch effects remain challenges. We present SAFAARI (Single-cell Annotation and Fusion with Adversarial Open-Set Domain Adaptation Reliable for Data Integration), a unified deep learning framework designed for cell annotation, batch correction, and multi-omics integration. SAFAARI leverages supervised contrastive learning and adversarial domain adaptation to achieve domain-invariant embeddings and enables label transfer across datasets, addressing challenges posed by batch effects, biological domain shifts, and multi-omics modalities. SAFAARI identifies novel cell types and mitigates class imbalance to enhance the detection of rare cell types. Through comprehensive benchmarking, we evaluated SAFAARI against existing annotation and integration methods across real-world datasets exhibiting batch effects and domain shifts, as well as simulated and multi-omics data. SAFAARI demonstrated scalability and robust performance in cell annotation via label transfer across heterogeneous datasets, detection of unknown cell types, correction of batch effects, and cross-omics data integration while leveraging available annotations for improved integration. SAFAARIs innovative approach outperformed competing methods in both qualitative and quantitative metrics, offering a flexible, accurate, and scalable solution for single-cell analysis with broad applicability to diverse biological and clinical research questions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aminzadeh, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saberi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vafaee, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.04.616599</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Single-Cell Data Integration and Cell Type Annotation through Contrastive Adversarial Open-set Domain Adaptation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.04.616682v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Targeted Degradation of MYC2 through MPK6 Phosphorylation Reveals Mechanisms and Implications for JA Signaling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.04.616682v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MYC2 is a key regulator in the Jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway, yet the mechanisms governing its stability remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that MYC2 is degraded by MPK6 under JA signaling. Through yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation assays, and in vitro kinase assay, we show that MPK6 directly interacts with and phosphorylates MYC2. Additionally, MYC2 transcriptional activity is enhanced in the mpk6 mutant. Further, MPK6 phosphorylates MYC2 at threonine 328, leading to its degradation. These findings suggest that MPK6 drives MYC2 degradation by specifically phosphorylating threonine 328 within the JA signaling pathway.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Han, K.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Im, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Son, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jung, M.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ko, J.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.04.616682</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Targeted Degradation of MYC2 through MPK6 Phosphorylation Reveals Mechanisms and Implications for JA Signaling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.04.613734v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Testing for the genomic footprint of conflict between life stages in an angiosperm and a moss species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.04.613734v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The maintenance of genetic variation by balancing selection is of considerable interest to evolutionary biologists. An important but understudied potential driver of balancing selection is antagonistic pleiotropy between diploid and haploid stages of the plant life cycle. Despite sharing a common genome, sporophytes (2n) and gametophytes (n) may undergo differential or even opposing selection. Theoretical work suggests the antagonistic pleiotropy between life stages can generate balancing selection and maintain genetic variation. Despite the potential for far-reaching consequences of gametophytic selection, empirical tests of its pleiotropic effects (neutral, synergistic, or antagonistic) on sporophytes are generally lacking. Here, we examined the population genomic signals of selection across life stages in the angiosperm Rumex hastatulus and the moss Ceratodon purpureus. We compared gene expression among life stages and between sexes, combined with neutral diversity statistics and the analysis of the distribution of fitness effects. In contrast to what would be predicted under balancing selection due to antagonistic pleiotropy, we found that unbiased genes between life stages were under stronger purifying selection, likely explained by a predominance of synergistic pleiotropy between life stages and strong purifying selection on broadly expressed genes. In addition, we found that 30% of candidate genes under balancing selection in R. hastatulus were located within inversion polymorphisms. Our findings provide novel insights into the genome-wide characteristics and consequences of plant gametophytic selection.

SignificanceThe genome-wide importance of balancing selection has been a key question in evolutionary biology. Despite theoretical support for the potential of balancing selection generated by antagonistic pleiotropy between plant life stages, to our knowledge no empirical studies have systematically investigated this on a genome-wide scale. Our results revealed genome-wide patterns more consistent with synergistic pleiotropy, with gametophyte-biased genes more likely to be under relaxed purifying selection in both the angiosperm and moss species we investigated. In addition, our study suggests gene expression level and breadth has a greater effect on selection efficacy than differences between ploidy levels in different life stages.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yuan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kollar, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sacchi, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carey, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choudhury, B. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grimwood, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrett, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDaniel, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wright, S. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stinchcombe, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.04.613734</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Testing for the genomic footprint of conflict between life stages in an angiosperm and a moss species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.10.617612v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Diffusion and Viscosity in Mixed Protein Solutions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.10.617612v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The viscosity and diffusion properties of crowded protein systems were investigated with molecular dynamics simulations of SH3 mixtures with different crowders, and results were compared with experimental data. The simulations accurately reproduced experimental trends across a wide range of protein concentrations, including highly crowded environments up to 300 g/L. Notably, viscosity increased with crowding but varied little between different crowder types, while diffusion rates were significantly reduced depending on protein-protein interaction strength. Analysis using the Stokes-Einstein relation indicated that the reduction in diffusion exceeded what was expected from viscosity changes alone, with the additional slow-down attributable to transient cluster formation driven by weakly attractive interactions. Contact kinetics analysis further revealed that longer-lived interactions contributed more significantly to reduced diffusion rates than short-lived interactions. This study also highlights the accuracy of current computational methodologies for capturing the dynamics of proteins in highly concentrated solutions and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms affecting protein mobility in crowded environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wozniak, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.10.617612</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Diffusion and Viscosity in Mixed Protein Solutions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.10.617712v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora enters apple leaves through naturally-occurring wounds from the abscission of trichomes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.10.617712v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIThe plant epidermis is a single layer of cells covering all plant organs. How pathogens overcome this barrier and enter plants is an important aspect of plant-pathogen interactions. For bacterial plant pathogens, known entry points include natural openings such as stomata, hydathodes, and mechanical injuries caused by insect feeding, wind damage or hailstorms.
C_LIO_LIHere, we report that the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora enters apple leaves through naturally-occurring wounds caused by the abscission of trichomes during the course of leaf development.
C_LIO_LIThrough macroscopic and microscopic observations, we depicted a clear invasion path for E. amylovora cells, from epiphytic growth on glandular trichomes (GT) and non-glandular trichomes (NT), to entry through wounds caused by abscised trichomes, into the epithem, and subsequent spread through xylem. We further observed that GT and NT undergo an abscission process, and that the amount of naturally-occurring wounds during abscission is associated with the increase in E. amylovora population. Key genes important for the colonization of GT and NT were identified. Contribution of the type III secretion system and amylovoran biosynthesis during GT colonization was validated.
C_LIO_LIOur findings propose a novel host entry mechanism of plant pathogenic bacteria through naturally-occurring wounds during abscission of plant surface structures.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Millett, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Standish, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scanley, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Inguagiato, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zuverza-Mena, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abril, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robinson, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sundin, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeng, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.10.617712</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora enters apple leaves through naturally-occurring wounds from the abscission of trichomes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.08.617243v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Novel Genomic Rearrangement in the Amaranthus palmeri Extrachromosomal Circular DNA Provides Dual Herbicide Resistance to Glyphosate and Glufosinate 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.08.617243v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Amplification of chloroplastic glutamine synthetase (GS2) has been characterized as one of the resistance mechanisms in glufosinate-resistant Amaranthus palmeri accession (MSR2). Previously, the overamplification of the glyphosate-resistance gene, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSPS), in A. palmeri was determined to be driven by an extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA). Here, a novel eccDNA is described that carries both glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium target site due to co-duplication of their chromosomic native region, conferring resistance. Besides EPSPS, the novel replicon has a region replaced by a fragment carrying the GS2 isoforms (GS2.1 and GS2.2) and other genes. The co-existence of eccDNA carrying only EPSPS was confirmed in MSR2 samples harboring dual targeting eccDNA. The genomic structure of GS2 and EPSPS amplification was also assessed in a different glufosinate-resistant A. palmeri accession (MSR1) along with MSR2. The accessions showed distinct GS2.1 and GS2.2 amplification patterns suggesting the existence of diverse replicons that were not assembled here. The EPSPS was amplified in both accessions, and a correlation was observed with the GS2 isoforms in MSR2, further supporting the co-existence of these genes in the same replicon. These findings shed light on the complexity of eccDNA formation in plant systems, with the collection and accumulation of extra pieces of DNA.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Carvalho-Moore, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borgato, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cutti, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Porri, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meiners, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lerchl, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Norsworthy, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.08.617243</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Novel Genomic Rearrangement in the Amaranthus palmeri Extrachromosomal Circular DNA Provides Dual Herbicide Resistance to Glyphosate and Glufosinate]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.09.617446v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Data-Driven Image Analysis to Determine Antibody-Induced Dissociation of Cell-Cell Adhesion and Antibody Pathogenicity in Pemphigus Vulgaris 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.09.617446v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a blistering autoimmune disease that affects the skin and mucous membranes. The precise mechanisms by which PV antibodies induce a complete loss of cohesion of keratinocytes are not fully understood. But it is accepted that the process starts with antibody binding to desmosomal targets which leads to its disassembly and subsequent structural changes to cell-cell adhesions. In vitro immunofluorescence imaging of desmosome molecules has been used to characterize this initial phase, often qualitatively. However, there remains an untapped potential of image analysis in providing us more in-depth knowledge regarding ultrastructural changes after antibody binding. Currently, there is no such effort to establish a quantitative framework from immunofluorescence images in PV pathology. We take on this effort here in a comprehensive study to examine the effects of antibodies on key adhesion molecules and the cytoskeletal network, aiming to establish a correlation of ultrastructural changes in cell-cell adhesion with antibody pathogenicity. Specifically, we introduced a data-driven approach to quantitatively evaluate perturbations in adhesion molecules, including desmoglein 3, E-cadherin, as well as the cytoskeleton, following antibody treatment. We identify distinct immunofluorescence imaging signatures that mark the impact of antibody binding on the remodeling of the adhesion molecules and introduce a pathogenicity score to compare the relative effects of different antibodies. From this analysis, we showed that the biophysical response of keratinocytes to distinct PV associated antibodies is highly specific, allowing for accurate prediction of their pathogenicity. For instance, the high pathogenicity scores of the PVIgG and AK23 antibodies show strong agreement with their reported PV pathology. Our data-driven approach offers a more detailed framework for the action of autoantibodies in pemphigus and has the potential to pave the way for the development of effective novel diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies.

SIGNIFICANCEPemphigus vulgaris (PV) presents a critical unmet medical challenge due to its autoimmune-induced disruption of skin cell adhesion. Our study presents a data-driven approach to quantitatively analyze changes in adhesion molecules and the cytoskeleton upon exposure to various PV antibodies. By introducing a pathogenicity score, we pinpoint the specific impacts of different antibodies on various proteins, build association among these antibodies, and reveal the contribution of previously overlooked non-desmosomal antibodies, broadening the understanding of PV pathology. Although centered on PV, our method offers a versatile framework applicable for evaluating the effects of other antibodies and drugs, paving the way for new diagnostic tools for personalized medicine.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moghaddam, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhai, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Safa, B. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seiffert-Sinha, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leiker, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosenbohm, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.09.617446</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Data-Driven Image Analysis to Determine Antibody-Induced Dissociation of Cell-Cell Adhesion and Antibody Pathogenicity in Pemphigus Vulgaris]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.09.617376v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Late Quaternary climatic impact on the woodland strawberry genome: a perennial herb's tale 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.09.617376v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Exploring a species paleohistory is crucial for understanding its responsiveness to climatic events, identifying drivers of adaptation, and developing effective biodiversity conservation strategies in the face of ongoing climate change. We analyzed 200 genomes of the perennial herb woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.) from across Europe and investigated the population structure and demographic history of the species during past geoclimatic events. We found a clear division of populations into western and eastern genetic clusters, indicative of distinct glacial refugia and adaptations to variation in temperature seasonality. The eastern core populations were several times larger (defined as effective population size, NE) than populations in other regions, showed no evidence of inbreeding, and were resilient to several glacial maxima. However, we observed decreasing NE and higher inbreeding in populations toward range edges, particularly in the north, where these individuals went through bottlenecks during glaciations. Population divergence suggested that western and eastern Europe were colonized from separate refugia in multiple waves during the Holocene, while the largest current populations from the northern Mediterranean to southern regions of the Nordic countries formed a connected population chain with gene flow between eastern core populations and western Europe, primarily occurring through Central Europe. Similar patterns of colonization and hybridization may have occurred during past interglacial periods, contributing to the present-day population structure of woodland strawberry. We suggest that the unprecedented resolution of the species climatic history across six glacial-interglacial cycles presented here holds the promise of transforming the general understanding of species paleohistory through geoclimatically tracing ancestral haplotypes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Toivainen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salonen, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kirshner, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lembinen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>De Kort, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyyski, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hilmarsson, H. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hallsson, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sargent, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olbricht, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez-Sevilla, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jaakola, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stenberg, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duralija, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Labokas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vare, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salojarvi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Auvinen, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pose, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albert, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hytonen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.09.617376</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Late Quaternary climatic impact on the woodland strawberry genome: a perennial herb's tale]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.12.617995v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Maximum vertical height during wing flapping of laying hens captured with a depth camera 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.12.617995v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cage-free housing systems for laying hens, and their accompanying guidelines, legislation, and audits, are becoming more common around the world. Cage-free regulations often specify requirements for floor space and cage height, but the availability of three-dimensional space can vary depending on system configurations. Little research has looked at how much vertical space a hen occupies while flapping her wings, which is arguably her most space-intensive behavior. Therefore, the objective of this study was to use a depth sensing camera to measure the maximum vertical height hens reach when wing flapping without physical obstructions. Twenty-eight individually caged Hy-line W36 hens at 45 weeks of age were evaluated. A ceiling-mounted depth camera was centered above a test pen and calibrated prior to collecting data. During testing, one hen at a time was placed in the test pen and recorded flapping her wings. From depth footage, the minimum distance between pixels was obtained for each frame, and we computed the maximum vertical height reached by each hen. Results for vertical space used during a wing flapping event showed that hens reached a maximum height of 51.0 {+/-} 4.7 cm. No physical measures correlated with maximum height obtained from the depth camera (P>0.05). Hens in this study were from a single strain, were old enough to have keel damage, and were cage-reared and housed, preventing us from generalizing the results too far. However, depth cameras provide a useful approach to measure how much space laying hens of varying strains, ages, and rearing/housing methods need to perform dynamic behaviors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grebey, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bongiorno, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steibel, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Siegford, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.12.617995</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Maximum vertical height during wing flapping of laying hens captured with a depth camera]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.14.618235v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Metabolic interplay drives population cycles in a cross-feeding microbial community 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.14.618235v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Population cycles are prevalent in ecosystems and play key roles in determining their functions1,2. While multiple mechanisms have been theoretically shown to generate population cycles3-6, there are limited examples of mutualisms driving self-sustained oscillations. Using an engineered microbial community that cross-feeds essential amino acids, we experimentally demonstrate cycles in strain abundance that are robust across environmental conditions. A nonlinear dynamical model that incorporates the experimentally observed cross-inhibition of amino acid production recapitulates the population cycles. The model shows that the cycles represent internally generated relaxation oscillations, which emerge when fast resource dynamics with positive feedback drive slow changes in strain abundance. Our findings highlight the critical role of resource dynamics and feedback in shaping population cycles in microbial communities and have implications for biotechnology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ross, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klausmeier, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Venturelli, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.14.618235</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Metabolic interplay drives population cycles in a cross-feeding microbial community]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.16.618771v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A co-conserved gene pair supports Caulobacter iron homeostasis during chelation stress 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.16.618771v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Synthetic metal chelators are widely used in industrial, clinical, and agricultural settings, leading to their accumulation in the environment. We measured the growth of Caulobacter crescentus, a soil and aquatic bacterium, in the presence of the ubiquitous chelator ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and found that it restricts growth by lowering intracellular iron levels. Using barcoded transposon sequencing, we identified an operonic gene pair, cciT-cciO, that is required to maintain iron homeostasis in laboratory media during EDTA challenge. cciT encodes one of four TonB-dependent transporters that are regulated by the ferric uptake repressor (Fur) and stands out among this group of genes in its ability to support Caulobacter growth across diverse media conditions. The function of CciT strictly requires cciO, which encodes a cytoplasmic FeII dioxygenase-family protein. Our results thus define a functional partnership between an outer membrane iron receptor and a cytoplasmic dioxygenase that are broadly co-conserved in Proteobacteria. We expanded our analysis to natural environments by examining the growth of mutant strains in freshwater from two lakes, each with biochemical and geochemical profiles that differ markedly from standard laboratory media. In lake water, Caulobacter growth did not require cciT or cciO and was less affected by EDTA treatment. This result aligns with our observation that EDTA toxicity is influenced by common forms of biologically chelated iron and the spectrum of free cations present in the medium. Our study defines a conserved iron acquisition system in Proteobacteria and bridges laboratory-based physiology studies with real-world conditions.

IMPORTANCEMetal-chelating chemicals are widely used across industries, including as preservatives in the food sector, but their full impact on microbial physiology is not well understood. We identified two genes, cciT and cciO, that function together to support Caulobacter crescentus iron balance when cells are exposed to the common synthetic chelator, EDTA. CciT is an outer membrane transporter and CciO is a dioxygenase-family protein that are mutually conserved in many bacteria, including several human pathogens, where mutations in cciT homologs are linked to clinical resistance to the siderophore antibiotic, cefiderocol. This study identifies a conserved genetic system that supports iron homeostasis during chelation stress and illuminates the iron acquisition versatility and stress resilience of Caulobacter in freshwater environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ortiz, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ok, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.16.618771</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A co-conserved gene pair supports Caulobacter iron homeostasis during chelation stress]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.21.619467v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Controlled enzyme cargo loading in engineered bacterial microcompartment shells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.21.619467v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are nanometer-scale organelles with a protein-based shell that serve to co-localize and encapsulate metabolic enzymes. They may provide a range of benefits to improve pathway catalysis, including substrate channeling and selective permeability. Several groups are working toward using BMC shells as a platform for enhancing engineered metabolic pathways. The microcompartment shell of Haliangium ochraceum (HO) has emerged as a versatile and modular shell system that can be expressed and assembled outside its native host and with non-native cargo. Further, the HO shell has been modified to use the engineered protein conjugation system SpyCatcher-SpyTag for non-native cargo loading. Here, we used a model enzyme, triose phosphate isomerase (Tpi), to study non-native cargo loading into four HO shell variants and begin to understand maximal shell loading levels. We also measured activity of Tpi encapsulated in the HO shell variants and found that activity was determined by the amount of cargo loaded and was not strongly impacted by the predicted permeability of the shell variant to large molecules. All shell variants tested could be used to generate active, Tpi-loaded versions, but the simplest variants assembled most robustly. We propose that the simple variant is the most promising for continued development as a metabolic engineering platform.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tefft, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jussupow, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.21.619467</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Controlled enzyme cargo loading in engineered bacterial microcompartment shells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.21.619552v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Maintenance of parasite species diversity: Spatiotemporal niche partitioning and aggregation facilitate species coexistence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.21.619552v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The maintenance of parasite diversity has historically taken a host-centric approach. Yet, many parasites are host generalists, and most parasites spend at least some time outside of their hosts. So, what mechanisms besides host-associated niche partitioning allow parasites to coexist? Using a year-long field survey and lab mesocosms, we examined whether environmental niche partitioning or aggregation could enable coexistence among soil-dwelling entomopathogenic nematodes. Field patterns along an elevational gradient reveal that species abundances differentiate with soil structure and moisture levels. Yet, most species strongly overlap within-sites throughout the year. Thus, niche partitioning alone is not sufficient to explain the coexistence of these species and other mechanisms are necessary to explain their coexistence. Aggregation at the within-site scale provides evidence for such a mechanism. Each species showed significant intraspecific clumping and largely random associations with other species. A mesocosm test of the consequences of intraspecific aggregation found that parasites at low or high densities limit their own population growth. Aggregation can promote negative feedback facilitating species coexistence. Our findings offer field-based evidence that spatiotemporal niche partitioning and aggregation both play a critical role in maintaining parasite species diversity, illustrating the importance of extending out view of parasites beyond their hosts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ramesh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDermott-Sipe, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bashey-Visser, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.21.619552</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Maintenance of parasite species diversity: Spatiotemporal niche partitioning and aggregation facilitate species coexistence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.22.619714v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) elicited dose-dependent shifts in the murine urinary metabolome associated with hepatic AHR-mediated differential gene expression 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.22.619714v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Epidemiological evidence suggests an association between dioxin and dioxin-like compound (DLC) exposure and human liver disease. The prototypical DLC, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), has been shown to induce the progression of reversible hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis with periportal fibrosis and biliary hyperplasia in mice. Although the effects of TCDD toxicity are mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) activation, the underlying mechanisms of TCDD-induced hepatotoxicity are unresolved. In the present study, male C57BL/6NCrl mice were gavaged every 4 days for 28 days with 0.03 - 30 g/kg TCDD and evaluated for liver histopathology and gene expression as well as complementary 1-dimensional proton magnetic resonance (1D-1H NMR) urinary metabolic profiling. Urinary trimethylamine (TMA), trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), and 1-methylnicotinamide (1MN) levels were altered by TCDD at doses [&le;] 3 g/kg; other urinary metabolites, like glycolate, urocanate, and 3-hydroxyisovalerate, were only altered at doses that induced moderate to severe steatohepatitis. Bulk liver RNA-seq data suggested altered urinary metabolites correlated with hepatic differential gene expression corresponding to specific metabolic pathways. In addition to evaluating whether altered urinary metabolites were liver-dependent, published single-nuclear RNA-seq (snRNA-seq), AHR ChIP-seq, and AHR knockout gene expression datasets provide further support for hepatic cell-type and AHR-regulated dependency, respectively. Overall, TCDD-induced liver effects were preceded by and occurred with changes in urinary metabolite levels due to AHR-mediated changes in hepatic gene expression.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sink, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fling, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yilmaz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goniwiecha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkema, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graham, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zacharewski, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.22.619714</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) elicited dose-dependent shifts in the murine urinary metabolome associated with hepatic AHR-mediated differential gene expression]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.24.620133v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Uterine stromal but not epithelial PTGS2 is critical for murine pregnancy success 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.24.620133v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that target prostaglandin synthase (PTGS) enzymes have been implicated in miscarriage. Further, PTGS2-derived prostaglandins are reduced in the endometrium of patients with a history of implantation failure. However, in the mouse model of pregnancy, peri-implantation PTGS2 function is controversial. Some studies suggest that Ptgs2-/- mice display deficits in ovulation, fertilization, and implantation, while other studies suggest a role for PTGS2 only in ovulation but not implantation. Further, the uterine cell type responsible for PTGS2 function and role of PTGS2 in regulating implantation chamber formation is not known. To address this we generated tissue-specific deletion models of Ptgs2. We observed that PTGS2 ablation from the epithelium alone in Ltfcre/+; Ptgs2f/f mice and in both the epithelium and endothelium of the Pax2cre/+; Ptgs2f/f mice does not affect embryo implantation. Further, deletion of PTGS2 in the ovary, oviduct, and the uterus using Pgrcre/+; Ptgs2f/f does not disrupt pre-implantation events but instead interferes with post-implantation chamber formation, vascular remodeling and decidualization. While all embryos initiate chamber formation, more than half of the embryos fail to transition from blastocyst to epiblast stage, resulting in embryo death and resorbing decidual sites at mid-gestation. Thus, our results suggest no role for uterine epithelial PTGS2 in early pregnancy but instead highlight a role for uterine stromal PTGS2 in modulating post-implantation embryo and implantation chamber growth. Overall, our study provides clarity on the compartment-specific role of PTGS2 and provides a valuable model for further investigating the role of stromal PTGS2 in post-implantation embryo development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Massri, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.24.620133</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Uterine stromal but not epithelial PTGS2 is critical for murine pregnancy success]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.28.620613v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Complex system modelling reveals oxalate homeostasis is driven by diverse oxalate-degrading bacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.28.620613v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Decades of research have made clear that host-associated microbiomes touch all facets of health. However, effective therapies that target the microbiome have been elusive given its inherent complexity. Here, we experimentally examined diet-microbe-host interactions through a complex systems framework, centered on dietary oxalate. Using multiple, independent molecular, animal, and in vitro experimental models, we found that microbiome composition influenced multiple oxalate-microbe-host interfaces. Importantly, administration of the oxalate-degrading specialist, Oxalobacter formigenes, was only effective against a poor oxalate-degrading microbiota background and gives critical new insights into why clinical intervention trials with this species exhibit variable outcomes. Data suggest that, while heterogeneity in the microbiome impacts multiple diet-host-microbe interfaces, metabolic redundancy among diverse microorganisms in specific diet-microbe axes is a critical variable that may impact the efficacy of bacteriotherapies, which can help guide patient and probiotic selection criteria in probiotic clinical trials.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mukherjee, S. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Batagello, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adler, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agudelo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zampini, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Suryavanshi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orr, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dearing, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Monga, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-10-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.28.620613</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Complex system modelling reveals oxalate homeostasis is driven by diverse oxalate-degrading bacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-10-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.29.620916v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
COCOMO2: A coarse-grained model for interacting folded and disordered proteins 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.29.620916v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biomolecular interactions are essential in many biological processes, including complex formation and phase separation processes. Coarse-grained computational models are especially valuable for studying such processes via simulation. Here, we present COCOMO2, an updated residue-based coarse-grained model that extends its applicability from intrinsically disordered peptides to folded proteins. This is accomplished with the introduction of a surface exposure scaling factor, which adjusts interaction strengths based on solvent accessibility, to enable the more realistic modeling of interactions involving folded domains without additional computational costs. COCOMO2 was parameterized directly with solubility and phase separation data to improve its performance on predicting concentration-dependent phase separation for a broader range of biomolecular systems compared to the original version. COCOMO2 enables new applications including the study of condensates that involve IDPs together with folded domains and the study of complex assembly processes. COCOMO2 also provides an expanded foundation for the development of multi-scale approaches for modeling biomolecular interactions that span from residue-level to atomistic resolution.

Table of Contents Figure

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=88 SRC="FIGDIR/small/620916v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (15K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@32d74forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1d5aa9eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b47a5forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@ce0f08_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jussupow, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bartley, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lapidus, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.29.620916</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[COCOMO2: A coarse-grained model for interacting folded and disordered proteins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.01.621578v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Isoprene deters insect herbivory by priming plant hormone responses 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.01.621578v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Isoprene, emitted by some plants, enhances plant abiotic resilience but its role in biotic stress resilience remains elusive. We used tobacco plants engineered to emit isoprene (IE) and the corresponding azygous non-emitting control (NE) to investigate isoprene emission and biotic stress resilience. IE plants were more resistant to insect herbivory than NE plants. Worms preferred to feed on NE rather than IE leaves. IE plants showed less decline in photosynthesis during worm feeding. Insect feeding increased jasmonate levels in IE leaves, suggesting isoprene-mediated priming of the jasmonic acid response. Wound-induced increase in isoprene emission corresponded with elevation of methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate pathway and Calvin-Benson cycle metabolites. The results highlight interactive functions of isoprene and jasmonic acid and advance our understanding of how isoprene emission enhances plant resilience.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sahu, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mostofa, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Serda, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Keefe, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharkey, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.01.621578</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Isoprene deters insect herbivory by priming plant hormone responses]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.01.621601v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Species-specific phyllosphere responses to external pH change 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.01.621601v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The leaf surface, known as the phylloplane, represents the initial point of contact for plants in their interaction with the aboveground environment. Although prior research has assessed how leaves respond to external pH variations, particularly in the context of acid rain, there remains a limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms through which plants detect, respond to, and mitigate cellular damage. To look at plant responses to external pH changes, we measured the phylloplane pH for five species with variable phylloplane pH that ranged in the dry control. Moreover, we investigated the phylloplane pH in response to three pH treatments (pH 6.5, 4, and 2) and found that plants can modify their phylloplane pH, and this buffering ability is species-specific. Among the species analyzed, only Gossypium displayed a strong buffering ability. For treatments where leaves were exposed to either pH 6.5 or pH 4, Gossypium alkalinized the phylloplane pH slightly higher than the dry control pH. Remarkably, when leaves were exposed to pH 2, Gossypium was able to buffer the pH to 6 within five minutes. Furthermore, our transcriptional analysis indicated that the responses to external pH changes varied among species, highlighting differentially expressed genes associated with calcium (Ca2+) signaling pathways, as well as Ca2+ and H+-ATPases pumps. These findings also suggest that pH stress negatively impacts photosynthesis, and that both wetness and moderate pH shifts may trigger additional abiotic and biotic stress signaling pathways.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lopez Gonzalez, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Floc'h, J.-B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Renner, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilbert, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.01.621601</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Species-specific phyllosphere responses to external pH change]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.29.616205v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Platelets are Protective in Early Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.29.616205v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundAbdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a disease associated with the pathophysiologic degradation of the tunica media resulting in aortic dilatation, systemic inflammation, and dysregulated hemostasis. Beyond role its role in initiating primary hemostasis, platelets are a source of ROS, inflammatory cytokines and growth factors necessary for angiogenesis and vascular remodeling. Although platelets contribute to the progression of established aneurysms, their role in the initiation of AAA remains undefined.

MethodsLow density lipoprotein receptor deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice were examined for platelet accumulation in the angiotensin II (AngII) model of AAA utilizing in vivo labeling techniques. Two platelet antagonists (clopidogrel and aspirin), a thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran) or genetic deficiencies (protease-activated receptor 4, P2Y12, Lnk) were administered to AngII-infused mice to determine the role of platelets in initiation of AAA. The effect of platelet depletion was examined in multiple mouse strains of AngII-induced AAA and two additional aneurysm models. PheWAS and meta-analysis was analyzed in humans for platelet gene SNPs associated with AAA.

ResultsWe show that platelets are recruited rapidly to the aorta after the initiation of AngII infusion. Genetic deficiency of platelet receptors had no effect on abdominal aortic diameter, but augmented rupture-induced death in littermate versus placebo controls during AngII-induced AAA. Moreover, Ldlr-/- mice receiving anti-platelet inhibitors or a thrombin inhibitor also had augmented rupture-induced death. Platelet depletion preceding aneurysm formation resulted in pervasive rupture-induced death in several mouse strains and with three different mouse models of AAA.

ConclusionsInhibition of platelet function is detrimental in an early expanding aortic lumen resulting in catastrophic rupture and hemodynamic failure in murine AAA models.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Russell, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spuzzillo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benson, T. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jaworski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clement, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boulaftali, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saum, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conrad, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howatt, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luyendyk, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cameron, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nieswandt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steinhubl, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daugherty, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bergmeier, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tong, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Damrauer, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsao, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallat, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mackman, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Owens, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.29.616205</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Platelets are Protective in Early Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.29.620828v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
MARVEL: Microenvironment Annotation by Supervised Graph Contrastive Learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.29.620828v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recent advancements in in situ molecular profiling technologies, including spatial proteomics and transcriptomics, have enabled detailed characterization of the microenvironment at cellular and subcellular levels. While these techniques provide rich information about individual cells spatial coordinates and expression profiles, extracting biologically meaningful spatial structures from the data remains a significant challenge. Current methodologies often rely on unsupervised clustering followed by cell type annotation based on differentially expressed genes within each cluster and most of the time will require other information as the reference (e.g., HE-stained images). This is labor-intensive and demands extensive domain knowledge. To address these challenges, we propose a supervised graph contrastive learning framework, MARVEL. MARVEL is a supervised graph contrastive learning method that can effectively embed local microenvironments represented by cell neighbor graphs into a continuous representation space, facilitating various downstream microenvironment annotation scenarios. By leveraging partially annotated examples as strong positives, our approach mitigates the common issues of false positives encountered in conventional graph contrastive learning. Using real-world annotated data, we demonstrate that MARVEL outperforms existing methods in three key microenvironment-related tasks: transductive microenvironment annotation, inductive microenvironment querying, and the identification of novel microenvironments across different slices.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>CUI, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.10.29.620828</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[MARVEL: Microenvironment Annotation by Supervised Graph Contrastive Learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.04.621855v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gene expression divergence between locally adapted inland annual and coastal perennial ecotypes of Mimulus guttatus across developmental stages 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.04.621855v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The action of natural selection across heterogeneous natural landscapes drives local adaptation and the formation of plant ecotypes, the precursors to new species. Plant ecotypes typically differ significantly in morphology, physiology, and development, yet our understanding of their underlying genetic basis remains limited. Despite their importance, studies of the molecular underpinnings of ecotypic divergence through developmental stages are rare. Here, we compared gene expression at different developmental time points between ecologically reproductively isolated coastal perennial and inland annual ecotypes of the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus. We took two major approaches to understand differences in gene regulation between the ecotypes at the level of gene networks. First, we evaluated expression variation between the ecotypes in candidate molecular pathways. Next, we conducted gene co-expression network analyses to identify new candidate mechanisms driving ecotypic divergence. Overall, we found significant differences in global expression between the ecotypes and across developmental stages. Among the candidate pathways we evaluated, genes in the jasmonic acid pathway were the most significantly enriched for divergent gene expression. This includes the most differentially expressed gene in our analyses, which is a key gene (cytochrome P450 CYP94B1) involved in the degradation of bioactive jasmonic acid. Our gene co-expression network analysis revealed different but complementary insights into the differential regulation of genes between the ecotypes, especially at a more microscopic level of these organisms. Overall, our research further supports the hypothesis that plant hormone pathways play a crucial role in the evolution of plant ecotypes and, consequently, the emergence of new species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Olsen, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gould, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.04.621855</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gene expression divergence between locally adapted inland annual and coastal perennial ecotypes of Mimulus guttatus across developmental stages]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.06.621895v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cocaine, via ΔFosB, remodels gene expression and excitability in ventral hippocampus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.06.621895v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ventral hippocampus (vHPC) CA1 pyramidal neurons send glutamatergic projections to nucleus accumbens (NAc), and this vHPC-NAc circuit mediates cocaine seeking and reward, but it is unclear whether vHPC-NAc neuron properties are modulated by cocaine exposure to drive subsequent behavior. The immediate early gene transcription factor {Delta}FosB is induced throughout the brain by cocaine and is critical for cocaine seeking, but its function in vHPC-NAc neurons is not understood. We now show that circuit-specific knockout of {Delta}FosB in vHPC-NAc neurons impaired cocaine reward expression and forced abstinence-induced seeking. We also found that vHPC-NAc excitability was decreased by experimenter-administered repeated cocaine and cocaine self-administration, and this cocaine-induced excitability decrease was mediated by {Delta}FosB expression. To uncover the mechanism of this change in circuit function, we used circuit-specific translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) to assess cocaine-induced, {Delta}FosB-dependent changes in gene expression in vHPC-NAc. We found that cocaine causes a {Delta}FosB-dependent increase in the expression of calreticulin, an ER-resident calcium-buffering protein. Calreticulin expression mediated vHPC-NAc excitability and was necessary for cocaine reward. These findings uncover a novel, non-canonical mechanism by which cocaine increases calreticulin in vHPC leading to decreased vHPC-NAc excitability and drives cocaine seeking and reward.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Eagle, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doyle, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sugimoto, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dykstra, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murray, B. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bastle, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maze, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mazei-Robison, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.06.621895</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cocaine, via ΔFosB, remodels gene expression and excitability in ventral hippocampus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.05.622084v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Characterizing gene expression profiles of various tissue states in stony coral tissue loss disease using a feature selection algorithm 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.05.622084v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) remains a substantial threat to coral reef diversity already threatened by global climate change. Restoration efforts and effective treatment of SCTLD requires an in-depth understanding of its pathogenesis in the coral holobiont as well as mechanisms of disease resistance. Here, we present a supervised machine learning framework to describe SCTLD progression in a major reef-building coral, Montastraea cavernosa, and its dominant algal endosymbiont, Cladocopium goreaui. Utilizing support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) in conjunction with differential expression analysis, we identify a subset of biologically relevant genes that exhibit the highest classification performance across three types of coral tissues collected from a natural reef environment: apparently healthy tissue on an apparently healthy colony, apparently healthy tissue on a SCTLD-affected colony, and lesion tissue on a SCTLD-affected colony. By analyzing gene expression signatures associated with these tissue health states in both the coral host and its algal endosymbiont (family Symbiodiniaceae), we describe key processes involved in SCTLD resistance and disease progression within the coral holobiont. Our findings further support evidence that SCTLD causes dysbiosis between the coral host and its Symbiodinaiceae and additionally describes the metabolic and immune shifts that occur as the holobiont transitions from a healthy to a diseased state. This supervised machine learning framework offers a novel approach to accurately assess the health states of endangered coral species and brings us closer to developing effective solutions for disease monitoring and intervention.

AUTHOR SUMMARYCoral reefs are under increasing threat due to climate change, with rising ocean temperatures and disease outbreaks accelerating reef degradation. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has been particularly destructive, leading to widespread coral mortality across Floridas Coral Reef and the wider Caribbean since its emergence in 2014. While the cause of SCTLD remains unknown, the rapid decline in coral reef health highlights the urgent need for innovative approaches to understanding threats to coral health. In this study, we applied a supervised machine learning approach, previously used in cancer research, to identify key genes associated with SCTLD progression in the coral Montastraea cavernosa and its symbiotic algae, which the coral relies on to meet its nutritional requirements. By analyzing gene expression patterns across tissues representing different health states, we find that SCTLD affects the metabolic interactions between the coral and their symbionts and causes shifts in coral immune signaling pathways, even in tissue on a SCTLD-affected colony that appears to be healthy. This study presents a novel framework for applying supervised machine learning in coral gene expression research and could lead to new methods for monitoring coral health and combatting SCTLD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Beavers, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gutierrez-Andrade, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Buren, E. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Emery, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandt, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Apprill, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mydlarz, L. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.05.622084</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Characterizing gene expression profiles of various tissue states in stony coral tissue loss disease using a feature selection algorithm]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.05.622154v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Whole-genome sequencing across space and time reveals impact of population decline and reduced gene flow in Florida Scrub-Jays 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.05.622154v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Whole-genome sequence data is proving to be highly informative about the past demography of free-living populations, and in the context of endangered species, it can provide a quantification of the genetic risk posed by reduced genetic diversity and inbreeding. Prior to 1920, the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) had been widespread across Florida, but with the expansion of agriculture and human habitation, its population has declined by 95%, resulting in fragmentation into semi-isolated subpopulations. By sequencing 241 individuals sampled from five different regions and across two time points, this study quantifies a greater magnitude of loss of genetic diversity and greater levels of inbreeding in smaller and more isolated subpopulations. Consistent with population genetics theory, reduction in population size results in a dramatic loss of rare alleles, skewing the site frequency spectrum far from the expected equilibrium. Increased inbreeding in the smaller, more remote subpopulations is especially evident in the increased size and number of runs of homozygosity. The Florida scrub-jay displays limited dispersal, and habitat fragmentation has greatly reduced the magnitude of gene flow in the past 30 years, resulting in further decline of genetic diversity, especially in the peripheral populations. Analysis of these data is informative in guiding conservation efforts to retain genetic diversity and minimize the consequences of inbreeding in the Florida scrub-jay.

HighlightsO_LIFive regional populations show distinct degrees of population isolation and decline.
C_LIO_LIThere has been commensurate loss of genetic diversity, skewed site frequency spectra, reduced migration, and increased inbreeding (FROH).
C_LIO_LIAs many state-wide populations decline, the smaller, more remote populations provide a glimpse into the future and a testbed for remediation approaches.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, T. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cosgrove, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehr, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lokey, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beaudry, F. E. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.05.622154</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Whole-genome sequencing across space and time reveals impact of population decline and reduced gene flow in Florida Scrub-Jays]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.07.622501v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An algal nutrient-replete, optimized medium for fast growth and high triacylglycerol accumulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.07.622501v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microalgae are promising sources to sustainably meet the global needs for energy and products. Algae grow under different trophic conditions, where nutritional status regulates biosynthetic pathways, energy production, and growth. The green alga Chromochloris zofingiensis has strong economic potential because it co-produces biofuel precursors and the high-value antioxidant astaxanthin while accumulating biomass when grown mixotrophically. As an emerging reference alga for photosynthesis, metabolism, and bioproduction, C. zofingiensis needs a defined, optimized medium to standardize experiments during fast growth. Because the interplay of glucose consumption (+Glc) and mineral deficiency influences photosynthesis, growth, and the production of lipids and astaxanthin, we designed a replete nutrient medium tailored to the C. zofingiensis cellular ionome. We combined inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and +Glc growth curves to determine a medium that is nutrient replete for at least 5 days of +Glc logarithmic growth. We found that there are high nutritional needs for phosphorus and sulfur during mixotrophy. Iron was the only element measured for which the cellular concentration correlated with exogenous concentration and was iteratively adjusted until the internal ionome was consistent through the logarithmic growth phase. This Chromochloris-Optimized Ratio of Elements (CORE) medium supports fast growth and high biomass without causing excess nutrient toxicity. This defined, nutrient-replete standard is important for future C. zofingiensis investigations and can be adapted for other species to support high biomass. The method used to develop CORE medium shows how ionomics informs replicable media design and may be applied in industrial settings to inform cost-effective biofuel production.

Significance StatementStudying how carbon sources and mineral nutrients interplay to regulate algal metabolism can be exploited to discover and control pathways in photosynthesis and biofuel production. Here we design a medium from the cellular ionome of Chromochloris zofingiensis, a powerful algal model for photosynthesis, metabolism, and bioproducts, to provide a defined, replete standard for mixotrophic and heterotrophic growth of green algae. These media design principles show how accounting for increased nutritional demands based on carbon substrate can ensure experimental replicability when probing diverse algal metabolisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jeffers, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCombs, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmollinger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merchant, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niyogi, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roth, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.07.622501</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An algal nutrient-replete, optimized medium for fast growth and high triacylglycerol accumulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.07.622539v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
From Quantitative Trait Loci towards Mechanisms: Linkage Integration Hypothesis Testing (LIgHT) Sheds Light on the Mechanisms of Genetically Modulated Stress Tolerance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.07.622539v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The goal of this work is to assess the mechanistic bases of natural genetic variations in plant responses of photosynthesis to stress. To achieve this goal, we devised the Linkage Integration Hypothesis Testing (LIgHT) approach, comparing chromosomal locations of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for multiple phenotypes to distinguish between hypothetical mechanisms. As a use case, we explored genetic variations in photosynthesis-related processes under chilling stress in recombinant inbred lines of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.). We focused on photosynthesis-related parameters measurable in high throughput and indicative of proposed chilling responses, including the states of photosystems I (PSI) and II (PSII), photoprotective nonphotochemical quenching, PSII photodamage, and nyctinastic leaf movements (NLM). The patterns of QTL linkages indicated chilling stress tolerance is genetically controlled by avoiding PSII photodamage rather than PSI damage or NLM. This model was validated in a separate experiment measuring the rates of PSII photodamage and repair. Additional linkages suggest that chilling-induced damage to PSII is controlled by the thylakoid proton motive force and redox state of PSII. This regulation is modulated by thylakoid fatty acid composition, as suggested in Hoh et al., 2022. We propose the LIgHT approach can be broadly applied to test mechanisms underlying genetic variations.

HighlightThis work Introduces the Linkage Integration Hypothesis Testing (LIgHT) approach for mechanistic studies of natural variations, identifying photosynthetic regulatory mechanisms underlying natural variations to abiotic stresses by applying this approach.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hoh, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osei-Bonsu, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanazawa, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fisher, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cruz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roberts, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huynh, B.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.07.622539</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[From Quantitative Trait Loci towards Mechanisms: Linkage Integration Hypothesis Testing (LIgHT) Sheds Light on the Mechanisms of Genetically Modulated Stress Tolerance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.08.622694v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Small molecule oxybutynin rescues proliferative capacity of complex III-defective MPCs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.08.622694v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mitochondrial disease encompasses a group of genetically inherited disorders hallmarked by an inability of the respiratory chain to produce sufficient ATP. These disorders present with multisystemic pathologies that predominantly impact highly energetic tissues such as skeletal muscle. There is no cure or effective treatment for mitochondrial disease. We have discovered a small molecule known as oxybutynin that can bypass Complex III mitochondrial dysfunction in primary murine and human skeletal muscle progenitor cells (MPCs). Oxybutynin administration improves MPC proliferative capacity, enhances cellular glycolytic function, and improves myotube formation. Mechanistically, results from our isothermal shift assay indicates that oxybutynin interacts with a suite of proteins involved in mRNA processing which then trigger the upregulation biological pathways to circumvent CIII mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, we provide evidence for the small molecule oxybutynin as a potential therapeutic candidate for the future treatment of CIII mitochondrial dysfunction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Qu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsai, P.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheng, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blum, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Acor, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oshoe, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rooney, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walter, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thirumlaikumar, V. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thalacker-Mercer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrow, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.08.622694</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Small molecule oxybutynin rescues proliferative capacity of complex III-defective MPCs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.09.621137v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ecological synchrony in human-modified landscapes under a changing climate 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.09.621137v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Different aspects of ecological systems, biotic or abiotic, often fluctuate in coordinated patterns over space and time. Such high concordance between ecological processes is often referred to as ecological synchrony. Anthropogenic activities, including and beyond climate change, have the potential to alter ecological synchrony by disrupting or enhancing existing synchrony. Despite many local studies, we have a limited systematic understanding of how ecological synchrony is shaped by management in human-dominated landscapes at regional to continental scales. From a macrosystems perspective, we review how anthropogenic activities, particularly beyond climate change, alter ecological synchrony across levels of ecological organization, from the ecosystem level to the population level. For each level, we use a large-scale case study to demonstrate ways to quantify the impacts of human modifications on synchrony using big data from remote sensing, surveys, and observatory networks. For example, we detected possible homogenization of population dynamics of bird species in North America. These changes in ecological synchrony, although in different forms, often represent challenges to ecological and social systems. Collaborative research efforts that integrate emerging open data streams moving forward will be able to provide insights into the effects of different anthropogenic drivers and the consequences of changes in synchrony.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Song, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barnes, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Browning, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bybee-Finley, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dahlin, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munch, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ponce-Campos, G. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Youngflesh, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zuckerberg, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.09.621137</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ecological synchrony in human-modified landscapes under a changing climate]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.11.623020v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inter-individual gene expression variability implies stable regulation of brain-biased genes across organs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.11.623020v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phenotypic variation among individuals plays a key role in evolution, since variation provides the material on which natural selection can act. One important link between genetic and phenotypic variation is gene expression. As for other phenotypes, the range of accessible expression variation is limited and biased by different evolutionary and developmental constraints. Gene expression variability broadly refers to the tendency of a gene to vary in expression (i.e., between individuals or cells) due to stochastic fluctuations or differences in genetic, epigenetic, or environmental factors, separately from the differences between conditions (e.g. organs), and is often estimated based on observed expression variance. The variance due to biomolecular stochasticity (transcriptional  noise) and cell-to-cell heterogeneity has been well-studied in isogenic populations of unicellular organisms such as bacteria and yeasts. However, for more complex organisms with multiple cells, tissues, and organs sharing the same genetic background, the interplay between inter-individual expression variability, gene and organ function, and gene regulation remains an open question. In this study, we used highly multiplexed 3-end Bulk RNA Barcoding and sequencing (BRB-seq) to generate transcriptome profiles spanning at least nine organs in outbred individuals of three ray-finned fish species: zebrafish, Northern pike, and spotted gar. For each condition, we measured the expression variance per gene independent of mean expression level as an estimate of its variability. We observed that lowly variable genes are enriched in cellular housekeeping functions whereas highly variable genes are enriched in stimulus-response functions. Furthermore, genes with highly variable expression between individuals evolve under weaker purifying selection at the coding sequence level, indicating that intra-species gene expression variability predicts inter-species protein sequence divergence. Genes that are broadly expressed across organs tend to be both highly expressed and lowly variable between individuals, whereas organ-biased genes are typically highly variable within their top organ of expression. For genes with organ-biased expression profiles, we inferred differences in selective pressure on gene regulation depending on their top organ. We found that genes with peak expression in the brain have low inter-individual expression variability across non-nervous organs, suggesting stabilizing selection on regulatory evolution of brain-biased genes. Conversely, liver-biased genes have highly variable expression across organs, implying weaker regulatory constraints. These patterns show that gene regulatory mechanisms evolved differently based on constraints on the primary organ.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bucao, C. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aletti, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moretti, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Racicot, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bobe, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braasch, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guigen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Postlethwait, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robinson-Rechavi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.11.623020</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inter-individual gene expression variability implies stable regulation of brain-biased genes across organs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.13.623499v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Accumulation of Dietary and Non-Enzymatic Oxysterols in Preeclamptic Placentas: Insights into Cholesterol Dynamics in Pregnancy Complications 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.13.623499v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oxysterols--oxidized derivatives of cholesterol--play key roles in regulating lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and immune signaling. Despite their biological importance, their presence and function in human placental tissue remain poorly understood, particularly in pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with oxidative stress and altered lipid homeostasis. This study profiled both dietary and non-enzymatic oxysterols in third-trimester human placentas from healthy term pregnancies and those complicated with preeclampsia, delivered at term or preterm and term. Findings indicate significantly higher oxysterol levels in preeclamptic placentas, particularly for 7-ketcholesterol (7-Keto) and 5,6{beta}-cholestanetriol, (Triol) regardless of gestational age. 5{beta},6{beta}-epoxycholesterol (OCallaghan, Woods, & OBrien, 2001) was higher in term preeclampsia, while total cholesterol levels were significantly lower in preeclamptic placentas. Correlation analyses revealed distinct associations between oxysterols, cholesterol, and total fat content, indicating unique oxidative signatures in preeclamptic pregnancies. These findings contribute to a growing body of evidence suggesting that altered oxysterol profiles may reflect oxidative stress and placental dysfunction. While causality cannot be inferred, oxysterol profiling may hold potential as a complementary biomarker strategy for identifying pregnancies at risk of adverse outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zou, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maldonado-Pereira, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ticiani, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sethuraman, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olomu, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Long, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veiga-Lopez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medina-Meza, I. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.13.623499</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Accumulation of Dietary and Non-Enzymatic Oxysterols in Preeclamptic Placentas: Insights into Cholesterol Dynamics in Pregnancy Complications]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.12.623259v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Volumetric and Diffusion Tensor Imaging biomarkers indicating long lasting post-concussion abnormalities in a youth pig model of mild Traumatic Brain Injury 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.12.623259v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) caused by sports-related incidents in children and youth can lead to prolonged cognitive impairments, underscoring the importance of improved diagnosis and comprehension of its enduring impacts on neuropathology. A pig model was chosen for its similarities to the human brain in terms of gyrencephalic structure, size, and regional proportions, and a closed-head mTBI was induced in adolescent pigs. In this study, 12 (n=4 male and n=8 female) 16-weeks old Yucatan pigs were tested; n=6 received mTBI and n=6 received a Sham procedure. This study utilized T1-weighted imaging to assess volumetric alterations in different regions of the brain and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine microstructural damage in white matter. The pigs were imaged at one and three months post-injury. Our volumetric analysis of key white and gray matter regions showed significant longitudinal changes in pigs with mTBI compared to sham controls. The observed volume increases may be attributed to swelling, neuroinflammation, or hyperactivity. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values derived from DTI images demonstrated an increase in corpus callosum from 1 month to 3 months only in mTBI pigs. Additionally, comparisons of the left and right internal capsules revealed a decrease in FA in the right internal capsule for mTBI pigs, likely due to the impact being slightly localized to the right side of the brain, which may indicate demyelination. Thus, the injury has disrupted the maturation of white and gray matter of the developing brain. This signifies the need for longitudinal investigations after mTBI to comprehensively assess its long-term effects and contribute to the clinical management of concussion in youth.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Islam, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Netzley, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chenyang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montero, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vazquez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subbaiah, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meoded, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munoz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colbath, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mejia-Alvarez, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manfredi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.12.623259</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Volumetric and Diffusion Tensor Imaging biomarkers indicating long lasting post-concussion abnormalities in a youth pig model of mild Traumatic Brain Injury]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.13.623051v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Human heart assembloids with autologous tissue-resident macrophages recreate physiological immuno-cardiac interactions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.13.623051v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Interactions between the developing heart and the embryonic immune system are essential for proper cardiac development and maintaining homeostasis, with disruptions linked to various diseases. While human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived organoids are valuable models for studying human organ function, they often lack critical tissue-resident immune cells. Here, we introduce an advanced human heart assembloid model, termed hHMA (human heart-macrophage assembloid), which fully integrates autologous cardiac tissue- resident macrophages (MPs) with pre-existing human heart organoids (hHOs). Through multi-omic analyses, we confirmed that these MPs are phenotypically similar to embryonic cardiac tissue-resident MPs and remain viable in the assembloids over time. The inclusion of MPs significantly impacts hHMA development, influencing cardiac cellular composition, boosting cellular communication, remodeling the extracellular matrix, promoting ventricular morphogenesis, and enhancing sarcomeric maturation. Our findings indicate that MPs contribute to homeostasis via efferocytosis, integrate into the cardiomyocyte electrical system, and support catabolic metabolism. To demonstrate the versatility of this model, we developed a platform to study cardiac arrhythmias by chronic exposure to pro-inflammatory factors linked to arrhythmogenesis in clinical settings, successfully replicating key features of inflammasome-mediated atrial fibrillation. Overall, this work introduces a robust platform for examining the role of immune cells in cardiac development, disease mechanisms, and drug discovery, bridging the gap between in vitro models and human physiology. These findings offer insights into cardiogenesis and inflammation-driven heart disease, positioning the hHMA system as an invaluable tool for future cardiovascular research and therapeutic development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>O'Hern, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caywood, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aminova, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kiselev, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Volmert, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sewavi, M.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cao, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dionise, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muniyandi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Popa, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basrai, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skoric, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boulos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nunez-Regueiro, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chalfoun, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.13.623051</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Human heart assembloids with autologous tissue-resident macrophages recreate physiological immuno-cardiac interactions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.13.623460v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structure Characterization of Bacterial Microcompartment Shells via X-ray Scattering and Coordinate Modeling: Evidence for adventitious capture of cytoplasmic proteins 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.13.623460v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are self-assembling, protein shell structures that are widely investigated across a broad range of biological and abiotic chemistry applications. A central challenge in BMC research is the targeted capture of enzymes during shell assembly. While crystallography and cryo-EM techniques have been successful in determining BMC shell structures, there has been only limited success in visualizing the location of BMC-captured enzyme cargo. Here, we demonstrate the opportunity to use small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and pair density distribution function (PDDF) measurements combined with quantitative comparison to coordinate structure models as an approach to characterize BMC shell structures in solution conditions directly relevant to biochemical function. Using this approach, we analyzed BMC shells from Haliangium ochraceum that were isolated following expression in E. coli. The analysis allowed BMC shell structures and the extent of encapsulated enzyme cargo to be identified. Notably, the results demonstrate that HO-BMC shells adventitiously capture significant amounts of cytoplasmic cargo during assembly in E. coli. Our findings highlight the utility of SAXS/PDDF analysis for evaluating BMC architectures and enzyme encapsulation, offering valuable insights for designing BMC shells as platforms for biological and abiotic catalyst capture within confined environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zuo, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jussupow, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ponomarenko, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tefft, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yadav, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Range, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ralston, C. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sutter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerfeld, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermaas, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiede, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.13.623460</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structure Characterization of Bacterial Microcompartment Shells via X-ray Scattering and Coordinate Modeling: Evidence for adventitious capture of cytoplasmic proteins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.14.623692v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
To Play or Not to Play? Effects of Playmate Familiarity and Social Isolation on Social Play Engagement in Three Laboratory Rat Strains 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.14.623692v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social play is a motivating and rewarding behavior displayed by juveniles of many mammalian species, including humans and rats. Social play is vital to the development of social skills. Autistic children show less social play engagement which may contribute to their impairments in social skills. There is limited knowledge about what external conditions may positively or negatively influence social play engagement in humans or other animals. Therefore, we determined how two common external conditions, playmate familiarity and social isolation, modulate social play levels and social play defense tactics in juveniles of three common laboratory rat strains: Long-Evans, Sprague-Dawley, and Wistar. Males and females were socially isolated for either 2h or 48h prior to social play testing and were then exposed to either a familiar (cage mate) or novel playmate, creating four testing conditions: 2h-Familiar, 48h-Familiar, 2h-Novel, and 48h-Novel. Both playmate familiarity and social isolation length influenced social play behavior levels and tactics in juvenile rats, but did so differently for each of the three rat strains. Long-Evans played most with a familiar playmate, irrespective of time isolated, Sprague-Dawley played most in the 48h-Familiar condition, and Wistar played the least in the 2h-Familiar condition, but Wistar played more with a novel playmate than Long-Evans and Sprague-Dawley. Analysis of social play tactics by the playmates in response to nape attacks by the experimental rats revealed strain differences with novel playmates. Here, Sprague-Dawley and Wistar defended more nape attacks than Long-Evans. Sprague-Dawley evaded these attacks, thereby shortening body contact. In contrast, Wistar turned to face their playmate attacker and showed more complete rotations, thereby extending body contact and wrestling longer. Role reversals, which increase social play reciprocity and reflect the quality of social play, were higher in Long-Evans and Sprague-Dawley with familiar playmates. Role reversals decreased for Sprague-Dawley but increased for Wistar after 48h isolation. The effects of playmate familiarity or social isolation length on social play levels and tactics were similar across sex for all three strains. In conclusion, we showed that two common external factors (playmate familiarity and social isolation length) that largely vary across social play studies have a major impact on the level and quality of social play in the three rat strains. Strain differences indicate higher level and quality of social play with familiar playmates in Long-Evans, with familiar playmates after short isolation in Sprague-Dawley, and with novel playmates after longer isolation for Wistar. Future research could determine whether strain differences in neuronal mechanisms underlie these condition-induced variations in social play engagement. Our findings are also informative in suggesting that external conditions like playmate familiarity and social isolation length could influence social play levels and social play quality in typical and atypical children.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Orsucci, I. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J. D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowden, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ham, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veenema, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.14.623692</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[To Play or Not to Play? Effects of Playmate Familiarity and Social Isolation on Social Play Engagement in Three Laboratory Rat Strains]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.18.624151v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A TORC1-PHR1 signaling axis regulates phosphorus starvation and immunity signaling network in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.18.624151v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (TORC1) is a crucial eukaryotic kinase that modulates growth in response to nutrient availability. Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient, and its deficiency induces extensive reprogramming of growth and defense strategies in plants. This process involves Phosphate Starvation Response 1 (PHR1), a master regulator of the Phosphate Starvation Response (PSR). In this study, we identify a novel, non-canonical role for TORC1 in regulating P starvation responses in Arabidopsis. We demonstrate that P limitation activates TORC1, leading to the stabilization of PHR1. Inhibition of TORC1 increased sensitivity to P starvation, accompanied by disruption of starvation-induced transcriptional reprogramming. Additionally, our results reveal that the TORC1-PHR1 signaling axis plays a crucial role in reprogramming the expression of genes involved in the plant immune signaling network. This regulation is critical for the symbiotic association with the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica under P starvation. These findings underscore the significant role of the TORC1-PHR1 module in orchestrating the PSR and highlight the evolutionary adaptation of TORC1 signaling pathways in plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Awasthi, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jamsheer K, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mishra, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tiwari, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jindal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saksena, H. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vadassery, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rouached, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laxmi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.18.624151</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A TORC1-PHR1 signaling axis regulates phosphorus starvation and immunity signaling network in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.24.625085v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The N-terminal Domain of cpTatC Protein Interacts with the Precursor Mature Domain in Chloroplast TAT Translocation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.24.625085v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The chloroplast Twin Arginine Transport (cpTAT) protein translocation pathway is one of the thylakoid membranes two protein transport pathways for getting proteins into the lumen. The cpTAT system distinguishes itself by transporting fully folded proteins across the thylakoid, using the sole energy source of the proton motive force (PMF). The cpTAT pathway is evolutionarily conserved with the TAT pathway found in many bacteria and archaea. Although small differences exist, TAT systems in different organisms share homologous protein composition and similar molecular mechanisms. The cpTAT system comprises cpTatC, Hcf106, and Tha4 (the prokaryotic homologs of these proteins are TatC, TatB, and TatA, respectively). (cp)TatC is one of the essential proteins in the (cp)TAT system, as it is present in the receptor complex. The amino acid sequence alignment of cpTatC and TatC protein in archaea and E. coli has shown a unique N-terminal amino acid extension of 70-100 amino acids in mature cpTatC that is not present in prokaryotic TatC. However, the role of the amino-terminal extension in cpTatC function is still unknown. We present crosslinking evidence that the amino-terminal extension directly interacts with the precursor mature domain during TAT protein translocation and may serve to prime the transporter with bound precursor in the absence of the PMF.

HighlightsO_LIThe cpTatC protein in the cpTAT pathway has a unique amino-terminal extension not found in bacterial or archaeal TatC proteins.
C_LIO_LIThe N-terminal extension of cpTatC interacts with the precursor mature domain during TAT translocation.
C_LIO_LIThe crosslinking data indicate that different regions within the N-terminal extension exhibit varying intensities when binding to the precursor.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maddethalawe, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hird, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dabney-Smith, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.24.625085</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The N-terminal Domain of cpTatC Protein Interacts with the Precursor Mature Domain in Chloroplast TAT Translocation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.27.625731v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptional Regulation of Mammary Alveolar Proliferation and Differentiation during Early Pregnancy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.27.625731v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The E2F transcription factors are well-established cell cycle regulators, but their roles in coordinating proliferation and differentiation remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the function of E2F5 during mammary gland development using a mammary epithelial-specific conditional knockout model. We found that E2F5 expression and chromatin binding increase during early pregnancy, coinciding with the critical window of alveolar development. Loss of E2F5 resulted in delayed alveolar expansion during early pregnancy, characterized by reduced side branching and smaller alveolar structures during early pregnancy. Mechanistically, E2F5 deletion led to reduced expression of canonical E2F target genes involved in cell cycle progression. Surprisingly, E2F5 loss also caused enrichment of luminal progenitor populations at the expense of differentiated alveolar cells, with chromatin profiling revealing substantial depletion of the repressive H3K27me3 mark at luminal progenitor-associated genes. These findings suggest that E2F5 promotes differentiation of luminal progenitors into proliferative alveolar precursors during early pregnancy. We propose that E2F5 coordinates both proliferation and differentiation by driving progenitor cells to differentiate into mature luminal cells. The dual function of E2F5 in mammary development distinguishes it from classical cell cycle regulators and positions it as a critical coordinator of the developmental transitions required for lactation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Garcia-Lerena, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vusich, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schulte, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corfixsen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.27.625731</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptional Regulation of Mammary Alveolar Proliferation and Differentiation during Early Pregnancy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.26.625493v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Drone-Based Identification of Flood-Tolerant Maize via Multispectral Imaging: A Real-World Case Study 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.26.625493v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Excess moisture (flooding, water logging, etc.) is a major source of crop damage causing catastrophic monetary losses to farmers around the world. Losses from excess water are often more common and costly than those from too little water (i.e., drought). Extreme weather patterns are predicted to increase, increasing the expected frequency of excess moisture events to farmers across the Midwest. Despite its importance, studying the impacts of flooding in the field is challenging due to unpredictability of flooding and fields being rendered inaccessible during flooding. Here, we took advantage of a natural flood experiment to examine the responses, damage, and recovery of diverse maize hybrids. Using drones, we monitored the hybrids before, during, and after flooding and examined the spatial and genetic components associated with post-flood survival.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, M. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sidberry, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mathison, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeSalvio, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kick, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Washburn, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.26.625493</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Drone-Based Identification of Flood-Tolerant Maize via Multispectral Imaging: A Real-World Case Study]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.28.625916v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structural Basis for Catalysis and Substrate Specificity of a LarA Racemase with a Broad Substrate Spectrum 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.28.625916v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The LarA family consists of diverse racemases/epimerases that interconvert the diastereomers of a variety of -hydroxyacids by using a nickel-pincer nucleotide (NPN) cofactor. The hidden redox reaction catalyzed by the NPN cofactor makes LarA enzymes attractive engineering targets for applications. However, how a LarA enzyme binds its natural substrate and recognizes different -hydroxyacids has not been elucidated. Here, we report three high-resolution structures of the enzyme-substrate complexes of a broad-spectrum LarA enzyme from Isosphaera pallida (LarAIp). The substrate binding mode reveals an optimal orientation and distance between the hydride donor and acceptor, strongly supporting the proposed proton-coupled hydride transfer mechanism. The experimentally solved structures, together with the structural models of other LarA enzymes, allow us to identify the residues/structural elements critically involved in the interactions with different -hydroxyacid substrates. Collectively, this work provides a critical structural basis for catalysis and substrate recognition of the diverse enzymes in the LarA family, thus building a foundation for enzyme engineering.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gatreddi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Urdiain-Arraiza, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desguin, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hausinger, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-11-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.28.625916</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structural Basis for Catalysis and Substrate Specificity of a LarA Racemase with a Broad Substrate Spectrum]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-11-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.27.625584v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evolution of thermal tolerance in marine diatoms: Metabolic strategies under heat stress. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.27.625584v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In the last decade, numerous laboratory experiments have demonstrated that when marine phytoplankton are exposed to thermal stress, they can evolve high temperature tolerance in a short time (weeks to months). This evolutionary potential may ensure the persistence of marine phytoplankton species under current and future global warming. However, the effect of such adaptation on the phytoplankton interaction with the environment and other organisms depends on how cellular metabolism shifts during the evolutionary process. In order to elucidate which cellular strategies allow the emergence of thermo-tolerant populations, we analyzed the proteomics response of a marine diatom (Chaetoceros simplex) to both thermal acclimation and evolutionary adaptation. We found that high temperature-tolerant populations exhibit a conservative cellular strategy when acclimated to high, above-optimal temperature, where recycling and reallocation is favored at the expense of new structures biosynthesis. While this strategy gives the populations that evolved high temperature tolerance an advantage under thermal stress, the shift to resource reallocation may explain the absence of high-temperature adaptation when cells are exposed to low nitrate availability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aranguren-Gassis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diz, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huete-Ortega, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.27.625584</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evolution of thermal tolerance in marine diatoms: Metabolic strategies under heat stress.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.02.626508v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Unveiling Cell Wall Structure and Echinocandin Response in Candida auris and Candida albicans via Solid-State NMR 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.02.626508v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Invasive candidiasis affects 1.6 million people annually, implicating high mortality and morbidity in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. Echinocandins, inhibitors of {beta}-1,3-glucan synthesis, are used as a first-line treatment; however, their efficacy is increasingly compromised by resistance and tolerance. To understand how echinocandins remodel Candida cell wall structures, thereby reducing drug effectiveness, this study compares the effects of echinocandin exposure on the cell walls of the prevalent pathogen Candida albicans and the recently emerged multidrug-resistant superbug Candida auris. High-resolution solid-state NMR analysis revealed a conserved cell wall structure in both species, with a rigid inner layer composed of closely associated chitin microfibrils and {beta}-1,3-glucans, supported by a flexible network of {beta}-1,6-glucans and additional {beta}-1,3-glucans. Despite the presence of N-mannan fibrils in the outer layer, mannan components are mobile and rely on -1,2-linked mannoside sidechains to maintain contact with chitin and {beta}-1,3-glucans. Caspofungin treatment rigidifies certain mannan sidechains and {beta}-1, 6-glucans to reinforce the cell wall in response to the depletion of most {beta}-1,3-glucans. While caspofungin treatment reduced water permeability in both species, only C. albicans responded by inducing cell wall thickening and changes in chitin and {beta}-1,3-glucan dynamics. Furthermore, the deletion of KRE6 genes encoding {beta}-1,6-glucan synthase reduced the echinocandin susceptibility of C. auris, and the impaired {beta}-1,6-glucan biosynthesis were offset by compensatory upregulation of this wall component due to caspofungin treatment. The profound alterations induced by caspofungin in Candida cell wall architecture suggest that cell wall structural contribute substantially to drug resistance and tolerance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dickwella Widanage, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reddy Yarava, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gow, N. A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mentink-Vigier, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamoth, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.02.626508</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Unveiling Cell Wall Structure and Echinocandin Response in Candida auris and Candida albicans via Solid-State NMR]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.03.626388v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Conserved effectors underpin the virulence of liverwort-isolated Pseudomonas in divergent plants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.03.626388v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant pathogenic Pseudomonas species naturally antagonize a diverse range of flowering plants. While emerging research demonstrates that isolates belonging to the P. syringae species complex colonize diverse hosts, the extent to which these bacteria naturally infect non-flowering plants like the model liverwort Marchantia polymorpha remains unclear. Here, we identify natural associations between Pseudomonas viridiflava and the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Pseudomonas bacteria isolated from diseased liverworts in the wild successfully re-infected M. polymorpha in pure culture conditions, producing high in planta bacterial densities and causing prominent tissue maceration. Comparative genomic analysis of Marchantia-associated P. viridiflava identified core virulence machinery like the type-III secretion system (T3SS) and conserved effectors (AvrE and HopM1) that were essential for liverwort infection. Disease assays performed in Nicotiana benthamiana further confirmed that liverwort-associated P. viridiflava infect flowering plants in an effector-dependent manner. Our work highlights P. viridiflava as an effective broad host pathogen that relies on conserved virulence factors to manipulate evolutionarily divergent host plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Robinson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buric, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grenz, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chia, K.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hulin, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carella, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.03.626388</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Conserved effectors underpin the virulence of liverwort-isolated Pseudomonas in divergent plants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.03.626538v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Trehalose supports the growth of Aedes aegypti cells and modifies gene expression and dengue virus replication 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.03.626538v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide that is the major sugar found in insect hemolymph fluid. Trehalose provides energy, and promotes growth, metamorphosis, stress recovery, chitin synthesis, and insect flight. Trehalase is the only enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of trehalose, which makes it an attractive molecular target. Here we show that Aedes aegypti (Aag2) cells express trehalase and that they can grow on trehalose-containing cell culture media. Trehalase activity was confirmed by treating Aag2 cells with trehalase inhibitors, which inhibited conversion of trehalose to glucose and reduced cell proliferation. Cell entry of a fluorescent trehalose probe was dependent on trehalose concentration, suggesting that trehalose moves across the cell membrane via passive transport. Culturing Aag2 cells with trehalose-containing cell culture media led to significant changes in gene expression, intracellular lipids, and dengue virus replication and specific infectivity, and increased their susceptibility to trehalase inhibitors. These data describe an in vitro model that can be used to rapidly screen novel trehalase inhibitors and probes and underscores the importance of trehalose metabolism in Ae. aegypti physiology and transmission of a mosquito-borne virus.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Conway, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marten, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haslitt, D. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swanson, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kalera, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, U. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swarts, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.03.626538</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Trehalose supports the growth of Aedes aegypti cells and modifies gene expression and dengue virus replication]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.03.626411v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pirin does not bind to p65 or regulate NFkappaB-dependent gene expression 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.03.626411v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pirin is a non-heme iron binding protein with a variety of proposed functions including serving as a co-activator of p65 NF{kappa}B and quercetinase activity. We report here, failure to confirm pirins primary proposed mechanism, binding of Fe(III)-pirin and p65. Analytical size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and fluorescence polarization (FP) studies did not detect an interaction. We also found no effects of pirin on TNF-activated p65-regulated gene transcription using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from a pirin knockout mouse and a pirin knockdown NIH3T3 fibroblast cell line. TNF - activated p65 response gene mRNA was neither increased nor decreased in cells with loss of pirin compared to wildtype cells. Furthermore, pirin immunofluorescence in NIH3T3 fibroblasts showed primarily a cytoplasmic localization, not nuclear as in most previous studies. This was confirmed by cell fractionation analysis. Pirin did show colocalization with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker protein disulfide-isomerase (PDI) as well as cyotoplasmic labeling. We confirmed pirins quercetinase activity in biochemical assays and demonstrated competitive inhibition by the pirin inhibitor CCG-257081. Cellular quercetin levels in cells exposed to quercetin in vitro were increased by knockdown of pirin or by treatment with pirin inhibitors. Since pirin is localized to ER and flavanols are protective of ER stress, we investigated whether pirin knockdown altered ER stress signaling but did not find any effect of pirin knockdown on ER stress response genes. Our results challenge the dominant model of pirins function (NF{kappa}B regulation) but confirm its quercetinase activity with implications for the mechanisms of pirin binding small molecules.

Significance StatementPirin has multiple proposed functions and plays an important role in cancer (melanoma, colon, and breast) and inflammatory diseases. Small molecule pirin-binding compounds have been identified but pirins functional mechanism remains poorly understood. We raise doubts about the primary description of pirin as a nuclear regulator of p65 NF{kappa}B function but validate pirins role as a quercetinase. We show that pirin-binding compounds can raise cellular quercetin levels. Further studies will be required to fully understand pirins biological mechanisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Meschkewitz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lisabeth, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cab-Gomez, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leipprandt, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neubig, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.03.626411</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pirin does not bind to p65 or regulate NFkappaB-dependent gene expression]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.03.626664v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A photorespiratory glyoxylate shunt in the cytosol supports photosynthesis and plant growth under high light conditions in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.03.626664v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Photorespiration, a central aspect of plant metabolism that is tightly connected to photosynthesis, functions in part to support photosynthetic performance, especially under stress conditions such as high light. However, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the role and regulation of photorespiration in plant response to high light is limited. To identify modulators of photorespiration under high light, we isolated genetic suppressors of the photorespiratory mutant hpr1, which is defective in the peroxisomal hydroxypyruvate reductase 1. A suppressor that partially rescued hpr1 under high light was mapped to GLYR1, which encodes the cytosolic glyoxylate reductase 1 enzyme that converts glyoxylate to glycolate. Independent GLYR1 loss-of-function mutants also partially rescued hpr1 and another photorespiratory mutant, catalase 2. Our genetic, transcriptomic and metabolic profiling analyses together suggested a novel connection between cytosolic glyoxylate and a non-canonical photorespiratory route mediated by the cytosolic HPR2 enzyme, which we named the photorespiratory glyoxylate shunt. This shunt is especially critical under high light intensities when a high rate of photorespiratory flux is required and in the absence of a properly functional major photorespiratory pathway. Our findings support the metabolic flexibility of photorespiration and may help future efforts to improve crop performance under stress.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jiang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koenig, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.03.626664</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A photorespiratory glyoxylate shunt in the cytosol supports photosynthesis and plant growth under high light conditions in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.29.626106v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The membrane-associated ubiquitin ligase MARCHF8 promotes cancer immune evasion by degrading MHC class I proteins 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.29.626106v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The loss of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules has been proposed as a mechanism by which cancer cells evade tumor-specific T cells in immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-refractory patients. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which cancer cells downregulate MHC-I is poorly understood. We report here that membrane-associated RING-CH-type finger 8 (MARCHF8), upregulated by human papillomavirus (HPV), ubiquitinates and degrades MHC-I proteins in HPV-positive head and neck cancer (HPV+ HNC). MARCHF8 knockdown restores MHC-I levels on HPV+ HNC cells. We further reveal that Marchf8 knockout significantly suppresses tumor growth and increases the infiltration of natural killer (NK) and T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, Marchf8 knockout markedly increases crosstalk between the cytotoxic NK cells and CD8+ T cells with macrophages and enhances the tumor cell-killing activity of CD8+ T cells. CD8+ T cell depletion in mice abrogates Marchf8 knockout-driven tumor suppression and T cell infiltration. Interestingly, Marchf8 knockout, in combination with anti-PD-1 treatment, synergistically suppresses tumor growth in mice bearing ICI-refractory tumors. Taken together, our finding suggests that MARCHF8 could be a promising target for novel immunotherapy for HPV+ HNC patients.

