Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kai Battenberg, S. Thomas Kelly, Radu Abu Ras, Nicola A. Hetherington, Makoto Hayashi, Aki Minoda
Summary: Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis has gained popularity, and UniverSC is a universal tool for processing single-cell RNA-seq data on any platform. It provides a command-line tool, docker image, and containerized graphical application for consistent and comprehensive integration, comparison, and evaluation of data from various platforms. Additionally, a cross-platform application with a graphical user interface is available to address the bottleneck of data processing for researchers without bioinformatics expertise.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Zhen Xu, Jiajia Shi, Yu Zhang, Yuhan Liu, Junzheng Zhao, Qian Chen, Chenglin Song, Shuhui Geng, Wei Xie, Feizhen Wu, Yun Bai, Yang Yang, Xiajun Li
Summary: Zfp57 plays important roles in both maternal and zygotic functions in mouse, regulating the allelic expression and DNA methylation imprinting of imprinted genes. Loss of Zfp57 results in the loss of DNA methylation imprint at multiple imprinting control regions, with maternal Zfp57 being essential for maintaining DNA methylation at a subset of imprinted regions. Zfp57 also has sexually dimorphic effects on allelic expression switch and expression level changes of imprinted genes in mouse embryos.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biology
Benjamin P. Oldroyd, Boris Yagound
Summary: Social insects, due to haplo-diploidy and relatedness asymmetries, are prime candidates for the evolution of genomic imprinting. Different mating systems may lead to different evolutionary pressures on genes, influencing their direction of evolution. Crosses between subspecies of honeybees have shown evidence of genomic imprinting affecting genes related to worker reproduction.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qingwang Chen, Yaqing Liu, Yuechen Gao, Ruolan Zhang, Wanwan Hou, Zehui Cao, Yi-Zhou Jiang, Yuanting Zheng, Leming Shi, Ding Ma, Jingcheng Yang, Zhi-Ming Shao, Ying Yu
Summary: The study presents a molecular subtyping method for triple-negative breast cancer and provides a multiomics dataset consisting of clinical, genomic, and transcriptomic information. This work contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms of this breast cancer type, identification of actionable targets, and offers a user-friendly database for data access and exploration.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dan Zhu, Jin Ge, Siyuan Guo, Li Hou, Rangjun Shi, Xian Zhou, Xin Nie, Xianhui Wang
Summary: Caste differentiation in pre-imaginal bumblebees is mainly characterized by differences in gene expression, with gynes showing the most distinct patterns. Hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism genes are linked to caste differentiation, while neuropeptides are associated with sex differentiation. Despite limited genome-wide associations, gene ontology analysis points to nutrition-related activities as key factors in caste differentiation.
JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Weijun Jiang, Jiajia Shi, Jingjie Zhao, Qiu Wang, Dan Cong, Fenghua Chen, Yu Zhang, Yuhan Liu, Junzheng Zhao, Qian Chen, Linhao Gu, Wenjia Zhou, Chenhang Wang, Zhaoyuan Fang, Shuhui Geng, Wei Xie, Luo-Nan Chen, Yang Yang, Yun Bai, Haodong Lin, Xiajun Li
Summary: ZFP57 is a master regulator of genomic imprinting, which controls the expression of target imprinted genes by maintaining differential DNA methylation at ICRs. Mutations in Zfp57 lead to allelic expression switches in target imprinted genes and genes associated with the NOTCH signaling pathway.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hye Kyung Lee, Ludwig Knabl, Mary Walter, Priscilla A. Furth, Lothar Hennighausen
Summary: The study suggests that prior infection status significantly impacts the immune response following BA.2 infection, with significantly increased neutralizing antibody levels in patients with a previous history of COVID-19.
Article
Biology
Jack da Silva
Summary: This study reviews the evidence of genomic imprinting in eusocial insects and explores how atypical modes of reproduction may select for imprinting. The findings suggest that natural hybridization can disrupt imprinting and affect the phenotypes of hybrids.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel T. Pederick, Jan H. Lui, Ellen C. Gingrich, Chuanyun Xu, Mark J. Wagner, Yuanyuan Liu, Zhigang He, Stephen R. Quake, Liqun Luo
Summary: The study reveals that in mice, the complementary expression of cell surface molecules teneurin-3 (Ten3) and latrophilin-2 (Lphn2) guides the precise assembly of CA1-to-subiculum connections in the medial and lateral hippocampal networks. The repulsion and attraction mechanisms mediated by Lphn2 and Ten3 cooperate to control the target selection of CA1 axons. The assembly of parallel hippocampal networks follows a Ten3 -> Ten3, Lphn2 -> Lphn2 rule instructed by reciprocal repulsions.
