microPublication biology最新文献

In marine environment, actinobacteria are widely distributed in water and sediments, and form symbiotic relationships with higher organisms. In this study, we isolated 49 actinobacterial strains from three temperate stony corals , Pocillopora damicornis , Acropora hyacinthus and Acropora muricata . More than 60% of obtained actinobacterial isolates belonged to mycolic acid-containing genera, particularly members of the family Mycobacteriaceae . Our results combined with the previous studies demonstrated that these actinobacteria are frequently associated with coral hosts worldwide.

In the winner effect, animals that have previously won an aggressive encounter gain an increased probability of winning subsequent aggressive interactions. This effect has been studied in males of various species, from crickets to humans. However, the effects are under-studied in Madagascar hissing cockroaches, Gromphadorhina portentosa. Here, we aimed to determine the influence of the winner effect in unfavorable conflicts. To test this, smaller winner-affected male G. portentosa were placed in combat trials against substantially larger males. We tested the limits of the winner effect, and identified behaviors that were predictive to winning a match regardless of treatment group.

Self-excising-cassette (SEC)-based CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in is widely used for generating endogenous fluorescent protein tags in C. elegans . Here, we report a lack of success targeting the X chromosome using this method. CRISPR/Cas9 works as intended, but subsequent floxing of the SEC is blocked. Given that the X chromosome is epigenetically silenced in primordial germ cells (PGCs), this is a logical result. To circumvent this barrier, we suppressed polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) with RNAi to transiently and reversibly reduce silencing in the PGCs, creating a brief window where the X chromosome is amenable to floxing without compromising germ line development. Overall, our results reveal a previously unrecognized limitation of SEC-based CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in and identify a reliable workaround for tagging proteins encoded on the X chromosome.

Motor Exit Point (MEP) glia are spinal cord-derived glial cells that myelinate peripheral motor axons, bridging the central and peripheral nervous systems. They have a hybrid profile, sharing features with oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. Yet, significant gaps remain in our understanding of complex MEP glial lineage and identity. MEP glia express neural tube and canonical oligodendrocyte lineage markers olig2 and nkx2.2a , as well as the neural crest marker foxd3 . Here, we show that the oligodendrocyte markers olig1 and plp1b are not expressed in MEP glia. These findings refine the molecular signature of MEP glia, enhancing their peripheral identity.

Authentication of strains is important for preventing genetic contamination before any experiment, which can compromise reproducibility and lead to misleading results. Here, we developed an approach that combines computational single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identification with molecular validation using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). This workflow enables rapid and precise confirmation of strains in an inexpensive, reproducible, and easily adaptable way for long-term stock maintenance across laboratories. We apply this protocol to Drosophila melanogaster from the Drosophila Genome Resource Panel (DGRP), which are commonly used in fruit fly research, providing a reliable context for ensuring the integrity of Drosophila genetic resources.

Cilia are microtubule-based structures lining epithelial surfaces of many organs and play an essential role in diverse metabolic and developmental processes. Structural or functional disruptions of cilia can lead to ciliopathies affecting multiple organs. Knocking down armc3 in Schmidtea mediterranea revealed reduction in cilia length of 48.9% compared to the control, accompanied by 63.7% reduction in gliding speed. Additionally, knockdown planaria displayed abnormal cilia distribution, particularly in the anterior region. These findings suggest that ARMC3 is essential for maintaining proper motile cilia structure and function and highlight its potential relevance for understanding ciliopathies in humans.

Eleven novel cluster DJ Gordonia rubripertincta phages were isolated from soil collected in Pittsburgh, PA and Omaha, NE. The genomes of these phages have an average length of 60,185 bp and contain an average of 91 predicted genes. Genes with putative roles in structure, assembly, lysis, and nucleic acid processing were identified. Cluster DJ phages have an unusually low average G+C content (51.6%) compared to G. rubripertincta (~67%). These phages are also unusual in the organization of genes involved in lysis, the inclusion of two related major tail protein genes, and the absence of a candidate tail assembly chaperone gene.

We studied spatial changes in soil bacterial microbiome composition and diversity in a 111 acres old growth mixed hardwood forest plot in Long Island, NY. Forty soil samples were collected from four forest transects across the forest plot representing various soil features, and dominant vegetation. Three phyla account for 91% of the bacteria in the samples, Acidobacteriota (43%), Proteobacteriota (30%), and Actinobacteriota (18%). We also found 16 different classes and 33 orders. Sites dominated by black birch, Betula lenta were significant more diverse than all other sites. We also found significant differences in microbiome composition based on pH and vegetation.

Chemoreception underpins essential animal behaviors. Caenorhabditis inopinata , a close relative of C. elegans that inhabits fig syconia, provides an opportunity to test how microhabitat shapes odor preference. Using two-point chemotaxis assays, we compared these species across six volatile odorants. C. elegans showed strong attraction to all odorants, whereas C. inopinata responded only to 2,4,5-trimethylthiazole, 2-butanone, and diacetyl. In addition, C. inopinata moved more slowly under both odorant and non-odorant conditions, displayed frequent head-swinging, and rarely executed pirouette-like turns. These findings indicate divergence in odor preference and locomotory behavior, suggesting differences in chemotactic navigation associated with distinct ecological contexts.

Bacteriophage LordBart was isolated from a soil sample in Clarksville, TN using the bacterium Microbacterium foliorum. The bacteriophage has a 56,975 bp genome with 86 predicted protein-coding genes, of which 32 were assigned predicted functions. LordBart has a siphovirus morphology and is grouped with bacteriophages in cluster EF based on gene content similarity. Its genome includes eight copies of a conserved 12 bp sequence motif located upstream of predicted translational start codons of some genes of unknown functions.