One Sentence SummaryTargeting MARCHF8 restores MHC-I proteins, induces antitumor CD8+ T cell activity, and suppresses the growth of ICI-refractory tumors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Khalil, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yin, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chadha, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nabors, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vocelle, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>May, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chrisopolus, R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roux, K. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernard, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mi, Q.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pyeon, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.11.29.626106</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The membrane-associated ubiquitin ligase MARCHF8 promotes cancer immune evasion by degrading MHC class I proteins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.09.627581v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Modulation of Purkinje Cell Inhibition by Stem Cell Factor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.09.627581v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Abstract / SummaryTarget derived factors influence the specification, maintenance, and modulation of synaptic connectivity. The transmembrane protein, Kit Ligand, and Kit receptor tyrosine kinase are differentially expressed in connected neurons. In development and postnatal periods, these proteins maintain connectivity between cerebellar Purkinje cells (PC) that express Kit Ligand, and presynaptic Molecular Layer Interneurons (MLI) expressing Kit. In this study, it is demonstrated that Stem Cell Factor (SCF), the active extracellular domain of Kit Ligand, produces a potent potentiation of inhibition upon Purkinje Cells. The SCF enhancement of inhibition required presynaptic Kit, produced long term suppression of PC firing, and was associated with a specific potentiation of basket cells of the MLI1 subtype. It is posited that SCF exerts a postsynaptic effect involving enhanced sensitivity of somatic PC GABAA receptors. This work demonstrates that the SCF/Kit axis modulates synaptic function in adult tissue.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zaman, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lahr, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cherian, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pozzo-Miller, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.09.627581</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Modulation of Purkinje Cell Inhibition by Stem Cell Factor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.06.627175v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Root-pore interactions, the underestimated driver for rhizosphere structure and rhizosheath development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.06.627175v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Physical characteristics of rhizosphere and rhizosheath, i.e. root-adhering soil, are crucial for plant performance. Yet, the drivers of the rhizospheres structural properties and their relationships with rhizosheath development remain unclear.

We used X-ray computed micro-tomography (i) to explore two drivers of rhizosphere porosity: root-induced changes vs. preferential root growth into soil with certain pore characteristics and (ii) to estimate their contributions to rhizosphere macroporosity gradients and rhizosheath formation. Rhizosheath development was assessed in relation to rhizosphere macroporosity and rhizodeposition after {superscript 1}C labeling.

Our results confirmed that both root-induced changes and growth preferences shape rhizosphere structure, with their relative significance depending on the inherent macropore availability. In intact soils, growth preferences were the dominant factor, while in sieved soils the root-induced changes became equally important. Rhizosheath formation was associated with roots compacting their surrounding and releasing carbon. However, no correlation was found between rhizosheath formation and the actual rhizosphere, i.e., the volume of soil adjacent to the roots.

The study offers new process-level understanding of rhizosphere porosity gradients, while emphasizing caution in interpreting root growth data from sieved soil studies. Similarly, traditional destructively sampled rhizosheath may not fully capture the true characteristics of the actual rhizosphere, underscoring importance of intact-soil analyses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Geers-Lucas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guber, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kravchenko, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.06.627175</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Root-pore interactions, the underestimated driver for rhizosphere structure and rhizosheath development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.10.627714v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Accurate Predictions of Molecular Properties of Proteins via Graph Neural Networks and Transfer Learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.10.627714v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Machine learning has emerged as a promising approach for predicting molecular properties of proteins, as it addresses limitations of experimental and traditional computational methods. Here, we introduce GSnet, a graph neural network (GNN) trained to predict physicochemical and geometric properties including solvation free energies, diffusion constants, and hydrodynamic radii, based on three-dimensional protein structures. By leveraging transfer learning, pre-trained GSnet embeddings were adapted to predict solvent-accessible surface area (SASA) and residue-specific pKa values, achieving high accuracy and generalizability. Notably, GSnet outperformed existing protein embeddings for SASA prediction, and a locally charge-aware variant, aLCnet, approached the accuracy of simulation-based and empirical methods for pKa prediction. Our GNN framework demonstrated robustness across diverse datasets, including intrinsically disordered peptides, and scalability for high-throughput applications. These results highlight the potential of GNN-based embeddings and transfer learning to advance protein structure analysis, providing a foundation for integrating predictive models into proteome-wide studies and structural biology pipelines.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wozniak, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janson, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.10.627714</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Accurate Predictions of Molecular Properties of Proteins via Graph Neural Networks and Transfer Learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.10.627817v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Jan and mini-Jan, a model system for potato functional genomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.10.627817v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is the third most important food crop in the world. Although the potato genome has been fully sequenced, functional genomics research of potato lags relative to other major food crops due primarily to the lack of a model experimental potato line. Here, we present a diploid potato line,  Jan, which possesses all essential characteristics for facile functional genomics studies. Jan has a high level of homozygosity after seven generations of self-pollination. Jan is vigorous and highly fertile with outstanding tuber traits, high regeneration rates, and excellent transformation efficiencies. We generated a chromosome-scale genome assembly for Jan, annotated genes, and identified syntelogs relative to the potato reference genome assembly DMv6.1 to facilitate functional genomics. To miniaturize plant architecture, we developed two "mini-Jan" lines with compact and dwarf plant stature using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis targeting the Dwarf and Erecta genes related to growth. Mini-Jan mutants are fully fertile and will permit higher-throughput studies in limited growth chamber and greenhouse space. Thus, Jan and mini-Jan provide an outstanding model system that can be leveraged for gene editing and functional genomics research in potato.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xin, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strickland, L. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trusky, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Butler, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Douches, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.10.627817</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Jan and mini-Jan, a model system for potato functional genomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.18.629299v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The clumped isotope signatures of multiple methanogenesis metabolisms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.18.629299v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, an important energy source, and a potential biosignature on extraterrestrial planetary bodies. The relative abundances of doubly substituted ("clumped") methane isotopologues (13CH3D and 12CH2D2) offer important information on the sources and sinks of methane. However, the clumped isotope signatures of microbially produced methane from different methanogenic pathways lack a systematic investigation. In this study, we provide a dataset encompassing the relative isotopologue abundances produced by hydrogenotrophic, methylotrophic, acetoclastic, and methoxydotrophic methanogenesis. We find that a statistical "combinatorial effect" generates significant differences in 12CH2D2 compositions between hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis and other pathways. The thermodynamic drive of methanogenic reactions and phylogenetic affiliation may also influence the isotope compositions of methane. Our study provides new experimental constraints on the isotope signatures of different microbial methanogenic pathways, and evidence of the mechanisms responsible for the observed differences.

TeaserA novel stable isotope tool to track and differentiate sources of biological methane.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ash, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cobban, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kubik, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rizzo, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guibourdenche, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morra, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mueller, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Masterson, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stein, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fogel, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torres, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feng, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holden, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martini, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welte, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jetten, M. S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Young, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leavitt, W. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.18.629299</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The clumped isotope signatures of multiple methanogenesis metabolisms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.19.627509v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Image Processing in the Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Project 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.19.627509v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) project is a large-scale, multi-site initiative aimed at identifying biomarkers and biosignatures that predict the transition from acute to chronic pain. The project is collecting multimodal, longitudinal data from over 2,500 individuals at risk for developing chronic pain after surgery. Here we describe the neuroimaging component of A2CPS, including the acquisition protocols, processing pipelines, and contents of the initial data release. The imaging protocol includes structural, diffusion, resting-state and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Data are collected across multiple clinical sites using different scanner manufacturers, with attention to protocol harmonization and quality control. The processing pipeline integrates several established neuroimaging tools to extract potential biomarkers, including measures of brain structure, connectivity, and pain-related neural signatures. The first data release includes pre-surgical imaging data for 595 participants, with high quality ratings across modalities (98.7% of sMRI, 99.8% of dMRI, and 94.6% of fMRI images were rated as acceptable or better). Initial analyses demonstrate expected relationships between brain-derived measures and clinical variables, such as associations between brain age and psychological factors. This dataset represents a valuable resource for both pain research and neuroimaging methods development, with future releases planned to include additional participants and expanded analysis pipelines and processed data derivatives.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sadil, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arfanakis, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhuiyan, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caffo, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Calhoun, V. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clauw, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeLano, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ford, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gattu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ichesco, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kahn, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaplan, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leloudas, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lindquist, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mulderink, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peltier, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prasad, P. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sica, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Urrutia, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vance, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wager, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xuan, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, X. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shu, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>The Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures Consortium,</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.19.627509</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Image Processing in the Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Project]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.19.629449v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Detecting mtDNA effects with an Extended Pedigree Model: An Analysis of Statistical Power and Estimation Bias 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.19.629449v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) plays a crucial role in numerous cellular processes, yet its impact on human behavior remains underexplored. The current paper proposes a novel covariance structure model with seven parameters to specifically isolate and quantify mtDNA effects on human behavior. This approach uses extended pedigrees to obtain estimates of mtDNA variance while controlling for other genetic and environmental influences. Our Monte-Carlo simulations indicate that a sample size of approximately 5,000 individuals is sufficient to detect medium mtDNA effects (mt2 = 5%), while a more substantial cohort of around 30,000 is required for small effects (mt2 = 1%). We show that deeper pedigrees increase power to detect the mtDNA effect while wider pedigrees decrease power, given the equal total sample size. We evaluated how missing kinship records and mtDNA mutations impact bias. Both lead to underestimation of mtDNA variance, and an overestimation of the interaction between nuclear DNA and mtDNA. In addition, the false positive rate of mtDNA effect estimation is low when fitting the model with data generated without mtDNA effects. Collectively, we demonstrate that using extended pedigrees to quantify the influence of mtDNA on human behavior is robust and powerful.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lyu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hunter, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burt, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Good, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carroll, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garrison, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.19.629449</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Detecting mtDNA effects with an Extended Pedigree Model: An Analysis of Statistical Power and Estimation Bias]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.23.630076v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TRF1 and TRF2 form distinct shelterin subcomplexes at telomeres 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.23.630076v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The shelterin complex protects chromosome ends from the DNA damage repair machinery and regulates telomerase access to telomeres. Shelterin is composed of six proteins (TRF1, TRF2, TIN2, TPP1, POT1 and RAP1) that can assemble into various subcomplexes in vitro. However, the stoichiometry of the shelterin complex and its dynamic association with telomeres in cells is poorly defined. To quantitatively analyze the shelterin function in living cells we generated a panel of cancer cell lines expressing HaloTagged shelterin proteins from their endogenous loci. We systematically determined the total cellular abundance and telomeric copy number of each shelterin subunit, demonstrating that the shelterin proteins are present at telomeres in equal numbers. In addition, we used single-molecule live-cell imaging to analyze the dynamics of shelterin protein association with telomeres. Our results demonstrate that TRF1-TIN2-TPP1-POT1 and TRF2-RAP1 form distinct subcomplexes that occupy non-overlapping binding sites on telomeric chromatin. TRF1-TIN2-TPP1-POT1 tightly associates with chromatin, while TRF2-RAP1 binding to telomeres is more dynamic, allowing it to recruit a variety of co-factors to chromatin to protect chromosome ends from DNA repair factors. In total, our work provides critical mechanistic insight into how the shelterin proteins carry out multiple essential functions in telomere maintenance and significantly advances our understanding of macromolecular structure of telomeric chromatin.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Janovic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.23.630076</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TRF1 and TRF2 form distinct shelterin subcomplexes at telomeres]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.20.629783v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rule-Based Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Diterpene Libraries: Categorizing Patterns & Unravelling the Structural Landscape 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.20.629783v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Terpenoids make up the largest class of specialized metabolites with over 180,000 reported compounds currently across all kingdoms of life. Their synthesis accentuates one of natures most choreographed enzymatic and non-reversible chemistries, leading to an extensive range of structural functionality and diversity. Current terpenoid repositories provide a seemingly endless landscape to systematically survey for information regarding structure, sourcing, and synthesis. Efforts here investigate entries for the 20-carbon diterpenoid variants and deconstruct the complex patterns into simple, categorical groups. This deconstruction approach reduces over 60,000 unique diterpenoid structures to less than 1,000 categorical structures. Furthermore, the majority of diterpene entries (over 75%) can be represented by less than 25 core skeletons. Natural diterpenoid abundance was mapped throughout the tree of life and structural diversity was correlated at an atom-and-bond resolution. Additionally, all identified core structures provide guidelines for predicting how diterpene diversity originates via the mechanisms catalyzed by diterpene synthases. Over 95% of diterpenoid structures rely on cyclization. Here a reconstructive approach is reapplied based on known biochemical rules to model the birth of compound diversity. Reconstruction enabled prediction of highly probable synthesis mechanisms for bioactive taxane-relatives, which were discovered over three decades ago. This computational synthesis validates previously identified reaction products and pathways, as well as enables predicting trajectories for synthesizing real and theoretical compounds. This deconstructive and reconstructive approach applied to the diterpene landscape provides modular, flexible, and an easy-to-use toolset for categorically simplifying otherwise complex or hidden patterns.

Significance StatementWe take a deconstructive and reconstructive approach to explore the origins of the diterpene landscape. Introduction of a navigational toolset enables users to survey compound libraries in ways formerly uncharted. Their utility demonstrated here, maps out diterpene cyclization routes, critical intermediate waypoints, and guidance for how to arrive at compounds previously off-the-map. Information acquired from these tools may imply the diterpene landscape is vastly unexplored, with the plateau for discovery potentially still out of sight.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mathieu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schlecht, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Aalst, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shebek, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Busta, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Babineau, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ebenhoeh, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamberger, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.20.629783</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rule-Based Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Diterpene Libraries: Categorizing Patterns & Unravelling the Structural Landscape]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.26.630430v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Priming versus propagating: distinct immune effects of an alpha- versus beta-particle emitting radiopharmaceutical when combined with immune checkpoint inhibition 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.26.630430v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) enhances tumor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in preclinical models, but the effects of different radioisotopes have not been thoroughly compared. To evaluate mechanisms of response to RPT+ICI, we used NM600, an alkylphosphocholine selectively taken up by most tumors. Effects of 90Y-, 177Lu-, and 225Ac-NM600 + ICIs were compared in syngeneic murine models, B78 melanoma (poorly immunogenic) and MC38 colorectal cancer (immunogenic). 90Y-/177Lu-/or 225Ac-NM600 delivering 2 Gy mean tumor dose promoted tumor regression and improved survival when combined with ICIs in syngeneic mice bearing B78 or MC38 tumors. Regardless of the administered isotope, this combination was optimized with early ICI administration (days -3/0/3) relative to day 1 RPT. 90Y-NM600+ICI produced the greatest anti-tumor response for MC38, whereas high linear energy transfer (LET) alpha particle radiation from 225Ac-NM600+ICI was most effective against poorly immunogenic B78 tumors. Flow cytometry and single cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing illuminated distinct mechanisms of 90Y- or 177Lu-NM600 in promoting expansion of existing adaptive immunity and of 225Ac-NM600 in promoting immune priming when combined with ICI. Antitumor immune response can be achieved with appropriate application of - or {beta}- emitting RPT in combination with ICIs in diverse murine tumor models.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kerr, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grudzinski, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Aguiar Ferreira, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Comas Rojas, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Onate, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kwon, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hyun, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bio Idrissou, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welch Schwartz, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vera, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takashima, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Erbe, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shea, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Powers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pinchuk, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Massey, C. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hernandez, R. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bednarz, B. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ong, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weichert, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morris, Z. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2024-12-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.26.630430</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Priming versus propagating: distinct immune effects of an alpha- versus beta-particle emitting radiopharmaceutical when combined with immune checkpoint inhibition]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2024-12-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.31.630934v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structure and Post-Translational Modification of the Prostaglandin Transporter 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.31.630934v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The prostaglandin transporter (PGT) is a member of the Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide (OATP) family of membrane transporters. PGT mediates the uptake of prostaglandins from the extracellular environment to enable intracellular enzymatic degradation and termination of signaling. In addition to importing prostaglandins, PGT is also an essential core component of the Maxi-Cl channel, which facilitates cellular release of ATP and other small organic anions. Despite progress on understanding the (patho)physiological roles of PGT, and development of small molecules to inhibit this transporter, molecular details of the overall structure and transport mechanism remain elusive. Here we determined the cryo-EM structure of human PGT, which demonstrates an overall topology consistent with other OATPs despite possessing a dual transporter/channel functionality. We additionally investigated the role of eight potential disulfide bonds found in the extracellular loops of PGT and paralogous transporters. Through biochemical and functional characterization we demonstrate that six intra-loop disulfide bonds (C420-C511, C450-C470, C492-C474, C459-C507, C444-C494, C580-C594) are essential for proper N-glycosylation, plasma membrane trafficking, and prostaglandin import activity of PGT. In contrast, two inter-loop disulfides (C155-C587 and C143-C448) were found to restrict maximal prostaglandin uptake, suggesting a possible regulatory role in modulating PGT activity. In total, our studies provide a fresh molecular perspective on the structure, post-translational modification, and overall function of PGT.

Significance StatementThe prostaglandin transporter (PGT) is essential for cellular uptake of prostaglandins and serves as a core component of the Maxi-Cl channel. Using cryo-EM we resolved the structure of human PGT, revealing a similar overall topology as other OATP transporters. Extensive site-directed mutagenesis and functional assays identified eight disulfide bonds in PGTs extracellular domain as key regulators of glycosylation, trafficking, and transport activity. These findings provide a structural basis for PGT function and lay a foundation to further explore substrate recognition and inhibitor design for this biologically significant transporter.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yu, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orlando, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orlando, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2024.12.31.630934</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structure and Post-Translational Modification of the Prostaglandin Transporter]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.01.631017v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Differences in apple fruit shape are independent of fruit size 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.01.631017v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PremiseFruit quality is crucial in breeding new apple accessions. Before tasting, consumers assess freshness and flavour based on the physical appearance of fruit. Understanding how fruit quality traits such as shape and size vary across diverse apples provides a foundation for future breeding efforts.

MethodsWe analyzed images of 5724 apples representing 743 different trees and 534 unique accessions from Canadas Apple Biodiversity Collection to quantify variation in fruit shape and size. To achieve this, we used a pseudo-landmarking approach paired with traditional linear measurements including length, width, area, solidity, and aspect ratio. We also incorporated previously collected fruit weight measurements from the same trees.

ResultsUsing a comprehensive measure of shape, we determined that the primary source of variation in apple fruit shape was the width to length (aspect) ratio of the fruit. This variation was not significantly correlated with differences in fruit size from its area and harvest weight.

ConclusionsOur findings indicate that two critical aspects of morphological variation in apple--fruit shape and size--are independent, suggesting it is possible to select for a diverse range of fruit shapes while maintaining a consistent and marketable size.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>DeViller, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Myles, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.01.631017</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Differences in apple fruit shape are independent of fruit size]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.02.630924v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparative immuno-biology at clinical recognition of early multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in pediatric and adult patients using single-cell transcriptomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.02.630924v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Globally, sepsis remains a major health issue, with Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) being a leading cause of mortality. MODS, a severe condition often seen in intensive care units, typically results from infections or trauma and involves complex pathophysiological processes requiring various clinical interventions. Although infections are the main triggers, the mechanisms driving MODS remain unclear. To investigate the transition of sepsis to MODS, we generated a single cell RNA sequencing dataset comprising 86,839 immune cells from pediatric sepsis patients at the clinical onset of MODS patients and age-matched controls, identifying 22 distinct cell types. A cluster of S100 genes, located in the same genomic region, was highly expressed in neutrophils in MODS patients, demonstrating strong diagnostic potential across cohorts (AUC=0.94- 0.99) and potential as therapeutic targets. We found that many B and T cells showed heightened inflammation and increased apoptotic activity during early MODS. Additionally, specific transcription regulators and surface proteins associated with inflammation and S100 regulations were uniquely expressed in MODS. Pseudotime analysis revealed distinct S100 gene expression patterns between controls and MODS. Cell-cell interaction analysis highlighted dendritic cells as key mediators, enhancing communication between plasma cells and V{delta} T cells while activating inflammatory and immunosuppressive pathways. We also analyzed 116,803 immune cells from adult MODS patients, revealing stronger immune dysregulation compared to pediatric MODS, including altered S100 gene expression, and enhanced cell-cell interactions. These findings suggest that S100 genes may serve as a marker for MODS. Furthermore, insights gained from adult MODS could improve our understanding of rare pediatric MODS and contribute to the development of better therapeutics for all MODS patients.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shankar, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goodyke, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koirala, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paithankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, R.-Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hartog, N. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chesla, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rajasekaran, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.02.630924</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparative immuno-biology at clinical recognition of early multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in pediatric and adult patients using single-cell transcriptomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.02.631137v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phosphorus Availability Modulates Flowering Time Through Subcellular Reprogramming of bGLU25 and GRP7 in Flowering Plants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.02.631137v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The transition from vegetative to reproductive growth is vital for plant fitness and crop yield and is strongly influenced by nutrient availability. While nitrogen deficiency accelerates flowering, phosphorus (P) limitation delays it. However, the molecular basis for how P availability regulates flowering time remains unclear. Here, through genome-wide association mapping in Arabidopsis, we uncover genetic variation in {beta}-GLUCOSIDASE 25 (bGLU25) that modulates flowering under P-limited conditions. In P-sufficient environments, bGLU25 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum. Under P limitation, however, bGLU25 translocates to the cytosol, a process mediated by P-regulated SERINE CARBOXY PEPTIDASE 50 (SCP50). In the cytosol, bGLU25 binds to JACALIN-LECTIN LIKE1 (AtJAC1), preventing the nuclear translocation of the Flowering Locus C (FLC) regulator GLYCINE-RICH RNA-BINDING PROTEIN 7 (GRP7). This cytosolic sequestration of GRP7 under P-deprivation elevates FLC expression, delaying flowering. Moreover, in the monocot rice, the homologs of bGLU25 also modulate flowering responses to P availability, indicating a conserved role for bGLU25 across flowering plants. Our findings provide a molecular framework for breeding strategies aimed at optimizing flowering time in response to P levels.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cho, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bouain, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nawaz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shahzad, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandizzi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rouached, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.02.631137</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phosphorus Availability Modulates Flowering Time Through Subcellular Reprogramming of bGLU25 and GRP7 in Flowering Plants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.06.631427v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Toward a privacy-preserving predictive foundation model of single-cell transcriptomics with federated learning and tabular modeling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.06.631427v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The ability to pre-train on vast amounts of data to build foundation models (FMs) has achieved remarkable success in numerous domains, including natural language processing, computer vision, and, more recently, single-cell genomics--epitomized by GeneFormer, scGPT, and scFoundation. However, as single-cell FMs begin to train on increasingly large corpora, significant privacy and ethical concerns arise. Moreover, unlike text data, single-cell data is unordered and exhibits a unique tabular structure that most existing single-cell FMs overlook. In this study, we propose Tabula, a privacy-preserving and tabular-structure aware FM designed with federated learning (FL) and tabular modeling. Tabula combines the advantages of FMs and FL, enabling collaborative model training across multiple clients without compromising data privacy. In contrast to earlier single-cell FMs--which treat single-cell data like natural language (viewing cells as "words" defined by genes)--Tabula introduces a novel pretraining strategy that explicitly models the tabular structure of single-cell data. Extensive experimental results show that Tabula outperforms state-of-the-art methods in various downstream tasks (including cell type annotation, gene imputation, gene perturbation, multi-batch integration, and multi-omics integration) while requiring only half the data for pretraining and preserving data privacy. Furthermore, Tabula accurately reveals pairwise and even combinatorial regulatory logic across diverse biological systems, including hematopoiesis, pancreatic endogenesis, neurogenesis, and cardiogenesis. Thus, Tabula provides a new foundation model that explicitly incorporates the tabular nature of single-cell data alongside FL, paving the way for creating a "virtual cell" for human health under critical privacy preservation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mao, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.06.631427</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Toward a privacy-preserving predictive foundation model of single-cell transcriptomics with federated learning and tabular modeling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.08.631803v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Memory Inception through Gaze-Contingent Message Exposure: Using Virtual Reality to Study Media Influence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.08.631803v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The messages we encounter in our environment can shape our knowledge about the world. However, much research on mediadriven influence via messages focuses on population-level effects and aggregate exposure statistics, obscuring how individual and self-determined behaviors affect message intake, processing, and effects. To address this gap, we use virtual reality (VR) to create a controlled messaging environment. Participants navigate a simulated urban street lined with billboard messages while their visual attention is tracked via eye-tracking. We introduce an inception-style manipulation: overlooked billboards are strategically reintroduced, creating additional exposure opportunities. Our results demonstrate that this subtle manipulation - unnoticed by participants - boosts message retention. This study bridges communication theory and psychology, elucidating the blurred line between voluntary and involuntary information intake in the digital age. It also highlights a potential vulnerability in the future metaverse media ecosystem, where undetected information manipulations can influence individual and collective attention and memories.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cho, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saenz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmaelzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.08.631803</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Memory Inception through Gaze-Contingent Message Exposure: Using Virtual Reality to Study Media Influence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.08.632046v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The MAP kinase scaffold MORG1 shapes cell death in unresolved ER stress in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.08.632046v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Governed by the unfolded protein response (UPR), the ability to counteract endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis under adverse conditions. Unresolved ER stress leads to cell death through mechanisms that are yet not completely known. To identify key UPR effectors involved in unresolved ER stress, we performed an ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) suppressor screen on the Arabidopsis bzip28/60 mutant, which is impaired in activating cytoprotective UPR pathways. This screen identified MAP kinase organizer 1 (MORG1), a conserved MAP kinase scaffold protein, as a previously uncharacterized regulator of ER stress tolerance. The coffin1 mutant, which carries a mutation in MORG1, exhibited enhanced resilience to ER stress by partially restoring UPR gene expression and promoting growth under stress conditions. Mechanistically, we found that MORG1 modulates MPK6-dependent phosphorylation of the stress-responsive transcription factor WRKY8. Loss of WRKY8 phenocopied the coffin1 mutant, highlighting WRKY8s role as a key repressor in the UPR. Together, these findings reveal a MORG1-MPK6-WRKY8 signaling axis that fine-tunes UPR gene expression, providing new insights into ER stress regulation and strategies for improving stress tolerance in multicellular eukaryotes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>KIM, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ko, D. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandizzi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.08.632046</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The MAP kinase scaffold MORG1 shapes cell death in unresolved ER stress in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.10.632395v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The PST repeat region of MDC1 is a tunable multivalent chromatin tethering domain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.10.632395v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) are widely considered the most cytotoxic DNA lesions occurring in cells because they physically disrupt the connectivity of the DNA double helix. Homologous recombination (HR) is a high-fidelity DSB repair pathway that copies the sequence spanning the DNA break from a homologous template, most commonly the sister chromatid. How both DNA ends, and the sister chromatid are held in close proximity during HR is unknown. Here we demonstrate that the PST repeat region of MDC1 is a mutlivalent nucleosome binding domain, sufficient to tether chromatin in multiple contexts. In mitotic cells the affinity of the PST repeats for chromatin is downregulated by phosphorylation to prevent chromosome missegregation, while still contributing to DNA break tethering by the MDC1-TOPBP1-CIP2A complex. In interphase, the PST repeat region is critical for RAD51 focus formation but not the recruitment of 53BP1 to DNA breaks, consistent with a chromatin tethering function. In total, this work demonstrates that the PST repeat region of MDC1 is a multivalent chromatin binding domain with tunable affinity that contributes to DNA break tethering during HR and in mitosis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heyza, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mikhova, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Broadbent, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.10.632395</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The PST repeat region of MDC1 is a tunable multivalent chromatin tethering domain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.10.632448v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Euprymna berryi as a comparative model host for Vibrio fischeri light organ symbiosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.10.632448v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Functional studies of host-microbe interactions benefit from natural model systems that enable exploration of molecular mechanisms at the host-microbe interface. Bioluminescent Vibrio fischeri colonize the light organ of the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, and this binary model has enabled advances in understanding host-microbe communication, colonization specificity, in vivo biofilms, intraspecific competition, and quorum sensing. The hummingbird bobtail squid, Euprymna berryi, can be generationally bred and maintained in lab settings and has had multiple genes deleted by CRISPR approaches. The prospect of expanding the utility of the light organ model system by producing multigenerational host lines led us to determine the extent to which the E. berryi light organ symbiosis parallels known processes in E. scolopes. However, the nature of the E. berryi light organ, including its microbial constituency and specificity for microbial partners, have not been examined. In this report, we isolate bacteria from E. berryi animals and tank water. Assays of bacterial behaviors required in the host, as well as host responses to bacterial colonization, illustrate largely parallel phenotypes in E. berryi and E. scolopes hatchlings. This study reveals E. berryi to be a valuable comparative model to complement studies in E. scolopes.

IMPORTANCEMicrobiome studies have been substantially advanced by model systems that enable functional interrogation of the roles of the partners and the molecular communication between those partners. The Euprymna scolopes-Vibrio fischeri system has contributed foundational knowledge, revealing key roles for bacterial quorum sensing broadly and in animal hosts, for bacteria in stimulating animal development, for bacterial motility in accessing host sites, and for in vivo biofilm formation in development and specificity of an animals microbiome. Euprymna berryi is a second bobtail squid host, and one that has recently been shown to be robust to laboratory husbandry and amenable to gene knockout. This study identifies E. berryi as a strong symbiosis model host due to features that are conserved with those of E. scolopes, which will enable extension of functional studies in bobtail squid symbioses.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Imes, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pavelsky, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Badal, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kamp, D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Briseno, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sakmar, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nyholm, S. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heath-Heckman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grasse, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Septer, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mandel, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.10.632448</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Euprymna berryi as a comparative model host for Vibrio fischeri light organ symbiosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.11.632558v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Autoimmune regulator deficiency causes sterile epididymitis and impacts male fertility through disruption of inorganic physiology 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.11.632558v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autoimmune regulator (AIRE), a transcription factor expressed by medullary thymic epithelial cells, is required for shaping the self-antigen tolerant T cell receptor repertoire. Humans with mutations in AIRE suffer from Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1 (APS-1). Among many symptoms, men with APS-1 commonly experience testicular insufficiency and infertility, but the mechanisms causing infertility are unknown. Using an Aire-deficient mouse model, we demonstrate that male subfertility is caused by sterile epididymitis characterized by immune cell infiltration and extensive fibrosis. In addition, we reveal that the presence of autoreactive immune cells and inflammation in epididymides of Aire-deficient mice are required for iron (Fe) deposition in the interstitium, which is brought on by macrophages. We further demonstrate that male subfertility is associated with a decrease in metals zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se) which serve as cofactors in several antioxidant enzymes. We also show increase in DNA damage of epididymal sperm of Aire-/- animals as a key contributing factor to subfertility. The absence of Aire results in autoimmune attack of the epididymis leading to fibrosis, Fe deposition, and Cu, Zn and Se imbalance, ultimately resulting in sperm DNA damage and subfertility. These results highlight the requirement of Aire to promote immune tolerance throughout the epididymis, disruption of which causes an imbalance of inorganic elements with resulting consequence on male fertility.

Key pointsBreakdown of epididymal self-tolerance promotes disruption of inorganic elements. Autoimmunity causes interstitial fibrosis resulting in sperm DNA damage and subfertility. Elevated interstitial iron and macrophages contribute to fibrosis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ahn, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Halgren, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grzesiak, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacRenaris, K. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sue, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demireva, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petroff, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.11.632558</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Autoimmune regulator deficiency causes sterile epididymitis and impacts male fertility through disruption of inorganic physiology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.14.633016v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Harnessing Extracellular Vesicles for Stabilized and Functional IL-10 Delivery in Macrophage Immunomodulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.14.633016v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are gaining recognition as promising therapeutic carriers for immune modulation. We investigated the potential of EVs derived from HEK293FT cells to stabilize and deliver interleukin-10 (IL-10), a key anti-inflammatory cytokine. Using minicircle (MC) DNA vectors, we achieved IL-10 overexpression and efficient incorporation into EVs, yielding superior stability compared to free, recombinant IL-10 protein. Detailed biophysical and functional analyses revealed that IL-10+ EVs contain both monomeric and oligomeric forms of IL-10 on their external surface and encapsulated within vesicles. IL-10+ EVs suppressed inflammatory cytokine expression in pro-inflammatory macrophages (from two to 14-fold compared to naive EVs) without inducing anti-inflammatory polarization, demonstrating a distinct immunosuppressive mechanism. Interestingly, naive EVs from non-transfected cells also exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects, suggesting that the intrinsic bioactive cargo of EVs substantially contributes to their function, complicating the interpretation of IL-10-specific effects. Size-based fractionation analyses of IL-10+ large EVs (lEVs), small EVs (sEVs), and non-vesicular extracellular particles (NVEPs) revealed IL-10 presence across all fractions, predominantly in monomeric form, with anti-inflammatory activity distributed among subpopulations. Anion exchange chromatography successfully enriched IL-10+ exosomes while retaining immunomodulatory effects. However, the shared properties of naive and IL-10+ exosomes underscore the complexity of their immunomodulatory functions. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of EVs while emphasizing the need to disentangle the contributions of engineered cytokines from endogenous vesicular components.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Saleh, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gagea, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vitija, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janovic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deng, C. X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.14.633016</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Harnessing Extracellular Vesicles for Stabilized and Functional IL-10 Delivery in Macrophage Immunomodulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.17.633510v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A field-focused systems approach reveals mRNA covalent modifications linked to sorghum growth and development under drought stress 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.17.633510v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
RNA Covalent Modifications (RCMs) are post-transcriptional chemical alterations that influence RNA stability and translation efficiency, thus play critical roles in eukaryotic growth and development. However, their role in regulating plant performance under abiotic stress remain largely unexplored. Here, we integrated multi-omics data in six Sorghum bicolor accessions under water-limiting conditions in the field to explore the relationship between RCMs and drought response. Within a stress and photosynthesis-associated gene co-expression module, we identified SbDUS2, a member of family of enzymes, conserved across eukaryotes, which catalyzes the reduction of uracil to dihydrouridine (DHU) on RNA molecules. DHU-modified transcripts in this module were enriched for photosynthetic functions and showed strong correlation with photosynthetic traits. To elucidate the function of this RCM, we characterized loss of function dus2 mutants in the genetic model, Arabidopsis thaliana. Under control conditions, these DHU-deficient mutants exhibited impaired germination and delayed development. Furthermore, when exposed to heat or water-limiting conditions, these mutants showed significantly reduced net CO2 assimilation and survival. Using multiple transcriptome-wide RNA stability assays, we demonstrated that transcripts associated with lower DHU level in a dus2 background generally exhibited increased stability compared to Col-0 controls. Particularly, lack of DUS2 led to the hyperstability of photosynthesis-related transcripts, impeding their turnover and likely preventing proper photosynthetic acclimation during stress. We propose a model based on these data where DHU acts as a critical post-transcriptional regulator marking mRNAs for rapid turnover under stress, highlighting an overlooked regulatory layer contributing to plant resilience.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Melandri, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dittrich, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Calleja, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palos, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srinivasan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brewer, E. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henderson, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rozzi, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eveland, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schroeder, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stern, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lyons, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnold, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gregory, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nelson, A. D. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pauli, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.17.633510</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A field-focused systems approach reveals mRNA covalent modifications linked to sorghum growth and development under drought stress]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.18.633695v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multifunctional bending magnet beamline with a capillary optic for X-ray fluorescence studies of metals in tissue sections 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.18.633695v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Scanning fluorescence X-ray microscopy lets one non-destructively and quantitatively map the distribution of most biologically-important metals in cells and tissues. For studies on large-scale tissues and organs, a spatial resolution of several micrometers is often sufficient; in this case, bending magnets at synchrotron light sources provide abundant X-ray flux. We describe here the use of bending magnet beamline 8-BM-B at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) with two distinct microscopy stations: a pre-existing one with Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) mirror optics for slightly higher throughput and the ability to accommodate samples tens of centimeters across, and a new prototype station with an axially-symmetric, single-bounce, capillary optic with slightly less flux, but slightly higher fluence (which affects achievable resolution at low metal concentration) and higher spatial resolution. The KB station provides{delta} res = 10.5 {micro}m spatial resolution at a per-pixel exposure time of tdwell = 100 ms and a fluence per time of 5.8x 107 photons /({micro}m2 {middle dot}s), while the prototype capillary station provides{delta} res = 6.3 {micro}m at tdwell = 50 ms and a fluence per time of 6.1x 107 photons ({micro}m2 {middle dot}s). We used image power spectral density to estimate the achieved spatial resolution{delta} res from individually acquired images, with{delta} res depending-on the optic, the fluorescence signal strength of the sample being imaged, and the method used to process raw fluorescence spectral data.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roter, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crawford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glowacki, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lai, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marin, F. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maxey, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Culotta, V. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wildeman, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patel, N. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobsen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.18.633695</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multifunctional bending magnet beamline with a capillary optic for X-ray fluorescence studies of metals in tissue sections]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.24.634715v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Plastoquinone redox status influences carboxysome integrity via a RpaA- and ROS-dependent regulatory network 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.24.634715v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Carboxysomes are bacterial microcompartments that encapsulate Rubisco and are a core component of the cyanobacterial carbon concentration mechanism (CCM). While carboxysome number, size and spatial organization are observed to vary in different environmental conditions (CO2, light, temperature, light quality), molecular mechanisms underlying this potentially adaptive process remain elusive. Herein, we observed that mutants of the circadian rhythm/metabolism factor, Regulator of Phycobilisome Associated A (RpaA), exhibit a striking breakdown of carboxysomes under certain environmental conditions. We find that growth conditions leading to overreduction of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool (mixotrophic growth, high irradiance, or chemical inhibition of electron transfer from PQ to the cytochrome b6f complex) are accompanied by elevated generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and correlate with carboxysome breakdown. Carboxysome breakdown is reversed by environmental conditions or chemical inhibitors that prevent PQ overreduction and accompanying ROS generation. Taken together, our data supports a novel link between the redox status of the PQ pool and carboxysome status and/or integrity. Our results have implications for fundamental understanding of cyanobacterial energy balancing pathways and may indicate new research directions for understanding how the carboxysome is remodeled in response to changing environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Santos-Merino, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nikkanen, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kokarakis, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allahverdiyeva, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.24.634715</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Plastoquinone redox status influences carboxysome integrity via a RpaA- and ROS-dependent regulatory network]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.24.632760v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The evolution of robustness and fragility during long-term bacterial adaptation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.24.632760v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Most mutations affecting fitness are harmful, and their inevitable occurrence reduces mean population fitness. Theory predicts that well-adapted populations may evolve mechanisms to minimize this deleterious load. Direct selection to increase mutational robustness can be achieved in the laboratory. However, its spontaneous evolution during general adaptation remains uncertain, with mixed evidence across model systems. Here, we studied the effects of highly pleiotropic point mutations in Escherichia coli over a 15,000-generation adaptive trajectory. The fitness effects of both beneficial and deleterious mutations were attenuated with increased adaptation over time. In contrast, pleiotropic effects in new environments became more severe and widespread with greater adaptation. These results show that trade-offs between robustness and fragility can rapidly evolve in regulatory networks, regardless of whether driven by adaptive or non-adaptive processes. More broadly, these results show that adaptation can generate a hidden potential for phenotypic diversity, unpredictably shaping evolutionary prospects in new environments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chihoub, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pintard, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenski, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tenaillon, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Couce, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.24.632760</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The evolution of robustness and fragility during long-term bacterial adaptation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.26.634914v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dynamics of biofilm-forming Bacillus subtilis in Caenorhabditis elegans gut 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.26.634914v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biofilm-forming Bacillus subtilis strain NCIB3610 has been reported to show biofilm-mediated beneficial effects when fed to Caenorhabditis elegans, including enhanced stress resistance, extended lifespan, and protection against neurotoxic agents. However, biofilm-forming B. subtilis presents multiple cell types, and thus a thorough characterization of B. subtilis cell dynamics in the C. elegans gut in vivo is necessary to understand mechanisms of the biofilm-mediated beneficial effects. In this study, we utilized an isogenic NCIB3610 strain expressing a biofilm reporter PtapA-mKate2 to monitor matrix-producing components in C. elegans gut. Interestingly, our results revealed that in live C. elegans gut, no B. subtilis biofilms were formed but only free spores and diffused fluorescence, which were likely from dietary matrix-producing cells crushed by the pharynx. Additional data showed that spores can geminate into motile cells but not matrix-producing cells in living C. elegans gut. Biofilm formation was found in gut after C. elegans death, indicating that mechanistically, life-dependent functions of the worm inhibit the formation of matrix-producing cells in gut. These findings resolved a key piece of puzzle in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of C. elegans-B. subtilis interaction and highlighted the importance of characterizing cell dynamics in vivo in host-microbe interaction research.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Saitoh, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.26.634914</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dynamics of biofilm-forming Bacillus subtilis in Caenorhabditis elegans gut]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.27.635099v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Emergence of Lignin-Carbohydrate Interactions During Plant Stem Maturation Visualized by Solid-State NMR 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.27.635099v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lignification waterproofs and strengthens the secondary plant cell wall, while increasing the energy cost associated with releasing sugars for biofuel production. The physical association between lignin and the carbohydrate scaffold that accommodates lignin polymerization, as well as the temporally distinct roles of different lignin units and carbohydrate partners during lignification, remain largely unclear. Here we map the lignin-carbohydrate interactions by solid-state NMR in 13C-labeled Arabidopsis inflorescence stems as secondary cell walls are formed. Analysis includes wild-type and two mutants that either selectively or globally disrupt lignin biosynthesis. Mature cell walls in the basal regions of older stems are enriched in S-lignin and carbohydrate-lignin interactions. Acetylated xylan is the dominant mediator of interactions with S-lignin, while methylated pectin unexpectedly interacts with G-lignin during early-stage lignification. The critical role of S-lignin in stabilizing carbohydrate-lignin interface is emphasized by the weak lignin-carbohydrate interactions and compromised mechanical properties of a low-S fah1 mutant, whereas the ref3 mutant, with low overall lignin content but a higher S/G ratio, remained unaffected. These findings demonstrate that the molecular mixing pattern, rather than lignin content, is a key determinant of the structure and properties of lignocellulosic materials.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xiao, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pfaff, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Debnath, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, C.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cosgrove, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.27.635099</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Emergence of Lignin-Carbohydrate Interactions During Plant Stem Maturation Visualized by Solid-State NMR]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.28.635106v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Females use multiple cues to assess competition for egg-laying decisions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.28.635106v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Animals deploy a wide suite of behavioural responses to reduce fitness costs related to competition. One common strategy is spatial avoidance of resource patches associated with high competition and this involves a need to accurately assess the level of competition associated with patches. Although well-studied in the context of predation risk (alarm cues vs kairomones), we lack in our understanding of how inputs from multiple types of cues are used for assessing the level of conspecific competition. We tested how Aedes aegypti females select sites for oviposition when they encounter multiple types of cues from varying densities of conspecifics. We hypothesised that females perceive conspecific young within these sites as potential competition for their offspring, and tailor their response to the type and level of competition. Through binary choice trials, we assessed female oviposition behaviour in response to a gradient in two types of conspecific cues - egg and larvae. Our results indicate that female response was sensitive to the type of cue. Females showed attraction towards pools with low densities of both egg and larval conspecifics indicating conspecific cueing and the strength of response was stronger towards egg cues. However, this attraction response disappeared at high densities of conspecifics (both egg and larvae) suggesting that the resulting trade-off between benefits from conspecific cueing and costs of competition likely shapes oviposition site selection responses. The broad nature of the oviposition response was similar toward both egg and larval cues, but there were fine level differences in responses towards egg and larvae that depended on the conspecific density level. Our study shows that animals are under selection to use multiple cues to assess conspecific competition to minimise the costs of competition.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sharma, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramesh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nagaraj, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Isvaran, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-01-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.28.635106</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Females use multiple cues to assess competition for egg-laying decisions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-01-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.28.635303v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Metabolic modeling reveals synergistic growth benefits of engineering maize symbiosis with rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.28.635303v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Engineering a novel N2-fixing rhizobia symbiosis in cereal crops is a strategy being pursued to improve agricultural sustainability. However, if such a symbiosis were introduced, it would have to be economically viable in the context of existing nutrient acquisition strategies, including the existing symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that the vast majority of plants already engage in. This raises the question of how the metabolic costs and benefits from these separate symbioses that have partially overlapping functions might impact nutrient status and subsequent plant growth. To address this, we developed metabolic models describing how the relative growth rate of Zea mays is impacted by the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis and a hypothetical N2-fixing symbiosis with Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens both in isolation and in tandem. To validate the AMF component of our model, we conducted field evaluation of mutant AMF-incompatible maize hybrids and found that the empirically measured AMF-mediated growth benefit agreed well with our models predictions. Our model of the rhizobium symbiosis predicted that the lower N content of cereal crops makes the relative growth rate cost associated with acquiring nitrogen from N2-fixing rhizobia smaller than in legumes. Finally, our model also predicted positive synergies between rhizobia and AMF under nutrient-limited conditions but negative synergies under nutrient, particularly phosphorus, replete conditions. These findings indicate that these bioengineering strategies could improve cereal crop yields and may achieve greater gains in tandem, but soil nutrient status of target sites as well as the nitrogen requirements of specific varieties should be considered.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kaste, J. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ji, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sydow, P. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sawers, R. J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matthews, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.28.635303</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Metabolic modeling reveals synergistic growth benefits of engineering maize symbiosis with rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.03.636182v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Comparative transcriptional analysis reveals gene expression changes in spore germination of opportunistic pathogenic fungi 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.03.636182v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In opportunistic human pathogenic fungi, changes in gene expression play a crucial role in the progression of growth stages from early spore germination through host infection. Comparative transcriptomics between diverse fungal pathogens and non-pathogens provided insights into regulatory mechanisms behind the initiation of infectious processes. We examined the gene expression patterns of 3,845 single-copy orthologous genes (SCOGs) across five phylogenetically distinct species, including the opportunistic human pathogens Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus fumigatus, and A. nidulans, and nonpathogenic species Neurospora crassa and Trichoderma asperelloides, at four sequential stages of spore germination. Ancestral status of gene expression was inferred for nodes along the phylogeny. By comparing expression patterns of the SCOGs with their most recent common ancestor (MRCA), we identified genes that exhibit divergent levels of expression during spore germination when comparing fungal pathogens to non-pathogens. We focused on genes related to the MAPK pathway, nitrogen metabolism, asexual development, G-protein signaling, and conidial-wall integrity. Notably, orthologs of the transcription activator abaA, a known central regulator of conidiation, exhibited significant divergence in gene expression in F. oxysporum. This dramatic expression change in abaA was accompanied by structural modifications of phialides in F. oxysporum, and revealed how these changes impact development of offspring, formation of aerial hyphae, spore production, and pathogenicity. Our research provides insights into ecological adaptations observed during the divergence of these species, specifically highlighting how divergence in gene expression during spore germination contributes to their ability to thrive in distinct environments.

Author SummaryThe fungi of the phylum Ascomycota include plant and animal pathogens, endophytes, and saprotrophs, some of which are model organisms for biological investigation, and usually have abundant genomic and transcriptomic data. In this study, transcriptomics was studied during spore germination in five species: the opportunistic human pathogens Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus nidulans, and the nonpathogenic species Neurospora crassa and Trichoderma asperelloides. We have inferred divergence in gene expression for 3,845 single-copy orthologous genes (SCOGs) along these lineages. Genes related to the MAPK pathway, nitrogen metabolism, conidia-related regulators, G protein signaling, and conidial-wall integrity exhibited dramatic expression shifts in the lineages of the opportunistic human pathogens evolving towards true pathogenic species. Notably, abaA, a known central regulator of conidiation, exhibited striking divergence in expression in the opportunistic pathogens, resulting in structural modifications in phialides that were more similar to pathogenic species, and revealing how these changes impact development of aerial hyphal formation, spore production, and pathogenicity. These findings provide insights into ecological adaptations resulting from divergence in gene expression, and reveal dynamic transcriptional changes, which may be crucial for the adaptation of opportunistic pathogens to changing environments. By elucidating the shifting roles of abaA, our research contributes to a deeper understanding of the divergence mechanisms underlying development and pathogenicity in fungi.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kim, D.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ebert, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moonjely, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yarden, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Townsend, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trail, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.02.03.636182</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Comparative transcriptional analysis reveals gene expression changes in spore germination of opportunistic pathogenic fungi]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.30.635743v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ggRibo: a ggplot-based single-gene viewer for visualizing Ribo-seq and related omics datasets 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.30.635743v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Seeing is believing. Visualizing Ribo-seq and other sequencing data within genes of interest is a powerful approach to studying gene expression, but its application is limited by a lack of robust tools. Here, we introduce ggRibo, a user-friendly R package for visualizing individual gene expression, integrating Ribo-seq, RNA-seq, and other genome-wide datasets with flexible scaling options. ggRibo visualizes 3-nucleotide periodicity, a hallmark of translating ribosomes, within a gene-structure context, including introns and untranslated regions, enabling the study of novel ORFs, translation of different isoforms, and mechanisms of translational regulation. ggRibo can plot multiple Ribo-seq/RNA-seq datasets from different conditions for comparison. It also contains functions for plotting single-transcript view, reading-frame decomposition, and RNA-seq coverage alone. Importantly, ggRibo supports the visualization of other omics datasets that could also be presented with single-nucleotide resolution, such as RNA degradome, transcription start sites, translation initiation sites, and epitranscriptomic modifications. We demonstrate its utility with examples of upstream ORFs, downstream ORFs, nested ORFs, and differential isoform translation in humans, Arabidopsis, tomato, and rice. We also provide examples of multi-omic comparisons that reveal insights that connect the transcriptome, translatome, and degradome. In summary, ggRibo is an advanced single-gene viewer that offers a valuable resource for studying gene expression regulation through its intuitive and flexible platform.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, H.-Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaufman, I. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.01.30.635743</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ggRibo: a ggplot-based single-gene viewer for visualizing Ribo-seq and related omics datasets]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.04.636509v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Multi-Model Ensemble Reveals Soil Carbon Gains from Regenerative Practices in the U.S. Midwest Cropland 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.04.636509v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Process-based cropping systems models (CSMs) are key components of measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) frameworks of carbon markets, but their application suffers from model-specific differences that keep any one model from working well across all combinations of soils, climates, crops, and agronomic practices at varying scales. Multi-model ensemble (MME), successfully used to quantify soil, management and climate impact on crop productivity, provide an opportunity to better estimate changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) outcomes for agronomic practices that have the potential to mitigate SOC loss at scale. We used an MME across 46 million hectares of US Midwest cropland at a resolution of 4- km2 to assess the aggregate ability of different regenerative practices to sequester SOC at this scale compared to their dynamic baselines. MME was validated with long-term experimental data and compared to its constituent CSMs, showing greater accuracy and lower uncertainty. The results show that adopting no-till combined with cover crops increased SOC stocks by 0.36 {+/-} 0.12 Mg ha-1 yr-1 aggregated across the entire U.S. Midwest cropland. At the regional scale, this corresponds to a net SOC gain of 16.4 Tg C yr-1 compared to business-as-usual baselines. These benefits are approximately halved when each management change is practiced individually, and the modest gains are only fully realized when continued over the long-term in soils with low initial carbon stock. Results demonstrate the power of MMEs run at high resolution for providing robust estimates of environmental outcomes following agricultural practice change, and for pinpointing locations for most effective intervention. This approach can alleviate many producer carbon market participation barriers and help address market issues while ultimately supporting large-scale regenerative agriculture initiatives.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Basso, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tadiello, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Millar, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maureira, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Albarenque, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baer, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Price, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharma, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villalobos, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paustian, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fowler, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delandmeter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Acutis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Archontoulis, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Covey, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doro, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dumont, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grace, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoogenboom, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perego, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robertson, G. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruane, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stockle, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.02.04.636509</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Multi-Model Ensemble Reveals Soil Carbon Gains from Regenerative Practices in the U.S. Midwest Cropland]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.04.636512v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Overexpression of GITRL by B cell IgD low (BDL) B cells is a therapeutic strategy to increase endogenous CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells for the treatment of autoimmunity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.04.636512v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), are often chronic with no cures. An underlying commonality of autoimmune diseases is immune-mediated inflammation. Control of inflammation is achieved by steroids and disease-modifying therapies, which can result in severe side-effects. CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells (Treg), are essential to controlling autoimmune responses and are considered a strong therapeutic target with minimal side effects. To that end, we leveraged our identification of B cell IgD low (BDL) B cells that control Treg homeostatic levels in the mouse spleen in a GITRL-dependent manner to demonstrate that overexpression of GITRL by BDL using a B cell-specific GITRL transgene (tg) was sufficient to increase endogenous Treg numbers and attenuate the disease severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the mouse model of MS. To determine whether increased GITRL expression by BDL could be a therapeutic strategy, WT mice were transplanted with bone marrow from GITRLtg mice. After reconstitution, GITRL expression was increased on BDL, Treg numbers were significantly elevated, and EAE was dramatically attenuated. These cumulative data further demonstrate that GITRL is a functional receptor on BDL and its overexpression in B cells is a therapeutic strategy to increase endogenous Treg numbers for treating autoimmunity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Khalil, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gurski, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burns, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zander, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sommers, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beltrame, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dittel, B. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.02.04.636512</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Overexpression of GITRL by B cell IgD low (BDL) B cells is a therapeutic strategy to increase endogenous CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells for the treatment of autoimmunity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.13.636878v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Single-nucleus analysis of thoracic perivascular adipose tissue reveals critical changes in cell composition, communication, and gene regulatory networks induced by a high fat hypertensive diet 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.13.636878v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT), an intriguing layer of fat surrounding blood vessels, regulates vascular tone and mediates vascular dysfunction through mechanisms that are not well understood. Here we show with single nucleus RNA-sequencing of thoracic aortic PVAT from Dahl SS rats that a high-fat (HF) hypertensive diet induces coordinated changes in gene expression across the diverse cell types within PVAT. HF diet produced sex-specific alterations in cell-type proportions and genes related to remodeling of extracellular matrix dynamics and vascular integrity and stiffness, as well as changes in cell-cell communication pathways involved in angiogenesis, vascular remodeling, and mechanotransduction. Gene regulatory network analysis with virtual transcription factor knockout in adipocytes identified specific nuclear receptors that could be targeted for suppression or potential reversal of HF diet-induced changes. Interestingly, generative deep learning models were able to predict cross-cell-type perturbations in gene expression, indicating a hypertensive disease signature that characterizes HF-diet-induced perturbations in PVAT.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Terrian, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowman, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panda, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contreras, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rockwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sather, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fink, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lauver, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Watts, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattacharya, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.02.13.636878</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Single-nucleus analysis of thoracic perivascular adipose tissue reveals critical changes in cell composition, communication, and gene regulatory networks induced by a high fat hypertensive diet]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.12.637912v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ClusterApp to visualize, organize, and navigate metabolomics data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.12.637912v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundClustering analysis is a foundational step in exploratory data analysis workflows, with dimensionality reduction methods commonly used to visualize multidimensional data in lower-dimensional spaces and infer sample clustering. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is widely applied in metabolomics but is often suboptimal for clustering visualization. Metabolomics data often require specialized manipulations such as blank removal, quality control adjustments, and data transformations that demand efficient visualization tools. However, the lack of user-friendly tools for clustering without computational expertise presents a challenge for metabolomics researchers. ClusterApp addresses this gap as a web application that performs Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA), expanding clustering alternatives in metabolomics. Built on a QIIME 2 Docker image, it enables PCoA computation and Emperor plot visualization. The app supports data input from GNPS, GNPS2, or user-provided spreadsheets. Freely available, ClusterApp can be locally installed as a Docker image or integrated into Jupyter notebooks, offering accessibility and flexibility to diverse users.

ResultsTo demonstrate the data preprocessing techniques available in ClusterApp, we analyzed two Liquid Chromatography coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) metabolomics datasets: one exploring metabolomic differences in mouse tissue samples and another investigating coral life history stages. Among the dissimilarity measures available, the Bray-Curtis measure effectively highlighted key metabolomic variations and patterns across both datasets. Targeted filtering significantly enhanced data reliability by retaining biologically relevant features, 10,617 in the coral dataset and 7,341 in the mouse dataset while eliminating noise. The combination of Total Ion Current (TIC) normalization and auto-scaling improved clustering resolution, revealing distinct separations in tissue types and life stages. ClusterApps flexible features, such as customizable blank removal and group selection, provided tailored analyses, enhancing visualization and interpretation of metabolomic profiles.

ConclusionClusterApp addresses the need for accessible, dynamic tools for exploratory data analysis in metabolomics. By coupling data transformation capabilities with PCoA on multiple dissimilarity matrices, it provides a versatile solution for clustering analysis. Its web interface and Docker-based deployment offer flexibility, accommodating a wide range of use cases through graphical or programmatic interactions. ClusterApp empowers researchers to uncover meaningful patterns and relationships in metabolomics data without requiring cumbersome data manipulation or advanced bioinformatics expertise.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hansel, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karunarathne, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borelli, T. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>da Silva, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.02.12.637912</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ClusterApp to visualize, organize, and navigate metabolomics data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.20.639245v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Legionella pneumophila type IVb secretion system effector BinA subverts amino acid transport to sensitize TORC1 signaling in macrophages 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.20.639245v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Legionella pneumophila is an environmental Gram-negative bacterium that parasitizes unicellular protozoa and can cause severe pulmonary infections when aerosolized bacteria are inhaled by humans. One critical aspect of Legionella pathogenesis is the establishment in the cytosol of infected macrophages of a unique ER-derived vacuole, that requires a sustained supply of host lipids during expansion. Subversion of pro-lipogenic pathways downstream of the metabolic checkpoint kinase mTOR (Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin) are critical for niche expansion. In eukaryotic cells, amino acids sufficiency and growth factor sensory signals converge on mTOR to ensure metabolic processes are coupled to nutrients/energy availability. Legionella can trigger mTOR signaling in infected cells by increasing the intracellular abundance of amino acids through inhibition of host translation. Here, we describe a novel mechanism by which Legionella sensitizes mTOR in infected macrophages. A forward genetic screen identified Lpg0393 protein as a putative bacterial mTOR regulator that contains a VPS9-domain typically found in eukaryotic GEFs (Guanine nucleotide exchange factors) for Rab5 GTPase family members (Rab5/Rab21/Rab22). We uncovered that Lpg0393 lowers the activation threshold for mTOR signaling upon stimulation with arginine or leucine through rewiring of processes upstream of mTOR by removing Rab5-dependency and replacing it with a Rab21/Rab22-dependency. Data from cells expressing either a bacterial or a eukaryotic mTOR sensitizing factor uncovered two distinct intraorganellar Arg/Leu pools that fuel mTOR activation in parallel - one regulated by Rab21/22 and the other by Rab5. Consistent with the role of mTOR in expansion of the Legionella-occupied organelle, deletion of Lpg0393 also resulted in premature vacuolar rupture in a mTOR-dependent manner. All together, we have identified a novel bacterial mTOR regulator and consistent with its reported functions we propose Lpg0393 is named as BinA (Bacterial initiator of TORC1 signaling and an activator of Rab5 family GTPases).

Author SummaryLegionella pneumophila - a prototypical vacuolar pathogen - manipulates host lipogenesis to sustain membrane biogenesis, which ensures the integrity of the vacuolar compartment is not compromised as demand for housing capacity increases during bacterial replication. Subversion of the host mTOR kinase signaling, which functions as a central regulatory hub coordinating nutrients sufficiency with metabolic output, is one mechanism by which Legionella increases de novo lipogenesis in infected cells. Here, we report a novel mechanism by which the bacteria sustain mTOR signaling through the actions of the type IV secretion system effector BinA. We found that BinA rewires amino acid transport mechanisms by manipulating Rab5 family GTPase to selectively sensitize mTOR to arginine and leucine but not methionine or glutamine stimulation. mTOR sensitization by BinA revealed a switch in upstream regulators from Rab5 to Rab21/Rab22. Our work provides novel insight into how pathogens exert metabolic control over host cells to maximize intracellular replication.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Circu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castore, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Latimer, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shames, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roy, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dragoi, A.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ivanov, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.02.20.639245</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Legionella pneumophila type IVb secretion system effector BinA subverts amino acid transport to sensitize TORC1 signaling in macrophages]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.17.638700v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
In vitro cellular phenotypes of cortical neurons from R255X MECP2 knock-in mice are improved by either expression of wildtype MeCP2 or read-through with G418 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.17.638700v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Approximately 60% of individuals with Rett syndrome (RTT) carry a nonsense variant in the MECP2 gene; thus, there is an unmet need to identify novel nonsense suppression compound(s) that can restore full length MeCP2 protein levels and function. Here, we characterized neuronal phenotypes in cultured cortical neurons from newborn knock-in mice harboring the MECP2 R255X variant. After 2 weeks in vitro, R255X mutant neurons showed smaller cell bodies, shorter dendrites, fewer dendritic branches, and a lower density of excitatory synapses when compared to wildtype (WT) neurons. Transduction of AAV9-MeCP2-GFP in R255X mutant neurons made these cellular phenotypes similar to those in WT neurons, including soma size, dendritic length and branching, and excitatory synapse density. As proof of principle for the potential clinical use of  read-through compounds, cultured R255X mutant neurons treated with the aminoglycoside G418 for 72h in vitro showed cell body size and excitatory synapse density similar to WT neurons. We expect these combined approaches will identify effective compounds to suppress translation termination at a premature termination codon, which can be moved to further preclinical functional and behavioral studies in R255X MECP2 knock-in mice.

Summary StatementExpression of wildtype MECP2 or treatment with G418 in vitro restored cell body size, dendritic length, and dendritic spine density in cortical neurons from R255X MECP2 knock-in mice to levels comparable to wildtype neurons.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merritt, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gray, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neul, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pozzo-Miller, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-02-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.02.17.638700</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[In vitro cellular phenotypes of cortical neurons from R255X MECP2 knock-in mice are improved by either expression of wildtype MeCP2 or read-through with G418]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-02-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.25.640150v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Coaxial line-scanning Brillouin microscopy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.25.640150v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Confocal Brillouin microscopy (CBM) enables high-resolution mechanical imaging but has slow acquisition speeds due to its point-by-point scanning strategy. Line-scanning Brillouin microscopy (LSBM) offers imaging acquisition speed improvements but faces challenges such as beam distortion in biaxial configurations and insufficient extinction ratio due to the single-stage VIPA spectrometer. To overcome these limitations, we developed a coaxial line-scanning Brillouin microscopy (cLSBM) system by using a two-stage parallel VIPA spectrometer. The coaxial design minimizes image distortion, and the two-stage parallel VIPA spectrometer significantly enhances the rejection of non-Brillouin noises. Experiment results showed that the first VIPA, served as a filter for noise rejection, has a rejection ability of 18 dB. The system was characterized by standard materials including ethanol and water, achieving a precision of 7.5 MHz and 12.6 MHz respectively. In the next step, we will optimize the system to further enhance noise rejection and utilize this setup to investigate the evolution of tissue mechanics during embryonic development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shi, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.02.25.640150</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Coaxial line-scanning Brillouin microscopy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.05.641736v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cell jamming transitions shape regulatory protein gradients and prime evolutionary divergence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.05.641736v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
A long-standing goal of evolutionary developmental biology is to identify the mechanisms underlying criticality of developmental transitions that allow processes governing individual cells scale up to the organism-level patterning. The viscoelastic properties of embryonic tissues imply collective cell behaviors, leading to the expectation that signaling networks should capitalize on the material properties of tissues, structuring morphogenesis around the spatial and temporal transitions that they induce. Here, we show that this interaction is evident even prior to tissue differentiation and is traceable to behavior of individual cells. In avian beak primordia, we find that fields of mesenchymal cells undergo cycles of local jamming dynamically modulating coordination of cell shape and movement. These cycles progressively alter the spatial reach of regulatory proteins, strongly expanding or restricting their gradients based on tissue mechanical state. Tissue-level gradients of proteins most sensitive to local cell jamming transitions also diverge the most across populations, priming tissue compartmentalization. These findings suggest that the material state transition is an effective interface for integration of stochastic physical processes and genetic regulation and is well placed to underlie criticality of developmental systems allowing local rules governing cell-state transitions scale up to tissue-level patterning. More broadly, our findings reveal how transient material transitions reset developmental trajectories and promote diversification while preserving robustness.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Badyaev, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gleason, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Semenov, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Britton, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moreno, C. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duckworth, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.05.641736</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cell jamming transitions shape regulatory protein gradients and prime evolutionary divergence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.642427v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rho2 regulates granulocyte-triggered stress adaptation and cell wall remodeling in Aspergillus fumigatus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.642427v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The airborne opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus poses a deadly threat to immunocompromised patients. Neutrophil granulocytes play a key role in the defense against invasive infections caused by this pathogen. The mechanisms by which Aspergillus defends itself against attacks by the immune system are only partially understood. Here we show that human granulocytes activate the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway of A. fumigatus and that key components of the CWI such as the cell wall stress sensor MidA and the Rho GTPases Rho2 and Rho4 are important for the survival of Aspergillus hyphae under granulocyte attacks. A more detailed investigation of the role of Rho2 revealed that a mutant lacking rho2 is less virulent in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Overexpression of Rho2 increases the resistance of A. fumigatus hyphae to killing by granulocytes. While a mutant lacking Rho2 has a normal cell wall composition, overexpression or constitutive activation of Rho2 leads to an altered cell wall composition and impairs growths of the pathogen. The fungicidal effect of constitutive activation of Rho2 signaling, which correlates with the formation of cell wall chitin bulges, depends on the CWI MAP kinase MpkA. However, Rho2 itself does not appear to be a direct activator of the CWI MAP kinase module. Our results support a model where Rho2 in A. fumigatus actively counteracts granulocyte attacks by upregulating cell wall biosynthesis, thereby strengthening the cell wall and aiding the fungus in surviving the stress condition.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ruf, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Striegler, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brazil, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elsaman, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lepas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernando, L. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brantl, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hess, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dichtl, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aimanianda, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wagener, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.10.642427</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rho2 regulates granulocyte-triggered stress adaptation and cell wall remodeling in Aspergillus fumigatus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.642465v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Solid-State NMR Analysis of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Reveals Role of α-Amylase Family Enzymes in Cell Wall Structure and Function 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.642465v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a widely employed model organism for studying the eukaryotic cell cycle. Like plants and bacteria, S. pombe must build a cell wall in concert with its cell cycle, but how cell wall-synthesizing and remodeling enzymes mediate this process remains unclear. Here we characterize the functions of Aah1 and Aah3, two related S. pombe -amylases that are putative members of this evolutionarily conserved family of cell wall-modifying proteins. We found that unlike rod-shaped wildtype S. pombe cells, aah1{Delta} aah3{Delta} cells are nearly spherical, grow slowly, have thickened cell walls, and have severe defects in cell separation following cytokinesis. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy analyses of intact wildtype and aah1{Delta} aah3{Delta} cells revealed that aah1{Delta} aah3{Delta} cell walls are rigidified with a significant reduction in the -glucan matrix, characterized by reduced amounts of the major -1,3-glucan and the minor -1,4-glucan within the rigid and mobile phases; this reduction was compensated for by a two-fold increase in {beta}-glucan content. Indeed, viability of aah1{Delta} aah3{Delta} cells depended on {beta}-glucan upregulation and the cell wall integrity pathway that mediates it. While aah1{Delta} aah3{Delta} cells resemble cells with impaired function of the transglycosylation domain of -glucan synthase 1 (Ags1), increased expression of Aah3 does not compensate for impaired Ags1 function or vice-versa. Overall, our data suggest that Aah1 and Aah3 are required in addition to Ags1, likely downstream, for the transglycosylation of -glucan chains to generate fibers of appropriate dimensions to support proper cell morphology, growth, and division.

Significance StatementThis study utilized a range of imaging techniques and high-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy of intact S. pombe cells to refine our understanding of S. pombe cell wall composition. This study also determined that two related GPI-anchored -amylase family proteins, Aah1 and Aah3, likely act as transglycosylases non-redundantly with an -glucan synthase in the synthesis of -glucan chains of appropriate content and size to support polarized growth and cell division. Our results also highlight the anti-fungal therapeutic potential of GPI-anchored enzymes acting in concert with glucan synthases.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jacob, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willet, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Igarashi, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>El Nokab, M. E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alsanad, A. K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gould, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.10.642465</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Solid-State NMR Analysis of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Reveals Role of α-Amylase Family Enzymes in Cell Wall Structure and Function]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.09.642148v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deep generative modeling of temperature-dependent structural ensembles of proteins 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.09.642148v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Deep learning has revolutionized protein structure prediction, but capturing conformational ensembles and structural variability remains an open challenge. While molecular dynamics (MD) is the foundation method for simulating biomolecular dynamics, it is computationally expensive. Recently, deep learning models trained on MD have made progress in generating structural ensembles at reduced cost. However, they remain limited in modeling atomistic details and, crucially, incorporating the effect of environmental factors. Here, we present aSAM (atomistic structural autoencoder model), a latent diffusion model trained on MD to generate heavy atom protein ensembles. Unlike most methods, aSAM models atoms in a latent space, greatly facilitating accurate sampling of side chain and backbone torsion angle distributions. Additionally, we extended aSAM into the first reported transferable generator conditioned on temperature, named aSAMt. Trained on the large and open mdCATH dataset, aSAMt captures temperature-dependent ensemble properties and demonstrates generalization beyond training temperatures. By comparing aSAMt ensembles to long MD simulations of fast folding proteins, we find that high-temperature training enhances the ability of deep generators to explore energy landscapes. Finally, we also show that our MD-based aSAMt can already capture experimentally observed thermal behavior of proteins. Our work is a step towards generalizable ensemble generation to complement physics- based approaches.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Janson, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jussupow, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feig, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.09.642148</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deep generative modeling of temperature-dependent structural ensembles of proteins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.09.642161v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Probing the substrate binding-induced conformational change of a ZIP metal transporter using a sandwich ELISA 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.09.642161v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Zrt-/Irt-like proteins (ZIPs), a family of divalent metal transporters, are crucial for maintaining the homeostasis of zinc, an essential trace element involved in numerous biological processes. While extensive research on the prototypical ZIP from Bordetella bronchiseptica (BbZIP) have suggested an elevator transport mechanism, the dynamic conformational changes during the transport cycle have not been thoroughly studied. In this work, we developed a sandwich ELISA using a custom anti-BbZIP monoclonal antibody to investigate the conformational change induced by the metal binding to the transport site. This was achieved by determining the accessibility of a cysteine residue introduced at a position exposed to the solvent only when the transporter adopts an outward-facing conformation. This assay allowed us to report the dissociation constants of BbZIP for Zn2+ and Cd2+ at low and sub-micromolar levels, respectively. Notably, the installation of a positive charge at the M2 site drastically reduced metal binding at the M1 site, consistent with an auxiliary role for the M2 site in metal transport. We also demonstrated that this assay can be used to rapidly screen variants for subsequent structural study. We anticipate that other transporters where substrate binding induces large conformational changes can also be studied using this method.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.09.642161</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Probing the substrate binding-induced conformational change of a ZIP metal transporter using a sandwich ELISA]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.09.642223v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Proton-Detected Solid-State NMR for Deciphering Structural Polymorphism and Dynamic Heterogeneity of Cellular Carbohydrates in Pathogenic Fungi 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.09.642223v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Carbohydrate polymers in their cellular context display highly polymorphic structures and dynamics essential to their diverse functions, yet they are challenging to analyze biochemically. Proton-detection solid-state NMR spectroscopy offers high isotopic abundance and sensitivity, enabling rapid and high-resolution structural characterization of biomolecules. Here, an array of 2D/3D 1H-detection solid-state NMR techniques are tailored to investigate polysaccharides in fully protonated or partially deuterated cells of three prevalent pathogenic fungi: Rhizopus delemar, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans, representing filamentous species and yeast forms. Selective detection of acetylated carbohydrates reveals fifteen forms of N-acetylglucosamine units in R. delemar chitin, which coexists with chitosan as separate domains or polymers and associates with proteins only at limited sites. This is supported by distinct order parameters and effective correlation times of their motions, analyzed through relaxation measurements and model-free analysis. Five forms of -1,3-glucan with distinct structural origins and dynamics were identified in A. fumigatus, important for this buffering polysaccharide to perform diverse roles of supporting wall mechanics and regenerating soft matrix under antifungal stress. Eight -1,2-mannan sidechain variants in C. albicans were resolved, highlighting the crucial role of mannan sidechains in maintaining interactions with other cell wall polymers to preserve structural integrity. These methodologies provide novel insights into the functional structures of key fungal polysaccharides and create new opportunities for exploring carbohydrate biosynthesis and modifications across diverse organisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yarava, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gautam, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacob, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.09.642223</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Proton-Detected Solid-State NMR for Deciphering Structural Polymorphism and Dynamic Heterogeneity of Cellular Carbohydrates in Pathogenic Fungi]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.641660v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
From smartphones to satellites: Uniting crowdsourced biodiversity monitoring and Earth observation to fill the gaps in global plant trait mapping 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.641660v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant functional traits are fundamental to ecosystem dynamics and Earth system processes, but their global characterization is limited by the availability of field surveys and trait measurements. Recent expansions in biodiversity data aggregation, including large collections of vegetation surveys, citizen science observations, and trait measurements, offer new opportunities to overcome these constraints. Here we demonstrate that combining these diverse data sources with high-resolution Earth observation data enables accurate modeling of key plant traits at up to 1 km resolution. Our approach achieves high predictive power, reaching correlations up to 0.63 (15 of 31 traits exceeding 0.50) and improved spatial transferability, effectively bridging gaps in under-sampled regions. By capturing a broad range of traits with high spatial coverage, these maps can enhance our understanding of plant community properties and ecosystem functioning globally, and can serve as useful tools in modeling global biogeochemical processes and informing worldwide conservation efforts. Ultimately, our framework highlights the power and necessity of crowdsourced biodiversity data in high-resolution plant trait modeling. We anticipate that advancements in biodiversity data collection and remote sensing capabilities will further refine global trait mapping, fostering a dynamic trait-based understanding of the biosphere.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lusk, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolf, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Svidzinska, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dormann, C. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kattge, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruelheide, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sabatini, F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Damasceno, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moreno Martinez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Violle, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hending, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hähn, G. J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tabeni, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Phartyal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goncalves, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kreft, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Güler, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dolezal, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pielech, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guido, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dwyer, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Napoleone, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willie, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gasper, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Macia, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chytry, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lenoir, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thakur, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dengler, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swierszcz, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Altman, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mucina, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nerlekar, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kakinuma, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rawat, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stancic, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Testolin, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hatim, M. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodrigues, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Homeier, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marques, M. C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCarthy, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.10.641660</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[From smartphones to satellites: Uniting crowdsourced biodiversity monitoring and Earth observation to fill the gaps in global plant trait mapping]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.642468v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Intrahippocampal delivery of hyperphosphorylated human tau oligomers induces neurodegeneration in non-transgenic wildtype mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.642468v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) forms neurofibrillary tangles, a key biomarker for Alzheimers disease and additional neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, neurofibrillary tangles are not sufficient to cause neuronal dysfunction or death. Intrahippocampal injection of tau isolated from AD patients has limited effects on the cognitive functions of non-transgenic mice, despite the recapitulation of pathological tau deposits in the mouse brain. It therefore remains uncertain as to whether all hyperphosphorylated tau is directly responsible for AD neurodegeneration. We examined this issue by injecting recombinant p-tau oligomers to the hippocampus of non-transgenic, wildtype mice and found progressive cognitive deficits that correlate with neuron death spreading from the ipsilateral hippocampus to the cortex. Apomorphine, which retards p-tau aggregation and cytotoxicity in vitro, antagonized p-tau-induced cognitive deficits and neuron death. These results suggest the pathogenic role of p-tau oligomers and a novel AD model facilitating drug development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.-R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hagar, H. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuo, M.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>KUAN, C.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.10.642468</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Intrahippocampal delivery of hyperphosphorylated human tau oligomers induces neurodegeneration in non-transgenic wildtype mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.11.642730v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Burnout in nurses and biomarkers of stress, inflammation and neuroplasticity. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.11.642730v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Burnout is an occupational challenge to the health, performance, and retention of healthcare personnel. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to further our understanding of the association between burnout, work, coping, and cognitive impairment as it relates to neuroendocrine, inflammatory, and neuroplastic disease mechanisms. One hundred hospital- based registered nurses responded to a validated survey addressing employment and work characteristics, coping, and cognitive impairment, and a one-item, burnout scale. In addition, they all provided blood samples. Nineteen percent of the nurses reported symptoms of evolving burnout and an additional 12% reported established burnout. Severity of burnout was inversely associated with self-rated energy (p<.001), ability to concentrate (p<.001), and positively associated with stressed at work (p<.001), but not with workplace cognitive impairment. The anti-inflammatory and pro-energetic biomarker interleukin-10 was elevated in respondents in the combined two highest burnout categories (mean 2.81, S.E.M. 0.26 pg/mL) vs. a median of 2.09 pg/mL in the no-burnout category (p<.02). When biomarkers in blood were regressed on severity of burnout, concentration of the anabolic hormone dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (standardized beta -.73, p=.007) and the neuronal strain biomarker neurofilament light chain (-.79, p=.01) inversely predicted burnout. In contrast, the ability to cope with a tough situation at work was positively associated with burnout (.75, p=.02). The study not only confirms the association between burnout and self-reported individual and work-related adverse outcomes but, importantly, burnout-relevant neuroendocrine, inflammatory, and neuronal biomarkers. Nurses suffering from burnout might exhibit dysfunctional coping resulting in decreased recognition of low energy, which accelerates the burnout process. It is proposed that assessment of biological disease mechanisms should play a larger role in both scholarly and clinical burnout work.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Arnetz, B. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iseler, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pena, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evola, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>vanSchagen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beck, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Counts, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arble, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnetz, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.11.642730</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Burnout in nurses and biomarkers of stress, inflammation and neuroplasticity.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.11.642666v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Molecular Insights into Cell Wall Architecture and Xylan-Bound Cellulose Fibrils in the Wheat Straw 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.11.642666v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The plant cell wall, a highly abundant renewable resource, remains insufficiently understood in terms of its structure, particularly the architecture of cellulose microfibrils and their interactions with hemicellulose and lignin, which impede the development of efficient downstream conversion. Here we present an alternative model of xylan-bound cellulose microfibril architecture in the cell wall of intact wheat straw, using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) coupled with X-ray scattering techniques. We show that the spectroscopic and scattering data can be fit to a simple elementary microfibril consisting of 18 glucan chains, with additional contributions from 0 to 4 tightly bound flat-ribbon xylan chains across the cellulose fibril axis. These xylan-bound cellulose microfibrils are found to serve as the secondary interaction site with lignin, following the non-flat xylan domains. The loose packing of these xylan-bound cellulose fibrils results in a heterogenous hydration landscape within the cell wall, allowing water penetration while maintaining structural integrity through numerous physical contacts between the polymers. This study provides a potential framework to reconcile the mounting biochemical evidence supporting the 18-chain elementary cellulose microfibril model and cellulose synthase complex with the oversized observations from characterization techniques, which report averaged structures influenced by microfibril coalescence and hemicellulose binding. The structural insights also offer valuable information regarding recalcitrance and the potential applications of biomass in biorefinery operations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ling, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miao, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>You, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.11.642666</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Molecular Insights into Cell Wall Architecture and Xylan-Bound Cellulose Fibrils in the Wheat Straw]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.14.643281v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Connecting growth and yield models to continuous forest inventory data to better account for uncertainty 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.14.643281v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Models of forest growth and yield are frequently used to inform adaptive management decisions aimed at increasing forest resilience or promoting long-term carbon storage. Despite the increasing ecological detail represented in growth and yield models, there remains large variability (uncertainty) in predictions of forest dynamics under global change. Quantifying this uncertainty and accounting for it when making management decisions is integral to sustainable management in the face of changing conditions. However, the structure and complexity of modern growth and yield models make it challenging to quantify uncertainty and propagate it to predictions of forest dynamics under alternative management strategies. To address this challenge, we develop a Bayesian dynamical model informed by continuous forest inventory data that supports the quantification and propagation of uncertainty in predictions of forest dynamics at a stand scale. The model predicts the temporal evolution of the size-species distribution using a matrix projection process model approximating growth, mortality, and regeneration. Disturbance is integrated through its effect on the size-species distribution within a stand providing a flexible framework to represent adaptive management. We apply the model to long-term inventory data from the Penobscot Experimental Forest in Maine, USA to predict multi-decadal biomass dynamics under five alternative management strategies. Predictions are used to identify the management strategy maximizing live aboveground biomass growth and yield over the model period. We conclude by discussing the benefits and challenges of connecting the model to large-scale inventory data and how its predictions can be used to better inform adaptive management decisions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Itter, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Finley, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weiskittel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.14.643281</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Connecting growth and yield models to continuous forest inventory data to better account for uncertainty]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.20.644278v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transcriptomic analysis of whole staged ovarian follicles reveals stage-specific folliculogenesis signatures in mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.20.644278v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Activation and maturation of ovarian follicles are essential for female reproduction, yet the underlying molecular and transcriptional mechanisms that govern these processes remain poorly understood. In this study, we used single follicle RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify transcriptional signatures of staged ovarian follicles, from primordial to secondary stages, to uncover the genes and pathways involved in early folliculogenesis. Our findings demonstrate that primordial follicles are transcriptionally distinct from growing follicles, with enrichment in DNA integrity and RNA processing pathways, which may play a role in preserving oocyte genomic stability and cell state during dormancy. Additionally, our analysis reveals minimal transcriptomic differences between primary and secondary follicles using traditional differential expression analysis. To better distinguish growing follicle stages, we introduce unsupervised approaches, including discrete-variable predictors of follicle stage and weighted gene co-expression analysis. We identified pathways involved in DNA integrity, meiotic arrest, and cellular metabolism that drive the transition from dormant to active follicle states, as well as pathways related to cellular growth, ECM organization, and biosynthesis in growing follicle stages. Our study offers novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing early follicle activation and growth, providing a foundation for future research with applications in reproductive biology, contraception, and fertility preservation.

Author SummaryThe development of ovarian follicles is essential for female fertility, but the molecular signals that control their growth remain unclear. In this study, we used advanced gene sequencing techniques to analyze the genetic activity of individual ovarian follicles at different stages of early development. We found that dormant follicles have unique gene expression patterns that help protect the genetic material of the egg and maintain their inactive state. In contrast, follicles that have begun to grow show increased activity in genes related to cell growth, communication, and structural changes. Interestingly, we observed that early growing follicles are more similar to each other than previously thought, prompting us to apply new analytical methods to better distinguish their developmental stages. Our findings highlight key biological pathways that regulate the transition from dormant to active follicles and uncover new genes that may play a role in this process. Understanding these mechanisms provides valuable insights into ovarian biology and could inform future research on fertility treatments, contraception, and reproductive health.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>VanBenschoten, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kholod, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Russo, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shalek, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duncan, F. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woodruff, T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goods, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.20.644278</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transcriptomic analysis of whole staged ovarian follicles reveals stage-specific folliculogenesis signatures in mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.23.644819v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
New Insights into Microbial Nitrogen Utilization in the Rumen Enabled by Genome-Resolved Multi-Omics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.23.644819v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Optimizing nitrogen (N) utilization in ruminant production systems holds both economic and environmental significance. However, traditional paradigms of N metabolism, derived primarily from well-studied model rumen bacteria, cannot fully capture the diverse and complex N metabolic dynamics within the rumen ecosystem. To address this gap, we utilized comparative genomics and genome-resolved multi-omics analyses using a curated set of microbial genomes to investigate N assimilation and regulation in rumen microbes. We discovered that canonical mechanism of ammonia assimilation and regulation, such as the glutamine synthetase (GS)/glutamate synthase (GOGAT) pathways and its regulatory proteins, are absent in the genomes of many key and predominant rumen microbes, which likely utilize alternative pathways for ammonia assimilation. These findings challenge the applicability of E. coli-based N regulation models to rumen bacteria. We further linked polysaccharide utilization and ammonia assimilation across hundreds of rumen microbial species. Furthermore, we identified specific microbial species involved in ureolysis and denitrification, as well as phages carrying auxiliary metabolic genes that perform N assimilation. Using an animal trial involving 11 pairs of lamb twins in a crossover design, we demonstrated that dietary crude protein (CP) concentrations had minimal impact on rumen microbiome composition and expression of N assimilation genes. Instead, shifts in concentrate levels triggered alterations in N assimilation, including increased expression of amino acid biosynthesis pathways. These findings indicate a nuanced, species-specific microbial response to dietary interventions, highlighting the limitations of traditional N metabolism models applied to rumen microbes and the need for more granular studies of rumen microbial ecosystems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Firkins, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Relling, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.23.644819</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[New Insights into Microbial Nitrogen Utilization in the Rumen Enabled by Genome-Resolved Multi-Omics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.21.644658v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Population and adaptation history of 739 Thlaspi arvense natural accessions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.21.644658v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) is a promising intermediate oilseed crop, producing oil suitable for conversion to biofuels--including aviation fuels. While domestication efforts are ongoing, a deeper understanding of the genetic architecture of traits is crucial for informing future breeding efforts. Here, we conducted the largest genomic and phenotypic survey of pennycress to date, analyzing 739 accessions collected across four continents. Leveraging whole-genome sequencing and field-collected phenotypes, we characterized the standing genetic variation underlying key agronomic traits and climate resilience. Our findings revealed multiple independent migration events to North America, with substantial genetic admixture. We identified homologs of Arabidopsis thaliana flowering-time genes that contribute to adaptation and demonstrated the agronomic benefits of winter-type pennycress. Furthermore, through multi-season field trials, we identified a genomic region containing a cluster of mTERF genes strongly associated with green canopy coverage, a critical trait for biomass retention and yield stability. These insights provide a genomic roadmap for accelerating pennycress domestication and improving its resilience to climate variability.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Epstein, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Esfahanian, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gautam, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Griffiths, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipzen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daum, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoshinaga, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abeyratne, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akhmetov, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arana, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bayliss, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borphukan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brusa, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chhetri, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Combs-Giroir, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Czech, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dyderski, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gjesvold, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grzejszczak, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hateley, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heller, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoffmann, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jaikumar, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jarvis, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jawahir, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klisz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kruse, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lane, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lima, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madrid, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marlino, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGinn, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pavicic, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perry, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shah, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Townsend, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wanigarathna, T. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wesley, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Connolly, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, Y. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Puchałka, R</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.21.644658</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Population and adaptation history of 739 Thlaspi arvense natural accessions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.27.645697v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Microbiome responses to natural Fusarium infection in field-grown soybean plants 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.27.645697v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The rhizosphere microbiome influences plant health by mediating plant-pathogen interactions. Plants can recruit protective microbes in response to disease, but the consistency of this process in field conditions is unclear. We examined the rhizosphere microbiome of field-grown soybean (Glycine max L.) naturally infected with root pathogens across three commercial fields in Kentucky, USA. Symptomatic and asymptomatic plants were sampled to assess disease-associated shifts in the rhizosphere microbiome. Amplicon sequencing identified a diverse Fusarium community, with one Fusarium solani amplicon sequence variant (ASV) consistently enriched in diseased plants, identifying it as the likely pathogen. While microbial communities differed between diseased and healthy plants, these shifts were largely field-specific. Several fungal ASVs with known biocontrol potential (Clonostachys rosea, Penicillium, and Trichoderma) were enriched in healthy plants, implying a role in disease suppression. A Sphingomonas ASV, a genus previously linked to plant protection, was more abundant in diseased plant rhizospheres in two fields, suggesting pathogen-triggered recruitment. Conversely, Macrophomina phaseolina, a generalist root pathogen, was enriched in the rhizosphere of diseased plants in all fields, indicating possible co-infection with F. solani. These findings reveal complex pathogen-microbe interactions in field conditions and emphasize the need for field-specific microbiome research to inform sustainable disease management strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>van Bentum, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Banion, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gates, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van Pelt, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bakker, P. A. H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pieterse, C. M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lebeis, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berendsen, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-03-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.27.645697</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Microbiome responses to natural Fusarium infection in field-grown soybean plants]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-03-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.31.646424v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Archaeological Bolivian maize genomes suggest Inca cultural expansion augmented maize diversity in South America 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.31.646424v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Previous archaeological and anthropological studies have demonstrated the myriad of ways that cultural and political systems shape access to food and food preferences. However, few studies have conducted a biocultural analysis linking specific genotypic/phenotypic traits as evidence of cultural selection in ancient contexts. Here, we provide insight into this topic through ancient genome data from Bolivian maize dating to [~]500-600 BP, included as an offering with the mummified remains of a young girl. These data are compared to 16 previously published archaeological maize samples spanning at least 5,000 years of evolution, and 226 modern maize samples. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that the archaeological Bolivian maize (aBM) has the closest genetic distance to the archaeological maize from ancient Peru, which in turn shared the most similarities with archaeological Peruvian maize. During the period of interaction between the Inca state and local polities in the central Andes and consequent interactions with local agricultural traditions, the genetic diversity of maize increased. Ovule development in modern maize was selected and compared to those in archaeological specimens, revealing evidence of targeted breeding strategies aimed at improving seed quality and yield. While the cultural origin of the maize - either Inca or local Aymara - is uncertain, we demonstrate that the samples are most similar to Peruvian maize and potential targeted selection strategies for enhanced growth were well established by the 15th century.

Significance StatementMaize has been improved through selective breeding delivering desirable horticultural, agronomic, and cultural characteristics, related to environment, nutrition, etc. Inca culture was closely associated with maize diversity, but there is little evidence to show how and why culture influenced that diversity and modern maize biogeographic patterns in South America. We show that in the 15th century CE, maize diversity in the central Andes was enhanced through selection for specific traits associated with reproduction. We hypothesize that this may have contributed to maize becoming a staple under the Inca, as happened previously with expanding Tiwanaku interactions and influence during the Middle Horizon.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baetsen-Young, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madzima, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wasef, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rivera Casanovas, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovis, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wrobel, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.31.646424</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Archaeological Bolivian maize genomes suggest Inca cultural expansion augmented maize diversity in South America]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.01.644731v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The impact of fungal developmental structures on mechanical properties of mycelial materials. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.01.644731v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This study explores how suppressing asexual development in Aspergillus nidulans enhances the mechanical properties of mycelial materials. Using four aconidial mutants ({Delta}brlA, {Delta}flbA, {Delta}fluG, and fadAG42R) that lack asexual development and a control strain (A28) that undergoes typical asexual development, we found that the absence of asexual development significantly improves mechanical strength. All mutants exhibited higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS) than the control, with {Delta}fluG and {Delta}brlA (fluffy nonsporulating, FNS phenotype) showing the highest UTS. Additionally, fadAG42R and {Delta}flbA (fluffy autolytic dominant, FAD phenotype) demonstrated significantly higher strain at failure (SF), linked to increased autolysis and lower dry cell mass compared to the control and FNS mutants. Solid-state NMR analysis revealed that autolysis in FAD mutants disrupts galactofuranose-related metabolic processes, altering cell wall composition and contributing to higher elasticity. These findings suggest that suppressing asexual development enhances mycelial material strength, while autolysis mechanisms influence elasticity. This research highlights the potential for genetic manipulation in fungi to engineer advanced mycelial-based materials with tailored mechanical properties.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gray, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doan, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huso, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pan, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bolima, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gautam, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srivastava, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zupan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harris, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marten, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.01.644731</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The impact of fungal developmental structures on mechanical properties of mycelial materials.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.03.647055v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Autoinduction expression systems by AHL-mediated quorum-sensing circuits in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.03.647055v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Despite significant potential for cyanobacteria as sustainable bioproduction chases, there are limited examples of scaled cyanobacterial bioproduction. In part, this is because most cyanobacterial species are poorly adapted to bioreactor cultivation conditions and lack features that facilitate biomass growth and harvesting at scale. We explored quorum sensing (QS) pathways derived from heterotrophic microbes as a method for autoinduction of gene expression circuits coordinated to population density in cyanobacteria. Here, we integrated genetic modules designed to produce and detect the diffusible QS signal, acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), in the cyanobacterial model, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 (S. elongatus). We demonstrate that S. elongatus heterologously produces sufficient AHL signals to activate gene expression in a dose-dependent and population density-responsive manner. A hybrid combination of AHL synthesis enzyme from Vibrio fischeri (Lux system) with the transcription factor receiver from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Las system) provides an ideal activation ratio and mitigates toxicity observed with some AHL systems. As a proof of concept, we coupled the QS pathway to the expression of a cell division inhibitory gene, cdv3, facilitating late-phase cell elongation, cell sedimentation, and improved biomass recovery. Our findings provide a foundation for the development of auto-induction systems leverageable to improve cyanobacterial biotechnology applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kokarakis, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos-Merino, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghaffarinasab, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vocelle, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.03.647055</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Autoinduction expression systems by AHL-mediated quorum-sensing circuits in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.31.646330v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evidence of Gait Impairment After mTBI in an Adolescent Pig Model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.31.646330v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This study investigates the effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on gait in Yucatan minipigs, a relevant animal model for assessing balance impairments after TBI. Retro-reflective markers were placed on different anatomical locations on the pig, and eight motion capture cameras were set up along the sides of the pig walking path to capture natural gait data. Pigs were tested both before and after induced head injury, allowing for direct comparison of gait alterations. Our findings reveal significant impairments, including reduced shoulder flexibility, altered head movement, and compensatory stabilization strategies, such as increased vertical nodding. These observations suggest that, like human mTBI patients, pigs exhibit balance deficits and modified movement patterns. The results demonstrate the utility of the adolescent pig model in studying mTBI-related balance disturbances, providing valuable insights into its neurological and biomechanical consequences. This research lays the groundwork for future studies focused on developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for mTBI-induced gait impairments.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vizzeswarapu, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanat, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bush, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.31.646330</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evidence of Gait Impairment After mTBI in an Adolescent Pig Model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.31.646410v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Regional species coexistence despite local priority effects: the overlooked role of dispersal-community feedback 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.31.646410v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Many cases of animal-mediated dispersal are non-random, with the animals altering their movement pattern in response to the local species composition of the organisms that the vectoring animals disperse. Yet, this dispersal-community feedback has received little attention in metacommunity ecology. We use a mathematical model to show that dispersal-community feedback can promote regional species coexistence. As a well-characterized system, our model focuses on nectar-inhabiting bacteria and yeast that are dispersed by pollinators and affected by priority effects within flowers once dispersed. Model analysis suggests that bacteria and yeast coexist regionally only when their occurrence in flowers influences the frequency of flower visits by pollinators. This microbe-pollinator feedback creates positive density dependence in each plant, causing competitive exclusion at the plant scale, but spatial partitioning across multiple plants, realizing coexistence at this scale. Our finding highlights dispersal-community feedback as an overlooked potential mechanism of species coexistence.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nell, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klausmeier, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fukami, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.03.31.646410</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Regional species coexistence despite local priority effects: the overlooked role of dispersal-community feedback]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.01.646605v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Immune phenotype-guided identification of disease-associated pathobionts in Crohn's disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.01.646605v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Aberrant immune activation within the gut mucosa and gut dysbiosis have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohns disease (CD). However, the specific immune responses triggered by dysbiotic microbiota, as well as the bacteria responsible for this activation, remain incompletely understood. Here, using the human microbiota-associated (HMA) mouse system, we demonstrated that colonization with dysbiotic gut microbiota from CD patients specifically induces the accumulation of mononuclear phagocytes, which may drive an interleukin-1 (IL-1)-driven inflammatory signature. Moreover, we identified pathobiont strains with a potent IL-1{beta}-inducing capacity, termed  IL-1{beta}-inducing pathobionts (IBIP). Isolated IBIP strains exhibit genetic and functional similarities to adherent-invasive Escherichia coli but harbor unique virulence-associated genes. Colonization with the IBIP E. coli strain exacerbated experimental colitis in an IL-1 signal-dependent manner. Notably, the colonization of IBIP E. coli can be detected by measuring the levels of specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) in their stool samples. Moreover, the level of IBIP-reactive IgA in stool may serve as a predictive biomarker for treatment response to anti-TNF therapies in treatment-naive pediatric CD patients. Altogether, IBIP colonization could help identify CD patients with inflammatory dysbiosis who are likely to be refractory to anti-TNF therapies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nagao-Kitamoto, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sugihara, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kitamoto, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ebihara, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newman, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alonso, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Suzuki, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kioi, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yunesi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Inohara, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alteri, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Minar, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Denson, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Higgins, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kao, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bishu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lei, Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kamada, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.01.646605</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Immune phenotype-guided identification of disease-associated pathobionts in Crohn's disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.06.647447v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rapid High-Resolution Analysis of Polysaccharide-Lignin Interactions via Proton-Detected Solid-State NMR with Application to Eucalyptus and Spruce 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.06.647447v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The plant secondary cell wall, a complex matrix composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, is crucial for the mechanical strength and water-proofing properties of plant tissues, and serves as a primary source of biomass for biorenewable energy and biomaterials. Structural analysis of these polymers and their interactions within the secondary cell wall has been heavily relying on 13C-based solid-state NMR techniques. In this study, we explore the application of 1H-detected solid-state NMR techniques for rapid, high-resolution structural characterization of polysaccharides and lignin, demonstrated on the stems of hardwood eucalyptus and softwood spruce. We employed several strategies, including the use of synthesized 2D spectra to resolve central 1H resonances and the combined application of 3D hCCH and hCHH experiments for complete resonance assignment and unambiguous identification of lignin-carbohydrate interactions. Our findings emphasize the central role of acetylated three-fold xylan conformers, rather than two-fold, in stabilizing the carbohydrate-lignin interface, with glucuronic acid sidechains in eucalyptus glucuronoxylan colocalizing with lignin, revised cellulose-lignin interactions involving uncoated microfibril surfaces, and pectin-lignin interactions indicative of early-stage lignification. We also carefully evaluated the interference from tannins in softwood species. These results present a novel approach for rapid structural analysis of lignocellulosic biomaterials without the need for solubilization or extraction.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xiao, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yarava, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Debnath, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sahu, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holmes, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.06.647447</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rapid High-Resolution Analysis of Polysaccharide-Lignin Interactions via Proton-Detected Solid-State NMR with Application to Eucalyptus and Spruce]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.03.647026v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Differential activation of NF-κB and HIF-1α between alveolar-like macrophages and myeloid-derived macrophages drive inflammatory differences following Mycobacterium abscessus infection. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.03.647026v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pulmonary infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab), a rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM), are on the rise in patients with chronic or acquired lung disease. In contrast to immunocompetent individuals, these patient cohorts exhibit abnormal pulmonary function that result from chronic inflammation and mucus build-up. Treatment regimens rely on multi-drug cocktails yet Mabs natural recalcitrance to common antibiotics extends treatment timelines and increases the frequency of treatment failures. Thus, it is important to understand the mechanisms by which immunocompetent individuals clear Mab with relative ease while susceptible individuals do not. In the lungs, macrophages are the first immune cell Mab encounters following infection, with both resident alveolar macrophages and recruited myeloid derived macrophages playing important roles during infection control. However, the specific role of these distinct macrophage populations in regulating control and inflammatory responses during Mab remains limited due to a lack of ex vivo models that recapitulate the functions of different macrophage subsets. Here, we leverage a fetal-liver derived alveolar macrophage (FLAM) model to define early inflammatory responses occurring at the Mab-macrophage interface compared to bone-marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs). Even though both FLAMs and BMDMs similarly control intracellular Mab, the inflammatory response between these macrophage populations is significantly different. BMDMs robustly activated NF-{kappa}B transcriptional targets that include important chemokines and inflammatory cytokines like TNF, FLAMs transiently induced these genes following Mab infection. While activation of FLAMs or BMDMs with IFN{gamma} prior to Mab infection did not alter Mab intracellular dynamics, it did drive FLAMs to be more inflammatory, yet important differences remained compared to BMDMs, including the lower expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase. This was reversed with chemical activation of HIF1. We conclude that FLAMs and BMDMs differentially respond to Mab infection due to differences in signaling networks activated following innate immune sensing, with FLAMs being more hypoinflammatory than BMDMs. More broadly our results highlight a need to better understand the initial interactions with Mab and distinct macrophage populations to define pathways that contribute to pulmonary protection or disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gilliland, H. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soverina, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vielma, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.03.647026</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Differential activation of NF-κB and HIF-1α between alveolar-like macrophages and myeloid-derived macrophages drive inflammatory differences following Mycobacterium abscessus infection.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.05.647383v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multiple evolutionary events in host plant adaptation in Lepidoptera 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.05.647383v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The evolution of insect host adaptation is a key component of insect-plant coevolution, a complex process often shaped by multiple evolutionary events. In this study, we identified two UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) genes, SfruUGT33T10 and SfruUGT33F32, in the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda, which play critical roles in the tolerance of benzoxazinoids (BXs), secondary metabolites in maize. These two detoxification enzymes exhibited distinct glycosylation patterns for BXs and varying detoxification efficiencies, reflecting independent evolutionary trajectories. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that SfruUGT33T10 originated independently within Noctuidae, while SfruUGT33F32 resulted from tandem duplication within the UGT33F gene family and may have undergone neofunctionalization within the Spodoptera genus. Our findings provide evidence that the evolution of these two UGT paralogs contributed to the variation in the tolerance to maize BXs among different Lepidopteran species. This research underscores the significance of multiple independent evolutionary routes in host plant adaptation and offer new insights into the complex evolutionary processes underlying insect-plant interactions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Luo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jia, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chung, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.05.647383</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multiple evolutionary events in host plant adaptation in Lepidoptera]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.09.647926v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sperm meet the elevated energy demands to attain fertilization competence by increasing flux through aldolase 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.09.647926v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Prior to ejaculation, sperm are stored in the epididymis in a  resting metabolic state. Upon ejaculation, sperm must alter their metabolism to generate the energy needed to support the motility and maturation process known as capacitation to reach and fertilize the oocyte. How sperm regulate the capacitation-induced increase in carbon flux is unknown. Here, we use 13C stable isotope labeling to follow glucose metabolism through sperm central carbon metabolic network before and after sperm activation. We identify regulatory steps which sperm use to alter their metabolic state from resting to highly active. In activated sperm, glucose flux through glycolysis is increased at the expense of the pentose phosphate pathway to increase energy yield. Increased glycolytic activity seems to be due to capacitation-induced stimulation of flux through aldolase. In the mitochondria-containing midpiece, glycolytically generated pyruvate feeds the TCA cycle to further maximize energy yield via oxidative phosphorylation. In the mitochondria-free principal piece of the tail, pyruvate produced from glycolysis is reduced to lactate by lactate dehydrogenase. Reduction to lactate regenerates oxidized NAD+ ensuring a sufficient supply to support glycolysis. The resultant lactate is at least partially secreted. Finally, we find evidence that there is an as yet unknown endogenous source of energy in sperm feeding the upregulation of TCA cycle intermediates. These studies provide the most complete picture of the metabolic shift which occurs in capacitating sperm.

Significance statementA rapid switch from a quiescent to a high energy-demanding state during ejaculation is essential for sperm to reach and fertilize the oocyte. Somatic cells also undergo bioenergetic switches from low to very high energy demand. However, because metabolic processes essential for proliferation are going on in parallel, it is difficult to identify the molecular mechanisms regulating the increase in ATP production. This study represents the first complete picture of the metabolic reprogramming that happens in sperm upon ejaculation. Using stable isotope labeling, we identify rate-limiting enzymatic steps and points of regulation directing the changes in metabolic flux. Our sperm metabolic studies allow us to identify conserved mechanisms of metabolic regulation that are crucial for the survival of mammalian cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Violante, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kyaw, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kouatli, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paladugu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Apostolakis, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenks, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sheldon, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilmiller, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Visconti, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cross, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levin, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buck, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balbach, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.09.647926</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sperm meet the elevated energy demands to attain fertilization competence by increasing flux through aldolase]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.11.646618v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Recognition-dependent activation of the RRS1-R/RPS4 immune receptor complex 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.11.646618v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Arabidopsis TIR-NLR immune receptors RPS4 and RRS1 function together to enable recognition of multiple effector proteins including AvrRps4 and PopP2. We show here that both in the presence and absence of effector, RPS4 and RRS1 form an oligomer that does not change in size upon effector provision. Oligomer formation involves interactions between the RPS4 and RRS1 TIR domains and requires nucleotide binding capacity in RPS4. RPS4 mutants that lose TIR domain NADase activity abrogate immune activation but retain oligomerization. A cysteine residue in the RPS4 LRR domain contributes to oligomer stabilization. We propose that upon effector recognition, conformational changes in the complex relieve inhibition of RPS4 TIR domains by RRS1 TIR domains, enabling proximity between RPS4 TIR domains to create NADase activity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ahn, H.-K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sklenar, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keh, S. P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huh, S. U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hulin, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burdett, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sindalovskaya, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mukhi, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knorr, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Banfield, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Menke, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.11.646618</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Recognition-dependent activation of the RRS1-R/RPS4 immune receptor complex]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.14.648219v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Measuring the selective packaging of RNA molecules by viral coat proteins in cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.14.648219v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Some RNA viruses package their genomes with extraordinary selectivity, assembling protein capsids around their own viral RNA while excluding nearly all host RNA. How the assembling proteins distinguish viral RNA from host RNA is not fully understood, but RNA structure is thought to play a key role. To test this idea, we perform in-cellulo packaging experiments using bacteriophage MS2 coat proteins and a variety of RNA molecules in E. coli. In each experiment, plasmid-derived RNA molecules with a specified sequence compete against the cellular transcriptome for packaging by plasmid-derived coat proteins. Following this competition, we quantify the total amount and relative composition of the packaged RNA using electron microscopy, interferometric scattering microscopy, and high-throughput sequencing. By systematically varying the input RNA sequence and measuring changes in packaging outcomes, we are able to directly test competing models of selective packaging. Our results rule out a longstanding model in which selective packaging requires the well-known TR stem-loop, and instead support more recent models in which selectivity emerges from the collective interactions of multiple coat proteins and multiple stem-loops distributed across the RNA molecule. These findings establish a framework for understanding selective packaging in a range of natural viruses and virus-like particles, and lay the groundwork for engineering synthetic systems that package specific RNA cargoes.

Significance StatementBacteriophage MS2 packages its RNA genome into protective protein shells called capsids while excluding nearly all host-cell RNA. Engineering synthetic capsids with similar selectivity could enable a broad range of RNA-based technologies, including CRISPR gene editing systems, mRNA vaccines, and other emerging RNA-based therapeutics. Our study shows that selective packaging in MS2 is not dictated by a single, high-affinity RNA-protein interaction but instead emerges from the collective interactions of multiple coat proteins and an ensemble of stem-loops distributed across the RNA molecule. By establishing these collective interactions as the basis of selectivity, our findings provide a foundation for engineering synthetic capsids capable of selectively packaging target RNAs for next-generation RNA-based technologies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rastandeh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makasarashvili, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dhaliwal, H. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subramanian, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villarreal, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gamez, E. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garmann, R. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.14.648219</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Measuring the selective packaging of RNA molecules by viral coat proteins in cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.18.649381v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High-Dimensional Protein Analysis Uncovers Distinct Immunological and Stromal Signatures Between Primary and Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.18.649381v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Our understanding of the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumor microenvironment (TME) primarily stems from murine models or primary patient tumors. While metastatic tumors have generally less immune infiltration compared to primary tumors, the specific cellular features of metastatic PDAC remain understudied. This knowledge gap is impactful as most patients present with metastatic disease and are most often enrolled in clinical trials. We hypothesized PDAC tumors harbor distinct immunologic and stromal features depending on their anatomical site. Using multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC), spatial analysis, and single-cell mass cytometry (CyTOF), we uncover dominant immune and stromal cell populations in tumors derived from 27 primary and 26 liver metastases. Metastatic liver tumors from PDAC patients contained fewer T cells and alpha-smooth muscle actin (-SMA+) activated fibroblasts than primary lesions, while CD68+ cells were more abundant. Spatial analyses revealed distinct immune cell communities in primary and metastatic PDAC, whereby CK19+ cells clustered differentially with -SMA+, CD3+, and CD68+ cells, depending on tumor site. When comparing tumor-associated regions, the proportion of peritumoral CK19- cells remained consistent, but their composition varied by disease site. CD8+ T cells were significantly less frequent in metastatic tumors, while both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells present in primary tumors expressed more transcription factors (TFs) associated with suppressive properties, including FoxP3 and ROR{gamma}t. CyTOF revealed that T cells co-expressed multiple inhibitory checkpoint receptors, with LAG-3 and PD-1 predominating. This report reveals that primary and metastatic tumors from PDAC patients harbor vastly distinct immunologic and stromal features at the protein level.

Statement of SignificanceProtein level analysis reveals distinct immunological and stromal features between primary and metastatic PDAC tumors, offering a rationale for immunotherapies that target myeloid cells and increase T cell abundance in metastatic disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Greene, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horvat, N. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doxie, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parihar, V. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herting, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grundy, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruffin, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krasinskas, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maithel, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarmiento, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shah, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zaidi, M. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Diab, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alese, O. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dhodapkar, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kissick, H. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>El-Rayes, B. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paulos, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lesinski, G. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.18.649381</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High-Dimensional Protein Analysis Uncovers Distinct Immunological and Stromal Signatures Between Primary and Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.21.648805v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Effects of Antidepressants on the Hippocampus: A Meta-Analysis of Public Transcriptional Profiling Data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.21.648805v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundDepression can be treated with traditional antidepressant pharmaceuticals targeting monoaminergic function, as well as with a variety of non-traditional drug classes and neuromodulatory interventions, such as electroconvulsive therapy.

ObjectiveTo identify mechanisms of action shared across antidepressant treatment categories, we performed a systematic meta-analysis of public transcriptional profiling data from adult laboratory rodents (rats, mice). Our scope included clinically-used and clinically-effective antidepressant treatments, both pharmacological and neuromodulatory. The outcome variable was gene expression, as measured by microarray or RNA-Seq, from bulk dissected tissue from two brain regions linked to depression, the hippocampus and cortex.

MethodsRelevant datasets were identified in the Gemma database of curated, reprocessed transcriptional profiling data using pre-defined search terms and inclusion/exclusion criteria (hippocampus: 6-24-2024, cortex: 7-10-2024). Differential expression results were extracted for all available genes, minimizing bias. For each gene, a random effects meta-analysis model was fit to the antidepressant vs. control effect sizes (Log2 Fold Changes) from each study for each brain region, with exploratory analyses examining traditional and non-traditional antidepressant categories separately.

ResultsFor the hippocampus, 15 relevant studies were identified, containing 22 antidepressant vs. control group comparisons. These treatment comparisons represented a collective n=313 samples, approximately half of which received traditional versus non-traditional antidepressants. Of the 16,439 genes with stable meta-analysis estimates, 58 were consistently differentially expressed (False Discovery Rate (FDR)<0.05) following treatment. Antidepressant effects were enriched in gene sets related to stress regulation, brain growth and plasticity, vascular and glial function, and immune function. Comparisons with findings from single nucleus RNA-Seq confirmed antidepressant effects on specific hippocampal cell types, including promoting an immature phenotype in dentate granule neurons. For the cortex, 14 studies were identified, containing 17 antidepressant vs. control group comparisons (collective n=260). Of the 14,344 genes with stable meta-analysis estimates, only one was consistently differentially expressed (FDR<0.05: Atp6v1b2), but the overall pattern of expression correlated with that observed in the hippocampus.

ConclusionGenes and pathways that are consistently differentially expressed across treatment categories may serve as linchpins for antidepressant efficacy, providing promising targets for novel therapies. Future work should explore the relevance of these findings to human clinical populations, and explore potential heterogeneity introduced by sex, region, and drug category.

Key PointsO_LIDepression can be treated with traditional antidepressants targeting monoaminergic function, as well as multiple other drug classes and non-pharmaceutical interventions.
C_LIO_LIUnderstanding the congruent effects of different types of antidepressant treatments on sensitive brain regions, such as the hippocampus and cortex, can highlight essential mechanisms of action.
C_LIO_LIA meta-analysis of public transcriptional profiling datasets identified genes and functional gene sets that are differentially expressed across antidepressant categories.
C_LI

Plain Language SummaryMajor depressive disorder is characterized by persistent depressed mood and loss of interest and pleasure in life. Worldwide, an estimated 5% of adults suffer from depression, making it a leading cause of disability. The current standard of care for depressed individuals includes psychotherapy and antidepressant medications that enhance signaling by monoamine neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. Other treatments include non-traditional antidepressants that function via alternative, often unknown, mechanisms. To identify mechanisms of action shared across different categories of antidepressants, we performed a meta-analysis using public datasets to characterize changes in gene expression (mRNA) following treatment with both traditional and non-traditional antidepressants. We focused on the hippocampus and cortex, which are two brain regions that are sensitive to both depression and antidepressant usage. We found 59 genes that had consistently higher or lower levels of expression (mRNA) across antidepressant categories. The functions associated with these genes were diverse, including regulation of stress response, the immune system, brain growth and adaptability. These genes are worth investigating further as potential linchpins for antidepressant efficacy or as targets for novel therapies.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=104 SRC="FIGDIR/small/648805v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (29K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@8b41b1org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@85d600org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a4bc1eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@13a8723_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Geoghegan, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hagenauer, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hernandez, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Espinoza, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flandreau, E. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, P. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhuiyan, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mensch, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Watson, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akil, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.21.648805</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Effects of Antidepressants on the Hippocampus: A Meta-Analysis of Public Transcriptional Profiling Data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.23.648411v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
VasoTracker 2: An Open-source Platform for Quantitative Analysis of Vascular Reactivity and Function 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.23.648411v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
VasoTracker 2 is an open-source platform for studying blood vessel dynamics, featuring versatile diameter-tracking software and complementary low-cost hardware components. This system surpasses existing tools through accessible, high-resolution analysis across multiple imaging modalities, enabling comprehensive assessment of vascular dynamics in both real-time and pre-recorded experiments.

Advanced algorithms enable multi-point diameter tracking in branched vessels, automated pressure-response protocols, and reliable edge detection. The software can assess vessels imaged by brightfield microscopy, fluorescence imaging, and in ultrasound recordings, supporting diverse applications from isolated vessel studies to in vivo assessment.

For ex vivo applications, VasoTracker 2 includes modular open-source hardware components that can be used to create a low-cost pressure myograph system: a confocal-compatible vessel chamber and a programmable pressure controller, VasoMoto. By combining powerful analytical capabilities with an open-access approach, VasoTracker 2 provides free software and low-cost hardware alternatives to commercial systems, democratizing access to advanced vascular research tools for scientists worldwide.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Osborne, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stevenson, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacDonald, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ebner, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jeffrey, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacDonald, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buckley, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dabertrand, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Machin, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Au, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harraz, O. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tykocki, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCarron, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.23.648411</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[VasoTracker 2: An Open-source Platform for Quantitative Analysis of Vascular Reactivity and Function]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.22.650056v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High resolution diel transcriptomes of autotetraploid potato reveal expression and sequence conservation among rhythmic genes 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.22.650056v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Photoperiodic changes in diel cycles of gene expression are pervasive in plants. Timing of circadian regulators together with light signals regulate multiple photoperiod dependent responses such as growth, flowering or tuber formation. However, for most genes the importance of cyclic mRNA levels is less clear. We analyzed the diel transcriptome of modern cultivated potato, a highly heterozygous autotetraploid. Clonal propagation and limited meiosis have led to the accumulation of deleterious alleles and therefore tetraploid potato is an ideal model system to investigate the conservation of cyclic expression and cyclic genes during the artificial selection process. We observed that cyclic alleles were more highly expressed than non-cyclic ones and were highly co-expressed not only under diel cycles but also across tissues, developmental stages and stress conditions. Moreover, the smaller ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous differences within cyclic as compared to non-cyclic allelic groups indicates that cyclic genes, in general, have more conserved core functions than those of non-cyclic ones. In accordance with this observation, fully rhythmic allelic groups were highly enriched in photosynthesis and ribosome biogenesis genes, which play core functions in plants. Furthermore, we investigated differences in cyclic expression patterns between photoperiods. We identified transcription factors potentially regulating the strong differences in phase between photoperiods observed in ribosome biogenesis and pathogen response genes. Finally, analyses of genes involved in tuber formation suggests that the regulation of CO gene transcription is not the only factor enabling tuberization under long days in modern cultivated potato. This study not only provides high quality diel transcriptomic datasets of cultivated potato but also important insight on the role of allelic diversity in rhythmic expression in plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Feke, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Acheson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brose, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farre, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.22.650056</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High resolution diel transcriptomes of autotetraploid potato reveal expression and sequence conservation among rhythmic genes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.23.650090v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A role of villin-dependent F-actin organization in peroxisome motility in Arabidopsis cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.23.650090v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Actin microfilaments (F-actin) serve as the track for directional movement of organelles in plants. To understand how the F-actin network is employed for the movement of peroxisomes, essential organelles in plant metabolism, we analyzed mutants of three villin (VLN) genes, which encode the primary actin-bundling factor and are most actively expressed in vegetative tissues in Arabidopsis thaliana. We found that the vln4 mutation greatly exacerbated the growth and subcellular defects in vln2 vln3. Compared to the wild-type cells, the double and triple vln mutants exhibit progressive reduction of stable F-actin bundles and rapid remodeling of the fine filaments. The defective F-actin network did not prevent peroxisomes from taking on both rapid and slow movements along the tracks but caused significantly reduced speed of movement and displacement distance of peroxisomes. Using a correlation analysis method, we classified the complex heterogeneous peroxisome movement patterns into clusters reflecting distinct movement directionalities. The vln triple mutant had significantly reduced number of peroxisomes with long-range and linear movement. Our results provide insights into how VLN-dependent F-actin organization is coupled with the complex pattern of peroxisome movement.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Huang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koenig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, Y.-R. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.23.650090</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A role of villin-dependent F-actin organization in peroxisome motility in Arabidopsis cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.23.650178v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inside-Out: Modeling the link between Zika virus viral dynamics within hosts and transmission to vectors across host species and virus strains 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.23.650178v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Epidemiological models of mosquito-borne virus transmission often lack accurate estimates of host-to-vector transmission probability. Here, we estimated this probability for two strains of Zika virus (ZIKV)--one sylvatic and one human-endemic--from two monkey species to Aedes albopictus mosquitoes using experimental infection data. Viral dynamics did not differ between monkey species, although one (cynomolgus macaque) is a native ZIKV host and the other (squirrel monkey) a novel host, but differed between strains, with viremia for the human-endemic strain peaking later and lower than the sylvatic strain. Only the sylvatic strain was transmitted to mosquitoes. In mosquitoes, anatomical barriers influence viral progression to salivary glands, complicating host infectiousness estimation. We quantified the probability of viral dissemination to the legs in Ae. albopictus, which increased with host viral load and was higher after feeding on squirrel monkeys than on cynomolgus macaques. We also found a positive relationship between virus titer in mosquito legs and virus detection in saliva after a 14-day extrinsic incubation period. Combining these factors, we found that squirrel monkeys were on average 1.5 times more infectious to Ae. albopictus than cynomolgus macaques. These estimates will help assess ZIKVs potential to establish an enzootic, sylvatic cycle in the Americas.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cecilia, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Althouse, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Azar, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rossi, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasilakis, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hanley, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.23.650178</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inside-Out: Modeling the link between Zika virus viral dynamics within hosts and transmission to vectors across host species and virus strains]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.29.651264v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Neuroanatomical and behavioral characterization of corticotropin releasing factor-expressing lateral Habenula neurons in mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.29.651264v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The lateral habenula (LHb) is a critical hub for stress-related behaviors, yet the sources of its corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) inputs remain poorly defined. Using high-resolution imaging, RNAscope, and viral tracing, we identified a novel, intrinsic population of CRF-expressing LHb neurons (LHbCRF). These neurons are primarily VGLUT2+, though a rostral subpopulation co-expresses GAD2. While chemogenetic activation of LHbCRF neurons did not impact place preference or anxiety-like behaviors, it selectively biased defensive strategies toward passive action-locking during the Visual Looming Shadow Test (VLST). Notably, this activation prolonged escape latencies in males and post-escape shelter stays in females. Electrophysiological and optogenetic characterization revealed significant sexual dimorphism: male LHbCRF neurons are more numerous and intrinsically excitable, whereas female LHbCRF neurons exhibit stronger local excitatory connectivity. These findings establish LHbCRF neurons as a sexually dimorphic circuit component that could modulate sex-specific defensive strategies under threat via divergent cellular and synaptic mechanisms between the sexes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Flerlage, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gouty, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simmons, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsuda, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rujan, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iyer, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petrus, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nugent, F. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-04-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.29.651264</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Neuroanatomical and behavioral characterization of corticotropin releasing factor-expressing lateral Habenula neurons in mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-04-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.30.651520v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Baseline State for Pulmonary Vasculature with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Effect of Geometric Remodeling and Metabolic Shift 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.30.651520v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a complex disease characterized by chronically elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, with early onset and progression linked to structural, metabolic and morphological changes in the pulmonary vasculature. Understanding the interplay between hemodynamics and arterial wall mechanics is essential to capture the pathology of the distal vasculature in PAH. This study aims to develop a data-driven framework that establishes a baseline state of PAH vasculature, incorporating key features of arterial wall constituents, geometry, and their interaction with PAH-specific hemodynamics. The model also explores changes in the metabolic energy costs of the arterial vasculature and hypothesize the most plausible metabolic costs based on PAH arterial wall energy consumption. Illustrative examples of symmetrically bifurcating arterial trees are used to establish baseline characteristics of PAH-affected pulmonary arteries. We establish the baseline state for PAH vasculature and compared it with healthy homeostatic vasculature in terms of arterial mechanics, morphometry, and pulsatile hemodynamics. This framework provides a representative computational model for advanced studies on PAH treatments and lays the groundwork for future pathophysiological modeling of the disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mullagura, H. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gharahi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Figueroa, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.30.651520</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Baseline State for Pulmonary Vasculature with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Effect of Geometric Remodeling and Metabolic Shift]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651974v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Loss of age-associated increase in m6A-modified RNA contributes to GABAergic dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651974v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Dysregulated RNA metabolism is a significant feature of Alzheimers disease (AD), yet how post-transcriptional RNA modifications like N6-methyladenosine (m6A) are altered in AD is unknown. Here, we performed deamination adjacent to RNA modification targets (DART-seq) on human dorsolateral prefrontal cortices to assess changes in m6A with nucleotide resolution. In non-AD brains, m6A sites increased with age, predominantly within the 3'UTR of transcripts encoding tripartite synapse proteins. In contrast, AD brains lost the age-associated m6A site increase and exhibited global hypomethylation of transcripts, including MAPT and APP. Hypomethylated genes involved with GABAergic signaling, glutamate transport, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis exhibited reduced expression, connecting m6A to synaptic excitotoxicity and disrupted proteostasis in AD. Site-specific m6A levels were linked with GABRA1 expression and protein levels, but this relationship was abolished in AD. Our findings provide insight into post-transcriptional mechanisms of dysregulated RNA metabolism in AD that are related to aging and GABAergic regulation.

HIGHLIGHTSO_LIWith age, the number of m6A sites increases among Control cases (lacking AD pathology) but remains unchanged in AD cases.
C_LIO_LITranscripts are globally hypomethylated in AD cases.
C_LIO_LIHypomethylation is linked to decreased mRNA expression of transcripts related to synaptic and proteostatic function in AD.
C_LIO_LI3UTR-localized m6A sites lack typical association with transcript metabolism of GABRA1 in AD.
C_LI

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=196 SRC="FIGDIR/small/651974v3_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (34K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@995c55org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7d0619org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b6a20org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1d47dce_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Libera, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, T.-A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>van der Spek, S. J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schult, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorrian, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Majka, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tobunluepop, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Puri, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kynshov, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanaan, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nelson, P. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meyer, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hou, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolozin, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.02.651974</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Loss of age-associated increase in m6A-modified RNA contributes to GABAergic dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.03.652025v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Endocytosis of a zinc transceptor ZIP4 is mediated by AP2 through an atypical dileucine motif 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.03.652025v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human ZIP4 is an essential zinc transporter for dietary zinc absorption and also a transceptor that undergoes zinc-dependent endocytosis to regulate cellular zinc uptake capacity in response to changes in zinc availability. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of this post-translational regulation remains elusive. In this work, we focus on the LxL motif (formerly LQL motif), which is located in the longest cytosolic loop and indispensable for ZIP4 endocytosis, to elucidate how it is involved in ZIP4 endocytosis in a zinc-responsive manner. Integrating a combination of biochemical, cell/molecular biology and modelling approaches, our data collectively support a working model that the LxL motif, which is found to be more exposed and/or less ordered upon increased zinc availability, acts as an atypical dileucine motif to interact with the adaptor protein complex 2 for clathrin-mediated endocytosis. These findings provide insights into the molecular basis of zinc-dependent ZIP4 endocytosis, advancing the understanding of cellular zinc homeostasis and providing a paradigm for mechanistic studies of substrate-induced endocytosis of other nutrient transceptors.

HighlightsO_LIHydrophobicity of the LxL motif is essential for ZIP4 endocytosis
C_LIO_LIEndocytosis of endogenously expressed ZIP4 depends on Clathrin and AP2
C_LIO_LIThe LxL motif binds to the {sigma}2 subunit of AP2
C_LIO_LICellular zinc levels regulate the structure of the LxL motif
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.03.652025</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Endocytosis of a zinc transceptor ZIP4 is mediated by AP2 through an atypical dileucine motif]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.05.652309v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phylogenetic Analysis and Machine Learning Identify Signatures of Selection and Predict Deleterious Mutations in Common Bean 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.05.652309v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mutations are continuous source of new alleles and genetic diversity in populations. Domestication and selection influence the accumulation of alleles occurring across a range of deleteriousness. Evidence suggests that mildly deleterious mutations (DelMut) can be purged out of breeding populations, increasing favorable allele accumulation. We used phylogeny-based analyses among 36 legume genomes to identify selection signatures and predict DelMut in common bean. We also developed a multiparent advanced generation intercrossed (MAGIC) population of black beans to characterize DelMut. Genes involved in nitrogen metabolism showed signs of positive selection in the Middle American genome, whereas genes related to phosphorylation were positively selected in the Andean genome. By combining conservation and protein information with machine learning (ML) for high-dimensional feature analysis, we characterized 82,442 sites in the MAGIC founders (36,558 polymorphic) and 4,753 sites evenly sequenced among RILs that could be potentially deleterious. Variation in the number of highly DelMut (high predicted deleterious scores) among lines was observed and later correlated with agronomic traits. Phenotypic analyses showed that calculated genetic load (and number of highly DelMut) was negatively correlated with flowering time, maturity, and yield. A detailed in-silico analysis of predicted mutations showed presence in highly conserved protein regions, which is likely to affect protein functionality. Our results show that variation in genetic load can be observed in breeding populations and potentially impact plant performance. These results contribute to understanding the genome-wide accumulation patterns of DelMut in breeding populations. Our study supports future development of strategies to reduce genetic load in promising germplasm and accelerate breeding programs.

Key messages- Genome-wide highly deleterious mutations were predicted in conserved protein domains potentially affecting protein functionality.
- Variation in the genetic load and number of highly deleterious mutations can be observed in artificial breeding populations.
- Nitrogen- and phosphorous-related genes are under positive selection in Middle American and Andean beans respectively.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cordoba-Novoa, H. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buckler, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Romay, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berthel, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balasubramanian, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoyos Villegas, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.05.652309</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phylogenetic Analysis and Machine Learning Identify Signatures of Selection and Predict Deleterious Mutations in Common Bean]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.30.651567v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Persistent endotoxin exposure in macrophages elicits an immunometabolic profile susceptible to NF-kB and p53 perturbation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.30.651567v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The prolonged exposure of macrophages to endotoxin occurs in various chronic inflammatory conditions, including long-term inflammation triggered by particle-releasing implanted biomaterials, progressive pulmonary obstructive conditions, chronic bronchitis, colitis and hepatitis characterized by sustained exposure to gut-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, immune cellular metabolism in models of persistent inflammation remains undercharacterized, especially when compared to the well-studied immunometabolic changes following short-term LPS exposure. Here, we demonstrate that persistent LPS stimulation induces increased oxygen consumption alongside reduced levels of ATP and elevated glycolysis, with a mixed inflammatory profile indicative of endotoxin tolerance in primary bone marrow-derived macrophages. Pharmacological blockade of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain lowered oxygen consumption and mitochondrial ROS by reducing NF-{kappa}B signaling. Surprisingly, NF-{kappa}B inhibition at TAK1 or I{kappa}B phosphorylation, and p53 activation, reduced both oxygen consumption and glycolysis with minimal mitochondrial ROS impact. The absence of elevated mitochondrial membrane potential in prolonged LPS exposure suggests mitochondrial ROS production is likely reverse electron transport-independent, supported by the lack of effect of a mitochondrial depolarizer on oxygen consumption. These findings reveal a distinct immunometabolic phenotype in macrophage endotoxin tolerance, extending our understanding of immunobiology in chronic inflammatory diseases.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Maduka, C. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makela, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ural, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.04.30.651567</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Persistent endotoxin exposure in macrophages elicits an immunometabolic profile susceptible to NF-kB and p53 perturbation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651848v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Repetitive Neuronal Activation Regulates Cellular Maturation State via Nuclear Reprogramming 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651848v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neural stimulation, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), are highly effective clinical interventions for a broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders, including depression and schizophrenia. However, their mechanism of action at the cellular level remains poorly understood. Here, we modelled ECT with repeated optogenetic neuronal stimulation in the mouse dentate gyrus, and observed ECT-like behavioral effects, including decreased depression-like behavior and increased locomotor activity. At the cellular level, we found dematuration to a long-term stable state, persisting for more than one month, defined by changes in nuclear structure, gene expression patterns resembling the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, and altered neural coding of navigational information. Moreover, knockout of the G2/M master regulator Cyclin B rescued some of behavioral and cellular effects. These findings demonstrate that ECT-like brain stimulation triggers plasticity of the cellular state, revealing a form of stimulus-regulated nuclear reprogramming with potential clinical utility.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Murano, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hagihara, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tajinda, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takao, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takamiya, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Katoh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matsumoto, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Namihira, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miyakawa, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.02.651848</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Repetitive Neuronal Activation Regulates Cellular Maturation State via Nuclear Reprogramming]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651890v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Acute session of three endurance exercise intensities alters subcutaneous adipose tissue transcriptome in regular exercisers 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651890v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The primary aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of three exercise intensities on abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (aSAT) transcriptome in regular exercisers. A total of 45 adults who exercise regularly were assigned to perform a single session of either low-intensity continuous (LOW; 60min at 30% VO2max; n=15), moderate-intensity continuous (MOD; 45min at 65% VO2max; n=15), or high-intensity interval exercise (HIGH; 10x1min at 90% VO2max interspersed with 1min active recovery; n=15). aSAT biopsy samples were collected before and 1.5hours after the exercise session for bulk RNA sequencing and targeted protein immunoassays. HIGH upregulated genes involved in cytokine secretion, insulin signaling, and proteolysis while MOD and LOW upregulated genes regulating ECM remodeling, ribosome biogenesis, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. Exercise-induced changes in aSAT angiogenic, MAPK cascade, and clock genes, ERK protein phosphorylation, and circulating cytokines were similar after all three exercise treatments. Network analysis identified exercise-responsive gene clusters linked to cardiometabolic health traits. Cell-type analysis highlighted a heterogeneous response of aSAT cell types to exercise, with distinct patterns observed across exercise intensities. Collectively, our data characterizes early responses in aSAT after a single session of exercise. Because adaptations to exercise training stem from an accrual of responses after each session of exercise, these early responses to exercise are likely important contributors to the long-term structural and functional changes that occur in adipose tissue in response to exercise training.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ahn, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rode, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chugh, O. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ellis, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ghayur, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mehta, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salzman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burant, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Horowitz, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.02.651890</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Acute session of three endurance exercise intensities alters subcutaneous adipose tissue transcriptome in regular exercisers]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651933v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
In vivo production of an anti-HIV antibody from primate hematopoietic cells by non-viral knock-in 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651933v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Non-viral gene editing offers a practical alternative to viral delivery for durable biologics production. Clinical trials have shown that adeno-associated virus encoding broadly neutralizing antibodies can protect against HIV, but result in limited, short-lived responses. The development of non-viral gene editing approaches in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells holds promise for long-term antibody production. In this study, we evaluated CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cas12a for gene knock-in at the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus in non-human primate hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Delivering the nuclease as a protein alongside a custom DNA template, we optimized editing with Cas12a and demonstrated higher knock-in efficiency and fewer non-specific edits than Cas9. Transplantation of edited non-human primate hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells into MISTRG mice led to engraftment, B cell differentiation, and transgene expression of a reporter transgene or anti-HIV antibody after HIV immunization with detectable anti-HIV antibody titers in peripheral blood circulation. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using non-viral gene editing in HSPC as a potential strategy for sustained biologics production in the treatment of chronic diseases such as HIV. Future work will assess the efficacy of this model in a non-human primate model of HIV infection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Castelli, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poljakov, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Youngseo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cassidy, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gray, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez Gaytan, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Enstrom, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Linton, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rongvaux, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adair, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.02.651933</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[In vivo production of an anti-HIV antibody from primate hematopoietic cells by non-viral knock-in]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.09.653091v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An All-In-One Software Solution for Automated Processing of LA-ICP-TOF-MS datasets 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.09.653091v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
LA-ICP-TOF-MS provides rapid, high resolution elemental analysis of biological and non-biological samples. However, accurate real-time data analysis frequently requires the user to account for several instrumental and experimental variables that can change during data acquisition. AutoSpect is a novel software tool designed to automate the processing and fitting of LA-ICP-TOF-MS data, addressing key challenges such as time-dependent spectral drift, instrument sensitivity drift calibration inaccuracies, and peak deconvolution, enabling researchers to rapidly and accurately process complex datasets. The tool is optimized to be robustly applicable across scientific fields (e.g., geochemistry, biology, and materials science), providing a streamlined solution for end users seeking to maximize the potential of LA-ICP-TOF-MS for high-resolution elemental mapping and isotopic analysis.

Significance to JAASAnalysis of fast transient signals using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS) has become mainstream for elemental mapping. Advancements in LA-ICP-TOF-MS technology continue to accelerate the collective understanding of the role inorganic chemistry plays in dynamic processes. To ensure accurate quantitative results, the vast amount of complex spectral data generated requires elegant solutions to perform a variety of functions including data partitioning, peak fitting, drift correction, mass-to-charge calibration, peak profiling, and spectral fitting. AutoSpect is an all-in-one software solution that provides high level automation with a user-friendly graphical interface to perform complex data analyses for ICP-TOF-MS datasets.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Crawford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zee, D. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jin, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sue, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahn, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacRenaris, K. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.09.653091</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An All-In-One Software Solution for Automated Processing of LA-ICP-TOF-MS datasets]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.07.652779v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Targeting the selectivity filter to drastically alter the activity and substrate spectrum of a promiscuous metal transporter 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.07.652779v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
d-Block metal transporters play a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of life-essential trace elements and are attractive targets for protein engineering aimed to selectively enriching or excluding metals in living organisms. However, systematic efforts to engineer these transporters have been hindered by limited understanding of their transport mechanism and substrate specificity. In this study, we applied a focused-screen approach to human ZIP8, a promiscuous d-block divalent metal transporter, by systematically changing three key residues that form the selectivity filter at the entrance of the transport pathway. Screening a library of 48 constructs using an ICP-MS-based transport assay, we identified variants with significantly altered transport activities and/or substrate preferences. The E343D variant exhibited dramatically enhanced activity for all tested metal substrates, a shift in substrate preference, and an expanded substrate spectrum including the non-substrate metals VO2+ and Cu2+. Additionally, we identified lead ion (Pb2+) as a substrate of wild-type ZIP8. These findings suggest that the ZIP fold is highly adaptable and amenable for transporting a wide range of metals with diverse physicochemical properties, making it a promising scaffold to generate novel metal transporters for applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jiang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nikolovski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacRenaris, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.07.652779</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Targeting the selectivity filter to drastically alter the activity and substrate spectrum of a promiscuous metal transporter]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.12.653583v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Non-redundant cardiolipin synthases support membrane integrity and stress resilience in Bacteroides fragilis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.12.653583v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteroides fragilis is an anaerobic resident of the human gut known to tolerate the toxic effects of host-produced and microbially-modified bile acids. Two conserved genes, clsA and clsB, encode putative cardiolipin synthases that have been linked to bile acid tolerance, but their physiological roles remain undefined. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Bacteroides spp. ClsA and ClsB diverge from the well-characterized cardiolipin synthases of Gammaproteobacteria and Firmicutes. Here, we show that these enzymes have distinct cardiolipin synthase activities and make non-redundant contributions to B. fragilis fitness under gut-relevant stress conditions, including osmotic stress, disruption of membrane potential, and exposure to the bile acid deoxycholate. Although deoxycholate treatment perturbed K/Na homeostasis in B. fragilis, deletion of clsA or clsB did not significantly alter intracellular ion levels, suggesting that cardiolipin loss does not substantially impact ion balance under standard cultivation conditions. High-resolution lipidomic analyses showed that cardiolipin comprises less than 1% of B. fragilis membranes and that ClsA and ClsB produce distinct cardiolipin products with unique acyl chain lengths and levels of unsaturation. Deletion of either cls gene led to Cls-specific remodeling of B. fragilis envelope lipid content, which was also associated with shifts in non-lipid metabolites indicative of stress-induced metabolic changes. These results define distinct roles for ClsA and ClsB in shaping B. fragilis membrane composition, metabolism, and stress resilience, and highlight cardiolipin as a key determinant of fitness under bile acid stress.

ImportanceInflammatory bowel diseases are a growing global health concern, motivating efforts to understand how inflammation-associated microbes, such as B. fragilis, adapt to and persist in stress conditions typical of the intestinal environment. Our targeted genetic analyses reveal that the cardiolipin synthases ClsA and ClsB make non-redundant contributions to B. fragilis fitness under bile acid exposure and other gut-relevant stress conditions. Complementary omics-based approaches show that these enzymes produce chemically distinct cardiolipin species and that their loss leads to specific remodeling of membrane lipid composition and cellular metabolite profiles. Together, our results indicate that cardiolipin synthases contribute to membrane and metabolic adaptation in B. fragilis, supporting stress resilience in the presence of bile acids and other gut-relevant stressors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schnizlein, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hong, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, J. N. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodriguez, A. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fiebig, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campagna, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balunas, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crosson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.12.653583</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Non-redundant cardiolipin synthases support membrane integrity and stress resilience in Bacteroides fragilis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.13.653776v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sex differences in DNA methylation in bats 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.13.653776v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sex-biased longevity is observed across a wide range of animal taxa, including bats, for reasons not well understood. Patterns of cytosine methylation vary predictably with age in many organisms, offering a valuable means to investigate differences in patterns of aging at the molecular level. We tested sex differences in cytosine methylation across 14 bat species and compared patterns of age-associated variation. Sex differences were overrepresented on the X chromosome, showing a strong pattern of female hypermethylation within promoter regions. Sex and age-associated differences in methylation were non-randomly distributed with respect to proximity to putative sex hormone receptor binding sites, with sites hypermethylated in males and females tending to be underrepresented near androgen and estrogen receptor binding sites, respectively. Across species, we observed the relative steepness of male versus female slopes of age-associated variation was associated with the strength of precopulatory sexual selection, with especially strong trends towards male-biased age-associated slopes in two harem-polygynous species that exhibit female-biased longevity. Our results offer insights into how patterns of methylation differ across sexes and ages, and raise intriguing questions for future research, such as whether sex differences in molecular aging reflect sex-biased longevity, for which records in bats are sparse.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rayner, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bock, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lonski, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Riddle, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilkinson, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.13.653776</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sex differences in DNA methylation in bats]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.15.654307v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Entry Steps in the Biosynthetic Pathway to DiterpenoidAlkaloids in Delphinium grandiflorum and Aconitum plicatum 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.15.654307v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Roots from the Aconitum (Wolfs-Bane) and Delphinium (Larkspur) genera have been widely used in traditional medicine owing to the abundance of bioactive diterpenoid alkaloids that they produce. Despite extensive research on these compounds and their potential medicinal applications, their structural complexity precludes their production through total chemical synthesis, and little progress has been made towards elucidation of their biosynthetic pathways. Here, we report the entry steps in the biosynthesis of the diterpenoid alkaloid atisinium, constituting six enzymes identified from the Siberian Larkspur (Delphinium grandiflorum) and garden monkshood (Aconitum plicatum) through a combination of comparative transcriptomics between tissue types and genera and coexpression analysis. This pathway includes a pair of terpene synthases, three cytochromes P450, and a reductase with little homology to other characterized enzymes. We further demonstrate, through incorporation of isotopically labelled substrates, the preference of the reductase for ethanolamine over ethylamine, and similarly that ethanolamine is the preferred source of nitrogen for the majority of detected diterpenoid alkaloids. Identification of these enzymes and production of a key intermediate in a heterologous host paves the way for biosynthetic production of this group of metabolites with promise for medicinal applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Miller, G. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mutabdzija-Nedelcheva, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andersen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pascoe, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Winkle, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pluskal, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamberger, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.15.654307</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Entry Steps in the Biosynthetic Pathway to DiterpenoidAlkaloids in Delphinium grandiflorum and Aconitum plicatum]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.14.654061v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Inorganic profiles of preimplantation embryos reveal a role for zinc in blastocyst development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.14.654061v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Elements such as iron, copper and zinc play essential roles in the mammalian oocyte, egg, and embryo, however among these metals, zinc plays unique regulatory roles. Temporal fluctuations in zinc concentrations drive reproductive milestones such as meiotic resumption, egg activation, and initiation of the mitotic cell cycle. Roles for zinc in late preimplantation embryo development, have not been well characterized. Using a quantitative element approach we report the inorganic profiles of mouse embryos progressing through the late blastocyst stage. We find that blastocysts, like oocytes and eggs, and distinct to somatic cells, maintain higher levels of zinc than copper and iron. All three of these essential metals are more abundant in the inner cell mass, which contains the population of pluripotent stem cells that give rise to the fetus, relative to the trophectoderm which gives rise to the placenta and extraembryonic tissues. To test whether zinc abundance was associated with mitotic progress and cell fate lineage, we perturbed zinc homeostasis during blastocyst formation by artificially raising intracellular zinc concentrations with zinc pyrithione. This treatment during the morula-to-blastocyst transition when cell fate lineages emerge resulted in an elevation of zinc in the ICM. This treatment did not impact cell number but did increase expression of the pluripotency and epiblast marker, Nanog. These results demonstrate that the inorganic profiles of the late preimplantation embryo retain elemental hallmarks of earlier developmental stages and perturbation of zinc levels alters pluripotency gene expression in the blastocyst.

In BriefZinc plays important regulatory roles during oocyte maturation, fertilization and early embryo development; however, the role of zinc in the late preimplantation embryo is unknown. In this study, inorganic profiling of mouse embryos reveal zinc levels are higher than copper and iron in the late blastocyst and zinc supplementation during the morula-to-blastocyst alters expression of pluripotency marker, Nanog.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Balough, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duncan, F. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woodruff, T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.14.654061</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Inorganic profiles of preimplantation embryos reveal a role for zinc in blastocyst development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.16.648988v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Robust inference and widespread genetic correlates from a large-scale genetic association study of human personality 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.16.648988v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Personality traits describe stable differences in how individuals think, feel, and behave and how they interact with and experience their social and physical environments. We assemble data from 46 cohorts including 611K-1.14M participants with European-like and African-like genomes for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience), and data from 51K participants for within-family GWAS. We identify 1,257 lead genetic variants associated with personality, including 823 novel variants. Common genetic variants explain 4.8%-9.3% of the variance in each trait, and 10.5%-16.2% accounting for measurement unreliability. Genetic effects on personality are highly consistent across geography, reporter (self vs. close other), age group, and measurement instrument, and we find minimal spousal assortment for personality in recent history. In stark contrast to many other social and behavioral traits, within-family GWAS and polygenic index analyses indicate little to no shared environmental confounding in genetic associations with personality. Polygenic prediction, genetic correlation, and Mendelian randomization analyses indicate that personality genetics have widespread, potentially causal associations with a wide range of consequential behaviors and life outcomes. The genetic architecture of personality is robust and fundamental to being a human.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schwaba, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clapp Sullivan, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Akingbuwa, W. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ilves, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tanksley, P. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dragostinov, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liao, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ackerman, L. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fealy, J. C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hemani, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de la Fuente, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gupta, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stein, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gelernter, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levey, D. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vosa, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ausmees, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Realo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Estonian Biobank Research Team,</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaht, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Allik, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Esko, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mottus, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vainik, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jonsdottir, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorleifsson, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunnarsson, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bjornsdottir, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thorgeirsson, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steffansson, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stefansson, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheesman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qin, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Corfield, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ask, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ask Torvik, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ystrom, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tesli, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boomsma, D. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.16.648988</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Robust inference and widespread genetic correlates from a large-scale genetic association study of human personality]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.21.655189v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Estradiol treatment enhances neurovascular coupling independent of metabolic health status in a mouse model of menopause 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.21.655189v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The loss of ovarian estrogen during the menopause transition has been identified as a risk factor for increased cardiometabolic and neurovascular dysfunction, age-related cognitive decline, and Alzheimers disease. A wealth of studies using rodent models of menopause have highlighted the cardio- and neuroprotective effects of 17{beta}-estradiol (E2) treatment when administered within a critical period, though these have yet to be successfully translated to human populations in clinical trials of hormone therapy. A proposed explanation for this mismatch in results is the "healthy cell bias," where estrogen is only beneficial when initiated in physiologically intact systems. Our study investigates whether pre-existing metabolic dysfunction attenuates the effects of E2 on neurovascular coupling (NVC) in a rodent model of menopause. Female mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or control diet (CD) for 11 weeks to induce metabolic dysfunction, followed by ovariectomy (OVX) and subsequent E2 or vehicle (Veh) treatment. NVC was assessed in awake mice using two-photon laser scanning microscopy of penetrating arterioles (PAs) in the somatosensory cortex, barrel field. Mice developed glucose intolerance and increased adiposity yet displayed intact NVC following 11 weeks of HFD exposure. Following ovariectomy, E2 treatment enhanced NVC responses regardless of diet. Interestingly, in HFD-fed mice, E2 appeared to reduce basal PA diameter relative to Veh, suggesting health status-specific mechanisms of action. These results indicate that PAs retain functional sensitivity to estrogen treatment in the face of metabolic impairment, which has implications for the use of hormone therapy in women that arrive at the menopause transition with varied pre-existing cardiometabolic disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Plumley, Z. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Calvo Iglesias, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandez Ugidos, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires dos Santos, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mostany, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.21.655189</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Estradiol treatment enhances neurovascular coupling independent of metabolic health status in a mouse model of menopause]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.16.654548v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Variation in responses to temperature across admixed genotypes of Populus trichocarpa x P. balsamifera predict geographic shifts in regions where hybrids are favored 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.16.654548v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIPlastic responses of plants to their environment vary as a result of genetic differentiation within and among species. To accurately predict rangewide responses to climate change, it is necessary to characterize genotype-specific reaction norms across the continuum of historic and future climate conditions comprising a species range.
C_LIO_LIThe North American hybrid zone of Populus trichocarpa and P. balsamifera represents a natural system that has been shaped by climate, geography, and introgression. We leverage a dataset containing 45 clonal genotypes from this natural hybrid zone, planted across 17 replicated common garden experiments spanning a broad climatic range. Growth and mortality were measured over two years, enabling us to model reaction norms for each genotype across these tested environments.
C_LIO_LISpecies ancestry and intraspecific genomic variation significantly influenced growth across environments, with genotypic variation in reaction norms reflecting a trade-off between cold tolerance and growth. Using modeled reaction norms for each genotype, we predicted that genotypes with more P. trichocarpa ancestry may gain an advantage under warmer climates.
C_LIO_LISpatial shifts of the hybrid zone could facilitate the spread of beneficial alleles into novel climates. These results highlight that genotypic variation in responses to temperature will have landscape-level effects.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mead, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beasley-Bennett, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bleich, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fischer, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flint, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Golightly, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klopf, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kulbaba, M. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lasky, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LeBoldus, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moran, E. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sexton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sondreli, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Worthing, B. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zavala-Paez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holliday, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keller, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.16.654548</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Variation in responses to temperature across admixed genotypes of Populus trichocarpa x P. balsamifera predict geographic shifts in regions where hybrids are favored]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.22.655465v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Everything, everywhere, all at once - Surveillance and molecular epidemiology reveal Melissococcus plutonius is endemic among Michigan, US beekeeping operations of all sizes and present in some honey bee colonies year-round 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.22.655465v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
European foulbrood (EFB) is a severe bacterial disease of honey bee brood often leading to significant declines in colony health and honey production. The dearth of data on this disease in the United States (US) complicates response efforts. In this study, we combine surveillance and molecular epidemiology to investigate prevalence, diversity, and transmission dynamics of Melissococcus plutonius, the causative agent of EFB, in US honey bee colonies. Rates of infection and disease were found to be seasonal, with prevalence peaking in June when over half the colonies screened were infected. Whole genome, single nucleotide polymorphism analysis revealed wide genetic diversity even within a single hive. Operations often had multiple genotypes present which varied from year to year, consistent with high rates of transmission and reinfection. Prevalence and whole genome data provided here will be critical in tracking the efficacy of mitigation efforts and underscore the necessity of additional epidemiological investigations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fowler, P. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dhakal, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Milbrath, M. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.22.655465</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Everything, everywhere, all at once - Surveillance and molecular epidemiology reveal Melissococcus plutonius is endemic among Michigan, US beekeeping operations of all sizes and present in some honey bee colonies year-round]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.22.654594v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Simple, rapid, and sensitive assay for the quantification of total polysaccharides to estimate extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in soil 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.22.654594v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Current methods for quantifying total polysaccharides in soil are expensive or require prolonged incubation of hazardous reagents at 100{degrees}C in glass vessels. We present a fast, sensitive, and inexpensive spectrophotometric assay quantifying polysaccharides in aqueous solution, featuring an instant reaction of room-temperature reagents using disposable tubes and cuvettes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bogar, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lennon, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vander Stel, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.22.654594</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Simple, rapid, and sensitive assay for the quantification of total polysaccharides to estimate extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in soil]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.26.656201v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dynamic changes to the plastoglobule lipidome and proteome in water-deficient maize 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.26.656201v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AbstractDrought represents one of the most severe challenges faced by agriculture and leveraging resources to promote crop resilience is critical. The plastoglobule lipid droplets of chloroplasts, present in all photosynthetic organisms, are suggested to be a major orchestrator of adaptive responses to environmental perturbations, thus representing a potentially significant, untapped target for enhancement of crop resilience. Yet, the functions of plastoglobules are unclear and their molecular composition incompletely described. Here, we provide a thorough investigation of the protein and lipid compositions of plastoglobules and thylakoids at six time-points over the course of a water-deficit and recovery treatment in B73 inbred maize. Our results establish the prominent components of the plastoglobule polar lipid surface and neutral lipid interior in an important crop species, including the presence of mono- and di-galactosyl diacylglycerol lipids enriched in saturated acyl groups, and the prevalence of various triacylglycerols and plastoquinone-9 derivatives. Quantitative proteomics identifies prominent Fibrillins and Activity of bc1 Complex Kinases at the plastoglobule as well as many proteins with known or putative roles in prenyl-lipid and redox metabolism. A remarkably high proportion of the Fibrillin 4 on the plastoglobules coincided with a preponderance of plastoquinone-9, supporting a role for Fibrillin 4 in plastoquinone accumulation at plastoglobules. Collectively, our results provide a solid foundation for the study of plastoglobules in crop plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Devadasu, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schilmiller, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lundquist, P. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.26.656201</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dynamic changes to the plastoglobule lipidome and proteome in water-deficient maize]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.29.656912v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An intermediate activation state primes Langerhans cell migration from the epidermis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.29.656912v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Langerhans cells (LCs) are a specialized subset of dendritic cells in the epidermis, forming a dense network that acts as a frontline defense through immune surveillance. Upon antigen uptake, LCs become activated and orchestrate subsequent immune responses by migrating to lymphatics. However, how transcriptional programs are regulated during activation and how LCs behave in vivo during this transition remain poorly understood. Here, we combine single-cell transcriptomic analysis and intravital imaging to reconstruct the activation trajectory of epidermal LCs. We present a high-resolution single-cell transcriptomic dataset of over 22,000 high-quality epidermal LCs in both homeostatic and injured conditions. We define specific LC subpopulations representing sequential activation stages, characterized at the level of pathways and transcription factors. Notably, we identify a distinct intermediate state that precedes their migration. Integrating our data with an external dataset from homeostatic and injured skin reveals that wound-specific, WNT-modulated fibroblasts are the primary source of C3, the central component of the complement cascade. Intravital imaging of C3-deficient mice demonstrated that C3 is essential for effective recruitment of activated LCs to wound sites. Together, our findings uncover a novel population of activated epidermal LCs and highlight complement signaling as a critical mediator of LC recruitment during skin injury.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kiselev, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmitter-Sanchez, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-05-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.29.656912</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An intermediate activation state primes Langerhans cell migration from the epidermis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-05-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.29.656847v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Developmentally-specific physiological and metabolic responses support drought resilience in switchgrass and constrains biofuel yield 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.29.656847v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a promising bioenergy crop due in part to its resilience to drought stress. However, the significance of drought timing remains poorly understood, both from a plant biology perspective and its impact on downstream biofuel production. This study determines the developmental stage-specific physiological and metabolic responses of switchgrass to drought stress and its implications for biofuel production using a custom-built programmable irrigation system. Vegetative, flowering, and senescence-stage drought significantly reduced CO2 assimilation, and stomatal conductance without affecting biomass yield. Metabolic profiling revealed significant accumulation of glucose, fructose, quinic acid, shikimate and GABA during vegetative-stage drought, while flowering and senescence stages exhibited limited metabolic changes. Similarly, specialized metabolites also displayed distinct developmental patterns, with vegetative-stage drought driving the most pronounced metabolic alterations. Thermochemically-treated and hydrolyzed switchgrass biomass from vegetative-stage drought showed elevated lignocellulose-derived compounds and saponins with the latter most positively correlating with fermentation lag times. Conversely, senescence-stage drought enhanced ethanol yields while lowering saponin levels in the hydrolysates. While vegetative-stage drought enhanced physiological resilience, it compromises downstream biofuel production by introducing fermentation inhibitors, particularly saponins.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Basyal, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pargulski, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nightingale, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Overmyer, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coon, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benucci, G. M. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Last, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sato, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.29.656847</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Developmentally-specific physiological and metabolic responses support drought resilience in switchgrass and constrains biofuel yield]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.31.656412v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Transplantation of GABAergic Interneuron Progenitors Restores Cortical Circuit Function in an Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.31.656412v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In addition to dementia, Alzheimers patients suffer from sleep impairments and aberrations in sleep-dependent brain rhythms. Deficits in inhibitory GABAergic interneuron function disrupt one of those rhythms, slow oscillation in particular, and actively contribute to Alzheimers progression. We tested the degree to which transplantation of healthy donor interneuron progenitors would restore slow oscillation rhythm in young APP mice. We harvested medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) progenitors from mouse embryos and transplanted them into host APP mutant cortices. 3D light-sheet and structured illumination microscopy revealed that transplanted MGE progenitors survived and matured into healthy interneurons. In vivo multiphoton calcium imaging and voltage-sensitive dye imaging showed functional integration and slow oscillation rescue in absence or presence of optogenetic stimulation. Our work provides proof-of-concept evidence that stem cell therapy may serve as a viable strategy to rescue functional impairments in cortical circuits of APP mice and potentially those of Alzheimers patients.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yokomizo, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maci, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stafford, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perle, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takahashi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown-Harding, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovely, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Algamal, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gillani, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zwang, T. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Richardson, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Naegele, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kastanenka, K. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.05.31.656412</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Transplantation of GABAergic Interneuron Progenitors Restores Cortical Circuit Function in an Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.01.657271v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
HIGH CO2 LEVELS OVERCOME THE NIGHTTIME LETHALITY OF CIRCADIAN MUTANTS IN CYANOBACTERIA 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.01.657271v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cyanobacteria have adapted to daily fluctuations in light intensity through a circadian clock that aligns their physiology and metabolism to the external daytime. In the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, the rhythm generated by a molecular pacemaker is converted into a global transcriptional oscillation by the central regulator RpaA. Mutants in RpaA and other components have been instrumental in elucidating the clocks molecular architecture and physiological role. Extensive evidence suggests that one of the central functions of circadian regulation is to prevent the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during nighttime. However, circadian mutants are unable to grow under natural day/night cycles and require constant illumination, hindering our ability to study the clock function during the night, a phase where circadian regulation is critical for redox homeostasis. Here, we show that the darkness lethality phenotype of circadian mutants can be overcome by high CO2 levels. When grown under a 3% CO2 atmosphere, RpaA-null mutants exhibited growth rates similar to the wt. An analysis of the ROS levels under different CO2 and light intensity conditions revealed carbon scarcity to be the most significant contributor to redox stress. Nighttime ROS accumulation can be modulated by CO2 abundance, an observation that will allow the characterization of heretofore lethal mutants in circadian regulation. The dispensability of the circadian clock in a high CO2 environment suggests that the clock may have evolved as an adaptation to the decrease in atmospheric CO2 levels that occurred after the Great Oxygenation Events, in the Paleoproterozoic era.

IMPORTANCECyanobacterial circadian clocks are considered essential for survival under natural day/night conditions, and many circadian mutants are lethal under diel cycles. Results presented here challenge this assumption, showing that these mutants grow normally when CO2 is abundant. This suggests that the major adaptive role of the clock is to manage the redox stress caused by carbon limitation. By separating the effects of carbon availability from circadian control, we identify a key environmental factor that shaped the evolution of biological timekeeping. Using high CO2 to bypass clock dependency will allow the study of circadian function in otherwise lethal mutants. These findings reframe the clock as a specific adaptation to atmospheric carbon, stressing its key role in the regulation of the redox balance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mendana, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos-Merino, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dominguez-Quintero, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gutierrez-Lanza, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandez-Lopez, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.01.657271</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[HIGH CO2 LEVELS OVERCOME THE NIGHTTIME LETHALITY OF CIRCADIAN MUTANTS IN CYANOBACTERIA]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.01.657309v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Revealing Spatial Heterogeneity across the Gut Tissue-Lumen Interface through MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.01.657309v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AbstractMetabolites play critical roles in modulating gut-microbe interactions and are closely related to health and disease consequences. One critical aspect of the gut-microbe interactions is spatial heterogeneity, particularly at the interface space between gut tissue and luminal contents, where a unique microhabitat of diverse microbial functions encounters the host tissues. Exploring the spatial heterogeneity of this interface enables insights into these gut-microbe interactions. Previous studies commonly investigated metabolome through tissue homogenization and bulk analysis, but these methods result in the loss of spatial information. In this project, we use high-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) approaches to reveal the chemical spatial heterogeneity of colon tissue, luminal contents, and the tissue-lumen interface across multiple colonic regions. We applied a swiping technique to aid the preservation of luminal content integrity and used two MALDI matrices to cover a wide range of metabolites. The MALDI-MSI analyses revealed distinct patterns of metabolite spatial localization across the gut tissue-lumen interfaces, amongst which the interface-enriched features are of particular interest due to their possibly connection to the gut-microbe interactions. Overall, the rich spatial heterogeneity of metabolomic profiles across the gut tissue-lumen interfaces highlight the molecular participants in host-microbe interactions, providing new opportunities for examining host-microbiome-metabolome dynamics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Haffner, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahn, S. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.01.657309</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Revealing Spatial Heterogeneity across the Gut Tissue-Lumen Interface through MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.02.657296v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Integrating multiple transcriptome-based methods for drug repurposing in tuberculosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.02.657296v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of infectious disease mortality worldwide, killing over one million people annually. Rising antibiotic resistance has added urgency to the need for host-directed therapeutics (HDTs) that modulate host immune responses alongside directly targeting the pathogen. Repurposing FDA-approved drugs is particularly attractive for this purpose because their safety profiles are already well established, substantially reducing development time and cost. Transcriptomic methods have successfully identified repurposable therapeutics for TB based on  connectivity mapping, which identifies drugs that reverse disease gene expression patterns. However, these applications are limited to a small subset of data belonging to a specific data platform and a few connectivity methods. Expanding beyond these constrained settings introduces substantial challenges, including dataset heterogeneity across transcriptomics platforms and biological conditions, uncertainty about optimal scoring methods, and the lack of systematic approaches to identify robust disease signatures. We developed a computational workflow that integrates 28 TB gene expression signatures and multiple connectivity scoring methods to capture dominant TB signals regardless of variation in microarray and RNAseq platforms, cell types, and infection conditions. We systematically identified 64 FDA-approved drugs as promising TB host-directed therapeutics. These high-confidence drug candidates include known HDTs such as statins (rosuvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin) and tamoxifen, recently validated in experimental TB models. Our prioritized candidate drugs reveal enrichment for therapeutically TB-relevant mechanisms, e.g., cholesterol metabolism inhibition and immune modulation pathways. Network analysis of disease-drug interactions identified 12 key bridging genes (including IL-8, CXCR2) that represent potential novel druggable targets for TB host-directed therapy. This work establishes transcriptome-based connectivity mapping as a viable approach for systematic HDT discovery in bacterial infections and provides a robust computational framework applicable to other infectious diseases. Our findings offer immediate opportunities for experimental validation of prioritized drug candidates and mechanistic investigation of identified druggable targets in TB pathogenesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Samart, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buskirk, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tonielli, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.02.657296</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Integrating multiple transcriptome-based methods for drug repurposing in tuberculosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.01.657248v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
γ-glutamyl-cysteine is a critical intermediate in glutathione-led amelioration of PFOS-neurotoxicity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.01.657248v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in a variety of industrial and consumer applications due to their distinctive properties. Nonetheless, these substances are ubiquitous and pose significant risks to the environment, wildlife, and human health. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which was previously one of the most commonly utilized PFAS, has prolonged half-life in both humans and the environment. Despite the cessation of its production, PFOS remains one of the prevalent contaminants amongst PFAS. Recent research demonstrates that PFOS is relatively resistant to elimination from the human body and accumulates to a greater extent in older adults. PFOS has been shown to affect the nervous system and its functions, although the intricate mechanisms underlying its toxicity remain largely obscure. Earlier studies utilizing Caenorhabditis elegans indicated that dopaminergic neurons are particularly vulnerable to PFOS neurotoxicity, with glutathione (GSH) playing a role in mitigating neurodegeneration. Curiously, none of the antioxidant treatments evaluated, including N-acetyl-cysteine, produced favorable outcomes, despite N-acetyl-cysteine being a precursor to GSH. This study investigates the GSH synthesis pathway to elucidate critical mechanisms. We assessed the effects of GSH precursors and intermediates on PFOS neurotoxicity. The GSH precursors, cysteine, glutamate, and the combination of cysteine and glutamate did not demonstrate beneficial effects. However, the crucial GSH synthesis intermediate, {gamma}-glutamyl-cysteine, provided neuroprotection comparable to that of GSH. Notably, no changes were observed at the transcriptomic or proteomic levels of GSH synthesis enzymes in C. elegans and SH-SY5Y cells, respectively. This study effectively uncovers a novel mechanism that addresses existing knowledge gaps pertaining to PFOS neurotoxicity.

HighlightsO_LIPFOS elicits dopaminergic neurodegeneration in C. elegans
C_LIO_LIPrevious research shows that only GSH ameliorated PFOS-induced neurodegeneration, amongst several antioxidants tested.
C_LIO_LIUpon testing the precursors and intermediates in the GSH pathway, GGC was realized as a key intermediate
C_LIO_LIThe studies highlight the critical component of GSH pathway in alleviating PFOS neurotoxicity
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sammi, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boonpraman, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cannon, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.01.657248</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[γ-glutamyl-cysteine is a critical intermediate in glutathione-led amelioration of PFOS-neurotoxicity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.02.657435v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Neurofibrillary Tangle Maturity Scale: A Novel Framework for Tangle Pathology Evaluation in Alzheimer's Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.02.657435v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neurofibrillary tangles are dynamic neuropathologic hallmarks of Alzheimers disease with a hypothesized lifespan morphologically-defined by three maturity levels: pretangles, mature tangles, and ghost tangles. To better understand the progression of tangle pathophysiology, we characterized tangle maturity level predilection of 15 tau antibodies recognizing a broad range of linear, phosphorylation, conformational, and truncation epitopes in the hippocampus of 24 postmortem brains. We developed the tangle maturity scoring system to semi-quantitatively evaluate each tangle maturity level. Based on proportions of tangle maturity levels, we classified antibodies as "early" (mostly pretangles and mature tangles), "middling" (mature tangles with pretangles and ghost tangles), and "advanced" (mostly ghost tangles and mature tangles) tangle maturity markers. To summarize tangle maturity predilection, we developed the tangle maturity scale to integrate individual tangle maturity scores. Correlations showed stronger relationships between tangle maturity scale and subsector thickness for more advanced tangle maturity markers in CA1 and subiculum, whereas Braak tangle stage remained consistently correlated throughout markers of the tangle lifespan. To aid in scoring hippocampi, we used machine learning to recognize tangle maturity levels, which performed comparably to a domain expert and showed similar relationships by Spearman correlation. Pattern recognition software was used to assess tangle and neuritic tau burden separately, which generally correlated with Braak stage and neuronal counts. However, tangle-derived tau burden more consistently correlated with hippocampal subsector thickness. In conclusion, we developed manual and automated scoring systems to evaluate tangle maturity levels, demonstrating early 4R, phosphorylated, and oligomeric tau accumulation preceding more advanced 3R and truncated tau. Our study provides supportive evidence of disease-relevant ordering of tau posttranslational modifications in the brain, which may have implications for theragnostic development. These findings underscore the promise of computerized quantitative analyses (i.e., pathomics) for high-throughput feature extraction from whole-slide images to enhance our understanding of microscopically observed morphologic changes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moloney, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rutledge, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Labuzan, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peng, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tranovich, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rothberg, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duara, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lachner, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graff-Radford, N. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanaan, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carter, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murray, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.02.657435</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Neurofibrillary Tangle Maturity Scale: A Novel Framework for Tangle Pathology Evaluation in Alzheimer's Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.02.657439v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The architecture of resilience: a genome assembly of Myrothamnus flabellifolia sheds light on desiccation tolerance and sex determination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.02.657439v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Myrothamnus flabellifolia is a dioecious resurrection plant endemic to southern Africa that has become an important model for desiccation tolerance. Here, we present a chromosome-level, haplotype-resolved reference genome for M. flabellifolia alongside transcriptomic profiling across a natural dehydration-rehydration cycle. The 1.28 Gb genome exhibits unusually consistent chromatin architecture with putative holocentric chromosome organization across highly divergent haplotypes. We identified an XY sexual system with a small sex-determining region on chromosome 8. Transcriptomic changes during dehydration varied with the severity of water loss and pointed to early suppression of growth, progressive activation of protective mechanisms, and reversible changes in transcript abundance upon rehydration. Co-expression networks and targeted gene family analyses revealed dynamic regulation of LEA and ELIP genes, with evidence of transcriptome "priming" in hydrated plants, with transcript abundance shifting toward highly disordered proteins during desiccation. Enrichment of ABA and light-responsive cis-regulatory elements in key genes support the existence of conserved stress response pathways. M. flabellifolias rich profile of phenolics and antioxidant genes highlight the overlap between desiccation tolerance and medicinal potential. Together, this study provides foundational resources for understanding the genomic architecture and reproductive biology of M. flabellifolia while offering new insights into the mechanisms of desiccation tolerance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marks, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovell, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carey, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Der Pas, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chimukuche, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruna, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plott, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webber, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipzen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bauer, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bentley, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Talag, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grimwood, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenkins, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmutz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkess, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leebens-Mack, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farrant, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.02.657439</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The architecture of resilience: a genome assembly of Myrothamnus flabellifolia sheds light on desiccation tolerance and sex determination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.03.657650v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An insect brain-based bioelectronic neural sensor for the systemic detection and precise classification of endometriosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.03.657650v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with limited screening options and a recognized diagnostic delay. To investigate detection potentialities, a bioelectronic sensor is realized to detect endometriotic vs endometrial models via their emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by leveraging an insect olfactory system combined with computational analytical techniques for classification. Our analyses of cell culture headspace-evoked neural responses show that our sensor can distinguish multiple cell lines by their  scent (i.e., emitted VOC mixture). By combining neural responses across experiments, we obtained high-dimensional population neural response templates that were used to classify unknown samples with a high accuracy. We obtained an accuracy of 89% in differentiating 4 cell lines at two growth timepoints (24 hr. and 72 hr.) and obtained an accuracy of 88% in classifying epithelial co-cultures of endometriotic and endometrial cell lines cultured at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% in ascending/descending ratios. Our results support the hypothesis that endometriosis is detectable via the metabolic differences found in the emitted gas mixtures or  scent from various cell lines and demonstrates the effectiveness of our sensor in distinguishing the subtle changes in endometriotic vs endometrial models pertaining to durations in growth and co-cultures.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Saha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanchez, S. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vegter, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parnas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fazleabas, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.03.657650</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An insect brain-based bioelectronic neural sensor for the systemic detection and precise classification of endometriosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.03.657678v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
FLOE1 maintains cellular viscosity in rehydrating Arabidopsis embryos 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.03.657678v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Most plant embryos can survive for years in a dry state of less than 10% water(1). Rehydration during seed germination is critical but risky-too little environmental water can dehydrate and kill the developing embryo. Plants avoid this by germinating only when sufficient water is present. However, the mechanisms by which sufficient water is sensed and how it triggers germination remain unknown. FLOE1 suppresses seed germination under water limitation by undergoing reversible phase changes in response to water potential(2). To understand how FLOE1 affects germination, we compared water behavior in wild type and floe1-1 null mutants. While both had similar amounts of water when dry, floe1-1 seeds hydrated less than the wild type after imbibition. Additionally, bound water was less restricted in floe1-1 embryos, suggesting FLOE1 promotes macromolecular water binding. By developing plant-compatible versions of Genetically Encoded Multimeric nanoparticles (GEMs)(3), we show that FLOE1 increases cytoplasmic viscosity during embryo rehydration. FLOE1 in yeast was sufficient to increase cytoplasmic viscosity. FLOE1 also increased cytoplasmic viscosity during hyperosmotic stress in yeast, and this ability was ablated by FLOE1 domain deletions. Our study identifies FLOE1 as a regulator of water content, dynamics, and cytoplasmic viscosity, linking molecular water control to cellular physical properties.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Field, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramirez, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dorone, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boothby, T. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.03.657678</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[FLOE1 maintains cellular viscosity in rehydrating Arabidopsis embryos]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.03.657751v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Constitutive expression of full-length or partial of SOC1 genes for yield enhancement in tomato 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.03.657751v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Manipulating the expression of flowering pathway genes holds potential for regulating tomato fruit productivity. SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) is a MADS-box gene that serves as a key integrator in the flowering pathway. In this study, two full-length SOC1 genes cloned from maize (ZmSOC1) and soybean (GmSOC1), along with a partial SOC1 gene from blueberry (VcSOC1K, containing the K-domain), were individually transformed into tomato for constitutive expression. Phenotypically, the expression of VcSOC1K and ZmSOC1, but not GmSOC1, led to early flowering. Most transgenic lines for all three constructs exhibited a significant increase in fruit number per plant. More importantly, compared to non-transgenic plants, all three constructs resulted in varying degrees of increased fruit production per plant, primarily through enhanced branching. At the transcriptomic level, comparative analysis of GmSOC1 revealed the broader impact of the transformed genes. The increased expression of CLF and EZA1 appears to explain the unchanged flowering time of the GmSOC1 transgenic plants, while the repressed expression of DWARF genes likely contributes to enhanced branching. Additionally, numerous genes associated with biotic and abiotic stress tolerance displayed differential expression. These findings demonstrate that constitutive expression of either full-length or partial SOC1 has the potential to enhance tomato fruit production by modulating multiple pathways, at least at the transcript levels.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Danial, G. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jaikham, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, G.-q.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.03.657751</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Constitutive expression of full-length or partial of SOC1 genes for yield enhancement in tomato]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.05.657660v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
PP2A METHYLESTERASE, PME-1, AND PP2A METHYLTRANSFERASE, LCMT-1, CONTROL SENSITIVITY TO IMPAIRMENTS CAUSED BY INJURY-RELATED OLIGOMERIC TAU 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.05.657660v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oligomeric species of tau are a hallmark of multiple neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers disease (AD) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Given the evidence implicating protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in the molecular pathogenesis of tau-related neurodegenerative disorders, we sought to determine whether manipulating the expression of enzymes that regulate PP2A activity, such as leucine carboxyl methyltransferase 1 (LCMT-1) and protein methyl esterase 1 (PME-1), might impact pathological responses to oligomeric tau. Here, we tested the effect of transgenic overexpression of LCMT-1 or PME-1 on cognitive and electrophysiological impairments caused by exposure to either recombinant oligomeric human tau or oligomeric tau prepared from mice subjected to blast-induced traumatic brain injury. We found that overexpression of LCMT-1 reduced sensitivity to tau-induced impairments, while overexpression of PME-1 increased sensitivity to these impairments. Moreover, we found that shockwave exposure increased the propensity of endogenous tau to form toxic oligomers. These results suggest that manipulating LCMT-1 or PME-1 activity may represent novel therapeutic approaches for disorders involving exposure to pathogenic forms of oligomeric tau.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sundaresh, S. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogel, E. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hue, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Staniszewski, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berman, H. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gill, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Asam, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shen, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gnanaprakash, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Acquarone, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fa, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kanaan, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morrison, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arancio, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicholls, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.05.657660</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[PP2A METHYLESTERASE, PME-1, AND PP2A METHYLTRANSFERASE, LCMT-1, CONTROL SENSITIVITY TO IMPAIRMENTS CAUSED BY INJURY-RELATED OLIGOMERIC TAU]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.03.657734v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Single-cell imaging reveals spontaneous phenotypic sorting and bet-hedging in developing biofilms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.03.657734v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
How phenotypic heterogeneity shapes biofilm architecture and development remains poorly understood. Motivated by this, we developed imaging tools to track intracellular levels of c-di-GMP, a key second messenger that controls the motile-to-sessile transition, in developing Vibrio cholerae biofilms at single-cell resolution. We show that c-di-GMP levels spontaneously bifurcate into a bimodal distribution that forms a spatially sorted pattern: High-c-di-GMP cells dominate the biofilm core while low-c-di-GMP cells localize to the periphery. Combining single-lineage tracing, mutant analysis, and agent-based modeling, we reveal that this pattern arises from differential viscosity and surface friction mediated by matrix-dependent interactions between cells and their microenvironments. We demonstrate that this heterogeneity and phenotypic sorting enable continuous emergence and shedding of planktonic cells, enhancing fitness in fluctuating environments. Our findings uncover a differential drag mechanism for pattern formation in multicellular systems, and expand the classical picture of biofilm lifecycle by highlighting the functional significance of phenotypic heterogeneity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tai, J.-S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nam, K.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nijjer, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.03.657734</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Single-cell imaging reveals spontaneous phenotypic sorting and bet-hedging in developing biofilms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.05.658183v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Generation and characterization of a mouse model of conditional Chd4 knockout in the endometrial epithelium. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.05.658183v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chromatin remodeling plays an integral part in endometrial homeostasis, having roles in the maintenance of cell identity, epithelial integrity, and prevention of endometrial disease. Chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 4 (CHD4) is a chromatin remodeling protein and member of the NuRD complex, which predominantly represses transcription. CHD4 is mutated in endometrial carcinoma, with most mutations leading to loss of function. CHD4 has been identified as a tumor suppressor and regulator of stemness in endometrial carcinoma cells, but little is known about the tissue-specific roles of CHD4 in the endometrial epithelia in vivo. We generated a conditional Chd4 floxed allele and combined it with BAC-Sprr2f-Cre to drive Chd4 loss in the endometrial epithelium. Consistent with previous reports, BAC-Sprr2f-Cre expression is absent in the oviducts, ovaries, and kidneys, and it shows variegated expression within the endometrial epithelium. Loss of CHD4 was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, and stained cells were quantified to determine the percentage of endometrial epithelial cells with and without CHD4. Compared to the glandular epithelium, the extent of CHD4 loss was higher in the luminal epithelium and unaffected by age. Mice with conditional knockout of Chd4 had normal endometrial histology. A 6-month breeding trial was performed to assess the functional effects of endometrial epithelial Chd4 loss on fertility. No difference in litter size, mean number of pups per litter per dam, or pup weight was found between genotypes. These findings demonstrate that Chd4 conditional loss using BAC-Sprr2f-Cre is not sufficient to alter the structure and function of the endometrial epithelium or drive tumorigenesis. As CHD4 is frequently co-mutated with other cancer driver genes such as TP53, PIK3CA, and PTEN, future mouse modeling efforts emulating patient mutational profiles might provide insight into the role of CHD4 in endometrial carcinoma.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chandler, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkins, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skalski, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennett, A. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pavliscak, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arendt, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moldovan, G. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.05.658183</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Generation and characterization of a mouse model of conditional Chd4 knockout in the endometrial epithelium.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.06.658371v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
G1 and G2 ApolipoproteinL1 modulate macrophage inflammation and lipid accumulation through the polyamine pathway 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.06.658371v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The G1 and G2 variants of the gene encoding Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) increase risk for kidney disease and cardiometabolic traits. While previous studies have elucidated key mechanisms by which G1 and G2 APOL1 cause cellular inflammation and cytotoxicity, it remains unclear whether these mechanisms drive inflammation in G1 and G2 macrophages. In this study, we used mouse bone-marrow-derived macrophages and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived macrophages to identify altered immune signaling and inflammatory activation caused by G1 and G2 APOL1. We demonstrated that G1 and G2 APOL1 increased lipid accumulation, pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and inflammasome signaling; this inflammatory response was sustained when treated with anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10. Additionally, in G1 and G2 macrophages we observed increased mitochondrial size and elongation, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis. Finally, we used unbiased metabolite analysis to identify an accumulation of polyamine spermidine and the enrichment of the spermidine synthesis pathway in G1 and G2 macrophages. When treated with polyamine inhibitor -difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), lipid accumulation and inflammasome gene expression decreased in G1 and G2 macrophages. Together, these findings establish the pro-inflammatory effects of G1 and G2 APOL1 in macrophages and identify a novel pathway which ameliorates G1 and G2 effects on cellular inflammation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wright, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kearney, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caza, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garcia, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dadi, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ishibe, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chandel, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benjamin Thorp, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.06.658371</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[G1 and G2 ApolipoproteinL1 modulate macrophage inflammation and lipid accumulation through the polyamine pathway]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.10.658773v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Unraveling the diversity and functional potential of cyanosphere microbiomes assembled from terrestrial cyanobacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.10.658773v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The cyanosphere consists of heterotrophic microorganisms residing within the exopolysaccharide sheath of cyanobacteria, acting as a crucial interface between the cyanobacteria and their surrounding environment. Understanding the interactions between cyanobacteria and their cyanospheres is essential for predicting the success of terrestrial cyanobacteria in providing ecosystem services in nutrient-poor environments. However, knowledge of the microbial diversity within the cyanosphere remains limited.

In this study, we employed metagenomic sequencing to reconstruct 410 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from cyanosphere-associated microbes linked to 56 unialgal terrestrial cyanobacteria cultures, representing 12 distinct cyanobacteria orders. Our findings revealed that the composition of cyanosphere microbial communities was unique to each cyanobacterial host and was significantly shaped by environmental factors such as habitat, precipitation, and temperature from which the cultures were originally obtained. Notably, three microbial genera, Brevundimonas, Devosia, and Sphingopyxis, were present in over 30% of the cyanospheres, forming a core cyanosphere microbiome. Functional gene analysis showed a distinction between the cyanobacteria and their associated cyanospheres, with dissimilatory nitrate reduction being the dominant pathway in the cyanosphere, while nitrogen fixation was more common in the cyanobacteria. Three cyanospheres also contained nitrogen fixation genes of which two hosts were nitrogen fixation capable themselves. The cyanosphere harbored genes for polysaccharide lyases, indicating a possible link to the exopolysaccharides produced by the cyanobacteria. Given the observed variability in microbial community composition and function across different cyanobacterial hosts, future ecological assessments and restoration efforts involving cyanobacteria should not only focus on the cyanobacteria themselves but also consider their associated microbial communities.

ImportanceOur study identifies members of a highly understudied, and potentially under-valued, microbial community -- the cyanosphere. We used a diversity of terrestrial cyanobacteria to understand how the cyanosphere composition and predicted functions were influenced by the host cyanobacterium and environmental factors using metagenomics. This is a new approach to study the cyanosphere and provides insights into the diversity of terrestrial microbial communities. Importantly, our results underscore the need to consider microbial consortia when assessing the ecological potential of cyanobacteria in terrestrial restoration.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Palmer, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Couradeau, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johansen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kurbessoian, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ortega Carranza, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stajich, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ward, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pietrasiak, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.10.658773</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Unraveling the diversity and functional potential of cyanosphere microbiomes assembled from terrestrial cyanobacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.12.658668v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Generalizing animal movement predictions across landscapes: a scalable framework grounded in empirical telemetry data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.12.658668v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundUnderstanding animal movement across broad ecological contexts is essential for guiding management decisions in natural resource and animal disease management. However, most movement studies collect data over small spatial extents, which challenges using the data for landscape-scale management applications.

MethodsWe collated relocation data from 564 wild pigs spanning 25 studies across 10 states in the United States. We derived net and daily displacement distributions for individuals in each of 4 seasons. We fit gamma distributions to displacement distributions and derived mean and dispersion parameters as metrics of displacement magnitude and variation. We modeled mean and dispersion variables using gradient-boosted regression, including landscape and weather predictors, and predicted daily and net displacement distributions across the species range. We used integrated step selection analysis to estimate habitat selection for wild pig groups sharing a common composition of habitat availability across the studied populations.

ResultsFemale average ({+/-} 95% confidence interval) net displacement means varied by season, peaking in Jul-Sept at 1,152 {+/-} 140 m along with daily displacement mean distances of 650 {+/-} 41 m. Average net displacement means for males peaked in Oct.-Dec. at 1,651 {+/-} 160 m with daily displacement mean distances of 1,092 {+/-} 95 m. Extreme net displacement values ranged up to 9,649 m and 4,080 m for male and female, respectively, and extreme daily displacement distribution means of 6,616 m for males, and 3,855 m for females. Almost half of the individuals included a similar composition of habitat availability, regardless of study site location. Herbaceous wetland was the most consistently favored land type and was available for more than 70% of all individual pigs across all studies. Preference for other land types depended strongly on habitat availability.

ConclusionsBy comparing movement and habitat selection across a large geographic extent, our work provides new insights about the environmental drivers and limits of wild pig movement behavior. Our workflow digests variation wild pig movement distributions and habitat selection into parameters that can be used to predict movement on heterogeneous landscapes for downstream applications such as invasive species elimination campaigns or disease management.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chalkowski, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sack, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wittemyer, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boughton, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Snow, N. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beasley, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ditchkoff, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gray, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewis, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parsons, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vercauteren, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webb, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Young, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pepin, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.12.658668</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Generalizing animal movement predictions across landscapes: a scalable framework grounded in empirical telemetry data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.13.659643v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Use of a specific set of learner-centered evidence-based teaching practices correlates with higher exam performance across seven STEM departments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.13.659643v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Myriad studies support the claim that active learning improves student academic performance in STEM, yet lecture remains the dominant form of instruction. Faculty offer multiple reasons for not using active learning with many expressing confusion as to what active learning is. Contributing to that confusion is the fact there are a multitude of named active learning methods and varied implementations of each. In an effort to better understand how specific elements of active learning might contribute to enhanced academic performance, we used a more fine-grained classroom observation tool, PORTAAL, to observe teaching practices across 157 STEM courses. We used a principal component analysis to reduce the observed teaching practices to specific sets of practices. We found a continuum of implementation of teaching practices that ranged from instruction-centered to learner-centered. The instruction-centered practices included high Blooms level questions, students working alone, instructors answering and explaining questions, and providing alternative answers. The learner-centered practices were volunteer or randomly-called students explaining answers, instructors prompting students logic, and instructors giving positive feedback. Using a linear regression to analyze the data from all courses, we found medium and medium-high levels of learner-centered teaching practices correlated with higher student exam performance compared to instruction-centered practices. We observed a similar pattern when analyzing data only from introductory courses. We also analyzed interactions of both binary gender and first generation status with learner-centered teaching on exam scores.

We propose that when instructors use the learner-centered practices, they shift the responsibility of the intellectual work of the problem-the learning-to the students, which may result in improved exam performance. Even moderate levels of these learner-centered practices have a positive correlation with exam performance. Faculty can incorporate these key elements of learner-centered practices into their own teaching based on their comfort level, course content, and abilities of their students.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jackson, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moon, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Doherty, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wenderoth, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.13.659643</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Use of a specific set of learner-centered evidence-based teaching practices correlates with higher exam performance across seven STEM departments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.12.658906v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Synergy with Glucocorticoid in Lupus Macrophages: Targeting Pathogenic Pathways to Reduce Steroid Dependence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.12.658906v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
IntroductionSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disorder characterized by aberrant inflammation, type I IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, and autoantibody production. Glucocorticoids (GCs) like dexamethasone (DEX) are standard long-term SLE treatments but cause significant side effects, highlighting the need for safer steroid-sparing options. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (O3FAs), particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), suppress inflammation and autoimmunity associated with SLE disease progression. We explored the steroid-sparing potential of DHA to influence suppressive effects of DEX on pathogenic gene expression.

MethodsMacrophages from SLE-prone NZBWF1 mice were first subjected to DHA (5, 10, or 25 {micro}M), DEX (1, 10, 100, or 1000 nM), or DHA+DEX cotreatment. Following pretreatment, cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 20 ng/mL) to model SLE hyperinflammation. Effects on gene expression were analyzed by qRT-PCR and RNA-seq.

ResultsqRT-PCR indicated that subinhibitory concentrations of DHA (5-10 {micro}M) potentiated the efficacy of low-dose DEX (1-100 nM) in suppressing LPS-induced ISG expression (e.g., Irf7, Oasl1, Rsad2), amplifying the effects of DEX monotherapy by 10- to 100-fold. SynergyFinder analysis confirmed that DHA and DEX interacted synergistically in suppressing ISG expression, with significant inhibition observed at concentrations as low as 1 nM DEX and 5 {micro}M DHA. RNA-seq revealed that combining suboptimal DHA (10 M) and DEX (100 nM) induced 247 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 4 hr and 347 DEGs at 8 hr post-LPS, dramatically surpassing the effects of each treatment alone. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that DHA+DEX cotreatment robustly suppressed immune and inflammatory pathways while promoting proliferative and metabolic processes, reflecting a shift from inflammatory (M1) to pro-resolving (M2) macrophage phenotypes. DHA and DEX countered LPS effects by i) downregulating common transcription factors (TFs) canonically associated with inflammation (e.g., NF-{kappa}B, AP-1, STATs, and IRF1), ii) upregulating shared regulatory factors involved in inflammation resolution (e.g., YBX1, EGR1, and BCL6), and iii) selectively influencing other regulatory factors.

DiscussionAltogether, DHA and DEX synergistically suppress inflammation by targeting common and unique molecular pathways in SLE macrophages, favoring the pro-resolving M2 phenotype. O3FA-GC cotreatment might facilitate reducing requisite steroid dosages for SLE management.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Heine, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jackson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkema, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pestka, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonald, O. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.12.658906</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Omega-3 Fatty Acid Synergy with Glucocorticoid in Lupus Macrophages: Targeting Pathogenic Pathways to Reduce Steroid Dependence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.13.659090v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Immune pathways and perinatal environmental exposures contribute to epigenetic gestational age prediction and acceleration 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.13.659090v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
DNA methylation (DNAm), capturing biological gestational age (GA) and epigenetic gestational age acceleration (EGAA), can be modified by environmental exposures. The Asthma&Allergy array is a new DNAm array developed with content focused on asthma and allergy loci. The association between content on the Asthma&Allergy array and chronological GA and EGAA has not been evaluated alone or in the context of perinatal exposures. We performed an epigenome wide association study(EWAS) based on chronological GA at single CpG sites and regions. We further constructed a multi-CpG site methylation model to predict chronological GA in cord blood from 391 newborn children from a Detroit-based birth cohort. Associations between perinatal environmental factors with GA, epigenetic gestational age (EGA), and EGAA were assessed. We identified 2,435 CpG sites associated with chronological GA. HLA class II (HLA-DRB1,HLA-DQB1,HLA-DRB6) were the most significantly associated with chronological GA. Our multi-CpG site model attained predictive accuracy (cross-validated Pearsons correlation=0.75) comparable to other EGA methods. Using genes implicated in region-based analyses (n=395 regions), the pathways most significantly enriched with chronological GA-associated CpGs included T helper 1(Th1) and 2(Th2) activation, macrophage classical activation, and IL10 signaling, which were also enriched in at least one of the other published epigenetic clocks. In multi-exposure models, prenatal indoor pet exposure and unplanned C-section were associated with EGA deceleration, while infants first-born status was associated with EGAA. Our findings highlight enrichment for T cell modulated pathways and antigen presentation as biological processes enriched in chronological GA, as well as novel perinatal factors that may impact EGAA.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Eapen, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loveless, I. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pan, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Straughen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cassidy-Bushrow, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sitarik, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simmerman, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kottyan, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ober, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zoratti, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levin, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.13.659090</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Immune pathways and perinatal environmental exposures contribute to epigenetic gestational age prediction and acceleration]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.16.659334v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
YAP signaling promotes resistance to MEK and AKT inhibition in NF1-related MPNSTs 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.16.659334v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a tumor predisposition syndrome caused by loss of function of the neurofibromin protein. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are a rare and deadly sarcoma with few therapeutic options that are the leading cause of death for patients with NF1. To date, no targeted therapies have been approved for MPNST treatment, highlighting the need for an understanding of adaptive signaling mechanisms that drive resistance. We developed a preclinical model of drug resistance using a cross-over drug holiday design and evaluated patterns of response and resistance to MEK and AKT inhibitors, two pathways that are dysregulated by loss of neurofibromin. We show that the mTOR and YAP/TEAD pathways are activated by MEK inhibitor exposure, yet blockade of these pathways in resistant MPNST PDX models does not significantly reduce tumor growth, despite strong in vitro synergy between trametinib and the novel TEAD inhibitor, GNE-7883. Using spatial transcriptomics, we uncovered phenotypic inertia as a key mechanism of drug resistance in MPNST, in addition to signaling plasticity. Further, we found that resistance is mediated by sustained ERK, YAP, and MYC driven transcriptional programs. In the future, preclinical studies should focus on addressing intratumoral heterogeneity and how it evolves over time.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McGee, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grit, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Essenburg, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agrusa, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dey, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klomp, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klomp, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adams, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beddows, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolfrum, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirbe, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graveel, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steensma, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.16.659334</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[YAP signaling promotes resistance to MEK and AKT inhibition in NF1-related MPNSTs]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.19.660594v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-Omics Analysis of Heat Stress-Induced Memory in Arabidopsis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.19.660594v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In their natural environment, plants experience temperature fluctuations, including intensified heat waves driven by climate change, which pose significant threats to their productivity. To adapt, plants have evolved diverse mechanisms to withstand heat stress (HS), minimizing potential damage and ensuring survival. One such adaptation is acquired thermotolerance (AT), where prior exposure to HS primes plants to withstand subsequent severe HS. AT can persist for several days and involves a recovery period during which plants establish heat stress memory (HSM), reorganize cellular processes, and strengthen stress resilience. The molecular mechanisms underlying HSM remain the subject of active investigation. In this study, we employ a high-throughput comparative multi-omics approach to unravel the transcriptome, metabolome, and proteome of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings during distinct intervals of the HSM phase. Our findings provide insights into the intricacies of HS recovery and the memory process. Notably, distinct temporal responses emerge at both the transcriptional and protein levels during the early and late recovery phases. Transcripts associated with HSM are upregulated during the early HS recovery phase, indicating a rapid response crucial for initial memory formation, while corresponding protein levels remain elevated throughout the recovery period, supporting memory consolidation. Additionally, metabolite profiles reveal distinctive patterns across the HS memory phase. This marks the first detailed multi-omic analysis of the HSM phase in Arabidopsis seedlings, providing insights into the multifaceted nature of this complex process. These comprehensive datasets hold promise in elucidating regulators of HS resilience, thereby enhancing efforts in breeding HS-tolerant crops
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thirumlaikumar, V. P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mubeen, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wisniewski, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walther, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giavalisco, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alseekh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DL Nelson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balazadeh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.19.660594</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-Omics Analysis of Heat Stress-Induced Memory in Arabidopsis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.21.660856v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.21.660856v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
In many group-living birds and mammals, the formation of affiliative relationships is hypothesized to cause vocal convergence (an increase in call similarity between individuals). However, testing this causal effect can be difficult, because it requires experimentally forming new relationships. Here, we demonstrate convergence in the contact calls of common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) that we introduced and experimentally housed together. To estimate and disentangle the roles of kinship, co-housing (familiarity), allogrooming, and food sharing in predicting call similarity, we first measured call similarity using 35 features of 693,494 contact calls from 95 bats, then fit a series of Bayesian generalized multi-membership models. We also measured changes in call similarity for a subset of individuals that were recorded before and after co-housing. We found that co-housing caused vocal convergence. Furthermore, food-sharing rates among familiar nonkin within the same co-housed group predicted contact call similarity. This finding suggests that the development of cooperative relationships causes further vocal convergence beyond the initial convergence caused by co-housing. Our findings have implications for the development of cooperative relationships and vocal learning.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vrtilek, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith-Vidaurre, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fosler-Lussier, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Page, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carter, G. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.21.660856</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Vocal convergence during formation of social relationships in vampire bats]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.23.661107v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantifying impacts of natural gas development on forest carbon 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.23.661107v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As energy demands continue to rise, energy production from sources including natural gas is expected to rapidly accelerate in the coming decades, potentially leading to substantial land-use changes. In the Appalachian region of the United States, natural gas development often occurs in forested areas, which can cause high levels of forest disturbance and loss. Here, we use nationwide forest inventory and remotely sensed data in a Bayesian model to quantify the impacts of natural gas development at fine spatial resolutions between 2008-2021. Based on well permit locations in the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, the analysis quantifies disturbance area, forest carbon loss, and opportunity cost with associated levels of uncertainty at the pixel-level. Overall, we estimate 10,854 ha of forest land were disturbed, resulting in 542,675 Mg ({+/-} 4,275) of forest carbon loss. The opportunity cost associated with these disturbances is estimated to be 575,246 Mg ({+/-} 30,774). Pixel-level estimates are generated for individual well sites, which can be aggregated to the county-level to highlight regional patterns. Specifically, we observe greater levels of disturbance in Northern West Virginia, while opportunity costs are greatest for large forested counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This study demonstrates the importance of quantifying balances and tradeoffs between energy production and forest ecosystem services, and provides important insights into the impacts of energy development on forest carbon.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shannon, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Finley, A. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>May, P. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.23.661107</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantifying impacts of natural gas development on forest carbon]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.25.661137v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biocatalytic Construction of a CEST MRI Nucleoside Probe: Synthesis and Evaluation of 5-Methyl-5,6-dihydrothymidine 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.25.661137v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a cornerstone of modern clinical diagnostics, often enhanced by contrast agents. Traditionally, these agents are chemically synthesized, which can involve complex, costly, and environmentally unfriendly processes. Here, we report a novel biocatalytic approach for the efficient, safe, and eco-friendly synthesis of 5-methyl-5,6-dihydrothymidine (5-MDHT), a potent Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) MRI probe for imaging in vivo expression of the Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Thymidine Kinase (HSV1-TK) reporter gene. We demonstrate that 5-MDHT can be biosynthesized via one- or two-step enzymatic reactions using human purine nucleoside phosphorylase (hPNPase) and the SgvMVAV SAM-dependent methyltransferase. hPNPase catalyzed the base-exchange reaction with catalytic efficiencies (kcat/KM) between 138-316 s-1 M-1, while SgvMVAV methylation of 5,6-dihydrothymidine yielded 5-MDHT with a catalytic efficiency of 26 s-1 M-1. Molecular dynamics simulations supported the enzymatic binding and selectivity observed experimentally. The resulting 5-MDHT was validated using CEST-MRI, showing a distinct exchangeable imino proton signal at 5.3 ppm. These findings highlight the chemo- and regioselectivity of the biocatalysts and establish biocatalysis as a viable platform for producing clinically relevant MRI contrast agents.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Al-Hilfi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Franco, E. A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grady, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mohanta, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McMahon, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bazayeva, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merz, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.25.661137</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biocatalytic Construction of a CEST MRI Nucleoside Probe: Synthesis and Evaluation of 5-Methyl-5,6-dihydrothymidine]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.22.660956v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
New niches for larger phytoplankton in a warmer, more resource-limited ocean 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.22.660956v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Warming and nutrient limitation are major stressors that affect primary production in the ocean, with cascading impacts on the food web. Yet, we lack a mechanistic understanding of how phytoplankton manage the combined stress of heat-damage and nutrient-limitation and the implications of these responses for phytoplankton biogeography. By combining theory, proteome allocation modeling, and climate projections, we identified two potential competing strategies for multi-stressor growth: (1) increase growth temperature optima through higher nutrient uptake efficiency and smaller cells, or (2) invest in heat-mitigation mechanisms achieving higher thermal tolerance at the cost of growth and larger cells. By simulating the optimal metabolic strategies of different phytoplankton functional types across a latitudinal gradient, we found that Prochlorococcus are more vulnerable in warmer,  heat-stressed, tropical regions due to greater heat sensitivity and lower storage capacity, indicating a potential ecological niche for larger phytoplankton with lower sensitivity to oxidative stress, such as Synechococcus and picoeukaryotes. Our findings advocate for the inclusion of phytoplankton heat-stress responses in global models to more accurately predict their ecological niches as the climate warms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Leles, S. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Breithaupt, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krinos, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alexander, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moeller, H. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flanjak, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laufkoetter, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aranguren-Gassis, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levine, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-06-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.06.22.660956</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[New niches for larger phytoplankton in a warmer, more resource-limited ocean]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-06-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.01.660701v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Targeted ablation and regeneration of enteric nervous system neurons in zebrafish 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.01.660701v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is the intrinsic nervous system of the gut and regulates essential gut functions, including motility, digestion, and immune response, ensuring gut homeostasis. ENS dysfunction or loss is associated with gastrointestinal disorders such as Hirschsprung disease (HSCR). Currently, surgery is the only treatment for HSCR, but it often has lifelong, severe complications. Restoring missing ENS neurons by stimulating endogenous neuronal regeneration presents a promising therapeutic approach for ENS disease. To reveal the cellular-molecular mechanisms regulating neuronal regeneration we study a species capable of robust ENS restoration, the zebrafish. For this, we developed a chemogenetic ablation model in zebrafish using the Gal4/UAS NTR 2.0 system for targeted ENS neuron ablation. Spatially and temporally controlled neuronal death was confirmed by morphological changes, quantification of neuronal loss, and TUNEL assays. We observed an acute immune response that normalizes at 1 day of treatment. Quantification of regenerated neurons demonstrated complete restoration of ENS neuron numbers to control levels by 9 days post treatment, with recovery of gut motility. Among the regenerated neurons, nitrergic, cholinergic and VIPergic subtypes showed full recovery, whereas serotonergic neurons only displayed partial recovery, indicating subtype-specific differences in regenerative capacity and/or timing of cell replacement. Our study establishes a robust platform for dissecting the cellular-molecular mechanisms of ENS regeneration to develop potential treatment approaches for ENS-related diseases.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shah, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moran, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rueckert, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharrock, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ackerley, D. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mumm, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ganz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.01.660701</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Targeted ablation and regeneration of enteric nervous system neurons in zebrafish]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.03.661972v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Attention robustly dissociates objective performance and subjective visibility reports 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.03.661972v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Visual experience can sometimes depart from visual performance, providing a powerful lens into the mechanisms generating conscious perception. In one proposed dissociation--subjective inflation--unattended locations in the periphery appear stronger than attended ones despite equated performance. Subjective inflation has played a central role in motivating theories of consciousness that reject the sufficiency of sensory signals for conscious perception. Yet the empirical basis for subjective inflation is limited. Here, in a large-scale adversarial collaboration, we conducted four simultaneously-replicated experiments testing the strength, character, and extent of subjective inflation under inattention. We used a new analytic approach to quantify inattentional inflation over full psychometric functions, beyond single matched-performance levels. We found robust inattentional inflation for contrast-dependent and texture-based perception, at and above the visual threshold. However at suprathreshold, we found inattentional inflation for the overall stimulus but not the specific feature relevant for performance. Finally, we establish the unifying principle that inattentional inflation occurs if and only if attention reduces performance thresholds more than visibility thresholds. Thus what we think we see may regularly exceed what we can visually discriminate, placing constraints on theories of conscious perception.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tian, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maniscalco, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Epstein, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castaneda, O. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kurosawa, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Motzer, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olsson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Russell, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walsh, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeb, T. B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamme, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lau, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brascamp, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Block, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chalmers, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peters, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Denison, R. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.03.661972</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Attention robustly dissociates objective performance and subjective visibility reports]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.02.662331v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Analysis of a Rpb2 mutant in Schizosaccharomyces pombe reveals a non-canonical role for Elp1 in regulating RNAi-dependent heterochromatin assembly 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.02.662331v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Heterochromatin is a repressive epigenetic state that suppresses transcription and safeguards genomic integrity. However, the full mechanism of how it is regulated remains elusive. Here, we focus on a previously described Pol II variant called rpb2-N44Y, which has a single substitution mutation within the Rpb2 subunit of Pol II that reduces RNAi-dependent heterochromatin. Through CRISPR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis, we find that rpb2-N44Y is a gain-of-function mutation. Furthermore, the heterochromatin defects of the rpb2-N44Y mutant requires a subunit of the Elongator complex called Elongator Protein 1 (Elp1), a protein that canonically promotes in mcm5s2U34 tRNA modifications. Intriguingly, we find that loss of Elp1, but not of other Elongator subunits such as Elp3, can robustly suppress heterochromatin defects in the rpb2-N44Y mutant. Elp1 acts independently of the mcm5s2 U34 tRNA modification to suppress RNAi-dependent heterochromatin at the pericentromere and the levels of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) at affected heterochromatin. Overall, our study reveals two distinct Rpb2-centric pathways, via RNAi or Elp1, that can positively or negatively regulate heterochromatin, respectively. Furthermore, our findings reveal the first evidence of a chromatin function for Elp1 that is distinct from its canonical role in tRNA modifications. This work expands our understanding of how Elp1 can influence chromatin biology.

Article summaryRNAi-dependent heterochromatin plays a key role in silencing gene expression from fission yeast to animals. However, it remains unclear what are all the factors that regulate this heterochromatin type. Here, the authors performed genetic interaction analyses to identify the conserved elp1 gene as having the potential to regulate RNAi-dependent heterochromatin. Furthermore, the authors devised a separation-of-function mutant to find that this chromatin function of elp1 is distinct from its canonical role in tRNA modifications. These findings expand our knowledge about the human disease-relevant elp1 gene beyond its well-known roles in the Elongator complex and in tRNA modifications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nirmal, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pearce, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Finkel, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Darrow, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vo, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.02.662331</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Analysis of a Rpb2 mutant in Schizosaccharomyces pombe reveals a non-canonical role for Elp1 in regulating RNAi-dependent heterochromatin assembly]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.03.663053v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
From sequence to signature: Uncovering multiscale AMR features across bacterial pathogens with supervised machine learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.03.663053v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Since the clinical introduction of antibiotics in the 1940s, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become an increasingly dire threat to global public health. Pathogens acquire AMR much faster than we discover new drugs (antibiotics), warranting innovative methods to better understand its molecular underpinnings. Traditional approaches for detecting AMR in novel bacterial strains are time-consuming and labor-intensive. However, advances in sequencing technology offer a plethora of bacterial genome data, and computational approaches like machine learning (ML) provide an optimistic scope for in silico AMR prediction. Here, we introduce a comprehensive multiscale ML approach to predict AMR phenotypes and identify AMR molecular features associated with a single drug or drug family, stratified by time and geographical locations. As a case study, we focus on a subset of the World Health Organizations Bacterial Priority Pathogens, the frequently drug-resistant and nosocomial ESKAPE pathogens: Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species. We started with sequenced genomes with lab-derived AMR phenotypes, constructed pangenomes, clustered gene and protein sequences, and extracted protein domains to generate pangenomic features across molecular scales. To uncover the molecular mechanisms behind drug-/drug class-specific resistance, we trained logistic regression ML models on our datasets. These yielded ranked lists of AMR-associated genes, proteins, and domains. In addition to recapitulating known AMR features, our models identified novel candidates for experimental validation. The models were performant across molecular scales, data types, and drugs while achieving a median normalized Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.89. Prediction performance showed resilience even when evaluated on geographical and temporal holdouts. We also evaluated model generalizability and cross-resistance across the drug-/drug class-specific models cross-tested on other available drug-/drug class genomes. Finally, we uncovered multiple drug class resistance features using multiclass and multilabel models. Our holistic approach promises reliable prediction of existing and developing resistance in newly sequenced pathogen genomes, while pinpointing the mechanistic molecular contributors of AMR. All our models and results are available at our interactive web app, https://jravilab.org/amr.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ghosh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brenner, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vang, C. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wolfe, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burke, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lesiyon, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manpearl, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sridhar, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krol, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boyer, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bilodeaux, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jongnarangsin, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Majlessi, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.03.663053</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[From sequence to signature: Uncovering multiscale AMR features across bacterial pathogens with supervised machine learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.04.662912v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Warm-loving species perform well under limiting resources:trait combinations for future climate 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.04.662912v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Ecosystems are warming alongside shifts in other abiotic factors, leading to interactive effects on populations and communities. This underscores the importance of studying how organisms respond to multiple environmental changes simultaneously. In aquatic ecosystems, as surface waters of lakes and oceans warm, longer and stronger periods of thermal stratification lead to changes in resource (light and nutrient) availability. We investigate the combined effect of temperature and resource availability on 19 populations (comprising 17 species) of freshwater phytoplankton to examine how temperature influences the minimum resource requirements (and Monod parameters) for light, nitrogen, and phosphorus. We also evaluate how resource availability affects each populations thermal traits (i.e. thermal performance curve -TPC-parameters). When averaged across all populations, the requirements for light and phosphorus tended to display a U-shaped relationship along temperatures. Individual populations varied greatly in their responses to temperature, leading to shifts in the identity of the best competitor across the thermal gradient, particularly for nitrogen and phosphorus. TPC responses to resource limitation were highly variable, but thermal optima and maxima of individual populations often decreased with resource limitation, and thermal breadths (range where growth is 80% or more of its maximum) often increased due to a flattening of TPCs. Across all populations and resource types, the maximum optimum temperature across resource levels (maximum Topt) tended to be positively correlated with the temperature at which they had the lowest resource requirements (minimum R*). However, the temperature at which populations were the best competitors tended to be [~]5 {degrees}C colder on average than the temperature at which they grew the fastest. The populations with the highest thermal optima also had the lowest minimum resource requirements. Our findings reveal trait associations suggesting that some taxa already exhibit trait combinations that would support high performance under future warm and resource-limited conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Levasseur, S. A. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber de Melo, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hille Ris Lambers, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klausmeier, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kremer, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Litchman, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reyes, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomas, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Narwani, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.04.662912</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Warm-loving species perform well under limiting resources:trait combinations for future climate]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.07.663492v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of functional neural networks of human brains with fMRI 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.07.663492v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The highly evolved human brain comprises numerous functional systems, ranging from essential sensory, motor, attention and memory networks to higher-order cognitive functions like reasoning and language. Although these neural systems and cognitive functions are separately distributed across the entire brain, they are functionally integrated together to perform a task. Decision-making and executive functioning may also be involved in performing the task. While studying task-evoked brain networks is important, investigating whole-brain activity could be crucial for understanding the neural underpinnings of individual behavioral and clinical traits. Even when the brain is not actively engaged in a task, the intrinsic neural activity, i.e., the resting-state (rs) activity, maintains the operations of the brain that involve the acquisition and maintenance of information for interpreting, responding to, and predicting environmental demands. This intrinsic activity is also functionally organized into networks like the brain default mode network. Investigating its whole-brain activity could also be crucial for understanding the neural underpinnings of the brains operations at rest. We report a novel data-driven method to objectively and automatically identify functional neural networks (FNNs) across the entire brain for both brain states measured with rs-and task-fMRI, respectively. The identified FNNs characterize the whole-brain activity holistically for each brain state and each individual subject.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Huang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.07.663492</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of functional neural networks of human brains with fMRI]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.11.663520v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Deep Learning for Sorghum Yield Forecasting using Uncrewed Aerial Systems and Lab-Derived Imagery 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.11.663520v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The AI revolution, advanced Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), and open-source platforms have enabled Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) algorithms to rapidly and accurately extract phenotypic features from Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS)-derived imagery. Such advancement leads to phenotypic digitization and sorghum yield forecasting. Yield analytics are critical for breeding programs to assess the genetics and breeding potential of genotypes to enhance cultivar development. This trial followed a three-replicated Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 36 diverse sorghum genotypes in 2023 at Ashland Bottoms, Kansas. The field images were captured 6 meters above using a DJI M300 drone equipped with the P1 sensor at 90{degrees}nadir and 45{degrees} oblique angles. This research trained YOLO and the Faster R-CNN (Detectron2) models to harness yield attributes from UAS field and lab images. The YOLO models outperformed the Faster R-CNN model in detecting sorghum panicles, achieving a mean average precision at 50% IoU (mAP@0.50) ranging from 0.92 to 0.98, compared to 0.61 to 0.89. Panicle detection from field imagery correlated at 0.86 with ground truth. Lab imagery analyses measured panicle size, seed counts, and seed area with correlation coefficients of 0.71, 0.95, and 0.25, respectively. Three machine learning models: Support Vector Regression (SVR), Decision Tree Regression (DTR), and Random Forest Regression (RFR) are used to predict yield with correlation coefficients of 0.58, 0.76, and 0.70, respectively. We observed that YOLO models are well-suited for extracting yield-attributing traits from images, which are then incorporated into ML regression models to improve yield prediction performance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bari, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bakshi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Choton, J. C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pramanik, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Witt, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caragea, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bean, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jagadish, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Felderhoff, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.11.663520</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Deep Learning for Sorghum Yield Forecasting using Uncrewed Aerial Systems and Lab-Derived Imagery]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.09.664010v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SOX2 is a dispensable modulator of NUT carcinoma oncogenesis in mouse 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.09.664010v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
NUT carcinoma (NC) is a highly aggressive malignancy driven by BRD4::NUTM1 and other NUTM1 fusion oncogenes. BRD4::NUTM1 aberrantly activates transcription factors (TFs) linked to basal progenitor identity, producing poorly differentiated squamous phenotypes. Among these TFs, SOX2 has been proposed as a critical oncogenic driver, but its functional requirement in NC has not been tested in vivo. Using a genetically engineered mouse model that faithfully recapitulates human NC, we performed lineage-specific conditional deletion of Sox2 in both squamous and non-squamous tissues. We found that Sox2 is dispensable for NC initiation and progression, with tumors retaining characteristic histology and expression of key drivers including BRD4::NUTM1, MYC, and TP63. Transcriptomic profiling revealed only modest changes in Sox2-deficient tumors, mainly affecting metabolic and biosynthetic pathways, without disrupting core oncogenic programs. These findings challenge the assumption that SOX2 is universally required in NC and suggest that SOX2-targeted therapies may have limited utility, refining the framework for therapeutic prioritization.

Summary blurbThis study shows that SOX2 is not required for NUT carcinoma initiation or maintenance in vivo, challenging its assumed oncogenic role and refining therapeutic target prioritization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gu, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zheng, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elnegiry, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhatara, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tsoi, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.09.664010</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SOX2 is a dispensable modulator of NUT carcinoma oncogenesis in mouse]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.09.664005v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Using spatial statistics to infer game-theoretic interactions in an agent-based model of cancer cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.09.664005v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Drug resistance in cancer is shaped not only by evolutionary processes but also by eco-evolutionary interactions between tumor subpopulations. These interactions can support the persistence of resistant cells even in the absence of treatment, undermining standard aggressive therapies and motivating drug holiday-based approaches that leverage ecological dynamics. A key challenge in implementing such strategies is efficiently identifying interaction between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant subpopulations. Evolutionary game theory provides a framework for characterizing these interactions. We investigate whether spatial patterns in single time-point images of cell populations can reveal the underlying game theoretic interactions between sensitive and resistant cells. To achieve this goal, we develop an agent-based model in which cell reproduction is governed by local game-theoretic interactions. We compute a suite of spatial statistics on single time-point images from the agent-based model under a range of games being played between cells. We quantify the informativeness of each spatial statistic and demonstrate that a simple machine learning model can classify the type of game being played. Our findings suggest that spatial structure contains sufficient information to infer ecological interactions. This work represents a step toward clinically viable tools for identifying cell-cell interactions in tumors, supporting the development of ecologically informed cancer therapies.

Author summaryDrug resistance is a major challenge in cancer treatment, often leading to relapse despite initially successful therapy. While mutations are a key driver, ecological interactions between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cells also play a critical role. These interactions are complex and dynamic, and few molecular biomarkers exist, making them difficult to study and account for in treatment planning. We use evolutionary game theory, a framework for quantifying interactions between cells, to investigate whether it is possible to infer these interactions using just a single time-point image of the cells. We develop an agent-based model where cells reproduce based on local interactions and quantify the resulting patterns in how cells are distributed across space using a suite of spatial statistics. We find that specific interaction types produce distinct spatial patterns that are evident in these metrics, and we train a simple machine learning model to classify the interaction type based on the metrics. Our results suggest that spatial data alone can offer valuable insights into tumor dynamics, potentially enabling more informed and adaptable cancer treatments based on eco-evolutionary principles.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Leither, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strobl, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dolson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.09.664005</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Using spatial statistics to infer game-theoretic interactions in an agent-based model of cancer cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.10.664235v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Controlling treatment toxicity in ovarian cancer to prime the patient for tumor extinction therapy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.10.664235v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) remains a major clinical challenge. In particular among those patients with homologous recombination (HR)-proficient tumors (>50%), most eventually succumb to their disease due to high recurrence rates, acquired resistance, and cumulative toxicity. This report summarizes work from the 12th IMO Workshop in which we explored an alternative "extinction therapy" strategy for frontline treatment of HGSOC. Inspired by ecological principles, this multi-strike approach aims to eradicate tumors not through a singular "magic bullet" but through a series of therapies after standard frontline treatment when the tumor is still, and perhaps most, vulnerable. We present a framework leveraging mathematical modeling (MM) to develop personalized multi-strike protocols for HGSOC. Key contributions include: 1) An "IMOme" score using liquid biopsy data to assess patient-specific hematopoietic toxicity risk, guiding the timing and selection of subsequent therapies, 2) MM strategies to design effective lowdose combinations of targeted agents to achieve synthetic lethality while managing toxicity, and 3) A MM framework to analyze the interplay between chemotherapy, gut microbiome toxicity, and immunotherapy, demonstrating how mitigating microbiome damage could enhance immune response. Overall, the computational approaches presented herein aim to support the design of personalized, multi-strike regimens in the frontline setting that proactively target tumor extinction while managing toxicity, ultimately seeking to deliver cures for patients with HGSOC.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gallagher, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sousa, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gatenbee, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schenck, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Citak, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leither, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mazzacurati, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xella, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lemanne, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodriguez, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>George, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strobl, M. A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.10.664235</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Controlling treatment toxicity in ovarian cancer to prime the patient for tumor extinction therapy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.14.664746v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Response to "No evidence that transmissible cancer has shifted from emergence to endemism in Tasmanian devils" 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.14.664746v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Herein, we rebut the critique of Patton et al. (2020), entitled, "No evidence that a transmissible cancer has shifted from emergence to endemism", by Stammnitz et al. (2024). First and foremost, the authors do not conduct any phylogenetic or epidemiological analyses to rebut the inferences from the main results of the Patton et al. (2020) article, rendering the title of their rebuttal without evidence or merit. Additionally, Stammnitz et al. (2024) present a phylogenetic tree based on only 32 copy number variants (not typically used in phylogenetic analyses and evolve in a completely different way than DNA sequences) to "rebut" our tree that was inferred from 436.1 kb of sequence data and nearly two orders of magnitude more parsimony-informative sites (2520 SNPs). As such it is not surprising that their phylogeny did not have a similar branching pattern to ours, given that support for each branch of their tree was weak and the essentially formed a polytomy. That is, one could rotate their resulting tree in any direction and by nature, it would not match ours. While the authors are correct that we used suboptimal filtering of our raw whole genome sequencing data, re-analyses of the data with 30X coverage, as suggested, resulted in a mutation rate similar to that reported in Stammnitz et al. (2024). Most importantly, when we re-analyzed our data, as well as Stammnitz et al.s own data, the results of the Patton et al. (2020) article are supported with both datasets. That is, the effective transmission rate of DFTD has transitioned over time to approach one, suggesting endemism; and, the spread of DFTD is rapid and omnidirectional despite the observed east-to-west wave of spread. Overall, Stammnitz et al. (2024) not only fail to provide evidence to contradict the findings of Patton et al. (2020), but rather help support the results with their own data.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Storfer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Margres, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kozakiewicz, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamede, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruiz-Aravena, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Comte, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stadler, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leache, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McCallum, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jones, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hohenlohe, P. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.14.664746</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Response to "No evidence that transmissible cancer has shifted from emergence to endemism in Tasmanian devils"]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.16.665104v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mouse Adapted Omicron BA.5 Induces A Fibrotic Lung Disease Phenotype in BALB/c Mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.16.665104v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Following SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1, subsequent Omicron sub-lineages have continued to emerge, challenging the development of intervention and prevention strategies, including monoclonal antibodies and vaccines. To better understand the pathogenic effects caused by Omicron BA.5 infection, we developed a mouse-adapted virus with overt disease burden in BALB/c mice. Acute disease was characterized by significant weight loss and lung dysfunction following high-dose challenges. In survivor animals that were followed through 107 days post-infection, subpleural fibrosis with associated tertiary lymphoid structures was noted. Serum from these mice demonstrated potent neutralization against BA.5, with substantially reduced neutralization titers against early epidemic, zoonotic, and more recent contemporary XBB.1.5 variants. Intervention with pre-clinical monoclonal antibodies revealed that robust protection from BA.5-induced lung disease was possible after prophylactic administration. Together, this model enables the investigation of therapeutic approaches for both acute and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

ImportanceIn order to best combat the evolving landscape of SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest and variants of concern the development of effective small animal models is of critical importance. Herein, we describe the development of a model system in BALB/c mice to study the effects of SARS-CoV-2 BA.5 in both acute and chronic disease manifestations. Intriguingly, we determined that fibrotic lung disease with tertiary lymphoid structures was a prominent feature in the lungs of mice that survived through the acute phase of infection. This is a prominent concern in human patients that survive the initial infection insult. As such, and most critically, the model system presented here provides researchers with an effective pathway in which long COVID manifestations and potential interventions can be studied.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Powers, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leist, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Suryadevara, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zost, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Binshtein, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abdelgadir, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallory, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gully, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hubbard, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zweigart, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bailey, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sheahan, T. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crowe, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Montgomery, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkema, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baric, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.16.665104</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mouse Adapted Omicron BA.5 Induces A Fibrotic Lung Disease Phenotype in BALB/c Mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.17.665377v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Graph pangenome reveals structural variation dynamics during cucumber breeding 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.17.665377v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Structural variants (SVs) represent a significant yet underexplored component of plant genome diversity. Analyzing SV dynamics is important for understanding their contributions to phenotypic variation and their influence on genome evolution. Here, we present a graph-based pangenome for cucumber, constructed from 39 reference-level genome assemblies. The pangenome captures 171,892 high-confidence SVs and enables genotyping of these SVs across 443 cucumber accessions, representing diverse geographic origins and spanning wild progenitors, landraces, and modern cultivars. Our analyses reveal that during cucumber domestication, a substantial portion of mildly deleterious SNPs are retained, whereas SVs are consistently purged, highlighting their potentially highly deleterious nature. During the geographic expansion of cucumber, a reduction in SV burden and a younger age of SVs than SNPs were observed, suggesting stronger purifying selection acting on SVs. Additionally, notable gene flow from wild population to African and European populations was detected, resulting in an increased SV burden, potentially due to hitchhiking effects. Importantly, incorporating SV burden into genomic prediction models improved the prediction accuracy for several agronomically important traits. This study illuminates the dynamics of SVs during cucumber domestication and improvement, highlights the complex interplay between SVs and selection pressures, and underscores the extensive implications of SVs for future cucumber breeding.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhao, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Y.-C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dymerski, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weng, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grumet, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fei, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.17.665377</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Graph pangenome reveals structural variation dynamics during cucumber breeding]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.17.665427v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
DANCE 2.0: Transforming single-cell analysis from black box to transparent workflow 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.17.665427v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Preprocessing is a critical step in single-cell data analysis, yet current practices remain largely a black-box, trial-and-error process driven by user intuition, legacy defaults, and ad hoc heuristics. The optimal combination of steps such as normalization, gene selection, and dimensionality reduction varies across tasks, model architectures, and dataset characteristics, hindering reproducibility and method development. We present DANCE 2.0, an automated and interpretable preprocessing platform featuring two key modules: the Method-Aware Preprocessing (MAP) module, which discovers optimal pipelines for task-specific methods via hierarchical search, and the Dataset-Aware Preprocessing (DAP) module, which recommends pipelines for new datasets via similarity-based matching to a reference atlas. Together, MAP and DAP execute over 325,000 pipeline searches across six major tasks - clustering, cell type annotation, imputation, joint embedding, spatial domain identification, and cell type deconvolution - yielding robust and generalizable recommendations. MAP-recommended pipelines consistently outperform original method defaults, with substantial gains across all tasks. Beyond automation, DANCE 2.0 reveals interpretable preprocessing patterns across tasks, methods, and datasets, transforming preprocessing into a transparent, data-driven process. All resources are openly available at https://github.com/OmicsML/dance to support broad community adoption and future methodological advances.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xing, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ma, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.17.665427</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[DANCE 2.0: Transforming single-cell analysis from black box to transparent workflow]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.21.666043v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Tricuspid Valve is Transcriptionally Active During Prolonged Pressure Overload, Right-Sided Heart Failure, and Valve Regurgitation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.21.666043v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundRight-sided heart failure (RHF), in the presence of tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR), can result from left-sided heart failure (LHF), pulmonary hypertension (PH), or heart malformations. The occurrence of RHF and TR represents a critical indicator of hospitalization rates and all-cause mortality. However, RHF has remained understudied, specifically with respect to the tricuspid valve, with few animal models to investigate the transformative processes and identify novel interventions.

MethodsUsing the outbred sheep (Ovis aries) model of pulmonary artery banding (PAB) that induces RHF and TR, we generated three batches of ribosomal reduced RNA sequencing for 354 samples (NCBI SRA PRJNA1182691) containing right ventricle, left ventricle, each tricuspid valve leaflet, each mitral valve leaflet, and the pulmonary artery that represents both male and female sheep. The reads were assembled into a de novo sheep heart transcriptome for differential analysis.

ResultsThe de novo sheep heart transcriptome enhanced transcript mapping of reads by 43-45% in the heart valves relative to the known sheep reference transcriptome. The identified transcripts produce validated tissue-specific pathways in ventricles (2,756 isoforms), pulmonary arteries (535 isoforms), and valves (1,215 isoforms), with transcript differences between the mitral and tricuspid valve involved in extracellular and endocrine signaling. The transcriptome also produced robust sex differences encoded by sex chromosomes and autosomes, highlighting epigenetic and sex hormone differences in the heart. Echocardiography and differential expression suggest that 8 weeks after PAB, the right ventricle has extensive morphological changes and known stress-induced lipid processing dysregulation. At 16-weeks post-PAB, tricuspid valve leaflets show the most significant transcriptional changes, with alterations in endocrine and immune pathway genes involved in cellular and extracellular remodeling. Genes within the tricuspid valve with differential expression and known human or mouse heart phenotypes include FLNA, LTBP4, VDR, CR2, PIGQ, CENPF, ACKR3, CR1, KLF2, and HIF3A.

ConclusionsThis project highlights the complexity of heart valve tissues and their transcriptional activity in a sheep model of RHF. It suggests potential therapeutic interventions in heart valve remodeling in PAH, RHF, and TR. This work highlights the need for further human and model organism research into the dynamic valve cells and genes.

Clinical PerspectiveO_ST_ABSWhat Is New?C_ST_ABS- Improved cardiac and valve specific transcriptome mapping through de novo transcriptome for clinically relevant ovine model.
- Tricuspid valves show a sex dependent and active transcriptional response to pulmonary artery banding induced pulmonary hypertension and right sided heart failure.
- Transcriptional phenotypes in ovine model mirror known human heart disease phenotypes.
- Several transcripts identified with therapeutic potential for treating pressure overload conditions such as pulmonary hypertension.


What Are the Clinical Implications?- Tricuspid valve remodeling due to pulmonary hypertension is accompanied by transcriptional alterations, and mechanical alterations alone may not be sufficient to address valve insufficiency.
- Valve and ventricle sex specific gene expression changes following pulmonary hypertension indicate a potential role for hormonal influences and a need for personalized treatment strategies.
- Improved patient outcomes for right heart failure, including diagnosis, early detection, and improved treatment strategies can be elucidated through the ovine model and supported through expanded interrogation of human tissues.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Goodyke, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gaweda, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Piekarska, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Westgate, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loyaga-Rendon, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jani, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rausch, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prokop, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Timek, T. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.21.666043</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Tricuspid Valve is Transcriptionally Active During Prolonged Pressure Overload, Right-Sided Heart Failure, and Valve Regurgitation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.22.666096v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A comparison of tools and read depth criteria for genuine single nucleotide polymorphism identification in ancient maize samples 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.22.666096v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Maize is an important subject in the study of ancient DNA (aDNA) due to its profound historical, cultural and economic significance. Studies of maize aDNA can provide insights into domestication, evolution and gene flow of this important crop plant. During analysis of aDNA samples, it is essential to elucidate the extent of post-mortem damage (PMD) as well as to select optimal tools and read depth criteria for genuine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery. To date, standardized approaches to address these issues are lacking. Using eight archaeological maize samples from publicly available datasets, we compared the performance of two different approaches for solving PMD, Rm5nt and NoChange. We also compared three different analysis tools (GATK, angsd and pileupCaller) and read depth criteria (2X, 5X and 10X) for genuine SNP discovery of aDNA maize samples. The results showed that the Rm5nt approach performed better in processing aDNA. We also found that the angsd tool with a read depth >= 5X is optimal for inferring the closest relative of the aDNA maize samples used in this study. Our study aims to improve the current standardized approach, including optimal approaches, tools and read depth criteria, to improve the accuracy of aDNA data interpretation. Furthermore, our results offer a practical guideline for researchers seeking to improve the quality of their aDNA data for downstream analysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Madzima, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.22.666096</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A comparison of tools and read depth criteria for genuine single nucleotide polymorphism identification in ancient maize samples]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.25.666869v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Population-level super-pangenome reveals genome evolution and empowers precision breeding in watermelon 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.25.666869v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pangenomes are increasingly critical for harnessing crop genetic diversity, yet their resolution and utility are often limited by insufficient sampling of high-quality genome assemblies. Here, we report a population-level watermelon super-pangenome constructed from 138 reference-grade assemblies, including 135 newly generated near-gapless genomes representing all seven watermelon species. The super-pangenome captures approximately one million structural variants (SVs), enabling accurate variant genotyping across ~900 watermelon accessions and substantially expanding variant discovery both across and within species. Broader sampling within the pangenome provides insights into genome evolution among watermelon species and sheds light on the origin of cultivated watermelon. SV-inclusive genome-wide association studies enhance trait mapping resolution and identify a copy number variation upstream of ClFCI1 that regulates flesh color intensity in a dosage-dependent manner. Leveraging this comprehensive variation map, we developed high-accuracy genomic prediction models for 18 agronomic traits. Together, our findings and genomic resources establish a foundational framework for dissecting complex traits and accelerating precision breeding in watermelon, while offering a valuable model for SV-resolved pangenomics in crop species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sun, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liao, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gong, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ren, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tian, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammar, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGregor, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jarret, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wechter, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Branham, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kousik, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Levi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grumet, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fei, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.25.666869</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Population-level super-pangenome reveals genome evolution and empowers precision breeding in watermelon]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.26.666966v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bacterial metabolites induce cell wall remodeling, antifungal resistance, and immune recognition of commensal fungi 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.26.666966v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The fungus Candida albicans commensally colonizes mucosal surfaces in healthy individuals but can cause both superficial mucosal and life-threatening disseminated infections. The balance between commensalism and pathogenicity is complex and depends on factors including host and fungal genetic background, the host environment, and fungal interactions with local microbes. The major interaction interface of C. albicans with the host is its multilayered cell wall, which is dynamic and highly responsive to the surrounding environment. Therefore, factors that influence the fungal cell wall will directly impact C. albicans-host interactions. Our work demonstrates that multiple physiologically-relevant gastrointestinal bacteria influence fungal cell wall composition during co-culture with C. albicans, including as complex communities derived from the gut. Using Escherichia coli as a model, we show that bacterial-induced fungal cell wall remodeling occurs rapidly and is mediated by secreted bacterial metabolite(s). Fungal mutant analysis revealed that the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway, which is critical for responding to environmental stresses, has an important role in regulating this cell wall remodeling phenotype through the Sln1 histidine kinase. Importantly, bacterial-mediated fungal cell wall remodeling increases C. albicans resistance to the echinocandins, increases recognition by both dectin-1 and dectin-2, and decreases recognition by human IgA. Overall, this work comprehensively characterizes an interaction between C. albicans and common gastrointestinal bacteria that has important implications for fungal biology and host interactions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Davis, F. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krampen, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryant, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ost, K. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Righi, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balunas, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Meara, T. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-07-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.26.666966</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bacterial metabolites induce cell wall remodeling, antifungal resistance, and immune recognition of commensal fungi]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-07-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.29.667499v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Myelin Decompaction in Mice Given Anesthetics during Magnetic Resonance Imaging 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.29.667499v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AbstractThe objective of this secondary analysis of a prior investigation was to determine if prolonged exposure to the anesthetics isoflurane and dexmedetomidine during MRI was associated with a higher proportion of axons with myelin decompaction. 16 mice underwent an MRI protocol in which they had prolonged exposure to isoflurane and dexmedetomidine, while 10 mice did not undergo this protocol. All mice were sacrificed and electron microscope images were taken of various brain regions including the right prefrontal cortex (anterior cingulate and prelimbic area), the nucleus accumbens, the amygdala, and the ventral hippocampus.. Proportion of decompacted axons was calculated for each mouse, and an inter-rater reliability score of 80% was achieved. Welchs t-tests were used to test the hypothesis that mice undergoing MRI with prolonged anesthesia had greater levels of myelin decompaction than mice that did not experience prolonged anesthesia. Mice with prolonged anesthetic exposure during MRI had significantly higher proportions of decompacted axons than mice that did not experience prolonged anesthesia (p-value of 0.00003642). Prolonged exposure to anesthetics, particularly isoflurane, may be associated with myelin decompaction. These findings, if replicated, have potential to impact future anesthesia use in clinical work and scientific research.

Significance StatementProlonged exposure to the anesthetics isoflurane and dexmedetomidine during brain imaging may lead to myelin decompaction in adult rodents. Myelin is a protective sheath around nerve fibers that ensures efficient transmission of electrical signals in the nervous system. Decompaction of myelin can disrupt these signals, potentially leading to neurological issues. This discovery is significant because it highlights potential risks associated with these anesthetics, which are commonly used in fMRI studies of rodents and in veterinary and medical procedures.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Best, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DUBEY, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>White, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jayam, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mallett, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knickmeyer, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.29.667499</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Myelin Decompaction in Mice Given Anesthetics during Magnetic Resonance Imaging]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.30.667653v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Various Optimization Strategies for the Isolation of Mitochondria from Sprague-Dawley Rat Liver Tissue 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.30.667653v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mitochondria are key organelles that establish a very large free energy drop for the ATP hydrolysis reaction in the cytoplasm of cells, which provides energy required for the cell maintenance of homeostasis. They are commonly isolated from living tissue as it makes them easier to interrogate at the biochemical level. Thus, isolated mitochondria of sufficient quality are desired to improve translational impact. To gain a greater insight into the isolation process and optimize our current isolation protocol for quality, we implemented various fine-tuning modifications to our standard homogenization, centrifugation, and purification steps with isolated rat hepatocyte mitochondria. The following modifications we tested were: i) different homogenization speeds (10,000, 14,000, and 18,000 rpm) with varying time intervals (10, 20, and 30 sec), ii) addition of an additional purification spin, and iii) use of density gradients to further purify the isolated mitochondria from non-mitochondrial contaminants. Mitochondrial quality was approximated using the well-established respiratory control ratio (RCR). The data reveal that our original protocol yields isolated mitochondria with acceptable quality and the optimization attempts produced similar or worse mitochondrial isolates. In addition, an extra purification spin decreased RCR values and therefore is not recommended. We note that the use of density gradients did not improve the RCR, but it did remove presumed peroxisomal contamination. While this protocol can be further enhanced using additional metrics, the data indicate that our current isolation protocol is sufficiently effective since additional modifications did not yield major improvements.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roth, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vadovsky, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xia, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bazil, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.07.30.667653</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Various Optimization Strategies for the Isolation of Mitochondria from Sprague-Dawley Rat Liver Tissue]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.01.668178v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Noninvasive detection of bacterial biofilms using an insect olfactory brain-based gas sensor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.01.668178v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteria emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be targeted for disease detection. Biological olfactory systems have keen senses of smell, can detect VOCs at low concentrations, and are naturally adapted to classifying mixtures of VOCs as odors. Here, we employed locust (Schistocerca americana) olfactory neural circuitry to differentiate biofilm and planktonic cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus using their odors. In vivo extracellular neural recordings were taken from the second-order olfactory processing center (antennal lobe) of locusts. The VOCs from biofilm cultures evoked distinct spiking responses compared to the planktonic cultures for both bacterial species. By analyzing the population neuronal responses, we classified individual bacterial biofilm vs. planktonic odors with up to 96% accuracy. The neural responses were highly discriminatory within the first couple of seconds of odor presentation and our analysis was conducted on less than five seconds of data, highlighting the potential of our biological sensor for real-time biofilm detection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Parnas, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mclane-Svoboda, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shahab, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stout, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLane-Svoboda, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hardy, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.01.668178</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Noninvasive detection of bacterial biofilms using an insect olfactory brain-based gas sensor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.03.668226v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Oxytocin neurons in the anterior and posterior paraventricular nucleus have distinct behavioral functions and electrophysiological profiles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.03.668226v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that can promote or inhibit affiliative social behaviors. Recent evidence suggests that these diverse effects are mediated by distinct oxytocin receptor-expressing neurons. An outstanding question is whether these behavioral effects are also driven by distinct or overlapping populations of oxytocin-producing neurons. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus is a major source of oxytocin and sends projections to the mesolimbic dopamine system and extended amygdala. Previous work found that social defeat increased oxytocin neuron activity in the anterior PVN (aPVN) but not posterior PVN (pPVN). We reduced oxytocin synthesis with antisense morpholino oligonucleotides in either anterior or posterior PVN in California mice (Peromyscus californicus), a strong model system for studying effects of social stress on brain function and behavior. Antisense morpholinos in aPVN had no effect on behavior in unstressed females but increased social approach and reduced social vigilance in females exposed to social defeat stress. In pPVN, antisense morpholinos reduced social approach in unstressed male and female California mice. We then used OxtCre mice to compare electrophysiological profiles of oxytocin in aPVN and pPVN with a population of oxytocin neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Oxytocin neurons in aPVN and BNST had higher post-synaptic events and responded more strongly to current injections than oxytocin neurons in pPVN, though they had similar excitatory and inhibitory input balance at the observed resting membrane potential. These findings shed light onto functional and physiological heterogeneity of PVN oxytocin neurons. Our results suggest that context dependent effects of oxytocin are mediated by different populations of oxytocin neurons.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chrisman, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sugimoto, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Butler-Struben, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Minie, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eagle, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duque-Wilckens, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramos, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewis, Y. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Archdeacon, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trainor, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.03.668226</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Oxytocin neurons in the anterior and posterior paraventricular nucleus have distinct behavioral functions and electrophysiological profiles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.05.666879v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Secreted Protein Production is Improved by Controlling Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Associated Protein Degradation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.05.666879v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=135 SRC="FIGDIR/small/666879v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (33K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9139c3org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@673bc1org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1842210org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1d86903_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG O_FLOATNOGraphical AbstractC_FLOATNO C_FIG Therapeutic proteins are produced frequently by mammalian cells in large-scale bioreactors. As a result, producer cells are exposed to a chemically (nutrients, gas exchange, target protein overexpression) and physically (shear due to mixing) stressful environment, which can lead to loss of proteostasis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In response, cells activate the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR includes activation of autophagy and proteasomes, both of which target unfolded/misfolded proteins for degradation. To investigate the impacts of autophagy and proteasome activity on secreted protein production in ER-stressed cells, we used HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells transfected to express Gaussia luciferase (as a model for therapeutic protein production) and exposed to tunicamycin (TM) (to activate ER stress). As expected, TM exposure decreased protein production and secretion. Inhibiting autophagy improved secretion in stressed cells as expected. However, counterintuitively, increasing proteasomal degradation improved secretion while inhibiting proteasomal activity decreased secretion, that is proteasomal activity was directly correlated to secretion. Taken together, our results demonstrate that protein secretion can be improved through control of autophagy and proteasomal activity, providing insight into strategies for improving yield from protein production bioprocesses.

Key PointsO_LITunicamycin induced ER stress reduced protein production.
C_LIO_LIAutophagy inhibition improved secretion in ER stressed cells.
C_LIO_LIActivation of proteasomal degradation improved secretion in ER stressed cells.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Splichal, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walton, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.05.666879</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Secreted Protein Production is Improved by Controlling Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Associated Protein Degradation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.06.668948v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Potato dihaploids uncover diverse alleles to facilitate diploid potato breeding 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.06.668948v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Commercial potato in North America is a clonal autotetraploid crop, which complicates breeding. Efforts are underway to convert potato to a diploid inbred-hybrid crop that is amenable to additional breeding strategies and allows breeders to more quickly respond to demands for crop improvement. With the goal of preserving haplotypes developed over the last 200 years of selection, diploid potato breeding in the US started with the creation of diploids from tetraploid commercial varieties and advanced breeding lines through prickle pollination. This is an effective but slow method which presents a barrier to entry for individual breeding programs. Therefore, we developed 97 publicly available dihaploids (diploids from prickle pollination of tetraploids) as a resource for diploid breeding in the U.S. These clones contain the majority of alleles in the US breeding population for three market classes: chips, russets, and fresh market reds. To facilitate genomic informed breeding, all clones have been resequenced using short read sequencing technology, and we have developed de novo assemblies based on PacBio HiFi long reads for 20 individuals. As an illustration of how these data will be used in breeding, we explored the maturity locus (StCDF1) and identified 15 different alleles. The majority of dihaploids were heterozygous for early and late alleles, resulting in intermediate maturity. Beyond informing breeding, this data facilitates investigations into potato genomics. The dihaploid population is both highly heterozygous and incredibly diverse on a population level. In particular, there is extensive structural diversity, including copy number variation, segregating within the population. This contrasts with a relatively low genome-wide historical recombination rate ({rho}). Taken together, these findings indicate that potato is highly diverse, with much of that diversity found within long linkage blocks.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Coronejo, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vaillancourt, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mailloux, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christiansen, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huege, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shaw, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Agha, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown-Donovan, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Busse, J. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamernik, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caraza-Harter, M. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heroux, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kardile, H. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knoeck, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sorensen, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spencer, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yilma, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bethke, P. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Douches, D. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parsons, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sathuvalli, V. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tan, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Endelman, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buell, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shannon, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.06.668948</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Potato dihaploids uncover diverse alleles to facilitate diploid potato breeding]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.08.669192v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Procrustean pseudo-landmark methods in Python to measure massive quantities of leaf shape data 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.08.669192v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
PremiseWhen examining leaf shapes that are different from one another, it can be difficult to compare both the overall leaf shape and points along the leaf margin in biologically and statistically meaningful ways.

MethodTo address this problem, we present a simple and user-friendly leaf shape analysis in Jupyter Notebook and Python that uses pseudo-landmarks and Generalized Procrustes Analysis to measure and compare the shape of any leaf. To demonstrate our analysis, we created a repository of real leaves gathered from eight experimental datasets.

ResultsUsing our leaf repository, we explain how we can use pseudo-landmarks to compare all leaf shapes both within and between species using dimension reduction techniques like Principal Component Analysis and can predict leaf shapes using pseudo-landmarks through Linear Discriminant Analysis. Our leaf shape analysis also maps differences in shape as leaves grew around a rosette, showing the transition of shape across development (phyllotaxy). Finally, we showed how we can investigate the relationship between leaf shape variation and genetic diversity by combining shape with genetic data.

DiscussionThrough the use of Generalized Procrustes Analysis and pseudo-landmarks, our leaf shape analysis presents a powerful tool for examining the shape of any leaf across multiple biological, ecological, evolutionary, and developmental scales.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hightower, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hall, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Camacho, R. U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Papamichail, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adamski, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colligan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deneen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunn, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haziza, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henley, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pawawongsak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Simms, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ward, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balant, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blackwood, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cannon, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Case, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Husbands, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Migicovsky, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Naegele, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Patterson, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saavedra-Rojas, Y.-A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chitwood, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.08.669192</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Procrustean pseudo-landmark methods in Python to measure massive quantities of leaf shape data]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.12.669540v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of perrhenate-binding peptides by phage display 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.12.669540v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pertechnetate is the most stable and highly environmentally mobile form of the radioactive element technetium. To explore the ability of peptides to remove this molecule from aqueous solutions, a phage display library was biopanned against immobilized perrhenate, a nonradioactive analog of pertechnetate. Six unique peptides were identified from the screen and their ability to bind perrhenate free in solution and immobilized on a solid support were explored. It was found that the peptides, particularly when immobilized, were able to remove perrhenate from aqueous solutions, and despite not being screened for selectivity, demonstrated some preference for perrhenate over other anions such as chromate and nitrite. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using engineered biological systems for remediation of pertechnetate in the environment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Takyi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feliciano, M. A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dulanjali, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gold, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.12.669540</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of perrhenate-binding peptides by phage display]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.15.670541v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Control of Chloroplast Integrity by the Jasmonate Signaling Pathway is Linked to Growth-Defense Balance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.15.670541v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chloroplasts play a central role in plant responses to environmental stress. Little is known, however, about how chloroplast homeostasis is maintained during stress responses that place high metabolic and bioenergetic demands on the cell. As a chloroplast-derived retrograde signal, jasmonate (JA) promotes broad-spectrum immunity by triggering the degradation of JAZ transcriptional repressors that act in the nucleus to control chloroplast metabolism. Here, we manipulated JAZ abundance to investigate how chloroplast integrity and function is maintained at high levels of defense. A jaz decuple mutant (jazD) lacking 10 of 13 JAZs exhibited strong growth-defense antagonism without loss of photosynthetic efficiency. Treatment of jazD with the JA-receptor agonist coronatine triggered rapid loss of chlorophyll and the turnover of chloroplast proteins and lipids, leading to the collapse of photosynthetic activity and cell death. These findings were supported by global transcript and metabolite profiling over a time course of coronatine treatment. Genetic screens identified MYC2 and the JAZ-destabilizing F-box protein, COI1, as positive regulators of coronatine-induced chloroplast dismantling in jazD plants. These results demonstrate how the progressive loss of JAZ repression drives a continuum of MYC2-dependent growth-defense tradeoffs, including disassembly of the photosynthetic apparatus as a terminal response. In highlighting the critical role for JAZ proteins in maintaining chloroplast integrity at high levels of defense, our results provide insight into the general mechanism by which jasmonate governs chloroplast metabolism to balance growth and stress responses.

One sentence summaryThis study shows that the jasmonate-mediated leaf transition from growth- to defense-oriented metabolism culminates in the disassembly of the photosynthetic apparatus.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Howe, G. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, L. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Major, I. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoshida, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramer, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.15.670541</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Control of Chloroplast Integrity by the Jasmonate Signaling Pathway is Linked to Growth-Defense Balance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.16.670667v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CIA5 INTERACTS WITH THE ZINC CHAPERONE ZNG3 TO BALANCECARBON AND ZINC METABOLISM 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.16.670667v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Carbon and zinc (Zn) metabolism are intrinsically connected in phototrophs, as crucial components involved in CO2 assimilation, like carbonic anhydrases, are highly abundant Zn proteins. Utilizing these and other proteins, the eukaryotic green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can maintain phototrophic growth in low CO2 environments by inducing a carbon concentrating mechanism (CCM). In this work we show that Chlamydomonas dynamically increases its Zn content to accommodate the higher intracellular Zn demand in low CO2 environments. This increase requires the presence of Cia5, a major regulator of the CCM in Chlamydomonas. How Cia5 regulates expression of thousands of low CO2-inducible genes remains enigmatic, its transcript and protein abundance is unchanged in different CO2 environments, even in the presence of an additional reduced carbon source, acetate. We show here that the Cia5 protein is not present in Zn-limitation, despite CIA5 transcription being unchanged. We used a CRISPR knock-in approach to express Cia5-HA from its endogenous locus and used two independent Cia5-HA expressing strains for affinity purification and identified a protein belonging to a conserved family of metal binding GTPases, ZNG3, as a constitutive interaction partner. Like Cia5, ZNG3 is constitutively expressed, co-expressed with Cia5 along the diurnal cycle and is Cia5-dependently induced in low CO2 environments. Surprisingly, zng3 mutants do not phenocopy cia5 mutants and grow well in low CO2 conditions. Instead, zng3 mutants are unable to grow like wildtype if excess carbon is available in the form of high CO2 or acetate. Transcriptomics of wildtype and zng3 mutants grown with different carbon sources revealed that transcriptional induction of the majority of genes involved in the CCM is maintained in low CO2 grown zng3 mutants, while the degree of induction in a subset of LCI genes is reduced (HLA3, CAH4 and CAH5). Genes encoding proteins involved in plastid quality control were induced in zng3 mutants grown on acetate and high CO2, as well as other, related metallochaperones. We hypothesize that Zn trafficking towards the plastid is mis regulated in zng3 mutants resulting in protein mis-metalation and unfolding. Taken together, we propose that ZNG3 and Cia5 coordinate Zn and CO2 metabolism, affecting intracellular Zn trafficking and modulate the CO2 response.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kusi-Appiah, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmollinger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mamo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stainbrook, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strenkert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.16.670667</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CIA5 INTERACTS WITH THE ZINC CHAPERONE ZNG3 TO BALANCECARBON AND ZINC METABOLISM]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.19.671153v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structures of two LarA-like nickel-pincer nucleotide cofactor-utilizing enzymes with a single catalytic histidine residue 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.19.671153v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The nickel pincer nucleotide (NPN) cofactor catalyzes the racemization/epimerization of -hydroxy acids in enzymes of the LarA family. The established proton-coupled hydride transfer mechanism requires two catalytic histidine residues that alternately act as general acids and general bases. Notably, however, a fraction of LarA homologs (LarAHs) lack one of the active site histidine residues, replacing it with an asparaginyl side chain that cannot participate in acid/base catalysis. Here, we investigated two such LarAHs and solved their cryo-electron microscopic structures with and without loaded NPN cofactor, respectively. The structures revealed a consistent octameric assembly that is unprecedented in the LarA family and unveiled a new set of active site residues that likely recognize and process substrates differently from those of the well-studied LarAHs. Genomic context analysis suggested their potential involvement in carbohydrate metabolism. Together, these findings lay the groundwork for expanding the breadth of reactions and the range of mechanisms of LarA enzymes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gatreddi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subramanian, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sui, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Urdiain-Arraiza, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desguin, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hausinger, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.19.671153</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structures of two LarA-like nickel-pincer nucleotide cofactor-utilizing enzymes with a single catalytic histidine residue]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.18.670900v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tracking blaKPC Plasmid Dissemination within and between Enterobacterales across Michigan Over a Decade 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.18.670900v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AbstractblaKPC is endemic among Enterobacterales in the USA. While present on diverse plasmids, blaKPC burden is often associated with the clonal spread of multi-drug resistant (MDR) epidemic lineages. In this study we sought to determine the relative contributions of clonal spread and plasmid transfer to blaKPC burden across Michigan healthcare facilities over a decade. To this end we performed whole-genome sequencing of 1,058 KPC-producing isolates collected from 47 Michigan healthcare facilities between 2013 and 2022, including long-read sequencing for 527 isolates to enable precise plasmid tracking. Analysis with MOB-suite identified 64 distinct KPC plasmid types ("secondary clusters"), with the AK975 broad-host range plasmid being the most prevalent, found in 27% of isolates, spanning 20 species and 92 sequence types. Among genomes with AK975, 30% were from epidemic and 70% non-epidemic lineages, highlighting its broad role in regional blaKPC spread. Epidemic lineages of various species constituted 46% of the study population. Epidemic lineages differed in their primary plasmids, and even within epidemic lineages there were clonal expansions with distinct blaKPC plasmids, including in some cases AK975. These findings highlight two patterns of KPC spread: transmission of epidemic lineages harboring broad-range and lineage-specific KPC plasmids; and broader spread of AK975 among diverse species. Traditional surveillance studies often focus on common MDR lineages, potentially overlooking rare species and lineages that mediate the spread of plasmid-borne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. Here we show how longitudinal studies tracking plasmids across species are essential to understand the pathways leading to AMR infections in hospitals.

ImportanceThis decade-long longitudinal study highlights the persistence and spread of key KPC- carrying plasmid across multiple bacterial species in the region, including some uncommon ones. It also emphasizes the differences in KPC plasmids across lineages within the same species. While some lineages acquire multiple plasmids with resistance, they are unable to successfully maintain the plasmids. In contrast, clonal sub-populations of KPC-producing bacteria disseminate selected plasmids, establishing a stable host-plasmid combination. Comprehensive genomic surveillance that includes all pathogenic species and plasmids is crucial to understanding the regional transmission dynamics of plasmid-borne antimicrobial resistance (AMR). While outbreak studies define the blowup of a successful lineage and associated plasmids, longitudinal studies identify the reservoir-species and circulating plasmids in the context of plasmid- borne AMR.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Shankar, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Narayanan, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miihlbach, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McNamara, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brennan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miles-Jay, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blankenship, H. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bahr, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Snitkin, E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.18.670900</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tracking blaKPC Plasmid Dissemination within and between Enterobacterales across Michigan Over a Decade]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.18.670921v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Closed-Loop Connectivity Best Supports Angular Tuning and Sleep Dynamics in a Biophysical Thalamocortical Circuit Model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.18.670921v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Despite recent advancements in mapping thalamic and cortical projections, the specific organization of intrathalamic and corticothalamic connectivity remains elusive. Current experimental approaches cannot definitively determine whether these connections are arranged in reciprocal (closed-) or non-reciprocal (open-loop) circuits. We developed a biophysically detailed multi-compartmental model of the mouse whisker pathway, built on anatomical and physiological data. We showed that closed-loop intrathalamic projections between the thalamocortical (TC) relay neurons in the ventral posteromedial nucleus and the inhibitory neurons in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) best reproduce thalamic spiking and local field potential responses across awake and sleep states. Increasing the percentage of closed-loop projections regulates the angular tuning in the awake state, while also supporting spindle oscillations during sleep. We also showed that direct activation of closed-loop corticothalamic feedback (CT[-&gt;]TC and CT[-&gt;]TRN) simulating TC inputs sharpens the angular tuning in the thalamus. These results contribute to resolving a long-standing question regarding the organization of intrathalamic projections, offering mechanistic insights into how thalamo-cortical circuits balance precise sensory tuning with robust oscillatory rhythms across behavioral states.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moreira, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borges, F. d. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Atherton, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crandall, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Varela, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dura-Bernal, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.18.670921</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Closed-Loop Connectivity Best Supports Angular Tuning and Sleep Dynamics in a Biophysical Thalamocortical Circuit Model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.24.672047v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sorghum Metabolic Atlas: Large-Scale Mapping of Subcellular Enzyme Localization in Sorghum bicolor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.24.672047v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant metabolism underpins growth and stress resilience, yet spatial information about metabolic networks and enzyme localization remains limited. We developed a high-throughput protoplast transformation and fluorescent-protein tagging system optimized for Sorghum bicolor, a climate-resilient C4 crop. Using this platform, we experimentally determined the subcellular localization of 234 enzymes spanning 184 pathways. These enzymes localized to 12 subcellular compartment classes, revealing conserved and species-specific patterns relative to Arabidopsis thaliana, including some unexpected. In the chorismate biosynthesis pathway, a key enzyme unexpectedly localized to the cytosol, suggesting functional divergence in pathway architecture. In the Calvin-Benson cycle, several enzymes formed puncta in the chloroplast, indicative of possible biocondensate formation. All data are available online via the Sorghum Metabolic Atlas (sorghummetabolicatlas.org). This dataset represents the first expansive experimental map of enzyme localization in sorghum, offering a foundational resource for investigating metabolic compartmentalization and advancing pathway engineering in bioenergy and food crops.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Karia, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dwyer, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kloss-schmidt, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hawkins, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xue, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ginzburg, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gutierrez, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mewalal, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blaby, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ehrhardt, D. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.24.672047</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sorghum Metabolic Atlas: Large-Scale Mapping of Subcellular Enzyme Localization in Sorghum bicolor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.27.672343v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Developmental expression of risk genes implicates the age of onset for neuropsychiatric disorders 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.27.672343v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The functional effects of genetic variants associated with complex diseases exhibit pronounced spatiotemporal specificity. Although spatially resolved studies have advanced, their temporal dynamics remain poorly characterized. Here, we present an analytical framework integrating developmental gene expression with genome-wide association studies to decipher age-specific windows during which genetic variants exert their effects and to elucidate underlying mechanisms. Applying this framework to five major neuropsychiatric disorders, we uncover a fundamental principle: the peak incidence of a disease precisely coincides with the developmental window of peak expression of its associated risk genes in the prefrontal cortex. These risk windows are characterized by distinct biological processes; for instance, childhood risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder aligns with a peak in presynaptic machinery gene expression, whereas late-life risk for Alzheimers disease corresponds to heightened immune-related gene activity. Leveraging this principle of temporal convergence significantly improves the prioritization of disease genes. Our work establishes the developmental basis for the age of onset of complex diseases, providing a temporal roadmap for understanding disease mechanisms and developing age-appropriate therapeutic strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xue, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ye, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gui, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jiang, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.27.672343</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Developmental expression of risk genes implicates the age of onset for neuropsychiatric disorders]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.28.671794v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Single-cell-level response to drought in Sorghum bicolor reveals novel targets for improving water use efficiency 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.28.671794v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Increasing drought threatens global agriculture, especially in water-limited regions. Sorghum bicolor, a drought-tolerant C4 grass, is a promising bioenergy crop for cultivation on marginal lands, yet its molecular drought responses remain poorly understood. To uncover single-cell-level transcriptional responses to drought, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing on mature sorghum leaves under well-watered and drought conditions. We identified major cell types and analyzed differential gene expression across mesophyll, bundle sheath, epidermal, vascular, and stomatal cells. Surprisingly, drought effects on transcriptomes exceeded differences due to cell identity, revealing a shared response across cell types. We leveraged this convergence to identify candidate regulators of drought-responsive gene expression. These findings advance our understanding of sorghum drought adaptation and offer new targets for engineering enhanced water use efficiency in bioenergy crops.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stata, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenblum, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yoshinaga, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koriabine, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keymanesh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karia, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Malley, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rhee, S. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.28.671794</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Single-cell-level response to drought in Sorghum bicolor reveals novel targets for improving water use efficiency]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.26.672457v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
gnSPADE: a reference-free deconvolution method incorporating gene network structures in spatial transcriptomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.26.672457v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spatial transcriptomics (ST) technologies have offered unprecedented insights into the spatial organization of gene expression, allowing for the study of tissue architecture, domain boundaries, and cell-cell interactions. However, most ST data generated so far are at multicellular resolution, where each spot captures transcripts from a mixture of diverse cells of different cell types. While reference-based deconvolution approaches offer robust solutions, they rely heavily on the availability and quality of external single-cell reference data, which may be incomplete, unavailable, or poorly matched to the spatial data. Moreover, even when such references are available, they often represent only broad cell types, potentially obscuring finer subpopulation structures and masking intra-type heterogeneity. To overcome these limitations, we introduce gnSPADE, a reference-free spatial deconvolution method that incorporates gene network structures via a Markov random field within a latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) modeling framework. gnSPADE jointly infers cell type-specific transcriptional profiles and spatial compositions without external references. Applied to synthetic and real ST datasets, gnSPADE achieves improved accuracy, spatial resolution, and biological interpretability compared to other methods, highlighting the power of reference-free deconvolution in resolving complex tissues.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xie, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cui, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-08-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.26.672457</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[gnSPADE: a reference-free deconvolution method incorporating gene network structures in spatial transcriptomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-08-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.29.673113v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
BMP9 regulates the endothelial secretome to drive pulmonary hypertension 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.29.673113v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BMP9, a pleiotropic growth factor cytokine that regulates endothelial function, is implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Loss-of-function mutations in GDF2 are found in heritable PAH, suggesting its function as an endothelial quiescence factor, while agonizing or antagonizing BMP9 signaling are both reported to ameliorate experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study sought to resolve the contribution of BMP9 to pulmonary vascular disease and its status as a potential therapeutic target. The function of BMP9 in experimental PH was interrogated using recombinant BMP9, BMP9/BMP10 ligand trap ALK1-Fc, two anti-BMP9 neutralizing antibodies, and the activin/GDF/BMP ligand trap ACTRIIA-Fc (a.k.a., sotatercept). Disulfide-linked, prodomain complexed BMP9 was not protective in SUGEN-hypoxia or monocrotaline-induced PH models, in contrast to previous studies using incompletely disulfide-linked BMP9. In comparison, selective and non-selective BMP9 antagonism exerted prophylactic and therapeutic effects across PH models. Anti-BMP9 and ACTRIIA-Fc had comparable impact on hemodynamics, RV hypertrophy, and vascular remodeling, while single nucleus RNA-Seq revealed similar inhibition of SMAD1/5 and SMAD2/3 transcriptional activity, and highly overlapping DEGs, particularly in the endothelial compartment (r=0.83, p=2.54e-43, Spearman), suggesting overlap of mechanism in targeting BMP9. A multi-omic approach using lung tissues from human PAH, experimental models of pulmonary hypertension, and transcriptomic analysis of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells from PAH patients revealed that BMP9 is critical for regulating several endothelial gene products that are overexpressed in human and experimental disease and implicated in disease pathogenesis including CXCL12, PDGF-BB, EDN1, COL18A1, and IGFBP4, and are inhibited by administering anti-BMP9 neutralizing antibodies or ligand traps. Co-culture studies revealed paracrine effects of BMP9-stimulated PMVEC on pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) phenotypic plasticity, which could be attributed in large part to endothelial-derived CXCL12. In summary, endothelial BMP9 signaling is a key coordinator of vasoactive endothelial gene products that modulate PASMC phenotype and appears to be a shared target of anti-BMP9 and ACTRIIA-Fc. Selective targeting of endothelial BMP9 angiogenic signaling represents a potential therapeutic strategy for human PAH.

One sentence summaryInhbiition of BMP9 signaling via different selective and non-selective strategies, including ACTRIIA-Fc/sotatercept, attenuates endothelial expression of vasoactive secreted factors that drive pulmonary vascular remodeling.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhong, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Troncone, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kovalenko, O. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fast, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rajesh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lavoie, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tumelty, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Covington, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeghibe, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wadsworth, M. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Christensen, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nathans, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Benard, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quazi, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Worst, L. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McNeil, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, S. S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bocobo, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Szulcek, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bogaard, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hart, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Hackert, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berasi, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huard, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, P. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.29.673113</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[BMP9 regulates the endothelial secretome to drive pulmonary hypertension]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.31.673411v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
When does temporal resolution matter? Including detection covariates in discrete- versus continuous-time occupancy and N-mixture models 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.31.673411v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Camera traps and other sensors allow continuous-time biodiversity observation, raising new questions and opportunities for modelling detection in hierarchical models such as occupancy (for species presence) and N-mixture models (for abundance). We focused on a rarely considered aspect: how the temporal treatment of detection covariates affects inference. Through simulations and a five-month case study on an research center, we examined the effects of covariate temporal resolution, discretisation scale in discrete-time (DT) models, and interpolation methods in continuous-time (CT) models. While occupancy and abundance estimates were largely unaffected by these choices, detection estimates were more sensitive to them. DT models with fine temporal discretisation closely matched CT models. Simulations showed that when detection covariates had no effect on detectability, the considered modelling choices had little impact. But when covariates did influence detection, bias and error increased if their temporal variation was not accurately retained. The case study revealed more complex patterns, highlighting the consequences of temporally simplifying both observations and detection covariates. Overall, our results suggest that when detectability is of ecological interest, exploring a range of temporal treatments of detection covariates, from fine-scale to coarser resolutions, can reveal complementary insights into scale-dependent patterns in detection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pautrel, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moulherat, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charrasse, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Debat, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gendron, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kellner, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Etienne, M.-P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gimenez, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.08.31.673411</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[When does temporal resolution matter? Including detection covariates in discrete- versus continuous-time occupancy and N-mixture models]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.04.674221v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cellular mechanism linking endoplasmic reticulum inheritance and cell cycle regulation of the nuclear genome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.04.674221v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress triggers activation of the ER surveillance (ERSU) pathway-- a critical protective mechanism that transiently halts cortical ER inheritance to daughter cells and arrests cytokinesis by septin ring subunit Shs1 re-localization to the bud scar in response to ER stress. Once ER functional homeostasis is re-established, cells resume normal cell cycle progression; however, the molecular circuitry linking ER integrity to cell cycle regulation has remained largely unresolved. Here, we show that ER stress selectively disperse Bud2, a GAP for Bud1/Rsr1, severing its canonical role in cell polarity while integrating it into ER homeostasis signaling. Bud2 dispersion results in accelerated spindle pole body (SPB) duplication, spindle misorientation, defects in nuclear migration, and genome segregation errors under ER stress. Strikingly, a C-terminal truncation of Shs1 (shs1-{Delta}CTD) recapitulated the ER stress-induced dispersion of Bud2 phenotype even in the absence of ER stress, and delayed cell-cycle re-entry after ER homeostasis was regained--despite normal occurrence of typical ERSU hallmark events. Notably, Bud2 overexpression rescued the growth defects of shs1-{Delta}CTD mutants after ER homeostasis was re-established. Collectively, our findings reveal a new mechanistic axis whereby ER integrity coordinates organelle inheritance, cytoskeletal organization, and nuclear division via selective control of Bud2 and Shs1, establishing a direct regulatory bridge between ER status and mitotic fidelity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lai, Y.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chao, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niwa, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.04.674221</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cellular mechanism linking endoplasmic reticulum inheritance and cell cycle regulation of the nuclear genome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.03.673376v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Speaker responses to audience-induced social-evaluative threat: Evidence from scientific presentation tasks in immersive virtual reality 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.03.673376v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Success in public speaking hinges on engaging an audience - a high-stakes social interaction that remains a significant source of anxiety and stress for many. Using a virtual-reality (VR) paradigm, we tested how speakers delivering scientific talks perceive and respond to supportive vs. unsupportive audiences. We collected behavioral (eye contact, speech rate, motion expressiveness/openness), physiological (heart rate, EEG, breathing rate, pupil dilation), and self-report measures to assess audience effects. The unsupportive audience elicited greater negative affect, arousal, and anxiety, and higher perceived cognitive and social effort. Physiologically and behaviorally, speaking to the unsupportive audience slowed the speaking rate, and acoustic analyses further indicated greater emotional arousal and vocal dominance in the unsupportive condition. Finally, VR exposure reduced speaking anxiety overall. These findings highlight VR combined with physiological measurement as a powerful approach for investigating audience effects and social-communication processes, with clear implications for augmenting social intelligence and communication skills.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lim, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmaelzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bente, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.03.673376</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Speaker responses to audience-induced social-evaluative threat: Evidence from scientific presentation tasks in immersive virtual reality]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.05.674557v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distributional Data Analysis Uncovers Hundreds of Novel and Heritable Phenomic Features from Temporal Cotton and Maize Drone Imagery 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.05.674557v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genomic and phenomic analyses suggest additional heritable phenomic features can improve modeling of important end traits like senescence or yield. Field phenotyping generally uses trait values averaged across individual experimental units (plants or numerous plants within plots), ignoring the full distributional pattern of collected measures. Images of plants or plots, as captured by drones (unoccupied aerial vehicles / UAVs / drones), can be viewed as individual distribution functions that capture biological information. This study introduces and validates distributional data analysis in two crops and experiment types - cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) single plant vegetation index (VI) analysis and maize (Zea mays L.) plot-level yield predictions. In both crops, the concept of within-day variance decomposition was demonstrated. In cotton, genotypes exerted significant influences on temporal quantile functions of VIs. Maize yield prediction using distributional data with elastic-net regression indicated improvements in yield prediction between 12.7%-21.6% with quantiles outside the conventionally used median responsible for added predictive power. A novel data visualization method for per-pixel heritability allowed distributional features to be explainable and interpretable. These results have implications for future plant phenomic studies, indicating that distributional data analysis applied across temporal imagery captures novel, heritable, and interpretable biological signal that is lost when working with conventional measures of central tendency such as mean or median summary values of experimental units.

SignificanceRepeated aerial imaging of agricultural experiments produces image data sets that capture plant development in high spatial and temporal resolutions. Frequently, images are summarized by measures of central tendency, such as mean or median values. Here, functional data distributional methods were applied to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) image data, capturing more information than standard approaches. Cotton genotypes significantly impacted distributional spectral data while in maize, distributional data enabled more accurate predictions of grain yield versus models trained with median data alone. Distributional data were more explainable by genetics, with novel data visualization techniques able to shine light on specific parts of plant imagery with high and low genetic variance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>DeSalvio, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matabuena, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adak, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arik, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeSalvio, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murray, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wong, R. K. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Leon, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kaeppler, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lima, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stelly, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.05.674557</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distributional Data Analysis Uncovers Hundreds of Novel and Heritable Phenomic Features from Temporal Cotton and Maize Drone Imagery]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.06.674654v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TESSA: A unified model to detect trajectory-preserved and spatially-variable genes in spatial transcriptomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.06.674654v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Identifying spatially variable genes (SVGs) has been an essential task in spatial transcriptomics. In addition to SVGs detection, there are genes exhibiting expression patterns that are associated with cellular developmental stages or lineage fates across a tissue section. Identifying such genes could provide novel insights into tumor metastasis. Here, we introduce a unified statistical model, termed TrajEctory-preServed and SpAtially-variable gene detection (TESSA), to detect both types of genes. Moreover, we propose a novel strategy to address the inherent double-dipping issue commonly encountered when assessing temporal gene effects in transcriptomics analysis. We demonstrate the testing performance through extensive simulation studies and real applications to several publicly available datasets. Downstream analyses further highlight the potential of our method in identifying genes associated with tumor progression and enhancing spatial domain detection.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Su, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steele, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cui, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.06.674654</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TESSA: A unified model to detect trajectory-preserved and spatially-variable genes in spatial transcriptomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.08.675024v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Courtship choreography is stabilised among genetically isolated populations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.08.675024v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sexual selection has sculpted diverse and intricate courtship displays throughout the animal kingdom, where failure to achieve the choreographic standards of a potential partner can be highly costly for reproductive success. Yet this raises a paradox: if there is such strong selection for optimal display choreography within species, how do courtship displays diversify so extensively between species? To address this, we measure how the choreography of courtship changes among allopatric populations of the dancing dune fly - Apotropina ornatipennis Malloch (Diptera: Chloropidae) - a species in which males and females spend their days cavorting on Australias hot sandy beaches. Merging population genetics with detailed quantification of the courtship display we explore which elements of the display are the first to diverge between isolated populations, whether new behaviours arise rapidly, and whether sequence rearrangements occur in the modular structure of the display. We find that these tiny flies express courtship repertoires approaching the levels of visual complexity seen in birds of paradise. Yet despite clear genetic and geographic isolation, the complex choreography of courtship displays is stable among populations. In contrast to the notion that courtship behaviour should be highly evolvable and rapidly diverge among allopatric populations, our findings suggests that the complex choreography of courtship can instead act as a stabilising feature that limits divergence over short evolutionary timescales.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Butterworth, N. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>White, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dawson, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Appleton, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonald, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McGaughran, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Markowsky, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bayless, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.08.675024</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Courtship choreography is stabilised among genetically isolated populations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.07.674720v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Origin, domestication, and diversity of the climate resilient Ethiopian cereal teff 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.07.674720v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Teff (Eragrostis tef) is a climate-resilient cereal and staple crop in the Horn of Africa, cultivated by millions of smallholder farmers. Despite its cultural and nutritional significance, teff has limited genomic tools, constraining progress in yield improvement and trait optimization. Here, we assembled and resequenced the Teff Association Panel (TAP), a diverse set of 265 landraces and cultivars, to investigate the domestication history, genetic diversity, and agronomic traits of teff. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses confirm Eragrostis pilosa as the direct progenitor of teff, with domestication likely occurring in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. We generated a high-quality reference genome for E. pilosa and found extensive chromosomal collinearity and minimal gene loss compared to teff, with teff-specific genes enriched in functions related to domestication traits. We identified signatures of selection across the teff genome and used genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to map loci associated with seed color and panicle architecture. Integrated GWAS, expression, metabolic, and comparative genomic analyses pinpoint a major seed color locus containing orthologs of the TT7 cytochrome P450 gene involved in flavonoid hydroxylation and the TT2 MYB transcription factor regulating proanthocyanidin biosynthesis. For panicle architecture, we identified a strong association near a teff ortholog of Dense and Erect Panicle 1 (DEP1), a key regulator of inflorescence structure in rice and sorghum. This suggests convergent selection on shared genetic pathways controlling panicle morphology across cereals. Our findings confirm the evolutionary origin of teff, identify key domestication loci, and highlight untapped genetic diversity among Ethiopian breeding lines. These genomic resources provide a foundation for accelerating teff improvement through molecular breeding and genome editing to enhance yield, resilience, and nutrition.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wai, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wilson, M. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Braun, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baczkowski, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chanyalew, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Del Acqua, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grotewold, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.07.674720</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Origin, domestication, and diversity of the climate resilient Ethiopian cereal teff]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.06.674638v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The nucleus accumbens to ventral pallidum pathway regulates social play behavior via sex-specific mechanisms in juvenile rats 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.06.674638v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social play behavior is a rewarding behavior predominantly displayed by juveniles of various mammalian species, including humans and rats. Although the mesolimbic reward system is involved in the regulation of social play, how brain regions in this system interact to regulate social play behavior is unknown. Here, we determined the involvement of the ventral pallidum (VP) as well as inputs from the nucleus accumbens (NAc) to the VP in the regulation of social play in male and female juvenile rats. We show that acute pharmacological inactivation of the VP, via microinfusion of the GABA-A receptor agonist muscimol, decreased social play behaviors in both sexes. Next, using Gad1-iCre rats, we show that chemogenetic stimulation of NAcGABA terminals in the VP decreased VP neuronal activation and decreased social play behaviors in both sexes. These findings together indicate that reduced inhibitory NAc input to the VP permits activation of the VP which facilitates the expression of social play behaviors. Lastly, we show that the equal expression of social play behavior in males and females is associated with a female-specific increase in NAc shell activation and a male-specific decrease in activation of the NAc shell neurons projecting to the VP. These sex-specific changes in NAc activity following social play exposure eliminated baseline sex differences in NAc activity. In conclusion, these findings support a model in which the sex-specific modulation of NAc inhibitory input to the VP facilitates activation of the VP that is necessary for the typical and equal expression of social play behavior in male and female juvenile rats.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lee, J. D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orsucci, I. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bowden, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veenema, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.06.674638</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The nucleus accumbens to ventral pallidum pathway regulates social play behavior via sex-specific mechanisms in juvenile rats]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.12.675881v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Uncovering the Design Rules for Sustainable Growth of Mineralized Mycomaterials 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.12.675881v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mycomaterials, materials made from filamentous fungi, have several advantages over traditional materials, such as their genetic programmability and self-healing properties. However, their lack of mechanical strength and cost of production often constrain the applications they can be used in. In this work, we take inspiration from natural systems to overcome these challenges by elucidating design principles for mineralization-based enhancement of mechanical strength and synthetic lichen-based low-cost growth. We demonstrate that surface display of an enzyme from sea sponges, silicatein , on the hyphae of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger enables mineralization of polysilicate and that this does not impact fungal growth. We also show that this strategy can be extended to other silicatein  variants and characterize how the degree of mineralization can be modulated. We then demonstrate that mineralization enhances the mechanical properties of the mycelium, including its tensile strength, modulus, and toughness. Finally, we show how these reinforced mycelia can be grown without external carbon sources using a synthetic lichen-based co-culture to facilitate low cost biomanufacturing. Together, our results lay the groundwork for the sustainable production of mineralized mycomaterials and create a new model system to study how mineralization impacts growth and mechanical properties.

Significance StatementMaterials made from filamentous fungi, called mycomaterials, have several advantages over traditional materials, but their poor mechanical properties and relatively high production costs have limited their application. We elucidated design principles to enable tunable mineralization of fungal mycelium and have shown that it does not impact growth but significantly enhances mechanical strength. We have also shown that these reinforced mycelia can be grown without any external carbon in a synthetic lichen like consortia to minimize production costs. This work creates a novel experimental system to study how mineralization impacts growth and mechanical properties and will facilitate the broader application of mycomaterials in the future.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moss, D. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pear, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guio, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Libonati, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ducat, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bay, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khakhar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.12.675881</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Uncovering the Design Rules for Sustainable Growth of Mineralized Mycomaterials]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.11.675658v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Microscopical and molecular characterization of the infection cycle of Phytophthora betacei during disease development on tree tomato (Solanum betaceum). 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.11.675658v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phytophthora betacei is a recently described oomycete plant pathogen closely related to Phytophthora infestans sensu stricto. This plant pathogen naturally infects tree tomato (Solanum betaceum) but has not been reported on tomatoes and potatoes, the primary hosts of P. infestans. The aim of this study was to characterize the infection cycle of P. betacei using microscopy and molecular approaches. Several strains were inoculated in susceptible tree tomato plants and disease progression was monitored via six epidemiological parameters. Although different P. betacei strains displayed a highly variable disease phenotype, the most aggressive one was chosen for further plant inoculations. Samples at different time points of the infection cycle were analyzed at the cellular level via light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and at the molecular level via qRT-PCR of infection-stage-specific markers. The infection cycle of P. betacei differed from that of P. infestans in having a longer biotrophic stage, larger lesions, and higher sporulation capacity. Additionally, P. betacei transcriptomic profiles were monitored along the infection cycle via RNAseq and evidenced a changing expression landscape that supports an elongated hemibiotrophic transition and a clear distinction from what is being expressed in the mycelium or the sporangia. This study provides novel insights into the interaction between P. betacei and S. betaceum.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Palacios, N. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez-Tobon, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Buitrago, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bautista, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gonzalez, L. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Toquica, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mideros, M. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schornack, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Restrepo, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.11.675658</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Microscopical and molecular characterization of the infection cycle of Phytophthora betacei during disease development on tree tomato (Solanum betaceum).]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.11.675735v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
SpatialESD: spatial ensemble domain detection in spatial transcriptomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.11.675735v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spatial transcriptomics (ST) measures gene expression while preserving spatial context within tissues. One of the key tasks in ST analysis is spatial domain detection, which remains challenging due to the complex structure of ST data and the varying performance of individual clustering methods. To address this, we propose SpatialESD, a Spatial EnSemble Domain detection method that integrates results from different spatial domain detection methods to improve spatial domain detection. SpatialESD captures both direct co-occurrence patterns and multiscale indirect relationships between clusters, improving the robustness and accuracy of spatial domain detection. We evaluated SpatialESD on simulated datasets and multiple 10x Visium spatial transcriptomics datasets, including human brain, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer samples. The results show that SpatialESD consistently outperforms individual methods and the existing EnSDD ensemble method in terms of clustering accuracy and stability. Based on the identified domains, we further detected region-specific differentially expressed genes and performed trajectory and cell-cell interaction analyses. These results reveal spatial patterns of gene expression and cellular communication, offering insights into tissue organization and disease mechanisms. Overall, SpatialESD provides a reliable and effective solution for spatial domain detection in ST data and facilitates downstream biological discovery.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=131 SRC="FIGDIR/small/675735v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (39K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1344724org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@12ab936org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1e59d57org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1bcd55f_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Cao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xia, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luo, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>zeng, p.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cui, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.11.675735</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[SpatialESD: spatial ensemble domain detection in spatial transcriptomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.13.676052v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sampling bias obscures biodiversity patterns, reveals data gaps in priority conservation areas: a call for improved documentation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.13.676052v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Where and how species are sampled can shape biodiversity knowledge, spatial patterns, and data-driven conservation. In many Global South biodiversity hotspots, sampling remains uneven, and available data often lack the synthesis needed to assess region-wide gaps for effective conservation planning and priority-setting. This shortfall is common within conserved areas and key biodiversity areas (hereafter  priority conservation areas or PCAs). We demonstrate this case in the Philippines, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, where longstanding biodiversity research and growing policy momentum support efforts to expand coverage of conserved areas. Drawing on over a century of species occurrence records made digitally accessible, we compiled and manually curated these data to assemble and analyze information on Philippine amphibians and squamate reptiles from multiple sources, assessing the spatial distribution of observed diversity in relation to PCAs. Results reveal strong spatial biases, with preserved specimens comprising the majority of records and largely shaping observed diversity patterns. Citizen-science data complement already well-sampled regions, while records from peer-reviewed literature contribute valuable documentation in poorly sampled areas. PCAs are proportionally well-sampled, although gaps and biases remain. Sampling effort and observed diversity were higher in larger PCAs, but this positive area effect diminishes with increasing topographic relief, highlighting large mountain ranges as persistent blind spots in biodiversity documentation. Notably, some areas of higher diversity occur outside established PCAs. We discuss implications of these biases and propose enabling mechanisms to improve primary biodiversity data collection. This study affirms the importance of integrating digitally accessible biodiversity data from multiple sources in revealing sampling gaps and biases, guiding future studies towards poorly sampled areas and informing conservation priorities.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pitogo, K. M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meneses, C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Decena, S. C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Supsup, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Som, H. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernstein, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, K. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Herr, M. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brown, R. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.13.676052</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sampling bias obscures biodiversity patterns, reveals data gaps in priority conservation areas: a call for improved documentation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.15.676223v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of a novel CLPX variant in a mixed breed dog with anemia and spinocerebellar ataxia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.15.676223v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) or hereditary ataxia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily manifesting as cerebellar or spinocerebellar dysfunction, resulting in the loss of motor control and voluntary muscle coordination. SCAs are typically inherited conditions, with causative genetic variants identified in multiple genes in people and across various dog breeds. Recently, an atypical case of SCA was documented in a mixed breed dog. In addition to the classic clinical signs and spinocerebellar lesions of SCA, the dog had retinal and optic nerve degeneration and severe, non-regenerative anemia. Whole-genome sequence (WGS) of the affected dog did not reveal any previously identified canine SCA-associated variants. Subsequent variant filtering against a control cohort of over 700 unaffected dog genomes identified a homozygous 4-base-pair frameshift deletion in caseinolytic mitochondrial matrix peptidase chaperone subunit X (CLPX) [XM_038580726.1:c.1723_1726del]. CLPX encodes a subunit of the ATP-dependent ClpXP protease, a molecular chaperone involved in mitochondrial protein degradation. The variant is predicted to cause a frameshift and a premature stop codon within 17 amino acids, truncating approximately 6.64% of the protein. Our study is the first to explore the association of CLPX variants with SCA in any species. Given the high evolutionary conservation of CLPX, this report of a CLPX variant associated with SCA in a dog may have relevance for understanding CLPX-related neurodegeneration and/or anemia in other species.

Author SummaryA young mixed-breed dog developed a gait abnormality that progressively worsened, together with vision loss, and severe anemia. Despite treatment, the dogs condition deteriorated, and he was humanely euthanized. An autopsy revealed extensive abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord, eyes, and bone marrow. These histologic findings supported a diagnosis of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), also known as hereditary ataxia, which is a genetic neurological disorder that results in impaired movement and diminished coordination. Genetic analysis identified a previously unreported mutation in the CLPX gene. CLPX plays a key role in mitochondrial protein quality control by helping break down damaged or misfolded proteins within mitochondria--cell structures critical for energy production that are particularly crucial in high-demand tissues like the brain. This mutation likely disrupted normal CLPX protein function, leading to both nerve damage and impaired blood cell production. While related genes are known to cause similar conditions in humans, this is the first time a naturally occurring CLPX variant has been identified in an SCA case in any species. Because CLPX is highly conserved between dogs and humans, this finding may offer valuable insights into rare inherited neurological diseases in people.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>de Cecco, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blake, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, N. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coffey, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnston, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ekenstedt, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.15.676223</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of a novel CLPX variant in a mixed breed dog with anemia and spinocerebellar ataxia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.19.677321v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Evaluating the legacy of drought exposure on root and rhizosphere bacterial microbiomes over two plant generations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.19.677321v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Drought is a critical risk in developing countries for staple crops like common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). We conducted an experiment to understand the legacy effects of repeated drought exposure across plant generations on the root and rhizosphere microbiome of the common bean, hypothesizing that a legacy of exposure improves overall plant microbiome resilience. We profiled the bacterial microbiome using marker gene amplicon sequencing over two plant generations in a complete factorial design for two common bean genotypes, Red Hawk and Flavert. We performed parallel experiments for Red Hawk in two different countries using soils of Pays de la Loire, France, and Michigan, USA. Despite the clear and relatively consistent drought effects on the plant phenotypes, there was neither response of the Red Hawk microbiomes to drought, nor a notable legacy of drought exposure. For Flavert, there was a minor legacy drought effect for the second generation in the rhizosphere microbiome beta diversity. This study demonstrates that rhizosphere microbiomes can be resistant to drought stress and that cross-generational legacy depends on soil origin and host genotype. Such parallel experiments across countries, while difficult to implement, are useful to inform generalities and build theory towards prediction on microbiome responses to global change.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bintarti, A. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sulesky-Grieb, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colovas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marolleau, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boureau, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>SIMONIN, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>BARRET, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.19.677321</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Evaluating the legacy of drought exposure on root and rhizosphere bacterial microbiomes over two plant generations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.17.676814v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Detection of multiple per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using a biological brain-based gas sensor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.17.676814v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made compounds that bioaccumulate in environments. Current PFAS detection technologies encounter difficulty in detecting trace concentrations and require complex data processing, limiting their on-site applicability. By leveraging biological chemical sensing systems (insect olfaction) we can detect broad ranges of PFAS. Insects advanced combinatorial coding mechanism at the level of olfactory sensory neurons enables highly sensitive and specific odor detection. Here, we harness the locust olfactory system to differentiate several PFAS. In-vivo extracellular neural recordings displayed unique odor-evoked responses for multiple PFAS at environmental concentrations. Using population neuronal response, we classified multiple PFAS with an average 87% accuracy. Machine learning algorithms incorporated separate training and testing datasets, reaching a 61% accuracy. Overall, our study demonstrates the first biological olfaction based broad PFAS detection system.

Structured AbstractO_ST_ABSIntroductionC_ST_ABSPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose a significant environmental threat due to their widespread presence in consumer waste and resistance to degradation. These "forever chemicals" persist in various ecosystems and exhibit bio accumulative behavior. Increased human exposure to PFAS has been linked to numerous health issues. Despite their growing relevance, current detection methods often lack the sensitivity and efficiency needed for comprehensive environmental monitoring and are unable to simultaneously detect multiple PFAS at environmental concentrations.

RationaleThe locust (Schistocerca americana) possesses a highly developed olfactory system that has been extensively studied and is accessible for physiological recordings across multiple brain regions. Utilizing olfactory receptor neurons and combinatorial coding strategies, locusts can generate distinct neural fingerprints for trillions of odorants across a wide range of concentrations. Through spatiotemporal neural coding at the antennal lobe (AL) neurons, they can detect chemicals at parts per trillion levels, functioning as a biological chemical sensor with exceptional sensitivity and broad specificity. In this study, we aimed to directly harness the locusts olfactory neural circuitry to develop a next-generation, brain-based cyborg sensor capable of (1) simultaneously identifying multiple PFAS and (2) determining their concentration ranges, addressing key limitations of existing detection technologies with the integration of machine learning algorithms.

ResultsIn-vivo extracellular neural recordings from the locust AL revealed that individual neurons exhibited distinct response profiles to different PFAS and their varying concentrations, indicating that neuronal activity if modulated by both chemical identity and concentration. By incorporating both spatial and temporal dimensions of neural activity, the recorded neuronal populations produced unique and reproducible response patterns corresponding to specific PFAS and concentration levels. Using this approach, the cyborg sensor demonstrated an overall detection accuracy of 87% across a panel of seven PFAS, with high sensitivity and specificity for both individual analytes and broader chemical groupings. Notably, classification of PFAS concentration ranges down to parts per trillion achieved 84% accuracy, with PFOS concentrations reaching 100% detection rate. A machine learning algorithm trained on high concentration data and tested on low concentration data achieved a 61% accuracy. These results underscore the potential of biologically integrated cyborg sensors for real-time, high-resolution environmental monitoring of several PFAS.

ConclusionThis study demonstrates, for the first time, the locust olfactory neural network harnessed as a highly effective cyborg sensor for detecting and classifying various PFAS across concentration ranges. This sensor can accurately distinguish between multiple PFAS and controls with high sensitivity and specificity. Through combinatorial coding and spatiotemporal neural dynamics, the locust neural computation encodes distinct activity patterns in response to PFAS and their concentrations. These neural signatures serve as unique "fingerprints" for individual PFAS and concentrations, enabling precise identification. In-vivo electrophysiological recordings revealed clear, compound-specific differences in neural activity, with high classification accuracy. Real-time and machine learning analysis further addressed key limitations of conventional PFAS sensors. This novel approach represents a significant step toward the development of compact, real-time, brain-based PFAS detection sensor capable of discriminating multiple compounds and concentrations simultaneously.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McLane-Svoboda, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joshi, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLane-Svoboda, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stout, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bazhenov, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.17.676814</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Detection of multiple per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using a biological brain-based gas sensor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.18.677159v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Invasive plants affect native plant pollination through pollinator-mediated cross-boundary effects 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.18.677159v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Invasive plants may facilitate or compete with native plants by changing the foraging behavior and/or abundance of shared pollinators. Such effects have been explored within single habitats; however, many pollinators are highly mobile and can cross ecological boundaries. Whether via shared pollinators, invasive plants affect native plants in neighboring habitats remains an open question. Here, we ask this question in a mosaic of 22 native-plant-dominated meadows on serpentine soil, embedded in a matrix of non-serpentine meadows. The non-serpentine meadows contain dense stands of two insect-pollinated invasive species: Vicia villosa, and Centaurea solstitialis. The serpentine meadows contain two common native species that co-flower and share pollinators with these invasives: Trifolium fucatum and Helianthus exilis, respectively. Across three years, we determined that the abundance ratio of each invasive species in the surrounding landscape to its co-flowering native species within focal patches was associated with decreased visitation rates, seed set, and functional importance in the plant-pollinator network for the native species. We conclude that invasive plants can have indirect, negative effects on native plants in neighboring habitats, via competition for shared pollinators.

Open research statementAll data and code are accessible to the public via: https://figshare.com/projects/Data_for_Invasive_plants_affect_native_plant_pollination_through_pollinator-mediated_cross-boundary_effects/243587
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Nelson, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valdovinos, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harrison, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.18.677159</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Invasive plants affect native plant pollination through pollinator-mediated cross-boundary effects]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.19.677300v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Disturbance increases soil microbiome functional redundancy but decreases capacity for insurance via winnowed environmental responsiveness 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.19.677300v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Redundancy is the capacity of coexisting populations to perform similar functions, supporting stable outputs under disturbance. The insurance hypothesis proposes that diverse communities are more resilient because they can respond to varied environmental stressors. Both redundancy and insurance likely shape resilience, but their relative contributions and potential interactions remain unclear. Here, we examined functional redundancy and potential for insurance in soil microbial communities disturbed by an ongoing underground fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA, using seven years of deep metagenome sequencing from heated and reference sites. Analyses of taxonomic and functional diversity showed that functional redundancy increased with disturbance intensity, driven by declines in both diversity and average genome size. Biogeochemistry-relevant metabolisms, such as carbohydrate and nitrogen pathways, showed greater per-genome investment with disturbance intensity, indicating enhanced redundancy. However, transcription factor evenness - linked to community environmental responsiveness- was lower in heated soils. Thus, prolonged disturbance that imposes a strong selection can increase redundancy and near-term stability while simultaneously diminishing insurance potential against future stress, revealing tradeoffs between these mechanisms in microbial community resilience.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Barnett, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.19.677300</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Disturbance increases soil microbiome functional redundancy but decreases capacity for insurance via winnowed environmental responsiveness]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.24.677754v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
RIP3 and MLKL regulate Hepatic ER stress in alcohol-associated liver disease and pharmacological ER stress models: insights beyond necroptosis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.24.677754v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Background and AimEndoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an important contributor to liver disease progression, including alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). While receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIP3) and mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL) are known for their roles in necroptosis, emerging evidence highlights their non-canonical functions in metabolic regulation and cellular stress responses. However, their specific role in regulating hepatic ER stress remains unclear. This study investigates how RIP3, its kinase activity, and MLKL regulate ER stress pathways during chronic ethanol exposure and pharmacological ER stress induction.

MethodsRip3-/-, Rip3K51A/K51A and Mlkl-/- mice alongside WT controls and pharmacological necroptosis inhibitors were used to study the role of RIP3 and MLKL in modulating ER stress. Chronic ethanol feeding and pharmacological agents (tunicamycin, thapsigargin) were utilized to induce ER stress in vivo and in isolated primary hepatocytes. ER stress markers were assessed by qPCR and western blot, ER expansion was evaluated by confocal microscopy, and hepatocyte viability was measured using MTS assay.

ResultsChronic ethanol increased expression of ER stress markers in WT mice; this response was attenuated in Rip3-/- mice. Tunicamycin exposure increased hepatic ER stress markers in WT mice; this response was diminished in Rip3-/-, Rip3K51A/K51A and Mlkl-/-mice. In primary hepatocytes, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of RIP3 and MLKL also reduced thapsigargin-induced ER stress responses. Hepatocytes isolated from Rip3-/-, Rip3K51A/K51Aand Mlkl-/- mice exhibited enhanced cell viability under ER stress conditions compared to hepatocytes from WT mice, which was associated with ER expansion as a potential mechanism for mitigating ER stress.

ConclusionThis study highlights a novel function of RIP3 and MLKL in regulating hepatic ER stress responses, expanding their known roles beyond programmed necrosis.

Impact and ImplicationsThis study provides new mechanistic insight into how RIP3 and MLKL regulate hepatic ER stress responses, extending their roles beyond necroptosis. By demonstrating that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of Rip3, RIP3 kinase activity and Mlkl attenuates ER stress signaling, reduces cell death, and promotes adaptive ER remodeling, our findings identify these proteins as key modulators of hepatocyte survival under stress. These results are important for researchers and clinicians focused on alcohol-associated liver disease and other ER stress-driven liver disorders, as they highlight novel therapeutic targets. In practical terms, modulation of the RIP3- MLKL axis could inform the development of interventions aimed at enhancing ER stress resilience, with potential applications in drug development for ER stress-associated liver injury.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Arya, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McMullen, M. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poulsen, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Travers, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paouri, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davalos, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nagy, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.24.677754</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[RIP3 and MLKL regulate Hepatic ER stress in alcohol-associated liver disease and pharmacological ER stress models: insights beyond necroptosis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.24.678097v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
CRISPR/Cas9 screenings reveal the role of STX1A and CDK1 in Cathepsin G entering and killing colorectal cancer cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.24.678097v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neutrophils are the major populations of white blood cells and have been reported to facilitate cancer metastasis. Meanwhile, emerging evidence has recently suggested the anti-cancer role of neutrophils. Our previous study revealed that CB-839 and 5-FU-treated colorectal cancer (CRC) tumors recruited neutrophils and induced neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Cathepsin G (CTSG), which is released during NET formation, enters CRC cells through the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and cleaves 14-3-3{varepsilon} to promote apoptosis. However, the detailed mechanism underlying CTSGs anti-tumor function remains less studied. In this study, we report that CTSG enters CRC cells through RAGE-mediated endocytosis. Knocking out RAGE or inhibiting endocytosis blocks CTSG from entering CRC cells and attenuates CTSG-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the clathrin coat assembly complex and SNARE proteins were enriched in an arrayed CRISPR/Cas9 screening targeting human membrane trafficking genes. Knocking out SNARE protein STX1A prevents the spread of CTSG in CRC cells and the induction of cleaved PARP. A pooled genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screening further identifies the role of CDK1 in the NET-induced killing of CRC cells. Inhibiting CDK1 protected CRC cells from killing by CTSG. Our study reveals novel mechanisms by which CTSG enters and kills CRC cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rozen, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dinh, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.24.678097</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[CRISPR/Cas9 screenings reveal the role of STX1A and CDK1 in Cathepsin G entering and killing colorectal cancer cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.26.678720v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structure and sequence evolution in the pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) pangenome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.26.678720v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIEukaryotic genomes harbor many forms of variation, including nucleotide diversity and structural polymorphisms, which experience natural selection and contribute to genome evolution and biodiversity. However, harnessing this variation for agriculture hinges on our ability to detect, quantify, catalog, and utilize genetic diversity.
C_LIO_LIHere, we explore seven complete genomes of the emerging biofuel crop pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) drawn from across the speciess current genetic diversity to catalogue variation in genome structure and content.
C_LIO_LIAcross this new pangenome resource, we find contrasting evolutionary modes in different genomic regions. Gene-poor, repeat-rich pericentromeric regions experience frequent rearrangements, including repeated centromere repositioning. In contrast, conserved gene-dense chromosome arms maintain large-scale synteny across accessions, even in fast-evolving immune genes where microsynteny breaks down across species but the macrosynteny of gene cluster positioning is maintained.
C_LIO_LIOur findings highlight that multiple elements of the genome experience dynamic evolution that conserves functional content on the chromosome scale but allows rearrangement and presence-absence variation on a local scale. This diversity is invisible to classical reference-based approaches and highlights the strength and utility of pangenomic resources. These results provide a valuable case study of rapid genomic structural evolution within a species and powerful resources for crop development in an emerging biofuel crop.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rifkin, J. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLaughlin, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harder, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basnet, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Katz, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruna, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boston, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Daum, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipzen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plott, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenkins, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walstead, R. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rajasekar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Talag, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Frels, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Greenham, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ellison, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grimwood, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmutz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pires, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovell, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kliebenstein, D. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.26.678720</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structure and sequence evolution in the pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) pangenome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.26.678566v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Nutrient enrichment intensifies plant competitive effects, favouring monocultures: a global meta-analysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.26.678566v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Excess nutrient deposition is a major driver of plant diversity loss, but the mechanisms of this loss remain unclear. Diversity loss has been interpreted through the niche dimension hypothesis, yet the mechanistic link via competitive effects remains unresolved. Establishing this link demands a global synthesis of how nutrients alter competitive effects, defined as a species ability to perform better or worse with heterospecific competitors than with conspecifics. Strong competitive effects from heterospecifics relative to conspecifics can lead to decline or exclusion of the focal species, whereas weaker competitive effects indicate niche differentiation that promotes coexistence. We conducted a global meta-analysis of 71 plant competition experiments to quantify how nutrient addition alters competitive effects, using biomass as the performance metric. Nutrient addition intensified competitive effects with heterospecifics by 1.5-fold, as focal species biomass was higher with conspecifics. Responses depended on the initial competitive effect under low nutrients: when effects were weak, nutrient addition increased biomass with conspecifics; when effects were strong, nutrient addition increased biomass with heterospecifics, alleviating competition and potentially countering species loss. Competitive effects were amplified most when higher temperatures occurred in dry quarters, suggesting nutrient additions may exacerbate competition under extreme climate conditions. Understanding these interactive effects of nutrient addition, changing climate, and competition is critical for predicting plant responses to global change in both managed and natural ecosystems.

Significance StatementNutrient enrichment from agricultural runoff is a driver of plant diversity loss. While patterns of diversity loss from nutrient additions are clear, the processes driving competitive effects that lead to diversity loss remain uncertain. Our global meta-analysis reveals that multiple nutrient addition intensifies competitive effects favouring monocultures i.e, species accumulating more biomass with conspecifics than heterospecifics. Depending on the initial strength of competitive effects, nutrient addition amplified or alleviated them. Temperature and water availability interact with nutrient addition to amplify competitive asymmetries, likely further shaping species dominance under changing climate. These insights provide the first global-scale evidence of nutrient enrichment effects on plant communities and highlight the need to mitigate compounding impacts of fertilization and climate change on diversity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Petri, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramesh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martinez-Blancas, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Deep Tiwari, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bills, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sullivan, L. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarnetske, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.26.678566</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Nutrient enrichment intensifies plant competitive effects, favouring monocultures: a global meta-analysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.29.679217v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Magnetically Controlled Microrobots for In Vivo Non-Invasive Embryo Transfer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.29.679217v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Infertility affects millions worldwide and is often linked to factors such as poor sperm quality and female reproductive organ disorders. Despite significant advancements in in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), implantation rates remain low, ranging from 17 to 21% after three days of incubation, mainly due to stress, lifestyle factors, and uterine conditions. Extended embryo culture techniques have shown promise in improving pregnancy rates. However, the availability of high-quality blastocysts remains a major challenge. Intrafallopian transfer techniques, such as gamete/zygote intrafallopian transfer (GIFT/ZIFT), were introduced to improve fertilization and early embryo development, particularly for patients with repeated embryo implantation failure (10-30% of assisted reproduction technology (ART) cases, particularly in women >35). However, these methods have declined due to advancements in IVF and the variability in laparoscopy procedures used for GIFT/ZIFT. To address these challenges, we propose a non-invasive microrobotic embryo transfer ({micro}ET) technique using remotely controlled microcarriers comparable in size to embryos. We demonstrate the capabilities of magnetically actuated spiral microrobots, fabricated using laser direct writing for capturing, transporting, and releasing embryos into murine uteri. Additionally, we characterize their motion performance and implement image-guided closed-loop control and dual ultrasound (US)/photoacoustic (PA) tracking for deep-tissue interventions. Recognizing the importance of clinical translation, we present preliminary studies on gelatin-based microrobots, a biodegradable alternative, and explore endometrial remodeling after the in vivo transfer of microrobots carrying embryo-like structures. Our findings show that these microrobots can effectively transport embryos, support their development, and enable minimally invasive delivery, providing a more natural, targeted, and non-invasive strategy for in vivo assisted reproduction.

