Issues

Summary: In this hypothesis paper we re-evaluate canonical ideas about the interaction between developmental, genetic and evolutionary processes through the lens of planaria, an invertebrate model organism which challenges fundamental assumptions regarding reproduction.

Summary: We describe the role of FAK and focal adhesion proteins in capacitation, acrosome reaction, polymerization and remodeling of actin cytoskeleton, and how inhibition of FAK affects sperm physiology.

Summary: We show for the first time that the mussel Mytilus californianus has a flexible digestive strategy to deal with varying environmental conditions that are based upon their position on the shore.

Summary: Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) nourish their embryos with a lipid-rich ‘milk’ secreted by uterine epithelium during the early gestation period, before the onset of oophagy.

Summary: Twist1⁺ epithelium retains intercellular junctions and proliferative capacity. During dissemination, Twist1⁺ cells retain adhesive capacity and exhibit features of both amoeboid and mesenchymal migration modes.

Summary: Detailed analysis of fictive motor patterns unveils endogenous characteristics of the cockroach thoracic locomotion control networks and their interrelations and enables an explanatory connectivity model.

Summary: Allometric growth patterns of ballan wrasse were not affected by different diets, and larval functional development was found to be dependent on size and not age or growth rate.

Summary: We applied matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization−mass spectrometry imaging analyses to identify and visualize metabolomic molecular markers in tadpoles of Xenopus tropicalis. We found new molecular markers in various tissues and cells.

Summary: Our findings may bring a new viewpoint into the mechanisms of cardiac abnormalities and suggest that miR-20a may be a potential new therapeutic target for congenital heart diseases.

Summary: Insulator speckles have been discussed to be either storage places for insulator proteins or to represent sites of long-range chromatin interaction. Here we demonstrate their association with interacting chromatin.

Summary: We identified cells co-expressing differentiation markers of Sertoli and peritubular myoid cell lineages in X. tropicalis through the establishment and characterization of cell culture derived from juvenile testis.

Summary: RPGR is a ciliary protein that functions as a scaffold to recruit cargo-loaded PDE6D to cilia. Our study shows that RPGR is also a cargo of PDE6D.

Summary: Although mutations in individual microtubule glutamylating enzymes do not disrupt essential microtubule functions in C. elegans, combining mutations in three enzymes uncovers a redundant function for glutamylation in male mating.

Summary:³⁵S-labeled sulfate incorporated into various cells of coral demonstrates that photosynthesis of endosymbiotic algae contributes to the synthesis and utilization of sulfur compounds.

Summary: We examined the genomes of Drosophila-associated bacteria to identify factors that allow survival within the host. These preliminary studies may point at bacterial products that influence host health.

Summary: A symbiotic alga Chlorococcum sp. GD was successfully isolated from the soil moss and successfully cultivated under axenic conditions. It has nearly 40% lipid content, and thus appears to have potential for use in biodiesel production.

Summary: The rabbit Achilles tendon full transection model can be used to study adhesion extent in a controlled way. It also mimics the biomechanics of human hand flexor tendons.

Summary:Argus is a free and open source toolset for using consumer grade cameras to acquire 3D kinematic data in field settings.

Summary: Commonly used fixation protocols during immunolabelling can result in artefactual protein distribution. We highlight the artefacts in images and provide fixation conditions for studying membrane receptor organisation.