Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander A. Tokmakov, Yudai Morichika, Ryuga Teranishi, Ken-Ichi Sato
Summary: This study demonstrates that oxidative stress can induce overactivation of frog eggs, which is a calcium-dependent phenomenon and can be attenuated by the selective calcium chelator BAPTA. Several intracellular events, such as degradation of cyclin B2 and decline in mitochondrial membrane potential, occur in overactivated eggs. Furthermore, plasma membrane integrity is compromised in overactivated eggs.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Amira Mahomed, Daljit Girn, Afrin Pattani, Brian K. Wells, Chloe C. King, Sonya Patel, Harsimran Kaur, Christina M. Noravian, Jessica Sieminski, Chi Pham, Halley Dante, Max Ezin, Tamira Elul
Summary: The cannabinoid receptor CB1R plays a role in the migration and morphogenesis of neural crest cells and derivatives in both chicken and frog embryos, possibly through signaling via Myosin II.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Zhixin Shan, Shanshan Li, Chenghua Yu, Shibin Bai, Junpeng Zhang, Yining Tang, Yutong Wang, David M. Irwin, Jun Li, Zhe Wang
Summary: The normal stages of embryonic development for Xenopus laevis were established by Nieuwkoop and Faber in 1956, but lacked photographic images and staining of skeleton structures. In this study, we provide high-quality images of embryonic morphology and skeleton development for easier amphibian development research. Using the albino mutant of X. laevis, we observed a consistent development rate compared to wild-type embryos and identified 66 stages of development. We described the complete embryonic development system and summarized the characteristics and laws of limb and skeleton development.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Hannah Flach, Alexander Lenz, Sarah Pfeffer, Michael Kuhl, Susanne J. Kuhl
Summary: This study demonstrates that the herbicide glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) negatively affects the embryonic development of the South African clawed frog. GBH treatment leads to reduced body length and mobility, smaller eyes, brains and cranial cartilages, and abnormalities in cardiac development. GBH also affects the expression of marker genes in different tissues and developmental stages.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Simone Pellegrino, Kyle C. Dent, Tobias Spikes, Alan J. Warren
Summary: The chemical modifications of ribosomal RNA and proteins are crucial for ribosome assembly, protein synthesis, and potentially for ribosome specialization in development and disease. However, the inability to visualize these modifications accurately has hindered the mechanistic understanding of their role in ribosome function. In this study, the researchers used cryo-EM to reconstruct the human 40S ribosomal subunit and observed post-transcriptional modifications in the RNA and post-translational modifications in the proteins. They also elucidated the role of potassium and magnesium ions in stabilizing and folding key ribosomal elements. This work provides unprecedented structural details for the human 40S ribosomal subunit and will be valuable for investigating the functional role of ribosomal RNA modifications.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yoo-Seok Hwang, Daeho So, Moonsup Lee, Jaeho Yoon, Vytas Reipa, Alessandro Tona, Feng Yi, Bryant C. Nelson, David A. LaVan, Vincent A. Hackley, Ira O. Daar, Tae Joon Cho
Summary: Despite the lack of systematic studies on the synthesis optimization and colloidal stability of positively charged gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in nanomedicine under physiological conditions, a group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology has successfully produced remarkably stable polyethyleneimine (PEI)-coated AuNPs (Au-PEI). The improved version of Au-PEI (Au-PEI25kB) has shown significant cytotoxicity and teratogenicity, making it a potential positive control material for nanoparticle analysis in nanotoxicology and teratology, therefore increasing the demand for toxicity and teratogenicity information. The use of the frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (FETAX) method revealed the toxicity and teratogenicity of Au-PEI25kB, while polyethylene glycol conjugated AuNPs (Au-PEG) showed no such effects.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vishnu V. Krishnamurthy, Hyojeong Hwang, Jia Fu, Jing Yang, Kai Zhang
Summary: Optogenetics utilizes light-inducible protein-protein interactions to control signaling activity with precision, offering attractive spatial and temporal resolution for studying embryonic development. In a comparative study, a cytoplasm-to-membrane translocation-based optogenetic system outperformed membrane-anchored dimerization systems in activating receptor tyrosine kinase signaling in live Xenopus embryos. This engineering strategy may have broad applicability to other signaling pathways involving membrane-bound receptors, as demonstrated by triggering Wnt activity through optogenetic activation of LRP6.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Hong-Mei Li, Ying-Chi Zhang, Yuan -Yuan Li, Qing-Qing Zhu, Jie Li, Hai-Ming Xu, Yi-Ming Xiong, Zhan-Fen Qin
Summary: Benzophenone-type UV filters (BPs) are commonly found in aquatic environments and can pose ecological risks to aquatic populations. This study investigated the adverse effects of three commonly used BPs on testis development in Xenopus laevis. The results showed that exposure to BPs resulted in abnormal testes morphology, reduced cell proliferation, and altered gene expression. The effects of BPs were not concentration-dependent, and even environmentally relevant concentrations could inhibit testis differentiation and cause testis dysgenesis. These findings suggest that BPs may pose a potential risk to amphibians in aquatic environments.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
J. Azevedo-Favory, C. Gaspin, L. Ayadi, C. Montacie, V Marchand, E. Jobet, M. Rompais, C. Carapito, Y. Motorin, J. Saez-Vasquez
Summary: This study used RiboMethSeq to explore rRNA 2'MODIFIER LETTER PRIME-O-methylation sites in A. thaliana plants, discovering new C/D snoRNA-guided methylation sites and some orphan sites. Moreover, disruption of Nucleolin 1 gene was found to decrease 2'MODIFIER LETTER PRIME-O-methylation at specific rRNA sites, suggesting a functional/structural interconnection with nucleolus organization and plant development.
Article
Developmental Biology
Jaeho Yoon, Jerlin Garo, Moonsup Lee, Jian Sun, Yoo-Seok Hwang, Ira O. Daar
Summary: Rab11 family-interacting protein 5 (Rab11fip5) interacts with transmembrane ligand ephrinB1 for Eph receptors, with overlapping expression in developing amphibian embryos' telencephalon. Loss of Rab11fip5 function leads to decreased telencephalon size and cell proliferation, which can be rescued by overexpression of ephrinB1, highlighting the importance of ephrinB1 recycling by the Rab11/Rab11fip5 complex in proper telencephalon development.
Article
Oncology
Flora Nguyen Van Long, Audrey Lardy-Cleaud, Dimitri Carene, Caroline Rossoni, Frederic Catez, Paul Rollet, Nathalie Pion, Deborah Monchiet, Agathe Dolbeau, Marjorie Martin, Valentin Simioni, Susan Bray, Doris Le Beherec, Fernanda Mosele, Ibrahim Bouakka, Amelie Colombe-Vermorel, Laetitia Odeyer, Alexandra Diot, Lee B. Jordan, Alastair M. Thompson, Francoise Jamen, Thierry Dubois, Sylvie Chabaud, Stefan Michiels, Isabelle Treilleux, Jean-Christophe Bourdon, David Perol, Alain Puisieux, Fabrice Andre, Jean-Jacques Diaz, Virginie Marcel
Summary: FBL has been identified as a powerful independent marker of breast cancer prognosis related to ribosome biogenesis. Surprisingly, low activation of ribosome biogenesis is also associated with poor outcome.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patrizia Bonfanti, Anita Colombo, Melissa Saibene, Giulia Motta, Francesco Saliu, Tiziano Catelani, Dora Mehn, Rita La Spina, Jessica Ponti, Claudia Cella, Pamela Floris, Paride Mantecca
Summary: The study found that microplastics have diverse shapes and sizes, mainly composed of polyethylene and polypropylene, containing metal and organic impurities, resembling environmental microplastics. These microplastics interacted with embryos of zebrafish and Xenopus, causing species-specific effects on mortality and phenotypes. Further research is required to understand the mechanisms and long-term impacts of microplastics on aquatic organisms.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kirill S. Tenkov, Mikhail V. Dubinin, Alexander A. Vedernikov, Yuliya A. Chelyadnikova, Konstantin N. Belosludtsev
Summary: The present study investigates the in vivo effect of triclosan on frogs and reveals a dose-dependent impact on their survival. Triclosan damages the liver tissue, reduces the osmotic resistance of red blood cells, and suppresses the respiration rate and calcium retention capacity of frog liver mitochondria. These findings highlight the significance of triclosan on aquatic organisms.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY C-TOXICOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Corinna Schreiner, Bianka Kernl, Petra Dietmann, Ricarda J. Riegger, Michael Kuehl, Susanne J. Kuehl
Summary: In this study, the researchers used Xenopus laevis as a model organism to investigate the role of Rpl5 in embryonic development. They showed that Rpl5 knockdown resulted in defects in cranial cartilage, eye formation, and brain development, similar to the clinical manifestations of Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA). Further analyses revealed that Rpl5 functions through a common signaling pathway with c-Myc and Tp53, and that apoptosis is one of the main reasons for the observed phenotypes. This study provides new insights into the molecular background of ribosomopathies.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anneke L. Schoeman, Louis H. du Preez, Nikol Kmentova, Maarten P. M. Vanhove
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of host-specific parasites as tags for tracing the movement of host lineages and invasion dynamics. The results reveal past translocation of host lineages based on the success of cointroduced parasite lineages. Additionally, anthropogenic translocation of the frog is inferred, highlighting the importance of including parasite data in invasion ecology.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sunny Sharma, Jun Yang, Ewa Grudzien-Nogalska, Jessica Shivas, Kelvin Y. Kwan, Megerditch Kiledjian
Summary: The cytoplasmic protein Xrn1 is found to be capable of degrading RNAs with an unprotected 5' monophosphate end as well as RNAs harboring noncanonical NAD caps. The deNADding activity of Xrn1 is crucial for normal growth and regulation of mitochondrial NAD-capped RNA levels and intramitochondrial NAD levels.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mark Helm, Yuri Motorin
Summary: For the first time, a comprehensive study has described the phosphorylation in the core of a transfer RNA molecule and characterized the enzymes responsible for adding and removing the phosphate group.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sohail Khoshnevis, R. Elizabeth Dreggors-Walker, Virginie Marchand, Yuri Motorin, Homa Ghalei
Summary: Protein synthesis by ribosomes is crucial for gene expression in cells, and 2'-O-methylation is a common modification on ribosomal RNAs. This study reveals that changes in the biogenesis of snoRNPs, which guide 2'-O-methylation, lead to the production of ribosomes with distinct translational properties. The hypo-2'-O-methylated ribosomes show translational defects and affect ribosome dynamics and ligand binding. This highlights the importance of 2'-O-methylation in regulating cellular translation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jasmin Hertler, Kaouthar Slama, Benedikt Schober, Zeynep Ozrendeci, Virginie Marchand, Yuri Motorin, Mark Helm
Summary: Techniques have been developed to isolate long, translatable, and internally point-modified mRNA, enabling functional analysis of these modified mRNAs.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Isaac Planas-Sitja, Jean-Louis Deneubourg, Denis L. J. Lafontaine, Ludivine Wacheul, Adam L. Cronin
Summary: Animal personality refers to the differences in behavior and actions among individuals, which is important for group survival in group-living animals. A study on American cockroaches found that bold individuals have upregulated genes associated with sensory activity and aggressive behavior, and social context can modulate gene expression related to bold/shy characteristics. Cockroaches could be valuable for studying genetic mechanisms underlying social behavior evolution.