One-Sentence SummaryWe propose a non-invasive {micro}ET technique using magnetically actuated microcarriers to improve embryo cargo-delivery in assisted reproduction, addressing challenges in infertility treatments by enabling precise, image-guided embryo delivery with minimal invasiveness.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aziz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Castellanos-Robles, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Naumann, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raghu Kumar, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nauber, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ribeiro, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medina Sanchez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-09-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.29.679217</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Magnetically Controlled Microrobots for In Vivo Non-Invasive Embryo Transfer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-09-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679123v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
scLinguist: A pre-trained hyena-based foundation model for cross-modality translation in single-cell multi-omics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679123v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Single-cell multi-omics provides complementary insights into cellular states, heterogeneity, and regulatory programmes. However, paired assays remain costly, low-throughput, and technically challenging, whereas large-scale single-modality data such as scRNA-seq are abundant but do not capture protein-level biology. Here we present scLinguist, a foundation model for cross-modality translation introduces a three-stage framework: self-supervised pretraining on large-scale unimodal datasets to learn modality-specific representations, post-pretraining on limited paired data to capture cross-modality relationships, and inference to predict missing modalities (e.g., protein from RNA) in fine-tuning or zero-shot settings. Systematic benchmarking shows that scLinguist consistently outperforms state-of-the-art methods in predicting protein abundance from RNA across diverse biological contexts. It achieves high predictive performance while preserving cellular heterogeneity and further enables mechanistic and generalizable inference under simulated gene perturbations. Furthermore, scLinguist exhibits strong transferability across health states and datasets. By leveraging abundant unimodal data and minimizing dependence on paired assays, scLinguist establishes a scalable and versatile framework for cross-modality translation in single-cell analysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miao, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.30.679123</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[scLinguist: A pre-trained hyena-based foundation model for cross-modality translation in single-cell multi-omics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679283v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predicting complex phenotypes using multi-omics data in maize 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679283v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding and predicting complex traits in plants remains a fundamental challenge due to the emergent nature of most phenotypes and their dependence on genetic, regulatory, and environmental interactions. Accurate prediction of traits and identification of underlying genetic elements has broad applications for plant breeding, systems biology, and biotechnology. Here, we tested if multi-omic datasets could improve predictive accuracy of 129 diverse maize phenotypes across nine environments using genomic markers, field based transcriptomic data from two locations, and drone-derived phenomic data of vegetative indices. We trained and compared linear (rrBLUP) and nonlinear (support vector regression) models using single- and multi-omics inputs. Multi-omics models consistently outperformed single-omics models for most traits, with genomic and transcriptomic inputs contributing distinct biological features. Phenomic features alone yielded the lowest predictive power but improved predictions for specific trait categories like root architecture. Transcriptomic datasets enabled cross-environment prediction, demonstrating that gene expression patterns from one field site could accurately predict traits measured in another. Environment-specific expression of benchmark flowering time genes highlighted the value of transcriptomics in capturing genotype-by-environment (GxE) interactions not detectable through genomic data alone. These findings demonstrate that integrating transcriptomic and phenomic data with genotypes enhances trait prediction, improves model generalizability across environments, and provides deeper insight into the genetic and regulatory architecture of agriculturally important traits in maize.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Creach, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webster, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newton, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turkus, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanBuren, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.30.679283</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predicting complex phenotypes using multi-omics data in maize]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679479v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sex differences in cytokine induction by activated T cells from hypertensive BPH/2 and normotensive BPN/3 mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679479v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Over the past two decades, considerable evidence has emerged to implicate a role for the immune system in the development of hypertension. Previous studies have shown immune cells contribute to the development of hypertension in multiple animal models, however the role of the immune system in spontaneously hypertensive BPH/2 mice is not clear. In the current studies, found T cells derived from male hypertensive BPH/2 mice demonstrated an attenuated activation as compared to those derived from male BPN/3 normotensive mice. However, we also observed striking sex differences in T cell cytokine production in these strains. At 24 h post activation, in comparison to male BPH/2 mice, activated T cells from male BPN/3 mice secreted more IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22 and TNF. In contrast to male mice, less than half of these cytokines were different between strains in female mice. We also noted marked differences in early Th17 cytokine production in which IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-22 were greater in the male, but not female, BPN/3 groups. Taken together, the data suggest that polyclonally activated T cells from male, and to a much lesser extent, female BPH/2 mice have a weaker cytokine response as compared to T cells from BPN/3 mice which may be due to an overall attenuated activation of T cells from male BPH/2 mice. Overall, while there are striking differences in T cell response between the BPH2 and BPN/3 strains in male mice, the data indicate far fewer differences between the strains in female mice.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dattmore, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leipprandt, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Awali, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahlmeister, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garver, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Onunkun, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lauver, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rockwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.30.679479</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sex differences in cytokine induction by activated T cells from hypertensive BPH/2 and normotensive BPN/3 mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679598v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Generation of Cellular Biofactories for Scalable Production of Surface-Engineered Extracellular Vesicles via CRISPR Genome Editing 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679598v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are versatile biological nanoparticles with applications in therapeutics, diagnostics, and biotechnology. Current production methods using transient transfection or chemical conjugation suffer from high variability, limited scalability, and heterogeneous EV populations. Here, we developed CRISPR-Cas9 engineered HEK293T cell lines with stable integration of mCherry-C1C2 fusion proteins at the AAVS1 locus for continuous production of surface-modified EVs. The engineered cell lines demonstrated significantly higher surface display efficiency compared to transient transfection, with reduced batch-to-batch variability. EVs maintained native characteristics including size distribution (120-130 nm) and marker expression while showing efficient cellular uptake. The platform maintained consistent production of uniformly modified EVs with stable transgene expression over at least 25 passages (~3 months), eliminating the need for repeated transfections and reducing batch-to-batch variability inherent to transient expression systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kawai-Harada, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scarborough, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Siraj, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yedla, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rennells, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walton, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.09.30.679598</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Generation of Cellular Biofactories for Scalable Production of Surface-Engineered Extracellular Vesicles via CRISPR Genome Editing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.01.679792v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Angiotensin II Infusion Promotes Activation and Selective Cytokine Responses in Activated CD4 and CD8 T cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.01.679792v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hypertension affects roughly half of adults in the U.S. and is caused by several factors, including elevated angiotensin II (Ang II). T cells have been implicated in mechanisms of this pathology, however, data regarding T cell activation, including cytokine secretion and induction of activation markers are limited. This study investigated the hypothesis that Ang II increases T cell activation, as indicated by altered cytokine secretion and expression of surface markers associated with activation. To test this, 11-week-old C57Bl/6J male mice received saline vehicle or Ang II (490 ng/kg/min) via osmotic pump for 14 days (n=10/group) followed by immune cell isolation and ex vivo activation. Splenic T cells from Ang II-infused mice had modestly increased expression of CD25 (CD4: p=0.024, CD8: p=0.007), CD69 (CD4: p=0.017, CD8: p=0.032), and CD137 (CD8: p=0.022) 24 hours post-activation, as measured by median fluorescent intensity. The increased expression of activation markers correlated with an increase in select cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-28B (IFN{lambda}3) and interferon (IFN)-{gamma}-induced protein 10 (IP-10) at 24 hours and IFN{gamma} and IP-10 at 120 hours, while decreasing IL-23 at 120 hours. The increased expression of CD25 and CD69 suggests Ang II may increase the magnitude of T cell activation. This is further supported by the elevated induction of select cytokines all of which are associated with an antiviral response. Taken together, the data suggest Ang II modestly promotes T cell activation resulting in selective induction of cytokines associated with antiviral immunity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dattmore, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leipprandt, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Awali, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahlmeister, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lauver, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rockwell, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.01.679792</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Angiotensin II Infusion Promotes Activation and Selective Cytokine Responses in Activated CD4 and CD8 T cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.06.680458v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Seed vernalization and gibberellic acid interact to affect life cycle type in facultative winter annual Canadian horseweed (Erigeron canadensis) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.06.680458v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Background and AimsPlants display enormous variation in the phenological traits that make up their life cycle both within and between populations. Facultative winter annual species are particularly interesting because they can adopt either a fall-emerging/spring-flowering or spring-emerging/summer-flowering life cycle at the population level via evolution or at the individual level via within-generation and transgenerational plasticity. Responses of phenological traits to the environment have often been found to be mediated by changes in hormone levels, especially the growth hormone gibberellic acid (GA).

MethodsWe conducted growth chamber and greenhouse experiments using the facultative winter annual agricultural weed Erigeron canadensis (horseweed) to investigate the interactive effects of genetic variation; parent plant life cycle; and plastic responses to temperature, light, and GA treatments.

Key ResultsWe found that contrary to a prior report, exposing imbibed seeds to 3-4 weeks of cold (i.e., seed vernalization) does not always result in summer annual type growth, with considerable variation found among field-collected seeds from 10 populations. Further, we found that seed vernalization and exogenous application of GA both tended to increase summer annual characteristics, interacting in ways that were largely consistent with the hypothesis that GA is a mechanism for cold-induced life cycle differentiation. Light treatment did not significantly affect life cycle traits, while parent life cycle type had marginal effects on offspring life cycle type. Finally, genetic variation among and within sites explained far less of the variation in life cycle traits than the plastic responses to seed vernalization and GA treatments.

ConclusionsOur study proposes that the seasonality of this harmful agricultural weed is influenced by a GA-mediated response to vernalization of seeds during winter, yet highlights the need for further study, given the variability in this response.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Waterman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Catlett, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhatt, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edmonds, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.06.680458</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Seed vernalization and gibberellic acid interact to affect life cycle type in facultative winter annual Canadian horseweed (Erigeron canadensis)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.06.680560v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mycoelectronics: Bioprinted Living Fungal Bioelectronics for Artificial Sensation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.06.680560v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The intelligence of the human biological system is enabled by the highly distributed sensing receptors on soft skin that can distinguish various stimulations or environmental cues, thus establishing the fundamental logic of sensing and physiological regulation or response. To replicate biological perception, two approaches have emerged: artificial nervous systems that utilize soft electronics as biomimetic receptors to convert external stimuli into frequency-encoded signals, and biohybrid solutions that integrate living cells, plants, or even live animals with electronic components to decode environmental cues for life-like sensations. However, most current biohybrid approaches for artificial sensation are based on eukaryotic cells, which suffer from slow growth, stringent culture conditions, environmental susceptibility, and short lifespans, thus limiting their integration into practical wearables or robotic sensory skins. Here, we introduce fungi-based printable "Mycoelectronics", which are created by additive bioprinting of living fungal mycelium networks onto stretchable electronics, as a practical living thermo-responsive sensory platform. This Mycoelectronics approach leverages fungis capacity for rapid biological responsiveness, cultivability with exponential growth, stability and self-healing in ambient conditions, bioprintability for scalable manufacturing, and mechanical flexibility for seamless integration with soft electronics. Critically, we discovered that the thermal responsiveness of the fungal network arises from intrinsic cellular processes--specifically, heat-induced vacuole remodeling and fusion, which modulate ionic transport and thus the electrical conductivity of the mycelial cells and networks, enabling a rapid temperature response. By bridging the gap between cell biology and soft electronics, the Mycoelectronics device with a living mycelium network functions as a thermal sensation system with rapid response and intrinsic self-healing properties, autonomously restoring sensing capabilities after damage or autonomously establishing sensor pathways in hard-to-reach locations. Furthermore, by integrating fungal thermal sensing with electronic circuits, we established a hybrid bioelectronic reflex arc that can actuate muscles and initiate diverse actions, suggesting promising applications in future neurorobotics and neuroprosthetics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ronders, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mottini, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yuan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xing, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fu, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heller, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waller, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bonito, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.06.680560</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mycoelectronics: Bioprinted Living Fungal Bioelectronics for Artificial Sensation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.08.681086v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Diurnal plant and Rhizophagus irregularis transcriptional patterns are linked to shifts in cassava tissue partitioning in the field 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.08.681086v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LICassava is a globally-important crop whose yields can radically increase with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation. However, extensive background noise in field environments makes it very challenging to understand how the cassava-AMF symbiosis confers benefits, which is especially important for future applications of AMF treatments.
C_LIO_LIIn two field experiments, we combined transcriptomics and allometric analyses to investigate functional variation in cassava-AMF interactions using sterile, single isolates of Rhizophagus irregularis. We developed a novel Index of Symbiotic Transcriptional Activity (ISTA) and accounted for sampling times to reduce transcriptomic noise and improve links to biomass traits.
C_LIO_LIISTA significantly correlated with cassava shoot biomass in an isolate-dependent manner, and allometric analyses revealed that R. irregularis isolates can either reinforce or uncouple cassava shoot-root relationships to maximize root yields. Differential expression and co-expression network analyses uncovered isolate-specific plant and fungal gene module responses. Including ISTA and sampling time as random effects enhanced detection of gene candidates, including down-regulated genes linked to higher yield.
C_LIO_LIOur study uses novel and translatable transcriptomic tools to readily dissect variably field data, allowing new links to be found between AMF symbiotic functions and cassava yields.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McGale, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robbins, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pena-Quemba, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ceballos, I. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodriguez, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sanders, I. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.08.681086</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Diurnal plant and Rhizophagus irregularis transcriptional patterns are linked to shifts in cassava tissue partitioning in the field]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.09.681460v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
BC-Predict Database: A Curated Resource of Experimentally Validated Markers in Multidrug Resistance in Breast Cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.09.681460v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundIn this study, we aim to develop a yearly updatable database that could predict chemotherapeutic drug resistance and overall survival probability in breast cancer patients. Existing drug sensitivity databases depend on correlation-based predictions. In our study, candidates involved in drug resistance are chosen based on cell line validation (overexpression or downregulation or inhibition of candidates) studies, curated manually.

Method28,773 mRNA expression signatures from 914 breast cancer patients were extracted from cProsite. 106 of these patients had clinical information and log2 fold change information required for this study. We categorized these patients into deceased and surviving groups from TCGA. To prepare a database that can predict drug resistance and overall survival, we included mRNAs that were over-expressed in at least 80% of the breast cancer patients and mRNAs over-expressed in deceased and surviving groups. In addition, we also reported breast cancer-associated drug resistance candidates which have been reported in cell-line based studies. The database matrix preparation involved an approximate of 15000 manual searches of cell validated studies. (750 candidates x 20 drugs). The database was validated using a publicly available breast cancer patient proteomics data.

ResultsOur analysis identified a list of top priority candidates associated with multidrug resistance, categorized based on their resistance to >15 drugs, 5-15 drugs, and 2-4 drugs. Analysis of patient profiles in the database revealed that the number of proteins contributing to drug resistance was high in the poor prognosis category compared to the good prognosis category.

ConclusionsOur study highlights the probable gaps in breast cancer drug resistance research, as only a small subset of overexpressed mRNA candidates found in patients are studied in vitro or in vivo experiments focusing on drug resistance. We also identified candidates involved in multidrug resistance, whose role in drug resistance has not been studied in more than 15 drugs. After further validations, this will benefit the clinicians and upcoming CRISPR gene therapeutics.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Parate, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rehas, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gupta, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>George, L. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahammad, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Unni, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TR, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manuel, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shaji, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishna S.V, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>George, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>R, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dev, R. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>B, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ayeraselvan, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishna S.V, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TK, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chatterjee, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VG, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jogy, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>PG, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prakash, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muralidharan, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prakash, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Upadhyay, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anilkumar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rehman, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manavalan, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shetty, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Codi, J. A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Prasad, T. S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Velikkakath, A. K. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raju, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.09.681460</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[BC-Predict Database: A Curated Resource of Experimentally Validated Markers in Multidrug Resistance in Breast Cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.13.682101v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanisms of sex differences in acute and long COVID sequelae in mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.13.682101v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
While males are more likely to suffer severe outcomes during acute COVID-19, a greater proportion of females develop post-acute sequalae of COVID-19 (PASC) despite similar rates of infection. To identify mechanisms of PASC, mice were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and viral, inflammatory, and behavioral outcomes were evaluated through 84 days post infection. Sex differences were not observed in virus replication or persistence of viral RNA in pulmonary or extrapulmonary tissues in acute or PASC phases. Following recovery from infection, female mice exhibited persistent neurocognitive and behavioral impairments, along with greater frequencies of inflammatory myeloid subsets, neuroinflammation, and dysregulated T cell subsets, including Tregs. Sex differences in inflammation and cognitive phenotypes during PASC were mediated by the presence of two X chromosomes. XX animals independent of chromosome Y presented with neuroinflammation and PASC along with infection-induced upregulation of the X-linked genes Xist and Tlr7 that regulate inflammation and chronic disease outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Liu, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaulagain, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Creisher, P. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhong, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taddese, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shi, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, H.-S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hcnir, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arnold, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baric, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barahona, N. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Engler-Chiurazzi, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zwezdaryk, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thio, C. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balagopal, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkema, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pekosz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, A. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.13.682101</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanisms of sex differences in acute and long COVID sequelae in mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.13.682167v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Isomer-specific distribution of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in hepatic zonation in mouse 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.13.682167v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of emerging contaminants that are widely distributed and persistent in the environment, accumulated in biological organisms and associated with adverse health outcomes. Evidence has shown a wide existence of branched PFAS isomers from source to applications. Notably, linear and branched isomeric PFAS structures are associated with differential toxicity outcomes and health effects. Herein, we investigated distribution of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) isomers in mouse liver tissue after exposure using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-trapped ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-TIMS-MSI). Mice were treated with vehicle control or commercially sourced PFOS, a mixture of linear and branched isomers, at concentrations to achieve doses of 0.1 and 1 mg/kg/day for 84 days. Liver tissues were collected, followed by sample preparation and MALDI-TIMS-MSI analysis. Using a TIMS ramp time of 150 ms, we successfully separated linear and branched isomers on-tissue. Coupling with post-MALDI immunofluorescence imaging of canonical zonation markers, we discovered hepatic zonation-specific distribution for linear isomer but more homogenous distribution of branched PFOS. Dual-polarity MSI was performed on the same tissue for hepatic metabolites and lipids, and results showed concomitant alteration of liver lipid zonation upon PFOS exposure. With MALDI-TIMS-MSI, our results for the first time demonstrated on-tissue differentiation of PFOS isomers. Multi-modal imaging revealed isomer-specific PFOS distribution and spatial lipidomic changes, both mapped to canonical hepatic zonation markers, to reveal zone-selective PFOS toxicokinetics/toxicodynamics. Together our results demonstrate the critical need for further investigating isomer-specific PFAS toxicity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reynolds, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mickel, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nault, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.13.682167</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Isomer-specific distribution of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in hepatic zonation in mouse]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.682315v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Oxidation of ΔFOSB at Cys172 Controls Hippocampal Gene Targets and Learning 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.682315v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Imbalance of reduction/oxidation (redox) in the brain is associated with numerous diseases including Alzheimers disease (AD), substance abuse disorders, and stroke. Moreover, cognitive decline can be caused by neuronal dysfunction that precedes cell death, and this dysfunction is in part produced by altered gene expression. However, the mechanisms by which redox state controls gene expression in neurons are not well understood. {Delta}FOSB is a neuronally enriched transcription factor critical for orchestrating gene expression underlying memory, mood, and motivated behaviors. It is dysregulated in many conditions including AD. We showed recently that {Delta}FOSB forms a redox-sensitive disulfide bond between cysteine 172 (C172) of {Delta}FOSB and C279 of its preferred binding partner JUND. This bond works as a redox switch to control DNA-binding, based on studies of recombinant proteins in vitro. Here, we show that this redox control of {Delta}FOSB function in vitro is conserved in vivo. We show that {Delta}FOSB C172 forms a redox-sensitive disulfide bond with JUND that regulates the stability of this AP1-transcription factor complex and its binding to DNA in cells. We also validate the formation of {Delta}FOSB-containing complexes held together via disulfide bonds in mouse brain in vivo. We show that exogenous oxidative stress reduces {Delta}FOSB binding to gene targets in mouse brain and that Fosb C172S knock-in mice, which lack a functional {Delta}FOSB redox switch, are insensitive to this oxidation-dependent reduction in target gene binding, demonstrating that {Delta}FOSB is regulated by a redox switch that modulates binding to target genes in the hippocampus. Finally, we demonstrate that FosB C172S knock-in mice are less sensitive to cognitive dysfunction induced by oxidative stress. This evidence supports {Delta}FOSB as an important mediator of oxidative stress-driven changes in gene expression and cognition and implicates {Delta}FOSB as a possible therapeutic target for diseases associated with oxidative stress in the brain, including AD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lynch, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hughes, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aglyamova, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yeh, S.-Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ohnishi, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Estill, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Granger, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cates, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berto, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nestler, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rudenko, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.14.682315</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Oxidation of ΔFOSB at Cys172 Controls Hippocampal Gene Targets and Learning]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.682324v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Skin-conformal electronics for wearable electrogastrography monitoring 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.682324v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Electrogastrography (EGG), a non-invasive method for measuring gastric myoelectrical activity, offers valuable insights into gastrointestinal motility and functional disorders such as gastroparesis and functional dyspepsia. Despite its diagnostic potential, the clinical adoption of EGG has been limited due to its reliance on rigid electrodes and bulky instrumentation, which leads to motion artifacts and poor signal quality, and ultimately reduces patient comfort and restricting data collection to short-duration, stationary settings. To address these limitations, we present FlexEGG, a skin-conformal, flexible electronic system engineered for high-fidelity EGG monitoring in both clinical and real-world environments. The device incorporates a soft, stretchable electrode array specifically designed for the abdominal surface, utilizing a hybrid stretchable conductor composed of conductive polymer, silver nanowires (AgNWs), and polyurethane elastomer, which leads to good skin contact, signal stability, and mechanical conformability. A custom low-noise analog front-end and digital signal processing pipeline enables reliable acquisition of low-frequency, low-amplitude gastric slow waves. Additionally, FlexEGG supports simultaneous electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement, potentially facilitating integrated gut-heart axis monitoring for broader physiological assessment. In this study, we describe the design, implementation, and validation of FlexEGG in multi-channel, long-duration EGG and ECG recordings. Our findings demonstrate its potential as a wearable, non-invasive tool for continuous gastrointestinal electrophysiology monitoring, enabling new opportunities for diagnosing and managing digestive disorders in everyday settings.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Xing, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mottini, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heller, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.14.682324</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Skin-conformal electronics for wearable electrogastrography monitoring]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.682347v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Highly Adaptive Conductive Polymer Electronics Enhance Neural Data and Learning Accuracy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.682347v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human skin, the bodys largest organ, plays a vital role in sensing and transmitting neuronal, mechanical, and biochemical signals, making it an essential non-invasive interface for health monitoring, rehabilitation, and human-machine interaction. However, aging-related changes, including thinning, increased wrinkling, dryness, and altered collagen structure, significantly impact electrical impedance, conductance, and contact stability, challenging the fidelity and consistency of bioelectronic signal acquisition. Here, we address this gap by developing "AdapSkin," an age-adaptive, skin-mimicking, bio-adhesive, and stretchable polymeric electronic skin interface that seamlessly conforms to diverse skin properties, enabling high-fidelity and high-density electrophysiological recording. The soft electrodes of AdapSkin are composed of an aqueously processed, homogeneously mixed organic nanocomposite with a conductive polymer percolation network, forming a gel-like interface that reduces modulus and enhances skin-electrode contact. The materials platform achieves extraordinary softness and electrical stretchability of up to 1200% through a double-network composite structure. AdapSkin significantly minimizes age-induced variations in interfacial impedance and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), improving signal consistency for neuromuscular assessment, prosthetic control, and rehabilitation applications. Scalable fabrication enables the creation of large-area electrode arrays, which reduces motion artifacts, improves sEMG mapping reliability, and ensures long-term signal stability across various age groups. Machine learning analysis further demonstrates AdapSkins superior accuracy in gesture classification for elderly users, highlighting its potential to enhance prosthetic control, assistive robotics, and rehabilitation for individuals with sarcopenia and neuromuscular decline. By improving signal quality and adaptability in aging populations, AdapSkin advances fair bioelectronic interfaces, fostering more equitable and effective healthcare technologies for age-related conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mottini, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xing, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meilinger, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Inamdar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, X. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xing, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Darbonne, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Contag, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.14.682347</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Highly Adaptive Conductive Polymer Electronics Enhance Neural Data and Learning Accuracy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.681951v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Acute oral toxicity and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of the aqueous fractions of the methanol leaf extract of Psychotria luzoniensis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.681951v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This study investigated the acute oral toxicity, in vitro angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, and metabolite profile of the aqueous fraction of the methanol leaf extract of Psychotria luzoniensis (PLAF), a plant endemic to the Philippines. ACE inhibition was evaluated in the crude extract, fractions, and sub-fractions through IC50 determination. The most bioactive fraction was further subjected to acute oral toxicity testing in mice at the limit dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight, while metabolite profiling was performed using UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. PLAF exhibited the strongest ACE inhibition (IC50 34.38 {+/-} 1.86 {micro}g/ml), prompting subsequent fractionation. Among the sub-fractions (PLAF-1A - 1E), PLAF-1D demonstrated the most potent activity (IC50 9.70 {+/-} 0.10 {micro}g/ml). Acute toxicity evaluation of PLAF revealed no mortality, behavioral abnormalities, or significant alterations in body weight, organ weights, serum biochemical parameters (SGPT, SGOT, BUN, creatinine, LDH), or histopathological changes in the liver, kidney, and heart. These findings indicate an LD50 greater than 2000 mg/kg. Metabolite profiling showed candidate flavonoids previously associated with ACE inhibition, including quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, and hyperin. Other putative compounds detected include 4-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-5-yl-{beta}-D-glucopyranoside, juncein, and butin which are rarely reported in other Psychotria species. In this study, the ACE inhibitory activity and favorable toxicity profile of P. luzoniensis highlight its pharmacological potential to support further isolation of bioactive compounds and in vivo blood pressure studies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ramil, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heralde, F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sasaki, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kobayashi, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.14.681951</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Acute oral toxicity and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of the aqueous fractions of the methanol leaf extract of Psychotria luzoniensis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.16.682943v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Moderated designs can balance between batch-effect mitigation and cell loss due to hashtag-assisted pooling in single-cell experiments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.16.682943v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Minimizing experimental noise is integral to robust data generation in single-cell science. Experimental processing of different samples as a single pool, made possible by hashtag-assisted pooling, helps minimize batch-effects, but the computational demultiplexing of the data can also lead to loss of cells whose hashtags cannot be resolved accurately. Here, we examine four alternate experimental designs that could be used instead of a single-pool approach and quantify the batch effects as well as cell loss in each case. While a reference design offers the best performance, this study can help individual investigators choose one suited for their biological questions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chatterjee, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gorga, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Blair, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ohta, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hill, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boughter, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meier-Schellersheim, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, N. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.16.682943</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Moderated designs can balance between batch-effect mitigation and cell loss due to hashtag-assisted pooling in single-cell experiments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.20.683436v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Predictive models of the genetic bases underlying budding yeast fitness in multiple environments 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.20.683436v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The ability of organisms to adapt and survive depends on the effects of genes and the environment on fitness. However, the multigenic nature of fitness traits and genotype-by-environment interactions hinder our ability to understand the genetic basis of fitness. Here, we established fitness prediction models for 35 environments using machine learning and existing fitness data and different types of genetic variants for a population of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates. Models revealed that the predictive ability of genetic variants varied across environments, with copy number variants explaining the majority of fitness variation in most cases. Model interpretation further showed that different variant types identified distinct sets of genes associated with predictive variants. These gene sets were significantly enriched in experimentally validated genes affecting fitness in only a subset of environments, indicating that many genes influencing fitness remain unexplored. Notably, non-experimentally validated genes were more important than validated ones for fitness predictions. Gene contributions to fitness predictions were both isolate and environment dependent, pointing to gene-by-gene and gene-by-environment interactions. Further interpretation of models uncovered experimentally validated and novel candidate genetic interactions for a well characterized stress, the fungicide benomyl. These findings highlight the feasibility of identifying the genetic basis of fitness by using different types of genetic variants and offer novel targets for future functional analysis.

Author SummaryOrganisms adapt to changing environments by acquiring beneficial traits, which are largely determined by genetic variation. However, predicting how genetic variation influences adaptation, and thus survival, remains a challenge. Here, we used machine learning to identify genes, gene-gene interactions, and gene-by-environment interactions underlying fitness. Specifically, we used machine learning to predict how different genetic variants--such as changes in single nucleotides, presence/absence of a sequence, and differences in copy number--affect fitness in yeast across 35 different environmental conditions. Our results show that prediction accuracy and our ability to interpret the underlying biology depend on the genetic variant type. For example, the best predictions were obtained using differences in copy number. We also found that the contributions of genetic variants to yeast fitness depend on the genetic background. Importantly, our models uncovered known and novel genes that were important across multiple and specific environments and revealed genetic interactions for a well characterized stress, offering insights into how organisms cope with environmental stress. These findings advance our understanding of the genetic basis of fitness and provide a framework for future functional studies and the design of stress-resilient yeast strains.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Aba, K. E. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Izquierdo, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Los Campos, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lehti-Shiu, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shiu, S.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.20.683436</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Predictive models of the genetic bases underlying budding yeast fitness in multiple environments]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.21.683753v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phages use contingency loci as a bet-hedging strategy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.21.683753v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteriophages are estimated to outnumber bacteria by [~]10-fold1,2. Here, we show that phage genomes contain contingency loci (CL), hypermutable DNA regions that promote reversible frameshift mutations through DNA polymerase slippage3-6. CL have been described in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes but have not previously been reported in phages. We demonstrate that CL in coliphage T2 and T4 generates genomic and phenotypic diversity in resulting progeny to evade host defense, a process known as bet-hedging. Whole genome sequencing of T2 and T4 show similar levels of CL-driven sequence variation in dozens of other putative CL. Additional sequencing of T6, T7, Sec{varphi}27, ICP1 and ICP2, alongside bioinformatics of the BASEL phage collection reveals that putative CL are widespread in phages and are encoded in every functional class of genes. Collectively, our study describes a new paradigm for understanding phage replication in which CL drive genetic diversification and population heterogeneity to rapidly evolve.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gomez, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrick, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waters, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.21.683753</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phages use contingency loci as a bet-hedging strategy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.21.683675v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Discovery of Small Molecules and a Druggable Groove That Regulate DNA Binding and Release of the AP1 Transcription Factor DeltaFOSB 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.21.683675v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
{Delta}FOSB, a member of the AP1 family of transcription factors, mediates long-term neuroadaptations underlying drug addiction, seizure-related cognitive decline, dyskinesias, and several other chronic conditions. AP1 transcription factors are notoriously difficult to modulate pharmacologically due to the absence of well-defined binding pockets. Here, we identify a novel site on {Delta}FOSB, located outside the DNA-binding cleft, that accommodates small molecules. We show that sulfonic acid-containing compounds bind to this site via an induced-fit mechanism, reorienting side chains critical for DNA binding, and that they may hinder the {Delta}FOSB bZIP -helix from binding to the major groove of DNA. In vivo, direct administration of one such compound, JPC0661, into the brain reduces {Delta}FOSB occupancy at genomic AP1 consensus sites by approximately 60% as determined by CUT&RUN-sequencing. These findings suggest that DNA binding and release by AP1 transcription factors can be controlled via small molecules that dock into a novel site that falls outside of the DNA-binding cleft. Minimal sequence conservation across 29 bZIP domain-containing transcription factors in this druggable groove suggests that it can be exploited to develop AP1-subunit-selective compounds. Our studies thus reveal a novel strategy to design small-molecule inhibitors of {Delta}FOSB and other members of the bZIP transcription factor family.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McNeme, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yim, Y. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hughes, B. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>St. Romain, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aglyamova, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, N. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stephens, G. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, W.-N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kruzshak, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Estill, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brener, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tofani, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takatka, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Powell, R. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haggarty, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stephan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nestler, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Machius, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rudenko, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.21.683675</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Discovery of Small Molecules and a Druggable Groove That Regulate DNA Binding and Release of the AP1 Transcription Factor DeltaFOSB]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.21.683721v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Efficient in vivo pharmacological inhibition of deltaFOSB, an AP1 transcription factor, in brain 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.21.683721v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
{Delta}FOSB, an unusually stable member of the AP1 family of transcription factors, mediates long-term maladaptations that play a key role in the pathogenesis of drug addiction, cognitive decline, dyskinesias, and several other chronic neurological and psychiatric conditions. We have recently identified that 2-phenoxybenzenesulfonic acid-containing compounds disrupt the binding of {Delta}FOSB to DNA in vitro in cell-based assays, and one such compound, JPC0661, disrupts {Delta}FOSB binding to genomic DNA in vivo in mouse brain with partial efficiency. JPC0661 binds to a groove outside of the DNA-binding cleft of the {Delta}FOSB/JUND bZIP heterodimer in the co-crystal structure. Here, we generated a panel of analogs of JPC0661 with the goal of establishing structure-activity relationships and improving its in vivo efficacy by replacing the amino-pyrazolone cap moiety with various substituents. We show that one such analog, YL0441, disrupts the binding of {Delta}FOSB to DNA in vitro and in vivo, and suppresses {Delta}FOSB-function in cell-based assays. Importantly, infusion of YL0441 into the hippocampus of APP mice (a mouse model for Alzheimers disease) leads to virtually complete loss of {Delta}FOSB bound to genomic DNA by CUT&RUN sequencing. Our findings corroborate that DNA binding/release of AP1 transcription factors can be controlled via small molecules, even by analogs of a compound that binds to a groove outside of the DNA-binding cleft, and that our lead can be optimized via medicinal chemistry to yield a highly efficacious inhibitor of {Delta}FOSB function in vivo. These findings define a strategy to design small-molecule inhibitors for other AP1- and AP1-related transcription factors.

IN BRIEFWe demonstrate the creation of a highly effective inhibitor, YL0441, of {Delta}FOSB, an AP1 transcription factor, which decreases the number of {Delta}FOSB-bound sites to genomic DNA by [~]94% upon in vivo infusion to the hippocampus of APP mice, a mouse model for Alzheimers disease. This work generates a highly novel probe compound to assess the therapeutic value of {Delta}FOSB in vivo, a transcription factor with a critical role in mediating long-term changes in gene expression in several neuropsychiatric disorders in addition to Alzheimers disease, including drug addiction, seizure-related cognitive decline, and dyskinesias.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>McNeme, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yim, Y. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hughes, B. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>St. Romain, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bao, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Estill, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Takatka, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rivera, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Robison, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Machius, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haggarty, S. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nestler, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rudenko, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.21.683721</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Efficient in vivo pharmacological inhibition of deltaFOSB, an AP1 transcription factor, in brain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.23.683979v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Crystal structure of the Legionella pneumophila effector SidL (Lpg0437) in complex with its metaeffector LegA11 (Lpg0436) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.23.683979v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Legionella pneumophila is an opportunistic human pathogen that causes atypical pneumonia called Legionnaires Disease. To replicate within host cells, L. pneumophila injects up to 330 effector proteins into the host cytosol via a Dot/Icm type IV secretion system. Several effectors, called metaeffectors, regulate the activity of other effectors within infected host cells through direct protein-protein interactions. LegA11 (AnkJ/Lpg0436) has been identified as a putative metaeffector of SidL (Ceg14/Lpg0437), one of eight L. pneumophila effectors that inhibit host mRNA translation. LegA11 binds and suppresses SidL enzymatic activity, but the molecular basis of this regulation and impact on mRNA translation are unknown. Here, we present the crystal structure of SidL in complex with LegA11 to a resolution of 2.4 [A], revealing a high-affinity 1:1 complex with an extensive interaction interface of [~]2300 [A]{superscript 2}. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we determined a dissociation constant of 1.8 nM. In vitro translation assays demonstrate that SidL inhibits mRNA translation, and this activity is completely suppressed by LegA11. Mutagenesis of key interface residues in LegA11 disrupts complex formation and abolishes its metaeffector activity, confirming that LegA11 regulates SidL through direct protein-protein interaction. These findings establish LegA11 as a bona fide metaeffector that contributes to suppression of host mRNA translation by L. pneumophila.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Machtens, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hutchison, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stein, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eberhage, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Willerding, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eschenburg, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shames, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reubold, T. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.23.683979</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Crystal structure of the Legionella pneumophila effector SidL (Lpg0437) in complex with its metaeffector LegA11 (Lpg0436)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.22.684063v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Island Biogeography Theory of coevolution in pollination networks 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.22.684063v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Island ecosystems have been pivotal in understanding community assembly and biodiversity, from the competing roles of colonization and extinction, to the influence of spatial structure, species interactions, and evolutionary processes. Network theory has helped our understanding of how ecological interactions shape island biogeography dynamics, using empirical and theoretical studies to explore species-rich island community structures. Mutualistic networks on islands differ from those on the mainland by supporting fewer species and more super-generalists, resulting in a more nested community structure. Coevolution, the reciprocal adaptation between interacting species, can shape traits and interactions within these networks, influencing their assembly. Here we explore how colonization, extinction, and coevolution can intersect to shape species traits and the structure of mutualistic networks. Using a stochastic dynamic model, we integrate Island Biogeography Theory with coevolutionary dynamics, examining pollination networks to understand trait-matching in evolving communities. Our results show that highly nested and connected mainland communities contribute to greater instability on islands, particularly under intermediate extinction rates. While super-generalist species persist longer, their persistence does not greatly exceed those species with fewer interactions beyond a threshold, which itself varies with the extinction rate. Additionally, coevolution leads to greater traitsimilarity within communities on islands. Our findings highlight the critical role of coevolution in shaping island communities, especially on small islands where the extinction rate is expected to be elevated.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Birskis-Barros, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yeakel, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.22.684063</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Island Biogeography Theory of coevolution in pollination networks]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.23.684032v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A scalable filtration-based method for isolating exomeres and other nanoscale extracellular particles 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.23.684032v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Extracellular particles, including extracellular vesicles (EVs) and non-vesicular extracellular particles (NVEPs), enable intercellular communication by transferring regulatory miRNAs and other biomolecules. While EVs have been studied for drug delivery, NVEPs remain relatively unexplored. Exomeres, a recently discovered class of NVEPs enriched in RNAi proteins, preferentially carry miRNAs and deliver them to cells more effectively than EVs, underscoring their potential as vehicles for therapeutic RNAs. One current limitation to studying and applying exomeres for therapeutic RNA delivery is the shortage of scalable, cost-effective, and rapid isolation methods. Here, we investigated whether tangential flow filtration (TFF), a common bioseparation approach that separates species by size, would effectively isolate exomeres from conditioned media with comparable purity and identity to those isolated by differential ultracentrifugation. TFF successfully isolated exomeres that were enriched in RNAi components including AGO2, HSP90AB1, and a unique set of miRNAs not abundant in EVs. Remarkably, exomere miRNAs were resistant to nuclease degradation even after treatment with protease and surfactant, suggesting that exomeres are highly stable, non-vesicular complexes with potentially extended circulating half-lives. Together, our results establish TFF as an efficient method for isolating exomeres, and further demonstrate that TFF could be applied in a bioprocess for exomere-based RNA therapeutics production. This study is also the first to demonstrate that exomere miRNAs are highly resistant to nuclease degradation, suggesting that exomeres could complement and potentially outperform current clinical standards for RNA delivery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Scarborough, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kawai-Harada, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brennan, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walton, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.23.684032</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A scalable filtration-based method for isolating exomeres and other nanoscale extracellular particles]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.24.684439v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distinct Roles of Surface Nanostructure and Polymer Degradation in Fibroblast Response to Device Design 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.24.684439v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fibrotic encapsulation of implanted biomedical devices represents the highest cause of device failure across numerous fields, including orthopedics, breast implants and neural electrodes. While most research has focused on the immune system for driving the foreign body response to devices, fibroblasts are emerging as another key regulator of tissue response. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of porous device design on the activation of primary human dermal fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, a contractile cell that is a hallmark of fibrosis, over four weeks in culture. In particular two factors were studied 1) the introduction of nanoparticles, as they are increasingly being used for device functionalization, and 2) the polymer matrix, which dictates chemistry, mechanics and degradation. The addition of tantalum oxide (TaOx) nanoparticles (0-20wt%) had a minimal effect on fibroblasts, significantly down-regulating expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (SMA) (0.31 {+/-} 0.1), likely driven by the increase in nanoscale surface roughness. The polymer matrix of the device caused significant changes to myofibroblast activation, with the fast degrading polymer, poly(lactide co-glycolide) (PLGA) 50:50, significantly up-regulating multiple myofibroblast markers, including SMA (5.16 {+/-} 2.5), vinculin, integrin {beta}1, and integrin {beta}5, compared to non-degrading polycaprolactone (PCL). The effect was due to the release of degradation products, namely lactic acid, which affects cellular metabolism. Together this highlights that device design affects biological response immediately post-implantation in ways that impact the ultimate success or failure of biomedical devices.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pawelec, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shapiro, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.24.684439</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distinct Roles of Surface Nanostructure and Polymer Degradation in Fibroblast Response to Device Design]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.27.684818v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Identification of dehydrin protein complexes in vivo reveals functional interactions of LEA5 with OSCA3, PIP2B and PLDα1 in plant water-deficit stress 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.27.684818v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Climate change and especially the concomitant increasing frequency of drought and salinity induced water-deficit stresses, is a major limiting factor of plant growth and crop productivity worldwide. Understanding the adaptive responses of plants to water-deficit stress has therefore become a central challenge in plant biotechnology. Considerable evidence indicates that late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins contribute to water-deficit stress tolerance and the stabilization of metabolic enzymes, yet the molecular basis of these responses remains unknown. To date, limited direct evidence for specific in vivo interactions between LEA proteins and their molecular targets has been reported. Here, we identify for the first time the native in vivo interactome of three Arabidopsis dehydrin LEA proteins - LEA4 (COR47), LEA5 (ERD10), and LEA10 (ERD14) - expressed under their own promoters and in response to salt stress. Our results show that LEA4, LEA5, and LEA10 dehydrins interact with each other, and share six common candidate protein interactors, suggesting that they form a core protein complex in salt stress conditions. We confirmed the direct protein-protein interaction between LEA5 with LEA4, LEA10, OSCA3, PLD1, PIP2B and OST1/AHA1 at the biochemical level. Phenotypic analyses of loss-of-function genetic mutants revealed that the interactions of LEA5 with OSCA3 and PIP2B promote seed germination under salt stress. LEA5 interaction with PLD1 promotes root growth under salt stress, while its interaction with PIP2B enhances root growth under osmotic stress, indicating distinct stress-specific functional roles for each interaction. In conclusion, this study identifies the native in vivo interactions of three dehydrin proteins, while uncovering the functional relevance of these interactions under salt and osmotic stress conditions, thus providing novel mechanistic insights into the role of LEA proteins in water-deficit stress adaptation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fabregas, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rivas, F. J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hernandez-Sanchez, I. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lozano-Elena, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arabi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sokolowska, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernie, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.27.684818</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Identification of dehydrin protein complexes in vivo reveals functional interactions of LEA5 with OSCA3, PIP2B and PLDα1 in plant water-deficit stress]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.30.685559v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
IRE1 Regulates TOR Signaling via RIDD of RAPTOR1b to Coordinate Growth and Stress Adaptation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.30.685559v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant growth and stress resilience depend on integrating diverse signals into coordinated cellular responses. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress sensor IRE1 maintains ER homeostasis and modulates Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling. Here, we reveal that TOR misregulation in an ire1ab mutant reduces sensitivity to the stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA), mediated by TOR-dependent phosphorylation of the ABA receptor PYL1. Further, we show that IRE1s endonuclease activity is required for TOR regulation, acting independently of the canonical IRE1/bZIP60 unfolded protein response. Instead, it occurs via Regulated IRE1- Dependent Decay (RIDD) of specific transcripts. We identify RAPTOR1b as a direct RIDD target, establishing a mechanistic link between ER stress sensing and TOR signaling. RIDD- mediated degradation of RAPTOR1b mRNA is required for appropriate ABA responses and stress adaptation. These findings uncover a noncanonical IRE1-TOR signaling axis that fine- tunes growth and stress responses through selective mRNA decay.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reagan, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>KIM, J. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Angelos, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermaas, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brandizzi, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-10-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.10.30.685559</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[IRE1 Regulates TOR Signaling via RIDD of RAPTOR1b to Coordinate Growth and Stress Adaptation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-10-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.03.685595v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Blind Prediction of Complex Water and Ion Ensembles Around RNA in CASP16 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.03.685595v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Biomolecules rely on water and ions for stable folding, but these interactions are often transient, dynamic, or disordered and thus hidden from experiments and evaluation challenges that represent biomolecules as single, ordered structures. Here, we compare blindly predicted ensembles of water and ion structure to the cryo-EM densities observed around the Tetrahymena ribozyme at 2.2-2.3 [A] resolution, collected through target R1260 in the CASP16 competition. 26 groups participated in this solvation  cryo-ensemble prediction challenge, submitting over 350 million atoms in total, offering the first opportunity to compare blind predictions of dynamic solvent shell ensembles to cryo-EM density. Predicted atomic ensembles were converted to density through local alignment and these densities were compared to the cryo-EM densities using Pearson correlation, Spearman correlation, mutual information, and precision-recall curves. These predictions show that an ensemble representation is able to capture information of transient or dynamic water and ions better than traditional atomic models, but there remains a large accuracy gap to the performance ceiling set by experimental uncertainty. Overall, molecular dynamics approaches best matched the cryo-EM density, with blind predictions from bussilab_plain_md, SoutheRNA, bussilab_replex, coogs2, and coogs3 outperforming the baseline molecular dynamics prediction. This study indicates that simulations of water and ions can be quantitatively evaluated with cryo-EM maps. We propose that further community-wide blind challenges can drive and evaluate progress in modeling water, ions and other previously hidden components of biomolecular systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kretsch, R. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Posani, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baulin, E. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bujnicki, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bussi, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheatham, T. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, S.-J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Elofsson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Farsani, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fisher, O. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gromiha, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gupta, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamada, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harini, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hu, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iwakiri, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jain, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kagaya, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kihara, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kmiecik, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krishnan, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kurisaki, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Languin-Cattoen, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Malekzadeh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nakamura, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ni, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nithin, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palo, M. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Park, J. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pilla, S. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Poblete, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pucci, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Punuru, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saha, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sato, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srivastava, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Terashi, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tugolukova, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verburgt, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wuyun, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zerze, G. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhen</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.03.685595</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Blind Prediction of Complex Water and Ion Ensembles Around RNA in CASP16]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.03.686283v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Defining the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Pangenome and Suggestions for a New Composite Reference Sequence 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.03.686283v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) causes tuberculosis (TB), a global disease with diverse clinical and microbiological manifestations. Studies into the biological causes of this phenotypic diversity have been largely limited to a few reference strains. A pangenome approach is likely to provide new insights. Pangenomic tuberculosis studies have been limited the availability of only fragmented genome sequences and error-prone reference genomes. We used a de novo assembly pipeline that generates extremely complete and accurate whole genome sequences to generate 50 closed Mtb genomes across all seven major lineages. We identified 3,377 core gene clusters and 379 accessory clusters. Analysis showed multi-copy core clusters were largely due to gene fragmentation (76%), paralogs (12%), nearly identical gene duplications (4%), or combinations (8%). Sixteen hypervariable regions (HVRs) were identified, including novel paralogs and variable PE/PPE genes. We consolidated these findings into a Pangenome Gene Reference Resource (PGRR) for precision alignment. Our study demonstrates the closed nature of the Mtb pangenome, with most variation in accessory genes and HVRs. The PGRR provides a foundation for improved drug/vaccine target discovery and highlights the need to move beyond the commonly used H37Rv strain to study Mtb genetic and phenotypic diversity.

IMPORTANCETuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, affects millions globally. Genetic differences among Mtb strains have been difficult to resolve due to incomplete genome references. We sequenced and analyzed complete genomes of 50 Mtb strains from all lineages, identifying 16 hypervariable regions and 3,498 core gene clusters whose diversity mostly stemmed from gene fragmentation, paralog duplication and deletion events and differences in the PE/PPE gene family representation. These differences may explain many of the varied clinical manifestations of TB. We created Pangenome Gene Reference Resource to unify genetic data for precise comparison studies to aid in developing new drugs vaccines and other interventions against this disease.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Chitale, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ocke, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Odom, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fan, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henoch, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vasco, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fogarty, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grady, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lemenze, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kumar, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Manning, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eren, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, W. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alland, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.03.686283</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Defining the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Pangenome and Suggestions for a New Composite Reference Sequence]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.02.684826v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Spatiotemporal control of PIWI compartmentalization by mitochondrial scaffolds defines pachytene piRNA pathway organization 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.02.684826v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pachytene piRNAs are the least understood class of piRNAs in the mammalian male germ line. During meiosis, their biogenesis occurs near mitochondrial outer membrane in germ granules known as intermitochondrial cement (IMC). However, how mitochondrial factors regulate the trafficking of PIWI proteins into and out of the IMC remain poorly understood. Here we show that the cytoplasmic PIWI proteins MILI and MIWI are recruited for pachytene piRNA biogenesis via distinct mitochondrial membrane proteins. Loss of the mitochondrial scaffold protein ASZ1 during meiosis in mice disrupts multiple downstream biogenesis steps, leading to misregulation of MILI and MIWI, failure of IMC formation, and a near-complete loss of mature pachytene piRNAs. Strikingly, despite the drastic depletion of pachytene piRNAs, LINE1 transposon silencing remains unaffected. We identify three classes of pachytene piRNA pathway components that coordinate piRNA production and compartmentalization. Our findings reveal that chromatoid body precursors serve as a central hub for the accumulation of pachytene PIWI-piRNA complexes, thus establishing a connection between IMC-based biogenesis and downstream piRNA function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wei, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yan, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mann, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shang, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Demireva, E. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ding, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.02.684826</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Spatiotemporal control of PIWI compartmentalization by mitochondrial scaffolds defines pachytene piRNA pathway organization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.02.686054v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Pre-implantation non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment disrupts mouse embryo spacing and post-implantation chamber morphogenesis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.02.686054v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which inhibit the prostaglandin synthase (PTGS) enzymes PTGS1 and PTGS2, may present a risk when consumed during early pregnancy. The impact of PTGS enzyme inhibition by NSAIDS on the three-dimensional organization and function of uterine compartments in context of implantation success is not well known. Here we show that pre-implantation treatment of mouse pregnancy with indomethacin, an NSAID that inhibits both PTGS1 and PTGS2, results in embryo crowding, delayed embryo implantation, defective implantation chamber formation that eventually results in significant pregnancy loss. These effects are dose dependent as lower doses of indomethacin do not show these effects on pregnancy. When embryo spacing defects were observed, a significant proportion of embryos that showed delayed growth or resorption were located in distinct decidual sites, suggesting that additional mechanisms beyond spatial distribution are at play. These findings highlight the potential risks associated with NSAID use during early pregnancy and underscore the need for further research into the underlying molecular mechanisms and the development of safer pain management strategies during pregnancy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Massri, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LaBuda, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Oltean, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.02.686054</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Pre-implantation non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment disrupts mouse embryo spacing and post-implantation chamber morphogenesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.04.686540v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Understanding the Mechanisms Behind the Annuloplasty Effect in Tricuspid Valve TEER: A Computational Study 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.04.686540v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundAn annuloplasty effect has been observed following tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) and has been shown to have a therapeutic benefit. However, the mechanisms underlying the annuloplasty effect remain unknown.

ObjectivesWe investigate the impact of TEER-induced annular forces on the annuloplasty effect. Additionally, we explored the impact of clip size, clip orientation, leaflet pair, and leaflet site on TEER-induced annular forces.

MethodsWe simulated 36 TEER repairs in finite element models of three human tricuspid valves. We used either a NTW or XTW TriClip. The clip was placed between either the anterior-septal or anterior-posterior leaflet pairs, in either the central or near-annulus site. For each scenario, we quantified the reduction in annular area, septal-lateral (SL) diameter, and anterior-posterior (AP) diameter. We also report the total annular force, orientation of maximum annular force, total papillary muscle force, leaflet stress, and coaptation area ratio following TEER.

ResultsTEER induced annular forces, which strongly predicted the annuloplasty effect as measured by reduction in annular area and SL diameter. The maximum annular force aligned with the orientation of the clip. Furthermore, XTW clips induced more annular force and leaflet stress than NTW clips. A central anterior-posterior site induced more force than a near-annulus anterior-posterior site, but showed no difference from an anterior-septal pair.

ConclusionsTEER procedural parameters, such as clip size and site, strongly influence the magnitude of induced annular forces, which, in turn, correlate with the degree of annuloplasty effect.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Haese, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dubey, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mathur, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kreidel, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fuhg, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moussa, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Timek, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rausch, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.04.686540</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Understanding the Mechanisms Behind the Annuloplasty Effect in Tricuspid Valve TEER: A Computational Study]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.05.686472v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bridging Language Markers and Pathology: Correlations Between Digital Speech Measures and Surrogate CSF Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.05.686472v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundDigital language markers show promise in detecting early cognitive impairment related to Alzheimers disease (AD), yet their relationship with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of AD pathology remains unclear mainly due to the lack of data with both CSF and language markers.

ObjectiveThis study aims to build links between digital language markers and fluid biomarkers through surrogate CSF biomarkers.

MethodsUsing NACC clinical data as anchor variables, language makers in the I-CONECT study were linked to NACC CSF data. Surrogate CSF biomarkers were created for I-CONECT subjects using machine learning models from common NACC clinical variables. Correlations assessed associations between CSF and language markers.

ResultsLower predicted amyloid-{beta} correlated significantly with reduced syntactic complexity and shorter speech responses. Higher predicted total tau and phosphorylated tau correlated with reduced syntactic complexity.

ConclusionsThis study demonstrates novel links between language markers and fluid biomarkers, highlighting conversational language as a potential accessible, non-invasive approach for early detection and monitoring of Alzheimers pathology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dodge, H. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.05.686472</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bridging Language Markers and Pathology: Correlations Between Digital Speech Measures and Surrogate CSF Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.07.687283v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Restraint Stress Prolongs Diestrus Phase of Mouse Estrous Cycle 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.07.687283v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Globally, stress levels among women of reproductive age are rising, while fertility rates continue to decline. Despite this correlation, a causal link between stress and reduced fertility remains unclear. Experimental studies have shown that severe and chronic stress can disrupt reproductive function, but the effects of mild stress, more representative of the daily stress experienced by most women, are still poorly understood. This study aims to identify how mild stress affects the mouse estrous cycle. Nineteen mice were vaginally lavaged daily one week before stress, during 3-day stress, and one week after stress. The mild stress paradigm consisted of two hours of repeated restraint stress each day for three days. Restraint stress disrupted the estrous cycle causing a longer cycle length in stressed mice, characterized by an extended duration in the diestrus phase. These findings suggest that even moderate stress perturbs normal reproductive cycling, potentially contributing to reduced fertility. This work highlights the need to further explore how everyday stressors may subtly impair reproductive health.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Urbain, G. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chapman, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Loh, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Folger, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laumet, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.07.687283</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Restraint Stress Prolongs Diestrus Phase of Mouse Estrous Cycle]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.11.687699v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sex-specific regulation of social play in juvenile rats by oxytocin neurons in the hypothalamus and oxytocin signaling in the nucleus accumbens 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.11.687699v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Social play is a rewarding behavior shown across juvenile mammalian species and is important for the development of social competency throughout the lifespan. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) regulates various social behaviors and is being used in clinical trials to improve social competency. However, the role of OXT in juvenile social play is largely unknown. To address this gap, we determined the involvement of hypothalamic OXT-producing neurons in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN), PVNOXT projections to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), and OXT signaling within the NAc, in the regulation of social play in juvenile male and female rats. We found that neither chemogenetic stimulation of SONOXT cell bodies nor PVNOXT projections to the NAc altered the expression of juvenile social play but instead increased social investigation. However, chemogenetic stimulation of PVNOXT cell bodies as well as intra-NAc infusion of OXT decreased social play in males without an effect in females. Lastly, social play duration correlated negatively with the proportion of activated NAcOXTR neurons, an effect driven by males. Together, these findings suggest that distinct OXT neuronal populations modulate different forms of social behavior and that PVNOXT neurons and NAc-OXT signaling sex-specifically modulate social play behavior.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bowden, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, K. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grinevich, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veenema, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.11.687699</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sex-specific regulation of social play in juvenile rats by oxytocin neurons in the hypothalamus and oxytocin signaling in the nucleus accumbens]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.14.688473v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Screening for residues in Atg11, a central organizer of selective autophagy in yeast, important for binding with Atg9 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.14.688473v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The yeast protein Atg11, whose structure is unknown, is a central organizer of autophagosome formation that recruits Atg9 during selective autophagy. Although the residues in Atg9 responsible for this interaction are known, those in Atg11 are not. In an attempt to discover the binding site of Atg9 on Atg11, we screened a number of mutants within amino acid residues 455-627 of Atg11, guided in part by an AlphaFold2-generated model of the Atg11 dimer. However, we were not able to identify specific residues essential for the interaction with Atg9, suggesting that the binding region may lie elsewhere on Atg11.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sherpa, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woghiren, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leonello, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abdel-Khalek, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schuessler, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermaas, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Backues, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.14.688473</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Screening for residues in Atg11, a central organizer of selective autophagy in yeast, important for binding with Atg9]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.14.688474v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Hunger, displacement, or play? Object manipulation behaviour in Asian small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus) 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.14.688474v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Asian small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus) engage in intricate activities using their paws for purposes such as food extraction, exploration, and tactile communication within their social group. However, some expressions of these behaviours do not appear to be immediately functional in captive populations. Here, we explore the expression of object manipulation behaviours (OMBs), such as rock manipulation (or  juggling); the factors that may be driving their expression; and what OMBs may represent. A troop of six otters was observed at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park (United Kingdom) using camera-traps placed at three key locations in their enclosure: outside of their den, at the main feeding area, and at a rock-garden foraging area. A total of 2895 video clips were analysed using a hierarchical ethogram consisting of the behavioural categories of locomotion, stationary, vocalisation, physical affiliative, sustenance, and OMBs. The most commonly observed behaviours were walking (21.5%), lying (20.8%) and feeding (12.2%). OMBs were observed in 3.9% of total observations. Otters performed OMBs significantly more often outside their den than at the other locations. Grooming was also more frequent at this location. There was a negative association between the expression of OMBs and air temperature. Results suggest that in this otter population, OMBs were more likely an expression of play behaviour, contrasting findings reported elsewhere that rock juggling may be driven by hunger.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Evans, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooke, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooper, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ventura, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.14.688474</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Hunger, displacement, or play? Object manipulation behaviour in Asian small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus)]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.20.689478v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ku limits aberrant mRNA splicing promoted by intronic antisense Alu elements 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.20.689478v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Alu elements are short repeats that occupy approximately 10% of the human genome 1,2. Saturation of primate genomes with Alu sequences occurred at the prosimian/new-world monkey evolutionary juncture. Alu elements have clearly driven unique aspects of higher primate evolution, but their presence can be detrimental to genomic stability 3. The expansion of Alu sequences in the genomes of higher primates precisely coincides with a substantial increase in the ubiquitous expression of the three polypeptides of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), the Ku70/80 heterodimer and DNA-PKcs 4. Previous work suggests that the elevated levels of Ku70/80 are required to prevent the activation of innate immune signaling pathways triggered by RNA molecules derived from Alu elements 5. Here we demonstrate that Ku ablation dramatically alters mRNA splicing, by allowing the use of alternative splice sites contained in intronic antisense Alu elements, which are known to directly associate with Ku70/80 5. Dysregulation of mRNA splicing precedes cell death and preferentially impacts genes involved in essential RNA metabolism processes, including splicing and ribosome biogenesis, likely impacting cell viability. In addition, we demonstrate that cell death after Ku70 depletion cannot be rescued by expression of its prosimian homologue, which suggests that primate Ku70 has evolved specific molecular features to suppress deleterious effects of an Alu element rich genome. We propose a model in which Ku binding of antisense Alu elements in introns of nascent RNAs modulates the use of alternative splice sites to balance beneficial and detrimental contributions of Alu repeats within primate genomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pascarella, G. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mikhova, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parkhi, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Godfrey, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heyza, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janovic, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carninci, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meek, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.20.689478</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ku limits aberrant mRNA splicing promoted by intronic antisense Alu elements]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.21.688514v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Magneto-Photonic Gene Circuit for Minimally Invasive Control of Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.21.688514v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Precise control of gene expression is one of the fundamental goals of synthetic biology. Whether the objective is to modify endogenous cellular function or induce the expression of molecules for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, gene regulation remains a key aspect of biological systems. Over time, advances in protein engineering and molecular biology have led to the creation of gene circuits capable of inducing the expression of specific proteins in response to external stimulus such as light. These optogenetic, or light-activated circuits hold significant potential for gene therapy as a tool for regulating the expression of therapeutic genes within cells. However, the applications of optogenetic systems can be limited by the lack of efficient ways for light delivery inside cells or tissue. Our approach to address this challenge is to harness the power of bioluminescence to produce light directly inside cells using a luminescent enzyme. Combined with a photosensitive transcription factor, we report the development of a fully genetically encoded optogenetic circuit for control of gene expression. Furthermore, we utilized a magneto sensitive protein to engineer a split protein version of this luminescent enzyme, where its reconstitution is driven by a 50mT magnetic stimulus. Thus, resulting in a first-of-its-kind gene circuit activated by a combination of light and magnetic stimulus. We expect this work to advance the implementation of light-controlled systems without the need of external light sources, as well as serve as a basis for the development of future magneto-sensitive tools.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Franco, E. A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Radawiec, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Slaviero, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grady, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ricker, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pelled, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hochgeschwender, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilad, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.21.688514</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Magneto-Photonic Gene Circuit for Minimally Invasive Control of Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.22.689946v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Distinct NIR Reflectance Spectra Associated with Foliar Symptoms of Beech Leaf Disease 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.22.689946v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Beech leaf disease (BLD) is an epidemic spreading among American beech (Fagus grandifolia) populations, with characteristic symptoms including dark green, yellow, or brown bands of thickened leaf tissue between secondary veins. Whereas near infrared (NIR) light is reflected by leaf tissue structure, here we used multispectral NIR imaging to distinguish symptomatic from asymptomatic leaf reflectance, as well as to distinguish between different expressions of symptoms (dark green, yellow, and brown bands) within symptomatic leaves. Key findings include significantly higher NIR reflectance in dark green bands of symptomatic tissue compared to asymptomatic tissue ({lambda} = 840, 860, 900, 940, and 980 nm; [~]26.2%, 25.9%, 35.0%, 35.3%, and 32.5% increase respectively). A partial least squares regression model predicted 97% of variation in symptomatic vs. asymptomatic NIR reflectance was attributed primarily to the increase in spongy mesophyll thickness and overall leaf thickness in symptomatic tissue. Water infiltration of the intercellular airspaces in symptomatic and asymptomatic leaves removed differences in NIR reflectance, supporting a mechanistic link between increased NIR reflectance and the foliar symptoms of BLD. Our results highlight the interaction of leaf internal architecture with NIR wavelengths, and informs the development of targeted remote sensing tools, with implications for detecting even early-stage symptoms of BLD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Moore, E. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dabydeen, L. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Salha, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bichler, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borsuk, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.22.689946</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Distinct NIR Reflectance Spectra Associated with Foliar Symptoms of Beech Leaf Disease]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690434v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
GC3 codons enhance protein production in diverse GC- and AT-rich plant species 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690434v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Engineering translation holds great promise for maximizing protein yields in agriculture and biotechnology, but the diversity of plant genomes hinders predictable engineering. To identify mRNA features that broadly improve translation, we conducted a comparative translatome analysis across model plants. We found that codons with G or C at the third position (GC3) are consistently associated with higher translation efficiency. Experimental results confirmed that elevating GC3 increases both protein output and mRNA abundance, in both GC- and AT-rich species. Comparative analyses across 80 plant species, spanning a wide range of GC3 levels, show that GC3 content is positively correlated with translation efficiency. Additionally, high GC3-codon usage is conserved among endogenous high-abundance proteins, such as Rubisco small subunits and ribosomal proteins. Finally, tRNA availability likely explains why GC3 codons broadly enhance translation. Together, our results provide a simple guideline for codon optimization: increasing GC3 can enhance protein production across diverse plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kaufman, I. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, H.-Y. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsu, P. Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.25.690434</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[GC3 codons enhance protein production in diverse GC- and AT-rich plant species]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690463v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Tuning Yeast Glycosylation Proximal to the FLS2-flg22 Binding Interface enables Functional Yeast Surface Display under Induced ER Stress 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690463v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pattern recognition receptors such as FLAGELLIN SENSING 2 (FLS2) are central to plant immunity and attractive targets for engineering broader detection of bacterial phytopathogens. However, evaluating numerous FLS2 variants directly in plants is slow and low throughput, and have been seldom optimized for heterologous display systems. Here, we established conditions that enabled Arabidopsis thaliana FLS2 ectodomain functional expression on the surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and binding to its cognate ligand, flg22. We show how yeast high-mannose glycosylation of the FLS2 ectodomain contributes to inefficient folding and loss of detectable flg22 binding in standard yeast surface display conditions. Substitutions at all N-glycosylation motifs compromised surface expression, indicating that some glycosylation is required for trafficking. We tuned the extent of glycosylation using tunicamycin, an N-linked glycosylation inhibitor, in combination with thermal stress to modulate ER quality control. Under these conditions, we observed a reproducible subpopulation of cells with improved flg22 binding despite reduced overall expression, and we confirmed flg22 selectivity using both flow cytometry and magnetic bead-based enrichment. Guided by structural modeling of high-mannose glycans on the FLS2 ectodomain, we then substituted asparagines at selected N-glycan sites. We identified a key glycan site variant, N388, which lies proximal to the flg22 binding interface and enhanced functional expression under stress conditions. Together, these results reveal that lineage-specific glycosylation patterns and ER stress responses critically shape the functional display of FLS2 in yeast. This approach provides a framework for engineering yeast surface display platforms for high-throughput screening of FLS2 and related immune receptors.



O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=143 SRC="FIGDIR/small/690463v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (42K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7c4ef7org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1245f4eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@ed279aorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c32233_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Dolgikh, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schulte, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Woldring, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.25.690463</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Tuning Yeast Glycosylation Proximal to the FLS2-flg22 Binding Interface enables Functional Yeast Surface Display under Induced ER Stress]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690428v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reconnecting food production and consumption through redesigning food systems to support healthy diets 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690428v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Balancing the social and environmental costs of food production with the needs of future populations in the face of climate change is the greatest challenge that agriculture is facing in the 21st century. The modification of eating habits towards more environmentally friendly and healthy diets is a key lever to meet this challenge. In 2019, the EAT-Lancet commission defined a universal guideline diet that should allow 9 billion people across the globe to eat healthily while respecting planetary boundaries.

In an attempt to reconnect cropping systems to such diets, we developed an innovative approach and designed a decision-making model to assist in the planning and optimization of cropping systems. This model evaluates their ability to supply a specific food system in accordance with the diet recommended by the EAT-Lancet Commission, while comparing vegan, ovo-lacto vegetarian, and omnivorous diets and minimizing the import and export of commodities.

Results show that longer and more diverse crop rotations are more likely to comply with the EAT-Lancet dietary requirements, especially if grazing animals are integrated within rotations. Integrated crop-livestock systems including temporary pasture and forage cover crops minimize the excess and deficit of all commodities (food and feed supplies), while reaching the required amount of daily calories and meeting the requirements in each food category. Crop rotations typically need to include rapeseed to provide oil for human consumption and oilseed meals for livestock, as well as a legume crop for pulses and several cereals. The model allows testing a wider range of dietary recommendations or assessing the impact of specific agro-ecological practices. It supports the design of multi-objective crop rotations aligned with dietary guidelines. By reconnecting food production and consumption following a healthy diet, the model provides practical solutions to sustain all three pillars of sustainability for future food systems.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>De Clerck, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Desmarez, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Delandmeter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Faccio Carvalho, P. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dumont, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bindelle, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.25.690428</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reconnecting food production and consumption through redesigning food systems to support healthy diets]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690523v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Neuronal innervation of breast cancer promotes metastatic dissemination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690523v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Metastasis is a leading cause of mortality in breast cancer patients, yet the signaling promoting metastatic dissemination is not completely understood. Prior literature implicates neuronal innervation in tumor progression, including recent studies in breast cancer progression with the 4T1 and PyMT cell line orthotopic injection models. Our experiments address the immune limitations of these studies with an alternative model to elucidate neuronal control of metastatic breast cancer by using a MMTV-PyMT transplant model and resiniferatoxin (RTX) for denervation. To this end, we generated a robust array of spontaneous MMTV-PyMT tumors with various histological subtypes. These tumors were transplanted into RTX challenged MMTV-Cre mice. In contrast to previous literature, denervation did not impact survival or tumor growth. Interestingly, we noticed a slight reduction in the percent of the solid poorly differentiated tumors with a corresponding increase in tumors that contained a mixed pathology in RTX challenged mice. Strikingly, and consistent with prior work, we noted a reduction in metastasis with denervation. Together, these data suggest neuronal innervation promotes metastasis without impacting tumor growth.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schulte, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrechek, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-11-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.25.690523</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Neuronal innervation of breast cancer promotes metastatic dissemination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-11-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.26.690831v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Functional Resting-State Network Atlas Based on 420 Older Adults with Hypertension 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.26.690831v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Risk Reduction for Alzheimers Disease (rrAD) trial included 513 cognitively normal, sedentary, hypertensive older adults (aged 60 to 85 years) with dementia risk factors. We utilized 420 high-quality baseline resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans from this cohort to develop a functional atlas tailored for aging populations. Typical rs-fMRI atlases derived from healthy young adults do not account for age-related changes, such as cortical atrophy, enlarged ventricles, and altered connectivity. To address this gap, we created a cohort-specific MNI-adjacent anatomical template, rrAD420, using SPM12s DARTEL registration. In this space, we derived a comprehensive functional atlas using both group independent component analysis (GICA) and probabilistic functional mode decomposition (PROFUMO). The rrAD420 atlas offers detailed representations of Resting-State Network (RSN) connectivity, encompassing unique configurations and overlapping interactions. It features two Default-Mode Network (DMN)-specific seed-based maps (DMN24 with cerebellum, DMN18 without) and data-driven components resembling the major RSNs. Furthermore, PROFUMO allowed for the identification of multimodal and combinatory networks, capturing connections within and between RSNs. While optimized for hypertensive older adults, the rrAD420 atlas serves as a versatile tool for broader aging populations, aiding in the study of neurodegenerative processes and biomarker discovery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Scheel, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandez, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yanev, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keller, J. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Binder, E. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vidoni, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burns, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stowe, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerwin, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cullum, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hynan, L. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vongpatanasin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.26.690831</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Functional Resting-State Network Atlas Based on 420 Older Adults with Hypertension]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.26.690843v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Widespread sex-biased gene expression reflects female-biased longevity in a species with environmental sex determination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.26.690843v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sexes frequently differ in life history traits including body size, lifespan, and age at sexual maturity. Aging, the progressive decline in physiological function and cellular resilience over time, is a central process contributing to sex-specific life histories, yet the mechanisms driving sex differences in aging remain largely unresolved. Long-term mark-recapture efforts revealed a striking pattern of female-biased longevity in the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta), a species with temperature-dependent sex determination. As a result, this species provides a compelling system to examine the mechanisms of sex-specific aging in the absence of sex chromosomes. Here, we characterize sex- and age-associated patterns in the blood transcriptomes of wild painted turtles (n = 93). We identified widespread gene expression differences between females and males (2,347 genes; 13.4% of all filtered genes). In contrast, only six genes showed significant linear relationships with continuous age in both sexes. We also employed a machine learning approach which identified distinct sets of genes for which expression was predictive of age in each sex. Age-related gene expression patterns highlight both conserved molecular pathways with known roles in aging as well as novel gene targets. These findings suggest sex-specific molecular processes underlie sex-biased demographic aging and raise questions regarding the environmental and developmental drivers of sex-biased gene expression.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bock, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoekstra, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hagerty, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, R. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Judson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adorsoo, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janzen, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bronikowski, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.26.690843</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Widespread sex-biased gene expression reflects female-biased longevity in a species with environmental sex determination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.28.690224v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Intracellular C. neoformans infection stimulates increased glycolytic activity in fetal liver-derived alveolar-like macrophages 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.28.690224v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Alveolar macrophages (AMs) serve as a first line of defense against respiratory pathogens, including Cryptococcus neoformans, the primary causative agent of cryptococcosis, a deadly pulmonary mycosis which commonly afflicts immunocompromised individuals. While these innate immune cells are thought to play a pivotal role in controlling the outcome of C. neoformans infections, this critical host-pathogen interaction is more commonly studied in vitro using bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) or immortalized macrophage cell lines that differ in ontogeny and phenotype from AMs. In this work, we characterized fetal liver-derived alveolar-like macrophages (FLAMs) as an alternate model to study the earliest stages of C. neoformans infection. Here, we show that the FLAM steady state transcriptome is more similar to primary AMs than peritoneal macrophages and the macrophage cell lines, RAW264.7 and J774, and that FLAMs exhibit distinct transcriptional responses to IFN{gamma} stimulation and C. neoformans infection compared to J774 cells. Specifically, transcriptome profiling and gene ontology analysis indicate that C. neoformans infection of FLAMs, but not J774 cells, increases the expression of canonical glycolytic genes, including Slc2a1, Pgk1, and Ldha, which is accompanied by a metabolic shift favoring glycolysis. Furthermore, activation or inhibition of hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF1) activity utilizing dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) and echinomycin, respectively, indicates that the expression of select glycolytic genes in C. neoformans-infected FLAMs is HIF1-dependent. Collectively, our results suggest that FLAMs serve as an appropriate tool for modeling AM:C. neoformans interactions and investigating the effects of this pathogen on host AM immunometabolism.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wiggins, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Griggs, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>England, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Callison, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kamel, C. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hasan, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chappell, M. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner-Halim, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McClelland, E. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leander, R. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seipelt-Thiemann, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nelson, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.1101/2025.11.28.690224</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Intracellular C. neoformans infection stimulates increased glycolytic activity in fetal liver-derived alveolar-like macrophages]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.01.691471v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dordaviprone/ONC201 Activation of the ClpP Mitochondrial Protease Inhibits the Growth of KRAS-Mutant Pancreatic Cancer and Overcomes RAS Inhibitor Resistance 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.01.691471v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by KRAS-driven oncogenic signaling and tumor growth. Blockade of the KRAS ERK-MAPK pathway via small molecule direct RAS inhibitors has shown clinical promise, but intrinsic and acquired resistance limit the efficacy of these inhibitors as single agents. To identify potential combination strategies, we first assessed the ability of dordaviprone/ONC201, an FDA-approved agent, to inhibit PDAC cell and organoid growth. We observed that ONC201 reduced the growth of a broad panel of KRAS-mutant PDAC cell lines, and that the expression of mitochondrial protease ClpP was required for this efficacy. Mechanistically, we observed that treatment with ONC201 led to inhibition of mitochondrial respiration, causing a compensatory increase in glycolysis. Furthermore, ONC201 caused ClpP-dependent activation of PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling and concurrent PI3K and mTOR inhibition further enhanced ONC201 growth suppression. ONC201 demonstrated an additive effect when combined with a RAS(ON) multi-selective inhibitor RMC-7977 in PDAC cells and organoids. Finally, PDAC cell lines with acquired resistance to RMC-7977 or KEAP1 loss-driven resistance retained sensitivity to ONC201. We propose that concurrent treatment with ONC201 may delay onset of resistance to RAS inhibitor therapy.

