Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Xu Xu, Ying Zhang, Hanhua Cheng, Rongjia Zhou
Summary: SPATA33 acts as a novel receptor for mitophagy in male germline cells, mediating the interaction of VDAC2 and ATG16L1 during the autophagic process. It plays a crucial role in priming mitochondria for degradation and promoting mitophagy, providing cargo selectivity in the process. This study sheds new light on selective autophagy and mitochondrial homeostasis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Donghui Yang, Mengfei Zhang, Wenbo Chen, Qizhong Lu, Shicheng Wan, Xiaomin Du, Yunxiang Li, Balun Li, Wenping Wu, Congliang Wang, Na Li, Sha Peng, Haiyang Tang, Jinlian Hua
Summary: The study demonstrates the importance of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) in maintaining immune homeostasis and spermatogenesis. UCHL1 shows anti-inflammatory and antiviral functions in the testes.
Article
Cell Biology
Fu-Rong Bai, Qi-Qian Wu, Yu-Jie Wu, Yan-Qin Hu, Zhi-Xuan Jiang, Hao Lv, Wen-Zhe Qian, Chang Cai, Jing-Wen Wu
Summary: This study investigated the role and mechanism of FOXJ2 in spermatogenesis regulation and found that its overexpression led to spermatogenesis failure and male infertility. The study also discovered that FOXJ2 affects chaperone-mediated autophagy through upregulation of LAMP2A.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paschalia Kapli, Paschalis Natsidis, Daniel J. Leite, Maximilian Fursman, Nadia Jeffrie, Imran A. Rahman, Herve Philippe, Richard R. Copley, Maximilian J. Telford
Summary: Bilaterally symmetric animals are divided into Protostomia and Deuterostomia, with Protostomia consistently receiving strong support in phylogenetic studies. However, support for Deuterostomia is equivocal and may be influenced by systematic errors, suggesting that the common ancestor of bilaterians and deuterostomes may have been deuterostome-like.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Millissia Ben Maamar, Eric E. Nilsson, Michael K. Skinner
Summary: The development of gametes (sperm and egg) is crucial in transmitting optimized physiological adaptations and phenotypes to subsequent generations. Environmental factors actively regulate epigenetics, impacting the physiology and phenotype of cellular and biological systems. The integration of genetics and epigenetics is essential for developmental biology systems at the cellular and organism level.
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Sandrine Floriot, Laura Bellutti, Johan Castille, Pauline Moison, Sebastien Messiaen, Bruno Passet, Laurent Boulanger, Abdelhak Boukadiri, Sophie Tourpin, Christian Beauvallet, Marthe Vilotte, Julie Riviere, Christine Pechoux, Maud Bertaud, Jean-Luc Vilotte, Gabriel Livera
Summary: This study reveals the essential role of centrosome cohesion in male gametogenesis. Mutant mice lacking the Cep250 gene exhibit male infertility due to a reduction in the spermatogonial pool and the blockade of meiotic divisions. The findings provide new insights into the function of centrosome cohesion in male germline development.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucie A. Bergeron, Soren Besenbacher, Jiao Zheng, Panyi Li, Mads Frost Bertelsen, Benoit Quintard, Joseph I. Hoffman, Zhipeng Li, Judy St Leger, Changwei Shao, Josefin Stiller, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Mikkel H. Schierup, Guojie Zhang
Summary: We sequenced and compared high-coverage genomes of 151 parent-offspring trios from 68 species of vertebrates and found that the per-generation mutation rate varies greatly among species, with males having higher rates than females in mammals and birds. We identified generation time, age at maturity, and species-level fecundity as key factors influencing this variation. Species with larger long-term effective population sizes tend to have lower mutation rates, supporting the drift barrier hypothesis. Domesticated animals with shorter generation times display exceptionally high yearly mutation rates, emphasizing the importance of generation time in mutation rate evolution.