Article
Horticulture
Agustina Paula Fortuny, Diego Alberto Mengarelli, Javier Hernan Pereira da Costa, Gustavo Ruben Rodriguez, Maria Ines Zanor
Summary: This study provides a deeper understanding of the molecular basis of reciprocal effect and heterosis in plant crops by studying the genetic and molecular differences between different parental genotypes and their reciprocal hybrids, as well as the presence of heterosis and reciprocal effects.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2023)
Article
Biology
David H. Collins, David C. Prince, Jenny L. Donelan, Tracey Chapman, Andrew F. G. Bourke
Summary: In this study, it was found that reproductive costs are present but latent in bumblebee queens, and that there is a condition-dependent positive fecundity-longevity association. Additionally, the study suggests that a partial remodelling of genetic and endocrine networks underpinning ageing may have occurred in intermediately eusocial species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jun Liu, Chuanbo Sun, Siqi Guo, Xiaohong Yin, Yuling Yuan, Bing Fan, Qingxue Lv, Xinru Cai, Yi Zhong, Yuanfeng Xia, Xiaomei Dong, Zhifu Guo, Guangshu Song, Wei Huang
Summary: This study constructed a maize brittle stalk mutant (bk5) and identified differential genes and pathways related to cellulose and lignin synthesis, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms regulating the brittle stalk phenotype in maize.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Wenqing Qi, Wojciech Rosikiewicz, Zhaohong Yin, Beisi Xu, Huihong Jiang, Shibiao Wan, Yiping Fan, Gang Wu, Lu Wang
Summary: Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a rare and aggressive primitive mesenchymal tumor that mainly affects adolescents and young adults. Researchers have identified the fusion protein HEY1-NCOA2, which promotes cell proliferation and upregulates the expression of PDGFB and PDGFRA, providing a potential target for treating mesenchymal chondrosarcoma.
JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Thomas Haschka, Jean Baptiste Morlot, Leopold Carron, Julien Mozziconacci
Summary: This article discusses how enhancement methods improve the performance of common distance measures, presents a systematic approach to evaluate the separability of experimental replicates, and shows that the application of the "contrast increasing mutual proximity" significantly enhances performance across various distance measures. Depending on the type of epigenetic experiment, the MP coupled with Pearson, Cosine, or other distances proves to be highly efficient in discriminating epigenomic profiles.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xiangnan Li, Peipei Zhang, Haijian Wang, Ying Yu
Summary: Our research indicates that caution should be taken when interpreting results related to low-abundance transcripts. The findings provided in this study will serve as a valuable resource for evaluating the impact of gDNA contamination on RNA-seq analysis, especially in relation to the discovery of potential novel gene elements.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ricardo Caliari Oliveira, Jelle van Zweden, Tom Wenseleers
Summary: Chemical cues, particularly cuticular hydrocarbons, play a crucial role in insect societies, aiding in tasks such as nestmate recognition and queen signaling. Environmental factors, rather than genetic factors, seem to have a larger impact on cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes, influencing how worker ants detect and prevent infiltration by non-nestmates within a colony.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Helena Mendes Ferreira, Rafael Carvalho da Silva, Fabio Santos do Nascimento, Tom Wenseleers, Cintia Akemi Oi
Summary: This study investigates the effects of juvenile hormone on reproduction in two primitive eusocial wasp species and its regulation of reproductive traits and chemical cues. The results show that hormone treatments significantly affect egg laying and the production of specific chemical signals.
Article
Ecology
Viviana Di Pietro, Helena Mendes Ferreira, Annette Van Oystaeyen, Felix Wackers, Tom Wenseleers, Ricardo Caliari Oliveira
Summary: The study demonstrates that early switchers of Bombus terrestris are diploid male producing colonies, while late switchers produce normal haploid males. These patterns are not the result of strong inbreeding within the population, as hybrids produced by crossing two distinct outbred populations also produce diploid males.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Zoology
T. Parmentier, M. Gaju-Ricart, T. Wenseleers, R. Molero-Baltanas
Summary: This study found that behavioral traits that facilitate integration into host colonies were more pronounced in host specialist silverfish. However, the strategy of chemical deception was employed by all ant-associated species, regardless of their degree of host specificity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pieter van den Berg, Siyuan Liu, Tom Wenseleers, Jianlei Zhang
Summary: Misrepresentation in cooperative behavior is common and detrimental to future cooperation. The effects of misrepresentation on cooperation outcomes are amplified by the possibility of building a personal reputation in China, but not in the USA.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
H. Marshall, M. T. Nicholas, J. S. van Zweden, F. Wackers, L. Ross, T. Wenseleers, E. B. Mallon
Summary: Social insects, such as bumblebees, show distinct phenotypic differences between sexes and castes despite having similar genomes. Epigenetic processes, particularly DNA methylation, may play a role in mediating these differences. This study used bisulfite sequencing and whole genome re-sequencing to investigate the methylome and genetic variation in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. The findings suggest a potential role for DNA methylation in histone modification processes and provide insights into the relationship between DNA methylation and genetic variation.
Article
Entomology
Francine Antoinette Cornelus van Neerbos, Peter Dewitte, Felix Wackers, Tom Wenseleers, Hans Jacquemyn, Bart Lievens
Summary: Insect responses to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by bacteria vary among and within different trophic levels. The concentrations of VOCs differ between bacterial strains, and correlations between the concentration of specific VOCs and the behavior of primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids vary. This study provides insights into the potential use of VOCs for developing semiochemical-based strategies for biological aphid control.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Helena Mendes Ferreira, Viviana Di Pietro, Tom Wenseleers, Cintia Akemi Oi
Summary: The juvenile hormone (JH) plays important roles in regulating reproduction and age-related division of labor in social insects. This study shows that JH also regulates behavioral maturation and division of labor in the highly eusocial Vespine wasp Vespula vulgaris.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Rafael Carvalho da Silva, Tom Wenseleers, Cintia Akemi Oi, Fabio Santos do Nascimento
Summary: Chemical compounds, particularly hydrocarbons, play a crucial role in the recognition processes of social insects. In this study, we investigated the ability of females in the wasp species Mischocyttarus cerberus to discriminate between their own eggs and those of other species. By experimentally collecting eggs and offering them to different nests, we found that M. cerberus females can accurately discriminate eggs according to their origin. This discrimination skill is likely important for avoiding parasitism and maintaining the social integrity of the colony.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Xiudao Yu, Hollie Marshall, Yan Liu, Yu Xiong, Xiangdong Zeng, Haizhong Yu, Wei Chen, Guchun Zhou, Bo Zhu, Laura Ross, Zhanjun Lu
Summary: The relationship between DNA methylation and sex-biased gene expression is of great interest for studying sexual dimorphism mechanisms and developing potential insect pest control strategies. In the case of the Asian citrus psyllid, researchers identified the differences in transcription and DNA methylation patterns between adult virgin males and females, as well as a small number of differentially methylated genes involved in sex differentiation. These findings lay the foundation for the development of epigenetic-based pest control methods with potential applicability across agricultural insect pests.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rafael Carvalho da Silva, Fabio Santos do Nascimento, Tom Wenseleers, Cintia Akemi Oi
Summary: Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are crucial for chemical communication in social insects, such as wasps. This study found caste-specific differences in CHCs, egg surface, and Dufour's gland composition among four wasp species. The presence of specific hydrocarbons in queen-laid eggs and Dufour's gland suggests their role as putative fertility signals regulating reproductive labor division.
Article
Entomology
Elias Beck, Tom Wenseleers, Ricardo Caliari Oliveira
Summary: The western honeybee Apis mellifera shows temporal polyethism, where workers perform different tasks as they age. This division of labor is regulated not only by bee age but also by the proportion of workers performing the required tasks. In a study simulating the loss of foragers in the colony, honeybee workers quickly replaced the missing foragers by accelerating their transition to a subsequent task. The study also found that the social network structure of the colony became more cohesive and interconnected after the disturbance.
Article
Entomology
Enya Wynants, Cedric Van Dun, Nancy Lenaerts, Sarah A. Princen, Ella Tuyttens, Hagai Y. Shpigler, Tom Wenseleers, Annette Van Oystaeyen
Summary: This study investigates the effects of hibernation state, caste, and species on the gonadotropic effect of juvenile hormone (JH) in bumble bee queens. The results indicate that JH does not directly promote ovary development in hibernated queens, but does have a stimulatory effect in non-hibernated queens. Additionally, JH does not have significant gonadotropic effects in workers. The findings suggest that factors beyond JH elevation are required for oviposition and colony initiation.
JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Ricardo Caliari Oliveira, Viviana Di Pietro, Jose Javier G. Quezada-Euan, Jorge Ramirez Pech, Humberto Moo-Valle, Tom Wenseleers
Summary: The overproduction of queens in Melipona bees is caused by individual larvae selfishly biasing their development towards the queen pathway. The presence of geraniol does not affect the rearing of new queens, and there is no evidence for queen parasitism in M. beecheii. These findings support the original 'tragedy of the commons' hypothesis.