Statement of SignificanceClpP activation by dordaviprone/ONC201 suppressed PDAC cell growth and overcame resistance to the RAS(ON) multi-selective inhibitor RMC-7977, providing support for investigating this combination as a potential combination treatment for KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Drizyte-Miller, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Degan, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mouery, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amparo, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mouery, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chang, W.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicewarner Pena, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baldelli, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klomp, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iwanowicz, E. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Graves, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petricoin, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cox, A. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stalnecker, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bryant, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Der, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.01.691471</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dordaviprone/ONC201 Activation of the ClpP Mitochondrial Protease Inhibits the Growth of KRAS-Mutant Pancreatic Cancer and Overcomes RAS Inhibitor Resistance]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.02.691683v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Microstructurally-Motivated Framework to Study Autoregulation in the Coronary Circulation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.02.691683v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Coronary autoregulation maintains relatively constant myocardial flow over a wide range of perfusion pressures through myogenic, shear-dependent, and metabolic control mechanisms. Understanding this phenomenon is challenging due to the coupled nature of these mechanisms and their heterogeneous effects throughout the coronary tree. In this study we developed a novel microstructurally-motivated model of coronary autoregulation based on constrained mixture theory, with anatomical and structural parameters calibrated through a homeostatic optimization framework. Autoregulation was simulated at three myocardial depths (subepicardium, midwall, and subendocardium), with the calibrated model accurately reproducing baseline hemodynamics and autoregulatory responses. For changes in epicardial pressure, our model reproduced experimentally measured subendocardium-to-subepicardium flow ratios (ENDO/EPI) and changes in vessel diameter, demonstrating its predictive capability. Furthermore, we extended Womersleys theory to simulate phasic coronary hemodynamics with a time-varying intramyocardial pressure. This microstructurally-motivated framework provides a mechanistic foundation for investigating coronary autoregulation and long-term vascular growth and remodeling in pathphysiological conditions.

SummaryO_LICoronary autoregulation is defined as the capability of the coronary circulation to maintain the blood supply to the heart over a range of perfusion pressures. This phenomenon is facilitated through intrinsic mechanisms that control the vascular resistance by regulating the mechanical function of smooth muscle cells. Understanding the mechanisms involved in coronary autoregulation is one of the most fundamental questions in coronary physiology.
C_LIO_LIThis paper presents a structurally-motivated coronary autoregulation model that uses a nonlinear continuum mechanics approach to account for the morphometry and vessel wall composition in two coronary trees in the subepicardial and subendocardial layers.
C_LIO_LIThe model is calibrated against diverse experimental data from literature and is used to study heterogeneous autoregulatory response in the coronary trees. This model drastically differs from previous models, which relied on lumped parameter model formulations, and is suited to the study of long-term pathophysiological growth and remodeling phenomena in coronary vessels.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Eden, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gharahi, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sturgess, V. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uceda, D. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baek, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beard, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tune, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Figueroa, C. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.02.691683</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Microstructurally-Motivated Framework to Study Autoregulation in the Coronary Circulation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.06.692765v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Native catalase expression in Arabidopsis thaliana is more than sufficient to limit excess decarboxylation from photorespiratory intermediates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.06.692765v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging enzyme, catalase, plays a critical role in the photorespiratory pathway by maintaining the balance of H2O2, a reactive oxygen species (ROS), in the peroxisome. H2O2 acts as both a signaling molecule and a potential source of ROS depending on its accumulation in the peroxisome. Additionally, H2O2 can also drive non-enzymatic decarboxylation (NED) reactions as well as other decarboxylation reactions, leading to increased CO2 release that is linked to a severe growth phenotype. However, the exact cause of this stunted growth phenotype is not fully understood, and it remains unclear whether the capacity of catalase is critical for minimizing these decarboxylating reactions. Here we elucidate the mechanism behind the decrease in plant growth due to the accumulation of H2O2 from photorespiration using cat2 knock-out lines of Arabidopsis thaliana rescued with transgenic expression lines of Heliobacter pylori catalase. These experiments demonstrated that while one of the three heterologous lines expressing H. pylori catalase isoform (Hp615) had greater catalase activity than cat2-KO and rescued the severe growth and photosynthetic phenotype, its catalase activity was still far below wild type levels. These findings suggest that catalase plays a crucial role in maintaining H2O2 homeostasis within the peroxisome and minimizing decarboxylation reactions, both of which are linked to plant growth. Moreover, once a threshold capacity is reached, increasing catalase capacity further may offer limited benefits in enhancing net carbon fixation.

HighlightWe show that peroxisomal catalase is important for maintaining high rates of net carbon fixation associated with plant growth. Native catalase levels in Arabidopsis thaliana are in excess of that which is required to minimize alternative decarboxylation reactions. Therefore, efforts to optimize catalase-mediated degradation of H2O2 may be of limited benefit.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gregory, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, K. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Twinamaani, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strand, D. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, A. P. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walker, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.06.692765</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Native catalase expression in Arabidopsis thaliana is more than sufficient to limit excess decarboxylation from photorespiratory intermediates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.12.693966v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Natural competence promotes high rates of DNA transfer between strains of the core bee gut bacterium Snodgrassella alvi 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.12.693966v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sexual recombination and horizontal gene transfer are expected to improve the survival of host-associated bacteria that face colonization bottlenecks and intense competition. We serendipitously observed recombination between Snodgrassella alvi strains within bees, which led us to discover that this core member of the bee gut microbiota is naturally competent, including under laboratory conditions. High rates of gene transfer via DNA release and uptake by S. alvi have implications for how it has evolved in managed hives and suggest opportunities for using in situ microbiome engineering to protect bee health.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ashraf, A. H. M. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weaver, K. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lariviere, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrick, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.12.693966</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Natural competence promotes high rates of DNA transfer between strains of the core bee gut bacterium Snodgrassella alvi]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.10.693506v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Sex- and age-differences in cellular hallmarks of aging in a species with female-biased longevity and environmental sex determination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.10.693506v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cellular hallmarks of aging have been discovered and characterized in a number of model species for studying aging biology - such as humans, mice, fruit flies, and nematodes. Whether these canonical age-related changes to cellular physiology are present across diverse species that have variable rates of demographic aging remains less studied. Here, we tested whether several ubiquitous cellular hallmarks of aging - mitochondrial function, reactive oxygen species generation, and inducible DNA damage - change with age and in a sex-dependent manner in a species with indeterminate growth and reproduction (painted turtles, Chrysemys picta). A further feature of their biology that recommends them for an ecological model of vertebrate aging is their female-biased longevity, despite an absence of genotypic sex determination. Thus lifespan and aging may be reliable features of sex-specific life-histories. We measured aspects of mitochondrial health (cellular basal, maximal, and spare oxygen consumption rates), cellular levels of reactive oxygen species, and aspects of DNA damage and repair from exposure to UVB. We used these measures across several physiological axes as proxies for age-related physiological dysfunction. We further assessed our measures across several populations of painted turtles. We found that sex explained the largest proportion of variation, with males differing from females in mitochondrial function, reactive oxygen species production, and inducible DNA damage. In several cases, age significantly interacted with sex, but the effect size was small relative to sex alone. Thus, we found that sex, rather than age or size, was a consistent predictor of cellular aging physiological in this species with where females live longer and age slower.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Marks, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Janzen, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reinke, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Addis, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adesioye, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bock, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clark, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crowther, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoekstra, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Judson, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Krueger, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sills, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bronikowski, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.10.693506</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Sex- and age-differences in cellular hallmarks of aging in a species with female-biased longevity and environmental sex determination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.11.693750v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Chemical modulation of chloroplast de- and re-differentiation reveals a role for the SAL1-PAP retrograde pathway in facilitating plastid transitions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.11.693750v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plastids are dynamic organelles that remodel their composition, ultrastructure, and function according to developmental and environmental demands. The synthetic molecule X57 induces the conversion of leaf chloroplasts into tocopherol-rich plastids lacking thylakoids and containing proliferating plastoglobules. Removal of X57 triggers chloroplast re-differentiation, enabling precise spatial-temporal dissection of these transitions. X57 directly binds and inhibits the phosphatase SAL1, causing accumulation of its substrate 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate (PAP), a retrograde signal that modulates nuclear gene expression. SAL1 inhibition and subsequent PAP accumulation activate a cascade that depletes cytokinins and down-regulates GOLDEN2-LIKE1 (GLK1) and other transcription factors involved in chloroplast biogenesis. SAL1-defective mutants fail to undergo this signaling pathway. The SAL1-PAP-mediated weakening of chloroplast identity preconditions plastids for their eventual conversion into storage-type organelles upon X57-promoted accumulation of tocopherols. After X57 withdrawal, photosynthetic gene expression and chloroplast functions are restored. This framework identifies key molecular mechanisms underlying chloroplast plasticity, a central process in biology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>PEREZ-COLAO, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>CRUCES, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>PEREZ-RODRIGUEZ, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>KOPRIVOVA, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kopriva, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lozano-Juste, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodriguez-Concepcion, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.11.693750</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Chemical modulation of chloroplast de- and re-differentiation reveals a role for the SAL1-PAP retrograde pathway in facilitating plastid transitions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.13.694159v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Adaptation of an herbivorous arthropod to green tea plants by overcoming catechin defenses 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.13.694159v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Green tea catechins are known antioxidants that benefit human health and protect tea plants from biotic stressors. However, some herbivores can counteract catechin defenses and can use tea plants as a host. Among herbivorous mites, an extreme generalist Tetranychus urticae has not been reported as a tea pest. Instead, T. kanzawai, another generalist, has some populations that thrive on tea plants. Here, we investigated the mechanism of the adaptation of these mites to tea plants. Comparative study of the intra- and inter-specific variations in mite performances uncovered differences in their behavioral and xenobiotic responsiveness to green tea catechins. We showed that green tea catechins exert complex defensive roles. They were repellent and toxic to T. urticae and tea non-adapted T. kanzawai mites. In addition, they had an antifeedant effect on tea non-adapted T. kanzawai mites. Matching the catechin structure, we identified an intradiol ring-cleavage dioxygenase TkDOG15, a gene horizontally transferred from fungi, as one required for the adaptation of T. kanzawai mites to tea plants. The TkDOG15 gene has an enhanced inducible expression in tea-adapted T. kanzawai mites. Furthermore, we identified two amino acid substitutions in DOG15 between Tetranychus species leading to the increased efficacy of the T. kanzawai encoded enzyme toward cleavage of green tea catechins. Thus, we showed that mite adaptation to tea plants occurred in a two-step process. The amino acid substitutions in DOG15 predispose T. kanzawai but not T. urticae for the adaptation to tea plants. Further increased expression of modified TkDOG15 enables T. kanzawai mites to efficiently detoxify green tea catechins, leading to intra- and inter-specific differences in mites ability to use tea plants as a host.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Takeda, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Abiskaroon, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arriaza, R. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murakami, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sasaki, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yamamoto, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhurov, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grbic, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chruszcz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Suzuki, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.13.694159</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Adaptation of an herbivorous arthropod to green tea plants by overcoming catechin defenses]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.18.695234v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Rapid High-Throughput Analysis of Bovine Skeletal Muscle Fiber Morphology via Automated Fluorescent Microscopy and MuscleBos software 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.18.695234v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Skeletal muscle tissue is comprised of many individual muscle cells (myofibers) that can be classified as different types based on their morphology, histochemistry, enzymatic reactivity, and biochemical characteristics. One of the most common methods of classification of muscle fiber type relies on the local expression of specific myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms. Adult mammalian muscle fibers are generally categorized into four major types including I, IIA, IIX, and IIB. However, the distribution of these muscle fiber types varies across both different species and muscle groups within species, influencing muscle function and physiological responses. In bovine species, skeletal muscle plays a critical role in determining in-vivo metabolic physiological processes and impacting post-harvest meat quality traits. Immunostaining methods using isoform-specific MyHC antibodies have been widely adopted to characterize muscle fiber morphology. However, manual capture and analysis of immunofluorescent images of muscle fiber type staining is time consuming, labor-intensive, and potentially susceptible to investigator bias. To address these limitations, we established and validated a high-throughput method for the analysis of bovine muscle fiber morphology that combines automated fluorescent microscopy with high-content image analysis using a customized version of the MuscleJ plugin for FIJI/ImageJ that we named MuscleBos. This refined method enables rapid quantitative characterization of muscle fiber type profile and fiber type-specific myofiber cross-sectional area in bovine skeletal muscle tissue cross-sections. This methodology should enable valuable deeper insights into future studies of muscle composition in bovine species and its impact on in vivo animal physiology and meat science.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rehman, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gouveia, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Coombe, R. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boerman, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pasternak, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Markworth, J. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.18.695234</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Rapid High-Throughput Analysis of Bovine Skeletal Muscle Fiber Morphology via Automated Fluorescent Microscopy and MuscleBos software]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695279v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Leveraging species-wide variation and patterns of adaptation to inform pecan crop improvement efforts 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695279v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The genetic basis of adaptation is a fundamental question in evolutionary biology, and understanding how species will be able to adapt to changing conditions across their range has important implications for conservation and agriculture. To accurately interrogate the genetics of adaptation and assess the adaptive capacity of a species requires also characterizing the ways other mechanisms, including geographic distance and population dynamics, shape genetic variation. Pecan is an ecologically, culturally, and economically important North American tree, and a broader understanding of the genetics of environment adaptation will aid pecan conservation, breeding, and commercial management. Here, we use an expansive set of more than 700 pecan genotypes in combination with the first haplotype-resolved genome assembly for pecan to assess species-wide genetic variation and evaluate environmental adaptation across the native distribution. We identify five gene pools in pecan, with the lowest diversity in southern gene pools, and present evidence that gene pools began differentiating during multiple glacial cycles. Using complementary genotype-environment association approaches, we infer species-wide patterns of environmental adaptation. With these results, we predict mismatches in adaptation for pecan genotypes to different environments, including future environment scenarios. We see that in all locations, present-day genotypes incur some level of predicted maladaptation to simulated future environments, but current genetic diversity may provide a valuable source of resilience to future conditions through assisted migration. These results expand the understanding of environmental adaptation in pecan and provide insight into how long-lived species will be able to adapt to future conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grabowski, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McLaughlin, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rifkin, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jenkins, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hilton, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shadgou Rhein, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cervantes, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ishimori, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sreedasyam, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plott, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webber, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bentley, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhattarai, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gabriel, P. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harmon, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kubenka, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bock, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chatwin, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grauke, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grimwood, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iwata, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klein, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mattison, C. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pisani, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmutz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Udall, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Randall, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lovell, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.19.695279</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Leveraging species-wide variation and patterns of adaptation to inform pecan crop improvement efforts]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.20.695501v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Spatially precise neuron formation via hydrogel mediated modulation of the host astrocyte response 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.20.695501v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The regenerative capacity of the central nervous system after injury or disease is limited. Advancements in genetic and epigenetic reprogramming of non-neuronal cells into induced neurons presents a promising strategy for neuronal replacement and circuit reconstruction yet is hindered by suboptimal reprogramming efficacy. Here, we have achieved high astrocyte-to-neuron reprogramming efficacy through the ectopic expression of a SOX2 transcription factor using adeno-associated viral vectors. We subsequently designed a hybrid composite biomaterial to act as an implantable reprogramming workshop that perform sequential operations. Once injected, this bespoke system forms a tissue mimetic hydrogel encouraging the ingress of astrocytes to act as our raw material. We demonstrate that the system localized and enhanced the spatially confined delivery of reprogramming factors, entrapping astrocytes to then pass through an intermediate neuroblast state to robustly yield mature neurons. Sustained delivery of valproic acid within the system further promoted neuronal maturation. Overall, using design rules informed by requirements of the reprogramming strategy, we have designed a smart delivery system optimized for both the target tissue and reprogramming factors in a minimally invasive manner to enhance neural repair.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=163 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/695501v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (65K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@397e41org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@90047forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1175831org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19f30eb_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harvey, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moriarty, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tong, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goris, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reynolds, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ahmed, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dehorter, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lisowski, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parish, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nisbet, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.20.695501</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Spatially precise neuron formation via hydrogel mediated modulation of the host astrocyte response]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695589v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Abundance redistribution increases predator-prey interaction potentials among North American birds 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695589v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Species are dramatically shifting their geographical ranges, yet the consequences of these spatial redistributions on species interactions have not been examined at broad spatial and temporal scales. Here, we investigate how the redistribution of species abundance over the past 50 years affects the potential for predator-prey interactions among North American birds. We first predict potential predator-prey interactions based on existing data and functional traits, then construct a novel, abundance-weighted metric of interaction potential for each pair of predator and prey in local communities. Across North America, the potential for predator-prey interactions has been increasing over time. We further show that this widespread increasing trend in interaction potentials is mostly driven by higher abundances of predator species. The spatial redistributions of predators and prey lead to turnover of interactions within local communities, and the turnover is less associated with changes in climate but more associated with human-induced land use changes. Our novel approach and results highlight the importance of considering traits, abundance, and species interactions--including known and potential interactions--when studying the ecological consequences of species range shifts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zou, H.-X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hsieh, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarnetske, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weeks, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.19.695589</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Abundance redistribution increases predator-prey interaction potentials among North American birds]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.21.695162v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Lipid nanoparticle protein coronas form via lipoprotein fusion rather than shell-like adsorption 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.21.695162v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Upon exposure to biological fluids, nanoparticles rapidly acquire a layer of adsorbed biomolecules, predominantly proteins, known as the protein corona. This corona significantly influences nanoparticle pharmacokinetics and biodistribution in vivo, making detailed characterization essential for the rational design of effective, targeted nanomedicines. Recent proteomics studies have identified proteins enriched on ionizable lipid nanoparticle (LNP) surfaces and demonstrated their functional effects on nucleic acid delivery. However, the structural architecture of these protein-LNP interactions remains unclear. In this study, we used cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) to directly visualize protein coronae on LNP surfaces in their native, hydrated state. Unlike hard nanoparticles (e.g., polystyrene) that develop distinct "fuzzy" protein shells, LNPs extensively associated with lipoproteins through membrane fusion rather than discrete shell formation. This structural organization was consistently observed across four LNP formulations with varied helper lipids. Parallel analyses of extracellular vesicles (EVs) showed similar lipoprotein fusion behavior, suggesting this mechanism is characteristic of lipid-based nanoparticles. Mass spectrometry identified 37 proteins across formulations, with apolipoproteins representing a substantial fraction, confirming the biochemical signature of lipoprotein engagement. These findings provide mechanistic insight into how proteins interact with LNPs unconventionally, which likely influences biodistribution and organ targeting. This alternative mode of protein-nanoparticle interaction fundamentally redefines LNP-biological system engagement and necessitates a re-evaluation of design principles to engineer specific lipoprotein engagements for improved therapeutic outcomes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Grumelot, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mohammed, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colonrosado, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sadeghi, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hilsen, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shango, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saei, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murray, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borhan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vali, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitehead, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.21.695162</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Lipid nanoparticle protein coronas form via lipoprotein fusion rather than shell-like adsorption]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.23.696053v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gene-by-Environment Interaction Significantly Drives Bacterial Endophyte Communities in Maize Stalks 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.23.696053v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
1.BackgroundMany microbes are known to boost the performance of crop plants, and their use as crop treatments ("biologicals") is an active area of research and commercialization. Although many identified microbes can boost plant production under laboratory settings, most fail to translate to field settings, and even the ones that are commercialized are often unreliable. While many factors likely underlie these issues, one that has been underexplored is the idea that interactions between plants and microbes can vary across both different host genetics and different environments, and that specific combinations of host and environment can result in very different microbial outcomes.

ResultsTo quantify how a plant microbiome can change across host genotype and environment and to determine the relative importance of these factors, we sampled maize stalks from 20 specific hybrid varieties grown at 15 locations in the United States. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we find that the stalk microbiome is highly variable, with a handful of bacterial taxa conserved at broader taxonomic levels (Phylum, Class) and almost none at finer levels (Genus, Species). Local environment and gene-by-environment interactions both had consistently large and significant effects on the microbial community (measured by alpha-and beta-diversity summary statistics, individual taxa, and inferred functional capacity), whereas host genotype had little to no consistent effect across environments. We also identified specific soil factors (pH and potassium) as the most significant environmental drivers of the community, even though these communities were living inside the stalks.

ConclusionsTaken together, our results indicate that while host genetics can significantly affect the stalk microbial community, these effects are almost entirely predicated on interactions with the environment. These results imply that reliable deployment of microbes for crop production will require significant investment in trials across many locations and genetic backgrounds, either to estimate the GxE effects directly or to screen for microbes whose effects are less dependent on these two factors.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Griffis, H. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Flint-Garcia, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirsch, C. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holland, J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knoll, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lima, D. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Leon, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Murray, S. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, M. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schnable, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sekhon, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomison, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wallace, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.23.696053</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gene-by-Environment Interaction Significantly Drives Bacterial Endophyte Communities in Maize Stalks]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.23.696271v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Oxidative Stress-Responsive Cell Wall Remodeling Depends on Phosphate in Candida albicans 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.23.696271v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The growing number of patients susceptible to invasive Candida albicans infections has intensified the need for new antifungal targets in pathways essential for fungal growth and pathogenesis. Among these pathways, phosphate homeostasis has emerged as a significant determinant of virulence, yet how phosphate availability shapes cell wall structure in response to host-derived oxidative stress remains unclear. During commensal growth, C. albicans cells typically enjoy phosphate repletion and a neutral redox environment. Transitioning to invade host tissues, they simultaneously experience phosphate deprivation and intense extrinsic oxidative stress. Here, we employ solid-state NMR to render details of cell wall remodeling in response to oxidative stress, in its dependence on phosphate. Phosphate deprived cells remodel the rigid wall core and reduce hydration and polymer mobility in the absence of oxidative stress. During hydrogen peroxide exposure, highly mobile outer polysaccharides are primary interactors. In wildtype cells, some of these polymers are recruited into the rigid core, reinforcing the wall scaffold, whereas phosphate transport mutants fail to undergo this remodeling. These findings establish phosphate acquisition as a component of oxidative defense and link nutrient sensing and -availability to the mechanical resilience of the fungal cell wall, revealing an architectural vulnerability with relevance for antifungal development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Jacob, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qi, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yarava, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barkarar, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karai, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermaas, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kohler, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.23.696271</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Oxidative Stress-Responsive Cell Wall Remodeling Depends on Phosphate in Candida albicans]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.27.695564v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Colibactin produced by a honeybee symbiont defends against pathogens and shapes the gut community 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.27.695564v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Colibactin is a bacterial genotoxin that is linked to colorectal cancer and implicated in interbacterial competition; however, its role in natural communities remains unknown. Frischella perrara, a symbiont living only in honeybee guts, produces colibactin and causes DNA damage. Here, we found that F. perrara mono-colonization reduces bee lifespan but increases survivorship following challenge with an opportunistic pathogen. F. perrara reduces pathogen loads by causing colibactin-dependent DNA damage and prophage induction. clbS, a gene conferring protection from colibactin, is ubiquitous among bacteria restricted to bee guts but is absent from opportunistic colonizers including bee pathogens. Our findings provide evidence that colibactin functions in interbacterial competition, exerts selective pressure on community members, and confers protection against pathogens, while permitting co-evolved gut symbionts to persist.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Song, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Powell, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wong, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguilar Ramos, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>de Jong, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lariviere, P. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Maganti, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balskus, E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moran, N. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.27.695564</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Colibactin produced by a honeybee symbiont defends against pathogens and shapes the gut community]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.29.695627v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Dispersal transiently modifies the temperature dependence of ecosystem productivity after an extreme thermal fluctuation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.29.695627v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Effects of warming on ecosystem productivity are typically summarized over broad time scales, yet they emerge from communities that can reorganize in a matter of days. Temperature accelerates ecosystem productivity through predictable effects on metabolic rates, but dispersal across thermally heterogeneous metacommunities may modify this effect by redistributing communities and their underlying thermal phenotypes. Using outdoor freshwater mesocosms, we tested the hypothesis that increasing dispersal modifies the thermal sensitivity of gross primary productivity through the redistribution of biomass, size spectra, and thermal phenotypes along spatial thermal gradients. High dispersal briefly weakened the thermal sensitivity of GPP after an unplanned heatwave through regional homogenization of phytoplankton community structure and the spread of poorly adapted thermal phenotypes reducing mass-specific GPP in the warmest mesocosms. Except immediately post-heatwave, the thermal sensitivity of GPP was robust to dispersal, despite evidence of metacommunity dynamics. These findings suggest that the temperature dependence of ecosystem metabolism can be briefly modified by dispersal after a perturbation, but remains robust under steady-state conditions.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Stark, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thompson, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernhardt, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Forbes, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Davis, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yangel, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jackman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heinrichs, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parfrey, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Connor, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.29.695627</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Dispersal transiently modifies the temperature dependence of ecosystem productivity after an extreme thermal fluctuation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.30.697086v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Murine implantation chamber formation precedes natural and artificial decidualization 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.30.697086v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
During pregnancy uterine stromal cells undergo a mesenchymal to epithelial cell transition termed decidualization. In humans initiation of decidualization occurs in the absence of an embryo resulting in a need to identify embryo-independent molecular cues that can initiate decidualization. Although, similar to humans, decidualization in the mouse can be induced in the absence of an embryo, whether an implantation event is prerequisite for such decidualization is not known. In this study using different models of estrogen-dependent implantation, including natural (embryo) and artificial (sesame oil, agarose only beads, and Concanavalin A coated agarose beads) we determined that implantation chamber formation precedes decidualization. We show that focal stimuli, including the embryo, Concanavalin A coated bead, and oil droplets, induce V-shaped implantation chambers that lead to sub-epithelial PTGS2 expression and decidualization. Unfertilized eggs and uncoated agarose blue beads fail to form an implantation chamber and do not initiate decidualization. Further, we show that lectins that share sugar binding properties with Concanavalin A can also induce a V-shaped implantation chamber. Finally, using second harmonic generation we show that during decidualization collagen fibers spread radially away from the implantation chamber irrespective of the focal signal used for inducing the chamber. Thus, in the mouse artificial decidualization also initiates at the site of implantation chamber formation. These findings are critical when separating physical stimulus-dependent, embryo-dependent and embryo-independent mechanisms of decidualization that underlie a successful pregnancy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Raghu Kumar, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Massri, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bhurke, A. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kapur, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gadhiya, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arora, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.30.697086</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Murine implantation chamber formation precedes natural and artificial decidualization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.30.697092v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Histone Demethylase KDM6B Promotes Postnatal Oligodendrocyte Development and Cortical Myelination 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.30.697092v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Myelination in the postnatal cortex requires epigenetic programs that activate oligodendrocyte gene networks. Here we show that the histone H3K27me3 demethylase KDM6B promotes this process in vivo. Conditional Kdm6b deletion (Kdm6b-cKO) in Emx1 dorsal telencephalic progenitors caused delayed cortical myelination. Lineage-specific RNA-seq revealed that the oligodendrocyte master regulator Sox10 was significantly reduced, as well as myelination effectors, indicating impaired oligodendrocyte maturation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays of the same lineage showed increased H3K27me3 at promoter-proximal regions of Sox10, consistent with loss of KDM6B-mediated de-repression. Temporally controlled Sox10 induction partially rescued myelination in Kdm6b-cKO mice. These findings define a KDM6B[-&gt;]SOX10 axis that licenses oligodendrocyte development and cortical myelination by removing repressive H3K27me3 and sustaining active chromatin, with implications for KDM6B-related neurodevelopmental disorders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lambries, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shen, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mias, G. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>He, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2025-12-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.30.697092</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Histone Demethylase KDM6B Promotes Postnatal Oligodendrocyte Development and Cortical Myelination]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2025-12-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.31.697239v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
α-1,3-Glucan-Driven Remodeling of the Conidial Cell Wall in an Aspergillus fumigatus Vaccine Strain Alters Innate Immune Recognition 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.31.697239v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Aspergillus fumigatus is a major cause of invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients, where current antifungal therapies are limited by toxicity, drug resistance, and lack of durable protection, and no vaccines are available. A mutant lacking the sterylglucosidase-encoding gene (sglA) has emerged as a candidate that induces protective immune responses, but the structural basis for this phenotype remains unclear. Here, we use cellular solid-state NMR spectroscopy to compare the organization of the conidial cell wall in {Delta}sglA and its wild-type counterpart. The {Delta}sglA conidial cell wall displays extensive remodeling, including increased -1,3-glucan content and structural polymorphism, strengthened interactions with {beta}-glucans, reduced hydration, and restricted molecular motion, together consolidating a more rigid scaffold with limited {beta}-glucan accessibility. These structural changes are associated with altered neutrophil responses and a shift in innate immune signaling. This work links cell-wall reorganization to altered immune recognition in this vaccine candidate, with implications for future immunotherapeutic strategies.

TEASERMolecular-level Insights from a fungal vaccine candidate show how cell-wall remodeling could affect immune response.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Singh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ankur, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yarava, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernandes, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vascelli, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sulla, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zelante, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Del Poeta, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2025.12.31.697239</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[α-1,3-Glucan-Driven Remodeling of the Conidial Cell Wall in an Aspergillus fumigatus Vaccine Strain Alters Innate Immune Recognition]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.05.697776v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Conformation Driven Enhancement of Neurolysin Activity in Presence of a Small Molecule Activator 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.05.697776v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Neurolysin (Nln) is an M3 metallopeptidase that regulates neuropeptide concentration in the central nervous system. It has emerged as a therapeutic target for mitigating post-ischemic injury by hydrolyzing and inactivating several neuropeptides. It has been recently shown that small molecule activators, such as pyridine piperazine (Py-Pip) derivatives, can enhance Nln catalytic activity, facilitating hydrolysis of Nln substrate peptides. However, binding sites of these molecules and the mechanism of action remain unclear due to the dynamic nature of Nln. Here, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the apo and activator-bound Nln systems along with Markov state modeling to identify three binding sites of Py-Pip, and quantify their effects on the Nln conformational landscape and kinetics. Two of these sites have opposing functional outcomes: Binding inside the interhelical channel favors closed conformations by slowing down channel opening, thus allowing the substrates to orient favorably for the catalytic reaction, while binding at the exterior region of the channel stabilizes open states, potentially facilitating both substrate entry and cleaved product release. These findings suggest a possibility of a multi-site allosteric activation model in which distinct binding locations selectively modulate different steps within a catalytic cycle. This framework provides a structural and kinetic model for the action of small molecule Nln activators, offering insight into the design of cerebro-protective therapeutics that reduce neuropeptide accumulation after ischemic injury.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bose, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aly, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karamyan, V. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orlando, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.05.697776</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Conformation Driven Enhancement of Neurolysin Activity in Presence of a Small Molecule Activator]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.07.698195v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Reducing Glucocorticoid Burden in Lupus with Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Docosahexaenoic Acid Augments Prednisone Efficacy in Maintaining Cyclophosphamide-Induced Remission of Preclinical Lupus Nephritis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.07.698195v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundManaging lupus nephritis (LN) remains challenging due to relapses after immunosuppressive induction and toxicity from long-term glucocorticoid (GC) maintenance therapy. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids prevent LN onset in preclinical models, but their role in maintaining remission post-induction remains unstudied.

MethodsThe silica-accelerated LN (SALN) model using lupus-prone NZBWF1 mice was used to evaluate how docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, influenced LN remission durability after cyclophosphamide (CYC) induction, alone or with a moderate dose of prednisone (PDN). Mice received intranasal silica weekly from 8 to 11 weeks. After LN developed at 21 weeks, groups were injected weekly with CYC (human equivalent dose [HED]=31 mg/day) or vehicle (VEH) for 8 weeks, during which CYC groups also received control, DHA (HED=5 g/day), PDN (HED=9 mg/day), or DHA+PDN diets. Disease activity was monitored via proteinuria, autoantibodies, and survival. Six weeks post-CYC, multi-organ histopathology and immunohistochemistry were assessed.

ResultsVEH-treated mice developed severe LN with early death. CYC slowed disease temporarily in control- and PDN-fed mice; relapses occurred after cessation. DHA or DHA+PDN increased tissue omega-3 levels and prolonged remission. PDN and DHA monotherapies and co-therapy improved survival, but DHA+PDN was most effective at sustaining remission as reflected by reduced histopathologic markers of lupus severity in the kidney, spleen, lung, and brain.

ConclusionDHA+PDN optimally maintained LN remission after CYC, supporting omega-3 supplementation as a potential GC-sparing strategy to improve immunosuppressive therapy and prevent relapses.

HighlightsO_LIFrequent post-immunosuppressive treatment flares and the toxicity from long-term maintenance therapy with glucocorticoids (GCs) limit effective management of lupus nephritis (LN).
C_LIO_LIThe silica-accelerated lupus nephritis (SALN) model in NZBWF1 mice mimics the gene-environment interactions of human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and LN, enabling synchronized and efficient preclinical studies of drug and nutritional interventions.
C_LIO_LIShort-term immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide (CYC) induces temporary remission of LN and extrarenal inflammation and autoimmunity in SALN mice, which can be extended through monotherapy with either dietary supplementation with omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or a moderate dose of the GC prednisone (PDN).
C_LIO_LICombined maintenance therapy with DHA and PDN proved more effective than monotherapy in enhancing the durability of post-CYC LN remission and in reducing extrarenal inflammation and autoimmunity in the lung, spleen, and brain.
C_LIO_LIThese preclinical findings show that dietary supplementation with omega-3s such as DHA may offer a safe, affordable, GC-sparing adjunctive option for managing LN and SLE.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Anderson, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonald, O. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, S.-R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liddle, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Estrada, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jackson, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lewandowski, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wagner, J. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkema, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pestka, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.07.698195</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Reducing Glucocorticoid Burden in Lupus with Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Docosahexaenoic Acid Augments Prednisone Efficacy in Maintaining Cyclophosphamide-Induced Remission of Preclinical Lupus Nephritis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.07.698234v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Differentiation for drought strategy but conserved plasticity to heat and drought in locally adapted populations of Arabidopsis thaliana 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.07.698234v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Background and AimsAdaptive plasticity may be crucial for plants to survive rapid environmental changes long enough for evolutionary adaptation to occur. Heat and drought are both abiotic stresses projected to increase globally and their individual impact on plant growth and function is well-characterized. However, to understand potential responses to climate change, we must manipulate multiple stressors simultaneously.

MethodsWe measured heat- and drought-related traits as well as fitness in two locally adapted populations of Arabidopsis thaliana from Rod[a]sen, Sweden and Castelnuovo di Porto, Italy. We used chamber common gardens that simulate the current fall and spring climate in Sweden and a hotter and drier climate to identify population differentiation for trait means, trait plasticity, and fitness.

Key ResultsPopulation differentiation in both treatments suggests that the Swedish population avoids drought by investing in stress-tolerant leaves while the Italian population escapes drought by flowering early. Despite these differences, there is little evidence for genetic differentiation of plasticity; when experiencing heat and drought, both populations shift their traits in the direction expected to avoid drought. Further, both populations have greatly decreased fitness in heat and drought.

ConclusionsThese results highlight that locally adapted populations with genetic differentiation for traits within a single environment can respond to the same stressors with plasticity in the same direction. Further, the combination of heat and drought will be extremely damaging to plant populations.

Lay SummaryPlant populations respond to environmental stress in different ways, and their response can determine their survival. We found that plant populations that have evolved different drought responses in their native environments still have the same drought response in an experimental hot and dry environment. Both populations also make many fewer fruits, indicating they may decline in future climates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Buysse, S. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicholes, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Conner, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.07.698234</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Differentiation for drought strategy but conserved plasticity to heat and drought in locally adapted populations of Arabidopsis thaliana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.08.698490v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
On-slide Preparation of Caenorhabditis elegans Towards Quantitative, High-Resolution LA-ICP-TOF Mass Spectrometry Imaging 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.08.698490v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Metal homeostasis is a complex process wherein essential metals serving structural, catalytic and regulatory roles are acquired, trafficked, and exported once they are present in excess. Understanding changes in metal content and localization in heterogenous tissue types is critical to understanding fundamental physiology as well as a growing number of disease states. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS) imaging is a powerful technique for untargeted quantitation and mapping of metals in biological systems. While the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a well-established model organism for fundamental biological research and metal-based diseases, there have been few reports of mass spectrometry-based imaging of C. elegans, mostly due to challenges preparing samples that maintain the native distribution of the elements. In this study, we developed an embedding, quantitation and imaging workflow that preserves C. elegans using 3D-printed uniform layer media application tools (ULMATs). Multiple embedding media were evaluated, and petrolatum, commercially known as Vaseline, stood out for its performance in preserving C. elegans for imaging applications. Worms were subjected to microscopy and LA-ICP-TOF-MS imaging where we achieved a 2-m spatial resolution by over-sampling laser shots during ablation. Quantitative elemental maps were obtained using a series of gelatin standards that were sectioned at a 40-m thickness to closely mimic the average tissue ablation depth of a Day 1 gravid adult C. elegans. Our results establish a new workflow for comprehensive elemental profiling of C. elegans using LA-ICP-TOF-MS, which holds high potential for future spatial metal biology research with C. elegans.

TOC

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=111 SRC="FIGDIR/small/698490v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (35K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7c66c5org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@13f4934org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1df3215org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@512fd2_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Reynolds, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sue, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacRenaris, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Qiu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.08.698490</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[On-slide Preparation of Caenorhabditis elegans Towards Quantitative, High-Resolution LA-ICP-TOF Mass Spectrometry Imaging]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.14.699493v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Genomic Basis of Electric Signal Diversity 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.14.699493v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Behavioral diversity is a striking result of species diversity, shaped by intertwined mechanisms, developmental pathways, and evolutionary histories. Yet the genetic underpinnings of behavioral evolution remain obscure, even though they are key to understanding how organisms adapt and diversify. Weakly electric African elephantfishes provide a rare opportunity to dissect the genetics of behavior because their electric communication signals are quantifiable, stereotyped, and directly tied to identifiable cellular mechanisms. Among elephantfishes, electric organ discharges (EODs) vary widely across species and populations, shaping mate choice, social interactions, and reproductive isolation. A key axis of this diversity is the presence or absence of an initial phase in the EOD waveform--a discrete, repeated evolutionary transition whose genetic basis has remained unresolved. Here we show, using whole-genome resequencing, population-genomic analyses, transcriptomics, and histology from 306 specimens, that biphasic EODs in Paramormyrops kingsleyae have evolved repeatedly through independent de novo regulatory mutations at distinct genomic loci. These population-specific mutations occur exclusively in noncoding regions, show localized signatures of selection, and are associated with differences in gene expression and protein localization in the electric organ, indicating that they act through cis-regulatory mechanisms affecting electrocyte development. These findings challenge the expectation that repeated within-species adaptations primarily draw from standing ancestral variation, revealing instead that the developmental program underlying electric signaling contains multiple points of regulatory sensitivity. Distinct genetic changes can therefore produce the same behavioral phenotype, enabling repeated evolutionary transitions even within a single species. More broadly, our results show how developmental architecture shapes the evolutionary pathways available to behavior, helping explain why communication signals in elephantfishes--and in other radiations--diversify so rapidly.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gallant, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Picq, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Koenig, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aba'a, N. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nzigou, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mipounga, H. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.14.699493</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Genomic Basis of Electric Signal Diversity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.14.699543v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Client distribution between Chlamydomonas FDX1 and FDX2 in carbon, nitrogen and sulfur assimilation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.14.699543v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant-type ferredoxins (Fd) comprise small, soluble protein families that distribute electrons from photosystem I to various client proteins within the chloroplast stroma. In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the major, constitutively expressed FDX1/PetF supports Fd-NADP+ reductase (FNR) in NADPH production. The highly similar FDX2 is present only when its preferred nitrogen (N) source ammonium is absent, supplying Fd-dependent nitrite reductase (NiR) for nitrate/nitrite assimilation. Surprisingly, despite accumulating to [~]10% of FDX1 abundance and preferential interaction with NiR, fdx2 mutants are asymptomatic when grown on nitrate, requiring to additionally deplete FDX1 for growth to be halted. A fdx1 knockout itself appears lethal, severe fdx1 knockdowns have reduced growth rates both in phototrophic and photoheterotrophic conditions, independent of the N source. Transcriptome analyses of fdx1 mutants revealed expression patterns similar to sulfur (S) deficient algae, and fdx1 strains have a reduced total cellular S content. S assimilation requires Fd-dependent sulfite reductase (SiR) activity, an enzyme distantly related to FDX2 client NiR. Expression defects are partially alleviated; growth and S content are less impacted with FDX2 expression. Our mutant analysis shows the two major Fds in Chlamydomonas focus on a specific subset of Fd-dependent metabolism, mostly supplying Fd-dependent enzymes involved in macronutrient assimilation (C/N/S).
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmollinger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kusi-Appiah, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villegas, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stainbrook, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strenkert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.14.699543</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Client distribution between Chlamydomonas FDX1 and FDX2 in carbon, nitrogen and sulfur assimilation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.15.699668v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
X-ray fluorescence microscopy exposure estimates using a single excitation energy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.15.699668v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Scanning fluorescence x-ray microscopy is widely used for quantitative mapping of elemental concentrations, including in studies of essential, but low-concentration metals in cells, tissues, and organs. Practical studies often use a single incident photon energy to excite fluorescence from many elements. We present calculations of the number of incident photons per pixel required to detect a specified areal concentration of an element in the case of non-resonant excitation, along with the calculated radiation dose consequently imparted in a simple model tissue. We also show how certain approximations can lead to less accurate estimates. These results can be used to guide experimental planning for studies of the role of low-concentration elements in biological tissues.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roter, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crawford, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacobsen, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.15.699668</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[X-ray fluorescence microscopy exposure estimates using a single excitation energy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.15.699802v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
NON-REDUNDANT ROLES OF COPPER TRANSPORTERS ATP7A AND ATP7B IN NORADRENERGIC SIGNALING 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.15.699802v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Menkes disease and Wilson disease are debilitating neurometabolic disorders caused by mutations in the copper (Cu) transporters ATP7A and ATP7B, respectively. In either disease, normalization of systemic Cu levels often does not eliminate neurological deficits, suggesting dysregulated Cu homeostasis within vulnerable neuronal populations. However, the specific roles of ATP7A and ATP7B and the extent of their functional redundancy in neurons remain poorly defined. Here, we selectively deleted Atp7a or Atp7b in noradrenergic neurons, which express both transporters and require Cu for catecholamine biosynthesis. ATP7A deletion reduced Cu levels in the locus coeruleus, disrupted dopamine-{beta}-hydroxylase localization, impaired norepinephrine synthesis, and induced proteomic signatures of defective vesicular trafficking and proteostasis, culminating in neurodegeneration and impaired regulation of energy balance and adaptive thermogenesis. In contrast, ATP7B deletion preserved Cu levels but altered intracellular Cu utilization, resulting in catecholamine imbalance, -synuclein upregulation, aberrant dopamine-{beta}-hydroxylase distribution, and dysregulated thermogenesis. These findings establish ATP7A and ATP7B as non-redundant regulators of noradrenergic function within neural circuits governing metabolic and energy homeostasis and provide a mechanistic framework for persistent neurological pathology independent of systemic Cu levels.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>ROY, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aja, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sinha, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Crawford, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacRenaris, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wade, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Muchenditsi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torres-Hernandez, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Na, C.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kralli, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Petris, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Halloran, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tressler, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Glunde, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>lutsenko, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.15.699802</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[NON-REDUNDANT ROLES OF COPPER TRANSPORTERS ATP7A AND ATP7B IN NORADRENERGIC SIGNALING]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.15.699680v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phosphorylation of Cyclophilin-D is Not Required for Regulation of The Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore by GSK3β 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.15.699680v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic inhibition of cyclophilin D (CypD) delays the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) and therefore reduces necrotic cell death. Elucidation of factors that impact CypD activity is therefore key to understanding the regulation of MPTP opening. Glycogen synthase kinase-3{beta} (GSK3{beta}) is a serine/threonine kinase that has been shown to modulate MPTP and cell death, potentially through phosphorylation of CypD. Therefore, we hypothesized that the mitochondrial fraction of GSK3{beta} directly phosphorylates CypD and promotes opening of MPTP. Overexpression of full length GSK3{beta} in mouse embryonic fibroblasts sensitized the MPTP and exacerbated oxidative stress-induced necrosis. In contrast, genetic inhibition of GSK3{beta} protected against oxidant-induced cytotoxicity but did not affect the MPTP. Recombinant GSK3{beta} could directly bind to and phosphorylate recombinant CypD. Mass spectrometry revealed several putative GSK3{beta} phosphorylation sites on CypD. However, mutation of these sites did not affect the peptidyl prolyl isomerase activity of CypD and reconstitution of these phosphomutants in CypD-deficient cells increased MPTP sensitivity and oxidative-induced cell death to the same extent as wild-type CypD. Further, targeted overexpression of either wild-type or kinase-inactive GSK3{beta} in the mitochondrial matrix did not impact MPTP or cell death. Moreover, while proteinase-K digestion of cardiac mitochondria showed a significant amount of GSK3{beta} in the mitochondria, it was not localized to the matrix. Finally, overexpression of GSK3{beta} was still able to increase MPTP sensitivity and oxidative stress-induced death in CypD-null cells. Taken together, these data indicate that, while GSK3{beta} can modulate MPTP, this appears to be independent of GSK3{beta}s interaction with, or phosphorylation of CypD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Alex, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klutho, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Song, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gutierrez-Aguilar, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baines, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.15.699680</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phosphorylation of Cyclophilin-D is Not Required for Regulation of The Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore by GSK3β]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.19.700417v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
From SCUBA to spectra: Broadly applicable methods for coral metabolomics research 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.19.700417v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Corals represent a complex assemblage consisting of a host cnidarian, symbiotic dinoflagellate microalgae, and associated microbiomes and viromes, collectively called the coral holobiont. Corals are foundational to tropical reefs, yet their global decline due to climate change and other stressors creates an uncertain future for this valuable ecosystem. Metabolomics is a powerful means to unravel biochemical interactions within the holobiont that underpin coral resilience and adaptation. However, the remote nature of reefs and the analytical demands of this technique often limit its application. Untargeted metabolomics presents analytical challenges that are amplified in complex samples like corals, such as identifying the biological source of metabolites. Here, we evaluate how different sample fixation methods and time delays before storage--unavoidable in field contexts--affect coral metabolome profiles. We further present a framework for mapping metabolites in holobiont samples to their coral host and algal symbiont origins and introduce a spectral library to improve and automate annotation of coral lipids. Additionally, we demonstrate how single samples can be used concurrently for metabolomics, DNA amplification, and proteomics. Together, our study provides a streamlined, field-adaptable workflow for coral metabolomics that enables larger-scale studies and broader adoption of metabolomics in coral reef research and conservation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rosset, S. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cline, T. J. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shivaiah, K.-K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ashley, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Smith, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tortorelli, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rapid Resilient Reefs Consortium,</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Walling, L. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parkinson, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermeij, M. J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bouhaddou, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Drury, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Roach, T. N. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Quinn, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.19.700417</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[From SCUBA to spectra: Broadly applicable methods for coral metabolomics research]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.16.699976v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Wildfire, restoration, and post-wildfire rehabilitation effects on wind erosion in the Great Basin 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.16.699976v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Restoration of degraded areas and post-disturbance rehabilitation after wildfire encompass critical approaches for reducing and reversing impacts of wind erosion and sand and dust storms (SDS). However, the broad outcomes of dryland restoration and rehabilitation for wind erosion and SDS remain underexplored. Wind erosion is an emerging issue in the Great Basin of the western United States, exacerbated by invasive annual grasses and associated wildfire. Here, we assess potential wind erosion and SDS responses to wildfire, restoration, and post-wildfire rehabilitation treatments at the regional scale in the Great Basin. We used 13 years of rangeland monitoring data, the Aeolian EROsion model, and the Land Treatment Digital Library to produce counterfactual model-predictions to estimate treatment effects. Our results revealed reductions in aeolian sediment fluxes (Ln Q < 0 g m-1 d-1) across wildfire-affected regions (mean {+/-} SE: -0.070 {+/-} 0.077 Ln Q), restoration treatments in unburned areas (range: -0.867 {+/-} 0.398 to 0.480 {+/-} 0.253 Ln Q), and post-wildfire rehabilitation (range: -0.821 {+/-} 0.183 to 1.278 {+/-} 0.909 Ln Q). In particular, aerial seeding and soil disturbance restoration treatments, and post-wildfire closure-treatments had higher perennial grass cover and the most decreased Ln Q compared to untreated controls. These results represent an important regional scale assessment of wind erosion responses to restoration and post-wildfire rehabilitation. Our findings underscore the application of integrating wind erosion and SDS mitigation into restoration and post-disturbance rehabilitation programs to provide land managers with strategies to reduce land degradation while fostering ecosystem resilience.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Treminio, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webb, N. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edwards, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Newingham, B. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garbowski, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brungard, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dubois, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Faist, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kachergis, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Houdeshell, C.-A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.16.699976</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Wildfire, restoration, and post-wildfire rehabilitation effects on wind erosion in the Great Basin]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.19.700402v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Refactored genetic parts for modular assembly of the E. coli MccV type I secretion system used to screen class II microcin candidates from plant-associated bacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.19.700402v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
BackgroundMicrocins are small antibacterial proteins secreted by gram-negative bacteria. The activities of new microcins discovered using bioinformatic searches need to be validated and characterized to understand how they mediate competition in microbiomes and to evaluate their potential as new therapeutics for combating antibiotic resistance. Engineered plasmids containing the type I secretion system associated with Escherichia coli Microcin V (MccV) can secrete heterologous proteins, including other class II microcins, and this system functions in other bacterial hosts. However, existing microcin secretion constructs are not designed for easily swapping components -- such as origins of replication, resistance genes, promoters, and signal peptides -- that may need to be changed for compatibility with other chassis.

ResultsWe refactored the E. coli MccV type I secretion system into genetic parts compatible with a modular Golden Gate assembly scheme and used these parts to construct two-plasmid microcin secretion systems. In our design, one plasmid encodes the type I secretion system proteins, and the other encodes a signal peptide fused to the cargo protein that will be secreted. We tested two versions of a system with inducible promoters separately controlling expression of the components on each plasmid. One used plasmids that replicate in E. coli and its close relatives. The other used broad-host-range plasmids. When induced to secrete MccV, both versions produced similar zones of inhibition against a susceptible strain of E. coli. Next, we identified putative class II microcins in genomes of bacteria from plant-associated genera (Pantoea, Erwinia, and Xanthomonas) using an existing bioinformatics pipeline. We screened 23 of these putative microcins for E. coli self-inhibition. Seven exhibited some inhibition, mostly later in growth curves, but none had effects that were comparable in strength to MccV.

ConclusionsThe genetic parts we created can be assembled in various combinations into tailored systems for secreting small proteins from diverse bacterial chassis. These systems can be used to further characterize the targets of novel microcins and to secrete these or other small proteins for various applications. For example, beneficial bacteria used in crop protection could be engineered to secrete microcins that kill or inhibit plant pathogens to increase their efficacy.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Morton, A. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chaudhari, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Matibag, B. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iyengar, V. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dullen, K. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>VanDieren, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parker, J. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mishler, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barrick, J. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.19.700402</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Refactored genetic parts for modular assembly of the E. coli MccV type I secretion system used to screen class II microcin candidates from plant-associated bacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.17.700116v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Precursor-Dependent Routing of Aromatic Amino Acids Determines Lignin Structure in Grasses by Sensitivity-Enhanced Solid-State NMR 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.17.700116v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lignin biosynthesis in grasses exhibits unique metabolic flexibility, yet the precursor-specific routing of carbon into lignin polymers remains poorly resolved in planta. Here, we combine 13C-isotope labeling with solid-state NMR under sensitivity-enhancement by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), to directly track phenylalanine- and tyrosine-derived carbon incorporation into the lignin polymer in Brachypodium distachyon. Precursor-specific 13C labeling reveals that phenylalanine is the dominant contributor to canonical guaiacyl and syringyl lignins, whereas tyrosine preferentially enriches hydroxyphenyl lignin and hydroxycinnamates, including ferulates characteristic of grass cell walls. Two-dimensional 13C-13C correlation NMR resolves distinct lignin moieties arising from each precursor. Disruption of p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H) selectively impairs phenylalanine-derived lignification, while tyrosine-derived lignin remains comparatively unchanged, maintaining polymer assembly through alternative metabolic routes. These findings show precursor-dependent control of lignin composition and reveal tyrosine-mediated lignification as a compensatory pathway in grasses. This work also establishes precursor-resolved solid-state NMR and DNP as a powerful framework for dissecting lignin biosynthesis and metabolic plasticity in plant cell walls.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTLignin is a complex plant polymer that strengthens cell walls but also limits the efficiency of biomass processing for agriculture and bioenergy. Grasses possess a unique lignin biosynthetic flexibility that is not well understood. By combining stable isotope labeling with solid-state NMR spectroscopy, we directly traced how the aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine and tyrosine, contribute differently to lignin formation in intact grass cell walls. We show that phenylalanine primarily builds conventional lignin structures, whereas tyrosine supplies alternative phenolic components and maintains lignin synthesis even when a key biosynthetic enzyme is disrupted. This metabolic flexibility helps explain the unique structural aspects of grass cell walls and identifies precursor-level control as a promising strategy for engineering lignin composition to improve biomass utilization.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Sahu, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Debnath, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiao, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunaga, S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scott, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bentelspacher, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mentink-Vigier, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barros, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.17.700116</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Precursor-Dependent Routing of Aromatic Amino Acids Determines Lignin Structure in Grasses by Sensitivity-Enhanced Solid-State NMR]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.18.700186v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Chaotropic Ions Reshape the Cell Wall of the Obligate Halophile Aspergillus atacamensis: Insight from Solid-State NMR 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.18.700186v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fungal survival in hypersaline environments requires exceptional adaptation of polysaccharide-based cell walls, yet the molecular principles underlying these adaptations remain largely unknown due to the extreme rarity of obligate halophilic fungi. Aspergillus atacamensis is an obligate halophile and chaotolerant fungus capable of growth at saturating NaCl concentrations and unusually high levels of MgCl2. Here, we used multidimensional solid-state NMR spectroscopy to investigate the molecular organization, hydration, and dynamics of cell wall polysaccharides in intact, uniformly 13C-labeled A. atacamensis cells grown under kosmotropic NaCl and chaotropic MgCl2 conditions. Under NaCl conditions, the rigid cell wall core was dominated by {beta}-1,3-glucan and chitin across all salinities. Hyperosmotic NaCl induced thinner, dehydrated walls with increased polysaccharide mobility. In contrast, MgCl2 exposure resulted in marked remodeling of wall carbohydrates, including the emergence of chitosan, incorporation of mannan into the rigid phase, increased wall thickness, and enhanced hydration and dynamics. Together, these findings reveal fundamentally distinct polysaccharide remodeling strategies in response to kosmotropic versus chaotropic stress and establish a molecular framework for understanding fungal survival in extreme ionic environments.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=80 SRC="FIGDIR/small/700186v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (27K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a38e89org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1e2f7fdorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@71a94org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@61f2c4_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG HIGHLIGHTSO_LISolid-state NMR reveals salt-dependent remodeling of fungal cell wall polysaccharides
C_LIO_LIKosmotropic and chaotropic salts drive distinct cell wall adaptation strategies
C_LIO_LINaCl stress promotes dehydration and compaction of the {beta}-1,3-glucan-chitin framework
C_LIO_LIMgCl2 induces chitosan emergence and alters mannan organization in the rigid phase
C_LIO_LIPolysaccharide hydration and dynamics encode fungal adaptation to extreme environments
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Gautam, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Munoz, G. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karai, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paul-Latge, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Llano, Y. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gunde-Cimerman, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Batista-Garcia, R. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.18.700186</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Chaotropic Ions Reshape the Cell Wall of the Obligate Halophile Aspergillus atacamensis: Insight from Solid-State NMR]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.19.700218v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Gravid Anopheles stephensi Detects Indole for Oviposition Despite Ablation of Antennae and Maxillary Palps 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.19.700218v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Oviposition site selection is critical for mosquito population dynamics. Gravid mosquitoes rely on chemical cues to identify suitable breeding habitats. However, the sensory mechanisms governing this behavior in Anopheles stephensi remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the role of indole, a microbial volatile associated with aquatic environments, in oviposition site choice and assessed the involvement of sensory organs in its detection. In two-choice oviposition assays, water conditioned with first-instar larvae attracted gravid females (OAI = 0.56), whereas water from fourth-instar larvae was repellent (OAI = -0.20), consistent with avoidance of suboptimal, resource-depleted habitats. Indole elicited strong oviposition attraction across a broad concentration range (0.1-50 {micro}M), with no clear dose-response relationship. Surgical ablation of antennae and maxillary palps did not abolish indole-mediated preference but significantly reduced behavioral variability, suggesting that these structures modulate, rather than solely mediate, indole detection. Reanalysis of transcriptomes of antennae, maxillary palps, and legs in An. gambiae and An. coluzzii, along with quantitative RT-PCR in An. stephensi, revealed the expression of chemosensory genes (including Obp1, Obp13, Obp25, Obp71, Or2, and Or10) in the legs, indicating a potential role for leg chemosensation in oviposition decisions. These findings underscore the complexity of chemoreception and chemoperception in mosquito habitat assessment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Agbetsi, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.19.700218</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Gravid Anopheles stephensi Detects Indole for Oviposition Despite Ablation of Antennae and Maxillary Palps]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.19.700375v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A dynamic RNA hub facilitates activation induced cytidine deaminase recruitment to the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.19.700375v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) converts cytosines to uracils within the actively transcribed switch regions to initiate DNA repair and formation of DNA double strand breaks required for immunoglobulin class switch recombination (CSR). How AID specifically targets switch regions remains a key unanswered question. Using a multimodal live cell single molecule imaging approach, we demonstrate that intronic switch regions promote robust transcription by enhancing polymerase loading and persistent transcriptional bursts, resulting in the formation of a dynamic RNA hub consisting of numerous nascent switch transcripts simultaneously tethered to the IgH locus. We further demonstrate that AID interacts with switch region RNA in vivo, and that this interaction is required for recruitment of AID to the IgH locus. Together, our findings show that the RNA hub formed by nascent switch region transcripts may be part of a "class switch recombination center" and drives the specific recruitment of AID to the IgH locus to initiate CSR.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mikhova, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kapanka, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Han, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.19.700375</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A dynamic RNA hub facilitates activation induced cytidine deaminase recruitment to the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.20.700549v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biosynthesis of 14-membered cyclopeptide alkaloids via non-heme-iron- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxidative decarboxylation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.20.700549v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cyclopeptide alkaloids are an expanding class of plant peptide natural products defined by a macrocyclic ether-crosslink via a tyrosine-derived phenol. Classical cyclopeptide alkaloids are characterized by strained 13-to 15-membered cyclophanes and terminal modifications such as N-methylation and C-terminal styrylamine moieties. While synthetic access to many classical cyclopeptide alkaloids has been established, no biosynthetic route has been reported. Here, we elucidate the biosynthetic pathway of a 14-membered cyclopeptide alkaloid, lotusine A, from Chinese date tree (Ziziphus jujuba) which features peptide cyclization on a ribosomal precursor peptide by a split burpitide cyclase, non-heme-iron and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxidative decarboxylation affording the C-terminal hydroxystyrylamine, and SAM-dependent N-terminal -N,N-dimethylation. We apply discovered Z. jujuba enzymes in combination with a clubmoss cyclopeptide alkaloid cyclase for biosynthesis and diversification of analgesic adouetine X and anxiolytic sanjoinine A by combining in planta and in vitro reactions. Our work expands the biocatalytic repertoire of non-heme-iron- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent enzymology to oxidative peptide decarboxylation and primes scaled metabolic engineering and chemoenzymatic synthesis of 14-membered cyclopeptide alkaloids with terminal posttranslational modifications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hungerford, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mydy, L. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mendoza-Perez, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ousley, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shafiq, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDonough, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>May, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chigumba, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yao, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kersten, R. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.20.700549</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biosynthesis of 14-membered cyclopeptide alkaloids via non-heme-iron- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxidative decarboxylation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.20.700631v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
N-terminal phosphorylation inhibits Arabidopsis katanin and affects vegetative and reproductive development in opposite ways 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.20.700631v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Katanin is an evolutionarily conserved microtubule-severing enzyme that is essential for cytoskeletal remodeling throughout the plant life cycle. However, the molecular mechanisms that tune katanin activity to meet distinct cellular requirements remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that N-terminal phosphorylation of the Arabidopsis thaliana p60 katanin subunit (KTN1) serves as a key regulatory switch controlling microtubule severing during vegetative and reproductive development. Using in vitro biochemical assays, we show that combined phosphorylation of three conserved serine residues (S92, S147, S199) inhibits KTN1s microtubule-severing activity by reducing both microtubule-binding affinity and ATPase activity. Strikingly, phosphomimetic (DDD) and phosphonull (AAA) versions of KTN1 exhibit opposite developmental phenotypes. The constitutively active AAA mutant rescues defects in cortical microtubule organization and vegetative growth but leads to abnormal meiotic spindles, reduced pollen viability, and defective pollen tube growth, resulting in low male fertility. Conversely, the catalytically impaired DDD mutant fails to restore vegetative growth but supports normal male fertility. These findings reveal that phosphorylation differentially modulates KTN1 activity to balance the opposing requirements for high microtubule severing during interphase cell expansion versus limited severing during meiotic cell divisions, providing a sophisticated mechanism to coordinate cytoskeletal dynamics with plant developmental programs.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ambastha, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burkart, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Balkunde, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dixit, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-23</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.20.700631</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[N-terminal phosphorylation inhibits Arabidopsis katanin and affects vegetative and reproductive development in opposite ways]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-23</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.23.701371v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Assessing the Stability of Molecular Glues with Weighted Ensemble Simulations 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.23.701371v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Targeted protein degradation is an emerging approach that utilizes cellular degradation pathways to inhibit a target protein. Small molecules such as molecular glues or PROTACs can be used to mediate the formation of a ternary complex with an E3 ligase and the target protein, which can dramatically enhance the degradation process. This approach is promising for cancer therapy, where degradation of oncogenic proteins can lead to cancer cell toxicity. To design new molecular glues, it is important to develop methods that predict how well a given molecule stabilizes a protein-protein interaction. However, conventional molecular dynamics simulations face challenges in capturing the long-timescale binding and unbinding events that would be used to evaluate this stabilization. In this study, we developed a strategy that allows us to evaluate the stability of protein-protein interactions in the presence of a glue molecule using weighted ensemble simulations in combination with weakened protein-protein interactions. Using this strategy, we generated unbinding trajectories of the DCAF15-RBM39 system with small molecules E7820, Indisulam, and several other Indisulam analogs. We were able to observe distinctly different behaviors between systems with different glues, which was in agreement with their reported EC50 values. We believe this approach could aid drug discovery efforts by expanding the set of druggable targets and improving the success rate of molecular glue development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Atik, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickson, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-26</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.23.701371</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Assessing the Stability of Molecular Glues with Weighted Ensemble Simulations]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-26</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.28.702312v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Global Proteomic Analysis of Colorectal Cancers Stratified by Microsatellite Instability Subtype Reveals Protein Differences 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.28.702312v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lynch syndrome, historically known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, is caused by germline mutations in the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes, MLH1, MSH2 (EPCAM), MSH6, and PMS2. While the genetic changes associated with Lynch Syndrome have previously been characterized, there have not been studies of the associated proteomic alterations, in part because of the limited availability of primary samples and the absence of in vitro model systems. In this study, the first large-scale tissue proteomic assessment of Lynch Syndrome samples as well as three other subtypes of colorectal cancer was completed with specimens from the Ohio Colorectal Cancer Prevention Initiative. The cohort contained three groups of microsatellite unstable (MSI-high) CRC patients (Lynch syndrome, double somatic MMR mutation, and MLH1 hypermethylation) and a group of microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC patients. A total of 122 tumor and complimentary normal mucosa samples from 61 patients were evaluated using label-free bottom-up proteomic analysis. Hierarchical clustering analysis of the global proteome showed that the MSS group was significantly different than the three MSI-high groups. Of the 1,084 proteins found to be dysregulated across all four colorectal cancer subtypes, there were age at diagnosis associated shifts in proteins correlated with tumor proliferation and immune regulation for the Lynch syndrome and Double Somatic samples. The proteins TPD52, GMDS, and DSP showed increased protein abundance correlated with older age at diagnosis. In addition, the Lynch syndrome samples showed substantial sex-based differences in immune and inflammatory pathways, for example, downregulation of ZG16, DIS3, and WDR43. This study fills a critical gap as the first proteomic characterization of Lynch syndrome samples to date. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD073693.

TeaserThis is the first study of the global proteomic differences between Lynch Syndrome and other forms of colorectal cancer.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tobias, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sekera, E. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xiong, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fang, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hampel, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pearlman, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hummon, A. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.28.702312</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Global Proteomic Analysis of Colorectal Cancers Stratified by Microsatellite Instability Subtype Reveals Protein Differences]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.28.702358v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Encapsulation in a bacterial microcompartment shell improves thermal stability of a glycolytic enzyme 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.28.702358v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Selective encapsulation of target enzymes is an increasingly well studied field with a host of potential applications for biotechnology. Natively, many bacteria utilize bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) for enzyme encapsulation to enhance catalysis. BMCs are protein shells that enable selective localization of targeted metabolic enzymes and may improve catalytic rates by co-localizing pathway enzymes and/or serve to sequester toxic or volatile intermediates. The microcompartment shell of Haliangium ochraceum (HO) is a notable BMC chassis because of its modularity and versatility; it is easily expressed and assembled outside its native host and can accept a wide array of cargo. Recently, it was demonstrated that assembly of HO BMC shells can be easily achieved in vitro. Following up on our previous work on in vivo assembly of HO-BMCs with triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) as model enzyme cargo, here we have demonstrated the advantages of in vitro assembly (IVA) for targeted enzyme encapsulation. We achieved variable loading of BMC shells with targeted amounts of TPI and demonstrated enhanced thermal stability of encapsulated TPI versus free TPI up to 62{degrees}C.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Tefft, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yadav, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cross, M. C. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Swiggett, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermaas, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-29</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.28.702358</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Encapsulation in a bacterial microcompartment shell improves thermal stability of a glycolytic enzyme]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-29</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.27.699563v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Global population structures and demographic history of Suillus luteus, a pine co-introduced ectomycorrhizal fungus associated with exotic forestry and invasion. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.27.699563v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human colonization since the 19th century has resulted in the global spread of pines across the Southern Hemisphere, well beyond their original northern boreal distribution. Such introductions moved not only the pines but also expanded the distribution of their symbiotic partners. Although the introduction of pines is documented through historical records, little is known about the introduction history of their ectomycorrhizal fungi, which are critical symbionts for the survival and invasion of pines. Using Suillus luteus as an example, population genomic analyses of 208 individuals across both native and introduced ranges showed that all introductions originated from Europe, likely mediated by human activities along with pine introductions. With the exception of North America, introduced populations were genetically differentiated from the Europe population, with varying magnitudes of population expansion in different introduced regions, often linked to forestry practices. Genetic variation within the native European population followed isolation by distance, but not in the introduced range, highlighting the disparity in the spatial genetic patterns of native versus exotic habitats. This study provides insight into the population genetics of a globally introduced ectomycorrhizal fungus whose introduction process is likely applicable to other pine-co-introduced ectomycorrhizal fungi.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ke, Y.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bazzicalupo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruytinx, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lofgren, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bruns, T. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Branco, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Looney, B. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirose, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tedersoo, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peintner, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rojas, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liao, H.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Plett, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anderson, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lipzen, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuo, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barry, K. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grigoriev, I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoeksema, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nguyen, N. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kennedy, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vilgalys, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.27.699563</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Global population structures and demographic history of Suillus luteus, a pine co-introduced ectomycorrhizal fungus associated with exotic forestry and invasion.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.27.702075v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Robust Chemical-free Platform for Age-Synchronized Caenorhabditis elegans Populations Maintenance for High-Throughput Screening in Aging Studies 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.27.702075v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a well-established model for investigating the mechanisms of aging and age-related disorders like neurodegeneration. However, maintaining age-synchronized populations of C. elegans for aging studies without genetic or pharmacological interventions presents significant challenges, given their high reproductive rate: each nematode produces over 300 progeny. The traditional method for maintaining an age-synchronized population for multi-day studies without interventions is labor-intensive and low-throughput, hindering research on aging mechanisms and the identification of novel interventions for aging.

To address these limitations, a novel, robust method was developed to sustain age-synchronized populations in a 96-well plate liquid culture format for up to 12 days without custom-made apparatuses. The robustness of this method was substantially improved by optimizing the surface composition of the multi-well plate and disposables, refining culture parameters, including life stage, medium composition, and bacterial food concentration. To facilitate unbiased phenotype assessment throughout the lifespan, we used a Wmicrotracker ONE reader to monitor worm movement and viability in a multi-well plate. The overall fitness decline with aging using our method is comparable to that of worms maintained on solid agar. Lastly, using transgenic C. elegans carrying tauopathy, we demonstrated the ability of applying our optimized platform for high-throughput screening with a Z-factor of 0.7.

Our novel method simplifies age-synchronized population maintenance, enhances progeny separation, and reduces costs, enabling high-throughput screening of compounds and RNAi libraries. These advancements greatly enhance the versatility of C. elegans as a model organism, offering a scalable platform for genetic and compound screening and for comprehensive investigations into drug discovery and disease mechanisms.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Yousefsaber, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sarparast, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Johnson, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alan, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lee, K. S. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-01-30</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.27.702075</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Robust Chemical-free Platform for Age-Synchronized Caenorhabditis elegans Populations Maintenance for High-Throughput Screening in Aging Studies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-01-30</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.30.702904v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Normal table of post-embryonic larval development for the California newt,  Taricha torosa 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.30.702904v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
We present here a normal table for post-embryonic development in the California newt (Taricha torosa), part of a genus of newts frequently studied for their toxicity and role within a predator-prey relationship. We generated the table by observing larvae collected as eggs in the wild and hatched and reared in the lab through metamorphosis. Building upon an established table consisting of 40 embryonic stages of development, our table consists of 13 stages based on discrete anatomical changes, primarily in limb development, and concludes at Stages 12-13 when the larvae undergo metamorphosis. We also describe more gradual phenotypic changes and their correlation to discrete stages in the developmental timeline. Finally, we illustrate the variability of the timing for reaching these stages in a controlled lab environment, demonstrating that time from hatching is not a reliable metric for standardizing results for diverse studies involving developing larvae. This staging table and accompanying observations will facilitate cross-study integration of research with larval T. torosa.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Westcott, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bucciarelli, G. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Heath-Heckman, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eisthen, H. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.30.702904</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Normal table of post-embryonic larval development for the California newt,  Taricha torosa]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.31.701472v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Polyploid cardiomyocytes define disease-specific transcriptional states in the mammalian heart 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.31.701472v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The adult mammalian heart has a limited regenerative capacity. Following injury, cardiomyocytes undergo a hypertrophic response accompanied by polyploidization, which has been described as a barrier to proliferation and regeneration of the heart1,2. However, the unique molecular programs of polyploidy, or genome multiplied cardiomyocytes, and their influence on the disease-related myocardial remodelling process remains unclear. Here, we integrate single-nuclei and high-resolution spatial multi-omics across human, rat, and mouse hearts to define novel cardiac cell states and their tissue niches in ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease. Computational analysis across scales allowed us to generate detailed networks of the cardiac tissue remodelling process as well as tissue and sub-cellular environments uniquely enriched in polyploid cardiomyocytes or their diploid origins. We identify a conserved, dichotomous transcriptional program distinguishing diploid from polyploid cardiomyocytes. Polyploid cardiomyocytes demonstrated rewired metabolic and chromatin-remodeling transcriptional programs and recapitulate the gene signature of immature human fetal cardiomyocytes. Notably, we observe that polyploid cardiomyocytes--rather than the general myocyte population--are the primary sites of enrichment for major heart-failure drug targets, including the mineralocorticoid, {beta}1-adrenergic, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors. Based on our cross-species dataset we further identified TNIK, a Wnt-pathway regulator expressed in polyploid cardiomyocytes across species, as a potential therapeutic target and demonstrate that pharmacological TNIK inhibition improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction in rats. Together, this species-spanning, disease-resolved study redefines cardiomyocyte heterogeneity in heart disease and suggests a therapeutic path to heart failure treatment by targeting polyploid cardiomyocytes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kiessling, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joodaki, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pikulska, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Scheidereit, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cesaro, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ruiz, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuehn, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Peng, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goni, O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Foecking, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Samiei, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liao, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Feng, Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mavrommatis, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vllaho, A.-M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rombach, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cucinella, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cheng, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lautenschlaeger, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Morales, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Veltrop, R. J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schurgers, L. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>von Scheidt, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klinkhammer, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kahles, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kranz, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Aguirre, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Loft, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kluemper, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eckstein, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seidel, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Forte, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Westland, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ren, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hayat, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amrute, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kopecky, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schneider, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Medyouf, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tharaux, P.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boor, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kramann,</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-03</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.01.31.701472</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Polyploid cardiomyocytes define disease-specific transcriptional states in the mammalian heart]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-03</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.03.703587v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Intra-annual precipitation variability mutes or magnifies the impact of wet and dry years on plant biomass. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.03.703587v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
As the atmosphere warms, both the amount and timing of precipitation are changing, but how those two trends interact to influence plant growth remains unresolved. Using 5-15 years of data from 48 globally distributed grassland sites, we quantified how the temporal distribution of precipitation within the year (evenness) interacts with annual precipitation amount and nutrient limitation to influence plant biomass. Annual precipitation anomalies had a large influence on plant biomass when intra-annual precipitation was more evenly distributed (frequent small events) and little impact when less even (infrequent large events). This relationship was consistent across aridity gradients and nutrient limitations and strongest in systems with warm wet seasons. Our work shows that the response of plant systems to changes in annual precipitation amount are largely dependent on how evenly it is temporally distributed.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Terry, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Higgins, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hammer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adler, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brudvig, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bakker, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borer, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bugalho, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Caldeira, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Catford, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Collins, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dickman, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hagenah, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Komatsu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Knops, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Niu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Raynaud, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Risch, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Seabloom, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wardle, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yost, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jentsch, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.03.703587</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Intra-annual precipitation variability mutes or magnifies the impact of wet and dry years on plant biomass.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.05.703516v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
The Signal in the Noise: Hierarchy and Robustness of Physiological Audience Alignment during Narrative Media 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.05.703516v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Communication research traditionally prioritizes receiver variance, often overlooking how a single message induces commonality across distinct systems. Drawing on classical theory, we propose that effective messages entrain the biological rhythms of the audience. In a large-scale experiment (N=198) monitoring eye-tracking, heart rate, and electrodermal activity during a film, we mapped this alignment. Results reveal a processing hierarchy: alignment was strongest for information acquisition (gaze) but also extended to downstream autonomic regulation. Crucially, a temporal manipulation confirmed this state is content-locked: alignment vanished when the narrative sequence was altered but was restored upon computational unscrambling of the physiological time series. This confirms that responses carry a temporal fingerprint of the content. We conclude that messages function as alignment devices, reducing individual noise to create a network of receivers exhibiting shared processing states, thus providing a materially grounded, signal-based definition of the audience.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmaelzle, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cho, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.05.703516</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[The Signal in the Noise: Hierarchy and Robustness of Physiological Audience Alignment during Narrative Media]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.06.704425v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Large-Scale Cryo-EM RNA Motif Dataset and Benchmark for Machine Learning-Based Structure Modeling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.06.704425v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
MotivationRNA molecules play critical roles in gene regulation, viral replication, and cellular control, with their functions tightly coupled to three-dimensional structure. Advances in cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) now enable RNA structure characterization across a broad resolution range. RNA secondary structural motifs, including hairpins, internal loops, and bulges, act as fundamental building blocks of RNA tertiary architecture and are key targets in RNA-focused therapeutic design. Despite this, most computational approaches for RNA structure prediction from cryo-EM density maps do not explicitly utilize secondary structural motifs as intermediate representations, largely due to the absence of large-scale, high-quality, and motif-resolved datasets suitable for machine learning.

