Review
Genetics & Heredity
Mark S. Hill, Petra Vande Zande, Patricia J. Wittkopp
Summary: Heritable variation in gene expression arises from mutations filtered by natural selection. High-throughput methods reveal regulatory variation generation mechanisms and compare mutational effects with wild variation to understand neutral and non-neutral evolutionary processes. Integrating molecular and evolutionary biology helps predict the evolution of gene expression variations.
NATURE REVIEWS GENETICS
(2021)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Diogo Carregosa, Sara Mota, Sofia Ferreira, Beatriz Alves-Dias, Natasa Loncarevic-Vasiljkovic, Carolina Lage Crespo, Regina Menezes, Rita Teodoro, Claudia Nunes dos Santos
Summary: The rise of neurodegenerative diseases in an aging population poses significant health, social, and economic consequences. Diets rich in (poly)phenols have been shown to have health benefits in preventing cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases. The role of gut microbiota in metabolizing (poly)phenols and the potential brain effects of low molecular weight (poly)phenol metabolites still require further research.
Review
Cell Biology
Agata Tyczewska, Alicja Rzepczak, Daria Sobanska, Kamilla Grzywacz
Summary: Aging is a gradual decline of various functions of organisms resulting in diminished abilities to protect against environmental damage and reinforce physiological harmony. Recent studies have shown that the mechanisms of lifespan regulation are conserved throughout evolution. This review focuses on the emerging roles of tRNA-associated processes in aging and lifespan regulation, including tRNA metabolism, epitranscriptome, and tRNA-derived fragments. Understanding the basic mechanisms of aging could lead to the development of new diagnostics and treatments for aging-related diseases.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Anja Wagner, Markus Schosserer
Summary: RNA modifications play a regulatory role in gene expression, but the underlying molecular mechanisms and physiological consequences are still poorly understood. This review systematically examines different types of RNA modifications, analysis methods, challenges in the field, and associations with human diseases. Furthermore, evidence is compiled for the connection between RNA modification enzymes and lifespan in yeast, worms, and flies.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Manish Pandey, Sakshi Bansal, Sudipta Bar, Amit Kumar Yadav, Nicholas S. Sokol, Jason M. Tennessen, Pankaj Kapahi, Geetanjali Chawla
Summary: In fruit flies, two neuronally enriched and highly conserved microRNAs, miR-125 and let-7, have been shown to mediate the response to dietary restriction (DR) that extends lifespan. MiR-125 functions in neurons, while its target gene chinmo modulates fat metabolism and longevity in both neurons and the fat body. Chinmo exerts its DR effects by regulating the expression of several proteins, indicating a potential avenue for miR-125 and its downstream effectors as drug candidates for late-onset diseases and biomarkers for healthy aging in humans.
Article
Virology
Mark G. Sterken, Lisa van Sluijs, Yiru A. Wang, Wannisa Ritmahan, Mitra L. Gultom, Joost A. G. Riksen, Rita J. M. Volkers, L. Basten Snoek, Gorben P. Pijlman, Jan E. Kammenga
Summary: Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, this study dissected the genetic architecture of Orsay virus infection and identified two loci on chromosome IV associated with susceptibility. Additionally, it was found that other genetic elements may also influence viral infection susceptibility.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Hengzhi Shi, Xiaocui Huang, Xueqiu Chen, Yi Yang, Zhao Wang, Yimin Yang, Fei Wu, Jingru Zhou, Chaoqun Yao, Guangxu Ma, Aifang Du
Summary: Hypobiosis is a crucial life-cycle adaptation for parasitic nematodes to survive under adverse conditions. The gene acox-1 plays an essential role in the larval development of Haemonchus contortus, a parasitic nematode employing hypobiosis as a survival mechanism. Understanding the function of acox-1 and associated fatty acid oxidation provides insights into developmental regulation and potential intervention targets for parasitic nematodes of socioeconomic importance.
Article
Ecology
Anjali Mahilkar, Prachitha Nagendra, Phaniendra Alugoju, E. Rajeshkannan, Supreet Saini
Summary: This study investigates the adaptive diversification of yeast in an environment containing melibiose as the carbon source. The results show that mutations in the GAL3 gene, involved in metabolic co-operation, drive the adaptive diversification. The study demonstrates the importance of metabolic co-operation with public resources in generating biological diversity.
Article
Cell Biology
Takafumi Ogawa, Koji Masumura, Yuki Kohara, Muneyoshi Kanai, Tomoyoshi Soga, Yoshikazu Ohya, T. Keith Blackwell, Masaki Mizunuma
Summary: Methionine restriction can extend lifespan and delay aging-associated pathologies. Supplementation with S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) can mimic the effects of methionine restriction by reducing methionine levels and activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), thereby extending lifespan.
Article
Cell Biology
Isheng J. Tsai
Summary: Population genomics studies the evolutionary processes of intraspecies genetic variations. Recent advances in sequencing provide new insights into yeast-population genomics and enable better quantification of genetic variations.
CURRENT OPINION IN GENETICS & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesco Liguori, Susanna Amadio, Cinzia Volonte
Summary: Researchers have utilized a variety of in vivo models to dissect ALS, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. Concurrent and comparative analysis of these systems is essential to unravel the causes and mechanisms of ALS. These studies have helped to dissect the pathological pathways of ALS.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah R. Fausett, Asma Sandjak, Benedicte Billard, Christian Braendle
Summary: This study characterizes natural differences in germ stem cell niche activity between two Caenorhabditis elegans isolates and identifies a promoter deletion in the Notch ligand, lag-2/Delta, which is associated with the size of the progenitor zone. The phenotypic effects of this deletion are further influenced by epistatic interactions between the lag-2/Delta promoter, a locus on chromosome II, and additional background loci. These findings provide insights into the quantitative genetic architecture of an animal stem cell system.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Anle Ge, Liang Hu, JiaXing Fan, Minghai Ge, Xixian Wang, Shanshan Wang, Xiaojun Feng, Wei Du, Bi-Feng Liu
Summary: The optogenetic method is commonly used to study neuronal function and connectivity in neural circuits. This study presents a portable optofluidic platform using optical fiber illumination for optogenetic manipulation in nematode C. elegans. It allows precise activation of neurons and simultaneous measurement of cellular signals, providing a simple, rapid, and cost-effective strategy for studying neural circuits.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nariani Rocha Saraiva, Juliana Foletto Fredo Roncato, Monica Pascoli, Joao Marcos Fonseca Macedo e Sousa, Luiz Felipe Windberg, Fernanda Cristina Possamai Rossatto, Jefferson de Jesus Soares, Elton Luis Gasparotto Denardin, Robson Luiz Puntel, Karine Rigon Zimmer, Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto, Daiana Silva Avila
Summary: The biodegradable zein nanoparticles loaded with clove oil or eugenol displayed low toxicity to nematodes and significant insecticidal activity against fruit flies, showing promise for eco-friendly botanical insecticide production.
SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Kexin Chen, Linfan Shi, Zhongyang Ren, Wuyin Weng
Summary: The antioxidant activity of Actinopyga miliaris hydrolysate (AMH) was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that AMH has significant antioxidant activity, which can alleviate oxidative damage and prolong the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans.