Issues

Summary: A model in which cellular programming dynamics is governed by source-sink relationships, such that chromatin associated factors (‘sources’) compete to occupy regions of genomic DNA (‘sinks’).

Summary: Establishing a functional relationship between histone modifications and developmental processes is challenging. In this Review, we discuss the use of dominant-negative histone mutations as tractable tools to study histone methylation in development.

Summary: The identification of a dormant regenerative program for a non-regenerative tissue that can be extrinsically stimulated provides a translational interface between regeneration biology and regenerative medicine.

Summary: Loss of RNA-binding protein Csde1 leads to impaired development of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in zebrafish.

Highlighted Article: H2A.Z protein levels underlie embryonic sensitivity to repetitive element de-repression, repetitive elements function as a sink for epigenetic factors and competition for H2A.Z influences overall transcriptional output.

Highlighted Article: Calcium spikes dynamically activate the CaMKK2-AMPK pathway, which regulates mitochondrial fission and mitophagy required for normal growth of dendrites in hippocampal neurons.

Highlighted Article: High-resolution confocal imaging and migration tracking of zebrafish neuroblasts reveals the cellular behaviours underlying statoacoustic morphogenesis and the role of pioneer neurons shaping the statoacoustic ganglion.

Summary: Transcriptional and cellular studies show that KDM5-mediated regulation of genes necessary for the function of mitochondria is essential for animal development.

Summary: Tomato floral meristem determinacy and fruit development are both orchestrated by the interplay between gibberellin and microRNA156-targeted SlSBP genes.

Summary: Endothelial SMAD6 targets the ALK1 arm of BMP signaling during liver vascular development and provides evidence that balanced ALK1 signaling is important for junction integrity.

Summary: The Tbx20-TLE repression complex is essential for mammalian heart development and regulates cardiac progenitor cell development.

Summary: CCDC183 is essential for cytoplasmic invagination around the flagellum, enabling proper formation of both axonemal microtubules and accessory structures to produce a functional spermatozoon.

Summary: Changes in cell geometry, division orientation and cell wall mechanics underlie maize ligule morphogenesis. The establishment of mechanically distinct epidermal domains coincides with topographical changes during early ligule outgrowth.

Summary: The cancer/testis antigen PRAMEL1 regulates germ cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis by inhibiting retinoic acid signaling, playing a crucial role in the proper establishment of the first and subsequent rounds of spermatogenesis.

Summary: A longitudinal, mediolateral wave of symmetrical and asymmetrical cell divisions and a short-range gradient of cell differentiation initiates and reinforces 3D growth during brown alga embryogenesis, ensuring body thickening up to the adult stage.

Summary: Immunity priming in different pathways uncouples the growth–defense trade-off, which can result in loss of yield, and allows for disease-resistant plants with robust growth.

Highlighted Article: The transcription factor EBF1 is expressed in non-myocytes in the heart, where it regulates the proliferation and differentiation of cardiomyocytes in a non-cell-autonomous manner.

Summary: Actl7b-deficient mice display spermatogenic arrest, which is likely due to loss of the interaction of ACTL7B with DYNLL1/DYNLL2, a spermatid cytoskeleton protein.

Summary: The CCR4–NOT complex is essential for proper oocyte maturation by suppressing translational activation of maternal mRNAs. Recruitment of CCR4–NOT to maternal mRNAs is mediated by the 3′UTR element CPE.

Highlighted Article: SIN3 complexes are required for fertility in C. elegans and contribute to repression of X-linked genes in the germline.

Summary: Computational method to quantify cell identity and visualize the dynamics of differentiation using concepts from statistical physics. The method provides meaningful coordinates for comparing single-cell RNA-sequencing data across experiments.