ResultsHere, we present a large, open-source dataset containing over 125,000 motif-resolved cryo-EM density maps paired with corresponding atomic structures, spanning 25 classes of RNA secondary structural motifs. The dataset covers resolutions from 1.5 [A] to 34.0 [A], encompassing both near-atomic and low-resolution density maps relevant to RNA modeling. Each motif instance includes a segmented cryo-EM density map represented as a standardized 3D voxel grid, with atomic-level motif annotations propagated to voxel-level labels for RNA backbone, ribose sugar, and nucleobase components. Segmentation quality is validated via cross-correlation analysis, demonstrating strong agreement between motif-level density maps and atomic reference models. To illustrate the datasets utility, high-resolution maps (1.5-2.8 [A]) were used to train a machine learning classifier that distinguished five motif classes with a specificity of 0.948.

Availability and ImplementationSource code, implementation of the fully automated pipeline, and the benchmark datasets are publicly available at

GitHubhttps://github.com/DrDongSi/3DEM-RNA-Motif-Dataset

Zenodohttps://zenodo.org/communities/3dem-rna-motif-dataset

Contacthoujie@msu.edu, dongsi@uw.edu
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Murugadass, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rana, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Znosko, B. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hou, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Si, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.06.704425</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Large-Scale Cryo-EM RNA Motif Dataset and Benchmark for Machine Learning-Based Structure Modeling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.06.704115v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Large language models unlock the ecology of species interactions 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.06.704115v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Species interactions can determine species population sizes, geographic ranges, evolutionary trajectories, and responses to environmental change. Yet, despite their importance to many fundamental and applied questions, information on species interactions is often lacking due to constraints in data collection. Billions of text comments that have been submitted by millions of citizen scientists around the world have the potential to fill these gaps. Comments can be used to identify biotic interactions using advanced large language models (LLMs), providing a novel source of interaction data that is unusually high in spatiotemporal coverage, breadth, and resolution. This novel approach opens new avenues to evaluate species interactions on a broader scale, and to characterize and conserve biodiversity under pressing global change.

Highlights- Although species interactions are central to biodiversity dynamics, progress in resolving their fundamental properties and forecasting their shifts under global change has been hindered by persistent data limitations
- Citizen science platforms contain billions of observer text comments that often contain valuable information about species interactions, but the unstructured format of the information and the size of the datasets make these comments difficult to use
- Large language models (LLMs) provide an unparalleled opportunity to collect and analyze species interactions from such comments
- Using two case studies, we present a workflow that leverages LLMs to automatically collect species interaction observations from citizen science comments in multiple languages around the world
- Such a novel source of data greatly expands the data coverage and resolution of species interactions across space and time and can help to answer both long-standing ecological questions and new, pressing questions about ecological responses to global change
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zou, H.-X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hajamaideen, T. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stein, O. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beltran, R. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Freeman, B. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lindquist, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Miller, E. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mengarelli, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Probst, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Valdovinos, F. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Van Berkel, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarnetske, P. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weeks, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhu, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.06.704115</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Large language models unlock the ecology of species interactions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.11.704804v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Biotic modulators of global change effects on plant communities 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.11.704804v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Understanding and predicting future plant biodiversity and productivity is critical for prioritizing global change mitigation, conservation, and restoration efforts. One major challenge is that we know remarkably little of how interspecific interactions may modulate the effects of global change factors on diversity and productivity. Here, we develop and test a synthetic conceptual framework about how different  biotic modulators (herbivory, plant-plant interactions, pathogens, mycorrhiza) can either amplify or mitigate the effects of global change drivers (nutrient and CO2 enrichment, changes in rainfall and temperature) on plant community biomass and diversity. We report that herbivores mitigated both biomass increment and diversity decline caused by different global change drivers, while plant competition did not significantly alter global change impacts due to mixed effects (both amplification and mitigation). Pathogens tended to function similarly to herbivores, while mycorrhiza both amplified and mitigated community responses. Our conceptual framework further identifies mechanisms by which species interactions can modify global change effects, provides new testable hypotheses, and identifies research gaps and future research directions. We conclude that plant consumers can be important agents stabilizing plant productivity and safeguarding plant biodiversity in the Anthropocene, while more research is urgently needed to understand the role of other biotic modulators.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Eskelinen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Andrzejak, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harpole, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harrison, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Classen, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Laine, A.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pichon, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Risch, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alexander, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jessen, M.-T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zarnetske, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Korell, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.11.704804</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Biotic modulators of global change effects on plant communities]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.17.706432v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Summary statistics and approximate bayesian computation are comparable to convolutional neural networks for inferring times to fixation 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.17.706432v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Detecting signatures of positive selection in genomes is a common application of population genetics and one of the most influential models for this task is the hard selective sweep where a de novo mutation rapidly fixes. Many statistics have been developed to detect hard sweeps, often attempting to summarize signatures left behind in the site frequency, spectrum, linkage disequilibrium, and haplotype frequency. However, potentially undiscovered signals could still exist. We attempted to test whether any undiscovered signatures of hard sweeps exist by comparing machine learning models, which can learn signatures from raw data without any prior knowledge, to known summary statistics for inferring the time to fixation (tf) of a hard sweep in a background of variable sweep ages (ta). Across approximately 200,000 simulations encompassing 5 different demographic scenarios of single panmictic populations, machine learning models trained directly on raw genotype data failed to better predict tf than methods based purely on common summary statistics. This suggests few undiscovered signals remain in single timepoint, single population genotype data that can better disentangle tf and ta of hard sweeps.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Roberts, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.17.706432</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Summary statistics and approximate bayesian computation are comparable to convolutional neural networks for inferring times to fixation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.17.706456v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
TAZ (Wwtr1) deficiency leads to ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in a mouse model of Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.17.706456v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) impacts over 300 million individuals worldwide with corneal transplantation as the primary treatment. There is a dire need to establish non-surgical alternatives which are dependent on mouse models. Transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ, encoded by Wwtr1) is a mechanotransducer implicated in maintaining homeostasis of corneal endothelial cells (CEnC). Wwtr1-/- (TAZ KO) mice serve as an animal model for late-onset FECD. We combined single-cell transcriptomics, transmission electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence staining to elucidate the mechanisms driving pathogenesis in young (2-month-old) and geriatric (11-month-old) mice. A progressive stress response was observed in TAZ KOs defined by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial structural and functional abnormalities, and impaired Na+/K+ ATPase localization. These changes were accompanied by an altered expression of genes involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, oxidative phosphorylation, macroautophagy and response to oxidative stress. Additionally, we noted age-related differences in cellular response with young TAZ KO CEnCs upregulating macroautophagy and downregulating ECM organization while geriatric TAZ KO CEnCs downregulated macroautophagy, and ECM organization. Both TAZ KO groups downregulated response to oxidative stress and cell-substrate adhesion. Together, these findings establish a mechanistic link between disrupted mechanotransduction and organelle stress in CEnC degeneration, further elaborating on potential mechanisms driving FECD pathogenesis. This positions TAZ KO mice as a translational platform for evaluating non-surgical therapeutic strategies targeting FECD.

Significance statementFuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a common, age-related cause of vision loss involving a depletion of corneal endothelial cells (CEnC) that necessitates corneal transplantation. Understanding why corneal endothelial cells progressively fail in this disease is essential for developing non-surgical therapies. Using transcriptomics, electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining, we demonstrate that loss of the mechanotransducer TAZ disrupts cellular homeostasis by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and improper extracellular matrix and functional protein organization in CEnCs. By linking altered mechanotransduction to organelle stress and endothelial cell loss, these findings provide insight into fundamental disease mechanisms and identify pathways that may be targeted to preserve corneal endothelial function in FECD.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ramarapu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lim, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khan, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khan, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stoehr, W. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leonard, B. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thomasy, S. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.17.706456</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[TAZ (Wwtr1) deficiency leads to ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in a mouse model of Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.18.706439v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Glucan Synthase-Remodeler Module Organizes Branched Glucan Assembly in the Fungal Cell Wall 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.18.706439v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The fungal cell wall is an essential extracellular matrix that underpins growth, morphogenesis, and pathogenesis, and its assembly requires the coordinated action of poorly understood enzyme networks. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we find that Ghs2, a glycoside hydrolase 16 (GH16) domain containing protein, localizes and functions in strict partnership with the {beta}-1,3-glucan synthase Bgs3 at sites of polarized growth. Ghs2 and Bgs3 physically associate and structural models position the Ghs2 catalytic domain proximal to the Bgs3 glucan extrusion pore. Solid-state NMR analyses show that Ghs2 and Bgs3 are required for {beta}-1,6-glucan production, and pharmacological and genetic evidence suggests that Ghs2 acts directly on nascent Bgs3-produced {beta}-1,3-glucan to generate {beta}-1,6-linked branch points. Together, our findings provide the first example of a glucan synthase physically coupled to a remodeling enzyme for branched glucan generation. Further we establish a new principle of fungal cell wall assembly in which synthase-modifier modules operate as inseparable units.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Willet, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jacob, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Turner, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alsanad, A. K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gould, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.18.706439</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Glucan Synthase-Remodeler Module Organizes Branched Glucan Assembly in the Fungal Cell Wall]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.19.706828v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Recalibrating Nanoparticle Protein Corona Analysis for Accurate Biological Identity and Soluble Plasma Proteome Profiling 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.19.706828v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Accurate characterization of the nanoparticle (NP) protein corona is essential for predicting biological fate, safety, and therapeutic efficacy, and for enabling robust biomarker discovery. Standard isolation techniques, most commonly centrifugation and magnetic separation, are widely used, yet they rarely account for co-isolating endogenous biological NPs such as extracellular vesicles (EVs). This oversight can distort the apparent "biological identity" of the NP. Here, we quantitatively demonstrate the magnitude and impact of EVs on the perceived protein corona composition. We incubated highly monodisperse polystyrene NPs (50-1000 nm) and superparamagnetic beads in either standard human plasma or plasma depleted of EVs by immunoaffinity capture targeting 37 EV surface epitopes. Mass spectrometry revealed that EV depletion reduced the number of proteins identified on polystyrene NPs by 60-75% and on magnetic beads by 45-50%. Importantly, EV depletion also altered the apparent abundance hierarchy; it restored the expected relative abundance and rank of major plasma proteins such as albumin and shifted the top-ranked proteins from intracellular cytoskeletal component, consistent with EV carryover, to genuine soluble plasma adsorbates (e.g., apolipoproteins, complement factors). These results highlight that standard corona workflows can inadvertently co-isolate a vast array of EV-associated proteins, yielding inaccurate proteomic profiles. Discriminating genuine corona proteins and EV-associated contaminants is critical for advancing nanomedicine, ensuring predictive safety and efficacy profiles, and enhancing the precision of NP-based biomarker discovery.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Ghaffari, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Grumelot, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sadeghi, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alpaydin, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hilsen, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shango, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ritz, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmidt, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vali, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sun, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saei, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Borhan, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mahmoudi, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.19.706828</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Recalibrating Nanoparticle Protein Corona Analysis for Accurate Biological Identity and Soluble Plasma Proteome Profiling]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.19.706907v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Landrace and bred accessions of allotetraploid sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) reveal variation in subgenome dosage and subgenome expression bias 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.19.706907v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Subgenome dominance is a phenomenon observed in many allopolyploids where one parental genome exhibits stronger influence over phenotype than the other parental genomes. This may present as preferential retention of one subgenome through fractionation, replacement via homoeologous exchange, or as subgenome expression bias, where one subgenome is expressed at a higher abundance compared to other subgenomes. Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) is an allotetraploid fruit tree species resulting from an interspecific cross between extant relatives of ground cherry (P. fruticosa) and sweet cherry (P. avium). Prior comparative genomic analyses suggest that the sour cherry cultivar Montmorency contains three subgenomes. Subgenomes A and A, each present in one copy, are derived from a P. fruticosa-like ancestor, and B, present in two copies, is derived from a P. avium-like ancestor. In this study we investigated the subgenome dynamics of the three subgenomes of sour cherry in four diverse landraces and two cultivars, including  Montmorency. We found evidence of 26 homoeologous exchange events and five whole-homoeolog replacements relative to  Montmorency in three of the six accessions. We also detected subgenome expression bias favoring the A and A subgenomes over the B subgenome, the magnitude of which differs between accessions and changes over the course of fruit development. Lastly, we show differences in dosage variation and expression bias of four previously-described genes in  Montmorency associated with fruit softening, a key trait in this crop. These findings on subgenome dominance offer valuable insights into how this phenomenon may influence traits important for sour cherry breeding.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Rhoades, K. E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Goeckeritz, C. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bird, K. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yocca, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Edger, P. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Iezzoni, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.19.706907</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Landrace and bred accessions of allotetraploid sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) reveal variation in subgenome dosage and subgenome expression bias]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.23.707203v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Exploring the Influence of Chemical Exposures in Breast Cancer Disparities: High-Throughput Transcriptomic Analysis in Normal Breast Cells from Diverse Donors 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.23.707203v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Racial disparities in the incidence of, and mortality from, aggressive breast cancers are a pressing public health issue. Many factors have been investigated in these inequities; however, the role of toxicant exposures is not well characterized. We and others have identified substantial inequities in chemical biomarker concentrations by race. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that exposure to these chemicals is linked to biological changes relevant to aggressive breast cancers, such as dysregulation of the Hallmarks of Cancer. We used high throughput transcriptomic profiling of normal primary human breast epithelial cells from diverse donors (n=6) to test effects of 8 chemicals (cadmium, lead, arsenic, copper, PFNA, BPA, BPS, p,p-DDE) with documented exposure disparities by race/ethnicity across 3 concentrations (100nM, 1{micro}M, 10{micro}M). Across chemicals, we identified that pathways related to cell cycle regulation and protein secretion were commonly affected. Through bioinformatic estimation of cell type proportions, we found that metals like lead and cadmium induced cell-type shifts, consistent with the dysregulated cellular plasticity cancer hallmark. Lead and arsenic response genes were enriched for genes associated with poor breast cancer survival in the Cancer Genome Atlas. Integrating concentration-response modeling and chemical biomonitoring data, BPA, p,p-DDE, copper, and lead elicited expression changes at concentrations relevant to the US population. Finally, we identified substantial interindividual heterogeneity in response to organic compounds, but less so in metals. These findings highlight the value of high-throughput transcriptomics as a New Approach Methodology (NAM) in quantifying how common exposures may impact aggressive breast cancer associated biological processes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Zhao, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhao, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tapaswi, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Polemi, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thong, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sexton, J. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Charles, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wicha, M. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Svoboda, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhou, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colacino, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.23.707203</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Exploring the Influence of Chemical Exposures in Breast Cancer Disparities: High-Throughput Transcriptomic Analysis in Normal Breast Cells from Diverse Donors]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.24.707614v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Longitudinal modality prediction learns gene regulatory patterns: insights from a single-cell competition 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.24.707614v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Simultaneous measurement of chromatin, transcriptomic, and proteomic features in single cells opens new avenues for modeling interactions between molecular layers during dynamic biological processes. Predicting one modality from another - such as inferring gene expression from chromatin profiles or protein abundance from RNA - has the potential to reveal regulatory relationships and enhance downstream analyses. However, conventional approaches for predicting gene regulation have largely failed and method development in modality prediction for regulatory inference has been limited.

To explore effective modeling strategies and stimulate innovation, we generated a purpose-built longitudinal multimodal benchmarking dataset that captures early hematopoietic differentiation and organized the largest single-cell data competition to date, receiving over 27,000 submissions from 1,602 competitors worldwide. In our extensive analysis of the competition results, we demonstrated that top-performing approaches outperform state-of-the-art methods, and uncover how best-performing models captured biologically meaningful regulatory relationships between modalities. With ablation studies of the winning models, we identified feature-engineering strategies, model architectures and cross-validation schemes that are crucial for outstanding performance, and provide simplified, reproducible, light-weight code for state-of-the-art models. Together, the benchmark and analyses serve as an evaluation standard and guide future method development, including recently emerging foundation models, to advance our understanding of regulatory interactions in longitudinal, multimodal single-cell data.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Lance, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shitov, V. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wen, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ji, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holderrieth, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cannoodt, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Waldrant, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DeMeo, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cortes, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kotlarz, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tang, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xie, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Theis, F. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burkhardt, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Luecken, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.24.707614</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Longitudinal modality prediction learns gene regulatory patterns: insights from a single-cell competition]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.24.707775v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Convergent evolution of red pigmentation in extrafloral nectaries: global patterns and mechanisms 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.24.707775v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Convergent traits are a signature of adaptation, where shared selective pressures may lead to the replicated evolution of traits with similar function. Here, we present an integrative investigation of a widespread yet understudied feature of an iconic, convergent mutualistic plant trait - red pigmentation in extrafloral nectaries (EFNs). We surveyed 625 species to describe the distribution of red coloration in EFNs across plant morphology, biogeography, and phylogeny for the first time and propose several adaptive hypotheses for the drivers of their convergence across plants. We then test several of these hypotheses by integrating our global-scale biogeographic and phylogenetic analysis with phylogenetically paired common garden bioassays and a museum collections survey. We find that across the plant phylogeny, cold wet regions and deserts are hotspots of red EFN coloration, and multiple lines of evidence point to a fungal defense role of red pigments in EFNs. Ultimately, our findings highlight red EFNs as a highly convergent phenotype across plants and point to distinct selective pressures underlying the distribution of EFN coloration and EFNs themselves.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Martin-Eberhardt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pan, V. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilbert, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Weber, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.24.707775</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Convergent evolution of red pigmentation in extrafloral nectaries: global patterns and mechanisms]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.24.707788v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Nonlinear Impacts of Herbivory on Plants Explain the Herbivory Paradox 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.24.707788v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Herbivores strongly shape plant ecology and evolution. Yet plants typically sustain low, tolerable levels of damage, raising the question of how herbivory influences plant biology despite often weak fitness effects. Analyzing 1,145 datasets of the effects of damage on fitness for 103 plant species worldwide, we show that nonlinear tolerance to damage is one explanation for this paradoxical contradiction. Plants are tolerant of low levels of damage, but infrequent, severe damage levels disproportionately reduce plant fitness. Models incorporating nonlinear tolerance suggest that disproportionate tolerance to low levels of damage stabilizes population dynamics and promotes coevolutionary feedback with herbivores. Pervasive nonlinear tolerance shows consistent patterns across environmental gradients, may alter the stability of food webs, and may explain why herbivory matters despite the world being green.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Pan, V. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adam, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Anstett, D. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Carvajal Acosta, A. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cornelissen, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Galman, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haslup, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Karp, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez-Goldar, X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin-Eberhardt, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ritter, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Santos Lopes, H. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wonderlin, N. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wetzel, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.24.707788</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Nonlinear Impacts of Herbivory on Plants Explain the Herbivory Paradox]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.25.706111v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-tissue metabolic GWAS and drought-responsive multi-omics reveal the genetic basis of the quinoa metabolome 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.25.706111v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is a nutrient-rich pseudocereal with diverse specialized metabolites, yet the genetic basis of this metabolic diversity is poorly understood. Here we integrate whole-genome sequencing and multi-tissue metabolic profiling of 603 quinoa accessions. We detected 4,688 metabolic features and identified over 1,000 metabolites in seeds, leaves, and roots. Using multi-tissue genome-wide association, we mapped the genetic architecture of quinoa metabolome by identifying 584 quantitative trait loci (QTL) and prioritized 219 candidate genes across 58 major QTL governing saponin, betalain, and flavonoid biosynthesis. Moreover, we constructed a drought-responsive multi-omics regulatory network and uncovered additional key genes involved in quinoa stress signalling and metabolic pathways. Finally, we cloned and functional validated the roles of CYP76AD1 in betalamate accumulation, UGT91C1 in flavonoid glycosylation, and CYP72A154 and soyasapogenol B glucuronide galactosyltransferase (SGT) in saponin biosynthesis. This multi-omic framework provides a high-resolution map of the quinoa metabolome and a foundation for breeding nutrient-rich and stress-resilient quinoa cultivars.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>von Steimker, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rey, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stanschewski, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wendenburg, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klemmer, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Macho, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thirumlaikumar, V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Saber, N. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Skirycz, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fernie, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tester, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alseekh, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.25.706111</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-tissue metabolic GWAS and drought-responsive multi-omics reveal the genetic basis of the quinoa metabolome]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.26.707872v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phytochemical Characterization and In Vitro Antidiabetic Activity of Aruncus dioicus from Vietnam 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.26.707872v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
This study presents a phytochemical and pharmacological investigation of Aruncus dioicus, a medicinal plant collected from the northeastern coastal region of Vietnam. In light of the growing global prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the search for natural compounds capable of modulating key enzymes involved in glucose metabolism, particularly Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and -glucosidase, remains an important research objective. The experimental methods employed included: botanical identification, extraction, chromatographic separation, and biological activity evaluation. As a result, eleven pure compounds were isolated. Structural determination via 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy revealed these constituents as phenylpropanoids, phenolic acids, nucleosides, and ester derivatives, thereby establishing a distinctive chemical profile for the Vietnamese population of A. dioicus. In vitro enzyme inhibition tests demonstrated significant biological activity. p-coumaric acid (Compound 3) and cinnamic acid (Compound 4) exhibited effects on PTP1B, with IC{square}{square} values of 0.25 {micro}M and 1.16 {micro}M, respectively, higher than the activity of the reference compound ursolic acid (IC{square}{square} = 3.5 {micro}M). Furthermore, ethylparaben (Compound 7) and cinnamic acid exhibited -glucosidase inhibition, with potencies approximately five- to six-fold greater than that of acarbose. These findings suggest that A. dioicus is a potentially valuable source of antidiabetic agents and emphasize the significance of phenylpropanoid derivatives in enzyme inhibition associated with glucose metabolism, thereby providing a scientific foundation for subsequent pharmacological investigations.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thuc, B. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tung, N. V. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trang, V. T. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-02-28</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.26.707872</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phytochemical Characterization and In Vitro Antidiabetic Activity of Aruncus dioicus from Vietnam]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-02-28</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.26.707862v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Not all mantra meditations are equal: Emergence of divergent alpha oscillatory dynamics across mantras 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.26.707862v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The study of contemplative practices has evolved into a mature field, yet current taxonomies tend to classify all mantra-based meditation approaches as a single category, overlooking potentially different neural states induced by different mantras or different instructions. To address this gap, we conducted a study of 50 novice subjects practicing two types of mantra-based meditation over a six week period to evaluate changes in Electroencephalography (EEG) during and after meditation. Participants were randomly assigned to meditating with the Hare Krishna (HK) and Sa-Ta-Na-Ma (SA) mantras. Using spectral parameterization, we assessed the effects of each type of meditation on individual alpha power (IAP), individual alpha frequency (IAF) and center of gravity (CoG). The results revealed marked differences in alpha dynamics between the two practices. On the one hand, the HK group exhibited widespread IAP decrease and an IAF/CoG increase during mantra meditation that was maintained during rest after the meditation, which became more pronounced after training in the HK meditation. On the other hand, the SA group showed a localized IAP reduction during meditation and significant reduction of IAF during meditation after training. We suggest that the higher cognitive demands of HK induce a more activating, attentionally focused state, whereas SA promotes a more relaxed state. Additional psychological data show that both meditation groups had reduction in stress. Thus, these findings challenge the monolithic classification of mantra meditation and highlight the importance of differentiating practices according to their mechanisms, particularly for their targeted application in mental health contexts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rodriguez Larios, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cohen, B. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Ravishankar, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.26.707862</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Not all mantra meditations are equal: Emergence of divergent alpha oscillatory dynamics across mantras]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.26.708365v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ProPrep: An Interactive and Instructional Interface for Proper Protein Preparation with AMBER 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.26.708365v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Millions of experimental and AI-predicted protein structures are now available, and the biosynthetic promise of bespoke proteins is increasingly within reach. The functional characterization challenge thus posed cannot be addressed by experimental techniques alone. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations offer functional screening with atomic resolution, yet accessibility remains limited. Existing computational chemistry software presents stark trade-offs whereby powerful tools require extensive expertise and manual effort, or user-friendly programs function as black boxes that obscure critical preparation decisions. Herein, we present ProPrep, an interactive workflow manager that guides users through expert-quality MD preparation by showing the  what, why, and how of each step while automating tedious manual operations. Within a single workspace, ProPrep integrates (1) downloading structures from multiple sources (PDB, AlphaFold, AlphaFill), (2) performing homology searches, (3) aligning structures, (4) curating and repairing structural issues, (5) applying mutations, (6) parameterizing specialized residues, (7) converting redox-active sites to forcefield-compatible forms, (8) generating topology and coordinate files, and (9) configuring, executing, and analyzing simulations with active monitoring of key quantities via ASCII visualizations. A key innovation is ProPreps extensible transformer framework for detecting, defining, and transforming redox-active sites--including mono- and polynuclear metal centers, organic cofactors, and redox-active amino acids--for forcefield compatibility. We demonstrate the full workflow on a 64-heme cytochrome  nanowire bundle (PDB: 9YUQ), proceeding from a PDF file to energy minimization of the solvated system (467,635 atoms) for constant pH molecular dynamics--a process demanding 4,819 PDB record modifications and 610 bond definitions--in 18 minutes of user interaction. The entire process is recorded in an interactive session log that can be shared and replayed for reproducibility, making simulation setup a fully transparent process that relies on what was done instead of what was remembered and reported.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Walker, a.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guberman-Pfeffer, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-02</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.02.26.708365</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ProPrep: An Interactive and Instructional Interface for Proper Protein Preparation with AMBER]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-02</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.02.709145v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
mPFC pyramidal neuron synchrony during social competition to form social rankings is disrupted in male Mecp2 knockout mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.02.709145v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWAltered social behaviors are prevalent in neurodevelopmental disorders like monogenic Rett syndrome, which is caused by pathogenic variants in the gene encoding the methylated DNA binding transcriptional regulator MeCP2. Monosynaptic projections from the ventral hippocampus to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) modulate social memory, and are altered in male Mecp2 knockout (KO) mice. The standard tube test was used to define the social hierarchy between age- and genotype-matched triads over six consecutive days of round-robin competitions, and revealed that male Mecp2 KO mice form social ranks but display more submissive behaviors than those observed between similarly aged triads of male wild-type (WT) littermate controls. The same triads of each genotype performed similarly in the warm spot test, where mice of each genotype compete to stand on a single warm spot in a cage with a cooled floor. The dominant WT mouse from the prior tube test had preferential and active access to the beneficial place in the competition test (warm spot) showing more dominant behaviors than the other two WT mice. On the contrary, all three Mecp2 KO mice shared the warm spot equally, showing more submissive behaviors than those observed between the three WT mice. In vivo Ca2+ imaging from pyramidal neurons in the prelimbic mPFC during the warm spot test confirmed the presence of socially sensitive neurons, i.e., neurons that either increase or decrease their spiking activity during social interactions. mPFC pyramidal neurons in male Mecp2 KO mice showed fewer and smaller Ca2+ transients during baseline, as well as during each social interaction in the warm spot test, when their activity is less synchronous than in those of WT mice. In addition, chronically inhibiting the activity of mPFC-projecting excitatory neurons of the ventral hippocampus using an intersectional DREADD approach restored behavioral deficits in male Mecp2 KO mice. Together, these results demonstrate that male Mecp2 mice show a low behavioral engagement during social competition tests that alters their social hierarchy and is reflected in altered activity and synchrony between mPFC pyramidal neurons. Our observations also underscore the potential relevance of this long-range projection for altered social behaviors in other mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with autism.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Acevedo-Triana, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tuscher, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Day, J. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Perez-Ortega, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pozzo-Miller, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.02.709145</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[mPFC pyramidal neuron synchrony during social competition to form social rankings is disrupted in male Mecp2 knockout mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.02.709202v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Neurobehavioral impacts of the autism risk gene, WAC: Studies involving C. elegans and Mice 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.02.709202v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a broad spectrum of behavioral impairments. While multiple genetic and environmental factors are attributed to its cause, biological underpinnings are still poorly understood. We investigated an ASD-associated gene, WAC, for its neurobehavioral aspects using C. elegans and mice. Studies of C. elegans with wac gene deletions (wac-1.1 and wac-1.2) showed enhanced acetylcholine-associated behavior, as indicated by the aldicarb assay. No alteration in acetylcholine levels or acetylcholinesterase activity was observed. Upon further investigation, we found that the elevated cholinergic transmission resulted from increased activity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Additionally, we observed reduced motility and dopamine-associated behaviors, along with a reduced ability to switch from crawling to swimming, a serotonin-dependent behavior. Upregulation in mRNA expression of the lev-1 gene was observed. Conversely, a feedback-counterbalancing response in the form of downregulated genes, acr-2, unc-17, unc-63, and unc-50, was also observed. Surprisingly, lev-1 RNAi did not reverse the enhanced cholinergic transmission in PHX2587 worms, indicating the involvement of other players. To validate our findings, we also assessed CHRNA7 levels in Wac+/- mice. While some genetic compensation was observed in heterozygous mice, we found a direct, inverse correlation between Wac mRNA expression and CHRNA7 levels in the mouse brain cortex, corroborating our findings from C. elegans. Overall, these studies indicate that wac gene deletion in C. elegans exhibits a neurotransmitter alteration that is relatable to ASD.

Graphical Abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=61 SRC="FIGDIR/small/709202v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (24K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1771dc4org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1434b4eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@10525ecorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@fcd8a9_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Boonpraman, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kim, D.-W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tislerics, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Barot, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pacheco-Cruz, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kuhn, N. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vogt, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sammi, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-05</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.02.709202</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Neurobehavioral impacts of the autism risk gene, WAC: Studies involving C. elegans and Mice]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-05</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.08.710212v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
RRTF1 promotes touch-responses in Arabidopsis shoots independent of jasmonic acid 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.08.710212v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plants acclimate to mechanical stimuli such as touch and wind via thigmomorphogenesis, a suite of developmental responses that alter their growth and architecture. However, the early signaling mechanisms translating mechanoperception into long-term morphological changes remain incompletely understood. We investigated the role of the rapidly touch-induced transcription factor RRTF1 (REDOX RESPONSIVE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR 1) in these processes. Phenotypically, under aggressive mechanical stimulation, rrtf1 mutant exhibited attenuated stunting (less height reduction). This suggests a key role for RRTF1 in promoting thigmomorphogenic responses under severe mechanical stimuli, though the rrtf1 mutant responded similarly to wild-type under gentle, repeated brushing. The alleviation of growth stunting in rrtf1 was largely jasmonic acid (JA)-independent. Transcriptome analysis at 10 minutes post-touch revealed that rrtf1 mutant maintained approximately 86% of wild-type touch-responsive gene expression. Nevertheless, RRTF1 modulated specific regulons, partly through an interplay with WRKY transcription factors, as evidenced by altered TF binding motif enrichment in RRTF1-specific differentially expressed genes. We conclude that RRTF1 acts as a modulator of early touch signaling in Arabidopsis shoots. It is not essential for the bulk of the initial transcriptional response but fine-tunes specific gene sets and plays a crucial role in calibrating long-term thigmomorphogenic development, particularly by promoting growth inhibition under severe mechanical stimulation. This study provides insights into the alleviation of touch-induced growth inhibition in rrft1 mutant, which might be relevant to breeding for crops that are planted in high density and experience constant physical contact with neighboring plants.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Park, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Finlayson, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.08.710212</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[RRTF1 promotes touch-responses in Arabidopsis shoots independent of jasmonic acid]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.09.710566v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mature Citrus Leaves Undergo Coordinated Photosynthetic Downregulation to Support Flush-Driven Carbon and Nitrogen Sink Demand 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.09.710566v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The source{square}sink attenuation hypothesis suggests that plants regulate carbon fixation in response to fluctuations in sink demands. Many evergreen trees exhibit flushing growth patterns, where new shoot development generates a strong, transient demand for both carbon and nitrogen that may influence the function of mature leaves. This study examined the source-sink attenuation hypothesis in the context of vegetative sink growth by investigating the photosynthetic capacity and nitrogen dynamics in mature citrus leaves across three stages of flush development. In contrast to expectations, photosynthesis declined as flush growth progressed. Early flush initiation induced stomatal limitation in mature leaves, whereas as sink demand from further shoot growth continued carboxylation capacity and Rubisco abundance declined, despite relatively stable total leaf nitrogen. These results suggest that mature leaves undergo selective protein retooling under prolonged sink demand, constraining CO{square} fixation while maintaining C export. Overall, this study revealed that under strong combined N and C sink demands, mature citrus leaves function primarily as regulated carbon conduits rather than dynamically upregulating photosynthesis, providing new insight into source-sink coordination in woody perennial species.

HighlightCitrus flush growth shows that mature leaves suppress photosynthesis through stomatal and biochemical regulation while reallocating carbon and nitrogen to support new shoot development, challenging classic source-sink theory.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hussain, S. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Meng, Q.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vincent, C. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.09.710566</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mature Citrus Leaves Undergo Coordinated Photosynthetic Downregulation to Support Flush-Driven Carbon and Nitrogen Sink Demand]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.10.710862v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Structure and conformational dynamics of the Pseudomonas CbrA transceptor 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.10.710862v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The CbrA protein is a central regulator of carbon metabolism, biofilm formation, and virulence in Pseudomonas species, but the molecular mechanisms by which CbrA links nutrient sensing to downstream signaling has remained unclear. CbrA is a rare "transceptor" that combines membrane transporter and histidine kinase domains into a single functional polypeptide. The structural basis for histidine recognition and membrane transport, as well as signaling through intracellular histidine kinase domains has remained elusive. Here we determined a cryo-EM structure of CbrA which provides key molecular details of the SLC5-STAC domains in this unusual system. Unexpectedly, the small peptide CbrX encoded upstream of CbrA formed a stable complex with the SLC5 transporter domain. The structure reveals how histidine binds within the transporter, and molecular dynamics simulations provide insight into proton gradient driven conformational changes that enable histidine transport. These findings define the molecular architecture of key CbrA functional domains, and pave a path toward developing a comprehensive understanding of coupling between membrane transport and downstream signaling pathways that guide essential physiological traits in Pseudomonas.

Significance StatementCbrA is a key regulator of carbon-nitrogen metabolism in Pseudomonas and is essential for successful host infection. The molecular basis for CbrAs dual role in membrane transport and downstream signaling has remained elusive. Here we determined a cryo-EM structure that defines the organization of the CbrA SLC5 and STAC domains, and reveals that the small peptide CbrX encoded upstream of CbrA forms a stable complex with the SLC5 transporter region. A structure with histidine trapped in the binding cavity, together with molecular dynamics simulations, identifies protonation dependent transitions that guide the transport cycle. This work establishes a mechanistic foundation for understanding how CbrA and related transceptors integrate substrate sensing and transport with regulatory control of signaling.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Orlando, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shah, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Faber, M. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bose, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orlando, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-11</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.10.710862</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Structure and conformational dynamics of the Pseudomonas CbrA transceptor]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-11</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.10.710864v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Heat alters fruit morphology and severely limits reproduction but not growth in a widespread urban weed. 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.10.710864v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
O_LIRationale: Plants in urban environments often experience heat stress and responses to heat stress often include vegetative and reproductive traits like rosette width and fruit morphology. However, our understanding of natural variation in vegetative and reproductive traits in urban environments is severely limited.
C_LIO_LIMethods: We grew an urban weed, Capsella bursa-pastoris, in common garden environments that simulate an urban heat gradient to determine how heat affected growth, survival and reproduction. Additionally, we used geometric morphometric techniques alongside deterministic techniques to quantify variation in C. bursa-pastoris fruit shape and investigated the predictive relationship between fruit shape and seed production.
C_LIO_LIKey results: We found that temperatures above 30C act as an environmental constraint on both C. bursa-pastoris fruit shape and reproduction, resulting in malformed fruits and no seed production. However, leaf number and plant survival were unaffected by high urban heat.
C_LIO_LIMain conclusions: While plants may grow and survive in the high urban heat, heat could still limit population persistence.
C_LI
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Hightower, A. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Henley, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Colligan, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.10.710864</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Heat alters fruit morphology and severely limits reproduction but not growth in a widespread urban weed.]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.11.711093v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Knock-in Ntsr1-Flp Driver Enables Intersectional and Systemic Targeting of Heterogeneous Midbrain Dopamine Circuits 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.11.711093v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Precise genetic access to molecularly defined neuronal subpopulations is essential for dissecting circuit heterogeneity. We report the development and validation of a knock-in neurotensin receptor 1 (Ntsr1)-FlpO mouse line enabling intersectional targeting of Ntsr1-expressing neurons. Following Flp-dependent adeno-associated viral (AAV) reporter delivery, we observed robust recombination in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, revealing that midbrain Ntsr1 populations include both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons. Systemic retro-orbital delivery of a Cre- and Flp-dependent Con/Fon reporter in complementary dual-recombinase configurations demonstrated orientation-dependent differences in dopaminergic targeting specificity. Cis-gene controls defined the maximal achievable dopaminergic ceiling and demonstrated that persistent non-dopaminergic populations exceed expectations from recombinase inefficiency alone. Finally, a dual-recombinase-dependent taCaspase-3 construct enabled intersectional ablation of midbrain dopamine neurons in vivo. Together, these findings establish Ntsr1Flp as a physiologically neutral, intersectionally compatible driver line supporting scalable Boolean targeting using local and systemic AAV strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Garcia, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villa, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wong, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fenno, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Leinninger, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steele, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.11.711093</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Knock-in Ntsr1-Flp Driver Enables Intersectional and Systemic Targeting of Heterogeneous Midbrain Dopamine Circuits]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.12.711361v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A systematic analysis of brain tissue response to microelectrode material and size with single-cell spatial transcriptomics 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.12.711361v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Implantable microelectrode arrays can interface with the central nervous system to record from and/or stimulate neural tissues to treat neurological disease and injury. The chronic tissue response to implanted electrodes is believed to be a driving factor behind microelectrode failure. Next-generation electrodes have been developed to attenuate the tissue response by reducing electrode size and/or incorporating softer materials. In this study, we used single-cell-resolution spatial transcriptomics to quantify the tissue response to implanted electrodes within custom-classified cell types in the rat brain. To test the effects of implant material and size, we assessed polyimide and silicon electrodes of 10 {micro}m and 100 {micro}m cross-sectional dimensions over 6-weeks post-implantation. Our data indicate that implants are associated with upregulation of inflammatory genes in glia that are coupled to damage-initiated losses in synaptic transmission and subsequent engagement of compensatory protective mechanisms (e.g., re-myelination, antioxidant production) to preserve local neurons. While bulk tissue analysis reinforced previously reported observations of glial scar consolidation over time, single cell analysis revealed an unexpected, progressive heightening of the expression of inflammatory genes in individual device-reactive astrocytes. With respect to design features, the impact of device dimensions more heavily influenced responses than material type, particularly by the 6-week time point. Our results add single-cell resolution observations to the growing use of transcriptomics to understand the biocompatibility of devices implanted in the brain.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Thompson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chakraborty, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wade-Kleyn, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Reimers, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purcell, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.12.711361</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A systematic analysis of brain tissue response to microelectrode material and size with single-cell spatial transcriptomics]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.13.711368v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mapping frog genomic diversity on a continental scale 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.13.711368v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic diversity is vital to adaptation and survival as environments change, yet we lack information about the spatial distribution of genetic variation for most wildlife populations. Here, we present new georeferenced, genome-wide data for 2,481 individuals from 46 frog species and leverage recent methods to visualize and analyze diversity within and across species. Our study identified several consistent spatial patterns of genomic diversity in eastern North American frogs. More than half (56.8%) of species exhibited a latitudinal gradient in genomic diversity, but we found little evidence for an association between genomic diversity and human disturbance. We further provide a general framework for mapping "hot spots" of high diversity and "cold spots" of low diversity to highlight priority areas for maintaining genomic diversity across multiple species.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Barrow, L. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McDaniels, C. X.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bishop, A. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Amador, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiley, D. L. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eberle, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mason, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rosario Sanchez, E. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giermakowski, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hoffman, E. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Jongsma, G. F. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Michelsohn, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nava Martinez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Omlor, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rivera, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Torres Lopez, A. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Warwick, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Webster, K. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.13.711368</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mapping frog genomic diversity on a continental scale]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.13.711724v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Functional impact of PCSK9 variants on LDL uptake in a knockout hepatic model 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.13.711724v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a central regulator of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol metabolism, yet the functional consequences of many clinically observed PCSK9 variants remain unknown. To establish a rigorous system for quantitative variant assessment, we generated a PCSK9 knockout (KO) HepG2 cell line through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of exons 2-8, effectively removing both the prodomain and catalytic regions required for PCSK9 function. This null background enabled systematic functional mapping of wild-type (WT) PCSK9 and multiple clinically relevant variants representing well-characterized, recurrent, and previously understudied alleles. Functional assays revealed pronounced heterogeneity among variant activities. The classical gain-of-function (GOF) variants D374Y and R496W exhibited robust suppression of LDL uptake, whereas A443T--an infrequently reported and previously uncharacterized variant--demonstrated a loss-of-function (LOF)-like phenotype with significantly enhanced LDL uptake. Additional poorly characterized variants, including V4I, R104C/V114A, and R496W/N425S, displayed minimal functional profiles, providing novel mechanistic insights. Surface LDL receptor (LDLR) levels generally correlated with LDL uptake but revealed unique patterns for specific variants. This KO-based rescue system provides a high-resolution framework for mechanistic classification of both established and poorly characterized PCSK9 variants, bridging the gap between genetic discovery and functional interpretation while supporting precision lipid-lowering strategies.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Li, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Xu, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zeng, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huang, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Guo, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cai, B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chen, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lin, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zhang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.13.711724</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Functional impact of PCSK9 variants on LDL uptake in a knockout hepatic model]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.14.711824v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Impaired motor activity in a CRISPR SCA5 L253P knock-in mouse is associated with selective beta-III-spectrin subcellular redistribution in the cerebellum 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.14.711824v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 (SCA5) L253P mutation in {beta}-III-spectrin causes high-affinity actin binding. Here we developed a CRISPR knock-in mouse to determine the in vivo impact of L253P on Purkinje neurons and motor activity, and to establish a model for future testing of SCA5 therapeutics. Significantly, the knock-in mouse shows impaired motor activity on elevated beam assays at 20 weeks. In the cerebellum, L253P causes a subcellular redistribution of {beta}-III-spectrin in Purkinje neurons. This is marked by loss of {beta}-III-spectrin in distal dendrites, accumulation of {beta}-III-spectrin at the plasma membrane of the soma and proximal dendrites, and formation of inclusions in the soma. The inclusions additionally contain F-actin and -II-spectrin, accumulate around the nucleus, form at an early age, and are larger in homozygous {beta}-III-spectrinL253P/L253P compared to heterozygous {beta}-III-spectrinL253P/+ mice. In contrast, neurons of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, where {beta}-III-spectrin is also known to be expressed, abnormally accumulate {beta}-III-spectrin at the plasma membrane but do not form inclusions. To gain greater insight into disease mechanisms, unbiased proteomics identified over 150 cerebellar proteins that physically associate with {beta}-III-spectrin. Of these, cluster analysis revealed a group of 41 proteins, including glutamate receptors, SERCA2, and CaMKII, linked to synaptic transmission. Thus, the effect of the L253P to alter {beta}-III-spectrin localization, including decreased levels in distal dendrites, is likely associated with a disruption of {beta}-III-spectrin function in postsynaptic signaling. Consistent with this, and in agreement with prior findings in knockout mice, the L253P {beta}-III-spectrin knock-in mouse here shows that CaMKII, a calcium sensor and key mediator of glutamate signaling, is ~2-fold activated. Further, the abundance of EAAT4, a glutamate transporter, is significantly reduced. The L253P knock-in mouse primes future preclinical testing of SCA5 therapeutics, such as small molecule modulators of spectrin-actin binding, and glutamate and calcium signaling pathways.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Avery, A. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Callaghan, B. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Thiel, M. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Denha, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>O'Callaghan, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cismas, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamp, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Orr, H. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hays, T. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-17</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.14.711824</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Impaired motor activity in a CRISPR SCA5 L253P knock-in mouse is associated with selective beta-III-spectrin subcellular redistribution in the cerebellum]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-17</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.14.711071v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
ULK1 drives NDP52-mediated selective autophagic degradation of MHC-I to promote immune evasion in HPV-positive head and neck cancer 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.14.711071v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Antigen presentation by major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) is critical for tumor cell killing by CD8+ T cells. Accordingly, tumor cells downregulate MHC-I expression through multiple mechanisms, thereby evading the immune response. Importantly, lower levels of MHC-I are associated with poor responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Our recent study has shown that the human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoproteins induce MHC-I protein ubiquitination by membrane-associated Ring-CH-type finger 8 (MARCHF8) in HPV-positive head and neck cancer (HPV+ HNC). However, the mechanism by which ubiquitinated MHC-I is degraded remains elusive. By performing genome-wide CRISPR screens, we identified components of the ULK1 and PIK3C3 complexes for autophagy initiation complexes among the top negative regulators of cell-surface MHC-I expression in HPV+ HNC cells. We show that MHC-I is recruited from the ER to autophagosomes by the cargo receptor NDP52, decreasing MHC-I levels. Further, inhibiting the initiation or nucleation steps of autophagy before autophagosome formation is critical for restoring MHC-I levels on the cell surface. Finally, genetic inhibition of autophagy initiation suppresses HPV+ HNC tumor growth in vivo and enhances the CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor response. Our findings suggest that autophagic degradation of MARCHF8-ubiquitinated MHC-I is a key immune evasion mechanism in HPV+ HNC.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Vu, L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Giacobbi, N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Khalil, M. I.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Yang, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Eckerman, W. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gomez Recinos, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garber, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Son, H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chahal, P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Villa, D. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Srivastava, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennett, A. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Martin, K. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welbon, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williamson, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Spanos, W. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>MacKeigan, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Olive, A. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pyeon, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.14.711071</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[ULK1 drives NDP52-mediated selective autophagic degradation of MHC-I to promote immune evasion in HPV-positive head and neck cancer]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.17.712489v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Introgression across ploidies contributes to genetic diversity in introduced urban Capsella bursa-pastoris 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.17.712489v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Successful establishment of a species in a new range is a useful way to understand the impact of demography and selection on the evolution of globally distributed species. In particular, introductions influence genetic diversity and population structure in the introduced range in unpredictable ways. Additionally, introgressive hybridization is often associated with successful establishment in new ranges. In this study, we explore the impact of introgressive hybridization on the polyploid Capsella bursa-pastoris in the New York City metropolitan area. We find Capsella bursa-pastoris in the New York City metropolitan area likely originated from multiple introductions from northern Eurasia, and that populations across the New York City metropolitan area are generally panmictic. As with Capsella bursa-pastoris in Eurasia, we discover evidence of introgression from the diploid Capsella rubella in this population. By evaluating ancestry in regions across the genome, we find introgressed regions are rich in gene content and contribute to genetic diversity in this population. These results suggest that introgressive hybridization before introductions may buffer species from the negative effects of population bottlenecks and allow for successful establishment.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Wilson Brown, M. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Panko, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Platts, A. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Josephs, E. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.17.712489</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Introgression across ploidies contributes to genetic diversity in introduced urban Capsella bursa-pastoris]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.18.712704v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Multi-lab, Multi-enzyme Study Demonstrates the Versatility of Bacterial Microcompartment Shells as a Modular Platform for Confined Biocatalysis 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.18.712704v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are proteinaceous organelles that spatially organize metabolic reactions in bacteria and represent an attractive scaffold for pathway engineering. Here, we present a proof-of-concept in vitro study demonstrating a simple, scalable, and modular BMC shell-based platform for enzyme encapsulation using the SpyCatcher-SpyTag (SC-ST) covalent conjugation system. To evaluate the generality of this approach, 16 dehydrogenases were selected, of which 13 were successfully expressed and purified as SC-tagged enzymes in E. coli by five research groups working in parallel. Twelve of these efficiently conjugated to ST-fused BMC-T1 proteins, and addition of urea-solubilized BMC-H triggered rapid self-assembly of HT1 shells, resulting in successful encapsulation of all conjugated enzymes. The only enzyme lacking detectable activity after encapsulation was also inactive in its free SC-fused form, indicating that encapsulation retained enzymatic activity for all tested enzymes. Encapsulation modulated enzymatic activity and kinetic parameters in an enzyme-dependent manner, likely arising from variations in catalytic mechanism, structural flexibility affected by immobilization, and sensitivity to the local microenvironment created by encapsulation. Functional characterization of a subset of encapsulated enzymes revealed enhanced thermal stability up to [~]50 {degrees}C and improved storage stability relative to free SC-fused enzymes. Enzyme-loaded shells could be lyophilized and reconstituted without loss of structural integrity or activity. Finally, we demonstrate co-encapsulation of two enzymes within a single shell and their cooperative function through cofactor recycling. Together, these results establish engineered BMCs as a robust and modular platform for organizing multi-enzyme pathways, enabling rapid assembly, stabilization, and functional integration of enzymes for diverse metabolic engineering applications.

HighlightsA single strategy enables encapsulation of 12 diverse dehydrogenases in BMCs.

SpyCatcher-SpyTag interactions drive rapid enzyme assembly in BMCs.

Encapsulated enzymes are active and show improved thermal stability.

The platform enables scalable construction of synthetic metabolic modules.

Graphical abstract

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=78 SRC="FIGDIR/small/712704v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (26K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2c7548org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c7f524org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1af2887org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@8deb38_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Retnadhas, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Tefft, N. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wang, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Range, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pramanik, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Singh, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chiang, T. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nigrelli, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hausinger, R. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hegg, E. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>TerAvest, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sutter, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kerfeld, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.18.712704</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Multi-lab, Multi-enzyme Study Demonstrates the Versatility of Bacterial Microcompartment Shells as a Modular Platform for Confined Biocatalysis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.15.711905v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phenotypic plasticity evolved for climate variability constrains performance under climate warming 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.15.711905v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Phenotypic plasticity allows plants to rapidly respond to changing environments without the need for evolutionary change or migration. While selection can create variation in plasticity across natural populations, these responses are not adaptive in all environments. To predict whether plasticity will be adaptive requires evaluation of its fitness effects across a range of environments, including novel ones. Here, we test how traits and their plasticity vary for genotypes collected across a natural hybrid zone between two tree species with contrasting climatic niches. Fast-growing Populus trichocarpa inhabits maritime environments with relatively warm and stable temperatures, while P. balsamifera inhabits continental environments with cold winters and large temperature variance throughout the year. We planted 44 clonally replicated genotypes into thirteen common gardens and measured vegetative phenology, leaf morphology, stomata morphology and conductance, and photochemistry. Overall, genotypes from colder, more continental environments exhibited higher plasticity. P. balsamifera ancestry was associated with increased plasticity in timing of fall phenology, stomatal conductance, and leaf mass per unit area. We assessed the effects of trait plasticity on fitness estimated as yearly growth across common gardens and found that the plasticity-fitness relationship was often garden-specific, indicating that the planting environment did not consistently mediate plasticity-fitness relationships. When the effects of trait plasticity on growth varied by garden temperature, higher plasticity generally had neutral or negative associations with growth in warmer environments. These results suggest that elevated plasticity evolved in a P. balsamifera genomic background as part of a climate generalist strategy to seasonal temperature variability, but that there is a trade-off between plasticity and growth in warmer environments. Consequently, less-plastic but warm-adapted P. trichocarpa genotypes are likely to have a fitness advantage under warming climates. These results demonstrate that plasticity may sometimes be maladaptive and will not be universally beneficial in a warming world.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Mead, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Zavala-Paez, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Beasley-Bennett, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bleich, A. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Clancy-Mallue, I. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fischer, D. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Golightly, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hufford, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kalcsits, L. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Klopf, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lasky, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>LeBoldus, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lowry, D. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mitchell, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Moran, E. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sexton, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sondreli, K. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Fitzpatrick, M. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holliday, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Keller, S. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hamilton, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.15.711905</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phenotypic plasticity evolved for climate variability constrains performance under climate warming]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.20.713224v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Endometrial Hyperplasia Risk Is Increased by High-Fat Diet Via Estrogen-Driven Stromal Fibroblast Reprogramming Toward a Pro-Fibrotic State 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.20.713224v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The uterine endometrium is capable of scarless regeneration under coordinated estrogen and progesterone signaling across the menstrual cycle. Obesity suppresses progesterone production, leading to chronic estrogen exposure and increased endometrial hyperplasia (EH) risk. To define how obesity alters endometrial cell states, endometrial tissues from control and EH-predisposed mice fed either a control diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) were analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing and tissue phenotyping. HFD reprogrammed endometrial stroma towards an inflammatory, pro-fibrotic state, reducing progesterone receptor-network-associated Aldh1a2+ fibroblasts and expanding estrogen receptor-network-associated Gsn fibroblasts. HFD further impaired macrophage recruitment and promoted hyperplastic epithelial signatures, consistent with increased disease severity in an EH mouse model. Stromal deletion of Estrogen Receptor  established stromal estrogen signaling as a driver of HFD-induced extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Collectively, these findings identify HFD-driven fibroblast reprogramming as a central mechanism linking estrogen dominance to stromal fibrosis, defective immune clearance, and heightened EH susceptibility. We propose that, in response to progesterone, fibroblast-mediated ECM remodeling is vital to normal endometrial homeostasis.

O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=161 SRC="FIGDIR/small/713224v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">
View larger version (47K):
org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@195aceborg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18b8a8dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@354b78org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@edc8ee_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP  M_FIG O_FLOATNOGraphical AbstractC_FLOATNO HFD-induced estrogen dominance disrupts endometrial fibroblast homeostasis to predispose the endometrium to diseaseThis study demonstrates that HFD drives estrogen-dependent reprogramming of stromal fibroblasts, characterized by inflammation, stromal ECM accumulation and fibrosis, and a post-ovulatory shift from PGR-network-associated Aldh1a2+ Fibroblasts toward increasing ER-network-associated Gsn+ Fibroblasts. These fibroblast changes are accompanied by a reduction in endometrial macrophages and a transcriptomic shift of HFD epithelium toward hyperplastic epithelium seen in a mouse model of EH. Figure made with BioRender.

C_FIG
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Skalski, H. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bennett, A. Z.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wood, L. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Harkins, S. K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Arendt, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez Espinosa, A. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Burns, G. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Paul, E. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hostetter, G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Becker, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wegener, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Adams, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Teixeira, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lau, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chandler, R. L.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.20.713224</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Endometrial Hyperplasia Risk Is Increased by High-Fat Diet Via Estrogen-Driven Stromal Fibroblast Reprogramming Toward a Pro-Fibrotic State]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.21.713394v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Host-mediated pH influences microbiome assembly and function on the phylloplane 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.21.713394v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Plant leaves harbor diverse microbial communities influenced by environmental inputs and host traits, yet it remains unclear whether leaves act as passive substrates or active ecological filters that reorganize microbial functional capacity. Phylloplane pH regulation is one hostplant trait that has been traditionally underexplored. We used metatranscriptomics to examine microbial gene expression on the phylloplane and within whole leaves of five plant species spanning the extremes of baseline phylloplane pH, including hyperalkalinizing Gossypium species, weakly buffering Beta vulgaris, and hyperacidifying Nepenthes species. Young leaves were inoculated with a common soil-derived microbial community to quantify host-associated restructuring of taxonomic and functional profiles, and short-term pH perturbations were applied to test the effect of transient abiotic stress. Across both phylloplane and whole-leaf datasets, host species identity was the primary axis structuring microbial taxonomic composition and expressed functional repertoires. Leaf-associated communities diverged from the source inoculum, but retained a substantial shared functional backbone enriched for central biosynthetic and core metabolic pathways. Host-associated differentiation reflected selective retention and redistribution of reactions within this shared environmental pool rather than acquisition of novel metabolic capacity. Enriched pathway subsets were metabolically coherent and taxonomically distributed across multiple bacterial orders, consistent with functional redundancy and trait-based assembly. Among hosts, Gossypium exhibited the strongest restructuring relative to inoculum, suggesting comparatively stronger host-associated filtering. In contrast, short-term pH manipulation did not induce consistent community-wide functional reorganization. Microbial physiological responses to the phylloplane environment and external pH were observed at the organismal level. Together, these results position leaves as active ecological filters that reorganize microbial functional landscapes through host-specific trait regimes. This work begins to implicate some role of phylloplane pH regulation in microbial assembly and function.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Floc'h, J.-B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lopez-Gonzalez, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Renner, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gilbert, K. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-24</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.21.713394</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Host-mediated pH influences microbiome assembly and function on the phylloplane]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-24</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.23.713664v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Global synthesis of aquatic insect heat tolerance reveals oxygen availability as a key driver of climate vulnerability 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.23.713664v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Accurately predicting species responses to climate change requires an understanding of the drivers of their thermal limits. Despite rapid warming of freshwater ecosystems worldwide, we still lack a global perspective on how upper thermal limits (UTLs) vary among aquatic insects, what constrains these limits, and how they contribute to species vulnerability. Here, we compiled a global dataset encompassing 423 aquatic insect species to test the effects of environmental conditions, organismal traits, acclimation history, and phylogenic relationships on patterns of heat tolerance. Maximum habitat temperatures were positively correlated with UTLs supporting the Climate Extremes Hypothesis, and insects relying exclusively on dissolved oxygen had the lowest UTLs supporting the Oxygen- and Capacity-Limited Thermal Tolerance hypothesis. Functional traits also explained substantial variation in UTLs; those that feed via scraping and shredding exhibited some of the lowest UTLs. Laboratory acclimation methods further influenced UTL estimates. Short-term exposure to higher acclimation temperatures increased UTLs, but longer exposure led to decreased heat tolerance. Finally, warming tolerance, i.e., the difference between UTL and the maximum habitat temperature) varied with breathing mode. Across latitude, warming tolerances were lowest for obligate dissolved oxygen-breathers but increased more rapidly in insects that can access terrestrial air. Collectively, these patterns indicate that oxygen is a key mechanism shaping thermal vulnerability in aquatic insects.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Bristow, S. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Verberk, W. C. E. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Stoks, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kefford, B. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dewenter, B. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shah, A. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.23.713664</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Global synthesis of aquatic insect heat tolerance reveals oxygen availability as a key driver of climate vulnerability]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.23.713776v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Molecular design principles for Photosystem I-based biohybrid solar fuel catalysts 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.23.713776v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Direct solar-to-chemical conversion offers a compelling route to clean, dispatchable energy. Photosystem I (PSI), an evolutionarily optimized light-driven oxidoreductase central to oxygenic photosynthesis, can be repurposed for direct solar-fuel production by efficiently coupling its photochemistry to catalysts, thereby storing sunlight as chemical energy in the H-H bond of H2. One promising architecture integrates PSI with Pt nanoparticle (PtNP) catalysts to create photocatalytic PSI-PtNP biohybrids. Advancing these systems requires molecular-level insight into protein-nanoparticle interactions and the bio-nano electron transfer pathways that govern activity; however, progress has been constrained by limited structural data to guide rational design. Here, we present two molecular structures of active PSI-PtNP assemblies that (a) compare thermophilic and mesophilic PSI scaffolds and (b) probe how removal of the terminal [4Fe-4S] clusters and stromal subunits in PSI reshapes protein-nanoparticle interfaces and photocatalysis. Structural analyses and molecular dynamics simulations define the interface topology, electrostatics, and cofactor-to-nanoparticle distances, revealing key molecular features that control biohybrid formation and electron transfer efficiency. These data establish mechanistic links between scaffold composition, bio-nano interface geometry, and catalytic performance, yielding design principles for optimizing PSI-PtNP architectures. The resulting structure-function insights provide a blueprint for engineering PSI-based solar-fuels systems and, more broadly, inform the design of protein-nanomaterial interfaces for light-driven catalysis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Emerson, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Damaraju, S. N. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Short, A. H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Alvord, Z. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Palmer, Z. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mehra, H. S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Brininger, C. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vermaas, J. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Utschig, L. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gisriel, C. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-25</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.23.713776</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Molecular design principles for Photosystem I-based biohybrid solar fuel catalysts]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-25</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.24.713995v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Regulation of PDGF-BB Signaling in Placental Pericytes by Soluble PDGFRβ Isoforms: Implications for Fetoplacental Vascular Development 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.24.713995v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
ABSTRACT/SUMMARYVascular remodeling within the developing fetus and placenta is essential for supporting the growth and function of emerging tissues and organs. Pericytes (PCs) play a central role in stabilizing and maturing microvascular networks by extending along endothelial cells (ECs) and reinforcing vessel integrity. In the placenta, as in other organs, PC-EC communication is mediated in part by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) signaling, which governs PC differentiation, proliferation, migration, and survival, ultimately enabling their recruitment and retention along capillaries. In this study, we identified progressive PC investment along feto-placental capillaries in both murine and human tissues across gestation, supported by morphological and molecular evidence. Placental PCs displayed phenotypic heterogeneity comparable to that observed in the brain and heart, suggesting conserved diversity across organ systems. In addition to characterizing PC dynamics, we examined the expression of recently identified soluble PDGF Receptor-{beta} (sPDGFR{beta}) isoforms. These variants were detected at the protein and transcript levels in mouse and human placentas, as well as in a murine trophoblast-embryonic stem cell (TESC) differentiation model that recapitulates aspects of early placental vascular development. Within this model, sPDGFR{beta} expression was independent of ADAM10 activity and exogenous growth factors during early vessel formation but was markedly upregulated during hypoxia. To assess how elevated sPDGFR{beta} might influence PDGF-BB signaling, we exposed TESCl-derived vascular networks to excess PDGF-BB with or without a sPDGFR{beta} mimetic. PDGF-BB alone reduced full-length PDGFR{beta} levels while increasing receptor phosphorylation, consistent with known ligand-induced regulatory mechanisms. Inclusion of the sPDGFR{beta} mimetic shifted these responses toward baseline, suggesting a potential modulatory or feedback role for soluble receptor variants. Together, these findings demonstrate that PCs are progressively recruited to placental capillaries and exhibit diverse phenotypes during development, and that soluble PDGFR{beta} isoforms may modulate PDGF-BB signaling in a manner sensitive to oxygen tension. Understanding these mechanisms provides insight into the regulation of placental vascular maturation and may inform strategies to improve human health by targeting disorders rooted in impaired placental development.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Barnes, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Duggan, E. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Dunkenberger, R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lessard, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cosma, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Steele, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Taylor, S. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Whitham, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Durica, A. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Chappell, J. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-27</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.24.713995</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Regulation of PDGF-BB Signaling in Placental Pericytes by Soluble PDGFRβ Isoforms: Implications for Fetoplacental Vascular Development]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-27</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.27.713294v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Cerebral Oxygen Budgeting: Network-Level BOLD Dynamics During Acute Hypoxia 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.27.713294v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Hypoxia constrains cerebral oxygen availability and challenges brain function and stability. Although hypoxia-responsive functional connectivity (HR-FC) reorganizes rapidly with declining arterial oxygen partial pressure, its relationship to local neurovascular activity remains unclear. We examined time-resolved amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in blood-oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) fMRI during graded acute hypoxia in healthy adults, performing a continuous cognitive test (Go/No-go task) with concurrent physiological monitoring. Dynamic ALFF and functional connectivity were estimated using a sliding-window approach and analyzed across large-scale brain networks defined by Schaefers 17-network parcellation. Severe hypoxia elicited temporally dissociated responses across modalities. Functional connectivity increased monotonically, whereas ALFF exhibited pronounced nonlinear modulation, including phase-dependent divergence across networks. During hypoxic decompensation, the default mode network (DefaultA) showed marked ALFF suppression, whereas a ventral secondary somatosensory-dominant network (SomMotB) exhibited preferential preservation despite similar engagement in HR-FC. Together, these findings indicate that network-level ALFF captures a distinct yet complementary layer of functional dynamics, with a temporal profile distinct from functional connectivity. Spontaneous BOLD dynamics during acute hypoxia reflect structured network-level modulation rather than a uniform suppression attributable solely to reduced oxygen availability. These findings support a conceptual framework of cerebral oxygen budgeting, in which metabolic constraints reshape functional dynamics across brain networks.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Kang, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Uchida, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Haider, C. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campeau, N. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>In, M.-H.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gray, E. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Trzasko, J. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Welker, K. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Wiggins, C. C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Senefeld, J. W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bernstein, M. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Holmes, D. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Joyner, M. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Curry, T. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Huston, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Shu, Y.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-03-31</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.27.713294</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Cerebral Oxygen Budgeting: Network-Level BOLD Dynamics During Acute Hypoxia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-03-31</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.30.715394v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Estimation of chloroplast macromolecular complex copy numbers and subunit stoichiometries during the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cell cycle 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.30.715394v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
An unbiased, quantitative view of biomolecules in a living cell is a prerequisite for accurate modeling approaches and informs our understanding of cellular metabolism at scale. In this work, we used the total protein approach (TPA), in which the total protein mass of a given proteomics sample is used as a calibrator for absolute protein quantification, to determine protein abundances during the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii diurnal cycle. We use external, independently measured quantitative markers (metals, pigments) to assess the absolute protein abundances in unlabeled whole cell extracts. We calculate protein abundances in fg / cell of 7322 Chlamydomonas proteins, 2266 of which were captured in every time point, including the major proteins involved in the light reactions, photoprotection, proteostasis and fatty acid metabolism during a cell cycle. As expected, Rubisco large and small subunits are present in a 1:1 stoichiometry, with the large subunit being the most abundant protein in our data set, averaging 5.05 x 106 molecules per cell, reflecting 2.7% of the total protein mass. We noticed that PSII is the most abundant complex involved in the light reactions with 2.08 x 106 complexes per cell. PSI averages 1.75 x 106 complexes per cell and cytochrome b6f averages 0.77 x 106 complexes per cell. The TPA is a robust tool to study proteome dynamics quantitatively, while avoiding artefacts due to biochemical fractionation. Our proteome data set with an unprecedented temporal resolution is a valuable resource to assess protein abundances during the cell cycle in the reference alga Chlamydomonas.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Schmollinger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strenkert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Purvine, S. O.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nicora, C. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Soubeyrand, E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Basset, G. J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Merchant, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-04-01</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.03.30.715394</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Estimation of chloroplast macromolecular complex copy numbers and subunit stoichiometries during the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cell cycle]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-04-01</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.02.715620v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Microbe-mediated plant acclimation to drought may be rare in agriculture 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.02.715620v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Microbial communities can shift under drought in ways that enhance plant performance during drought ("microbe-mediated acclimation"). However, it is also possible for microbial communities to shift in ways that worsen the effects of drought ("mal-acclimation"). It is unclear how and where microbe-mediated acclimation vs. mal-acclimation occurs, or if there are types of soils or microbial communities that are more likely to harbor microbes that enhance plant acclimation and limit mal-acclimation. We tested for microbe-mediated plant acclimation/mal-acclimation to drought in soils from 21 maize farms in the midwestern United States, spanning a range of climate, soil types, and management practices. We first conditioned soil microbial communities to drought vs. well-watered conditions in a greenhouse and then tested for microbe-mediated acclimation by growing maize in soils inoculated with the conditioned microbial communities under drought and well-watered conditions. Drought-conditioned soils did not enhance plant performance under drought. In fact, one third of the farms exhibited mal-acclimation, especially under well-watered conditions where wet-conditioned soils reduced plant performance in well-watered contemporary conditions. Farm management practices, climate, soil texture, and microbial diversity generally did not predict when this microbe-mediated mal-acclimation occurred. Overall, these results suggest that in agricultural soils, microbes may frequently impede-rather than facilitate-plant acclimation to soil moisture levels.

Open research statementThe plant and soil data used in this study are available via the Environmental Data Initiative repository at https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/f4a0db3a076cf6d8cef908947f82736e. The bacterial and fungal amplicon sequence data are available via the European Nucleotide Archive under accessions PRJEB110071 and PRJEB109827, respectively.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Howard, M. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bolin, L. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Bogar, G. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Evans, S. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lennon, J. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Marquart-Pyatt, S. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lau, J. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-04-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.04.02.715620</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Microbe-mediated plant acclimation to drought may be rare in agriculture]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-04-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.02.716003v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Humanization of the rpb9 locus in fission yeast reveals conserved and divergent roles of rpb9 and human POLR2I 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.02.716003v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Background/ObjectivesRNA polymerase II is a multifunctional complex that is critical for gene regulation and environmental responses. Its POLR2I subunit in human is associated with various pathologies, including cancer chemoresistance. However, much of our understanding of how POLR2I could function indirectly derives from studies of its homologs in yeasts called Rpb9. Here, we endogenously humanized the rpb9 gene of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to examine the functional capabilities of POLR2I.

MethodsWe edited the genomic rpb9 locus in S. pombe so that it encodes the human POLR2I protein, and investigated functional and structural conservation.

ResultsWith our humanized yeast system, we find widespread functional complementation by human POLR2I of S. pombe rpb9 roles in yeast growth, chronological aging, and stress responses. We also find that POLR2I complements novel roles for yeast rpb9 in facultative heterochromatin assembly, resistance against the chemotherapy 5-fluorouracil, and resistance against the fungicide thiabendazole. In contrast, we find that POLR2I cannot complement the role of rpb9 in resistance against the transcription elongation inhibitor 6-azauracil (6-AU) in our system. Interestingly, POLR2I could complement 6-AU resistance if ectopically expressed. Lastly, we observe extensive structural homology between Rpb9 and POLR2I proteins.

ConclusionsOur study establishes an endogenous cross-species gene complementation strategy that uncovers both conserved and rewired functions of fission yeast rpb9 and its human homolog, POLR2I. In addition to validating conserved roles, we also identified conservation of previously unrecognized roles of rpb9 in heterochromatin formation and chemoresistance.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Finkel, J. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Williams, M. G.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Nirmal, M. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Pandey, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Howe, E. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Liu, C. T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lohman, J. R.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sharma, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Vo, T. V.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-04-04</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.04.02.716003</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Humanization of the rpb9 locus in fission yeast reveals conserved and divergent roles of rpb9 and human POLR2I]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-04-04</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.02.716084v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Depletion of Chloroplast HSP70B Triggers Proteostasis Collapse and Compromises Thylakoid Membrane Integrity in Chlamydomonas 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.02.716084v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Chloroplast HSP70 is an essential component of the plastid proteostasis network, supporting protein folding, complex assembly and disassembly, and stress acclimation. Despite extensive genetic evidence for its essentiality, the cellular consequences of reduced chloroplast HSP70 activity remain poorly defined. Here, we investigated the function of the sole chloroplast HSP70 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, HSP70B, using an inducible artificial microRNA approach that reduced HSP70B abundance to below 30% of wild-type levels. HSP70B depletion resulted in cell division arrest and extensive proteome remodeling, characterized by strong upregulation of proteins involved in chloroplast protein quality control and membrane remodeling. Notably, this response was accompanied by increased abundance of protein quality control components in the endoplasmic reticulum, cytosol, and mitochondria, indicating pronounced proteostasis cross-talk between cellular compartments. In contrast, chloroplast and cytosolic ribosomes, photosynthetic and respiratory protein complexes, and central metabolic enzymes were broadly depleted, consistent with a collapse of cellular proteostasis. At the ultrastructural level, HSP70B-depleted cells exhibited lesions at thylakoid membrane conversion zones previously described in VIPP1-depleted cells. Accordingly, higher-order oligomeric forms of VIPP1 accumulated, and cells displayed extreme sensitivity to high-light stress. These findings confirm HSP70B as a key regulator of VIPP1 oligomer dynamics and highlight its central role in coordinating chloroplast membrane remodeling with cellular proteostasis in Chlamydomonas.

One-sentence summaryDepletion of chloroplast HSP70B causes cell division arrest, proteostasis collapse, impaired VIPP1 oligomer dynamics with aberrant thylakoid structures, and increased light sensitivity.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Probst, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schmollinger, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Berg, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Unger, A.-K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Strenkert, D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Geimer, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Sommer, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schroda, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-04-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.04.02.716084</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Depletion of Chloroplast HSP70B Triggers Proteostasis Collapse and Compromises Thylakoid Membrane Integrity in Chlamydomonas]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-04-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.02.716188v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ancient IL-6-STAT5 signaling orchestrates inflammation in jawless vertebrates 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.02.716188v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a central regulator of vertebrate immunity, yet its existence in jawless vertebrates has remained obscure because of extreme sequence divergence. The extant jawless vertebrates (lampreys and hagfish), which deploy variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) instead of immunoglobulins and T cell receptors, provide a unique window into the earliest interface between cytokines and adaptive immunity. Here, we identify IL-6-like genes in jawless vertebrates by combining computational structural comparisons, phylogenetic reconstruction, and conserved local and long-range synteny analyses. The encoded proteins adopt the canonical four-helix bundle characteristic of immune-related IL-6 family cytokines and align topologically with mammalian IL-6. In sea lamprey, three IL-6 paralogs show distinct leukocyte and tissue expression patterns and are differentially induced by pathogen-associated molecular patterns and skin injury, indicating early functional diversification of IL-6-mediated inflammatory responses. Stimulation of myeloid peritoneal leukocytes with recombinant lamprey IL-6 induces STAT5 phosphorylation and rapid upregulation of SOCS1/3 genes, consistent with an IL-6/STAT5/SOCS regulatory axis. These findings extend the repertoire of immune-related four-helix bundle cytokines to jawless vertebrates and indicate that IL-6-dependent inflammatory programs were already in place before the divergence of VLR-based and Ig/TCR-based adaptive immune systems in vertebrates.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Fontenla-Iglesias, F.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boulay, J.-L.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rast, J. P.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Hirano, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Au-Yeung, B. B.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Lamas, J.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Li, W.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Boehm, T.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Cooper, M. D.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>DAS, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-04-06</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.04.02.716188</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ancient IL-6-STAT5 signaling orchestrates inflammation in jawless vertebrates]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-04-06</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.05.716407v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Screening metatranscriptomes for ultrastable RNA secondary structures reveals hidden bacteriophages and novel capsid nanomaterials 
]]>
</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.05.716407v1?rss=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Metatranscriptomics has transformed our view of RNA bacteriophage diversity, revealing vast numbers of single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) phages whose protein capsids can be engineered for biotechnology applications. However, many ssRNA phages remain hidden from current detection methods, which require protein-level similarity to known phages. Here we show that RNA structure provides an additional signal for the detection of ssRNA phages in metatranscriptomes, including hidden phages missed by prior protein-based methods. By computationally folding each contig and screening for exceptionally stable RNA secondary structures, we find evidence of thousands of previously unrecognized phages encoding novel coat proteins. We express a library of 12,000 such coat proteins in E. coli and find that most assemble into nuclease-resistant capsids. We determine the 3D structure of one such capsid by cryo-electron microscopy and demonstrate that it can be disassembled and reassembled in vitro to package heterologous RNA--a key step toward repurposing these particles as RNA delivery vehicles. We compile the newly discovered ssRNA phages with previously known ones into a database that contains sequence and structural information for over 460,000 unique RNA molecules and over 100,000 distinct coat proteins, providing a comprehensive resource for microbiology and nanomaterials research.
]]></description>
<dc:creator>Villarreal, D. A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Makasarashvili, N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Kapoor, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Root, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Campbell, M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gibson, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Schiveley, C.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Rastandeh, A.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Baker, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Subramanian, S.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Neri, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Mills, C. E.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>McNair, K.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Segall, A. M.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Gophna, U.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Parent, K. N.</dc:creator>
<dc:creator>Garmann, R. F.</dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-04-07</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.04.05.716407</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Screening metatranscriptomes for ultrastable RNA secondary structures reveals hidden bacteriophages and novel capsid nanomaterials]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-04-07</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
</rdf:RDF>