Article
Cell Biology
Masaki Kawase, Kenji Ichiyanagi
Summary: In mammals, germ cells produce small regulatory RNAs called piRNAs, which have different characteristics and expression dynamics during development. The length of piRNAs is correlated with PIWI-like proteins, and retrotransposon-derived piRNAs are abundantly produced but decline in abundance as development proceeds.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pravrutha Raman, Mary C. Rominger, Janet M. Young, Antoine Molaro, Toshio Tsukiyama, Harmit S. Malik
Summary: Histones and their posttranslational modifications play diverse chromatin functions in eukaryotes. This study reveals the presence of five H2B variants widely present in mammalian genomes, with two new variants identified. These variants are broadly retained in mammals and expressed in germline cells. The findings suggest that H2B variants likely have important roles in mammalian germline cells through unconventional chromatin packaging or nonchromatin functions.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Grigor Varuzhanyan, Mark S. Ladinsky, Shun-ichi Yamashita, Manabu Abe, Kenji Sakimura, Tomotake Kanki, David C. Chan
Summary: Male germline development involves coordinated changes in mitochondrial number, morphology, and organization, with processes such as fusion, fission, and mitophagy playing important roles. Disruption of Fis1 in mouse male germline results in abnormal mitochondrial structure and increased content, leading to defects in spermatid maturation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Abik Nandi, Debapratim Kar Chowdhuri
Summary: The study revealed that cadmium can alter the number of male GSCs, affecting sperm quantity and reproductive performance, with overexpression of sod showing a rescuing effect. The results emphasize the pivotal role of redox imbalance in Cd-induced male infertility.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hue M. La, Jinyue Liao, Julien M. D. Legrand, Fernando J. Rossello, Ai-Leen Chan, Vijesh Vaghjiani, Jason E. Cain, Antonella Papa, Tin Lap Lee, Robin M. Hobbs
Summary: This study uncovers the roles of growth factor signalling and mTORC1 in the regeneration of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Single-cell analysis reveals the unique molecular features of regenerative SSCs and the changes in the composition of undifferentiated spermatogonia during germline recovery. The data suggest that transient mTORC1 activation is critical for the regenerative response, while sustained mTORC1 signalling is detrimental for SSC maintenance. Inhibition of growth factor signalling disrupts the regenerative state and limits germline recovery.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Richard J. Wang, Yadira Pena-Garcia, Madeleine G. Bibby, Muthuswamy Raveendran, R. Alan Harris, Heiko T. Jansen, Charles T. Robbins, Jeffrey Rogers, Joanna L. Kelley, Matthew W. Hahn
Summary: This study examines the per-generation mutation rate in a brown bear pedigree and finds that both male bias and per-generation mutation rates are similar to that of non-hibernating species, contradicting previous theories. These findings provide new evidence for the determinants of mutation rates and mutation biases.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Lindy Jensen, Zsolt G. Venkei, George J. Watase, Bitarka Bisai, Scott Pletcher, Cheng-Yu Lee, Yukiko M. Yamashita
Summary: The translational regulator me31B plays a critical role in preventing excess dedifferentiation in the Drosophila male germline, leading to spermatogonia dedifferentiating into germline stem cells (GSCs) at a dramatically elevated frequency in its absence. The excess dedifferentiation is likely due to misregulation of nos, a key regulator of germ cell identity and GSC maintenance. These findings reveal negative regulation of dedifferentiation to balance stem cell maintenance with differentiation.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Yoshifumi Mori, Seiji Takashima, Mito Kanatsu-Shinohara, Zheng Yi, Takashi Shinohara
Summary: The study found that Cdc42 is essential for the development of the germline niche, as its deficiency results in a significant reduction in the number of spermatogonial stem cells in the testes, affecting GDNF expression and Sertoli cell development.
Article
Plant Sciences
Phougeishangbam Rolish Singh, Gerrit Karssen, Marjolein Couvreur, Sergei A. Subbotin, Wim Bert
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of fourteen Paratylenchus species, linking them to molecular sequences and presenting new gene sequences. Three species are recorded in Belgium for the first time, and one species is recorded in Europe for the first time, showcasing the diversity and minimalistic morphology of this plant-parasitic genus.
Article
Zoology
Myriam Claeys, Vladimir V. Yushin, Wim Bert
Summary: Cryofixation rapidly cools specimens to preserve their ultrastructure and antigenicity. Self-Pressurised Rapid Freezing involves plunge freezing specimens in cryogens like liquid nitrogen. Drylce SPRF, using cooled acetone on dry ice, yields comparable results to High Pressure Freezing and SPRF in terms of ultrastructure and antigenicity on Caenorhabditis elegans.
Article
Biology
Nikol Kmentova, Christoph Hahn, Stephan Koblmuller, Holger Zimmermann, Jiri Vorel, Tom Artois, Milan Gelnar, Maarten P. M. Vanhove
Summary: The study revealed the lake-wide occurrence of Cichlidogyrus casuarinus and highlighted the limitations of its magnifying potential for the focal host species. Additionally, the first assessment of the genetic variation of mitochondrial data in Cichlidogyrus was provided using different sequencing technologies. In bathybatine cichlid fishes, the lake-wide population differentiation pattern differs among species, indicating potential for further research on mechanisms driving host range and the role of phenotypic plasticity in diversification and speciation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Phougeishangbam Rolish Singh, Bart T. L. H. van de Vossenberg, Katarzyna Rybarczyk-Mydlowska, Magdalena Kowalewska-Groszkowska, Wim Bert, Gerrit Karssen
Summary: This study carried out a morphological and molecular analysis of three populations of Rotylenchus goodeyi, revealing important character variations within this species and suggesting the synonymization of R. rhomboides with R. goodeyi. The study also identified high nucleotide variation within cox1 gene sequences in these populations.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Maarten P. M. Vanhove, Raquel Hermans, Tom Artois, Nikol Kmentova
Summary: Tropical African freshwater clupeids host a rich diversity of monogenean flatworms, with 11 new species discovered recently. These parasites provide valuable information about the ecology, evolutionary history, and introduction pathways of their hosts.
Article
Ecology
Jeffrey Jacobs, Matty Berg, Natalie Beenaerts, Tom Artois
Summary: This study evaluated the diversity of springtails, a dominant group of soil fauna, on twelve extensive green roofs in Belgium. The results showed that the characteristics of the roofs did not significantly affect the species richness, abundance, or diversity of springtails. Roof communities were characterized by hemiedaphic life forms, preferring neutral to semi-moist conditions.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mare Geraerts, Tine Huyse, Maxwell Barson, Hassan Bassirou, Charles F. Bilong Bilong, Arnold R. Bitja Nyom, Auguste Chocha Manda, Armando J. Cruz-Laufer, Clement Kalombo Kabalika, Gyrhaiss Kapepula Kasembele, Fidel Muterezi Bukinga, Samuel Njom, Tom Artois, Maarten P. M. Vanhove
Summary: This study explored the origin of introduced Nile tilapia stocks in sub-Saharan Africa and tested the potential of monogeneans as biological tags and magnifying glasses. The results showed that dactylogyrids can be used as biological tags, and the magnifying glass hypothesis was confirmed only for certain dactylogyrid species. The study carried out a phylogeographic analysis based on the mitochondrial genomes of monogeneans, providing unprecedented diagnostic resolution.
Article
Zoology
Stefan Gobert, Werner Armonies, Yander L. Diez, Philippe Jouk, Marlies Monnens, Nathalie Revis, Patrick Reygel, Julian Smith, Niels Van Steenkiste, Tom Artois
Summary: The newly discovered genus Orostylis of dalytyphloplanid rhabdocoels has unique characteristics such as a sclerotised stylet, an anterior male copulatory organ, and direct emptying of the ovary into the intestinal lumen. The seven new species within Orostylis are distinguished by the structure of the sclerotised parts of the male copulatory organ. This new genus is placed in Neodalyellida Willems et al. 2006 based on molecular and morphological evidence, with discussions on similarities with other taxa.
Article
Plant Sciences
Albrecht M. Houben, Marlies Monnens, Willem Proesmans, Tom J. Artois
Summary: This article describes four new species of limnoterrestrial rhabdocoels and provides new data for nine known species. The new species are distinguished based on reproductive system differences, and one species could not be placed in an existing genus. The findings contribute to the understanding of this group of organisms.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TAXONOMY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Salah-Eddine Laasli, Mustafa Imren, Goksel Ozer, Fouad Mokrini, Rachid Lahlali, Wim Bert, Alexey Morgounov, Gul Erginbas-Orakci, Abdelfattah A. Dababat
Summary: The root-lesion nematode and the crown rot fungus cause significant damage to grain crops and pose challenges to breeding programs. This study identified resistant wheat lines to both pathogens, providing valuable insights for improving resistance and selecting promising germplasm.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
E. Olajide, Y. A. Kolombia, D. Amah, M. Couvreur, R. Swennen, D. Coyne, L. Cortada, W. Bert
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Huu Tien Nguyen, Thi Duyen Nguyen, Thi Mai Linh Le, Quang Phap Trinh, Wim Bert
Summary: The family Criconematidae is a remarkable group of nematodes, many of which are significant agricultural pests. This study found that the previous classification of Criconematidae species was partially erroneous due to convergent evolution. The analysis also revealed the need for revised species delimitation using a polyphasic approach. Additionally, this study characterized two species associated with Vietnamese ginseng, highlighting the molecular variations within the family Criconematidae.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Phougeishangbam Rolish Singh, Abebe Woldesenbet Aseffa, Abolfazl Hajihassani, Gerrit Karssen, Wim Bert, Beira Hailu Meressa
Summary: A new species, Rotylenchus bunae n. sp., was discovered in the coffee rhizosphere in Gera district of Jimma, Ethiopia. The new species has been characterized morphologically and molecularly. It shares similarities with other African Rotylenchus species but can be distinguished by its distinct morphology and molecular data.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Irma Tandingan De Ley, Karin Kiontke, Wim Bert, Walter Sudhaus, David H. A. Fitch
Summary: Recently, researchers have focused on the nematode group Phasmarhabditis as a potential source of biocontrol agents for invasive slugs. Pellioditis pelhamensis n. sp. and Pellioditis pellio are two morphologically similar but reproductively isolated species within this group. Phylogenetic analysis confirms that Phasmarhabditis is a junior synonym of Pellioditis. Additionally, Pellioditis bohemica is found to be a junior synonym of Pellioditis pellio, further supporting its association with both slugs and earthworms. These findings suggest that Pellioditis species have a wider range of hosts than just slugs.
Article
Parasitology
Tanisha Moons, Nikol Kmentova, Antoine Pariselle, Tom Artois, Wim Bert, Maarten P. M. Vanhove, Armando J. J. Cruz-Laufer
Summary: Due to the lack of exploration on the diversity of metazoan parasites, their speciation mechanisms and occurrence in allopatry or sympatry have been understudied. This study examines the poorly explored monogenean parasites infecting a lineage of cichlid fishes in West and Central Africa. Through analysis of morphological characters, 10 new species of monogeneans were discovered, and the phylogenetic positions of these parasites were determined.