Article
Orthopedics
A. Chabronova, G. G. H. van den Akker, B. A. C. Housmans, M. M. J. Caron, A. Cremers, D. A. M. Surtel, K. Wichapong, M. M. J. Peffers, L. W. van Rhijn, V. Marchand, Y. Motorin, T. J. M. Welting
Summary: This study investigates the role of ribosomes in chondrocyte translation regulation and its relevance for osteoarthritis. Using RiboMethSeq analysis, the researchers found that osteoarthritic synovial fluid induces site-specific changes in the rRNA 2'-O-me profile of primary human articular chondrocytes. These changes alter the translation mode and promote the translation of COL1A1 mRNA, leading to increased levels of COL1A1 protein and suggesting the involvement of rRNA epitranscriptomic mechanisms in osteoarthritis development.
OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Florian Pichot, Marion C. Hogg, Virginie Marchand, Valerie Bourguignon, Elisabeth Jirstrom, Cliona Farrell, Hesham A. Gibriel, Jochen H. M. Prehn, Yuri Motorin, Mark Helm
Summary: Modification of tRNA is crucial for generating RNA expression diversity. In this study, the stoichiometry of incompletely modified sites in human tRNAs was investigated, and it was found that up to 75% of sites can be incompletely modified. The modification patterns of tRNA populations can provide information to differentiate different cell lines.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biology
Mira Brazane, Dilyana G. Dimitrova, Julien Pigeon, Chiara Paolantoni, Tao Ye, Virginie Marchand, Bruno Da Silva, Elise Schaefer, Margarita T. Angelova, Zornitza Stark, Martin Delatycki, Tracy Dudding-Byth, Jozef Gecz, Pierre-Yves Placais, Laure Teysset, Thomas Preat, Amelie Piton, Bassem A. Hassan, Jean-Yves Roignant, Yuri Motorin, Clement Carre
Summary: This study reports a novel pathogenic variant of FTSJ1 associated with X-linked intellectual disability (XLID). Using RiboMethSeq analysis, the researchers identified ribose methylation on all human tRNAs and novel targets. Transcriptome analysis revealed deregulation of genes associated with intellectual disability and cancers. The study also uncovered changes in the miRNA population and demonstrated defects in neuron morphology associated with FTSJ1 depletion.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Laurie-Anne Lamotte, Lionel Tafforeau
Summary: With its human lung origin, A549 cell line serves as a designated cellular model for viral respiratory infections studies. We generated a stable A549-RING1 cell line that expresses firefly luciferase upon interferon-beta stimulation, RIG-I transfection, and influenza A virus infection. This cell line can be used to investigate the impact of viral respiratory infection on innate immune response without the need for plasmid transfection.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Morghan C. Lucas, Leszek P. Pryszcz, Rebeca Medina, Ivan Milenkovic, Noelia Camacho, Virginie Marchand, Yuri Motorin, Lluis Ribas de Pouplana, Eva Maria Novoa
Summary: Nano-tRNAseq is a nanopore-based method that allows for simultaneous quantification of tRNA abundance and chemical modifications, providing a new tool for studying tRNA. Re-processing of raw nanopore current intensity signals leads to more accurate tRNA abundance information. Nano-tRNAseq can reveal changes in tRNA populations in response to oxidative stress.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Sunny Sharma, Jun Yang, John Favate, Premal Shah, Megerditch Kiledjian
Summary: Two methods, NADcapPro and circNC, are introduced to precisely identify NAD-capped RNAs and non-canonical caps in eukaryotes. These methods overcome the limitations of previous techniques and reveal unexpected features of NAD-capped RNAs in budding yeast. The study shows that NAD-RNAs can be full-length, polyadenylated transcripts, and that their transcription start sites can be different from canonical m(7)G-capped RNAs. Additionally, NAD caps can be added after transcription initiation, and NAD-RNAs exhibit a preference for translation in mitochondria.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Denis L. J. Lafontaine